Book Review: Back For Blood: Never Whistle at Night Part II: An Indigenous Horror Anthology edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

I have the first book to this series so when I saw that there was supposed to be a Part II with a more horror edge, I jumped at the chance to read and review it, despite the fact that I haven't read the first one. Still, I am a horror fan and I thought I'd take a shot at reading a short story collection of just that type of writing. Some of these stories were amazing but, truth be told, I did not end up loving this as much as I thought I would. I'm pretty confident that this is an entirely me and not the book sort of situation as I'm just starting to realize that maybe the short story format is not the right fit for me. Still, I would like to go into detail on some of my favorites in this book so here we go.

Miss Cherokee Princess 1996 by Jessica Doe was the perfect opener for this collection and it definitely grabbed my attention. My note for this story simply reads, "Whoa." That's it, that's what I made a note of and I can still remember the detail of this story this many days later while writing this review. The ideas behind what someone thinks will make them more of anything, especially to win a pageant, and what they will do to get those things made my stomach turn in the best way. I'll be looking into more writing from Doe just because of this story.

Animal Dumb by P.C. Verrone made me feel a little heartbroken for the characters. The lead's struggle and then the way it ended made me wish I could have spent more time with these characters.

Civilized by A.J. Eversole was unsettling, the ideas behind it and the maybe reveal are still in my head and I'm left wondering about the ending. At the same time, it speaks volumes about what was hidden away when no one cared about the victims of violent crimes.

Footprints by Sonia Maria Barry was a another devastating and heartbreaking bit of horror. The fact that this could happen and did happen just makes my stomach turn and my heart twist. This story will live in my head for probably the rest of time.

My last favorite was Toothjar by Ramona Emerson, an unsettling look at what happens to the world when a virus starts killing people off. I'm not sure when it was meant to be set but the idea felt familiar and it was that fact that made it resonate for me as I read this story. I could understand why things went the way that they did and I know this story will stay in my head. I have questions but I think this was left at just where it needed to be, without all the answers placed on the page.

I will be following each of these authors to their other works. These are the stories that will stay with me and I really loved these tales.

Some of the other stories were interesting but I feel like a lot of them could have benefited from being expanded on just a bit more. Some of the stories also felt like too much like the "creature of the week" vibe, building up to a monster reveal only for the story to end a page or so later and I wasn't really unsettled by the monsters that were seen for the little page time that they had in each story. Also, there were a few stories that just felt too out there for me, leaving me confused about what a few of the stories were even about, and one or two even left me confused about who was even talking.

In the end, I respect what was chosen for this installment but, for me, I wasn't scared by these stories so the overall effect of the book is lost on me. I still plan on reading the first book, as I'm sure I will find a few gems that will lead me to more writers to follow. Again, I am fairly certain this is all on me as a reader and that this book will be adored by many, many readers who will love the monsters and the horror and the unsettling images placed on these pages.

Rating on my Scale: 6.5 Stars. I think the sad truth is that I'm not a fan of short story anthologies. I might need to continue to try them to see if I can start to appreciate them more but for now, I'll leave this book to the readers I'm sure will love and adore it the way it should be loved.

My thanks to NetGalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. for the eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: A (Dead) Thing Like Me by E.G. Young

The title drew me in, I'll admit that from the start. Then the cover art was eye-catching and I needed to know the plot of the book. A (Dead) Thing Like Me convinced me to read it with a mention of a ouija board and banana peppers, easy as that. As I was reading, I was intrigued by everything, every moment between Hot Dog and Logan, drawn in to their story of friendship and their learning about each other. I'm glad I took a chance on the book with the coffin on the cover because now I'll be following E.G. Young to their next book, just to see what else comes out of a mind that created such an intriguing premise as a debut novel because seriously, very respectable read, I truly believe that.

A (Dead) Thing Like Me is about a ghost called Hot Dog, a teenage ghost that haunts a hot dog stand outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Hot Dog has been trying for so long to get the owner of the stand to see her until one night she's summoned through a ouija board to a party in Florida and now everyone can see her. Everyone runs away except for Logan, the artist that was trying to summon her dead best friend and got Hot Dog instead. Hot Dog, who has stitches holding her mouth shut and a dress that chatters, wants to be Logan's best friend and is determined to prove she can do everything that a real live girl can do. But Hot Dog is not a human girl and something is following her. It has a place in Logan's house where it wants to drag Hot Dog through and in order to get it to leave her alone, Hot Dog will have to remember who she once was and how she died. If not, the thing that wants Hot Dog won't stop with just Hot Dog, it will take Logan too.

