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Book reviews for many genres. Focus on horror, speculative biology, and YA.

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The Memoirs of Auberon of Faerie by Jeff Grubb

(Note: The original version of this review was written for an issue of Astrovitae, a magazine of speculative biology. The magazine is currently on hiatus, and that issue has not been published, so I figured I’d share my article here.

Astrovitae is an awesome magazine, by the way. Anyone with an interest in speculative biology should definitely check it out. Every issue is available for free on Astrovitae.com)

Speculative biology is a subgenre in science fiction and fantasy that looks at imaginary life through scientific lens. This includes designing plausible alien creatures, animals from the far future, and alternative paths that life could have evolved on Earth such as non-avian dinosaurs that survived the end-Cretaceous asteroid impact.

Then there is fiction that examines the biology of beings from mythology and folklore to see how they could exist as natural organisms. Some creatures are easy to explain- dragons, sasquatches, unicorns, etc. More explicitly supernatural entities such as faeries take more work and the scientific explanation can be just as bizarre as the magical one.

The Memoirs of Auberon of Faerie, written by Jeff Grubb, is a fictional field guide to the nature and culture of beings from the Faerie Veil. It’s a sourcebook for the TTRPG game Castle Falkenstein by R. Talsorian Games, set in a magical steampunk version of 1870s Europe. On the surface, the game seems like a fantasy setting with sorcery, dragons, dwarves, and fey. But it is actually pulpy science fiction. Dragons are evolved, intelligent pterosaurs. Magic is done through manipulation of probability and quantum strings using electromagnetic waves. And faeries are entities of pure energy from another dimension that have taken on material forms.

(Review continued in comments)

#bookreviews #ttrpg #fae #bookrecs #steampunk by @reading_radiodont

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6 months ago

Shopping Bag Ladies

By Ann Marie Rousseau

Shopping Bag Ladies is a photo essay by artist Rousseau accompanied by personal narratives from dozens of unhoused women living in New York City.

It’s all too easy to dismiss and overlook unhoused people if you haven’t endured homelessness yourself or don’t known someone who has. For many people, the homeless are a part of the scenery, a nuisance, or even a source of fear. They are drug addicts, mentally ill, criminals, or just too lazy to get their lives together. Certainly anyone who is hard-working, studious and careful with their money would never end up like that. At least, that’s the comforting fantasy many people tell themselves.

But the narratives in “Shopping Bag Ladies” force the reader to see the history and humanity of its unhoused subjects. These women have, or had, families, loved ones, jobs, even successful careers. They have ended up without stable housing for a myriad of reasons, and there usually is no one event that brought them here. Their own words drive home how easy it is for anyone to end up unhoused, how fragile shelter and stability actually is.

For example, there’s Mary Lou Prentiss, who used to work in music copywriting, meeting people like Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis Jr. Who left her job because the stress was crushing her, eventually found work as a housekeeper before eventually slipping into unemployment.

As another example, there is Helen (no last name given) who spends her days in libraries, washing up in hospital showers, tracking down restaurant bathrooms. Occasionally she sees her adult daughter, who she says “was pretty broke and so was I”

(Review continued in comments)

#bookreviewer #bookreview #poverty #socialjustice #photoessay by @reading_radiodont

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8 months ago

PRIDE ATLAS
compiled by Maartje Hensen with the assistance of many travel authors.

In these rough times it’s important for queer folks to find places for community and celebration. The Pride Atlas is a travel guide for LGBTQ+ explorers featuring locations, events, and history from every inhabited continent. The selection is very eclectic, showcasing festivals, events, clubs, bars, cafes, and restaurants for every interest and level of socialization. From Pride festivals in Miami, to queer-friendly beaches in Rio de Janeiro, from Delhi’s Jamai Kamali dargah (a tomb for Sufi Muslim saints) dedicated to the poet Jamali and his male partner Kamali, to Tokyo’s queer quarter in Shinjuku Ni-Chome. To the small, but growing Nuuk Pride in Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat). Most entries are accompanied by bright, colorful photographs

In their introduction, Maartje emphasized the need for an almanac for safe travel, similar to advice in the Green Book used by Black travelers in the Jim Crow South. While celebrating queer culture around the world, they caution travelers to be careful and make sure they know the laws regarding LGBTQ+ people wherever they go. They specifically cite Equaldex.com, the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA), and the Spartacus Gay Travel Index as useful resources. The introduction also has important travel tips like getting to know locals and having paperwork in order.

