The nitty-gritty: Louisa Morgan tackles the tale of King Arthur in this magical, imaginative, character focused retelling, perfect for fantasy fans looking for less plot-heavy stories. Arthurian retellings aren’t really my thing, but Louisa Morgan is my thing, so of course I was excited to read The Faerie Morgana. And because she’s a pro, Morgan […]
The nitty-gritty: The Palace of Illusions is a unique Nutcracker retelling with magic, charm and sparkling characters. The Palace of Illusions was a breath of fresh air in a crowded pool of “retellings,” and I was in love from the first page. In this case, Rowenna Miller takes on the story of the beloved Christmas […]
The nitty-gritty: The Birds and Alien but with giant cicadas, The Swarm is not for the faint of heart and should be read indoors with all the windows firmly closed. If you’re not a bug person, you might want to think twice before picking up The Swarm. On the other hand, if you’re a fan […]
The nitty-gritty: Nicholas Pullen’s dark historical horror novel is bleak but well written, with interesting characters I came to care for. The Black Hunger is a very slow-paced, complex historical horror novel, and I thought about putting it down at times. But ultimately I’m glad I pushed through. There is something very compelling about Nicholas […]
The nitty-gritty: An imaginative take on the cursed movie trope, How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive is a bloody, shocking and surprisingly humorous story about a director who is determined to make the perfect horror movie. “Now that is how you make a killing, baby.” – Max Maurey There’s been a slew of […]
The nitty-gritty: An interesting premise is bogged down with annoying characters and a simplistic plot that didn’t always make sense. I’m sad to say The Honey Witch didn’t really work for me, although many readers loved it, so it’s most likely a case of “it isn’t you, it’s me.” This book felt very young, despite […]
The nitty-gritty: Angsty, immature characters, overly-dramatic dialog and secrets revealed too soon add up to a disappointing story. It seems February is the month of disappointments, as yet another one of my highly anticipated 2024 releases failed to impress me. I had high hopes for An Education in Malice, especially after loving the author’s last […]
The nitty-gritty: Ghosts, family trauma and close-knit relationships make Louisa Morgan’s latest a delightfully nuanced and layered story. Louisa Morgan always writes the most comforting stories, even though her characters face dangers and challenges, and The Ghosts of Beatrice Bird is another shining example of this. At its core, the story is about two women, […]
The nitty-gritty: Constance Sayers’ latest is a beautifully written, complex story about movies, curses, monsters and fame. “You would be wise to not run around asking about the film. It prefers to live in the shadows.” Like Constance Sayers’ other books, The Star and the Strange Moon is a complex, character-driven story that moves back […]
The nitty-gritty: Folk magic and relatable characters are front and center in Willa Reece’s latest Morgan’s Gap story. “Community was like wildwood magic, a precious gossamer thing, light and fleeting, which could easily slip from your grasp.” Wildwood Magic is set in the same small rural town of Morgan’s Gap, Virginia that Wildwood Whispers was […]