Young has created an interesting world here where Hot Dog exists just a little beyond the normal scope of things. She sees everything as it is and desperately wants to be a part of the world again, she yearns to be a normal girl and that emotion made her feel familiar. It was easy to move with Hot Dog, to watch her with Logan and to see how Logan knew about ghosts and easily accepted Hot Dog into her world. At the same time, Young added in these truly unsettling and sometimes beautiful additions to show what is a part of Hot Dog's afterlife. We see things that would explain why Hot Dog doesn't remember who she was and it was an interesting way to show how the dead lose things when they lose their body. I also loved the way Hot Dog held on to things that were important to her, the idea of being able to go back to those things the way she did was a really heartwarming aspect of the book. Young has so many interesting and unique ideas with Hot Dog and the journey through the book to see all of it was a treat.

Hot Dog and Logan felt so familiar, easily believable as teenage girls in the world today. They had recognizable concerns and griefs and their yearning to understand everything made them girls that I wanted to help and protect. Their pain made them tragic and yet they kept going, trying to figure out the truth about Hot Dog and trying to help Logan process her grief over the loss of her best friend. When these two were together, I could see how well they worked to make the other try to be more, especially with Hot Dog as she discovered more about just what she was capable of as a ghost. Their back and forth was charming and their growing friendship showed how they were growing together as characters that were changing for the better. Hot Dog was desperate to be Logan's new best friend, to prove that she could be normal, but it turned out that the things that made Logan want to talk to Hot Dog were the things that made her weird and different, aside from the fact that she was dead. In the end, I wanted to keep these girls safe and the reveals at the end of the novel were both unexpected and exactly what I thought was going to happen and those together were the perfect way to leave these girls.

As for plot, I was sure of some reveals but there were some unexpected turns that this book took that left me with my jaw hanging open because wow, that hit hard. The whys about what is following Hot Dog and how it was created were so devastating in nature. What started as trying to figure out who Hot Dog once was turned into why did Hot Dog do all of this to hide her truth from herself. Every clue led to something else, to explain something more that expanded the world and filled in a little more detail about Hot Dog until everything was revealed and when the truth was discovered I felt vindicated and then heartbroken for her. I want to say more but I will continue to avoid spoilers with soon to be published books so this is where I will end this review. I will add though that I still have some questions about the story and certain characters and I'm sure it's just me being nitpicky that those questions still ring in my head when I think of this book. I loved so many different parts of this book, I just don't think it's going to live on in my head for years and years.

In the end, I think E.G. Young is an extremely talented writer and I hope to be able to read more books by them in the future. If you like books with unsettling imagery and ghosts trying to be your new best friend, look no further, because Hot Dog is the ghost for you.

Rating on my scale: 8 Stars. I wanted to love this and there were many parts that awed me. At the same time, I am left with questions about different things. I feel like there were things that were left unexplored, maybe for a good reason, so if there's another book in the future in this world, most likely I will up the rating on this book. Either way, this was a great read and it introduced me to a writer I'm sure I will love in the future and that makes it worthwhile for me.

My thanks to NetGalley, Holiday House and E.G. Young for the eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Want Me, Take Me, Haunt Me, Make Me by Isabel Crowely

It was the title of this book that convinced me to request it. The rhythm of the words just rolled around in my head, leaving me feeling like I was trying to sing it over and over to myself after only reading the title once. I had actually left the page, convinced I didn't have the time to read this book so I needed to leave it behind but that title was still twirling around in my mind so five minutes later, after having put my phone down so I could go to sleep, I signed back in specifically to request this title and crossed my fingers before falling asleep. When I got my approval, I cheered, and once I'd opened this book, I knew my instincts were right.

This book was glorious.

I loved this book within the first few pages. I was intrigued by every aspect of this story. The descriptions kept me riveted to the page, the ideas and the characters kept me reading and I was not surprised when I looked at the clock and realized it was nearly the middle of the night and I needed to actually sleep. I can't believe this is a debut, it was that impressive in scope for me and a new favorite of not just 2026 but of all time. You can rest assured, I will be paying attention to every book release from Isabel Crowley from now until the end of all time. That is how much I ended up loving this book.

Want Me, Take Me, Haunt Me, Make Me follows Hazel Lewis, a medium who has been hired to conduct a seance for a man who is dying. Except when she enters his room, Hazel realizes that it is a trap set by the old man, a serial killer who has made a deal with a demon. Hazel gets away after being bitten by the demon but now things are changing for the worst. The bite is letting the supernatural bleed into the world around Hazel, causing hauntings and threats all around her. Not to mention if Hazel dies, the serial killer gets to take over her body so he can continue with the work he used to do. Hoping she can find a solution to her problem but also wanting to keep people safe, Hazel moves to an old house in a secluded location, ready to research every book she can find in order to figure out what her next move should be. As Hazel works to understand her new reality, a reporter learns about her last client and tracks her down, demanding answers. At the same time, Hazel meets her new neighbor, a bird watcher she seems to have a connection with but can't pursue thanks to the imminent danger that is waiting to use her for something horrible. Add to that the face that watches her at night that Hazel can't help feeling drawn to, wondering about who the demon has sent to keep watch on her. Hazel will need to figure out who she is and what she truly wants before the bite changes things forever, for better or for worse for her and the people in her life.

