The nitty-gritty: The stage is set for murder in R.J. Jacobs ode to horror movies, a fun, thrill-filled mystery with scares aplenty. This is my first time reading R.J. Jacobs, and I had a lot of fun with this book! Horror movie fans in particular will love Always the First to Die, as Jacobs pays […]
The nitty-gritty: Horror author Ronald Kelly looks back on his long career in publishing in this compelling and eye-opening memoir. “A story or novel is like a garden; despite how good you believe it is in your ‘writer’s mind,’ there are always weeds to eradicate and bugs to exterminate.” I rarely read and review nonfiction—make […]
The nitty-gritty: Alan Baxter’s latest delivers chills, gore and a cast a colorful characters in this carnival thrill ride-like tale of otherworldly revenge, perfect for horror fans seeking a fun summer read. Alan Baxter really knows how to write small town folk horror, and Sallow Bend has all the markings of a good one. With […]
The nitty-gritty: A mind-bending mystery through time and space, Eversion takes readers on a dangerous journey of discovery. Eversion was such a unique book! This is one of those stories that doesn’t really come together until the very end, so readers will need to be patient. But the ultimate payoff was worth the wait, and […]
The nitty-gritty: Six Feet Under meets You’ve Got Mail in Megan Bannen’s outrageously funny fantasy rom-com, complete with zombies, human-sized animal mail carriers, and a host of quirky, lovable characters. Well, this was a delightful surprise! Humor can be hit or miss for me, but I’m thrilled to say Megan Bannen’s humor is just my […]
The nitty-gritty: A cleverly constructed thriller with plenty of high school drama makes this a perfect summer read for teens. Despite my reluctance to read YA these days, I have to admit I had a blast with We Made It All Up. And yes, the book has the usual YA shenanigans like relationship drama, bullying, […]
The nitty-gritty: Evocative writing, authentic historical details and complex characters make Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s latest a must read. “Montgomery was like a chipped piece of pottery. She couldn’t imagine he’d ever been whole, and his eyes, when they glanced at her, were watery gray. Not green and lush and full of promise like Eduardo’s, but the […]
The nitty-gritty: Gailey’s latest is delightfully unsettling, with unexpected twists, dangerous characters and ominous secrets. “The outside of Vera was shaped like the inside of this house. This was the house her father had built with his two strong hands. This was the goldfish tank where she’d grown to the size she would always be, […]
The nitty-gritty: Dex and Mosscap contemplate life while traveling the countryside in this lovely follow-up to A Psalm for the Wild-Built. A Prayer for the Crown-Shy continues the feel-good adventures of Sibling Dex and his robot companion Mosscap. The story picks up right after the events of A Psalm for the Wild-Built, so I encourage […]
The nitty-gritty: Killer dinosaurs and Old West shootouts come together in this bloody and highly entertaining story. One of my favorite fantasy subgenres is “weird western,” and I can definitely say that Pteranodon Canyon fits the bill if you enjoy weird westerns as well. And what could be weirder than an alternate universe set in […]