The nitty-gritty: Lovers of YA dystopian stories won’t want to miss this series opener, a fast-paced, action-packed tale with plenty of surprises in store. The Verdant Cage has been getting lots of great buzz, so I was eager to experience it for myself. And I really enjoyed it, especially the last quarter of the book. […]
The nitty-gritty: A thrilling and immersive adventure story, The Afterlife Project combines complex, thoughtful themes with relatable characters and bittersweet emotion. “And so, dear human reader of the future, I now commence the written record of an obscure, late-in-the-game, seaborne journey that has little chance of success. Although your own existence may be unlikely, I […]
The nitty-gritty: A man gets more than he bargained for when he decides to go after his fiancé in this strange, compelling but uneven sci-fi tale. This was an odd one, folks. The tagline on the cover promises a sci-fi thriller, but “thriller” is not a word I would use to describe The Sanctuary. That’s […]
The nitty-gritty: Wonder, whimsey, science and fantasy come together in Charles Soule’s latest, a highly original ode to finding happiness. Charles Soule comes up with the most unusual ideas for books, and in my opinion he’s outdone himself with The Endless Vessel. This is my third book by the author and my favorite so far. […]
The nitty-gritty: A twisty, fast-paced story that will keep you guessing. All is not as it seems in The Ferryman, Justin Cronin’s new novel, an epic, mind-bending tale that takes place in a future dystopian world. I had a blast with this book, and the twist was not what I was expecting at all. I […]
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: Greek gods meet climate change in Priya Sharma’s latest, a short but memorable cautionary tale. A few years ago I had the pleasure of reading Priya Sharma’s Ormeshadow, a dark story about family secrets. So when she asked me to read Pomegranates, I didn’t even hesitate. This time, the author has written a […]
The nitty-gritty: A feel good story with lovable characters, World Running Down is an engaging dystopian that offers plenty of food for thought. Despite the gloomy title, World Running Down was a breath of fresh air, an upbeat and optimistic story that tackles some heavy themes in an accessible way, and it was simply a […]
The nitty-gritty: C.J. Tudor’s latest is an action-packed dystopian thriller that rubs elbows with the horror genre. Tense, scary and atmospheric, this was a fun one! To call this story “crazy” would be an understatement, but perhaps if you’ve read C.J. Tudor’s books before, you’ll know what I mean. This was my first book by […]
The nitty-gritty: A lyrical, emotional and thought provoking tale, The Light Pirate gives readers a glimpse into an apocalyptic future full of danger, heartache and hope. The inhabitants of Rudder are slowly catching on that the time to cut their losses has arrived. But Wanda doesn’t think of it in these terms. She has been […]