SPEC.FIC

all about diverse, debut, and indie sci-fi & fantasy books written by women and nonbinary authors

Tag: diverse

  • Book Review: Red City by Marie Lu

    Book Review: Red City by Marie Lu

    This book is one of the most well-written/edited books I’ve read. Full stop. 

    It manages to maintain excellent pacing throughout the entire work while still building incredible world/magic systems, but also leading readers through robust character development. 

    Red City is a violent story of rival criminal syndicates based in L.A. that centers around the practice of alchemy and a drug called Sand. We follow two best friends who find themselves on opposite sides without realizing until it’s too late.  

    There are horror elements in this urban fantasy, including a serial-killer coworker and body horror tied to alchemical transformations. It gets gritty to say the least.

    Please check trigger warnings. I’m really disappointed that one specific content warning was not on the author’s website. This should be standard for any authors/books that contain triggering content, such as (see below). I didn’t see it on Goodreads either. The only warnings I found were on StoryGraph, but since the tags are community-added, it’s hard to know the content level accurately.

    While objectively this book is a finely crafted creation, can I say I enjoyed it? Did I enjoy watching two innocent, beautiful souls enter a world of destruction, survival, coercion, retaliation, drugs, crime, violence, etc.? No. But hope always holds out longest, and I devoured this book for glimpses of it.

    Order it and support indie book shops here:

    Disclaimer: This blog is part of the Bookshop.org affiliate program and I may earn a very small amount for each purchase made.

    Trigger warnings detail: SPOILER ALERT!

    Click to reveal spoiler Specific content warnings: There is a side character (Sam’s mother) who’s boss rapes her. It’s off-screen, but what’s on-page is the scene leading up to it, so please bear this in mind. It’s incredibly triggering. She also has flashbacks later on, and the perpetrator shows up in other scenes of the book, so it’s not something that only appears once, but the event and theme pop up again a few times. Additionally, there are scenes with explicit sexual content that I skipped over (because, trauma), but from catching a few words of Sam and Will’s pages, it didn’t sound good. It sounded rough. And I would offer another caution for this as well, for those who may not want their trauma to be triggered. Again, I wish the author had provided content warnings somewhere obvious, like her website or Goodreads.

    Of course, there are far more content warnings regarding violence, body horror, and drug use.

    About the Author

    Marie Lu was born in China but currently lives in L.A. Find more information on the author’s website linked here.

  • Firstborn of the Sun by Marvellous Michael Anson

    Firstborn of the Sun by Marvellous Michael Anson

    HIGHLY recommend this book – especially the audiobook. What an amazing performance from narrators Adjoa Andoh and Folake Olowofoyeku!!

    This is the first part of an epic fantasy series rich in Yoruba inspiration. Forbidden powers, political maneuvering, and secrets upon secrets. The magic system is well thought out and explained. The political lineage was a bit confusing at first as to who was related to who but eventually as the story progressed, it became very clear. So, if you are confused initially, continue to go with the flow – it’s worth it.

    I love the complex world that the author weaves with excellent character building and development, it’s incredible and I can’t wait for more!

    Find more information about the author and their books at their website linked here.

    Marve has been writing for over a decade and has self-published a thriller, HIS DARK REFLECTION, to critical acclaim. Her debut fantasy novel, FIRSTBORN OF THE SUN, is the first in a trilogy being published by Penguin Michael Joseph in October 2025. This novel also placed her as a finalist in many competitions, including the 2023 Future Worlds Prize for Fantasy Writers of Colour.

    Marve is an award-winning filmmaker, and when she’s not weaving fantastical tales, you can find her exploring life as a serial hobbyist, delving into everything from obsessing over myths and histories, collecting books and passionately assembling her own personal library to indulging in an unapologetic obsession with all things Christmas. She is represented by Ciara Finan and Flo Sandelson at Curtis Brown Literary Agency (UK) and United Talent Agency (USA).

    She can be found online @justmarvewrites and justmarve.org

  • ARC Review: Burn the Sea by Mona Tewari

    ARC Review: Burn the Sea by Mona Tewari

    Burn the Sea is a rich historical fantasy that calls attention to the true story of Rani Abbakka Chowta, a Queen who led her people and allies in a successful resistance against the Portuguese colonizers in the 16th century.

