The Summer of Love and Death is a thrilling third in the Ford Family mystery series. In this book, Detective Susan Ford is assigned a new partner, DetThe Summer of Love and Death is a thrilling third in the Ford Family mystery series. In this book, Detective Susan Ford is assigned a new partner, Detective Jack Tomelli. They immediately butt heads, because he’s a young pretty boy that she makes assumptions about. But they don’t have much time to get used to their new work arrangements, because the body of an actor is found at the local playhouse. His murder was staged in a unique and terrifying way. When Susan brings up the case while chatting with her retired detective father, he finds the details to be jarringly familiar.
The body was staged just like a victim he investigated as a rookie–in the summer of 1969.
This book is a murder mystery spanning generations. This story brings Susan and her father together once again for another investigation. The mystery takes them down a long and winding path, riddled with nostalgia for Woodstock and the 1960s. There are occasional, brief chapters set in 1969–written from Susan’s father’s point of view.
Is this a copycat? Or has the killer returned for an encore exactly fifty years later? You’ll have to read to find out!
That Night in the Library is a literary thriller that isn’t quite what I expected. I went into it knowing that it’s literary, though in this case, I tThat Night in the Library is a literary thriller that isn’t quite what I expected. I went into it knowing that it’s literary, though in this case, I think the word “literary” is mostly being used to emphasize that the story has a slower pace, with a lot of character background and flashbacks. I think the poor reception for this book has to do with the fact that thrillers, in essence, are fast paced. They have a lot of twists in the plot, and they get the readers’ blood pumping with adrenaline. This book doesn’t quite do that, and as a result, it feels more like a suspense novel.
I enjoyed the build-up to the “night in the library,” as we got to know the characters and why they chose to participate in this peculiar and mysterious little ritual. That said, none of the characters are particularly likable. Because there are so many characters with complex backstories, it felt like we didn’t have the chance to dig deep into any of their motivations or personality quirks. At least, not enough to push past the unlikable characteristics to truly understand them.
There were some interesting twists in the plot, though the book does unfold exactly how you would expect. Despite the book’s general predictability, the final reveal at the very end gave me chills. The setting is fantastic–a library–and because the story is touted as literary, we do get quite a bit of interesting historical information sprinkled throughout.
All in all, this book was entertaining, despite its slower pace and unlikable characters.
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*Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ebook to review*
I want to be clear that I'm reviewing the anthology published in July 2024, which includes the 2014 novella “Ghost Camera” along with several other shI want to be clear that I'm reviewing the anthology published in July 2024, which includes the 2014 novella “Ghost Camera” along with several other short stories.
Ghost Camera is a collection of short stories with two novellas, one of which is called Ghost Camera. Ghost Camera was previously published in 2014, but Coates decided to revise it to include in this collection of new short stories.
I absolutely adored this anthology. There were a couple of stories that didn’t quite work for me, but most of them were absolutely gripping. Some were incredibly brilliant. Sometimes, after I finished a story, I didn’t want to start the next one. Instead, I just sat there, staring at the wall, contemplating what I’d just read.
My favourite stories (in no particular order): The House on Boxwood Lane Death Birds The Run to Broken Ridge A Box of Tapes
Like with her longform storytelling, Coates does a fantastic job of setting the scene and letting us dive headfirst into the characters’ heads. There’s a supernatural element to every one of these stories. Sometimes it’s revealed gradually, and other times it’s obvious right off the bat. Some of the stories are very short, and others are quite long. The one thing they all share in common is that they have a spooky, spine-tingling twist at the end. I highly recommend this anthology if you’re looking for some bite-sized horror stories to keep you up at night!
Just for the Summer is the hit of the summer! I love Abby Jimenez’s books, and I don’t think she’s capable of writing a bad one.
This book is more thaJust for the Summer is the hit of the summer! I love Abby Jimenez’s books, and I don’t think she’s capable of writing a bad one.
This book is more than just an epic love story with a fantastic concept. Both Emma and Justin suffer from the “Good Luck Curse,” meaning that anyone they date and break up with finds their soulmate immediately afterward. Emma and Justin happen to stumble across each other online, and they come up with a brilliant idea to break the curse–by dating and breaking up with each other. This is an almost-twist on the fake dating trope–but they’re really dating. It’s just not meant to last. But what if they both want it to?
