fiction Archives

Swiss Family Robinson, The

A Family Adventure Classic Author: Johann David Wyss The Swiss Family Robinson begins with shipwreck and ends with the establishment of a new kingdom – a reverse Lord of the Flies where a hapless family not only survives by wit and grit, but thrives on a delightful desert island. The Robinson’s are a large family, immigrating from their beloved Switzerland and caught mid-way by the peril of a storm. The sailors abandon the family, and the father, mother, and four boys ride out the storm on the stranded, sinking ship, only to arrive safely at a seemingly uninhabited island. From here, [...]

Frances Carden2023-10-22T10:45:37-07:00October 22nd, 2023|Tags: adventure, book review, children's fiction, classic, fiction, read, reading|

Writing Retreat, The

A Self-Aware, Self-Serving Mess Author: Julia Bartz Alex hasn’t been able to write for a year, not since she stopped being friends with Wren, since their disastrous, bloody split. Now, Wren is doing better than ever, and Alex is left alone, hopeless, watching her life devolve. What she needs is new scenery, an artistic opportunity, a creative impulse to rescue her. Enter Roza Vallo, shocking feminist author icon. Roza’s known for not taking any shit and for writing darkly sexual, lesbian themed books that unravel the broken spaces between friendship and lust, all while sticking it to the patriarchy. Roza, in [...]

Frances Carden2023-08-18T17:50:14-07:00August 18th, 2023|Tags: book review, botm, fiction, read, reading|

Golden Frog Games, The

The Destruction of a Coven Author: Claribel A. Ortega Since Witchlings, Seven and her friends Valley and Thorn have been forged into a coven. It’s a coven of Spares . . . but still. Their rise to power, completion of the impossible task, and unveiling of a horrible conspiracy have witches everywhere talking about Spare rights. Plus, Seven has now been named the Town Uncle and her powers will eventually be equal to the Gran. Perhaps things in the Twelve Towns are looking up for Spares? Meanwhile, The Golden Frog Games are approaching. The Olympics of the witch world, the Golden [...]

Frances Carden2024-04-05T08:40:23-07:00July 15th, 2023|Tags: bookreview, fantasy, fiction, middle grade, middlegrade, read, reading, ya|