We’re excited to bring you a roundup of interesting links and October book releases of fantasy by and about women.

As always, we’d love to hear from you. If you’ve sold a fantasy work, read a great recently-released story, discovered a fantastic link that we missed, or if you’ve got a book or story review to share, please get in touch. Send news to (help at sirensconference.org).

ON THE BLOG: OCTOBER 2015

Testimonials: Inspired by Sirens–Edith Hope Bishop

Testimonials: Inspired by Sirens–Artemis Grey

Testimonials: Inspired by Sirens–Yoon Ha Lee

Testimonials: Inspired by Sirens–Nivair Gabriel

YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT…

Interesting Links:

• Resources from B R Sanders’s “How to Build and Break a World” workshop
• “A Beginner’s Guide to Researching Your Diverse* Fantasy or Science Fiction Novel” by Malinda Lo
• “Why Are Old Women Often the Face of Evil in Fairy Tales And Folklore?”
• Fairy tale fashion
• The 2015 British Fantasy Awards
• Catherine Lundoff’s column on SF Signal
• “Hungarian Fairy Tales,” Theodora Goss
• “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Announces Lead Cast”
• Philip Pullman waxes poetic about Tove Jansson’s Moomins

Book Releases

Click the image for a closer look at the covers.

October 1:
Darkness on His Bones, Barbara Hambly

October 6:
Against a Brightening Sky, Jaime Lee Moyer
Carry On, Rainbow Rowell
The Chess Queen Enigma, Colleen Gleason
Cinderella’s Shoes, Shonna Slayton
Closer to the Heart, Mercedes Lackey
Dreamstrider, Lindsay Smith
Empire Ascendant, Kameron Hurley
A Frozen Heart, Elizabeth Rudnick
Ghost to the Rescue, Carolyn Hart
Ghostly: A Collection of Ghost Stories, Audrey Niffenegger
The House, Christina Lauren
An Inheritance of Ashes, Leah Bobet
It’s a Wonderful Death, Sarah J. Schmitt
Life and Death Twilight Reimagined, Stephenie Meyer
Marked, Sue Tingey
Mythmaker, Marianne De Pierres
She Walks in Shadows, ed. Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Paula R. Stiles
Silver on the Road, Laura Anne Gilman
Sing Down the Stars, L. J. Hatton
Swords and Scoundrels, Julia Knight
A Tale of Highly Unusual Magic, Lisa Papademetriou
A Thousand Nights, E. K. Johnston
Undead and Unforgiven, MaryJanice Davidson
The White Rose, Amy Ewing
White Trash Zombie Gone Wild, Diana Rowland
Wild Sky, Suzanne Brockmann and Melanie Brockmann

October 8:
Gathering Deep, Lisa Maxwell

October 13:
An Apprentice to Elves, Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette
Boundary Lines, Melissa F. Olson
Dark Tide, Jennifer Donnelly
The Devil and Winnie Flynn, Micol Ostow ill. David Ostow
Ice Like Fire, Sara Raasch
The Immortal Heights, Sherry Thomas
Of Sorrow and Such, Angela Slatter
SandRider, Angie Sage
Sound, Juliet Madison
Wendy Darling: Stars, Colleen Oakes

October 15:
Dead Girls Don’t, Mags Storey

October 19:
Witch Hunt, Kasi Blake

October 20:
A Sliver of Stardust, Marissa Burt
The Secrets of Drearcliff Grange School, Kim Newman
Wolf by Wolf, Ryan Graudin

October 22:
Supervision, Alison Stine

October 27:
City of Halves, Lucy Inglis
Dark Heart of Magic, Jennifer Estep
The Devious Dr. Jekyll, Viola Carr
Fathomless, Anne M. Pillsworth
The Fairy Swarm, Suzanne Selfors
Gabriel, Nikki Kelly
Little Red Gliding Hood, Tara Lazar ill. Troy Cummings
The Monstrous, ed. Ellen Datlow
Persuasion, Martina Boone
Wake of Vultures, Lila Bowen
Winter Wolf, Rachel M. Raithby

October 28:
Tremontaine, Ellen Kushner and various authors

October 30:
The Key, Sara B. Elfgren and Mats Strandberg

We’re excited to bring you a roundup of interesting links and September book releases of fantasy by and about women.

As always, we’d love to hear from you. If you’ve sold a fantasy work, read a great recently-released story, discovered a fantastic link that we missed, or if you’ve got a book or story review to share, please get in touch. Send news to (help at sirensconference.org).

