Nothing But The Rain – Buckets of Misery

Since we’re fast approaching summer in the northern hemisphere, we should take some time to appreciate some of the things we associate with spring: the turn towards warmer weather, the blooming of flowers, and of course, the life-giving rains. However, Naomi Salman has chosen violence and made the rain something to fear in her debut…

Africa Risen – A Towering Display

Africa Risen is a sizable collection of stories from Africa and the African Diaspora edited by  Sheree Renée Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, and Zelda Knight. The featured stories are a mixture of science fiction, fantasy and even some horror. Though a few fell flat for me, the majority of the pieces grabbed my attention and…

The Scourge Between Stars – Fills The Void

Science fiction and horror go together like peanut butter and jelly. It’s a delicious concoction that begs to be devoured whenever it makes its way to my plate. And much like the sandwich, there is no perfect ratio of jelly to peanut butter, each sandwich offering its highs and lows, but always delectably finishable. But…

Your Star Chart to Science Fiction, No Not That Kind of Star Chart

Science Fiction can be as expansive as our galaxy and only aims to grow larger and more diverse as time marches inexorably forward. If you’re new to the genre, or even a veteran looking to expand your horizons, it can feel overwhelming to find the right break-in points. Do you think aliens are cool? Or…

The Infinite – Cleverly Packed With Possibilities

Reviewing the third book in a trilogy is always tough. I’m often flipping between several different emotions, attempting to understand the book as its own object and as the culmination of years of storytelling. Ada Hoffman’s The Infinite is no different and has me feeling the bitter sweet symphony of emotions that comes with a…

Wild Massive – The Multiverse Is Your Skyscraper

I picked this next book up on a bit of whim while browsing through NetGalley last year. The cover is striking, but the concept really drew me in. It gnawed at me with its really big feelings of “this is going to be weird, but bare with me.” Wild Massive, by Scotto Moore, is an…

Firebreak – Mitigating Corporate Chicanery

For some silly reason, I decided that this year was going to be the year of cyberpunk for me. And continuing in that vein, I figured I would pick up a newer book that almost lured me in several times before I realized my TBR was just too heavy. However, I was on a bookstore…