Book Review: Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher

My thanks to Netgalley, 47North and T. Kingfisher for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review. 

I want to live in T. Kingfisher's brain.

Within reason, course. Preferably where the fairytales live, where I can see where all the magic takes shape and forms into these worlds that Kingfisher let's readers live in for a short time in each of her books.

I've been slowly making my way through Kingfisher's books because each and every time I finish one, I wish there was more to it. I bought several for my Dad and he just started reading What Moves the Dead. I want to give copies to every reader in my family and tell them there are so many more awesome books by Kingfisher, they'll thank me later. I have every book set for release this year already pre-ordered and the one for next March. I'm going to start collecting her children's books so I can have something that I want to read for my kids at bedtime. If that doesn't show how much I admire and enjoy her books, well, then, I'll work on it. There's always room for improvement. 

Snake-Eater follows Selena, who has moved to Quartz Creek in search of a place to stay for a while, hoping to live with her Aunt Amelia. When she arrives with her dog Copper, she discovers that her aunt passed away a year earlier but she's encouraged to check the house over and stay for as long as she needs. Selena feels out of place, certain she can't remain for long but surely it couldn't hurt to make some money and then move on? While Selena and Copper start to settle in, Selena sees something in the garden helping her new plants grow and is suddenly having to accept that Quartz Creek has more than just the usual people she'd expect to live in a small town. There are spirits and gods around the town too, and one has ties to Selena's aunt. Now that she has moved in, it thinks Selena will take over for Ameliabecause they were kin. Selena has to figure out what the spirit wants with the help of the new friends she's made and hope that she can stay in the new home she has found.

Selena felt familiar the moment her inner monologues started. Selena works through conversations in her head, trying to come up with practiced answers for any and every variation of how talking will go in every encounter she has. She worries about if her answers will offend, if she's made her points clear enough, if she's sounding stupid, if she needs to try harder or how she can get out of conversations faster. I've never felt such a kinship to a character before because I do the EXACT SAME THING. I practice what I'll say to cashiers at the stores so I can seem friendly but hopefully not annoying because they've been on their feet for who knows how long. I work out stories in my head to tell for family gatherings so relatives will think I'm well-adjusted and so they won't make comments about my being too "shy" to talk to people when I just want to sit to the side and read a book or watch others while being on my own. When Selena used the word "shy" to describe herself and then went into all the facets of what "shy" was supposed to encompass I thought yes, that's exactly it. "Shy" isn't the right word, but it's the best people can come up with. Don't get me started on the over-analyzing I do when talking is done.

Selena felt like a version of myself in book form and because of that, she was immediately endeared to me. I would take up arms for Selena and for Copper, which is why Grandma Billy and I would get along so well. Grandma Billy is Selena's closest new neighbor, who goes above and beyond to help Selena get settled in her new home, setting up the garden, bringing supplies, introducing her to neighbors and even staying with Selena when spirits start to heckle her. Grandma Billy was tough, sassy, quick to give a helping hand and I LOVED her. Then there was Father Aguirre, the local Catholic priest who helps Selena understand the ins and outs of the town. I thought it'd be difficult to like a priest for a character, but Father Aguirre is no ordinary priest and the fact that he was another character with knowledge of the spirit world around Quartz Creek was surprising and yet, it just worked so well in the long run. Father Aguirre provided the last stable presence needed for the quartet of characters and I wanted to follow them anywhere. They showed Selena that she could be herself, no second guessing her words necessary, and when she needs help figuring out what to do about Snake-Eater, they picked up everything they needed in order to help her.

The world is so interesting. The ideas of how spirits are formed and how they interact with our world was intriguing. The details about the desert and the animals that lived there made everything feel real (the house search for black widows in hidden places when Selena first moved in gave me chills and then made me think, yeah, I've been there). Quartz Creek felt like somewhere I've been, somewhere I've heard of, and somewhere I want to go in the future. If it's at all possible, I hope Kingfisher tries setting up another book in this town. I'd love to learn more about these characters in another adventure. The spirits that are seen, Snake-Eater in particular and others readers eventually find, were detailed and yet vague enough to allow for their existence to seem like something that could have been true once upon a time. Like I said, I want to know more about this world. A sign of a great book in every respect, I assure you.

Rating on my scale: 10 Stars, obviously. I don't think it's possible for me to give anything less to a T. Kingfisher book. I've loved all the ones I've read so much and I look forward to every book to come. Thankfully, I have some of her horror novels to get to. Considering her talent as a writer, I fully expect to end up with some kind of nightmares before I'm finished reading. I'll make sure to have excuses ready for just why I needed to leave a light on at night. And keep my baseball bat by my pillow. And....you get the picture.

Book Review: The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

My thanks to Del Ray/Random House Worlds/Inklore and Silvia Moreno-Garcia for an eARC of this book in exchange for a review.

There's a thing we do in my family. For some reason, my parents insist on going out instead of staying in for the evening when we are all together. So we all pile into the car and where do we go? A bookstore. Doesn't matter that we all scatter to the four corners of the world inside that bookstore, we are together in a store, and that is apparently enough. Sometimes we go to 3 or 4 bookstores in an afternoon, if they're visiting me, and 2 if I'm visiting my hometown. It was one such visit to a bookstore when I found the jeweled red cover of a book, Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I'd heard of this author, so when I found that book I thought, sure, why not? I've bought every Silvia Moreno-Garcia book since.

I've been looking forward to The Bewitching and this book did not disappoint me. The book follows three separate storylines, Minerva in the 1990s, Betty in the 1930s, and Alba, Minerva's great-grandmother, in the 1900s. Minerva is a graduate student working on a thesis with a focus on the works of Beatrice Tremblay, Betty, who attended the same college that Minerva is enrolled in. Betty is a woman who wrote a novel based on the disappearance of her college roomate, and her storyline recounts the events leading up to that tragic event. Alba's story follows her experience of encountering a witch when she was a young woman and living to tell the tale to Minerva, who sees similarities between her Nana Alba's story and Betty's as she delves into her thesis research at the start of the book. As Minerva works to uncover as much personal information as she can on Beatrice Tremblay, she starts to realize that whatever force went after Tremblay is still at the school and now it is following Minerva. Turns out, the stories her Nana told her might be just what Minerva needs to fight back and figure out what happened to the missing girl before something happens to her.

There is so much in this book. The atmosphere is a bit eerie, the different settings serve to highlight the difference in timelines and the struggles each woman has to deal with, each story has a distinct voice, enough so that they stand apart but meld together. I wouldn't say this is a scary story but while I was reading this book on my phone it started to ring, which was enough to make me jolt and gasp, but the word engrossing is better, I think, to describe the effect this book had on me. I wanted to take my time reading but at the same time I wanted to rush to the ending.

Things felt familiar with the stories about the little spells that Minerva learned from her Nana, and for the things that Alba did as well. My family has roots in Mexico and things like praying over someone with an egg, putting red thread on a baby's forehead to cure hiccups and wearing safety pins during a solar eclipse are just a few of the things that were a part of my childhood. So when Moreno-Garcia put similar ideas in her book, it felt like a story that could be something told in my family. It's connections like these that keep me coming back to read books by Moreno-Garcia. I want to give copies of this to my mom, my sister and my Tía, for that sake alone.

I will say I've read a LOT of mysteries, so I knew the who of the story from nearly the beginning. It was the how and the why that kept me turning pages. I wanted comeuppance and I got that, so the little vindictive bone in my body does not want to hiss and spit at a lack of punishment for the villains of the book. I'm sitting here almost pleased as punch because HA, not laughing now, are they? I especially enjoyed the Afterword by the author at the end, because again, the stories felt familiar and I see a lot of my family in the pages of this book. Also, I have several bracelets and necklaces to ward off the evil eye. It's just what we do in my family and I'll most likely pass it on when the time comes. 