ON THE BLOG: SEPTEMBER 2015

Five Fantasies of the Roaring Twenties from the New Gilded Age

Sirens Newsletter—Volume 7, Issue 11 (September 2015)

Testimonials: Write about something that happened at Sirens

Fantasy Works Featuring Women Who Fight Back

Six Fantasy Manga

YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT…

Interesting Links:

• Bioluminescent Algae Light Up London’s Merge Festival
• Heroines Both Familiar and Unfamiliar
• Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Melinda May Gets Her Own Comic
• “YA masters Rae Carson and Leigh Bardugo talk world building and feminism”
• “Octavia Butler’s Dawn Being Developed for TV, Producer Talks Adaptation and Diversity Behind the Scenes”
  
• “How to Survive the Apocalypse,” Rhiannon Rasmussen-Silverstein
• “The Book Smugglers Publishing Novella Initiative”

Book Releases

Click the image for a closer look at the covers.

September 1:
Archangel’s Enigma, Nalini Singh
Catacomb, Madeleine Roux
Chapelwood, Cherie Priest
The Copper Gauntlet, Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Crucible Zero, Devon Monk
Dark Ghost, Christine Feehan
The Death House, Sarah Pinborough
The Drafter, Kim Harrison
Dragon Heart, Cecelia Holland
Firewalker, Josephine Angelini
Ghost Summer: Stories, Tananarive Due
The Glowing Knight, Jodi Meadows
Hunter, Mercedes Lackey
Jillian Cade: (Fake) Paranormal Investigator, Jen Klein
Lady of Magick, Sylvia Izzo Hunter
Midnight Dolls, Kiki Sullivan
Midnight Hunter, Kait Ballenger
Queen of Shadows, Sarah J. Maas
A Red-Rose Chain, Seanan McGuire
The Secrets of Blood and Bone, Rebecca Alexander
Shades of Doon, Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon
The Shadow Behind the Stars, Rebecca Hahn
Smoked, Mari Mancusi
Sorcerer to the Crown, Zen Cho
Star Wars: Lost Stars , Claudia Gray
The Sparrow Sisters, Ellen Herrick
Updraft, Fran Wilde
The Wanderers, Kate Ormand

September 3:
Lament for the Afterlife, Lisa L. Hannett

September 8:
The Boy Meets Girl Massacre (Annotated), Ainslie Hogarth
Dark Shimmer, Donna Jo Napoli
Darken the Stars, Amy A. Bartol
Drift & Dagger, Kendall Kulper
Serpentine, Cindy Pon
The Sleeping King, Cindy Dees and Bill Flippin
The Suffering, Rin Chupeco
Sweet Temptation, Wendy Higgins

September 15:
The Appearance of Annie van Sinderen, Katherine Howe
Ash & Bramble, Sarah Prineas
Awakening the Mare, Jacqueline Druga
The Battle for Oz, Jeyna Grace
The Dead House, Dawn Kurtagich
Hook’s Revenge: The Pirate Code, Heidi Schultz ill. John Hendrix
Maid of Wonder, Jennifer McGowan
Mirrored, Alex Flinn
Untamed City: Carnival of Secrets, Melissa Marr
Shattered Blue, Lauren Bird Horowitz
The Weight of Feathers, Anna-Marie McLemore

September 22:
Binti, Nnedi Okorafor
Blood and Salt, Kim Liggett
Dance with the Devil, Angela Dennis
Followed by Frost, Charlie N. Holmberg
This Monstrous Thing, Mackenzi Lee
Never Never, Brianna Shrum
The Scorpion Rules, Erin Bow
Silver Eve, Sandra Waugh
The Summer Marked, Rebekah L. Purdy
Ungodly, Kendare Blake
The Visitant: A Venetian Ghost Story, Megan Chance
Walk on Earth a Stranger, Rae Carson

September 24:
Shadows at Midnight, Amanda Bonilla

September 29:
Autumn Moon, Jan DeLima
The Bloodforged, Erin Lindsey
Brazen, Christina Farley
Daughters unto Devils, Amy Lukavics
Down the Rabbit Hole, J. D. Robb, Mary Blayney, Mary Kay McComas, and R. C. Ryan
Fated, Sarah Fine
The Heart Goes Last, Margaret Atwood
Last Song Before Night, Ilana C. Myer
A Mad Zombie Party, Gena Showalter
Madly, Amy Alward
Menagerie, Rachel Vincent
Six of Crows, Leigh Bardugo
The Unquiet Past, Kelley Armstrong
Until Beth, Lisa Amowitz

We’re excited to bring you a roundup of interesting links and August book releases of fantasy by and about women.

