The nitty-gritty: A fun, laugh-out-loud contemporary take on Sleeping Beauty, with a feminist sensibility, that made me cheer. I’m a huge fan of Alix E. Harrow’s novels, so I was quite curious to see what she would do with the novella format. And I’m happily surprised by how much I enjoyed this! A Spindle Splintered […]
The nitty-gritty: Fantasy, comedy and sparkling Regency romance blend together seamlessly in Stephanie Burgis’ latest. Stephanie Burgis never fails to delight, and her new fantasy Scales and Sensibility has all the makings of an intriguing series opener featuring—you guessed it—dragons and Jane Austen! Elinor Tregarth and her sisters Rose and Harry were split up a […]
The nitty-gritty: Unsettling, creepy and emotionally devastating, Human Tenderloin is an excellent and varied collection of stories that will haunt you long after they’ve ended. Based on the rather creepy and disturbing cover of Human Tenderloin, I was happy to discover that the stories inside are equally as creepy and disturbing. I’m so glad I […]
The nitty-gritty: Non stop action and larger-than-life characters make Andrew Mayne’s latest a thrilling, hard to put down series opener. Well, this was a lot of fun! I’ve read and reviewed all four books in Mayne’s The Naturalist series, which focuses on super smart Dr. Theo Cray, a compu-biologist who is really good at catching […]
The nitty-gritty: A bloody homage to the slasher film, My Heart is a Chainsaw is a slow build tale with an over-the-top ending that ultimately won me over. This is my fourth Stephen Graham Jones book, and I can now say without a doubt that even when he writes a book that doesn’t completely work […]
“Gotta get used to making choices. It’s your will or someone else’s. Get mad and stay that way. It’s a lot safer. You got a gun? It’s not always whimsy and bullshit out here.” I love when a book surprises me, and that’s exactly what happened with Twenty-Five to Life. At first glance, it seems […]
The nitty-gritty: A lushly written tale rooted in folklore and magic, Wildwood Whispers has a lovely, homespun vibe as comfy as a warm blanket. I couldn’t resist this beautiful cover, and I’m happy to report that the cover is perfect for this magic-tinged tale. This is a quieter and more uplifting story than I normally […]
The nitty-gritty: A suspenseful thriller set in the Grand Canyon, Getaway is equal parts tension and solid character development. This is my second book by Zoje Stage, and she’s become a “must read” author for me. Getaway was not quite what I expected—and that’s OK. I enjoy the fact that Stage always seems to surprise […]
The nitty-gritty: Dripping with atmosphere and creepy characters, Tidepool is a treat for lovers of cosmic horror. Tidepool is Nicole Willson’s debut novel, and wow I had so much fun with this! This is a horror tale that takes place in 1913 Maryland and almost feels like a cozy mystery in the beginning. But watch […]
The nitty-gritty: Gritty action, a unique narrator and lots of humor make this an absurdly fun-to-read novella. Absolute Unit was a fun, fast-paced mashup of horror, sci-fi and gritty thriller, and I had a blast reading it. Bill is an out of shape, overweight health inspector who makes money on the side collecting payoffs for […]