Not a Novel Concept

Cover of 'She's Too Pretty To Burn,' with title in large white font over an illustration of a white femme person, with pink longer hair, orange sunglasses, and a teal tank top. The background is pale with orange splotches, and under the word "Burn" there are fire emojis.

Tib's Cranky Corner

She’s Too Pretty to Burn by Wendy Heard

September 29, 2021September 26, 2021 Heather

Oh dear…

Cover of 'Fugitive Telemetry,' featuring author Martha Wells' name in thin, large green font above a CGI-style image of Murderbot and a 8-limbed bipedal robot walking through a warehouse-like space.

Tor Tuesdays

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

September 28, 2021September 26, 2021 Heather

Boy do I love Murderbot. And this time, Murderbot’s a detective! But while being in its head is always a neurodivergent delight, this is more a playful romp (with admittedly serious themes at the periphery) than most of the other entries.

Cover of 'The Liar of Red Valley,' with title in large white font, partly obscured with dead branches snaking off of trees that cover the page, against a red background. In the bottom right corner is a person walking into a cave or natural opening.

Angry Girls and Furious Femmes

The Liar of Red Valley by Walter Goodwater

September 27, 2021September 26, 2021 Heather

If you like small town cosmic horror, snarky give-no-fucks girl protagonists, awesome Latinx brujeria, and/or an inspiring, snarky ACAB ethos, definitely check this book out.

cover of "My Beijing," with a cartoon image from the book: young child Yu'er is in the basket of a bicycle being driven by her grandfather, who's in a green postal-worker's uniform. They're driving on a tree-lined street past a large building with Fu Dog statues

Skittles' Cozy Corner

My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder by Nie Jun, trans. Edward Gauvin

September 25, 2021September 18, 2021 Heather

If you’re not into whimsy of any sort, steer clear, but if you like the whimsical tempered with more than a dash of the everyday, try to find this asap.

Cover of "Get a Life, Chloe Brown," featuring the title in bold red font against a whitish background, with blue lines pointing to the title. In the bottom right corner, an illustration of a Black woman (Chloe) in a red tank and blue skirt hugs a white man with longer red hair. He's wearing a black jacket, white shirt, and jeans. A gray cat stands behind them.

OH YEAH!! Fridays

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

September 24, 2021September 18, 2021 Heather

This book is so good, it kinda changed my life.

cover of "Every Vow you Break," with title in bold white font over a stormy sky. At the bottom is an image of a fancy white hotel on an ocean-surging coast, with pine trees in the background. The tagline reads (in yellow): "The lies started with 'I do'"

Thriller Thursdays

Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson

September 23, 2021September 18, 2021 Heather

Don’t pick this up if you’re looking for twists galore or staggering reveals. Consider it if you like luxe descriptions and a well-motivated dash of thematic misandry.

Cover of "Survive the Night," with the title and author Riley Sager's name in huge, orangeish handwritten font, against a dark night backdrop with a road and car headlights a the bottom

Tib's Cranky Corner

Survive the Night by Riley Sager

September 22, 2021September 18, 2021 Heather

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. God. This was not good.

Cover of "The Black Tides of Heaven," with title in small print toward the top, under author Neon Yang's name in larger font. The majority of the image is an illustration of a person wearing black robes with longer black hair and pale skin, wrapped in clouds and hovering over green mountains.

Tor Tuesdays

The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang

September 21, 2021September 18, 2021 Heather

What I thought was mainly a ‘political machinations’ fantasy turned out to be a sibling love/queer love/rebellion of the oppressed kind of fantasy, which is very much my jam

Cover of "Ghost Wood Song," with the title font resembling wood or brown vines, taking up the majority of the image, surrounded by red flowers with a few bees on them. AT the bottom is a snake emerging onto the title.

Angry Girls and Furious Femmes

Ghost Wood Song by Erica Waters

September 20, 2021September 18, 2021 Heather

A hauntingly gorgeous Southern gothic world, but a somewhat unsatisfying conclusion means the haunting ends a bit too soon

Cover of "Forever Home," with the title in purple font above an image from the comic: Willow, a Black girl with short, curly hair, a pink jacket, yellow shirt, and jeans, bends over a "Sold" sign, as her german shepard sleeps at her feet. Next to her on the ground a slightly translucent ghost woman lays on the ground in a white dress; behind her two old lady ghosts hover, one thrusting her head through the SOLD sign; in the background is the ghost of a young male soldier

Skittles' Cozy Corner

Forever Home by Jenna Ayoub

September 18, 2021September 15, 2021 Heather

This graphic novel is so sweet and fun, sort of like if the old film Arsenic and Old Lace met the spunky, won’t-take-no-for-an-answer attitude of comics heroine Goldie Vance, with a dash of Lumberjanes or even Buffy the Vampire Slayer thrown in.