As always, we’d love to hear from you. If you’ve sold a fantasy work, read a great recently-released story, discovered a fantastic link that we missed, or if you’ve got a book or story review to share, please get in touch. Send news to (help at sirensconference.org).

ON THE BLOG: AUGUST 2015

Sirens Newsletter—Volume 7, Issue 10 (August 2015)

Sirens Accepted Programming for 2015: Panels

Casey Blair’s book list of Six Secondary World Urban Fantasies

Find out ways you can Support Sirens

Sirens Accepted Programming for 2015: Afternoon Classes

s. e. smith’s book list of Five Dark and Twisty Young Adult Works

Sirens Guest of Honor Interview: Rae Carson

Sirens Accepted Programming for 2015: Workshops

Rae Carson’s book list of Five Young Adult Fantasy Works with Adult Crossover Appeal

Testimonials: If you’ve attended Sirens more than once, why did you decide to come back to Sirens?

July Recap: Sirens News, Book Releases, and Interesting Links

Sirens Accepted Programming for 2015: Roundtable Discussions

Erynn Moss’s book list of Eight Fantasy Works That Don’t Over-Explain

YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT…

Interesting Links:

• Sirens August Amy’s Book Club Pick: In Great Waters
• Glasgow embarks on the world’s first fantasy literature degree
• A Fantasy Foodie Bakers’ Dozen
• 2015 Hugo and Campbell Awards Winners
• Katherine Harbour on Vintage 80s Fantasy: Female Writers
• Supporting Female Authors in Epic Fantasy and YA

Book Releases

Click the image for a closer look at the covers.

August 1:
One Good Dragon Deserves Another, Rachel Aaron
Perdita, Faith Gardner

August 4:
Alice, Christina Henry
Astra, Naomi Foyle
Blood Call, Lilith Saintcrow
The Bone Artists, Madeleine Roux
The Contrary Tale of the Butterfly Girl, Ishbelle Bee
Daughter of Dusk, Livia Blackburne
Dragonbane, Sherrilyn Kenyon
The Fifth Season, N.K. Jemisin
Lamp Black, Wolf Grey, Paula Brackston
Kitty Saves the World, Carrie Vaughn
Magic Shifts, Ilona Andrews
The Nightmare Charade, Mindee Arnett
Of Dreams and Rust, Sarah Fine
Public Enemies, Ann Aguirre
Smoke on the Water, Lori Handeland
Torn Sky, Tracy Banghart
Waterborne Exile, Susan Murray
While You Were Gone, Amy K. Nichols

August 6:
Darkmere, Helen Maslin

August 11:
Ethics and Form in Fantasy Literature: Tolkien, Rowling, and Meyer, Lykke Guanio-Uluru
Falling in Love with Hominids, Nalo Hopkinson
Fool’s Quest, Robin Hobb
The Healer, Virginia Boecker
Jubilee Manor, Bethany Hagen
Lumière, Jacqueline E. Garlick
Reawakened, Colleen Houck
Storm Moon, Teri Harman

August 18:
Across the Long Sea, Sarah Remy
Bitter of Tongue, Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan
The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Seven, ed. by Ellen Datlow
Court of Fives, Kate Elliott
The Creeping, Alexandra Sirowy
Forbidden, Cathy Clamp
A History of Glitter and Blood, Hannah Moskowitz
The House of Shattered Wings, Aliette de Bodard
Legacy of Kings, Eleanor Herman

August 25:
Breakout, Ann Aguirre
The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall, Katie Alender
Dead Upon a Time, Elizabeth Paulson
Insidious, Dawn Metcalf
Keepers of the Labyrinth, Erin E. Moulton
Kushiel’s Chosen, Jacqueline Carey
Lair of Dreams, Libba Bray
Mechanica, Betsy Cornwell
Sasquatch, Andrea Schicke Hirsch
The Veil, Megan Chance

August 26:
That Seriously Obnoxious Time I Was Stuck at Witch Rimelda’s One Hundredth Birthday Party, Tina Connolly

August 31:
Speak Easy, Catherynne M. Valente

We’re excited to bring you a roundup of interesting links and July book releases of fantasy by and about women. Look for this ever-expanding collection of good news to come to you at the end of the month in the future.

