The nitty-gritty: Short and brutal, these horror stories by much lauded and prolific author Pete Mesling are both shocking and eye opening. Horror comes in all shapes and sizes, and I’m glad I got the chance to read Pete Mesling’s brand of horror, which is an interesting mix of slasher fiction, Lovecraftian influence, and just […]
The nitty-gritty: A lively and compelling feminist story about grit and determination, sisterhood, and the hidden power of stories. “A witch is merely a woman who needs more than she has.” If ever there was a time for this book, that time is now. The Once and Future Witches is a love letter to women […]
The nitty-gritty: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is pure magic, a grand yet intimate and emotional tale of art, love and memories, told as only V.E. Schwab can tell it. A new V.E. Schwab book is always cause for celebration, but this time the celebration is well earned. This might be my favorite of […]
The nitty-gritty: A vividly realized world with fascinating characters, The Hive Queen is a thrilling and satisfying sequel. Freedom is like a marsh with no path, a dangerous place where any wrong step might send me and my brothers to our deaths. I never imagined being free could be so hard. Or so deadly. Robin […]
The nitty-gritty: Spooky and unsettling, The Residence is full of subtle, chilling moments that sneak up on you. Do you enjoy atmospheric ghost stories with a literary bent to them? Then you will not want to miss The Residence, Andrew Pyper’s latest. I have only read one of Pyper’s books—The Damned—but I loved it as […]
The nitty-gritty: A bold, bloody high stakes plot, relatable characters, and a diabolical twist make this a standout book of 2020. I absolutely love when a book surprises me, and I’m happy to say The Phlebotomist is one of the best surprises I’ve had all year. This book is sure to make my Best of […]
The nitty-gritty: A stellar follow-up to one of my favorite books of 2020, The Trials of Koli is even better than the first book—unique, engaging, emotional and highly satisfying. The future rises out of the past like a fountain, and cannot be held back. Koli’s adventures continue in this excellent follow-up to The Book of […]
The nitty-gritty: Fascinating world building and interesting characters make The Bone Shard Daughter a solid debut fantasy. Book hype can be a double edged sword. On one hand, it can call attention to a debut author who might not otherwise get noticed, but it also sets up high expectations for the reader. The Bone Shard […]
The nitty-gritty: Small town secrets and teenagers coming of age meet head-on in Christina Henry’s latest horror story, a book that worked for me on some levels but not on others. To be honest, until about the halfway point, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book much. It’s quite different from […]
The nitty-gritty: A carefully plotted mystery with lots of surprises, a vivid setting, and characters you’ll love to root for. And of course, a rescue pitbull mix named Lucy. I was pleasantly surprised last year when I discovered Deception Cove, the first book in Owen Laukkanen’s Neah Bay series, so I was delighted to find […]