The world of this wonderfully titled book was easy to step into as it was ours but with just an added layer to it.  The idea of the supernatural existing already was something easy to believe in except in this book, it is a reality for our lead character, Hazel, a medium who does jobs on the side while working a regular job to pay her bills. I thought this was such an interesting aspect to the story, the fact that Hazel was a regular person, had her own things to take care of but it just so happens that she has the ability to see beyond our world, she can find spirits, conduct seances and cast protection spells on her house. I was willing to believe everything Hazel said because she felt like an authoritative figure, someone who had been doing this kind of thing for the majority of her life and who knew what she was talking about. The reader is basically thrown in to the first seance alongside Hazel and we are just taken along for the ride, easily absorbed into the story and the dangers that Hazel is now being faced with. I appreciated the "hit the ground running" feel of the introduction and I was quickly impressed by the world that Crowley colored just a little differently than ours. Not to mention the descriptions of the supernatural, which were enough to make me both delighted and a little freaked out by because Crowley definitely has a talent for horror elements and it was wonderful to behold the terrors that Hazel had to face. Half the time I was smiling and the other half I was cringing because wow, Crowley had a vision and it was executed perfectly in this story. Every detail was amazing and was easy to see these things in the corners of my rooms where the light could never hit right.

Character wise, Hazel was absolutely BRILLIANT. Honestly, I have no complaints whatsoever about this lead, I loved her, the way her mind worked and how she tried to solve her problems. I loved the fact that when faced with something she didn't know how to fix, her solution was to find any and every obscure text so she could painstakingly research everything to try to find a way to stop the demon and the serial killer that was determined to destroy her. I also loved Ligat, the follower of the demon that is forced to shadow Hazel's every move, reporting back to his master so they can be sure that Hazel has not found a way to save herself. The way that Crowley balances these characters, people who seem to have in common the fact that they want to stop the demon from gaining access to the regular world, was exceptionally done. I loved the way the reveals were done, the development that went into Hazel and her developing connection to her neighbor and the way she started to question the motives of the creature sent to watch her. Everything was done with a deft hand and Crowley set up some interesting twists that while yes, I thought that was going to happen, the fact still remained that this particular twist was only the start of something that just kept building and I couldn't wait to see exactly where all our characters would end up.

I will also say that the balance between horror and romance was top-notch. I wasn't expecting the amount of romance that ended up in this book but you'll hear no complaints from me about the way the book unfolded by the end. I was intrigued from the start about the idea of what it would take to make someone willing to make a deal with a demon and the fact that Crowley explored this from a couple of different angles was so interesting. I loved the question it made me want to ask concerning one of the leads, to explain why this character ended up in the position that they were in and how they were trying to get themselves out and make things better too. The fact of the matter was to get these characters to find something they were willing to sacrifice themselves for, something other than themselves, and that as a motivating factor made this story a little bittersweet and at the same time, something heartwarming. I LOVED the way this book turned out and enjoyed every moment it took to get there.

If Crowley decides to continue writing in this world, I will be there to read more about Hazel and her friends. Either way, I will be reading any and every book that Crowley will hopefully publish in the years to come because this book will be my entire personality for the foreseeable future. End of story.

Rating on my Scale: 10 Magnificent Stars!! I adored this story. I had so much fun with Hazel and I can't wait to have this book added to my bookshelves. I'm already trying to figure out what shelf will be dedicated to all books by Isabel Crowley, as I'm sure there will be plenty of books to join this one in no time flat.

My thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca and Isabel Crowley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Book Review: Havoc by Constance Fay

The color of the cover art for Calamity caught my eye one night, a feat if there ever was one, as I was the mother to a newly turned 1-year-old and was still using a pump at night while everyone was asleep. I wanted to read something that would catch my attention and keep me from nodding off while I was working and there it was, Calamity by Constance Fay. A sci-fi adventure with romance? I finished that book in less than 2 days. Fiasco came out a few months before my second was born, the perfect book for late nights trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in and Chaos kept me company at night again, this time with a newborn in my arms, while I tried to survive the trenches of nighttime feedings. I loved every story, every pair that each book focused on, but I will admit, it was Itzel's book that I was waiting for and I'm so happy that Constance Fay decided to publish this. I pre-ordered it the moment it was available. I leapt at the chance to read this early and danced around when I got my copy. Like I said, this was the story I had been waiting for and it did not disappoint me one bit. Over the last few years, I've grown to adore this crew and it was a pleasure to spend time with them again for this last adventure. I will follow Constance Fay to every book release for years to come and if there is ever another adventure with this crew, sign me up. I will gladly follow these people wherever it is they go next.

