The nitty-gritty: A fun mash-up of murder mystery, time travel and 1990s culture, Night of the Mallrats is an entertaining blast from the past. I thought this was going to be a time travel story, and it is, sort of. But the time travel element is much smaller than I expected, so I think my […]
The nitty-gritty: A surreal, hallucinogenic road trip to repatriate the old bones of a Blackfeet boy takes a deadly turn in Stephen Graham Jones’ latest, a terrifying—and sometimes confusing—tale of redemption. “This RV was a rolling circus, a nightmare unfolding at sixty shaky miles per hour.” That quote pretty much sums up Off the Reservation, […]
The nitty-gritty: Lady and Lord Riven have one last magical adventure in this exciting conclusion to Stephanie Burgis’s lively historical fantasy series. As far as I know, this is the last book in Stephanie Burgis’ delightful Lady & Lord Riven series, and I’m very sad! The author has created a fascinating fantasy world full of […]
The nitty-gritty: A young visual effects designer discovers the dark side of social media and fame in Alma Katsu’s latest, a fast-paced, modern day cautionary tale. Alma Katsu has taken her knowledge of social media—she was one of the first social media research analysts—and turned it into a harrowing tale about the price of fame. […]
The nitty-gritty: Weird, complex and bloody, The Calamities brings big mob energy to a supernatural tale about demons and those that worship them. Chuck Wendig never fails to deliver epic, emotionally charged stories, and The Calamities is no exception. This is a big, sprawling, multi-character story that I’m calling “Game of Thrones meets The Dark […]
The nitty-gritty: Zombies aren’t the only killers in this tense YA thriller, an exciting start to a new series. If you’re looking for a dark, gritty YA zombie story, then look no further. If We Survive the Night was unexpectedly violent, and the main character surprised me in more ways than one. This is a […]
The nitty-gritty: Horror and romance combine in some interesting ways in Devil Inside, a dark but oddly sweet demonic possession tale. “I like it here. Inside you. I think I might stay for a while.” In his latest horror novel, Clay McLeod Chapman takes the idea of demonic possession and turns it into a love […]
The nitty-gritty: A Lovecraftian-inspired story set in Korea, A Plagued Sea is an unsettling, claustrophobic nightmare. “There are, in fact, fish in the sea that have developed limbs like arms or legs to crawl along the seabed. With the volcanic eruption, rarely seen sea creatures from the deep ocean were swept onto the shore. People […]
The nitty-gritty: Filled with memorable characters, enchanting creatures and a touch of romance, Sea of Charms offers thrilling adventures and feel-good emotional moments. Sea of Charms is the third book in Sarah Best Durst’s interconnected series of cozy fantasy romances, and you can definitely read this as a standalone (in my opinion, it doesn’t really […]
The nitty-gritty: The perfect antidote to action-heavy fantasy, The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance has surprising depth, well drawn characters, and a nice found family vibe. “Climbing a mountain is more than simply striving for the peak, Ainsworth.” For a book that got off to a very shaky start, I was surprised by […]