The nitty-gritty: A visceral tale of monsters both human and supernatural, Newbourne Park is a bloody, terrifying story of hunger and survival. “You’ll soon come to wish we ate you too.” When I finished Jennifer Thorne’s last book, Diavola, I knew it was going to be hard for the author to top herself. But with […]
The nitty-gritty: An outrageous, funny and feel-good story, Kiss Slay Replay explores relatable themes in a fresh, unexpected horror setting. “My story might not be a love story. But it isn’t a horror story, either. My story is mine, and it can be whatever I make it.” I can always count on Rachel Harrison for […]
The nitty-gritty: Chris Panatier captures the slow collapse of a close-knit family in Worry Box, a tense, terrifying horror story steeped in emotional heartbreak. “Whenever he tried to visualize what family meant, he saw the woman who he’d loved as his mother strobing in and out of existence behind the roller rink wall. Family was […]
The nitty-gritty: A modern fairy tale that embraces the idea of “cooking is magic,” The Farewitch of Foxe Holler is a delightful, feel good fantasy with wonderfully relatable characters and plenty of Southern charm. “If a recipe goes wrong, embrace it and eat the surprise. If a recipe goes really wrong, start over and learn. […]
The nitty-gritty: A delightfully swoony conclusion to Brigitte Knightley’s Dearly Beloathed duology, The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy sparkles with wit, romance and unforgettable characters. “Hearts are such wretched things.” I enjoyed the first book in Brigitte Knightley’s duology, The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy, but the second book is better in […]
The nitty-gritty: A masterfully written and plotted sci-fi horror story, The Sixth Nik combines grotesque imagery and body horror with unexpected depth and emotion. One thing I’ve come to expect with a new Daniel Kraus book is that I never know what to expect, and The Sixth Nik is yet another great example of Kraus’s […]
The nitty-gritty: A complex, fantastical coming-of-age story that explores fame, family ties and the blurred boundaries between fantasy and reality, The Children is a mesmerizing tale that will haunt readers with its sense of foreboding and wonder. “Her whole rib cage ached with understanding. There would be no going back. No earlier, softer place. Time […]
The nitty-gritty: Intricately constructed and full of surprising reveals and connections, The Girl With a Thousand Faces is an epic, emotional journey of revenge, trauma and forgiveness. “Pain and grief are holes that never fill. We just learn to step around them as we walk.” It’s been a four year wait for Sunyi Dean’s follow […]
The nitty-gritty: Magical, funny and surprising, The Book Witch is a delightful, “can’t miss” story that embraces the joys of books and reading. “All stories are love stories if you love stories.” Book lovers rejoice! The Book Witch might be the best love letter to books and readers I’ve ever come across, and while I’ll […]
The nitty-gritty: Delightful and charming from start to finish, A Widow’s Charm melds magic, high stakes and relatable characters into a story that perfectly balances comedy and romance. A Widow’s Charm surprised me in so many ways, and I ended up absolutely loving it. First, I thought this was going to be a contemporary fantasy, […]