The nitty-gritty: Rachel Harrison takes on vampires in this fun, fast-paced story about friendships and sticking together when life gets tough. The short version: Thelma & Louise with vampires. The long version: I’m a huge Rachel Harrison fan, especially since her last book Black Sheep was one of my top five favorite books of 2023. […]
The nitty-gritty: In her latest fairy tale retelling, T. Kingfisher once again proves she’s the master of dark fantasy with a healthy dose of heart and humor. T. Kingfisher is one of the most consistent writers I know, and I always enjoy her stories immensely. A Sorceress Comes to Call is no exception, a delightfully […]
The nitty-gritty: Josh Winning mixes slasher horror and cancel culture in his latest, an entertaining blend of elements with layered characters and plenty of blood. Heads Will Roll was lots of fun, even if there were a few story elements that didn’t make sense. This is yet another entry into the “camp slasher horror” sub […]
The nitty-gritty: A haunted house story with literary flair and unexpected emotion, Ghost Mother is the must-read ghost story of summer. “People said to me, “I am sorry for your loss,” and they were kind to say that, they were right, it was a “loss,” but somehow I always heard it in my head as […]
The nitty-gritty: Short and sweet with a touch of (implied) spice, A Marriage of Undead Inconvenience is a gothic fantasy treat. Stephanie Burgis is back with a short but delightful gothic fantasy romance with a vampire love interest, and as I do with all her books, I enjoyed this immensely! Margaret Dunhaven has just found […]
The nitty-gritty: An ultra slow-burn story made this a tedious read in the beginning, but the fantastic ending was worth the wait. “Something quiet but catastrophic had happened inside them all through that terrible night. Something had changed, irrevocably. They all had realized, in their own way, that they were either going to die in […]
The nitty-gritty: Danielle Valentine’s latest will most likely be a hit with YA lovers, but for me it lacked depth and interesting characters. I’d call this one “slasher light,” so if you’re looking for something edgier, you might be disappointed as well. I never would have picked up this book if it hadn’t been for […]
The nitty-gritty: Wild nature is the setting for this excellent mystery/thriller where the characters’ relationships take center stage. “The real agony, she now understands, is this. It’s good things—the book of poems, the sandwich, both kind and thoughtful—speckled with carnage. It’s seeing someone you love splinter away from you, shard by shard. Knowing there are […]
The nitty-gritty: Romance rules in this funny, sweet and unexpectedly thoughtful story about second chances. “I’m not a book boyfriend, you know I’m real.” Romance fans, this one’s for you! Ashley Poston has once again written an engaging, funny, heartfelt story with a touch of the speculative. After loving last year’s The Seven Year Slip, […]
The nitty-gritty: A weird, mind-bending journey into a very strange house, We Used To Live Here is a terrifying puzzle of a story. “If you’ve followed directions properly up to this point, RED LAKE will be bone dry. At its deepest point, there will be a steel hatch in the ground that leads to a […]