    Mona Tewari’s writing brings history to life in a beautifully woven story of politics, love, loss, and a fight for freedom. I can’t fault the style, the pacing, the world-building. It’s lovely and well crafted. While there were some directions that the plot took that I found frustrating, it might be consistent with the historical inspiration and I think without would have made the plot and character development quite flat.

    Instead of a magic system, we have an imagined belief system involving Spirits and this was one of my favorite parts of the book. The interactions our protagonist has with the Spirits is incredibly charming and adds another wonderful layer of depth to the story.

    Burn the Sea flips the euro-centric historical script that often “others” those it seeks to conquer. This is told from the side of the people defending their shores against invasion and how they see the would-be colonizers.

    This is the first in a duology and Book #2 has been announced so stay tuned for more!

    I would highly recommend to fantasy and historical fiction lovers who adore a female protagonist leading a political fight for freedom against would be oppressors.

    Thank you to Boundless Press at Bindery Books for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

    Buy from Bookshop.org here.

    Disclaimer: This blog is part of the Bookshop.org affiliate program and I may earn a very small amount for each purchase made.

    Find more information about the author and their books at their website linked here.

  • ARC Review: Devil of the Deep by Falencia Jean-Francois

    ARC Review: Devil of the Deep by Falencia Jean-Francois

    This is a MUST read for 2026. A brilliant biting critique on christian faiths that manipulate believers with falsehoods, especially in order to control women and do away with others who don’t fall within their circle of acceptable ways.

    Devil of the Deep by Falencia Jean-Francois is an amazing Haitian, LGBTQIAP+, and feminist story of pirates, mermaids, and gods. It sets itself apart with lush world building, mythology and lore, and characters representing those who have found their stories historically pushed out of traditional publishing. This is a beautiful book and I would highly recommend it!

    • LGBTQIAP+ representation
    • Haitian culture & mythology
    • Critique of harmful belief systems
    • Feminist / Matriarchal
    • Betrayal, romance, swordfights
    • A pirates life for me please 🙂 🙂 🙂

    Even though I read the eARC, I will absolutely be getting a physical copy to re-read!! (I don’t often re-read books)

    Thank you to Left Unread & Bindery Books for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

    Buy from Bookshop.org here.

    Disclaimer: This blog is part of the Bookshop.org affiliate program and I may earn a very small amount for each purchase made.

    Find more information about the author and their books at their website linked here.

  • Book Review: Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

    Book Review: Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

    Book #1 of Tasha Suri’s DEBUT Fantasy Duology

    I read this book as part of the Fantasy Finishers Book Club on Fable and I’m so glad I did. Although I will issue a specific trigger warning (see bottom of this post, warning – it’s a spoiler) along with general content warnings.

    Surprisingly, this is the first book I’ve finished by Tasha Suri although I do own The Isle in the Silver Sea and started The Jasmine Throne last year.

    I am NOW going to need to fast track ALL of her books.

    Tasha’s writing is so so good.

    Official Synopsis:

    “The Amrithi are outcasts; nomads descended of desert spirits, they are coveted and persecuted throughout the Empire for the power in their blood. Mehr is the illegitimate daughter of an imperial governor and an exiled Amrithi mother she can barely remember, but whose face and magic she has inherited. Unbeknownst to her, she can manipulate the dreams of the gods to alter the face of the world.

    When Mehr’s power comes to the attention of the Emperor’s most feared mystics, she is coerced into their service, as they are determined to harness her magic for the glory of the Empire. She must use every ounce of will, subtlety, and power she possesses to resist the mystics’ cruel agenda — and should she fail, the gods themselves may awaken seeking vengeance…”

    Author’s Official Bio:

    Tasha Suri is the World Fantasy Award winning author of The Isle in the Silver Sea, The Burning Kingdoms Trilogy, The Books of Ambha Duology, What Souls Are Made Of and Doctor Who: The Cradle. Once a librarian, she is now a part-time writing tutor and a full-time cat and rabbit wrangler. She lives with her family in a mildly haunted house in London.

    Review:

    I love the world that Tasha Suri builds in this first installment of The Books of Ambha Duology. There is a map that looks like India split into various parts of the Empire. It’s very much a story of colonialism/imperialism and opression with a central ruler. Within this story, there’s also both religious and political imperialism that are closely tied to each other.

    It’s rich in both character development, world building, and plot action. The concept of choice is central to the plot and I enjoyed how in depth the author explores this. Is choice an illusion or something that we can still maintain control over despite others trying to take it away from us?

