The nitty-gritty: While the writing and themes were beautifully done, the plot and the multiple timelines never really gelled for me. Mudlark had a lot of potential, but it lacked a few important things for me. Mostly, I never felt an emotional connection to the characters, so it was very hard to care about what […]
The nitty-gritty: A delightfully swoony conclusion to Brigitte Knightley’s Dearly Beloathed duology, The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy sparkles with wit, romance and unforgettable characters. “Hearts are such wretched things.” I enjoyed the first book in Brigitte Knightley’s duology, The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy, but the second book is better in […]
The nitty-gritty: The perfect antidote to action-heavy fantasy, The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance has surprising depth, well drawn characters, and a nice found family vibe. “Climbing a mountain is more than simply striving for the peak, Ainsworth.” For a book that got off to a very shaky start, I was surprised by […]
The nitty-gritty: Cynthia Pelayo reimagines the story of Peter Pan, with elements both new and familiar, in this emotionally charged tale. This isn’t the first Peter Pan retelling I’ve read that casts Peter as the villain—check out Lost Boy by Christina Henry for an excellent example of that—but it was a good one! Cynthia Pelayo […]
The nitty-gritty: Welcome to Fell, New York, a town with many unsolved mysteries and plenty of ghosts. The Sun Down Motel has a room waiting for you, if you’re brave enough to enter… I’m so glad I finally made time to read The Sun Down Motel, after diving into Simone St. James’s A Box Full […]
The nitty-gritty: A masterfully written and plotted sci-fi horror story, The Sixth Nik combines grotesque imagery and body horror with unexpected depth and emotion. One thing I’ve come to expect with a new Daniel Kraus book is that I never know what to expect, and The Sixth Nik is yet another great example of Kraus’s […]
The nitty-gritty: Despite a fascinating, horrific premise and plenty of emotional hooks, Headlights turned out to be a disappointing reading experience. I am a huge C.J. Leede fan, let’s get that out of the way first. Her last book, American Rapture, made my top five books of 2024, so I was confident I would love Headlights […]
The nitty-gritty: Naomi Kritzer explores the perils of pregnancy and childbirth in Obstetrix, a tense, near future thriller with thoughtful themes. I didn’t really know what to expect from Obstetrix, but I was pleasantly surprised! It’s hard to describe this book with just one genre label, but I guess I would call it a near-future […]
The nitty-gritty: Mark, Astrid and the gang return in the third installment of Rob Hart’s high octane Assassins Anonymous series. Get ready for a wild ride! “Lulu is the best,” Booker says. “A real sweetheart. Unless she’s calling the Russians now to tell them we’re on our way. But I trust her.” I pause and […]
The nitty-gritty: Craig DiLouie twists the traditional camp slasher trope into a story told through the eyes of local law enforcement, without losing any of the thrills and chills that slasher fans expect. The Summer Fun Massacre was not quite what I expected, but I still had a fun time with it. Rather than your […]