Honestly, every year when it comes time to preorder books, I search to see if Silvia Moreno-Garcia has a new release for the year and then immediately add it to my shelves when it's released. Every book I've read has yet to disappoint me as a reader. I don't see that changing anytime soon. I'm planning to hound my sister into reading this book as soon as I'm finished writing this review. She loved Mexican Gothic and had been trying to get more books by Moreno-Garcia once upon a time. Need her to read this one ASAP. It'll give us something to talk about at night when we both can't sleep.

Rating on my scale: 10 Stars. This book reminds me of Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix, The Haunting of Payne's Hollow by Kelley Armstrong and A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher. If these books appeal to you as a reader, grab The Bewitching and enjoy.

Book Review: Tea & Alchemy by Sharon Lynn Fisher

My thanks to Netgalley, 47North and Sharon Lynn Fisher for the eARC in exchange for a review of this book.

When I was in college, I had the opportunity to take a class focused on studying vampires in different short stories and books. This book opens with a quote from Polidori's The Vampyre. For those that don't know the background, Polidori was there the night of the contest, the one that gave readers Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. It's that background, a dark and dreary estate out in what feels like the middle of nowhere, that helps set the mood and location of this book. This book reminded me of those stories I studied, showing that Fisher did her research and absorbed their influences, using the familiar from those works and creating a new vampire story. Because let's face it, vampires are something that has been around in books, shows and films for ages. This book fits in with other gothic romances but at the same time stands apart, because while I found familiar vampire ideas while reading, I did not expect the changes that Fisher created that made this different from other vampire works.

This book follows Mina Penrose (yes, Mina, Fisher did that and made her vampire a man named Harker. On the nose? Obviously. But I look at it as a nod to those characters, a show of respect for the characters that have come before). The other lead is, as I said before, Harker Tregarrick, a recluse living in a chapel that overlooks the village, whose family land and history has kept rumors swirling about what kind of man would keep himself locked away from the rest of the village. After the death of her parents a few years earlier, Mina has found something for herself to do, work in a tea room while her twin brother, Jack, works in the mines like their father did. At the start of the book, Mina is starting to realize that she can see shapes in the tea leaves left behind in the cups of customers coming throughout the day. Mina can see things in the shapes, recognizing enough that when things happen to those customers of the leaves she's "read", she realizes that she can see things coming for those people before they happen. Mina reads the leaves of one patron, hinting at something bad to come, and then finds a man murdered on her way home. The body is at the edge of the Tregarrick property, which leads Harker to come down from his tower to meet Mina, and the two slowly come to work together to find out how the stories about the Tregarrick family relate to what is now happening in the village.

I really liked Mina. I liked the idea of a young woman taking steps to change her life, getting a job, learning to read, creating more for her life so that she has something to look forward to. Mina's job puts her at odds with her brother, who has been trying to get Mina to give up her job for reasons of his own. I liked the dynamic between the siblings, which made sense in terms of the period and just the way siblings quarrel over many things. Mina has a solid head on her shoulders, logical and curious, which helps her when she meets Harker and starts to work on unraveling the mystery of the story. Harker is given his own chapters to narrate, which help to build up the tragic backstory of a man forced to become a vampire and then choosing to cut himself off from society rather than risk harming anyone he meets. Fisher manages to create two distinct voices in these chapters, separating the points of view perfectly, with each working to elaborate the nuances of Mina and Harker and revealing their histories in an natural way. Nothing felt shoehorned in, nothing was forced. The reveals worked to build sympathy for the characters and created an eerie atmosphere that worked for the mystery at the center of the story.

All the secondary characters were given their chance to shine with Fisher easily making them as detailed as the leads even with the little page time they had. I wanted to wring Jack's neck and I loved the support that Mrs. Moyle gave Mina. I enjoyed their interactions and the build of the story. I liked the familiar gothic setting of the moors and an old village filled with the usual small-minded people and the people who are able to come together to help those that need it. The focus of the novel worked, building the tension needed for the mysterious assailant that Mina and Harker are trying to find. And the reveal about what exactly is working against the characters and how it relates to Harker and Mina was just so interesting. I was not expecting the reveals that Fisher gave and I appreciated how Fisher was able to hold some of the smaller threads of the story I was still wanting to understand and then provided the answers readers needed. Everything flows in the book, the slow burn between Mina and Harker adding to the easy pace of the story. The book flows, think more trickling stream versus rushing river, and it adds to the vibe of cozy murder mystery that allows readers to enjoy the reveals as they come without being rushed. It's obviously well-researched as well, always a plus in my opinion.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I read Fisher's debut, Ghost Planet, back when it was first published and managed to find my copy in my library a few nights ago. I also have The Ophelia Prophecy right next to it on the shelf, so obviously will be starting that book this weekend. I also have Salt & Broom on my tablet, so suffice to say, I have a good number of Fisher novels to get back to reading, and a bunch more that I'll soon discover for the first time. Thanks to this book, I've found another author that I'll be following closely from now on, and I always like it when I can find an author with enough books to add to my towering TBR stacks.

Rating on my scale: 9 Stars. I'm a selfish reader, I wish there was a little more to the story. More to delve into, more to witness with how it ends or even what is to come. Still, like I said, there are more Fisher books for me to read, so at least there's that for me.

Book Review: Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage

I still have 1 more book in this series to read. This one feels unfinished somehow, though. I think my issue is the way things still stand with Cam's parents. I feel like we should have seen some mention of them in passing and then have Cam actively saying or thinking something about how she's cut off communication with them until things change. As it is in the book, sure, it was great she walked away from them but after years of how they were, I wanted something with a bit more of a swift kick to the ribs kind of feel to it.

Also, that last tiff between Cam and Dusty was just meh. I was glad that Wes was quick to point out how Cam was being stupid and looking for something to keep her and Dusty apart. I know people make these kind of decisions all the time but ugh, it just irks me. At least it doesn't get dragged out, Sage is quick to resolve these issues in this series. Forever grateful for that.

I liked this one more than the first two books. If that pattern holds, I might really like Gus and Teddy's story. Fingers crossed.

P.s. I thought the reason they stayed apart for so long was going to be something more? Instead, she left and then just what? They texted occasionally? Seemed a little weird to me.

Book Review: Terror at the Gates by Scarlett St. Clair

My thanks to Netgalley, Bloom Books and Scarlett St. Clair for an eARC in exchange for a review of this book.

I just finished reading this. My eyes are burning from a lack of sleep, my stomach is growling and I think, wait, yes, I do actually have a headache twisting around in my left temple. But good grief, I am sitting here just impressed with this book. I have no other way to describe how I feel sitting here, having just finished the novel AND the Author's Note at the back. I would clap but that seems weird, right?

There are references in the back of the book. Yes, I am making notes on all of them and adding them to my list of things to read soon. This book reminded me of an article I studied in high school, about the various ways people lie and there was a section on lying by omission that mentioned Lilith. Back then I only had so many resources to read up on this idea of Lilith and how mentions of her had been excised from texts deliberately. The fact that St. Clair has research and placed it in the book for others to read for themselves makes that impressed statement I made in the last paragraph turn into RESPECT because St. Clair is giving readers the opportunity to form their own opinions using the sources she had at her disposal and that is just BRAVO. Now moving on to a review of the book itself.

