The nitty-gritty: Daniel Kalla tackles AI, medical drama and more in this ambitious thriller, perfect for readers who are looking for a fast-paced, although sometimes predictable, tale. The use of AI is such a hot button topic right now, and Daniel Kalla has written a thought-provoking thriller that addresses the moral and legal issues of […]
The nitty-gritty: Powerful, visceral and immersive, Angel Down explores war and angels, life and death, desires and miracles, in a surprising format that echoes the chaos of war. “and Goodspeed’s theory has a logic Bagger can’t quip aside, for if you were to forge new kinds of weapons, and those weapons flew farther and sailed […]
The nitty-gritty: A twisty haunted house story with lots of surprises, It Was Her House First is a suspenseful thriller with engaging characters—both living and dead. “Every stair, every step, Venita dragged 1932 behind her like the train on a wedding veil. Everything her wake touched lit up and returned to its original state. The […]
The nitty-gritty: Sarah Beth Durst revisits the world of The Spellshop in this magical, cozy and emotionally satisfying companion novel. “Behind her, Rijes let out a small gasp as she beheld the bookshelves–it was the sound of a woman who didn’t expect to find happiness but discovered it anyway. Terlu knew that sound well.” I […]
The nitty-gritty: The dark academia trope is turned on its head in Cassandra Khaw’s latest, a bloody feast with Gothic imagery, lush prose and ravenous characters. “Oleander and nightshade grew in pastel eruptions, Rosary peas sprawled everywhere, ladybug-patterned in their gray husks, vivid as a fresh heart. No small amount of the school’s namesake bloomed […]
The nitty-gritty: Cats, cozy fantasy and time travel combine in this delightful witchy feel-good romance. I was expecting An Ancient Witch’s Guide to Modern Dating to be a cute rom-com, but I didn’t expect it to have so much heart and emotion. I ended up falling head over heels for Thorn, Walls and all the […]
The nitty-gritty: The Palace of Illusions is a unique Nutcracker retelling with magic, charm and sparkling characters. The Palace of Illusions was a breath of fresh air in a crowded pool of “retellings,” and I was in love from the first page. In this case, Rowenna Miller takes on the story of the beloved Christmas […]
The nitty-gritty: Craig DiLouie uses music as a framework in this dangerous, outrageous good vs. evil headbanger of a story. “Whatever he turned out to be, you have to admit he had star power. Even if his playing drove people mad. Even though people died. The man could goddamn perform.” – Ramona Perez, drummer, the […]
The nitty-gritty: A thrilling and immersive adventure story, The Afterlife Project combines complex, thoughtful themes with relatable characters and bittersweet emotion. “And so, dear human reader of the future, I now commence the written record of an obscure, late-in-the-game, seaborne journey that has little chance of success. Although your own existence may be unlikely, I […]
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 […]