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Fantasy and Science Fiction March 2020
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| Upright Women Wanted by Sarah GaileyWhat it is: a pulp SF Western set in alternate-timeline dystopian American Southwest and featuring an LGBTQIA cast.
What happens: After her best friend (and secret lover) Beatriz is executed for possession of Unapproved Materials, Esther Augustus seeks to hide in plain sight by joining the Librarians, who pose as "Morally Upright Women" while distributing seditious literature.
Reviewers say: "a feat of writerly sorcery that packs a sweeping political epic into fewer than 200 pages" (Booklist). |
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| The Unspoken Name by A.K. LarkwoodWhat it's about: Csorwe, the sacrificial Chosen Bride of chthonic deity The Unspoken One, becomes the apprentice of her just-in-time rescuer, wizard Belthandros Sethennai, and accompanies him on a quest for an ancient relic.
Why you might like it: This debut crafts a compelling coming-of-age story while paying homage to Ursula K. Le Guin's The Tombs of Atuan.
Want a taste? "In the deep wilds of the north, there is a Shrine cut into a mountainside. The forest covers these hills like a shroud. This is a quiet country, but the Shrine of the Unspoken One is quieter still." |
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| Stormsong by C.L. PolkWhat it is: the 2nd book in the Kingston Cycle, focusing on politically engaged Dame Grace Hensley (sister of Witchmark protagonist Miles) and fearless photojournalist Avia Jessup.
Read it for: an Edwardian-inspired setting, a suspenseful plot rife with political intrigue, and a sweet f/f romance.
What about Miles and Tristan? After upending their society in Witchmark, the couple plays more of a background role here. |
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| The Lost Future of Pepperharrow by Natasha PulleyStarring: clairvoyant watchmaker Keito Mori, and his lover, Thaniel Steepleton, whose work with the Foreign Office takes the couple (and their adopted daughter) to Mori's native Tokyo, where Thaniel investigates supernatural activity and makes some surprising discoveries about his partner.
Why you might like it: This sequel to The Watchmaker of Filigree Street offers well-drawn characters, a Steampunk-infused Victorian setting, and an intricate plot whose seemingly unrelated parts fit together like clockwork. |
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| The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. VillosoIntroducing: Queen Talyien of Jin-Sayeng, who survives an assassination attempt en route to a meeting with her estranged husband, who abandoned her the night before her coronation. (And that's just the beginning of her adventures.)
Read it for: a tough-as-nails heroine, immersive world-building, knotty political intrigue, and a shocking ending.
Series alert: Originally self-published, this debut by Filipina author K.S. Villoso kicks off the Chronicles of the Bitch Queen series. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Winchester Public Library 80 Washington St. Winchester, Massachusetts 01890 781-721-7171www.winpublib.org/ |
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