As always, we’d love to hear from you. If you’ve sold a fantasy work, read a great recently-released story, discovered a fantastic link that we missed, or if you’ve got a book or story review to share, please get in touch. Send news to (help at sirensconference.org), and see the Sirens Review Squad section below for how to become a reviewer.

ON THE BLOG: JULY 2015

Sirens Newsletter – Volume 7, Issue 9 (July 2015)

Testimonials: Write about a good friend that you’ve met at Sirens.

Six Fantasy Books with Non-US Settings

Sirens Guest of Honor Interview: Kate Elliott

Five Fabulous Epic Fantasy Works by Women

Friday Books and Breakfast

Saturday Books and Breakfast

Sirens: A Love Letter

Seven Fantasy Books Featuring Non-Western Mythology and Folklore

Sirens Guest of Honor Interview: Yoon Ha Lee

Six Fantasy Works for Sirens

June Recap: Sirens News, Book Releases, and Interesting Links

Sirens Accepted Programming for 2015: Papers

Influential Fantasy for Heroines

YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT…

Interesting Links:

• We are saddened to hear of the passing of Adrienne Martine-Barnes.
• The winners of the 2015 Eisner Awards have been announced!
• How the giant squid and other animals inspired mythological creatures.
• It really is all connected: mapping businesses in the Marvel universe.
• “Every Year I Crochet Superheroes and Hide Them in San Diego for People to Find”
• “The Last of the Classic Disney Greats: Sleeping Beauty”
• The Afro-Diasporic Fantasy Art of Nigerian-American Illustrator Odera Igbokwe
• 2015 World Fantasy Awards Nominees
• 2014 Shirley Jackson Awards Winners
• British Fantasy Awards 2015 Nominees
• “Black Harry Potter Characters Aren’t Just Beautiful—They’re Revolutionary”
• Midori Snyder on Katherine Ace
• “Fabulous Beasts,” Priya Sharma
• Kate Elliott on Fangirl Happy Hour
• Sherwood Smith hack for epic fantasy geography
• Also by Sherwood Smith: “Influential Fantasy for Heroines”
• Ursula K. Le Guin profile in Portland Monthly
• Exhibition: Alice: 150 Years of Wonderland at The Morgan in NYC
• “150 years of Alice in Wonderland—in pictures”
• “16+ Pics of Fairytale Architecture in Norway”
• “Witness: Woman in wench costume takes down sword thief”
• “Why the ‘Future of Women in Comics’ Thinks It Helps to Be Terrifying”
• An audio interview with Nalo Hopkinson about the upcoming Falling in Love with Hominids on WKCR
• Facebook page for a prequel movie to Nalo Hopkinson’s Brown Girl in the Ring

Book Releases:

Click the image for a closer look at the covers.

July 1:
Beneath the Cape: The Superhero Anthology, Angela McPherson, Cheryl McIntyre, Christine Zolendz, D. Nichole King, Laura Thalassa, Lynn Vroman, Magan Vernon, and Sunniva Dee
The Blood Curse, Emily Gee
Bone Swans: Stories, C. S. E. Cooney
Darkness Brutal, Rachel A. Marks
Letters to Zell, Camille Griep
No Time Like the Past, Jodi Taylor

July 2:
Fearless, Marianne Curley

July 6:
An Immortal Descent, Kari Edgren
The Hunter’s Kind, Rebecca Levene

July 7:
The Small Backs of Children, Lidia Yuknavitch
Chicks and Balances, ed. by Esther Friesner
The Child Eater, Rachel Pollack
Cities and Thrones, Carrie Patel
Elisha Rex, E. C. Ambrose
Flight from Death, Yasmine Galenorn
Hallowed, Tonya Hurley
The Heart of Betrayal, Mary E. Pearson
The House of the Stone, Amy Ewing
The House of War and Witness, Linda Carey, Louise Carey, and Mike Carey
Ink and Bone, Rachel Caine
Renegade, Kerry Wilkinson
The Shores of Spain, J. Kathleen Cheney
Silver in the Blood, Jessica Day George
Spellcasting in Silk, Juliet Blackwell
Survive the Night, Danielle Vega
Wicked Embers, Keri Arthur
Witchlock, Dianna Love

July 14:
About a Girl, Sarah McCarry
The Blind Wish, Amber Lough
The Golden Specific, S. E. Grove
Cold Iron, Stina Leicht
Lagoon (US edition), Nnedi Okorafor
Rebel Mechanics: All is Fair in Love and Revolution, Shanna Swendson
The Seer’s Spread, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, Natasha Pulley

