The nitty-gritty: A beautifully written story of survival and redemption, Yah Yah Scholfield’s weird, devastating and brutal Southern Gothic debut is a rollercoaster of emotions, both monstrous and beautiful. “It happened in the kitchen. Very germane—butchery in the cooking place, the cleaver and carving knife bearing witness. The tile, slick, grouted, was receptive to the […]
The nitty-gritty: A loyal general meets a scheming fae queen in this lively romance, perfect for readers who love political intrigue and well developed characters. “I’m afraid,” said her mother, “it is time for you to learn that, as queens, we do what we must, not what we would prefer.” I am enjoying this series […]
The nitty-gritty: Cottagecore meets The Lord of the Rings in this entertaining but slightly uneven debut. I couldn’t resist this adorable cover, which I’ll admit is one reason I wanted to read How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days. And it was cute! There are also some rather weighty themes hovering over all the […]
The nitty-gritty: Unique ideas and a strong first half weren’t enough to save this ultimately confusing murder mystery set aboard a UFO. 30Seven should have worked for me—on paper it’s everything I love in a science fiction horror story. But despite a strong start, it devolved into a messy, over-stuffed tale with a bunch of […]
The nitty-gritty: Dark and romantic, Tea & Alchemy excels with its Gothic setting and intriguing mystery. I call Sharon Lynn Fisher the Queen of Vibes, and in her latest book, the vibes are off the charts! Tea & Alchemy is full of both cozy and Gothic elements, a combination that works perfectly for Sharon’s style. […]
The nitty-gritty: An epic tale of valor and love, The Everlasting will sweep readers off their feet with its intricately plotted story, high emotions and unexpected twists. “My pen was a hollow reed, clumsily cut, and my ink was gummy brown, but the words came easier than I expected. Like the lines of a poem […]
The nitty-gritty: Social media, cancel culture and a ghostly stalker merge in this interesting but uneven thriller. “Some secrets don’t live on the tongue, but the back of the throat, where they have to be swallowed again and again, a hundred times a day.” You Watched In Silence is a queer mystery/thriller with just a […]
The nitty-gritty: Stellar writing and characterization, imaginative world-building and unexpected emotional gut-punches make Outlaw Planet an unforgettable epic sci-fi adventure. “I made my life into a story and threw it into the well of my children’s hind-brains, so deep I couldn’t hear the splash when it hit. Some day they’ll need me, the story goes, […]
The nitty-gritty: A mysterious, secluded house traps a group of teens in this atmospheric, if somewhat uneven, YA horror story. The Devouring Light had some very creepy and disturbing scenes, and in that respect it succeeded. However, it also fell into some well tread YA tropes, and I didn’t care much for the characters, so […]
The nitty-gritty: A tense murder mystery/time travel story with a twist, Extremity is the perfect mash-up of noir vibes and futuristic elements. Extremity was such a nice surprise! I went into it fairly blind, so I’ll keep this short to avoid spoilers. This is my first time reading Nicholas Binge, and it won’t be my […]