    The writing is well-crafted, smart, and elegant.

    I would recommend this book to any fantasy reader although please check the trigger warning discussion below first if you don’t want to read about situations where choices are taken away especially from women.

    Trigger warning – SPOILERS >>> a large part of this book follows a situation where a woman’s right to choose is taken away from her and she must “wed” a man she (Mehr) hardly knows. The Empire is forcing her into this and she chooses it to save her family or it’s likely they will all be killed. Her new husband Amun is also essentially a slave to the Empire and controlled by the “religious” authority. This “religious” authority tries to force them to consumate the marriage because then it will give him ultimate control over Mehr as well. Through the magic system in place. Mehr and Amun are able to avoid this for a while but then the Maha (the religious authority) finds out and tries to force them to do it in front of other people for proof. By this point they have fallen in love though and they do consumate the marriage (but not in front of others). This was hard for me to read at times because of the constant threat of sexual violence, lack of choice, and being forced to do something both Mehr and Amun do not want to do.

    This situation twisted my stomach. It hangs over their heads for a lot of the book. I was able to press on because although it was always lurking in the shadows, it wasn’t front and center for most of the book. And in a way, it still remains their choice in the end because I’m sure they would have killed themselves if they didn’t want to do it. Still pretty twisted and sickening and evil situation they find themselves in, which does reflect much of the world and the violence inflicted on women by men especially by the removal of their choices.

    It’s a very interesting book and I rate it quite highly at the moment.

    Buy from Bookshop.org here.

    Disclaimer: This blog is part of the Bookshop.org affiliate program and I may earn a very small amount for each purchase made.

    Find more information about the author and their books at their website linked here.

  • ARC Review: Starseekers by Nicole Glover

    ARC Review: Starseekers by Nicole Glover

    Starseekers by Nicole Glover is a fun adventure full of magic, cleverness, murder, mystery, friends, family, and of course, villains.

    The book’s synopsis leads with:

    “Indiana Jones meets Hidden Figures in this brand-new stand-alone historical fantasy set in the world of The Conductors, in which the space race of the mid-20th century will be determined by magic…if not murder.”

    Release date: January 2, 2026

    Summary: It’s the 1960s and there’s a space race on for the moon. Cynthia Rhodes is a brilliant engineer at NASA and talented celestial magic user who happens upon the beginning of a mystery when a cursed stranger shows up at the local TV station her cousin runs while she is filming an educational magic show with her friend Theo, a professor of arcane archeology. Soon after, there’s an accident and potential sabotage at NASA involving a coworker that could be connected.

    Theo and Cynthia jump into solving the mystery but it’s not just them. Joining the journey are Cynthia’s younger sisters, her friends, cousins, and other family members. Suspects pop up left and right as they continue to hunt down clues and chase danger like it’s second nature. Because it is.

    The story follows the same family tree as the author’s other works including The Conductors and The Improvisers – also magic & mystery stories. Sleuthing is in the family!

    Thoughts: Overall, this book is quite fun but it also includes themes of racism and the civil rights movement. It’s lighthearted banter, blooming romance, lots of action and magic intertwined with reminders of racial violence and discrimination of the time period the story is written in.

    I really enjoyed this and found myself thinking within the first 25% how much fun this book is going to be. It’s unique in itself although the comparables reference Hidden Figures and Indiana Jones. I’d add in a bit of Enola Holmes in there as well.

    Glover created quite a web of relationships both within the Rhodes family and outside that felt like it we didn’t have just two main characters but a whole crew working together by the end to solve the case. This gave the story a lot of depth in terms of relationships.

    Starseekers is a fast-moving plot which has plenty of time for action and interaction between characters, but it doesn’t dive too deep into character development. This book is definitely for those that enjoy great characters without dramatic development arcs but also a plot that moves. There are a number of different components to the mystery to keep readers guessing until the reveal.

    One of my favorite components of this story is there aren’t many limits places on the characters. They are able to do pretty much anything they want. The magic used is only limited to how fast they can react and cast spells. I enjoyed this as it gave a sense of autonomy and power to the characters.

    I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys any combination of fantasy, sci-fi, and mystery. As someone who reads these genres exclusively at the moment, it was a perfect mix of elements.

    Buy from Bookshop.org here.

    Disclaimer: This blog is part of the Bookshop.org affiliate program and I may earn a very small amount for each purchase made.

    Find more information about the author and their books at their website linked here.