This book has so many layers and imagery and inside jokes throughout. For instance, Emma finds Justin through an Am I the Asshole thread on Reddit, and throughout the book, the two of them will ask each other “Am I the asshole” at the most perfect of spots. The witty banter between them is top notch. Another example (spoiler free!) is how Emma moves to an island, and the island imagery is carried throughout the book to demonstrate her emotional trauma and self-isolation, as she finds the courage to become the woman she wants to be.
This book is women’s fiction while still being a romance at heart, with lots of genuine humour and the occasional heartache. We also get to see characters from Jimenez’s previous books, including the infamous Neil, who we all loved to hate in Part of Your World.
All in all, this book is freaking fantastic, and you should definitely read it!
The Eyes are the Best Part is an eerie, compelling, and poignant story of the making of a Korean-American serial killer.
Kim has managed to write a boThe Eyes are the Best Part is an eerie, compelling, and poignant story of the making of a Korean-American serial killer.
Kim has managed to write a book that’s both thoughtful and propulsive. I read it all in nearly one sitting. It’s gory at times, funny at others, and intensely stressful throughout. The book is almost a drama or literary fiction–but for Ji-Won’s unhealthy mental deterioration that is depicted by her growing obsession with eating eyeballs. Yummm…
There is quite a bit of effective social commentary interwoven into the plotline. It doesn’t feel over the top, though there’s clearly a satirical element that highlights the author’s intended message. Many of the characters and the subplots reinforce how racism and sexism is ingrained in our society, from the way that her mother’s new boyfriend fetishizes Asian cultures to the performative behaviour she observes in her “feminist” friend in her college class. Even the way that Ji-won becomes obsessed with the idea of eating blue human eyes ties back into these themes quite beautifully (and grotesquely).
I highly recommend this addictive read, and I can’t wait to see what wild story idea the author plucks out for us next!
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*Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ebook*
This is the second in a trilogy. While the first book didn’t end in a cliffhanger, you do need to read that one in order to fully appreciate this bookThis is the second in a trilogy. While the first book didn’t end in a cliffhanger, you do need to read that one in order to fully appreciate this book, as it features the same primary cast of characters. In The Damaged, Bailey is now officially a part of the tech mogul Peter Francis’s family, and she’s going to grad school. Her new classmates make assumptions about how she got into this prestigious program. She’s dating Kash, the friend of the family that she met in the first book. Unfortunately, like with the first book in the series, I didn’t really feel the authenticity of her relationship with him. However, while this book is technically a romance, it feels like more a family drama/suspense, so I’m okay with a weaker romance plotline, since there’s so much else going on. There’s a lot of drama that goes down in this book, from conflicts with Kash’s unseemly grandfather to her jealous classmate. Like with the first book in this series, a lot of the action happens in the last little bit of the book, and this one does end on a cliffhanger! ...more
This book has it all–humour, heart, and a happily ever after!
The book features one of my favourite tropes–the roommates reluctantly falling for each This book has it all–humour, heart, and a happily ever after!
The book features one of my favourite tropes–the roommates reluctantly falling for each other. Emma is a screenwriter who writes rom coms, but before she had the chance to launch her career, there was a terrible accident that killed her mother and left her father disabled. For the last ten years, she’s been his sole caretaker while her sister finishes her education. But now, there’s an opportunity for her that she just can’t ignore. Charlie Yates, a famous, award-winning screenwriter who’s best known for his action films, has been tasked with writing a rom com–and the result is terrible. His manager is also Emma’s manager, and he convinces her to go to LA to work with the reclusive screenwriter as a ghostwriter. The catch that she only finds out after she’s knocking on his mansion door? Charlie doesn’t know she’s coming. And he doesn’t want her help.
I find that the publishing industry has been pretty liberal with the word “comedy” in romances, saying that books that are more of a typical “contemporary romance” are rom coms. But in this case, The Rom-Commers is actually a rom com, and had numerous parts that had me giggling hysterically.
My favourite books in this genre have serious topics to complement the humour, and this book is no exception. Both Emma and Charlie have trauma in their pasts, and their character arcs bring this book from a simple good time to a thoughtful and uplifting read.
There are a few miscommunications in the story, but they’re done well and add to the plot.
All in all, I recommend this book if you’re looking for a well-plotted and meta rom com!
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*Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ebook to review*
Midwestern Gothic is a collection of four novellas set in the world of Thomas’s horror debut, Kill Creek . Without sharing any spoilers, I will tell Midwestern Gothic is a collection of four novellas set in the world of Thomas’s horror debut, Kill Creek . Without sharing any spoilers, I will tell you each of the novellas connect in some way to one of the four horror authors featured in Kill Creek.
