The nitty-gritty: Lindy Ryan’s latest horror-humor mash-up successfully mixes the grittiness of a slasher with the heartfelt emotions of friendship. “Barb, sliced apart in the parking lot. Mom, cut open on the closet floor. And now me, with my dead mother’s face in my new master bedroom.” Lindy Ryan won my heart with her Bless […]
The nitty-gritty: A dark homage to Peter Pan, Nowhere Burning explores the terrors of childhood and the uncertainty of growing up. “Change means fear and loss,” Noon says. “But it is the only way.” She leans in and embraces Riley. “Children are sacred,” she murmurs. Every hair on the back of Riley’s neck thrills. “Growing […]
The nitty-gritty: A witchy, feminist fairy tale told with dazzling style and wit, A Forest, Darkly is full of unique magic and irresistible characters. “Witchcraft isn’t just potions and powders and spells. It’s whispers and gentleness, giving folk a sense they’re free to share their secrets with you—a feeling of a door left ajar, open […]
The nitty-gritty: Nature and the strange world of cryptids are the backdrop for this inventive and smartly written fantasy tale. “The intruder was already inside. And it was, without any doubt, too late.” Strange Animals surprised me in just about every possible way, and I’m so glad I had the chance to read Jarod K. […]
The nitty-gritty: Weird, grotesque, absurd and emotional, Krackle’s Last Movie is a quirky mystery with plenty of heart. “When I’m conducting these interviews, I am never in one place. I shift from their childhood until their death, dropping into the days before their change, then into the moment they knew, for sure, that their body, […]
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: Magic, mayhem and a bunch of shelter cats make up Heather Fawcett’s latest, an enchanting tale, perfect for fans of Emily Wilde. After loving Heather Fawcett’s Emily Wilde series, I could not wait to read her next book! And I’m happy to say that Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter was just as delightful, […]
The nitty-gritty: A beautifully written story of survival and redemption, Yah Yah Scholfield’s weird, devastating and brutal Southern Gothic debut is a rollercoaster of emotions, both monstrous and beautiful. “It happened in the kitchen. Very germane—butchery in the cooking place, the cleaver and carving knife bearing witness. The tile, slick, grouted, was receptive to the […]
The nitty-gritty: A loyal general meets a scheming fae queen in this lively romance, perfect for readers who love political intrigue and well developed characters. “I’m afraid,” said her mother, “it is time for you to learn that, as queens, we do what we must, not what we would prefer.” I am enjoying this series […]
The nitty-gritty: Laura Purcell delivers another chilling haunted house tale in this atmospheric and terrifying ghost story. “Their procession had a sick, decayed sort of grandeur to it. This was what it was, Belinda thought, to be master of The Bridge. A throne of rotten fruit and ashes.” House of Splinters is a companion novel […]