As the introduction states: “Because queer people have always been around, we’re no monolith. We come in all shapes and sizes. As LGBTQ+ travelers, we have the opportunity to connect with queer people globally, support their businesses, and gain new perspectives on LGBTQ+ culture.”

#booksbooksbooks #books #bookworm #bookreader #bookreviewer #lgbtq #queer #queerbooks #queerpride #pride #pridebooks #pridefestival #bookrecommendations #bookrecommendation #lgbtqfriendly #lgbtqbooks #bookreader #readmorebooks📚❤️📚 #bookreview by @reading_radiodont

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2 years ago

PRIDE: AN INSPIRATIONAL HISTORY OF THE LGBTQ+ Movement

By Stella Caldwell

An overview of Queer people throughout history, this book is geared towards grade levels 5-6 but is mature and detailed enough to inform and inspire older teens and even adults. Caldwell focuses primarily on recent queer history in the US and UK, though she does touch on other parts of the world a few times, such as a two-page biography of Marielle Franco, a Black queer politician from Brazil. There is also a section on contemporary Pride events throughout the world.

Colorful visuals break up the facts into sections, making it easier for readers to browse. Broader topics in the history of LGBTQ+ rights are presented alongside short biographies of historical figures such as Audre Lorde, Lili Elbe, and Harvey Milk, as well as profiles of modern queer teens and young adults. The book does not shy away from tragedies such as the AIDS crisis, but it uses these issues as a way to reinforce the importance of Pride and the progress that has been made.

“Pride” covers an impressive amount of information in only 125 pages, making it an excellent overview of the long history of Queer people and a fruitful source of jumping-off points for more detailed inquiries.

#lgbtq #lgbtqbooks #kidsbooks #kidsbookstagram #kidsbookswelove #pride #pridemonth #pride2025 #queer #queerbooks #queerbookstagram #queerkids #lgbtqkids #pridebooks #bookreview #bookstagram #bookreviewer #bookreviewersofinstagram by @reading_radiodont

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2 years ago

Ciel by Sophie Labelle
Ciel is a slice-of-life novella about a gender non-conforming trans kid entering high school in Montreal. Ciel and their best friend Stephie began as characters in Labelle’s webcomic “Assigned Male” and this novella is a deeper look at the character’s inner thoughts and life experiences.

Ciel’s life is hitting a lot of bumps as they enter their new school. Stephie wants to “go stealth” about being a trans girl, leaving Ciel feeling anxious about being so openly gender-nonconforming themselves. Ciel also struggles to maintain a long-distance relationship with their Icelandic boyfriend Eirikur, which gets harder as he responds less and less to texts and video calls.

Ciel is also working a paper route (apparently still a thing?!) to earn money to buy a new camera for their Youtube channel, which has suddenly gotten a lot more traffic due to another trans influencer trying to call them out for being the “wrong” kind of trans.

(Review continues in comments)

#bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #book #queer #queerauthor #queerfiction #lgbtq #lgbtqbooks #yafiction #yabooks #kidsbooks #kidsbookstagram #kidsbookswelove #nonbinary #nonbinarypride #transgender #enby #enbypride #enbypride🌈 by @reading_radiodont

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2 years ago

GIRLS LIKE US by Randi Pink

This is the story of four girls affected by unplanned pregnancies in 1972. Izella, mature beyond her young age, is doing her best to care for her pregnant older sister, Ola, which includes hiding the latter’s growing belly and constant morning sickness from their deeply religious mother. Missippi, a tomboy shut-in whose widowed father is often away for weeks for his trucking job, becomes pregnant after being assaulted by her uncle. And Sue is the liberal daughter of a staunchly conservative senator and a quiet but progressive mother. The story of Ola and Izella runs parallel with that of Sue and Missippi, the latter two meeting at a home for “girls like them” run by the motherly Ms. Pearline.