I have quite the number of books by St. Clair and I have always felt that St. Clair books are written in such a concise yet accesible way. There's an attention to detail, a clear and well-developed world/setting, and rounded main characters that make it easy to get swept up in the writing of these books. Terror at the Gates is no different. I wanted to read faster but at the same time I knew I wanted to take my time to appreciate all the nuance that St. Clair has worked into this story. I have no idea where the story will go or how many books it will take to get there but I will be reading each book as they are released.

Terror at the Gates follows Lilith, a young woman living estranged from her family, who comes into the possession of a blade with strange origins. In an attempt to pawn it, Lilith learns there is more in play with what the dagger can do and who it belonged to, making Lilith and those she loves and trusts new players in a plot that will change all they know about their existence, both physically and spiritually. I remember reading in St. Clair's newsletter about this book last year and I was drawn in by the description of a "fantasy mafia" but was particularly intrigued by the name Lilith and all the connotations from there. The writing is vague on the specifics of what religion is in the book but uses enough ideas to make it both familiar and yet wholly unique, with how their church was developed and how the world uses the writings of the church to control the congregation. There are trigger warnings at the start of the book that definitely need to be taken into consideration and the Author's Note at the back deserves a read as well. Concerning the trauma in this book, I feel St. Clair gave it the respect it needed without going over the top. 

I don't want to say I loved Lilith as a character but I rooted for her every step of the way. She was selfish, impulsive, and yet loyal to a fault for those that deserved it and I respected her for that. Zahariev was an interesting man, in the sense that he seemed the only one capable of going toe to toe with Lilith, but I'm hoping for more on his motivations in the next book. Readers know he is devoted to Lilith and commands his territory in a ruthless kind of way but outside of that I have no idea how else to describe him. I guess he's the classic brooding love interest? There are short asides from his point of view interspersed throughout the book but they only reinforce his thoughts and feelings for Lilith and not much else. It's not enough to make me like this book any less but it does bear some mentioning when talking about the character development. Some of the secondary characters could use some more fleshing out as well, like Coco and Gabriel, some of Lilith's closest friends. I know that Lilith would do anything for them because she said so but readers aren't shown much of the why behind it. Considering the scope given of the world and where it's headed, no doubt their specifics will be given at a later time. There's just so much to get into place to begin with, it'll take time to give the rest of the characters their time to stand apart from the crowd.

I don't know how to put into words the points made about authority figures in religious settings. Suffice to say, I think if anything at all, what is seen in this book will allow readers to have the grounds to openly discuss trauma and abuse seen in religion, as St. Clair made a point to discuss in the note at the back of the book. The point is that some institutes of religion, any or maybe every religion, have things they try to hide about their inner workings and some even knowingly hide the wrongdoings of their workers for the sake of keeping their image unblemished. This book shows a little of what could happen when someone decides to fight back.

Rating on my scale: 10 Stars. My head and my heart hurt for different reasons after reading this book. I hope the wait for the next installment isn't too far into the future. 

Book Review: Witch Lore by Emma Hinds

My thanks to Netgalley, Wednesday Books and Emma Hinds for the eARC in exchange for a review of this book.

It's hard to put into words what I felt at the end of this book. I definitely liked it but at the same time, I'm not gushing over it. It's more a quiet feeling of introspection, sitting with the struggles of the book and understanding the ending that it had.

The book focuses on the grief of Lando, a shapeshifter attending college with a bunch of witches, who is unable to control their magic and who is mourning the loss of their girlfriend, who died at the beginning of summer. When Bastian starts attending the college with Lando, Bastian tells Lando that a spell exists that would bring their girlfriend back to life. They just need to get everything the spell needs and they can cast the spell and get her back. Lando wants that more than anything and is willing to put their life on the line to make it happen.

First of all, I am in no way, shape or form able to make any comment on the overall character of Lando. I want to start with that because I respect the representation, I believe that a character like Lando should exist. I just feel like I can't put words to make any kind of assessment on the existence of the character. I respect their feelings, their thoughts, the struggles portrayed in the book, but I can't say if it will resonate for the readers who identify with Lando's identity. I'll leave that in the expert hands of my peers, who can delve into exactly how Lando's everything worked for them as readers. I liked Lando overall, and their story kept me reading to the end of the book, a sign of a well written character.

Next, talking about the world of the book, I'll admit I was left wanting more detail. It's an interesting concept, the idea of witches and shapeshifters existing in the world today, out in the open. I would have wanted to see more of the ins and outs of their existence and how the non-magic people of the world interact with witches and shapeshifters. There were a few encounters in the beginning of the book, interactions that made it seem like witches and shapeshifters are scorned, but I can't tell if this is an all the time type of thing or if it just happened to be what Lando witnessed.

It is all a bit vague in the sense that the book only focuses on Lando's storyline, finding what they need for the resurrection spell, and it stays focused on that. There is some mention of Lando having a normal job at a store, but we don't see Lando at work, only going to and coming back from their job. Lando is seen at their halfway home and in school settings, only interacting with witches. When Lando and Bastian travel, again, the story focuses on the two characters, and we know there are people around them but they have no bearings on the story.

Even when Lando is at school, there is very little detail given about the courses or the purpose of the school. The only time a little detail is given about the particulars of a school course, it was to give detail for the resurrection plot. Almost made it feel like a school setting was not completely necessary. I feel like seeing more of Lando's struggle with exams and spell casting would have helped with rounding out Lando and filling in details of the story. 

I had my suspicions of how things would play out in the book and wanting to find out if I was right is what kept me going with this book. In the end, I liked the reveals and the strength that Lando earned by the last page. I would have wanted more but it still works very well with what readers are given.

Rating on my scale: 7.5 Stars. I'll be keeping Emma Hinds on my list of authors to pay attention to and I look forward to reading more books from them in the future. This release shows they have the chops to create books I'll be interested in reading.

Book Review: A Curious Kind of Magic by Mara Rutherford

My thanks to Netgalley, Wednesday Books and Mara Rutherford for the eARC in exchange for a review.

My first thought when I finished reading this around 4 in the morning was this: Aww, that was so sweet!

Charming. Poignant, even. I have not had the chance to read many books by Rutherford yet, (by my count, I have at least 4 of them, unread), so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. When I saw Howl mentioned in the synopsis, I thought, okay, I'll bite, and I was not disappointed by the comparison at all.

The book follows Willow Stokes, a seventeen-year-old determined to keep her father's shop going, despite the fact that the entire town knows that her father was a fraud and she is following in his footsteps. Willow is desperate to make a sale, so when Brianna Hargrave shows up in her shop, Willow thinks Brianna is the answer she's been looking for. With a touch from Brianna, the items in the shop become magic again, and Willow sees so many possibilities ahead of them, all of it dependent on if she can just get Brianna to stay and help her. Except Brianna does not want to help, she wants to find a book of spells tied to her "curse", and get rid of it once and for all. The two make a bargain, Brianna will help with the shop while Willow helps to find the spell Brianna needs to get rid of her curse so she can go back home. As the girls work together and learn more about each other, they start to discover that the things they knew to be true aren't what they thought, and that what they saw in their futures is different than what any them would have believed could be possible.

The writing is concise, the pace a little more of a walk than a sprint, with quiet moments to sit and reflect which helped develop the cozy feeling needed for the narrative. The point of the story is the growth of the characters, which does not mean racing through character interactions, or quick banter. The development takes its time, allowing room to expand in a way that feels natural to the storytelling. Everything feels earned with the story and characters, even that what-just-happened moment near the end where I thought, okay, just go with it, and I laughed right along with Willow and Brianna when all was said and done.