Havoc, follows Itzel, who grew up as part of a monastery devoted to a death goddess but Itzel was forced out after a disastrous mission and has been a part of Temperance Reed's crew on the Calamity for years. The thing is, occasionally, Itzel still receives a name and because of her training and her beliefs, she does what she was trained to do, believing that it is not her place to question her orders, as she thinks it was that very thing that got her kicked out to begin with. When the crew of the Calamity is invited to attend a gathering that has all the most powerful families in the universe on one ship, Itzel joins them and that is where her old superiors give her another name. That name is Lucien Chandra, considered a prince to the Chandra family and a person from Itzel's past. Itzel wants to question her orders but she still tries to do what she was told to do and when that doesn't go exactly to plan, Itzel realizes she wants to learn more about Lucien and is starting to do just that when the Family Summit is hit with sabotage. Now faced with figuring out how to keep everyone safe, Itzel and Lucien have to work together to face a new enemy. If they succeed, the Families could start making a new world for everyone. For Itzel, she would have to discover if Lucien is willing to see a future with her in it beside him.

The world-building for these books has always grabbed my attention. The idea of the Families, how they wield power and then try to force others to do as they want by whatever means necessary, their politics, it all just makes for the most intriguing backdrop for each individual adventure. We are first introduced to the Families in Calamity, specifically through Captain Temperance Reed, who has been banished by her brother, the current head to the Reed family who after various events in the books are now part of the Five, known as the most influential and powerful of the families. Readers know that Temper hates the Families and then we thrown into an adventure in which we learn about every member of her crew while also getting to know Arcadio Escajeda, the second child of the Escajeda Family. It was the perfect way to give readers an in for this world, to help us to recognize the found family aspects of the crew and what they would do to keep each other safe and how Temper leads as a person who implicitly trusts her crew and loves them. It also helped with learning about another member of a Family and how Temper falling for them changes everything she had known in ways that will change the future for her, her crew and the Families they both came from.

Each book builds on this framework, the idea that the Families have something brewing that affects someone on the crew of the Calamity and everyone rallies together in their own way to help them. Each book also builds on the threat that the Families have on everyone they rule over with Chaos putting the Five in place for Havoc to have them all on one ship, with the idea being that one Family has been caught with nefarious plans and now has to be dealt with accordingly. Fay has built an intricate system in these books with the politics and the ruling power of the Families and each book works to display yet something else about the way this world works. Each member of the crew has has their own dealings with the Families, their own past they have tried to get away from, their own plights and struggles. Havoc is a culmination of the past three books and a worthy addition to the overall story arc and a fitting conclusion to the storyline. I said it before and I'll say it again, I was waiting for this book and everything that occurred kept my attention through many happenings in my world and it was a wonderful experience to read this book.

As for the characters, I've LOVED Itzel from the start. She always came across as interesting, having first been introduced as part of a religious order, or even a cult, that was devoted to the Dark Mother of the Void. She's small but deadly and her hands are covered in the tattoos that mark each name she has successfully gotten rid of for her previous order. She liked to make up new euphemisms that felt fun when they were revealed and she was happy to give people a shot to be part of the crew. I knew I would love her even more once she was the focus of the book and I can definitively say that Itzel did not disappoint. I loved the way she worked with her friends and how her past colored her present and her interest in Lucien Chandra. Every decision that Itzel made was carefully considered and the fact that she was so powerful was a treat. I loved how easy it was for her to move around, to fight and assess situations. She was just so much FUN to be with for this book and I knew it was going to be that way once I heard for sure that Havoc would be focused on her. I thought Lucien was the perfect match for her. Here was a guy who knew about Itzel's past and still trusted her, who believed in her, who cared so much about her after one adventure with her in their past. I loved how he was trying to keep so much on his shoulders and was trying to find a way to beat the threat that was hanging over his head without hurting anybody. He was admirable in his own right and was the exact type of person that would be perfect for Itzel. After spending three books learning about every member of the crew of the Calamity, it was wonderful to get to spend so much time with each of them in this book. We got to see each of them in their element, working hard to defeat their adversaries and keep everyone they loved safe and their back and forth with each other was a delight to witness. I had a feeling this book would be spectacular and it was that and more.

What really drew my attention to Itzel from the start was the Order that raised her and Fay does not shy away from discussing an order that raises acolytes for the express purpose of being assassins. Itzel was abandoned as a baby, left with the order, and she was great at her job until her last mission that got her expelled. I found the discussion interesting, the fact that even though she'd been kicked out, Itzel's faith was such an important part of her character. This was a woman whose faith was such an important part of her, that she wondered about her choices and how it would align with what she'd been raised to believe. The reveals given in this book that moved Itzel into a "crisis of faith" were surprising and the way it was woven into so much of this book for Itzel made me feel so much for her. I wanted to keep Itzel safe from what she was discovering and I was so grateful that she had Lucien by her side through every change that happened. Also, the reveals were just whoa, unexpected and yet at the same time, exactly what I feared would be revealed and the way Itzel moved with that and overcame what she went through were inspiring to see.

