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: Gritty crime drama meets killer teddy bears in this high concept, bloody tale of revenge. Teddy Bears Never Die is probably one of the strangest books I’ve ever read, and the fact that it’s also a translated book (written by a Korean author and translated by a Korean translator), the “strange” factor jumps […]
The nitty-gritty: Two unhappy women seek revenge in this dark, bite-sized story, full of black humor and cats. I loved Icelandic writer Hildur Knútsdóttir’s last book, The Night Guest, so I was very excited to read Dead Weight. First, I want to mention that although this is being marketed as horror, it’s anything but. Honestly, […]
The nitty-gritty: A mysterious ancient artifact is the centerpiece of this well written, carefully researched and plotted story, perfect for readers who love scholarly mysteries. The Gatepost is another excellent story by Tim Weed, whose last book, The Afterlife Project, was one of my favorite books from last year. The Gatepost didn’t hit quite as […]
The nitty-gritty: Sara Raasch combines humor, sports and romance in her latest, a lively, sexy fantasy with lovable characters and thoughtful themes. This is the second book in Sara Raasch’s Magic & Romance series, and this time we follow a side character from the first book who ends up getting his happily-ever-after. This is a […]
The nitty-gritty: S.A. Barnes’s fantasy debut is a solid series opener with dangerous characters, high stakes and plenty of romantic angst. “And I need you to know that I may not enjoy killing people, but I am very, very good at it.” Despite my middle of the road rating, I really did enjoy Death’s Daughter, […]
The nitty-gritty: Nicholas Binge combines cosmic horror with biting commentary on big corporations in this short and entertaining novella. Nicholas Binge is such a good writer, and Abyss was a fun, mind-bending story with some Lovecraftian horror elements, hence the tentacled creature on the cover. It’s also a cautionary tale of corporate greed and how […]
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: A magical cafe is the setting for this engaging fantasy that blends mythology and modern themes. The Café of Infinite Doors has a fascinating premise, but it ended up being a mixed bag for me, mostly because of the characters (I’ll explain more below). I did love the touches of folklore, however, which […]
The nitty-gritty: Full of gorgeous, disturbing imagery and ambitious in scope, Bodies of Work is a unsettling peek into the mind of a killer. Clay McLeod Chapman always comes up with unique ideas, and in Bodies of Work, he’s taken the story of real life artist Henry Darger and built a fictional tale inspired by […]