With talking about the characters, yes, Willow bugged me at the start. She was selfish and stubborn, and kept putting her wants first instead of considering what was best for other people, Brianna and Finlay mainly, her new friend and the young man who has been her best friend since her father passed away two years before the start of the book. I wanted to shake her every time she did something without thinking first, so when Willow finally starts to consider her actions and their consequences, I thought FINALLY, she's getting her head on straight. I understood how she'd become that way and I appreciated how her journey was able to make her into a better version of herself and that Willow knew that as well. I liked her dynamic with Brianna, and how the two of them made each other think of things differently. Brianna was stubborn as well, and the two of them were two halves of the same whole. They challenged each other and supported each other and I thought they were wonderful together. Finlay was a sweet addition to their group, helping Willow to understand that having more friends to care about only made her stronger.

I loved how the book turned into a story about acceptance. Each character, Willow, Brianna and Finlay, had to accept each other and themselves, flaws and all, and once the ending hits, I wanted to gather them all into a hug and squeeze so tight. That's why I thought this book was so sweet. Some books can come off too strong with driving home a theme like that, but this book shows how Rutherford put in the work that makes the ending feel like the payoff readers need. I'll be reading the other Rutherford books I currently own, and be looking forward to future releases as well. Job well done indeed and I tip my hat to this book and to Mara Rutherford. 

Rating on my scale: After sitting with this overnight, I've decided 10 stars. It gave all the right feelings, reminded me of all the best cozy fantasy books of my youth, and has made me determined to read more of Mara Rutherford's books. If a book manages to do ALL of that, doesn't it deserve all the stars?

Book Review: The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong

My thanks to Netgalley, St. Marin's Press and Kelley Armstrong for the eARC in exchange for a review of this book.

I have this memory. When I was a kid, I used to take dance classes. Class would end and I'd go out to the lobby area, where my Dad was sitting with a book. I'd give him the sticker I got at the end of my class and he'd put it on his bookmark, which was covered with stickers from me and my little sister. I'd stare at the covers of the books he read, wanting to know what they were about, because my Dad liked to read horror novels. The one I remember specifically is one called Dead Voices. If you look it up, the cover art is different shades of green, with people coming out of some water in various states of decay, their eyes glowing and focused on you as you stare right back. It's an image that has stuck with me for decades, literally. Because at one point in this book, Sam sees something coming out of the water and my mind filled in the rest with that cover art image and being a child and starting to understand fearing the things you can't see in the dark. And I sat there with this book in my hands and thought, whelp, I don't need sleep, right?

I've read so many Kelley Armstrong books. Not ALL of them, but it is a goal of mine to read as many of them as I can find. I love her A Rip Through Time series, which just released it's fourth book last week. I've read the Cainsville series and the A Stitch in Time series. I even have several Rockton novels that I mean to start once I finish last week's new release and I own nearly every Women of the Otherworld book out there. So when I saw that Armstrong was releasing one-off horror novels, I eagerly got my copies and sat down to read. I liked Hemlock Island for the most part, but there were so many little things that just irked me and I couldn't let them go, so LIKE is all I can say for that book. I just finished I'll be Waiting, and it actually took me a couple of months to finally finish it, which says a lot about my general attitude towards it. Suffice to say, I loved the writing and the general premise of each book, but blast it, those villain reveals just would not stick the landing for me. I wanted to be floored and creeped out and then turn around and give the book to my Dad, because he's where my fascination with the horror genre came from.

I'll be buying a copy of THIS BOOK for my Dad, no doubt about it.

I do have this pre-ordered. It's one of those books that I saw was an upcoming release from one of my favorite authors and just automatically added it to my cart. All the while eyeing it with some trepidation because of my experience with the last two horror novels I've read from Armstrong. I had my fingers crossed and maybe even held my breath a little as I started reading this book. I finished it in less than a day (I did end up falling asleep somewhere in those 24 hours since I opened this book yesterday, where I dreamed of waterlogged people grabbing my feet from under the bed, always a good sign that a book has gotten under my skin.) I devoured the first quarter of the book before starting dinner for my kids and then spent most of the night reading while feeding my infant a bottle and rocking him to sleep.

This book grabbed me from the start. It follows Sam, a woman who thanks to the stipulations set forth in her grandfather's will, has to stay at the lakefront cottage from her childhood. It's a place she hasn't set foot near in almost 14 years, since the last time she was there she witnessed her beloved father burying the body of a boy her age and then subsequently killed himself. Her grandfather didn't believe the story she told and now, in order to inherit the land the cottages sit on, she has to spend a month in her parents' old cabin. It's one last way to stick it to Sam that she had to be wrong, forcing her to confront the trauma of her past in order to move forward with the money she desperately needs by inheriting the property.

It's the kind of plot that is in a lot of horror stories out there right now. The main character has to go back to their childhood home and deal with the demons in their past that haunt them both literally and figuratively, in an old, sometimes derelict property. I'm sure it's the basis of several stories soon to be released this year. What sets this one apart is the background to the property. Turns out, the area around Payne's Hollow, named after Sam's family, has been riddled with disappearances going back for at least a century. Sam has always heard things out in the woods and had grown up knowing to never set foot in the trees or enter the water after dark. Nothing to question about what is seemingly good safety advice. Except over the course of the book, Sam starts to realize there is more than a little warning about the trees and the water. Because something wanders the land the Payne family has held onto for centuries, and it has now set it's focus completely on Sam. The why of it all, is what makes this book work, but for spoiler purposes, you have to read it to find out the reveal. I got to the ending and then went back and reread passages that stood out to me, highlighting how that reveal not only works but just gives the book that oomph that makes it stick in your head, and yes, finally, I LOVE a horror novel from my favorite author. Third time's the charm.

The writing is concise, revealing suspenseful tidbits in due time, enough to keep the reader guessing and turning the pages, needing to find out what happens next. Because I lied, I DO need sleep, but I had to keep reading this book, I couldn't just put it down, look what just happened, 5 more pages, 10 more pages, oh look an hour has passed by, fine, I almost dropped my phone because I'm exhausted, I yield to the need for sleep and the obvious bloodshot eyes I see in the mirror. And then as soon as I woke up, I continued reading in between feeding my family and myself, and doing my utmost to keep my toddler entertained while my infant watches us all in wonder.

I respected Sam as a character. She does her best to manage what she can, working a menial job while living in a rundown apartment, so all her money can go to keeping her mom comfortable in a home that can take care of her thanks to an onset of early dementia. Sam is barely keeping her head afloat and in the back of her mind is the trauma of what she witnessed her dad doing and now the deal she has to suffer through because of her a** of a grandfather had me squarely in her corner. I believe in hard work and determination, and people finally getting what they deserve and I wanted all of that for Sam and even her aunt Gail, who went with her niece to the cabin to keep her company because she didn't want Sam to suffer alone. I loved Josie, the daughter of the Sheriff and a deputy in her own right, who tried her hardest to make Sam feel welcome, providing the right presence to keep Sam focused as more and more gets revealed in the story. I even came to like Ben, the caretaker of the property, who has his own agenda to deal with concerning his connection to the Payne family.

I didn't get the connection from just the title to the classic Irving story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I should have, but it is placed front and center within the first few chapters, and I loved how Armstrong takes pieces of that story to make something that much more twisted in terms of familial secrets and monsters that go bump in the night. As I've already said, I finished this fast, which is a plus for me. And even though it goes fast, the book is not lacking in any way. I had questions and suspicions, and everything was answered and revealed in ways that made me smile because yes, that is so wow. I'll be reading this again when it's released later this year. I want to rave about more, but I'm trying really hard not to spoil the book. I usually read the endings to a lot of books I start reading but I managed to contain myself this time, and I did not regret it. I want other readers to share that same experience.

