A Literary Escape

SFINCS Participation Announcement

Published on September 19, 2023September 24, 2023 by Celeste2 Comments

Good morning, everyone! I just want to announce that I am a judge for the inaugural round of the Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship (SFINCS).

SFINCS, pronounced “sphinx”, is a new yearly competition to recognize, honor, and celebrate the talent and creativity present in the indie community. It’s a sister competition to both SPFBO and SPSFC, and it highlights greatness in the novella format in all areas of speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, horror, etc.).

I am participating on Team Behind the Musings, which is lead by Tabitha at Behind the Pages and Sue at Sue’s Musings. To learn more about our team, visit Tabitha’s “Meet the Team” post. Below is a collage, created by SFINCS creator Nathan, of our assignments for the SFINCS competitions.

The competition officially started on September 15, so keep an eye out for my SFINCS-related novella reviews! The competition will conclude on March 31, 2024. Follow along on Discord or Twitter.

ARC Review: The Milkweed Lands by Eric Lee-Mader

Published on September 18, 2023September 10, 2023 by Celeste6 Comments

Today’s review is about THE MILKWEED LANDS by Eric Lee-Mäder and illustrated by Beverly Duncan. This is a lovely book that many gardeners will appreciate. Lee-Mäder shares the history of the milkweed in the United States and its significance during World War II. And, of course, the reader learns about the milkweed and the creatures associated with it throughout each season.

Author: Eric Lee-Mäder, Beverly Duncan (Illustrator)
Series: None
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Storey Publishing
Publish Date: September 26, 2023
Print Length: 120

Want to support local bookstores? Buy a copy of The Milkweed Lands on Bookshop.org!*

*These are not affiliate links and I do not make a commission from any purchase made using these links.

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Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Book Review: Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Maehrer

Published on September 15, 2023November 27, 2024 by Celeste21 Comments

Today’s review is about ASSISTANT TO THE VILLAIN by Hannah Maehrer. Published by the same publisher as FOURTH WING, it boasts a hilarious story about what it’s like to be the assistant to a villain. Though charming to some, I had some misgivings about whether it lives up to the hype.

Author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Series: Assistant to the Villain #1
Age Category: New Adult
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Publish Date: August 29, 2023
Print Length: 352

Want to support local bookstores? Buy a copy of Assistant to the Villain on Bookshop.org!*

*These are not affiliate links and I do not make a commission from any purchase made using these links.

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ARC Review: The Phoenix King by Aparna Verma

Published on September 11, 2023September 8, 2023 by Celeste7 Comments

Today’s review is about THE PHOENIX KING by Aparna Verma, the first installment in The Ravence Trilogy. It’s an epic fantasy inspired by India that has a nice blend of fantasy and science fiction elements. Readers who have a penchant for stories about assassins and political maneuvering will appreciate this book.

Author: Aparna Verma
Series: The Ravence Trilogy, #1
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Orbit
Publish Date: August 29, 2023
Print Length: 512

Want to support local bookstores? Buy a copy of The Phoenix King on Bookshop.org!*

*These are not affiliate links and I do not make a commission from any purchase made using these links.

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September Blogging Plans

Published on September 6, 2023September 5, 2023 by Celeste17 Comments

Not that I typically have blogging plans per month, but it wasn’t in my September blogging plans to decide to take a semi-hiatus. Everything was proceeding as usual. I presented my September TBR plans a few days ago. I was excited to visit friends and family in Maine. But as soon as I took my phone off of airplane mode on Friday after landing, I received a call urging me to do some follow up tests at the emergency room.

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