The narratives are linked by Ola and Izelle’s mother, the preacher Evangeliste, who brings food to Missippi though she disparages the girl for her apparent “promiscuity” without actually knowing why she became pregnant.

Although the book deals with heavy topics of teen pregnancy, sexual assault, and abortion, it is not “trauma porn”. Nor are the characters just mouth pieces for social reform. The story is about the bonds the girls form- Missippi and Sue at Ms. Pearline’s apartment, Ola and Izella in their small Georgia town. The girls feel like real teenagers motivated by anger and love. Worldly, but also sometimes naive. At the same time, it is not a book of uplifting but hollow positivity. There is pain and tragedy in equal measures to joy and sisterhood. The girls also have different feelings about how to handle their pregnancies and no one way is treated as the “correct” one.

(Review continues in comments)

#book #bookstagram #bookreview #bookreader #roevwade #abortionrights #abortionishealthcare #prochoice #roevswade #roevember #bookworm #booklover #yabooks #yafiction #booknerd #bookaddict #unplannedpregnancy #historicalfiction #historicalfictionbooks #bookloversofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagrammer by @reading_radiodont

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2 years ago

Getting back to posting reviews again now that my library degree is finally complete.

Needed some comfort reading after last week election, so I’ve been rereading the Callahan series by Spider Robinson

This collection of novellas and short stories is set at a bar run by the titular Mike Callahan, a place that people seem to wander into exactly when they need it the most. The place is also a weirdness magnet that attracts aliens, vampires, sentient computer programs, time-traveling tricksters, Irish fey, and other oddities.

There’s strong camaraderie and empathy among the patrons. They’ll always come together to help people work through their problems- even the supernatural ones. Stories can get dark and the pain the characters suffer isn’t solved by simply “talking it out”. But as the bar’s motto says:

“Shared pain is lessened. Shared joy is increased. Thus we refute entropy.”

There are also two collections of stories set at Lady Callahan’s, a brothel run by Sally, Mike’s wife, that has a similar atmosphere of shared empathy and weirdness magnetism.

Both series are absolutely filled with elaborate and corny puns, so be warned.

While the Callahan books are out of print, it’s pretty easy to find used copies. They’re also available in various ebook editions.

#bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookreader #bookrecs #vintagescifi #vintagesciencefiction #sciencefiction #scifibooks #bookreviewersofinstagram #bookreviewer #classicscifi #classicsciencefiction #90sscifi #aliens #weirdfiction #booklover #speculativefiction #bookloversofinstagram #bookaddict #bookworm by @reading_radiodont

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2 years ago

Creepy Riddles by Katy Hill and Lisa Eisenberg, illustrated by S.D. Schindler

Just wanted to share this book of spooky riddles I got from @russelllibrarymiddletown I checked it out for the fun illustrations by S.D. Schindler. I love Schindler’s scratchy, wiggly pen-and-ink style. It reminds me of Edward Gorey and Charles Addams. He’s a major influence on my own style for my picture books.

Also, I love the way he draws werewolves.

#childrensbooks #childrensbookillustration #bookrecommendations #bookreviewer #spooky #spookyillustration #spookyart #werewolf #werewolfs #vampire #witch #monster #jokebooksforkids #kidsbook #kidsbookstagram #kidsbookillustration by @reading_radiodont

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2 years ago

THE UNWANTED: STORIES OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEES

Written and Illustrated by Don Brown

The ongoing Syrian civil war is a fight against the entrenched dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad and splintered rebel factions. The destruction and massacres of the war have led to a flood of refugees to other countries. The Unwanted is the story, told through graphic novel, of these people who have lost their homes, and often everything else, as they try to survive.

Some Syrians fled to Europe on boats provided by smugglers. Others found rest in shanty towns and apartments in Lebanon and Turkey where conditions are so crowded that sometimes 15 people must share a small apartment.