In the end, Havoc was a great way for this series to close. I loved each of these books and I can't wait to get my official paperback copy of Havoc to have next to the rest of the Uncharted Hearts series. If you have been wondering whether or not to try this series, you won't be disappointed with any of these books as each is worth reading several times over. If you love a sci-fi adventure that has a natural love story woven into it, you need to pick up this whole series and start reading. You'll thank me later.

Rating on my Scale: 10 Stars. I loved this series and LOVED Itzel, and Fay did something great with this series. It was not a disappointment at any point and I will be reading this series again and again in the future. Every book was a high point and if you've already been a fan, be prepared to love Itzel and Lucien and where the rest of the crew are by the time Havoc comes to an end.

Book Review: No Gods West of Here by Hanna Gaard

When I think about the book, No Gods West of Here, the first thing that catches my attention is the title. There is something almost lyrical about the way the words flow for the title of this book. It caught my attention and just held it, called to the poetic pieces of my soul, made me so invested in reading this book. Having just finished the book again, because yes, I went back a bit to just read the last quarter of the book for a second time, I am still left with the same resounding thought. That thought?

When is book 2 available?

I'm still reeling from the reveals, from the intricate details of the world-building, from the gamut of emotions I felt for every character in this book. I was devoted to this story by the second chapter and I blazed through this entire adventure in a day and a half. That's how much I truly LOVED this book. I am so grateful that there will be a second installment, I can't wait to try requesting it to read and I can't wait for my official copy to arrive.

And now, for the rest of the review.

No Gods West of Here follows Talia Salaren, a young scholar who wishes to continue her research but has been doing what everyone else wants from her for her entire life. Talia has discovered a journal that was written by one of the dead god's and everything she has found in those pages changes everything about the world as she knew it, proving that the gods are not what she was raised to believe. Talia decides to travel across the sea to Gateway for a fellowship, hoping to find more sources that would prove that the information she has found in the journal is the truth. While there, Talia ends up caught up in the schemes of a prophet/cult leader, a man who claims to have the same interest in the gods that Talia has focused her research on. Except that he's not interested in only studying the gods or finding the truth, he wants to become a god himself and he believes he knows exactly how to do that and he will use Talia to do that. Talia joins his expedition to the location he thinks will have everything that they would need to learn about the gods, but as they travel, Talia begins to see things differently about everyone in her company and everyone she knew back home. Talia is tempted by the promises cult leader has claimed he can fulfill but at the same time, Talia understands that if she chooses that path, she will become a tool under someone else's control, and now she has to understand what it will take for her to become something more than she has ever let herself want or even consider she could become ever before.

Back to the title, I love the scope it seems to suggest. The idea is that the gods once existed, something concrete that is still in evidence, but now they are gone and having that as this as fact expands the world before the opening line of the book even hits. Once the story starts, we're already on a boat, leaving everything behind for something new. Gaard has this perfect setup, with the ship and the journal that Talia has. We know that what was left behind was worth escaping from and we know that Talia has ambition if she's willing to leave everything she once knew behind. Gaard handles the introduction to her world with ease, allowing the reader to move along with the journey without overwhelming the reader with loads of information about this book world. We know what we need to know and we get every answer we need when we need it. At the same time, the writing is practically effortless, able to keep the reader engaged with every reveal and emotion, the pace moving at a steady clip that makes it so easy to lose track of time while reading this wonderful book. I sincerely loved the pull of the writing, the way it was easy to step into the pages and watch everything unfold. It takes talent to draw readers in like this and Gaard proves that within pages of the opening.

I loved the people of this book. I loved them so much it bears repeating with the caps lock on; I LOVED THESE CHARACTERS. I loved Talia and her eldest daughter tendencies that felt familiar as an eldest daughter myself. I adored Dawn, with her snipe and her revolvers and especially her pink hair. I thought Riven was brilliant and I loved the quiet strength he represented for his friends. I eventually came to enjoy other characters but I feel if I name specifics, I might give too much away so I'll leave that statement where it is. I loved the banter between the characters, the way each one worked with someone and then worked against them. There is no clear line of good versus evil in this book, every character is flawed, they've made mistakes, they've gotten people hurt and then turned around and made sacrifices to save one another. It's that balance that leant a nuance to this book, a feeling of recognition and understanding that can exist when reading about characters that could exist just as easily outside the book as they do within its pages.