July 20:
Ether & Elephants, Cindy Spencer Pape
Hollywood Witch Hunter, Valerie Tejeda

July 21:
Backyard Witch, Christine Heppermann, ill. Ron Koertge, Deborah Marcero
Bound in Black, Juliette Cross
The Dark Arts of Blood, Freda Warrington
The Obsidian Temple: A Desert Rising Novel, Kelley Grant
Pale Kings and Princes, Cassandra Clare and Robin Wasserman
Resonance, Erica O’Rourke
Stormbringer, Alis Franklin

July 28:
The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden, Emma Trevayne
The Conquering Dark, Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
Every Last Breath, Jennifer L. Armentrout
The Forgotten, Heather Graham
Oblivion, Kelly Creagh
Old Dog, New Tricks, Hailey Edwards
Siren’s Call, Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Jayne Castle
Spider’s Trap, Jennifer Estep
Thor Volume 2: Who Holds The Hammer?, Jason Aaron and Russell Dauterman

SIRENS REVIEW SQUAD

We’d love to have more volunteers contribute short reviews of works they have read and loved. If you think you could contribute a book (or short story, or a work related to fantasy literature) review of at least 250 words sometime during the next year, we would be pleased—nay, thrilled—to have your recommendation for the Sirens newsletter.

Review squad volunteering is flexible; we simply ask that you share information about work you’ve enjoyed. (We are, of course, focused on fantasy books by and about women, and we hope you’ll consider interesting, diverse selections; if you’re not sure about a particular work, email help at sirensconference.org and we’ll advise!) You can contribute once or on an ongoing basis, and on a schedule that works for you. Please visit the volunteer system and, when we ask you what position you’re interested in, type in “Book Reviewer.”

We’re excited to bring you a roundup of interesting links, June book releases of fantasy by and about women, and a quick review of Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Look for this ever-expanding collection of good news to come to you mid-month in the future.

As always, we’d love to hear from you. If you’ve sold a fantasy work, read a great recently-released story, discovered a fantastic link that we missed, or if you’ve got a book or story review to share, please get in touch. Send news to (help at sirensconference.org), and see the Sirens Review Squad section below for how to become a reviewer.

ON THE BLOG: JUNE 2015

Sirens Newsletter – Volume 7, Issue 8 (June 2015)

Testimonials: Why did you decide to attend Sirens the first time?

Five Amazing Science Fiction/Fantasy Works for Fantasy Readers Who Struggle with Science Fiction

Testimonials: Why do you think Sirens is important?

10 Fantasy Books with Lovely, Lyrical Prose

Sirens Auction and Bookstore

Nine Books with Dragons!

Inverness Hotel: It’s Where You Want to Be

YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT…

Interesting Links:

• “Two to Leave” by Yoon Ha Lee in Beneath Ceaseless Skies
• Winners of the 2015 Locus Awards
• Winners of the 2014 Nebula Awards
• 2015 Mythopoeic Awards finalists announced
• Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge is on the International Literacy Association’s Young Adult’s Choices 2015 reading list
• Digital Artist Shows What Animated Women Look Like With Less Unnatural Faces
• J. K. Rowling’s new play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will open in London next year.
• The late Angela Carter has a new website in time for the 75^th anniversary of The Bloody Chamber
• Helen Oyeyemi interviews Kelly Link
• Kamala Khan’s First Animation Appearance Confirmed for “Avengers: Ultron Revolution”
• Artist creates paper art inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
• Ellen DeGeneres to produce adaptation of Naomi Novik’s Uprooted
• “10 Subversive Princess Stories That Are the Perfect Antidote to Disney”
• “The Cure” by Malinda Lo
• Nimona to be adapted for the big screen
• “Disney princesses + velociraptors = heaven”
• “The Rainbow Flame” by Shveta Thakrar in Uncanny magazine

Book Releases:

Click each image for a closer look at the covers.

