The nitty gritty: An emotional journey through grief and self-loathing, Eric LaRocca’s latest is a dark, gut punch of a story. “The world is nothing more than a carnivorous plant that devours the things that are the softest and most delicate.” Eric LaRocca has come up with yet another intense, emotional story about damaged people […]
The nitty-gritty: A delightfully unique fantasy tale, Greenteeth combines richly developed folkloric world-building with lovable, flawed characters. A delight from start to finish. “‘There is some hope then?’ I asked. ‘You remember what I said the first time we met, Jenny? There is always hope.’” I came very close to not requesting Greenteeth, and I’m […]
The nitty-gritty: A delightful romantasy that focuses more on characters and world-building than romance, Wooing the Witch Queen is the perfect start to a promising series. I’ve been a Stephanie Burgis fan since 2016, and with each new book, she gets better and better. Wooing the Witch Queen is the start to a new romantasy […]
The nitty-gritty: A mysterious tower is the setting for this entertaining sci-fi/fantasy tale, made better by Dan Hanks’ emotional themes. Dan Hanks takes a familiar idea—the survival game—and twists it into something new and exciting. The Way Up is Death is a fast-paced thriller with horror elements and a bit of a LitRPG feel to […]
The nitty-gritty: Despite a few minor flaws, The Crash was such a fun ride, with breakneck pacing and plenty of dramatic twists. This was my first time reading a Freida McFadden book, and it won’t be the last. The Crash is a twisty, over-the-top thriller that reminded me of Stephen King’s Misery a bit, and […]
The nitty-gritty: A bold, violent and sometimes shocking possession story, Wake Up and Open Your Eyes is light on plot but impossible to forget. Clay McLeod Chapman isn’t afraid to take risks with his writing, and he’s embraced that completely in Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, a unique take on the possession story. Chapman’s […]
The nitty-gritty: Mystery and horror combine with gothic literary elements in this excellent, atmospheric tale. If you haven’t discovered Christa Carmen yet, now’s your chance. In Beneath the Poet’s House, Carmen sets her literary, gothic mystery in Providence, Rhode Island and centers it around 19th century poet Sarah Helen Whitman’s famous house at 88 Benefit […]
The nitty-gritty: A creepy, tension-filled story that will keep readers turning the pages, Snow Drowned was a pleasant surprise. I’ve been lucky with YA books lately, and I’m happy to report that Snow Drowned is yet another one I can recommend (with a few caveats). Jennifer D. Lyle knows how to create tension, and I […]
The nitty-gritty: A high-stakes space opera with political intrigue, Dark Space succeeded in the first half, but lost me in the second. I had very high expectations for Dark Space, simply because Rob Hart co-wrote the book. So it pains me to say this was a mixed bag for me and didn’t even come close […]
The nitty-gritty: The Hollow and the Haunted is an impressive YA debut with humor, high stakes and a nicely done grumpy/sunshine romance. You probably know I’m not a big YA reader, and when I do read it, it takes a lot to impress me. I’ve seen lots of enthusiastic reviews of The Hollow and the […]