The nitty-gritty: Strange and thoughtful, Aliya Whiteley’s latest short story collection is brimming with inventive world building and plenty of heart and emotion. Each time I pick up an Aliya Whiteley book, I’m reminded of just how unique her stories are, and I’m grateful for the hours I’ve spent with her weird but wonderful characters. […]
The nitty-gritty: Loyalty, betrayal, secrets and lies, sea dragons, prophecies and much much more, The Bone Ship’s Wake is a fitting end to a brilliant fantasy series. “I will find you, Meas,” he said quietly and he spoke only to the bones of Tide Child. “I must find you, for I fear that every day […]
The nitty-gritty: A galaxy-spanning mystery and an unexpected love story, Light Chaser is one of my favorite novellas of the year. I did not expect to love this book as much as I did, and this little novella definitely stands out as a happy surprise of 2021. The cover is pretty generic, and in fact […]
The nitty-gritty: Short and powerful, In the River is a tiny, horrific masterpiece. I can’t believe I haven’t read anything by Jeremy Robert Johnson before now, but In the River might be the perfect place to start. This is a fairly short novella and can be read in a matter of hours, but it packs […]
The nitty-gritty: A gritty, desert-like setting, high stakes action and vividly drawn characters make this a standout science fiction adventure. One of the best things about being a book blogger is discovering books and authors that you normally wouldn’t find on your own, and thanks to Titan Books, I now have a new favorite author! […]
The nitty-gritty: Tim Pratt brings his readers three stories that focus on the side characters from his Axiom series, and while I enjoyed the stories overall, I really loved the last one in particular. Tim Pratt mentions in his forward to The Alien Stars that he wanted to revisit some of his favorite characters from […]
The nitty-gritty: More over-the-top, batshit crazy fun from Jackson Ford, and I loved every second of it! Do I feel bad about hitting so many people on the head? Leaving a trail of concussions and possible brain injuries? Sure. But they started it. And besides, no one gives Batman shit when he beats up a […]
The nitty-gritty: King blends horror and crime into a fast-paced thriller, with a good balance of creep, humor and emotion. This is the first time I’ve reviewed a new Stephen King book on this blog, can you believe it? I read Later over the course of a day, something I rarely get to do, and […]
The nitty-gritty: An outstanding epic fantasy debut, Hall of Smoke surprised me at every turn. Wow, that was a debut? I couldn’t be more impressed. Hall of Smoke was such a nice surprise, an epic fantasy with Norse mythology and Viking influences that captured my attention and never let go. Even better, Long’s writing is […]
The nitty-gritty: Andrew Shaffer skewers publishing and 80s horror in this homage to the genre, complete with a Christmas setting. Lussi parked Agnes’s Yugo around the corner from the Blackwood Building underneath a burned-out streetlight. It was nearly three in the morning. She had never stolen a car before and never planned to again. Tonight […]