Rating on my Scale: 10 Stars. I loved this book. Really and truly, just loved this book. Everything worked, the writing, the characters, the reveals, the ending. When I get my hardcover, it will live on a shelf next to my other favorite stories, where I'll pull it out whenever I'm in the mood to be just a little scared. Read if you like T. Kingfisher's A House with Good Bones. I'm going to go read that one again this weekend.

Book Review: Zomromcom by Olivia Dade

My thanks to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Olivia Dade for the eARC in exchange for review of this book.

When I first opened this book and started reading, my first overwhelming thought was simply this, "Olivia Dade, how I've missed you!"

Seriously, the banter, the quips, the overall feeling just left me smiling because I've read a lot of books by Olivia Dade, so by now when I get to read her books, I know what I'm going to find. It's the reason I keep going back and reading more books by Olivia Dade. These books end up almost comfort reads, the kind of books that I randomly think, yes, I'm going to read that again RIGHT NOW, because it fits the mood I'm in. I've been looking forward to Zomromcom since the book was announced and for me, it did not disappoint.

Zomromcom is about Edie Brandstrup, who lives in the Containment Zone, which means she lives near a compound that keeps a horde of zombies from attacking the general public. These zombies were created by the government, and there are a lot of protocols in place to keep the people safe from another breach. The book opens when Edie is just returning home for the day to find a zombie on its way to attacking her neighbor. She runs to intervene and is surprised when the man she thought was a little dim not only manages to save them both, but also turns out to be a vampire. Max wants to keep Evie safe in the shelter he's created in his home but Edie is the type of person to go out of her way to save other people, which means diving headfirst into danger to warn their neighbors before it's too late and the zombies destroy everything that gets in their way.

The plot is straightforward, what is given in the synopsis is exactly what we get. I respect that because nothing bugs me more than starting a book based on a synopsis that turns out completely different than what I wanted to find. Edie has a goal, save as many people as possible. Max's goal is to keep Edie safe. The government created zombies to be weapons, but they carried their development too far and lost control of their creations which resulted in a massacre when the zombies got loose twenty years before the start of this book. When the zombies needed to be contained, supernatural creatures came out of hiding to help drive back the horde and save the world. Which is how vampires, witches, telepaths, fae, trolls and other manner of creatures are now a part of the makeup of this world.

And this world is interesting. It goes without saying that zombies are a large part of practically everything nowadays. There are movies, shows and books dedicated to zombies and the people who have to deal with a world in which zombies exist. As a result, for a new "zombie" book to stand out, it needs to do enough to stand apart from what has come before and Dade's book manages to make enough tweaks that made me invested in the story but also left me with so many questions, questions I hope will be answered in sequels to this book (yes, sequels, plural, because I think there is enough here to at least be a trilogy, if things can work out that way). The motivations behind the creation of zombies and the reasonings behind their apparent escape are the points that drive this book, and for me there was not a dull moment in this story. It moves fast because Edie and Max have a countdown, they have to stop the zombies and warn the world in a matter of days. Even when the characters had to take some time to rest and heal, it did not feel like a slog to get through the book. In fact, by the time the ending hit, I knew it was going to leave me wishing for more pages. The book just worked for me in keeping my attention, making me smile and laugh at Edie and Max bickering, and making me care for every character that they meet along the way.

The best way in my mind to describe this is that trope, how does it go? The grumpy/sunshine trope. Edie and Max fit that perfectly, so if you're familiar with romance novels, that is what you can expect. The characters are introduced with ease, allowing readers to learn a lot about Edie and Max with just a few pages of their being in the same vicinity as each other. What I enjoy about Dade's books is the quick wit shown in the dialogue. The pace of the book goes quick, mainly thanks to the rapid back and forth between Edie and Max. Even the side characters are given enough development that I hope we get to see more of them in the next installment. Nothing felt superfluous, or out of place. Dade even adds in a fun tidbit, which is that Max's first name is Gaston, which automatically makes Edie think of the Disney villain and the song that goes with that character. And because Edie is that type of person, she makes up so many iterations of that song to bug the heck out of Max that it is a beauty to behold, laughing the whole time while managing to sing along with her because come on, almost everyone knows that song.

Honestly, I want to go back and read this again. I want to talk about this book with people who like zombie movies and romances. I respect the fact that Dade took a chance and tried something new with a supernatural romance. If there are more books by Dade like this one, I need to find them asap.

Rating: 9.5 Stars on my ratings scale. Why not 10? Because it just ended and I want more already. And I have no idea when I'll be able to hear Edie sing another "Gaston" song to Max, which is a travesty, if I do say so myself. Olivia Dade, I salute your "Gaston" songs by the way. If there was ever the perfect villain song to incorporate into your work, you chose the best one by far.

Book Review: Leo and the Crazy Genre Hitel by Tsvi Jolles

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for eARC in exchange for a review.

There are things I loved about this book. After reading the first book, I liked the development of Leo into being more confident about himself. Book 1 had Leo more likely to stay introverted and to dwell on what other people thought about him to the point where he almost kept himself from trying new things. In this book, Leo takes chances and goes to work at a hotel, rolling with the problems that come up with guests and his coworkers without losing his stride too much.

The plot was interesting, the idea that the hotel that Leo works at for the summer sometimes plays refuge for book characters that are fleeing the bad endings of their stories. However, not enough was given of this interesting idea. The book, as in Leo's story, had two book characters as guests at the Magnolia Hotel, and that was it. There was not enough explanation for how they managed to get out of their books to enter Leo's world. There was no information about how book characters knew to go to the Magnolia hotel to begin with.

The other half of the story was Leo trying to save the Magnolia Hotel from being torn down. Again, a plot that could have been a great way to show how Leo has matured, to show how he uses his interest in books to connect with people and draw more attention to the hotel but the main part of this storyline involved some methods that had me scratching my head. I don't want to spoil the story for future readers but I will say that the twist almost seems to come out of nowhere. It didn't meld enough for me to feel satisfied with the ending.

In terms of characters, I feel like readers weren't given enough time with some to have their connections with Leo feel genuine. Leo's best friend Shane, from book 1, is mentioned a couple of times but is never seen on the page, even in a text message, which makes no sense to me in an age where teens have the whole world at their fingertips with just a phone at their disposal. Missy Carter, who is in charge of the book club mentioned in the synopsis, is seen hanging around but is largely missing until Leo really needs her to help him save the hotel. Mr. Jenkins returns from book 1 but after helping Leo figure out a breakfast problem for the hotel, he whisks Leo's Mom, María, off to a vacation in New Orleans. It kind of felt like the characters needed to be written out for Leo to have to fix everything on his own. Also, honestly, it did not sit well with me that an almost 14-year-old was left alone for a week while his parent went on a vacation, a deserved break or not, as Leo claimed it was for his mom.

Pacing was a little weird at times. Leo would talk about Missy as if he knew quirks about her, predicting how she'd react to something happening on the page, and I was left thinking how does Leo know this? Did I miss it somewhere because Missy was literally missing for a large part of the story. Things like this left a disjointed feeling between points of the story.