Brown’s illustrations are sharp and sketch-like, as if taken directly from the artist’s notebook made right in the middle of a camp. And some of them likely were, as Brown visited several camps in Greece to get a better understanding of the refugee’s lives. This deliberately rough style actually helps the reader empathize with the refugees. This is not a collection of maudlin stories to tug at the heart-strings- a tactic that can backfire and turn away readers who feel like it’s emotional manipulation. Instead it is more like a news report. A description of the refugees’ lives and what they go through daily. Brown himself explains: “I decided The Unwanted would focus on the refugee experience and disregard information beyond that constraint except when necessary for context. I was determined to keep the attention on the refugees.” He shows young children who must become the sole breadwinners for families where the adults are sick or dead. He shows opportunists who seize on the refugees and the conflict for their own interests, such as ISIS jihadists who use the instability to seize territories, and predatory smugglers who take people’s life savings as payment for passage.

(Continued in comments)

#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreview #bookreviewer #refugee #refugeecrisis #syria #syriawar #syrianrefugees #bookrecommendations #ctbookstagrammers #graphicnovel #documentary #refugeestories #refugeecamp #refugeechildren #refugeeweek #booklover #graphicnovel #graphicnovelart by @reading_radiodont

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2 years ago

Roving Pack by Sassafras Lowrey

An epistolary novel told through the journal entries of Click, a homeless trans kid navigating the Portland, Oregon queer teen community. Estranged from hir family (Click uses the neopronouns hir and ze), and with a restraining order against hir mother, ze bounces from temporary apartments to friends’ homes, to hir various partners’ dwellings. Though ze feels most at home at the Queer Youth Recreation Center (QYRC) where the majority of the community is focused.

Click and zir community don’t fit the “traditional” ideas of the trans community, though they’ll probably be more recognizable to many nonbinary folks. Genderfluidness and Genderqueerness are major themes of this book Several of the other queer characters use neopronouns as well and will switch chosen names as it suits them or as their gender expression changes.

Relationships play a big role in Roving Pack. Dom/sub, BDSM and leather communities are especially important. Though Click often lusts after hir friends, this is mainly out of loneliness, and the book focuses primarily on the emotional dynamics of relationships and the fulfillment of being taken care of by another rather than just sex.

Roving Pack also explores the negative sides of relationships, such as the devastation when the deep emotional connection of Click’s Dom/sub relationship is suddenly ripped away. Or the dread Click feels when ze realizes the restraining order against hir abusive, manipulative mother is about to expire.

Housing instability is another big theme as Click and hir friends never have stable places to live and regularly couch surf or bounce from cheap apartments to basement rooms to spare bedrooms.

Readers should be aware that Click and the other characters regularly and casually use slurs for gay and queer people, though they are always used in-group and said with familiarity, not animosity.

#queerbooks #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookreview #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #queerbookstagram #lgbtq #lgbtqbooks #transgender #transbooks #transkids #homeless #queerfiction #lgbtqfiction #booklover #bookaddict #bookaddiction #bookloversofinstagram by @reading_radiodont

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3 years ago

Just some cool books I found while browsing at the @warehousepointlibrary

Going to have to check these out once I whittle down my current reading stack a little bit.

“Just My Type” is a book I’ve been wanting to read for a while. It’s about the history and significance of typefaces. Gripping stuff, I’m sure y’all will agree.

I’d also love to try making my own books.

#library #librarylife #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #bookmaking #ctbookstagrammers #ctbookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookbrowsing #bookrecommendations #library📚 #loveyourlibrary #typefacedesign #typeface #creativeproject #creativeprojects by @reading_radiodont

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3 years ago

This weekend I went to the first annual Glawackus Day, celebrating Glastonbury, Connecticut’s very own obscure cryptid! It was a small event this year- just a little exhibit and a scavenger hunt around town. But hopefully it’ll get bigger next year.

While there I stopped at @riverbendbookshop to get some cryptid-themed books:

Connecticut Cryptids by Patrick Scalisi and Valerie Ruby-Omen

And

The United States of Cryptids by J. W. Ocker

#bookstagram #bookstsgrammer #cryptid #cryptidcore #cryptidaesthetic #booksbooksbooks #connecticut #connecticutgram #cryptozoology #folklore #glastonbury #ctbookstagrammers #ctbookstagram #connecticutauthors #bookrecommendations by @reading_radiodont

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3 years ago