I absolutely adored this book. When I scrolled through my kindle, looking for notes for my book review, I kept finding annotations like: “OMG”s and “This is brilliant!” These weren’t particularly helpful when it came time to write my review, but they emphasized just how fantastic this book is. Midwestern Gothic is rife with description and atmosphere, which does make the book a slower read, but if you’re picking up a “gothic” book, you shouldn’t be expecting it to have a rocket-fast pace.
Each of the four novellas carry the same imagery and themes of gothic horror, but take the genre into fresh and compelling directions. The novellas are chock full with references to gothic media. (I actually squealed with excitement at the mention of Suspiria , one of my favourite horror movies.) One of the novellas is a twist of Hitchcock’s Rear Window, and I freaking loved the execution. Another one felt like Cabin Fever meets Friday the Thirteenth, and I devoured that story in one sitting.
Thomas frequently inserts references to writing and books throughout. The first novella even has an introduction and afterword. All of this made Midwestern Gothic feel quite intelligent, well crafted, and meta.
All this, and there are chilling twists in each of the stories! I adored this book, and it will stick with me for quite some time.
This is a fun cozy mystery for the younger generation. It’s full of pop culture references (lots of nods to one of my A cozy mystery for millennials!
This is a fun cozy mystery for the younger generation. It’s full of pop culture references (lots of nods to one of my favourite podcasts–”My Favorite Murder!”). The book even uses a lot of the “millennial” slang. This isn’t just in the dialogue, but in the inner thoughts of the narrator. While this feels like a strength, it also felt very odd to read. I’m used to cozy mysteries being written by older folks, and they typically have a conversational, yet still somewhat old-fashioned way of speaking–even when they’re writing from the POV of a younger character. Any time the heroine of this book said “cringe” or “shook”, I was… shook (haha). As is expected with cozy mysteries, this book has a lighter tone with some humour. I appreciated that the main character is delightfully snarky.
Like with many other cozy mysteries I’ve read, there are a lot of characters introduced, and with them came their names and roles that I had to learn. It was a tad confusing at times, and felt a little info dumpy. There’s a lot of talking in this book, and the pace doesn’t ever quite pick up. That said, the plot took some interesting turns, and I was pleasantly surprised by the twist at the end, even if the big reveal felt a little anti-climactic. This is definitely a book for those who enjoy slower paced reads, ones with lots of characters to fall in love with and fun banter to keep you engaged.
All in all, this is a comfy read, similar to putting on a thick pair of socks and curling up by the roaring fireplace with a glass of rosé.
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*Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ebook to review*
Brendan and Abby are having marital problems, so they book an appointment with a couple’s therapist. She recommends an app – Sugar and Spice – to brinBrendan and Abby are having marital problems, so they book an appointment with a couple’s therapist. She recommends an app – Sugar and Spice – to bring adventure back into their romantic lives. A sexy version of truth or dare, it starts off innocently enough, but the app’s demands quickly go off the rails.
Would you kill for the one you love?
Behind a Closed Door takes a fun concept and gives it a sinister twist. Throughout the book, we primarily follow Brendan and Abby, but there are other characters who get POVs, including the mysterious Romeo and Juliet. Their scenes were fascinating to read, and I do wish we’d gotten more of the story written from their perspective.
As much as I wanted to love this book, it required a few suspensions of disbelief that were a little too out there. I’m not talking about anything that the app made them do, or all the drama that occurs later in the book. I found it incredibly difficult to believe Brendan, who is a professional working in investigation and security, would download this app in the first place. The red flags were flying high when the program required them to provide access to their microphones and cameras. They had to enable location services and tracking across other apps. The very first thing that the app does is book them a date at a restaurant that’s very difficult to get into, and covers the bill for them. Nothing is free. If an app doesn’t charge you money or make you watch ads, then you’re the commodity. It’s profiting off your data.
Brendan uses this phone for work, so even if he didn’t care about his own cybersecurity, he would know that his career could be on the line by compromising a device he uses for work.
There’s also something that the app does very early on in the book that didn’t sit right with me. Not because of what happens, but because of how the husband reacts. It was at that point that I knew for certain “JD” is a man, because a woman would never be so casual about SA in a book like this. If I were Brendan in this situation, I would have insisted we delete the app immediately.
Despite these plot holes/inconsistencies, the book was a fun read, with many great twists along the way.
This is a reimagining of a movie based on a fairytale. I saw the Tangled movie back when it first caThe Tangled retelling we’ve all been waiting for!
