The nitty-gritty: Sparkling writing, a fascinating setting and time period, and a lovely, slow burn romance make Grimm Curiosities a must read paranormal mystery. Grimm Curiosities is the perfect cozy fantasy/mystery to curl up with on a cold winter’s night. I always enjoy Sharon’s books, and her latest is an engaging historical fantasy with just […]
The nitty-gritty: A twisty, bloody tale, Rest Stop is a delightfully gruesome surprise. Rest Stop is a short and extremely twisted novella, and it has firmly cemented Nat Cassidy as a must read author for me. This is a wild, bloody adventure—or should I say “misadventure”—involving an ill-fated convenience store stop, a deranged killer, and […]
The nitty-gritty: Secrets, lies, blackmail and murder combine in this excellent locked-room mystery. Whether or not you’re a fan of Alfred Hitchcock and his films, I guarantee you’ll have fun reading The Hitchcock Hotel. This is a locked room mystery with fantastic twists, plenty of unreliable characters, a bit of humor and a lot of […]
The nitty-gritty: A.C. Wise successfully combines several genres in this weird, terrifying and emotionally satisfying tale. “An angel could be a terrible thing, but so could a human, sometimes without even trying.” This is my first time reading A.C. Wise, and after loving Out of the Drowning Deep, I’m a fan of hers for life. […]
The nitty-gritty: A perfectly paced page-turner that will keep you guessing, The Night Guest is a small gem of a terrifying story. The Night Guest is written by Icelandic author Hildur Knútsdóttir and translated by Mary Robinette Kowal, and even though I don’t read a lot of translated fiction, it’s one of the best I’ve […]
The nitty-gritty: Weird and unsettling, The Unmothers explores folklore, belief, pregnancy and grief, a story told in flawless prose, dripping with dread. The Unmothers was not what I expected at all, but I really ended up loving it. I’ll admit I got off to a shaky start, because so many different characters are introduced, and […]
The nitty-gritty: A pounding disco beat is the backdrop to this tightly plotted, inventive vampire tale. Grab your fangs and join the party! Imagine if Louis and Lestat from Interview With the Vampire were gorgeous young female vampires who love to party all night at the disco, and you’ll have an idea of what to […]
The nitty-gritty: Twilight Zone-esque stories make up this top-notch collection by veteran horror author Darcy Coates. Scary, unsettling and emotional, read this with the lights on. I don’t read short story collections very often, but I’m so glad I picked up Ghost Camera, because it was excellent! Darcy Coates is one of my go-to authors […]
The nitty-gritty: If you’re looking for a fun, upbeat story, then look no further. Reading The Spellshop feels like being wrapped in a warm blanket on a cold winter’s night. Sarah Beth Durst says in her Acknowledgments that she wanted to write a story that captured the feeling of drinking a cup of hot chocolate, […]
The nitty-gritty: Wild nature is the setting for this excellent mystery/thriller where the characters’ relationships take center stage. “The real agony, she now understands, is this. It’s good things—the book of poems, the sandwich, both kind and thoughtful—speckled with carnage. It’s seeing someone you love splinter away from you, shard by shard. Knowing there are […]