The nitty-gritty: Four scientists undertake a dangerous mission to uncover the mysteries of a curious hole, in Christopher Paolini’s tense survival thriller. Sometimes going into a book with no expectations is a good thing, and that was my experience reading Fractal Noise, a prequel of sorts to Paolini’s To Sleep In a Sea of Stars. […]
The nitty-gritty: Chana Porter subverts our ideas of food and sex in this unique dystopian tale. “This is normally where we would have sex,” teased Georgina. “But you’re the girl who doesn’t like sex.” “I like sex,” said Beatrice softly. I just like food more. The Thick and the Lean has one of the most […]
The nitty-gritty: An atmospheric setting and the promise of an intriguing story couldn’t make up for the scattered plot and over-the-top prose. October Animals is a short novella (or perhaps even a novelette) that I really wanted to love, but unfortunately, it didn’t work that well for me. The story is rather convoluted, and I […]
The nitty-gritty: Gear brings more deadly creatures, more political maneuvering and lots of action to the table in Reckoning, another fantastic entry in his Donovan series. It’s always fun when a new W. Michael Gear Donovan book comes out, a series that could keep on going as far as I’m concerned. I’m convinced Gear isn’t […]
The nitty-gritty: A group of friends discover the mysteries and dangers of ghosts and hauntings in this creepy, disturbing tale. “Ghost isn’t the kind of drug you find. It finds you. You hear about it from someone who’s used it. They tell you about it, then you tell someone else, like a —” “Ghost story?” […]
The nitty-gritty: Mesmerizing storytelling, history, and magic combine in this stellar multigenerational saga. Back in 2017, I read my first Louisa Morgan book, A Secret History of Witches, and now with her latest, The Great Witch of Brittany, I feel as if I’ve come full circle. Brittany tells the story of Ursule Orchière, the character […]
The nitty-gritty: While I loved Cosby’s gritty and violent revenge scenario, I had some issues with the overall plot and dialog, ultimately making this a mixed bag for me. That was the thing about violence. When you went looking for it you definitely were going to find it. It just wouldn’t be at a time […]
The nitty-gritty: A complex world full of fascinating characters, Nightwatch on the Hinterlands is an excellent start to a new science fiction series. I was so excited when this book was announced, a story set in K. Eason’s Rory Thorne universe but far in the future with different characters. And wow, was this a lot […]
The nitty-gritty: Richard Gadz channels Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in this thoroughly original, gruesome thriller set in Victorian London, perfect for fans of classic horror tales. This was my first time reading a title from Deixis Press, and I have to say I’m very impressed, both by the quality of the story and the gorgeous hardcover […]
The nitty-gritty: Five friends come together for a wedding in this spooky, Japanese-themed horror story. Nothing But Blackened Teeth certainly wins the creepy cover of the year prize, but does the story inside live up to the macabre artwork? In many ways, the answer for me is “yes.” Cassandra Khaw’s evocative writing style is perfect […]