In the end, I feel like this book had too many ideas trying to take center stage. I wanted more downtime with Leo learning the ins and outs of the Magnolia Hotel and its inhabitants. I wanted more time with runaway book characters and Leo helping them to take charge of their fates and forcing their authors to make their stories change for the better. If there is another book for Leo, I hope it takes the time to sit with Leo like book 1 did, so readers have a chance to see his growth, rather than being kept at an arm's distance while he runs around trying to save the world.

Book Review: The Shattered King by Charlie N. Holmberg

My thanks to Netgalley, 47North, and Charlie N. Holmberg for the ARC in exchange for a review. 

I will preface this by saying I remember reading Holmberg's Paper Magician series and really liking book 1, being disappointed by book 2, and not much about book 3. In fact, I haven't sat down and read any Holmberg books in quite some time. Don't get me wrong, I've bought nearly ALL of them over the last few years. I just haven't read them.

This book has changed my mind.

I'm actually a little grateful because now I have this whole list of books to start making my way through and that's great because something will have to distract me while I impatiently wait for news of the next book.  (My guess is duology, based on what I've seen but I could see this working as a series, focusing on other members of Nym's family, maybe. Either way, in my search I signed up for Holmberg's newsletter and found out about a kickstarter coming up this summer, which I've set to notify me on launch when it goes live.)

The plot is somewhat straightforward, exactly as given in the synopsis. Nym Tallowax is a healer, the eldest of her siblings and their main source of income, who has spent the last 8 years keeping her family together and afloat since the loss of their parents. A letter summons her to the castle and Nym is forced into trying to do what others have not managed and heal the broken and ailing second born son of the king. Nym managed to make one small fix and is now being forced into serving the prince as his personal healer, leaving her family to fend for themselves. All the while, the country is drafting men in preparation for a possible war.

In terms of the story itself, I still have so many questions, but that's a good thing because it is practically guaranteed that I will be back for book 2. In fact, I have this book added to a list of physical books to preorder when I have the means to do so, that way this book can live on a shelf with other favorite fantasies. I was intrigued from the start with the idea of craftlock, which is what Nym's healing is referred to as, with mentions of two other specialties being mindreading and soulbinding. Craftlock itself is meant to be illegal in Cansere, Nym's home, and is punishable by death, but healing is allowed because the queen is desperately trying to find someone to fix her son.

I wanted to know more about the way her magic worked and I wanted Nym to get back to her family after feeling the unfairness of not only having her eldest brother drafted to the army but then essentially being forced to report to the royal family to see if she could heal Prince Renn. It was such a great hook for me, playing on the heartstrings and making me angry for a young woman who is just trying her hardest to live her life the best she can with what she has.

Add in a mysterious illness keeping the prince from ever truly being whole and it's all a well-oiled storyline. The writing keeps the story flowing smoothly, giving enough information to keep the reader guessing. Some of my theories didn't pan out, others did, and I was happy with each reveal and development. Nym's point of view never gets tiresome, despite how long the first quarter of the story felt (there is only so much inhumane treatment of our lead I can take before it wears on my heart too much).

In terms of characters, Nym is a well-rounded character, strong, stubborn and intelligent enough to reason her way through most things that come at her. I appreciated her backstory, the tragedy that has shaped her, and felt particular heartbreaks were treated with respect enough that it felt natural in the reveals and the progression of the story. Nothing seemed too much or out of place, although her stubbornness could be a little frustrating but it's par for the course of a story like this. The main character can't be too perfect, after all.

The book's second lead, Prince Renn, started out as what one would expect from a member of royalty, spoiled and demanding, until Nym arrives to set him straight. In fact, he kind of reminded me of Colin from A Secret Garden, as a recluse in the castle with a mysterious ailment who eventually, with the influence of friends, gains physical strength and independence. The two of them, Nym and Renn, paired together were the right balance for a slow-burn romance that will hopefully be more realized in the next installment. I liked how it was shown that Renn was changing for the better, with the things he changed for Nym in the castle, and the way he pushed back against his overbearing mother and stood up to his bullying big brother. Changes like this work best with actions and every change in Renn felt well-earned.

The side characters are all mostly well-developed, with the main focus being on Nym's family and Renn's family, including his guards, with enough detail to make their pains and struggles come across as losses to the reader. They may not have been on the page the majority of the time, but I do feel like we got to know them all well enough, which shows Holmberg's talent as a writer.

This makes me want to point out the magic system. I read the Acknowledgements page and thought it was a brilliant idea for Holmberg to set a challenge to create a magic system that seemed familiar and yet wholly unique to the story. I remember being similarly impressed with the magic in The Paper Magician series (that paper heart is something I can still remember this many years later), so it did not surprise me that one of this book's strongest assets is it's magic system. The idea of the lumie was just complex enough to keep readers engaged and the fact that each person's lumis has a different form made it easy to see just how imaginative Holmberg has managed to make this story. There have been similar ideas done before, I'm sure, but this stands apart for me, and as a result, it makes me that much more determined to read more books from Holmberg in the near future. 

The setting is a little vague, enough for readers to fill in as the story goes on. We know the story takes place in Cansere, and that the neighboring kingdom, Sesta, has decided to start attacking the country's borders. There have been attempts to talk to the leader of Sesta, but nothing has come forth from that. As a result, Cansere has started drafting men into their army in preparation to defend themselves. The talks of war are circling around the castle, mentioned by other characters as a threat always in the backs of their minds, just out of arm's reach in a way. By the end, it culminates in a cliffhanger that makes me hope that book 2 was a little closer to being published than I think it is.

If I had to say there was anything weak about the book, I might say the pacing was too vague in the sense that I lost track of how much time Nym had been in the castle. There are mentions to changes in seasons and a certain number of weeks having gone by, but it wasn't enough to keep the timeline straight. The story focuses a lot on the day to day of Nym trying over and over to make enough healing changes to Renn, and how Renn uses those improvements to change himself by learning to fight and going out of the castle to explore, that it all kind of blends together until something comes up, usually a social event to show the characters in a different setting and around new people. Not really a disadvantage to the story, but it couldn't hurt to have some more specifics thrown in now and then. When the conflict reared up and set the last few pieces of the story in motion, I remembered the line about Spring, the season, when it was brought up but not enough to really feel the tension of the unexpected coming sooner than the characters thought it would happen. It was what I knew was coming, the WAY it happened was jarring, but I didn't remember what time of year they were in, only that it was still snowing outside, and that was about it.

In the end, this book was exactly what I wanted to read, a fantasy with a slow burn romance and a new and unique magic structure. I greatly enjoyed the experience and plan to read the book again when I have the chance. Read this book if you want something like V.E. Schwab and Diana Wynne Jones, mixed together.

Rating: I'm making this 10 Stars because I'm hoping the next one is everything I want to finish the story, with a resolution that makes me feel like wow, okay, let's go back to the beginning and read it again, and then I lose track of how many times I've read these books in the years to come. Fingers crossed.

Book Review: What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Originally Written: May 14, 2025
 

I liked it but I didn't love it. It is kind of hard to put into words what kept me from falling in love with this book. It had two cute leads, supportive side characters and whatnot but it didn't knock it out of the park for me.

I think my main gripe is that the relationship depended a lot on the falling in love when they were teenagers thing. I get it, first loves are eternal, you never forget them. I speak from experience, I've been with mine since I was fifteen (don't ask how old I am, suffice to say we've had decades together). BUT, if the present day romance was going to call back like it did to make the whole "second chance romance" trope work, I think readers needed to see those scenes in present tense. Dani told the reader about what she remembered about Wouter first time around and I just wanted to see all of that for myself. Having Dani remember different things just kept it at a distance which left me feeling a little eh about their love story.

