The Once Upon a Con series by Ashley Poston is a set of companion novels that are modern fairy tale retellings told with a fangirl flair. For more about the first two books in the series, read my reviews of Geekerella and The Princess and the Fangirl. The third companion book in the Once Upon a Con series is Bookish and the Beast, and as the title makes obvious is a geeky retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Bookish and the Beast is the story of Rosie Thorne, a book
Mirage is Somaiya Daud’s young adult debut novel from 2018, and the first in a planned duology. It is a dazzling tale of political intrigue, deception, and identity. It blends the elements of science fiction and fantasy to create a world infused with Moroccan culture that is alluring yet menacing. Themes of colonization, oppression, and rebellion are the backbone of this story. Mirage tells the story of Amani, a simple farm girl from Cadiz who has the misfortune of being the doppelgänger of Princess Maram from the Vathek Empire. She
Francisco J. Rodriguez has always known he had a knack for the arts and entertaining others, but he didn’t realize how strong that passion was until life threw him an unexpected curveball. It was in that moment that he came to the realization that this was his purpose in life. We caught up with the rising actor to learn more about him, that aha moment, and the highlight of his career so far. PC: How did you discover your passion for acting? Francisco: I discovered it from an early age.
Dani Montalvo is a rising actress who isn’t afraid to take on a role that pushes her outside her comfort zone. Earlier this year, she starred as the titular character in Lifetime’s I Was Lorena Bobbitt, a survivor who made headlines after enduring years of abuse, ultimately leading her to cut off her husband’s penis in 1993. Thirty years later, Lorena is sharing her journey from an immigrant bride to a battered wife to a strong, thoughtful woman who has devoted her life to advocating for other abused women, and