The nitty-gritty: The Scourge Between Stars had plenty of thrilling action, but the story itself was too big for the short format. Horror in space is one of my favorite tropes, and Ness Brown’s story of a generation ship being attacked by a hidden predator was extremely tense and scary. I also thought it was […]
The nitty-gritty: Historical fiction, horror and well developed characters come together in Victor LaValle’s latest, a thoroughly entertaining story that celebrates strong, resourceful women. “Now they had seen it, but still hadn’t faced it. It could remain a trick of the light, a spot across their eyes, a mass delusion. But the moment they rode […]
The nitty-gritty: T. Kingfisher mashes together Southern gothic creepiness, a cast of unforgettable characters, and plenty of humor in A House With Good Bones, a thoroughly entertaining haunted house story. “There is probably something more awkward than the morning after you’ve found a jar of teeth and your mother has admitted she thinks she’s being […]
The nitty-gritty: An excellent sequel, Hel’s Eight brings readers more of Ten Low‘s desolate and dangerous desert setting and larger than life characters, with just the right balance of action and emotion. Last year I read Stark Holborn’s Ten Low and loved it, and I’m so happy that the author decided to continue Ten’s story. […]
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 promising idea turned sour for me, as the relationship drama overwhelmed the fascinating wolf plot. Feed Them Silence has an intriguing premise: in the future, an interface has been developed that will link the minds of a human and a wolf, thus enabling humans to better understand a near extinct species. Sean […]
The nitty-gritty: A sweeping family saga dripping with gothic atmosphere, The Girl From Rawblood is both a love story and a tragedy, filled with dread and shocking revelations. “When I try to think of Rawblood, to draw it with words, a muffling whiteness comes. I can’t describe it any more than I can my own […]
The nitty-gritty: A perplexing mystery and a second chance romance set the stage for this engaging science fiction series starter. This was such a lovely, gentle story with unique world building, and I really enjoyed it. If the description “cozy mystery set in space with a queer love story” gets your attention, then you will […]
The nitty-gritty: Five young writers get the chance of a lifetime in this high octane thriller debut with surprises around every corner. The Writing Retreat is one of those thrillers that starts out strong and keeps you guessing, and then later in the story sort of goes off the rails with lots of over-the-top action […]
The nitty-gritty: Zoje Stage’s latest should have worked, but too many disconnected elements made for an overall confusing and lackluster thriller. I had high hopes for Mothered, since I’ve had such good experiences with Stage’s other books, but unfortunately this didn’t completely work for me. The premise is great: a woman struggling to pay her […]