I also feel like readers don't have a chance to really get to know Wouter outside of his relationship with Dani. He's close to his family, he loves his home? What else? Every moment with him was focused on his relation to Dani, whereas Dani interacted with Iulia, her parents, her sister, and countless other people. So we know alot about Dani, but only know Wouter as an extension of her almost, which doesn't help sell the love story.

Another thing is that at some points it felt a little like we were stuck in neutral, waiting for more to happen. Dani is trying to find a job, doesn't want to admit she's in love with the man she married, is tired of lying to people, tired of how she doesn't feel like she measures up to some ideal miracle story, lather, rinse, repeat. By the time everything blows up, because that's always the way it goes in these stories, I was just a little *shrugs shoulders* about it all.

I will say I was happy to see our previous happy couple, Chandler and Finn, still going strong on a vacation in Amsterdam. Theirs was the romance I was waiting to see in a different form between Dani and Wouter.

The story was sweet. I appreciated the focus on Dani's mental health and how that was shaped and what it meant for her to get the balance she needed. It just wasn't enough to make me love her character. It bums me out, when all is said and done.

Rating: 7.5 Stars

Book Review: I'll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong

Originally Written: May 13, 2025
 

It was okay. Started out really well, kept my attention but once the reveals start, I just thought meh. I'm not a fan of generational madness and revenge plots that happen because how dare the villain actually get their comeuppance? They should not have had to suffer because they killed someone, so let's convince the gullible to believe it was all lies and let's kill some more.

Oh, good grief.

I read this because it's Kelley Armstrong and the next Rip Through Time novel is almost out, and I genuinely enjoy her books. I just don't seem to connect much with her one-off horror releases. Not that I'll avoid them in the future. There's a release coming up soon that I have pre-ordered, and I will try again to see if I love that book, but you know, my expectations aren't that high but fingers crossed to be pleasantly surprised.

Maybe horror stories just aren't for me anymore? The villain always ends up some lame idiot who thinks they did no wrong and can't let go of the fact that they are the bad guy and not the hero they are in their heads. By the end of the books, I want the realization to sink in that they are F'ed up in the head and going away for a long time but it's never that ending and I get tired and bored of their wheels spinning, repeating their claims.

Phooey and bah humbug, apparently.

Rating: 4 .5 Stars

Book Review: Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan

Originally Written: April 20, 2025
 

.........blegh and hmmph.

I was a little charmed to start with. Which is good, the book needs to hook the reader. But then we get to the following morning, the one where Clark tries to get Riley fired and I just felt an automatic shutdown of interest in their story.

Their battle escalates from there and I just wanted to skim over everything because I do not support characters who not only fight, but fight dirty, in a romance.

The way I think of it is, if a person wants to go and get their cards read, that is THEIR business. I am not going to march into the shop and say the person is a fake and a charlatan for reading tarot cards or for conducting a séance or anything else. It is not MY business how someone else chooses to deal with anything unless it is a threat to themselves or others, as in it is going to result in bodily harm or worse.

So what if Riley said she could break curses? If they wanted to hire her, for the love of everything in the world, why the hell did Clark get himself all twisted out of shape and decide to get rid of her? And then we readers are supposed to see their tension as they struggle with their professional lives intersecting while working through an attraction to each other and I just called FOUL every time they made eyes at each other, or more like every time they were in the same room.

*sigh*

I'm going to take a moment and compare this to Fan Service, Danan's most recent release, which I just read. In that book, FMC Alex does not like MMC Devin because of a bad fan interaction from when she was a teenager. He made a comment that she overheard in which he states she's so weird and is going to die alone because of an elaborate costume she created for the fan convention. She's understandably heartbroken and has been sour on him ever since. When he needs her help, she keeps her distance. She's wary of his charm and measures everything he says against that experience with him.

When Devin sought out Alex's help, she made sure to get what she needed, money, so she could help her Dad with medical bills. She wanted to blow him off but she took the higher road, paid yes, but still willing to put it some hard work to help him out. When they eventually rehash the encounter, they are able to have a cathartic talk about both sides of what happened. It felt organic, and as a reader I was rooting for them, despite what had happened in the past.

This book did not have those moments of growth. The reflection needed to make the love story about true love and not lust that makes you blind and stupid. These two characters continually hurt each other, again and again, and I was not happy. I was more interested in the story about the curse and I wish there were more chapters to show a past timeline, just to give me a break from Clark and Riley.

I've decided to read Danan's books going forward, not backward, in releases. Danan knows what they are doing, they can make a charming book and characters. I just think I am better off reading from this point forward, where hopefully the growth of characters is par for the course, and not left at the wayside like this book did. I just can't support a love story where the fights are meant to draw blood to prove their points. It just makes me side eye their connection and think their story has an expiration date. It was not cute or fun, and if it's not that, what then do I have to root for?

Rating: 2.5 Stars

Book Review: Schemes and Scandals by Kelley Armstrong

Originally Written: April 11, 2025
 

And now I'm scolding myself because really? Really? I couldn't wait until Death at a Highland Wedding was maybe 3 or 4 days away from release before finishing this? I waited this long, what was another few weeks?

In my defense, I bought the first 2 books for my Dad and he's almost done with book 1 and he adores it so maybe that's why I thought, oh yeah, I still have the novella to finish. That way I can answer any questions he has about the series (there is no spoiler too spoilery to give away if he wants to know, which I get because I'm the same way, like father, like daughter).

Still, at least I have the hardcover and eBook on preorder. I'll be sitting happy as a clam with my book soon enough. Just need to keep repeating that.

As for the story, Armstrong does not disappoint. We readers get some wonderful interactions with Mallory and Duncan as they work to solve the mystery of a blackmailer out to humiliate a person from Gray's past if the ransom is not paid. The novella fills in a bit of questions about Duncan and a past acquaintance, details appreciated in the long run of this series. Along with some interesting facts about holidays in Scotland, it all worked out to a more light-hearted adventure compared to the previous releases.

All in all, good holiday fun. I'm not one for holidays but I can enjoy them when they're more like this, there but not the focus. I love these characters so anything extra between book releases is fine by me. And yes, I splurge and get the Subterranean Press releases. It's an indulgence I allow only every once in a while, and Armstrong is on my automatic preorder list, no questions asked.

And now I'm going back to read the series over. New Books, you say? Why would I go read something new when I have these books to read again?

Rating: 10 Stars

Book Review: Sadako-San and Sadako-Chan by Aya Tsutsumi

Originally Written: April 5, 2025
 

I'll admit, I've forgotten where I heard about this one. Also, not a fan of the movies or anything that inspired this, so I'm definitely not the audience for this.

The artwork was cute but the general story is just meh. And where the blimey is Sadako-chan's mother? What about all human functions for her while she is apparently not supposed to get out of a locked closet? So confused.

Rating: 2.5 Stars 

Looking Back: Where was her mom? She mentioned her mom, even looked for her, and yet never any actual sightings. I'm still confused by that.

Book Review: Fan Service by Rosie Danan

Originally Written: April 2, 2025
 

Crazy enough, I actually liked this for the most part.

One star off for all of the references. I am not a fan of books with so many entertainment references, it feels like in a few years, they will not age well. I will be honest, I'm not even the age of the MMC and I didn't get some of the references. So, meh, not my thing, I guess.

Half a star off because of the age of the MMC. Devin was sweet for a lot of the story but at the same time, he came across as closer to Alex's age, which I think would have worked better? Or maybe that would have skewed too close to the fandoms this almost sounds like, but again, this could be any number of supernatural series' from the last however many years, there are seriously so many to compare to, I can't even be sure what specifics are linked to this story but I digress. Back to the book, the age gap kind of felt inconsequential. I forgot about it half the time until a character referenced his age and I thought, oh yeah, he's supposed to older than Alex.

