The nitty-gritty: A grand and harrowing adventure sets the stage for this intimate portrayal of an unlikely romance. Molly O’Neill has become a go-to author for me, especially since she’s proven that she can write a satisfying follow-up to the amazing Greenteeth. Once again, her story is rooted in history and mythology and gives readers […]
The nitty-gritty: Cottagecore meets The Lord of the Rings in this entertaining but slightly uneven debut. I couldn’t resist this adorable cover, which I’ll admit is one reason I wanted to read How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days. And it was cute! There are also some rather weighty themes hovering over all the […]
The nitty-gritty: Stellar writing and characterization, imaginative world-building and unexpected emotional gut-punches make Outlaw Planet an unforgettable epic sci-fi adventure. “I made my life into a story and threw it into the well of my children’s hind-brains, so deep I couldn’t hear the splash when it hit. Some day they’ll need me, the story goes, […]
The nitty-gritty: The giant lizard steals the show in Jackson Ford’s first foray into fantasy, an enjoyable but uneven story. It pains me to give anything by Jackson Ford a middling rating, but unfortunately The Bone Raiders didn’t completely work for me. As someone who is backing away from reading a lot of fantasy these […]
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 […]