This is a reimagining of a movie based on a fairytale. I saw the Tangled movie back when it first came out. I loved it, but I haven’t seen it since. I remember parts of it, and this book has some great easter eggs back to the original movie, but you don’t have to have seen the movie to appreciate the book. If you’re a fan of rom coms, you should still check it out!
The entire book is told in third person from the points of view of Ren and Fitz. Ren grew up on a homestead with two very strict parents, but they’ve finally allowed her to spread her wings–somewhat–and go to college. She’s the oldest freshman there–at twenty-two–and she’s worried that her lack of knowledge about technology and the world will be embarrassing.
The book does have some pretty basic jokes (Why are you buying something from the Amazon?), but it’s super light and sweet, and there are several genuine laugh out loud moments. I adore the grumpy/sunshine dynamic between Ren and Fitz, and it’s mentioned numerous times in the book that Ren has serious golden retriever energy. And Fitz definitely has the soul of a black cat.
All this isn’t to say the book doesn’t have some depth. There are some heavier themes later in the book that I won’t spoil here. That said, the book is still very PG-13 (only kissing, no violence, minimal swearing), and could be read by younger adults who are graduating from binge rewatching the original Disney movie this is based on!
All in all, this is a super light and fun read and I highly recommend it to those who love the movie it’s based on–and even those who haven’t even seen it!
The Queen of Days is a richly developed fantasy story that features a band of misfits that intend to embark on the heist of a lifetime. Balthazar is cThe Queen of Days is a richly developed fantasy story that features a band of misfits that intend to embark on the heist of a lifetime. Balthazar is convinced that this heist will be their last, and that the windfall will fund their early retirement. The only thing is, he’s been asked by his patron to recruit the mysterious and unpredictable “Queen of Days” to their team. Nevertheless, he’s convinced that the heist will go off without a hitch, giving him both the money and the revenge he craves. But you know what they say about the best laid plans…
The strength of this story lies in the rich worldbuilding that’s inserted into the text so casually amidst the action. The story leaps off the pages in lyrical prose, with vivid settings and a complex magic system. The story is told in first person, past tense, both from the point of view of Balthazar, the crew’s leader, and the mysterious Queen of Days. It’s immediately apparent that the Queen of Days is not human–at least not entirely–and without spoiling anything, one of my favourite character arcs of the entire story is hers. While I loved Balthazar, his younger sister, and the Queen of Days, I wasn’t as enchanted by the other characters. They weren’t quite as well developed. This makes sense for a novel with a complex plot and setting to not spend as much time focusing on secondary character development.
This book is about revenge and relationships with blood family, but it’s also about found family. It’s heartfelt, but features lots of fighting and action scenes to keep the blood pumping. This novel is a standalone, but there’s potential for a sequel, or maybe even a series set in this world. I know the author has other fantasy books, but I’m not sure if they’re set in this world. Regardless, you can go into this book without any familiarity with the author’s other work.
All in all, this book is recommended for those who enjoy a fantasy heist novel with an emphasis on worldbuilding.
I Kill Killers is just what I needed to read to kick off Spooktober!
The story is compulsively readable. It’s fast-paced and easy to read, but not at I Kill Killers is just what I needed to read to kick off Spooktober!
The story is compulsively readable. It’s fast-paced and easy to read, but not at the expense of tension and setting the scene. The book is a little gory in the very beginning, but after that scene the author tones it down and the book becomes a thriller, not a horror. That said, the book is on the dark side–as any book about a serial killer would be!
I absolutely love books about female serial killers, and this book is told primarily from two points of view–one of them being that of a female serial killer! Just like Dexter Morgan in the titular TV show (and just like the title of the book tells you haha), she kills killers. Her scenes are told in first person POV, and we also get the third-person POV of Agent Liam Richter, an FBI agent who notices something off about his latest crime scene…
The first person POV of a serial killer can be hard to pull off, but Ashman does it well with Leah Nachtnebel. Our killer isn’t exactly relatable, but she’s a compelling protagonist, and it’s quite interesting to follow her journey, and to figure out what makes her tick and why she does what she does. Her backstory isn’t entirely fleshed out in this book–but that’s what sequels are for! This novel reminds me a lot of one of my all-time favourite book series – the Mindf*ck series by S. T. Abby–except it’s a thriller with romantic elements, instead of a dark romance with a thriller backbone. If you enjoyed that other wildly popular series (it’s been trending on TikTok again recently), you definitely have to check out this one!
