Essays & Reader’s Reports
Essays on reading and writing, and notes from the editorial desk.
From the Writing Desk
Editorial series
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Book Reviews
Short verdicts, full reviews, and grouped dispatches from the reading desk.
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Dispatches
Upcoming Book Festivals You Don’t Want to Miss!
Autumn is the golden season for book lovers, bringing together storytellers, poets, and readers for weeks of literary celebration. Whether you’re looking to wander through a bustling outdoor street fair, attend an intimate craft talk, or tune into a livestreamed panel from the comfort of your couch with a mug of tea, there’s a gathering […]
5 minutes read
Read →Demons, Deceivers, and Dead Parents: Reviewing “The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake”
Reading note – 005 The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake Mara Rutherford Harper · 2026 Mara Rutherford’s The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake promises a high-stakes, anti-progress dystopia with a dark “enemies-to-lovers” romance, but the novel ultimately buckles under the weight of unconvincing character motivations and unearned instant infatuation. Fiction · Fantasy · Young Adult […]
Book Reviews · Personal 4 minutes read
Read →5 Upcoming Writing Opportunities with low fees!
1 minute read
Read →Hellhounds and… Belly Rubs? A Review of M. H. Foster’s “The Demon Overlord’s Retirement Plan”
The Demon Overlord's Retirement Plan humorously blends cosmic warfare with cozy farming and community bonds.
Book Reviews 5 minutes read
Read →Upcoming Fee-Free Writing Opportunities (9.10.2026 – 12.31.2026)
September 05, 2026 Contests, Grants, and Residencies L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future – Science Fiction & Fantasy Deadline: September 20, 2026 + Prize: $500–$5,000, publication, and industry exposure A long-running competition geared toward emerging, non-professionally established writers working in speculative genres, offering cash awards, publication, and career opportunities. NYPL Cullman Center – Fellowship […]
Personal · Publishing 2 minutes read
Read →Cultural Annihilation, Math Problems, and Freak Behavior: A Review of Yoon Ha Lee’s Code and Codex
A language-policing space empire, forbidden poetry, and a novel that makes you work for every pleasure. Yoon Ha Lee’s Code and Codex frustrated me—and won me over.
Book Reviews 4 minutes read
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My Reading Wishlist
Upcoming titles that have me pumped!
Disclosure: If you buy a book through Bookshop links, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.
The Long-Lived King
When King accidentally erases Luz’s memories, he must enlist the Collector and Eda to help him recover Luz’s memories and confront their deepest fears along the way.
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