The nitty-gritty: Being a radio DJ is a killer job in this lively, bloody and humorous take on slasher movies. This might be the first horror story I’ve read that revolves around a radio show, and I thought Maria Lewis did a great job of taking the slasher trope and making it fresh and new. […]
The nitty-gritty: A sweet and sexy romance with plenty of humor, My Roommate is a Vampire isn’t perfect, but it is a lot of fun. “Mr. Frederick J. Fitzwilliam’s Google Search History – how do you kiss if it has been three hundred years since – how can you know if she wants to kiss […]
The nitty-gritty: The “cursed movie” trope is alive and well in Josh Winning’s latest, a creepy, madcap adventure that, while a lot of fun, falters when it comes to the characters and their actions. It pains me to give Burn the Negative anything less than five stars, since I really expected to love this. Josh […]
The nitty-gritty: Katrina Monroe explores the dark side of motherhood in this moody, psychological thriller. Everything about this book should have worked for me. Katrina Monroe’s atmospheric writing drew me in, creating a spooky, unsettling vibe and an intriguing mystery. But there’s barely a plot to grab onto, and once again I found myself reading […]
The nitty-gritty: Chana Porter subverts our ideas of food and sex in this unique dystopian tale. “This is normally where we would have sex,” teased Georgina. “But you’re the girl who doesn’t like sex.” “I like sex,” said Beatrice softly. I just like food more. The Thick and the Lean has one of the most […]
The nitty-gritty: Five young writers get the chance of a lifetime in this high octane thriller debut with surprises around every corner. The Writing Retreat is one of those thrillers that starts out strong and keeps you guessing, and then later in the story sort of goes off the rails with lots of over-the-top action […]
The nitty-gritty: Less horror and more family drama, Bad Cree is a beautifully written examination of family ties and emotions, with just a touch of otherworldly horror. The bad inside me was spreading, eating me up. So I left. I left them all. And now I’m supposed to enter that house again. Where the loss […]
The nitty-gritty: Imaginative world-building and an intriguing premise make The Luminaries a solid series opener. The Luminaries was a fun opening book in Susan Dennard’s new fantasy series, and although it didn’t fully work for me, I’m definitely curious enough to continue with the series. This is Young Adult through and through, with plenty of […]
The nitty-gritty: Slow burn suspense, mystery and an atmospheric setting make Lute a thoroughly compelling read, despite uneven and puzzling world building elements. This is one of those books that completely sucked me in, but after I had some time to think about it later, I started to have a lot of questions. Like many […]
The nitty-gritty: With a strong beginning and a thrilling ending, I enjoyed parts of House of Hunger, especially the darker horror elements, but overall it turned out to be a mixed bag for me. Of this I am utterly certain: I will never again know peace. —VANESSA, FIRST BLOODMAID OF THE HOUSE OF HUNGER House […]