This is the first in a series, and while it wraps up the core plotline (arguably it could be a standalone if you don’t read the epilogue!), I’m beyond excited to read the next one.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy a cat-and-mouse style investigation involving a serial killer, like the TV show Hannibal or the Dexter book/TV series.
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the arc to review
I Kill Killers is just what I needed to read to kick off Spooktober!
The story is compulsively readable. It’s fast-paced and easy to read, but not at the expense of tension and setting the scene. The book is a little gory in the very beginning, but after that scene the author tones it down and the book becomes a thriller, not a horror. That said, the book is on the dark side–as any book about a serial killer would be!
I absolutely love books about female serial killers, and this book is told primarily from two points of view–one of them being that of a female serial killer! Just like Dexter Morgan in the titular TV show (and just like the title of the book tells you haha), she kills killers. Her scenes are told in first person POV, and we also get the third-person POV of Agent Liam Richter, an FBI agent who notices something off about his latest crime scene…
The first person POV of a serial killer can be hard to pull off, but Ashman does it well with Leah Nachtnebel. Our killer isn’t exactly relatable, but she’s a compelling protagonist, and it’s quite interesting to follow her journey, and to figure out what makes her tick and why she does what she does. Her backstory isn’t entirely fleshed out in this book–but that’s what sequels are for! This novel reminds me a lot of one of my all-time favourite book series – the Mindf*ck series by S. T. Abby–except it’s a thriller with romantic elements, instead of a dark romance with a thriller backbone. If you enjoyed that other wildly popular series (it’s been trending on TikTok again recently), you definitely have to check out this one!
This is the first in a series, and while it wraps up the core plotline (arguably it could be a standalone if you don’t read the epilogue!), I’m beyond excited to read the next one.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy a cat-and-mouse style investigation involving a serial killer, like the TV show Hannibal or the Dexter book/TV series.
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the arc to review
The marketing describes this book as a horror Japanese Jumanji, and it is right on the money.
This book’s plot is completely over-the-top, fast-paced,The marketing describes this book as a horror Japanese Jumanji, and it is right on the money.
This book’s plot is completely over-the-top, fast-paced, and freaking wild from start to finish.
One of the pros of this book is just how fast-paced it is, though it does feel like it tried to hit on every single potential trope in a short, only 270 page book. As a result, it didn’t really get to go in depth on any of them. That said, as a horror addict and a gamer, it was fun to see a lot of these horror and game tropes come to life. The book is very meta and well-researched, and it shows.
The book is filled with cultural references, and I enjoyed the expertly applied references to Japanese folklore and the author’s in-depth world-building. However, the plot gets a little convoluted and confusing, particularly towards the end.
While this is technically a horror book, I would add that its secondary genre is fantasy. I wasn’t expecting the book to be quite so over-the-top and campy right away, so I was a little taken aback by this while reading.
There’s four main characters in the book, and because of the fast pace, worldbuilding, and everything else going on, I never truly had the chance to connect to any of them. As a result, this unfortunately lowered my investment in their surviving the game.
All in all, this is a fun book, especially for those who want to read a unique book that combines Japanese folklore and contemporary teenage angst.
*Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for the arc*
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To the Solemn Graves is a compelling and diverse collection of thirteen spooky short stories.
It reads a little like an adult Scaries Stories to Tell To the Solemn Graves is a compelling and diverse collection of thirteen spooky short stories.
It reads a little like an adult Scaries Stories to Tell in the Dark, with a quote followed by a haunting illustration at the beginning of each story.
The stories range from chilling to spooky/sweet (if that’s even a thing!). Each story has beautiful prose and a well-crafted plot that kept me guessing until the very last twist. One thing I particularly loved about the stories was the diversity present in the characters and settings. For instance, the opening story features a muslim family moving into a house in suburbia–where they have to deal with racial microaggressions from their predominantly white neighbours, oh, and the fact that cult members may have been living in their house before they moved in.
My favourite story was “When I’m Dead”, which features an author who writes stories based on his family members. This is one of the shorter stories, and it has a truly chilling twist ending. Other favourites include “Another Black Cat”, “Widow’s Peak”, “The Likeness”, and “Foreign Bride”.
I highly recommend this anthology, especially if you’re looking for bite-sized creepy stories to read before bed this spooky season.
Our favourite true crime podcaster is back for an encore!
In this book, Rachel Krall, whom we met in The Night Swim, is on another case. Rachel Krall’Our favourite true crime podcaster is back for an encore!
