Category: Reading Reflections
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Book Review: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (+ Blog Update)
When Addie LaRue first came out, I didn’t expect I’d wind up reading it anytime soon. It wasn’t that I thought I wouldn’t like it; if it was anything at all like the Darker Shades of Magic series, it would be amazing. It’s just that I already have so many books to read, even have…
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Book Review: The Hate U Give
In my quest to support black authors, I bought a few books not that long ago. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas was the last on that list. I was hesitantly excited for this one. It’s realistic fiction, not fantasy, but it’s gotten a lot of acclaim, earned a few major awards, was even…
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Book Review: Storm Front (Dresden Files #1)
Okay so I know I’m not the only non-young adult reading mostly YA fantasy. It’s just a thing where young adult narratives remain far more compelling to me as a reader. But it’s also weird, and sometimes a little bit frustrating, being a verifiable adult stuck in the head of a teenager. I figure, you…
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The Lost Queen: Book Review (audiobook)
About a month ago, I found myself having to face a few lengthy drives. The past several times I’ve had to make that trip, I’ve had Wheel of Time audiobooks to listen to (and before that, I would usually listen to the Hamilton soundtrack). So I decided to peruse some audiobook sales and found The…
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The Making of Mythical Creatures (WoT Setting Study #3)
In continuation of our extensive Wheel of Time setting studies, I would like to turn a piece of world-building we have not touched upon at all, and that is the inclusion of mythical creatures. As with practically every other facet of world-building, Jordan was not content to pull from existing fantastical creatures, and chose instead…
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My Five Favorite Fantasy Magic Systems
Last week, I had the pleasure of doing a setting study about Wheel of Time’s magic system, and, knowing that many WoT fans claim it is one of the better systems of the fantasy genre, it got me thinking. I liked Wheel of Time. The complexities of channeling, the differences between saidin and saidar, the…
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Raven Cycle Wrap-Up
Maggie Stiefvater will be my downfall. It is books like these that make me remember why I gravitate towards high fantasy; urban fantasy, when done well, can utterly destroy the heart. I like my heart. To me, urban fantasy is done at its best when infused with a touch of whimsy, but that whimsy makes…
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Building a Magic System (WoT Setting Study #2)
Wheel of Time is known for many things, and for its readers, channeling is often touted as an impressive magic system. It is expansive, detailed, and well-thought-out. For those who are interested in a more present, harder magic system, the series offers as a template three major facets that differentiate channeling from other magic systems.…
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A Song of Wraiths And Ruin: Book Review
Back in June, in an effort to support black authors, I sought out a handful of books that I might add to my reading shelf. Of the five of them, A Song of Wraiths and Ruin was the book most aligned to my usual tastes: an epic fantasy tale promising some in-depth world-building. That said,…
Katie Bachelder 