The nitty-gritty: Another winner from Sharon Lynn Fisher, The Absinthe Earl is a delightful historical romance, meticulously researched and full to the brim with unexpected fantasy elements and a fast moving plot. I stared wide-eyed and then dropped into a drunkard’s curtsy, blushing like a lovesick maiden. “Your Majesty,” I murmured. I closed my eyes, […]
The nitty-gritty: Tense and exciting, humorous and emotionally satisfying, Night Man is a thriller that has something for everyone. It’s been several years since I’ve read a book set in Brett Battles’ popular Jonathan Quinn world, but when I heard Brett had written a book centered around Quinn’s partner Nate, I couldn’t wait to check […]
The nitty-gritty: Gritty, fast paced and full of humor, C.T. Phipps takes the tried and true vampire genre and gives it a unique spin. A good half of the thugs present pulled out pistols, crossbows, swords, and bats with silver spikes, and one guy grew what look to be Wolverine’s claws. “Damn,” David said, surveying the […]
The nitty-gritty: A tense and violent thriller with surprisingly sympathetic characters and surprises at every turn, Vicious Rumer will be a hit with readers who like their stories on the gritty side. I did a thing I don’t normally do: I accepted a review request directly from an author, and I actually had a blast […]
The nitty-gritty: A bloody good time, Awakened has plenty of twists and will appeal to fans of survivalist horror. I featured Awakened on a Waiting on Wednesday post some months back, and author Darren Wearmouth actually contacted me to see if I’d like a review copy. And I’m so glad I had the chance to […]
The nitty-gritty: An unexpectedly delightful and varied collection of stories about a most magical place, the underwater ballroom. Having enjoyed Stephanie Burgis’ adult fantasy novels, I was thrilled to receive a review copy of her new anthology. I had never heard of underwater ballrooms—I mean, really, is that a thing?—but Burgis has based her idea […]
The nitty-gritty: Dark, complex and terrifying, The Hunger fuses historical events with a creeping, supernatural horror, making this a standout book of 2018. A quick note for those who might be sensitive to the use of the word “Indian” when talking about Native Americans: Please note that during the timeframe of these events, Native Americans […]
The nitty-gritty: An uneven collection of short horror fiction that nonetheless delivers some truly terrifying tales. It’s very rare these days that I accept a book for review directly from an author, especially one unfamiliar to me. But I decided to take a chance on Deborah Sheldon and her debut short story collection, Perfect Little […]
The nitty-gritty: A stylish and atmospheric tale, part ghost story, part psychological thriller, that sneaks up on you slowly. The creepy mirror was full-size and seemed unnaturally enormous hanging on the wall that way and reflecting only darkness. Framed in antique scrollwork, the glass within was pitch-black, and there was no image beyond the impression […]
The nitty-gritty: As twisty and complex as Shakespeare, this story surprised me in every way possible. This is definitely one of 2017’s “must reads!” When Curtis Craddock asked me if I’d like a copy of his debut to read and review, I didn’t know much about it at the time. But I’m ecstatic that I […]