Gaard made the wonderful choice to give various characters a voice in this book and I greatly appreciated the opportunity to spend time inside so many different views. I would be so frustrated with one character at one moment only to be defending them a paragraph later and seeing their every thought, their reasonings for what they do, was the ideal way to make me devoted to this group, this found family who fought and loved and breathed and exist in these pages and in my heart. There is no absolute ideal for each character as a villain or a hero and it's that messiness that makes these characters worth following and believing in. Seeing events from different angles helped fill in details that kept building the tension, kept our focus, so that when things culminated in the end, the payoff in the aftermath hit in such a way that I'm still so impressed with. I want to go back and read the book again, just to see every detail to these characters once more and to see if there was anything that I missed. I might need to take notes so that I'm ready for when I get to spend time with these people again in the future.

As for the plot, I was intrigued from the start. Again with the title, the fact that the gods existed is one thing but then Talia finds proof that the gods were different than what everyone believes, that they were jerks and horrible overall, and I wanted to know more about EVERYTHING. Every discovery made, every moment, felt earned and I loved the journey this book took with its characters and their expedition. Everyone was at risk, losses felt like they needed to be mourned, triumphs left me cheering as quietly as I could in the small hours of the night. I want to study every aspect of this story just to be sure I've absorbed every detail this book has given me. And that ending? It left me with both a feeling of elation and trepidation because the reveals that Gaard pulled out by the end were world-shifting in scope. Sincerely, truly, honestly, I LOVED this book. I can't find any other way to say it and I can only sit here waiting, somewhat patiently, to find out what comes next. It's an adventure I can't wait to behold.

In the end, I hope so many people find their way to this amazing adventure. Gaard has a fan for life from this reader and I can't wait to have a shelf dedicated to keeping every book release from Gaard in a place of honor in my library for the rest of time.

Rating on my Scale: a full 10 Stars!! All questions were answered, lines have been drawn in the sand, and I am counting down the days until the next installment is in my greedy hands. I NEED to know what happens next!!

Book Review: A Penance for Crows by Shannon Morgan

Once upon a time, I used to seek out horror. Books, movies, shows, you name it, I was interested in learning more. As a child, my parents would watch the occasional horror movie in the living room, leaving my sister and me in our room with our own choice of film to watch. I would crawl down the hallway and hide behind a rocking chair, watching their choice of film from under the rocking chair arm. I grew up trying to watch every horror movie my Dad had in the house. I would seek out horror and thriller books at the public library when we managed to get there for a day out. But sometime around fifteen, I stopped looking for horror. I'm not sure if I just felt bored with the material, if I'd read too many of the same old stories, if I was figuring out who the villain was before the final girl took her last stand. It's been something I was meaning to get back to for years and this year I FINALLY told myself it was time to try going back to the genre. I've purposely sought out monsters and unreliable narrators, secluded island communities and things that creep out of the dark. That was how I found A Penance for Crows, a story that sounded exactly like the kind of book I was looking to try, a gothic thriller with bit of a mystery thrown in. It was on a list of new horror book releases for the year 2026 and I made a note of seeking out this book at the start of the year and even have my official copy pre-ordered.

It was menacing and tragic and altogether a very, very good book. I want to call it brilliant but the subject matter will sit in the depths of my soul for some time, but fine, yes, brilliant but more almost heartbreaking. That ending though? Everything I didn't know I wanted from this story.

A Penance for Crows follows Grizela Urquhart, who has lived a solitary existence on Beanna Dubh for the last forty years, having fled there in her youth to get away from a lifetime of bullying in Glasgow. Grizela has been on the fringe of a society ruled by their superstitions and the iron hand of the church, once trying to help the other islanders but after being rebuffed, has learned to keep to herself. Life on Beanna Dubh is not what she hoped to find as Grizela has made sure to keep the secrets of her past from the islanders, all the while also witnessing various things the people would rather keep secret or ignore. One morning, Grizela finds the body of the island's younger priest washed up on the beach with a disturbing symbol drawn on his chest. As Grizela starts to hear whispers only she can hear following her and the islanders start to fear that the devil has come to destroy them, Grizela turns her attention to protecting a quartet of girls that she had taken under her wing. But when Grizela learns the real reasons behind the girls' midnight meetings, Grizela listens to the whispers telling her to keep the girls safe and wonders if the secrets of her past will finally come to light.

Morgan has a deft hand with the world-building in this book. The island of Beanna Dubh felt real in the sense of what the location invoked, this sense of isolation and a resistance to embracing modern times. The fact that the people clung to their religion and their superstitions also helped to bring a sense of suspicion to the book, knowing that the islanders allowed themselves to be swayed so easily by someone who could manipulate them with words, eyeing anyone who spoke out against what the majority believed. The islanders were so easily led by people they had put in a position of authority, specifically their priest, and this man was the type who felt like he could rule these people, bend them to his every whim, pass judgement and demand retribution. This leant the book a sense of caution and filled in the details of the story and the world that Grizela lived in, showing exactly what she was trying to protect her girls from as well.

