Speculative Fiction Roundup – July 2020

by | Aug 5, 2020 | Round-ups | 3 comments

Wow, August already, considering we’ve spent a great deal of this year amidst the COVID epidemic, it certainly seems to have gone fast. I have to admit, my own reading has dropped off over the last 4 months, but luckily there are still plenty of people out there reading. There weren’t as many books read and linked in July as the previous two months, but we still had 9 books added to the database.

Heart of BrassRebecca Bowyer says “Heart of Brass, by Felicity Banks, is a fabulously madcap adventure set in an alternative Gold Rush Victoria where metal has slightly magical properties. This is a convict / Gold Rush historical fiction novel with a fantastically fun difference. I loved the way author Felicity Banks portrayed how Emmeline dealt with society’s discrimination against her disability. What was seen, in high society, as a monstrous defect, was viewed with fascination and wonder in the Australian frontier towns. 
In the end, it was unclear what high society feared more – a woman with a brass heart or a woman who was as brilliant a scientist as her father. A highly imaginative and very enjoyable read.”

 

Brona’s Books reviewed The End of the World is Bigger Than Love by Davina Bell, she says “This young adult novel will not suit everybody’s tastes. Lots of readers do not like dual narratives, so be warned, this book is narrated by twins, Summer and Winter. Our two protagonists are also unreliable narrators, another love/hate device for many readers. Personally, I loved the mixed messages we were getting from Summer and Winter throughout the book. Who was telling the truth? Who wasn’t? And why?
The story also jumps time and place fairly regularly as the girls remember all sorts of stuff about their childhood from their current position, stranded on a deserted island, without their father, after the world has gone to shit rather suddenly and dramatically. And rather presciently given current Covid-19 events. This is a story about memories, feelings, thinking and relationships, therefore, not at all suitable for those seeking adventure and action. 
Then there’s the mix of cyber-terrorism, eco-dystopian, speculative fiction and coming-of-age themes with a whiff of romance that might put some readers off. This rather unconventional mix, however, worked beautifully for me. Even the ambiguous ending wasn’t enough to deter me from my glowing, gushing feelings for this book.
This book may not be for you, and that’s okay, but for those of you like me, who love to fall headlong into a bookish world of words and ideas, uncertainty and mystery with two strong characters, then this is the book to dive into. 
Love can sometimes feel like the end of the world, and the end of the world may be bigger than love, but if you have to face down the end of the world as you know it, then it’s much better to do so with love by your side.”
Veronica reviewed Heart’s Blood by Juliette Marillier and says “There’s something about Marillier’s writing that immediately draws you into the worlds she creates, and into sympathy or scorn with the characters that come alive on the page.
This is a lovely re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast, and unique enough that I forgot that’s what it was and got lost in the story.
A great read.”

Brona’s Books also reviewed this wonderful sounding middle-grade book The Secret Library of Hummingbird House by Julianne Negri. She says “When I was ten, I would have devoured this gem of a book, several times over! Set in a pre-COVID Melbourne with a secret yarn-bomber covering the trees, fences and signs with crochet wraps, Julianne Negri has written a story about standing up for yourself and letting go of the past. Adapting to the inevitable changes that occur in all our lives at every stage is the thread that joins all the characters together. Everyone has their own way of avoiding or denying change before coming around to accepting that change doesn’t have to be all bad, it’s just different. A delightful read for 10+ readers. Lots of fun and full of positive messages woven naturally into the story.” This is definitely going on my list of potential books to buy my niece for Christmas.

 

The Silk House by Kayte Nunn coverThe book with the most reviews was Kayte Nunn’s The Silk House, a gothic mystery, this had 5 reviews and 1 interview, I won’t pick from the reviews but here are the links if you’d like to take a look.                                                Cass Moriarty                                                                                                                                                                    Shellyrae @ Book’d Out                                                                                                                                                    The Intrepid Reader                                                                                                                                                            Snowqueensvt                                                                                                                                                                    Theresasmithwrites                                                                                                                                                            Interview by Carpe Librum

 

Until next month, happy reading, and keep linking your reviews here

3 Comments

  1. Rebecca Bowyer
    Rebecca Bowyer on August 5, 2020 at 7:21 am

    Perfect timing, thank you! We have a middle grade birthday happening in our house next week and I’ve been looking for books to preload his brand new Kindle with. The Secret Library of Hummingbird House sounds like a winner!

    And thanks for the mention 😊

    Reply
    • Claire Louisa Holderness
      Claire Louisa Holderness on August 5, 2020 at 8:17 am

      Im so glad you liked the sound of it, it does sound like a great book. I get a lot of my book ideas for my niece from Ashleigh @thebookmuse. If you still want some ideas check out her blog.
      The Brass Heart is one I really must read.

      Reply

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