The nitty-gritty: Zombies aren’t the only killers in this tense YA thriller, an exciting start to a new series. If you’re looking for a dark, gritty YA zombie story, then look no further. If We Survive the Night was unexpectedly violent, and the main character surprised me in more ways than one. This is a […]
The nitty-gritty: A delightful, cozy romance with a fascinating premise, The Art of Charming A Changeling excelled at world-building but lacked a strong plot. The Art of Charming a Changeling is a cute cozy fantasy with absolutely wonderful world-building, and I enjoyed it a lot. However, it lacked something for me and I found it […]
The nitty-gritty: Horror and romance combine in some interesting ways in Devil Inside, a dark but oddly sweet demonic possession tale. “I like it here. Inside you. I think I might stay for a while.” In his latest horror novel, Clay McLeod Chapman takes the idea of demonic possession and turns it into a love […]
The nitty-gritty: A Lovecraftian-inspired story set in Korea, A Plagued Sea is an unsettling, claustrophobic nightmare. “There are, in fact, fish in the sea that have developed limbs like arms or legs to crawl along the seabed. With the volcanic eruption, rarely seen sea creatures from the deep ocean were swept onto the shore. People […]
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: Relentless pacing, thrilling action and heartbreak combine in Christopher Golden’s latest, a violent but satisfying horror tale. This is my first experience reading Christopher Golden, and I’m not sure why I waited so long. Carry Me To My Grave was surprisingly well written, tense and unexpectedly horrific. Golden gives readers a unique, very […]
The nitty-gritty: Filled with memorable characters, enchanting creatures and a touch of romance, Sea of Charms offers thrilling adventures and feel-good emotional moments. Sea of Charms is the third book in Sarah Best Durst’s interconnected series of cozy fantasy romances, and you can definitely read this as a standalone (in my opinion, it doesn’t really […]
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: The perfect antidote to action-heavy fantasy, The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance has surprising depth, well drawn characters, and a nice found family vibe. “Climbing a mountain is more than simply striving for the peak, Ainsworth.” For a book that got off to a very shaky start, I was surprised by […]
The nitty-gritty: Cynthia Pelayo reimagines the story of Peter Pan, with elements both new and familiar, in this emotionally charged tale. This isn’t the first Peter Pan retelling I’ve read that casts Peter as the villain—check out Lost Boy by Christina Henry for an excellent example of that—but it was a good one! Cynthia Pelayo […]