When you’re a little girl in the quiet suburbs of Philadelphia, adventure and the open sea aren’t exactly easy to find. Even if I didn’t dream about raising anchors and feeling the wind blow salty water into my hair, I dreamt about freedom and independence. It was an old library copy of Avi’s The True…
Buckle Up Creampuffs, We’re Off to Season 2: An Interview with Carmilla Producer Steph Ouaknine
The recent surge of literary webseries on YouTube have brought new life to some previously under-appreciated classic novels. But the production of Joseph Sheridan LeFanu’s Carmilla, a Gothic novella from 1871, hasn’t just reinvented the story of a possibly lesbian vampire and the girl who may be lover or victim. They have transformed it into a…
Reading Diaries: What We’re Reading this Summer
Angel: I’ve been pretty focused on upcoming books recently, and a current favourite is The Epic Adventures of Lydia Bennet, based off The Lizzie Bennet Diaries webseries character. I liked it much more than Lizzie’s book, which was released last year, because Lydia felt more real and like she had potential to explore beyond the…
“Don’t think of all the reasons you shouldn’t write”: An Interview with Sabaa Tahir, Author of An Ember in the Ashes
In the wide and varied spectrum of young adult fiction, some writers emerge each year and manage to capture an entire community’s imagination. 2015 has seen debut author Sabaa Tahir forge a stunning new path with her fantasy novel An Ember in the Ashes. Protagonists, Laia and Elias, test the boundaries of their respective social statuses…
Kickstarter of the Week: More Tezuka, More Better!
Amanda and Angel, here, bringing you our excitement over the latest Kickstarter campaign to publish more work by Tezuka Osamu!
The Thursday Book Beat: YA Author Announces Gender Transition to Fans
YA author Heather Brewer shares news of gender transition with fans Brewer came out as transgender in an interview with Publishers Weekly, and explained that the transition from female to male would take place over the next few months. Known for two popular YA vampire series, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod and The Slayer Chronicles…
Outlander’s Top Ten Awesome Feminist Moments
by Zoe Gray and Angel Cruz After working as a British army nurse in WWII, Claire Randall took a trip to Scotland with her husband Frank in order to reconnect and discover their family history. Unfortunately, Claire got a little more history than she bargained for when she touched a group of magical standing stones and…
The Thursday Book Beat: American Gods Miniseries Finds a Home Among (the) Starz
Publisher takes on “Year of Publishing Women” Challenge Writer Kamila Shamsie issued a call to publishers to publish only new books by women in 2018, the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in the United Kingdom. UK publisher And Other Stories has decided to take on this challenge, and good for them!…
KPop in YA Fiction, Please Hold the Racism: A Review of Hello, I Love You by Katie Stout
Hello, I Love You Katie Stout St. Martin’s Griffin June 9, 2015
The Thursday Book Beat: Jacqueline Woodson Named Young People’s Poet Laureate
Nearly 70 authors, scholars, artists, and city leaders call for support for libraries As New York City libraries continue to buckle under the need for renovations and lack of funding, 62 authors have signed a letter asking for the city’s support. Judy Blume, E.L. Doctorow, Toni Morrison, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and John Legend are just some…
Relive, Rewrite, Restore: Yukarism Volume 1
Yukarism, Vol. 1 Chika Shiomi Viz Media 2014 It’s hard to pin Yukarism down, even after a few rereads. Chika Shiomi throws several tropes together—history, reincarnation, romance, time-travel—and while the result is entertaining at first, the story quickly loses its ability to intrigue the reader. Main character Yukari Kobayakawa’s literary talent is evident at 17 years…
The Thursday Book Beat: Tanith Lee Passes Away
Margaret Atwood submits first manuscript to Future Library We previously reported that Atwood would be one of the authors adding a book to the Library in Oslo, Norway, and this week, the manuscript took its place in a locked box to be revealed in 2114. Atwood will also be writing about the experience on Wattpad….