The nitty-gritty: Ghosts, demons and magic infuse this well written, high-stakes tale that addresses racism, queer love, interracial relationships and much more. A Spell For Change is an unexpectedly thoughtful and emotional story that takes place after World War I in a small town in Tennessee. It’s also a demonic possession story, which I wasn’t […]
The nitty-gritty: A spell gone wrong turns a prince into a horse in this funny (at times) fantasy where the horsey antics are the best part of the story. “Virtue of Mercy. I was married to a horse.” Behooved is a fun and silly romantasy that offers a lot of laughs and some feel good […]
The nitty-gritty: A high-stakes, thrilling adventure, Shield of Sparrows is a well-balanced, well written fantasy, perfect for fans of Fourth Wing. Come for the monsters, stay for the delicious slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romance. “I was surrounded by monsters.” Shield of Sparrows seems to be the buzzy book of the season, and count me in on […]
The nitty-gritty: A twisty take on the haunted house trope, We Live Here Now oozes creepy atmosphere and suspense. “There are no ghosts at Larkin Lodge.” Sarah Pinborough’s latest is a haunted house thriller with a twist, and I had a bunch of fun with it. While some of the haunted house elements are ones […]
The nitty-gritty: A weird, thought-provoking alien invasion story, Overgrowth won me over with its ideas but suffered from inconsistent pacing. I have a lot of mixed feelings about Overgrowth, which I’ll attempt to explain below. Overall, this was one of the most unique alien invasion stories I’ve read in quite some time. Mira Grant, who […]
The nitty-gritty: A sequel that expertly builds on its predecessor, Another Fine Mess is another winning book in what’s turning out to be a can’t miss series. If you had fun with Bless My Heart, the first book in Lindy Ryan’s deep fried Southern horror romp, then I guarantee you’ll have a blast with the […]
The nitty-gritty: A most unusual haunted house story, The Staircase in the Woods is an unhinged, psychological mystery that explores personal terrors and complicated friendships. “We’re all just empty houses waiting for this monster to move in and take us over.” Chuck Wendig’s latest is a creepy, unsettling haunted house/possession story with multifaceted characters and […]
The nitty-gritty: Little Shop of Horrors meets The Ruins in this weird love story, perfect for readers who enjoy body horror and atmospheric writing. “I unfolded my green shoots and vines onto the tabletop like compassionate little garden snakes, and I wrapped them up her arms and shoulders and throat like the lover I am, […]
The nitty-gritty: An uneven but solid bunch of stories, I was ultimately won over by three that were very good indeed. This is my first time reading a collection of Amazon original stories, and overall it was a fun experience. Below I’ll give a brief review and rating of each of the five stories. Let […]
The nitty-gritty: A young boy navigates the unexpected return of his dead father in this short, sharp horror story. Mapping the Interior was originally published in 2017 by Tordotcom, and this year it’s being rereleased in a beautiful new package by Tor Nightfire. I actually own the original edition, but for whatever reason I never […]