Chicago 1893 is a site to behold with The United Americas Exhibition bringing magical displays, automatons, and dinosaurs to the eyes of passersby. Abril and Geula are part of an impressive magic show that they insist is merely slight of hand and feats of impressive distraction. What the audiences don’t know is that what Abril does, through the figure known as Professor Perfectus, is actual magic. The two women are hoping to use this exhibition to help them make a life of their own away from all of the people looking for them, but before they can leave their hidden secrets will come to light in the story “The Hollow History of Professor Perfectus.” Continue reading “The Hollow History of Professor Perfectus Story Review ( @ginnhale )from @kleffnotes”

Jessica Tran, Jess to her friends, wishes she could feel special, like she was something more than ordinary. After World War III superpowers have become more common and for Jess growing up in a family with two superhero parents, an even more powerful super sister, and a genius younger brother she feels like she will never measure up. When she gets selected for an internship position at the massive technology corporation she hopes that she can finally live up to the pressure she feels to be as impressive as the rest of her family. Not Your Sidekick is a story that takes the traditional idea of superheroes and focuses on someone who is growing up and trying to find their own way to feel like a hero. Continue reading “Not Your Sidekick Book Review ( @InterludePress )from @kleffnotes”

Opening in Cleveland, Ohio in 1957, Sideshow is an extension of the universe first introduced in Amy Stilgerbauer’s The Fire-Eater’s Daughter. Abby has been training in opera, but she finds a peace when she is working at a local diner. As the eldest daughter in a large Italian family she and her brother are doing their best to support their younger siblings as well as their elderly Nonna. While she often sees young lovers canoodling in the diner, after breaking up with her boyfriend Frank she doesn’t long for love and when he suddenly appears insisting that she marry him she finds herself looking for an escape in the traveling circus that has come to town. Continue reading “Sideshow Book Review ( @InterludePress )from @kleffnotes”

Queerly Loving Volumes 1 and 2 are from the publisher Queer Pack, which used to be an imprint of Ylva Publishing. They have now become their own entity and the stories collected within this two volume set focus on relationships that span the complete LGBTQ+ umbrella. From the very first story in the first volume readers will be captivated by the diversity of stories and the wonderful collection of characters that show just how big and beautiful the queer community is. Continue reading “Queerly Loving Volumes 1 and 2 Book Review ( @queer_pack )from @kleffnotes”

Dirt Road Books is a publisher that surprised me. I previously reviewed their book Bitter Root Queen and was struck by how much I really enjoyed this book. I am not often a romance fan, but I was blown away by the complexity of characters and the power of the story. I decided to mix it up and pick up a book that fit more with one of my more often preferred genres, fantasy. The Potion has a mad scientist like protagonist named Vera Kennedy who is fixated on creating an elixir that will give women the ability to live according to their desires, but when Georgette Harris arrives seeking help the two women find themselves drawn together into a mystery. Continue reading “The Potion @DirtRoadBooks Review from @kleffnotes”

Last year I reviewed the first volume of Fandom to Fantasy from Sapphire Books and this year while at ClexaCon I was able to pick up the second volume. This two volume set was released in 2018 in partnership with ClexaCon and focuses on stories set in convention settings. I enjoyed the first volume and honestly had meant to pick up the second one far earlier than this year. Fans, fan fiction, and fantasy all come together in these stories focuses on queer lovers and their passions for each other and their fandoms. Continue reading “Fandom to Fantasy Vol 2 @SapphireBooks Review from @kleffnotes”