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Big Yikes #170

just wait until hot shots: part deux

Instagram, Schminstagram

Big Yikes #43 Reboot!

all gussied up for your viewing enjoyment

thou shalt also find us on Instagram

Big Yikes #169

coping strategies

[warning: very unprofessional advice. do not attempt.]

you could be reading this on Instagram

Big Yikes #168

brought to you by your incessantly racing thoughts

[ALSO THAT EPISODE OF STAR TREK NEXT GEN WITH THE CRAB PEOPLE]

yeah, still on Instagram

Cybils YASF Finalist Review: Blood at the Root

Yuuup, I’m still working my way through posting about books I read months ago, because life has just been like that. ANYWAY.

I was fascinated overall by Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams–for one thing, the story takes place at a MAGICAL HBCU. Talk about taking the “magical school” trope in a cool new direction! Also, it encompasses magic systems that go beyond traditional Western fantasy, particularly Haitian lore and how it filtered down into the traditions followed by main character Malik’s family in Louisiana.

Malik, at 17, has kept his uncontrollable magic powers hidden for the past ten years–ever since his mother vanished, setting off a chain of events that put him into foster care. Now, he and his younger foster brother Taye are on a journey to meet with Malik’s long-lost grandmother, who informs him of a magical legacy and heritage that he never knew about and is (understandably) wary of. But once he starts classes at Caiman University, where his mother studied, his life begins to change. He meets a cute girl, Alexis, and makes friends. But the headmaster seems to have it out for him, and what’s more, an ancient evil magic is reawakening, putting his family and friends in danger.

I appreciated the portrayal of found/chosen family in this story. Malik shows a lot of character growth, from being closed in and afraid of his own power to having the courage to do what’s right, protect loved ones, and make hard moral choices. It was really neat to see a story set at a historically black college of magic, and I enjoyed the variety of characters from different socioeconomic backgrounds and gender identities. At times the pacing seemed a little slow to me–it bogged down in a couple of places–but I thought it was interesting that the author is a screenwriter, and this is his first foray into novel writing. I could see his screenwriting chops in the facility with which he handled Malik’s narrative voice, and the story’s speech and dialogue as a whole, though there was a lot of slang (a LOT), which might not be to everyone’s taste. But Malik was a very relatable main character, and it’s nice to see a Black boy as the hero of a fantasy novel. His voice was vivid, and the premise was intriguing. I was left with a few questions about how the magic worked, but it was an enjoyable read overall, and definitely stands out for its originality.

Source: Dispatches From Wonderland

Big Yikes #167

is it one fool or multiple fools? we say multiple

we also live on instametafacegram

Big Yikes #30 Reboot!

definitely not new but slightly improved

[plus: dudebro’s first appearance!]

also gramming on Insta

Big Yikes #166

i call stet on these sweatpants

yeah, we still live over on Instagram

Cybils YASF Finalist Review: Hearts Still Beating

This is more than just a review of a finalist title–Hearts Still Beating ended up being the winning book this year, after much discussion by the Round 2 panel of judges. You can read the full blurb we wrote (and blurbs for the other winners) on the Cybils website. But as the group blurb alludes to, I was one of those who generally doesn’t gravitate to zombie fiction. I read it every now and then, but it has to be really good–and this one was really good. It follows two narrators, Mara and Rory–former best friends who separated after the world went bad and Mara was infected with a virus that turned her (and many others) into a semi-alive flesh-eating monster that regular humans call a Tick. At the beginning of the story, we find out that Mara has been under treatment for her condition and, as long as she takes her regular dose of antidote, she’ll remain normal-ish…mostly. Unfortunately, when she and Rory find each other again, Rory isn’t quite ready to trust her former friend, let alone act on their feelings hinting at more than just friendship. And then, of course, throw in an antagonist who is on the psychopathic side of things…he was a bit over the top, but certainly compelling and scary, and well suited to this type of story.

Something I liked about this book was the idea of zombies not being actually fully dead, but in a sort of stasis due to an infection, with the possibility of treatment and even a vaccine. It’s an explanation that might appeal to the more science-minded who question the realism of zombies–or, anyway, satisfy such a reader enough for them to suspend their disbelief for the duration of the book (which is usually how it works for me). There was plenty of action to keep things moving, and great setting details; I enjoyed recognizing landmarks in a post-apocalyptic ruined San Diego/Coronado Island. Both narrators were relatable, including the difficult choices they had to make, and there was definitely romance, but not so much that it was distracting; rather, the love between the characters added a variety of complications. Mara’s POV, as an infected person figuring out how to be human again, was particularly convincing and interesting. It reminded me a little of another zombie book I liked, The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey.

Perhaps just as important, the alternating narrators were both distinct and each had their own well-developed story. One of my pet peeves as a reader is losing track of who’s talking when there are multiple narrators because the voices and/or perspectives are too similar. The writing overall was very good, though, and everything seemed well plotted. Thematically, too, there was a lot to sink into in this book. There was some disability representation, in that Rory has to contend with a poorly healed bullet wound to the leg, and arguably, the illness that turns people into Ticks can be viewed through a disability lens. The story also contained a healthy dose of one of my favorite themes in fiction, which is the theme of found and/or chosen family. In a ruined world where so many are dead (or undead), you have to find family where you can, and that is one of the overarching messages I was left with at the end–a hopeful message, I think. All in all, a very impressive book by a debut author.

Source: Dispatches From Wonderland

Big Yikes #165

fun fact: this has happened to both of us

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