With so many mixed reviews flying around, I was both anxious and excited to dive into Wicked Saints. On the surface it seemed like exactly the kind of book I love, with a Gothic sensibility, horrific elements, blood magic, warring religions and even monsters. And the verdict? I was pleasantly surprised by this book, and […]
The nitty-gritty: Bad, clichéd writing, cheesy and dramatic dialog, and distasteful elements that don’t work with the rest of the story make this a book I cannot recommend to anyone. I could sum up my thoughts on this book in five words if I really wanted to—The Dysasters was a disaster—but I’m in a ranty […]
The nitty-gritty: An interesting world with lots of potential, Smoke & Summons was a fast-paced story that would have benefited from more cohesive world-building. I ended up with mixed feelings about Smoke & Summons, despite a solid beginning, but overall I did enjoy this book. Holmberg has created a fascinating world where humans are used […]
The nitty-gritty: A nostalgic trip down memory lane, Slayer deftly builds on the Buffy universe and brings new characters and situations into the mix. It’s not Buffy, but I loved it anyway. Being chosen is easy. Making choices will break your heart. I have to admit that my feelings about Slayer went through several changes […]
The nitty-gritty: A twisty and exciting sequel that nicely sets up the story for the final book in the series. Mild spoilers for The Cruel Prince! Last year I fell hard for The Cruel Prince (along with a ton of other readers!), and we’ve all been waiting with bated breath for the sequel. I’m happy […]
The nitty-gritty: A fantasy with lots of potential that felt more “middle grade” than “young adult,” Fire & Heist had some fun moments but ultimately disappointed me. I had heard all sorts of good things about Sarah Beth Durst’s The Queens of Renthia series, and so I was eager to check out her latest, a young […]
The nitty-gritty: A delectable mystery with Southern charm, interesting characters and plenty of twists makes this an unexpectedly fun read. This book completely caught me off guard. It was so good, and now I understand the hype surrounding Jennifer Lynn Barnes. She is a slick and polished writer. Her dialogue is full of snark, sarcasm, […]
The nitty-gritty: Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Stranger Things in this addictively creepy tale of evil entities, friendships and girl power. This is my first Claire Legrand book, believe it or not, but it won’t be my last. I had a great time with Sawkill Girls, a young adult horror story that draws its strength […]
The nitty-gritty: Lots of potential, but unfortunately, this story was too problematic for my taste. Well, I think you can tell by my rating that A Winter’s Promise just didn’t work for me. I had high hopes for this book, which is apparently a huge success in the author’s native country of France, and has […]
The nitty-gritty: Lush imagery and beautiful writing make this a stand-out YA fantasy, despite some issues I had with one of the characters. Keeper of the Bees, as I found out after I requested it, is a companion novel to Blackbird of the Gallows, which got lots of rave reviews from the blogging community last […]