The nitty-gritty: A story told by a unique protagonist, Once Was Willem shines with well drawn characters, magic and found family. “Gird yourself, therefore. I speak of monsters and magic, battle and bloodletting, and the crimes of desperate men. I speak also of secret things, of that which lies beneath us and that which impends […]
The nitty-gritty: An intriguing mystery that focuses on the emotional relationships between the characters, The Third Rule of Time Travel is a different take on the time travel trope. Philip Fracassi, who is known for writing horror, turns to science fiction in his latest, a twisty, thought provoking time travel story. Time travel is a […]
The nitty-gritty: A delightfully unique fantasy tale, Greenteeth combines richly developed folkloric world-building with lovable, flawed characters. A delight from start to finish. “‘There is some hope then?’ I asked. ‘You remember what I said the first time we met, Jenny? There is always hope.’” I came very close to not requesting Greenteeth, and I’m […]
The nitty-gritty: Charming and witty, this highly imaginative epistolary novel shines with humor, warmth and wonder. LETTER FROM HENEREY CLEL TO E. CIDNOSIN, 1002 “My dear E., I feared that writing to you after the wonder of meeting you in person might feel somewhat diminished. Indeed, I find it frustrating to be faced with the […]
The nitty-gritty: Kimberly Lemming’s series opener is silly, spicy and doesn’t take itself too seriously. “It was funny—a few weeks ago, being so close to not one, but ten orcs would have absolutely terrified me. Yet here I was, showing my new friends Isaak and Baraku how to create the perfect dry rub for roasted […]
The nitty-gritty: An impressive, well-rounded debut, These Burning Stars is a must read for fans of intricately plotted and character driven stories. It was touch and go at first, but These Burning Stars ended up being a huge success for me. This is science fiction, but the story almost reads like epic fantasy. Think Fonda […]
The nitty-gritty: The forest setting in R.J. Barker’s latest epic fantasy is the star of the show, in this well crafted adventure with high stakes and heart. “What of mushrooms?” she said. “I like a good mushroom.” “They are mostly fine,” he answered, “though some types will kill you if you eat them, and others […]
The nitty-gritty: Epic in scope but intimate in characterization, Infinity Gate introduces a fascinating multiverse with a high stakes plot, plenty of twists and relentless pacing. M.R. Carey won my heart years ago when I read The Girl With All the Gifts, and since then his stories have never failed to impress me. And Infinity […]
The nitty-gritty: A mind-bending mystery through time and space, Eversion takes readers on a dangerous journey of discovery. Eversion was such a unique book! This is one of those stories that doesn’t really come together until the very end, so readers will need to be patient. But the ultimate payoff was worth the wait, and […]
The nitty-gritty: Six Feet Under meets You’ve Got Mail in Megan Bannen’s outrageously funny fantasy rom-com, complete with zombies, human-sized animal mail carriers, and a host of quirky, lovable characters. Well, this was a delightful surprise! Humor can be hit or miss for me, but I’m thrilled to say Megan Bannen’s humor is just my […]