Because that was the kind of world that Morgan has created in this book, a place where you either became a part of the problem or a place you managed to escape. The only in between position was the life Grizela led and that wasn't an appealing existence either. With the superstitions added in, it was easy to feel a sense of unease throughout the book, to wonder if there really were demons being called forth to smite people who had done horrible things. There were also crows everywhere, watching everyone at any time, even going so far as to warn Grizela of certain things or even somehow leading her to where she needed to go. The story behind their existence was another intriguing aspect of the story, making the crows seem like some kind of omen, something that put the people on edge because of the stories they believed about them. The reader was made to wonder if there really were things in the dark with different moments that Grizela witnessed, wandering cemeteries and walking down paths with only a lamp to light her way. The descriptions built a menacing existence and the people in the story did the rest to make this island a place where evil could have taken root and was now serving justice to those who deserved it.

Grizela was an interesting lead, a woman who had been a part of the island for decades but was still ostracized by the occupants of the island who held the most sway with other residents. As a result, Grizela did not have many friends and she had taken on the task of taking care of a quartet of girls that she most identified with, trying her best to protect them. All of this made her a sympathetic character and I loved that she was an older woman in her 60s, someone who had tried to get away from her past and had chosen such an isolated location to build a home. It was easy to want to protect Grizela just as much as I wanted to protect her girls because of the unfairness that seemed to come at them from every direction, the hypocrisy of those who deemed themselves powerful and who judged them in turn. I want to go into the specifics of each girl, Maeve, Nessa, Una and Enya, but a lot of this book depends on learning each girl's individual plight. Suffice to say, I wanted to throw a lot of people off the cliffs of Beanna Dubh as each reveal was made and I have to admit, I smiled as things started to come to light and characters got their comeuppance.

As for the plot, I'll be honest, I wasn't sure what the book was building towards until the last few chapters hit and it was wonderful to question so many things until I finally got my answers. The whispers that Grizela could hear and the things she saw at night left me wondering if she was going mad or if there really were demons on Beanna Dubh, and that delicate balance is a definite plus for the story. I wanted to believe everything that Grizela thought she saw but at the same time, when she doubted herself, I had to wonder what was real. The sense of dread that Grizela felt, watching as the islanders were convinced about demons and then watching the behavior of the crows that seemed to be everywhere, all of this worked to build the suspense of trying to understand what was really going on. The way this book was written, every piece served a purpose, every reveal led to another point that led to another reveal, and by the time I reached the end of the book, the conclusion made everything I questioned make sense and I was admittedly impressed by the outcome. A lot of the draw of this story depends on the way the reader is led through every moment in this book and I, for one, enjoyed every twist and turn this book made.

I might not be able to read this book again for a while. A lot of what was revealed was tragic and it definitely made me angry and frustrated more times than I can recall but at the same time, I loved this book. I loved these characters and I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to read this story. I hope to find the time to read the rest of Shannon Morgan's books as soon as I can afford to add them to my library.

Rating on my Scale: I'm giving this 10 Stars because of the reveal at the end of the book. I'm usually able to see certain things coming but this book caught me off guard and I know I will remember it for a long time as an incredibly respectable read.

My thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing and Shannon Morgan for the eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson

I've never understood the appeal of the whole enemies-to-lovers trope in books. So many of them that I've read over the years are just people with a bit of a misunderstanding that doesn't really feel like a true conflict that would keep them apart. However, with THIS book, I finally get the appeal. This book, the way it started with our leads hating each other and their feud, made me uncomfortable with their conflict and what they were each going through together and separately. I honestly wondered if I was going to even like this book, the conflict was just so visceral to witness on the page. But then the shift started to happen, the changes that felt natural, that inspired hope, and I started to realize that I was going to absolutely ADORE this book before it was over.

I want to read this book all over again and mark down every brilliant line in it and force all my friends to read it and why, you ask? Because it was BRILLIANT!!

Bad Words follows two leads, Parker Navarro, a novelist whose second book will be out soon, and Selina Chan, a book critic for a magazine. Their connection is simple. When Parker's first novel was released, Selina wrote a review that made it flop. Now that Parker's second book is on the horizon, Selina's magazine gives her the assignment of reviewing it and Selina takes the job. Selina writes another blistering review and Parker confronts her at a party because of it. Their confrontation ends up in the news and a feud between them reaches heights neither expected to happen. As the feud brings all kinds of attention down on both of them, Parker and Selina start to come together on their own, working through their issues with each other, their family, friends and their careers in ways that change everything they thought they knew.

