The nitty-gritty: Danielle Valentine’s latest will most likely be a hit with YA lovers, but for me it lacked depth and interesting characters. I’d call this one “slasher light,” so if you’re looking for something edgier, you might be disappointed as well. I never would have picked up this book if it hadn’t been for […]
The nitty-gritty: An interesting premise is bogged down with annoying characters and a simplistic plot that didn’t always make sense. I’m sad to say The Honey Witch didn’t really work for me, although many readers loved it, so it’s most likely a case of “it isn’t you, it’s me.” This book felt very young, despite […]
The nitty-gritty: Angsty, immature characters, overly-dramatic dialog and secrets revealed too soon add up to a disappointing story. It seems February is the month of disappointments, as yet another one of my highly anticipated 2024 releases failed to impress me. I had high hopes for An Education in Malice, especially after loving the author’s last […]
The nitty-gritty: An ambitious SF dystopian tale with plenty of interesting characters and situations gets bogged down under some basic writing mistakes. I badly wanted to love Stars Like Acid, especially since my review copy came directly from the author. And the reviews on Goodreads are mostly rave reviews, so I’ll admit my expectations were […]
The nitty-gritty: An atmospheric setting and the promise of an intriguing story couldn’t make up for the scattered plot and over-the-top prose. October Animals is a short novella (or perhaps even a novelette) that I really wanted to love, but unfortunately, it didn’t work that well for me. The story is rather convoluted, and I […]
The nitty-gritty: Zoje Stage’s latest should have worked, but too many disconnected elements made for an overall confusing and lackluster thriller. I had high hopes for Mothered, since I’ve had such good experiences with Stage’s other books, but unfortunately this didn’t completely work for me. The premise is great: a woman struggling to pay her […]
The nitty-gritty: Inconsistencies, info-dumps and ridiculous situations made this Buffyverse novel a disappointment. Some spoilers ahead, because I just can’t review this book without them. Every time a new Buffyverse book comes along, I can hardly wait to jump into it. And every time, I feel dissatisfied by the experience. In Every Generation is the […]
This review contains spoilers! The nitty-gritty: Szpara tackles some big ideas in this edgy, sometimes shocking dystopian, but the lack of concrete world-building, uneven pacing and dubious character motivations left me a little cold. I don’t usually do ranty reviews, but once in a while I read a book that simply demands one. Docile is […]
The nitty-gritty: Despite the author’s fluid writing style and evocative imagery, this story lacked a solid plot and sympathetic characters, and with its over-the-top violence, it just wasn’t for me. Every once in a while I try a new small publisher, and I’ve found some great ones by taking chances and stepping out of my […]