The nitty-gritty: An entertaining, cheeky fantasy with outstanding humorous banter, The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy is a solid series starter by a very promising writer. Some readers love this book and others don’t, and after reading it for myself I can appreciate both opinions. The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy […]
The nitty-gritty: Cosmic horror with a twist, You’ve Awoken Her provides mystery, chills and relatable characters. You’ve Awoken Her is the latest YA horror book from Ann Dávila Cardinal, and although I usually shy away from YA these days, I do take chances on YA horror from time to time, and this one did not […]
The nitty-gritty: Tochi Onyebuchi’s latest melds hard boiled noir and fantasy in a perfectly paced story with humor and heart. “The français are a Harmattan that never ends.” Harmattan Season is a tautly written crime story with magical overtones, set in a fantasy version of postcolonial West Africa. This is a slow-burn mystery told from […]
The nitty-gritty: A sequel that expertly builds on its predecessor, Another Fine Mess is another winning book in what’s turning out to be a can’t miss series. If you had fun with Bless My Heart, the first book in Lindy Ryan’s deep fried Southern horror romp, then I guarantee you’ll have a blast with the […]
The nitty-gritty: I loved the magical worldbuilding and stellar writing, but the plot felt scattered and confusing, resulting in a story with mixed results. Don’t Sleep With the Dead is a companion novella to Nghi Vo’s The Chosen and the Beautiful, a magical retelling of The Great Gatsby which I read almost four years ago […]
The nitty-gritty: Adventure, danger, magic and a touch of romance, Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales brings all these elements and more together in this satisfying series conclusion. “I must write it down. For it is in writing that I will discover a way out. A door within the story. There is one. It cannot […]
The nitty-gritty: Funny and heartwarming, Kira Jane Buxton takes on truffles and Tuscany in this worthy follow-up to her beloved Hollow Kingdom series. After loving the brilliant Hollow Kingdom, I was a bit leery to read Tartufo, a straight-up piece of literary fiction that didn’t have the speculative elements I usually look for in my […]
The nitty-gritty: A thoroughly entertaining—if not perfect—Alice Feeney thriller, full of her trademark twists and quirky characters. Alice Feeney has written another twisty story with unreliable characters and a very cool set-up, and although it’s not my favorite of her books, it was a lot of fun. We follow writer Grady Green, who, when the […]
The nitty-gritty: Found family, low stakes and fascinating world building make Rumor Has It another winning entry in Cat Rambo’s cozy sci-fi series. “That’s all a family is,” he signed. “People staying together as long as they possibly can.” Rumor Has It is the third book in Cat Rambo’s cozy space opera series, but it’s […]
The nitty-gritty: A sequel just as good as the first book, Devil’s Gun excels at character development and world-building, with plenty of heart and emotion. “But I am not a soldier,” she said. “We are not fighting anyone or hiring out as mercenaries, are we?” “No, “ he said, coiling hoses to put them away. […]