The nitty-gritty: Despite a fascinating, horrific premise and plenty of emotional hooks, Headlights turned out to be a disappointing reading experience. I am a huge C.J. Leede fan, let’s get that out of the way first. Her last book, American Rapture, made my top five books of 2024, so I was confident I would love Headlights […]
The nitty-gritty: Naomi Kritzer explores the perils of pregnancy and childbirth in Obstetrix, a tense, near future thriller with thoughtful themes. I didn’t really know what to expect from Obstetrix, but I was pleasantly surprised! It’s hard to describe this book with just one genre label, but I guess I would call it a near-future […]
The nitty-gritty: Mark, Astrid and the gang return in the third installment of Rob Hart’s high octane Assassins Anonymous series. Get ready for a wild ride! “Lulu is the best,” Booker says. “A real sweetheart. Unless she’s calling the Russians now to tell them we’re on our way. But I trust her.” I pause and […]
The nitty-gritty: Craig DiLouie twists the traditional camp slasher trope into a story told through the eyes of local law enforcement, without losing any of the thrills and chills that slasher fans expect. The Summer Fun Massacre was not quite what I expected, but I still had a fun time with it. Rather than your […]
The nitty-gritty: A complex, fantastical coming-of-age story that explores fame, family ties and the blurred boundaries between fantasy and reality, The Children is a mesmerizing tale that will haunt readers with its sense of foreboding and wonder. “Her whole rib cage ached with understanding. There would be no going back. No earlier, softer place. Time […]
The nitty-gritty: Gritty crime drama meets killer teddy bears in this high concept, bloody tale of revenge. Teddy Bears Never Die is probably one of the strangest books I’ve ever read, and the fact that it’s also a translated book (written by a Korean author and translated by a Korean translator), the “strange” factor jumps […]
The nitty-gritty: Two unhappy women seek revenge in this dark, bite-sized story, full of black humor and cats. I loved Icelandic writer Hildur Knútsdóttir’s last book, The Night Guest, so I was very excited to read Dead Weight. First, I want to mention that although this is being marketed as horror, it’s anything but. Honestly, […]
The nitty-gritty: A mysterious ancient artifact is the centerpiece of this well written, carefully researched and plotted story, perfect for readers who love scholarly mysteries. The Gatepost is another excellent story by Tim Weed, whose last book, The Afterlife Project, was one of my favorite books from last year. The Gatepost didn’t hit quite as […]
The nitty-gritty: Sara Raasch combines humor, sports and romance in her latest, a lively, sexy fantasy with lovable characters and thoughtful themes. This is the second book in Sara Raasch’s Magic & Romance series, and this time we follow a side character from the first book who ends up getting his happily-ever-after. This is a […]
The nitty-gritty: S.A. Barnes’s fantasy debut is a solid series opener with dangerous characters, high stakes and plenty of romantic angst. “And I need you to know that I may not enjoy killing people, but I am very, very good at it.” Despite my middle of the road rating, I really did enjoy Death’s Daughter, […]