And another half star off for the lack of seeing the secondary characters a little more on the page. Cam and Eliza are supposed to be Alex's best friends, but they are mainly left as names in group chat bubbles which is a bit bleh for me. I actually had to scan back through my library eBook to remember their names. I understand the point of them, I just wish we saw more of them as people and not just as words on a screen which are then words on a page of a book. I wanted more to them, the same we saw of Alex's Dad, Isaac, and Rowen, the kid Alex is a mentor for, or even Seth, Alex's co-worker. Even then though, needed more of those characters as well, they were charming and sweet, perfect examples for what keeps Alex in a town where she actively does not necessarily fit in and yet still belongs.

Again, I did like this book. Now I'll go back and try reading Danan's other books. I'm always on the lookout for feel good books that will make me smile. I'm still in the newborn trenches and not getting any sleep, happy books keep me sane.

Rating: 7 Stars

Book Review: Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria

Originally Written: March 10, 2025
 

Giving this one ALL the stars just to emphasize how different it was from the other stories in this series. I'm also double-checking when the next Primas of Power book is out (side note: end of May, blast) because more of Daria's writing to read is my current goal. Guess I can always read the books again, which I should in preparation for the next release.

This story was sweet and endearing. There were enough tidbits to round out the characters without feeling swamped with detail or wishing for more. The title was just to be cute but in the end, I didn't mind, which is funny because I am not a fan of Christmas. Books/stories set during the holidays really have to do more to get me to forget that Christmas is such a big part of the story. I felt sorrow for Evie and I thought Theo was sweet, and the two of them together were toothachingly cute.

If I had a Christmas tradition, it would be to read this story to put a smile on my face and to help me forget the chaos of family invading my home for the holidays.

Rating: 9 Stars

Book Review: Merriment and Mayhem by Alexandra Bellefleur

Originally Written: March 8, 2025
 

I was going to write that this was my first time reading Bellefleur until I took a quick look through their book listing on the author page and OH, hey, I did read that book a while back. Hmmm, I wasn't a fan of it.

This one I liked. There's a possibility my 3 star ratings are more a reflection of the fact that I am just not all that into short stories? Not sure. There was a bit of distance with these characters, I feel like I didn't get to know them as well as the characters from the other installments. Maybe that's a bit of a double-edged sword.

Overall, it was cute. It needed a little bit more but it was cute. Will have to try a different Bellefleur novel in the future.

Rating: 7.5 Stars

Book Review: All By My Elf by Olivia Dade

Originally Written: March 8, 2025
 

Dade's books are better. I have her next book, Zomromcom, already on preorder and I'm patiently waiting for the next bn sale to preorder the Harlot's Bay sequel.

Also, I don't understand a traffic incident that leaves people stranded on the road in the snow overnight? Is this a thing up north? If so, my deepest condolences and most sincere apologies. Where I'm from, we barely have 3 seasons, and where I was born there's maybe 2 but usually just the one season, called sweltering heat. First time I saw a leaf that had turned orange because of the fall, I was in my mid-20s. And the first time I saw snow that stuck to the ground was early 30s. A scenario like being stranded like that with a bunch of people seems really far-fetched.

And it just ends? I might have given it another star if there'd been another conversation about trying to figure out future plans for their jobs but nothing. Like I said, Dade's books are better. Don't judge Dade on this story, try something else before moving on.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Book Review: Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey

Originally Written: March 3, 2025
 

I knew what to expect and still, I just.....blech, I think?

If anyone has read the reviews of those kind enough to take the time to put some of the more, well, colorful, quotes in their writing to explain the overall effect of this story, then that is really all you need to know what this is about. Or really it can just take the place of reading this story. Seriously, I read the reviews and the quotes and now their source and I feel like I have read those words too many times and now they're seared into my brain.

Bailey has some really great books, and I will continue trying them in the hopes of finding something great again in the stories. This one is a no though, thanks so much, fingers crossed the next one is better.

Rating: 1.5 Stars

Book Review: Cruel Winter With You by Ali Hazelwood

Originally Written: March 3, 2025
 

Was honestly thinking I'd only like Hazelwood's novels, as I was not a fan of those stories from a few years back, but I did like this one. I actually was hoping for a little epilogue to show a time jump or something but fine, it ends where it did. Still, I liked it, so huzzah for that.

 

Rating: 7.5 Stars 

Looking Back: That's right, I actually liked this novella. It surprised me in the end, it was one of the better ones in this series.

Book Review: The Dark We Know by Wen-Yi Lee

Originally Written: January 28, 2025
 

I mostly loved this, honestly. I loved the voice and the characters, the tension about a something that haunts the town and believes driving kids to their deaths is a way of saving them for their own good.

So why the 1 star off? Because there were several instances in which Isa and Mason were confronted by adults in power who were trying to force them to comply to their way of life. Comply in the sense that the "angel" choosing certain kids meant they were expendable if it kept the rest of them in line.

But why? How much did they know about the creature that their ruling family ended up creating in their quest for expanding their power and reach in the mountains? How could they turn a blind eye and make up a lie like an "angel" that went after these children and made them hurt themselves or worse? How did the parents that lost kids keep in line with the town when their kids suffered such horrible fates?

Isa and Mason had run-ins with the ruling family of the town, the pastor of the church, and the chief of police, all of which demonstrated some understanding of what was going after them. Every time they said something like Isa and Mason weren't as much of an adult than they believed they were, it came off as a threat because the "angel" only went after anyone younger than what? Early 20s? Because Trish was also driven to hurt herself. And how does that tie in with the plot?

I loved the story. I feel like the "adults" should have forgotten what terrorized their town unless they'd personally suffered like Isa's Mom had. Adults ignoring and hiding the truth does not fit without more information to link them in about how they helped spread the lie and how it helped them personally. At this point, I guess it's just because, as I finished the book in 2 days and I have all these questions still about why they went along with it. Survival of the fittest?

Maybe they should have been left out completely, it would not have taken anything away from Isa and Mason and Otto and Trish as they worked hard to save the kids of their town. It had a bittersweet quality, watching them confront their pain and their past while trying to save themselves and each other.

Put me down for Wen-yi Lee's next book. I bought this one after reading it from the library first. I'm ready for more dark, tragic kids and their ghosts.

Rating: 8.5 Stars

Book Review: Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio

Originally Written: December 13, 2024
 

And it just.......ends?

Like that?

I'm sorry to say that it took me forever to get into reading this book. In fact, I was still in the first chapter last night and thinking I would return it to the library, put my name on the hold list, and try reading it again however many weeks from now when it gets back to me. But it's a novella, and I told myself to power through.

Interesting concepts, I'll give it that. The workings of something chilling that just never fully hits its stride for me. I was bored for the most part and I still have so many questions about the characters more so than the story itself.

Either way, I've seen other books use mushrooms as some kind of contagion done with more oomph than this one had. Specifically the novella What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher, whose cover seems to have at least inspired this one. And I loved that story.

Or is it fungus? Spores, mold and fungus to be precise, for those of us that recognize the quote and can pull off the impression.

Well, I say as long as my mushrooms are cooked and on pizza or in pasta, I think I'll keep them on my menu. I haven't seen enough in this story to make me set them aside for awhile as I process new squick feelings about them. So that's a bummer in its own way, I guess.

Rating 1.5 Stars