May 26:
The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories: 75^th Anniversary Edition, Angela Carter, introduction by Kelly Link

June 1:
Girl at the Bottom of the Sea, Michelle Tea
Sisters of the Revolution: A Feminist Speculative Fiction Anthology, ed. Ann VanderMeer and Jeff VanderMeer

June 2:
Because You’ll Never Meet Me, Leah Thomas
Briar Queen, Katherine Harbour
Children of the Earth, Anna Schumacher
Circus Mirandus, Cassie Beasley
Deadly Design, Debra Dockter
Descent, Tara Fuller
The Dragons of Heaven, Alyc Helms
The Edge of Forever, Melissa E. Hurst
Fandemic, Jennifer Estep
From a High Tower, Mercedes Lackey
Hidden Huntress, Danielle L. Jensen
The Hidden Prince, Jodi Meadows
The Master Magician, Charlie N. Holmberg
Powerless, Tera Lynn Childs and Tracy Deebs
The Shadow Revolution, Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
Saving Her Destiny, Candice Gilmer
Shards of Hope, Nalini Singh
Siren’s Fury, Mary Weber
Spelled, Betsy Schow
Stories of the Raksura: The Dead City and The Dark Earth Below, Martha Wells
The Summer of Chasing Mermaids, Sarah Ockler
The Witch Hunter, Virginia Boecker

June 4:
The Changeling, Helen Falconer

June 9:
Alive, Chandler Baker
The Clockwork Crown, Beth Cato
Crash, Eve Silver
Dead Ice, Laurell K. Hamilton
The Invasion of the Tearling, Erika Johansen
The Mechanical Theater, Brooke Johnson
The Stars Never Rise, Rachel Vincent
Waking the Dragon, Juliette Cross

June 10:
Waters of Versailles, Kelly Robson

June 15:
Almost Magic, Kathleen Bullock

June 16:
Glittering Shadows, Jaclyn Dolamore
Pure Blooded, Amanda Carlson

June 23:
The Blood Curse, Emily Gee
The Book of Speculation, Erika Swyler
A Book of Spirits and Thieves, Morgan Rhodes
The Leveller, Julia Durango
Trailer Park Fae, Lilith Saintcrow
The Wand and the Sea, Clare M. Caterer

June 25:
The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2015, ed. Paula Guran

June 30:
Of Enemies and Endings, Shelby Bach
The Fire Children, Lauren M. Roy
Heat of the Moment, Lori Handeland
The Hollow Queen, Elizabeth Haydon
The Philosopher Kings, Jo Walton
The Princess and the Pony, Kate Beaton
Shadowshaper, Daniel José Older
The Singular & Extraordinary Tale of Mirror & Goliath, Ishbelle Bee
Soul Scorched, Donna Grant
Storm, Amanda Sun
Supervillains Anonymous, Lexie Dunne

SIRENS REVIEW SQUAD

We’d love to have more volunteers contribute short reviews of works they have read and loved. If you think you could contribute a book (or short story, or a work related to fantasy literature) review of at least 250 words sometime during the next year, we would be pleased—nay, thrilled—to have your recommendation for the Sirens newsletter.

Review squad volunteering is flexible; we simply ask that you share information about work you’ve enjoyed. (We are, of course, focused on fantasy books by and about women, and we hope you’ll consider interesting, diverse selections; if you’re not sure about a particular work, email help at sirensconference.org and we’ll advise!) You can contribute once or on an ongoing basis, and on a schedule that works for you. Please visit the volunteer system and, when we ask you what position you’re interested in, type in “Book Reviewer.”

Signal to Noise
Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Meche, Sebastian, and Daniela are struggling with their social status in high school in Mexico City in 1988. Meche, fluent in the language of music (one of the few things she has in common with her father), makes a startling discovery: she can use music to harm a bully. The manifestation of magic is something she shares with her grandmother, but their communication is too strained for Meche to learn from her. Meche realizes that she can feel magic’s power in vinyl, and that with Sebastian and Daniela’s (sometimes reluctant) help, she can make their wishes come true—only, not all of their wishes are for good, and the magic could tear her friendships apart.

Interspersed with the scenes of 1988 are scenes of Meche’s return to the city in 2009 after a long absence. She has come to mourn her father, not to mend old wounds. Still, she can’t escape the evidence of her past, and all of the feelings and memories that come with having once had a taste of magic.

While music is an important theme in Signal to Noise, I am fascinated by the oft-ignored theme of magic with consequences. Here, magic complicates what is already complicated, and its potential for destruction is neither academic nor remote; instead, its dangers are highly personal. I particularly want to chew on the idea of failure, too—failure to reach across generations and friendship fault lines, and what happens when people fail to pass on important information, leaving the followers to draw conclusions that aren’t always kind, or true, or fully understood. Failure to see the outcome of actions. Failure to find self-realization. Still, all of the failures lead to bittersweet reckoning.

If none of this hooks you, consider Signal to Noise for Meche, its angry, flawed heroine. She’s a character you’ll want to both comfort and unravel. –Undusty New Books