The writing and the world-building here made everything so easy to step into for this book. I was right there with Parker when he realized that the critic who panned his first book had written a similar review for his second. I was right there watching Selina as she realized her review had gone live and flat out said she should not have been the one to review it. Their reactions felt natural, their conflict easy to understand, and because of the fact that I write reviews of my own for books I read, I was able to sympathize with both sides of the equation here. Robinson made everything feel easily accessible with each point-of-view, showing us both Parker and Selina's reactions to each escalating moment of their feud. There were moments where I could understand their reasoning for what they had said or done but then there were moments where I felt that they'd gone too far with something and it was this balance that helped make the writing soar for me. Robinson didn't make it easy to love these characters because they were written in a way to show their good and their bad traits. Selina and Parker felt real and because of that, their world felt real, as well.

As for the characters, Selina and Parker were absolutely amazing. I believed their every moment, their every struggle, their triumphs and their moments of conflict. I loved how Robinson made it that it was easy for each character to make a choice that could go either way for the story at any time, to question if they were right, to wonder what the ramifications of something would become. One moment, it was easy to understand why Parker made one choice but then a moment later it was just as easy to shake my head and want to hit the back of his head because NO, why did you DO that? The same went for Selina although I will say that I loved her just a tad bit more. Where Parker seemed to come across as more emotionally motivated with the things he did, I LOVED how level-headed Selina would be when confronted with different things in the story. Her reasoning was impressive and there were moments where she talked through situations in a way that made her feel like a kindred spirit to me. I could see how much each of them tried in the different aspects of their lives and when they started to finally come together, I could see how well they would work together if they could only get out of their own way. But even though I was expecting their coming together, I could also see how simple it would be for each of them to move on and away from each other and it was that delicate balance that Robinson imbued in this story that elevated it for me as a read.

As for the rest of the cast, Robinson filled this book with a lot of different personalities that helped with driving the feud to new heights and helped with keeping the leads in a safe place where they could reassess their situations. I loved Parker's roommate, Arthur, from the moment that he appeared on the page, ready to shield Parker from Selina's review online and everything that was resulting from it. I loved Selina's friends, Jacob, who she'd known since college, and his wife Cassie, who supported Selina when she needed them all while working on their own lives as parents to a growing baby girl. We see bits of family life, a little of Selina's to show the strained relationship she has with her parents but we see all of Parker's siblings and his mom, to show how much he's made himself a problem-solver and how much he's made himself into what he thinks will make others like him. I loved how Robinson showed these pieces of the leads and then made it that when they were together, they found something different and that difference slowly became more appealing the more they got to know each other. These are everyday people with their struggles and pain, realistic because of that and able to draw readers in by being people who could actually exist.

Which brings me to the plot. The idea of this book, a critic being confronted by an author they wrote about, felt like the one of the worst things I could imagine. I could understand the wanting to confront someone, to fight back and try to make them take their words back, but the fact that Parker did it and how he did it, just made my jaw drop a little. It made me feel on edge, wondering about the effects my own reviews could have and I can only hope that my own words have never had the outcome that Selina's had. The ideas of the creative sphere of writing made me wonder about who has the right to decide what anyone can write. Selina was purposely given Parker's second book to review, for the purpose of writing something similar to her previous work. It was expected that she would write something scathing with the hope that it would garner interest from anyone wanting to see the effect her words had on the book's release. The idea seemed to suggest that as a critic, Selina's words had a certain amount of power and it made me wonder, was it right to give her that kind of credit? Was she really able to make or break someone's writing career with her words or was she only drawing attention to merits and flaws that other people would benefit knowing about a book? What if she'd written a glowing review, would they have believed her words or would they have dismissed them because it wasn't what they wanted to read from her?

Were Selina's critics right to make the "points" that they did, to suggest that she was hired for reasons other than the fact that she was a respectable writer? On the other hand, were people fair to make assumptions about Parker's writing, to zero in on lines that they thought were "offensive" when they didn't know what motivated Parker to put those words on the page in the first place? By using words online to criticize Parker and Selina, couldn't it be argued that the audience was just doing the same thing, passing judgement without knowing the whole story, giving too much power to the words they read and the words they were writing in response? How could they pass judgement on something that didn't involve them and weren't the many different responses only showing their own character as opposed to revealing anything true about the two people at the heart of the feud? I loved the discussion this created in the book, the fact that it questioned the effect words have and how learning to see both sides helped Parker and Selina to find the right words for each other going forward. I loved how they both seemed so staunch in their positions before learning to bend, to see a bigger picture, to understand that there was something to benefit from with getting to know each other and the how and whys for the choice of words they would write. They were able to cut out the words of other people and only pay attention to the ones that they cared about, the words that mattered most, and that was a beautiful concept to see come to fruition in the story.

That last line of the book made me smile, the idea it provoked for me making me feel content in a way I wasn't expecting from this story. It was a beautiful book, there's no other way to say it.

Rating on my Scale: 10 Stars. Was there really any doubt I would give it 10 Stars? Well, yes, in the beginning there was but I was willing to see what everything came down to and I'm so grateful I took the chance to read this book. I'll be looking into everything that Rioghnach Robinson has written and will write for the rest of time.