In this book, Rachel Krall, whom we met in The Night Swim, is on another case. Rachel Krall’s name has come up in an FBI case. Terrence Bailey, who’s in jail for armed robbery but suspected of being a serial killer, mentioned her name to a social media influencer who visited him in prison. And now that social media influencer is missing.
This book is fast paced and has a lot going on. The chapters are short, so it’s easy to fall into that trap of – “Just one more chapter!”
I love Rachel as a protagonist, and it was fun to watch her progression as a character. While this is the second in a series, there are only a few brief mentions of the first book. You definitely don’t have to have read (or remember) what happened in that book to enjoy this one. One of my favourite parts of this story was how we’re treated to chapters written from the point of view of a strange character who–at first–seems to be unrelated to the storyline. I, of course, had my suspicions, and I adored how those chapters unfolded. That said, the length of the chapters, while serving to propel the story forward, did make it a little harder to follow. The author darts about from POV to POV, each chapter ending abruptly, with a quasi-cliffhanger, and the disjointed narrative was a tad confusing at times.
Dark Corners did have a few too many suspensions of disbelief/plotholes for my liking, which is what ultimately results in my lower rating. I wanted to provide an example of what I mean that isn’t a spoiler. I don’t know if you’ve ever called a hotel to speak with a guest, but they will never, ever give you the person’s room number. Sometimes they won’t even connect you to the room unless you know both the name and the room number! I can only imagine the security would be even tighter if the hotel is hosting a convention for social media influencers. Social media influencers are minor celebrities. Hotel staff would not freely give away the room number of a minor celebrity.
With Love, from Cold World is a sweet and slightly angsty romantic workplace comedy.
I adored this book. Best read around Christmas time, this novel fWith Love, from Cold World is a sweet and slightly angsty romantic workplace comedy.
I adored this book. Best read around Christmas time, this novel features lots of talk about holiday movies (and songs), and leans heavily on themes of family–both biological and found. This all takes place in a setting that’s far colder than you’d expect a book set in Florida to be…
The hook for me was the unique setting. Cold World is a theme park, but it’s much smaller than Disney or Universal, and it fits in a warehouse in Florida. It features fake snow, a skating rink, and other cold attractions meant to appeal to those who don’t get to experience winter in southern USA. What a fun premise! The hero, Asa, works on the floor, but Lauren spends her time holed up in her office, working on the books. Asa is fun-loving and a bit of a prankster, and Lauren is often accused of being an emotionless robot. He’s “cool”, and she’s “frigid” (I’ll see myself out…) Of course, it turns out that they have a lot more in common than you’d think, and their love story is equal parts adorable and humorous.
The dialogue is, at times, laugh out loud hilarious. I love the reverse grumpy-sunshine trope (where the heroine is the grump), and the author pulls this off so well with her heroine–Lauren Fox.
I adored the subplots of this book, which were important, but didn’t detract from the main plotline. They served to add substance to a plot that could have been quite shallow. Asa is bisexual, and his parents disowned him when he was only eighteen. Lauren grew up in foster care, and now she’s signed up to be a guardian ad litem, even though she has no idea how to talk to kids. These subplots were sweet and heartfelt and really added an extra layer to an already unputdownable novel.
I loved this book, and I can’t wait to see what Alicia Thompson cooks up next!
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*Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for the ebook to review*
Puzzle House is a fun horror novel with a unique premise. Six strangers are invited to the reading of an eccentric billionaire's will. Only one of thePuzzle House is a fun horror novel with a unique premise. Six strangers are invited to the reading of an eccentric billionaire's will. Only one of them actually knew the man–Joy Reese, his ex-wife. It quickly becomes obvious that this billionaire doesn’t intend to just hand over his fortune. He intends to make them earn it, through proving their wits through a series of puzzles.
This book is entertaining and fast-paced. There are lots of twists in the plot, not just in the types of puzzles they're forced to solve, but also in the reveals of each of the characters’ dark secrets. The puzzles were clever, and the consequences of failing to solve them in time were quite severe. There’s quite a bit of intelligent research put into the puzzles, but I can’t elaborate more without including spoilers. That said, some of the turns in the plot were a little over the top, but it was just so fun that I didn’t care.
This book is just over 200 pages, and Ralston doesn’t waste any of them. I grew to love a few of the characters, but I do wish that the book could have been just a smidge longer, so I could learn more about the backstories of some of the other characters.
I read and loved Ralston’s horror novella, Woom, but this book is quite different. While still a horror, it’s far less gory and disturbing. This novel also doesn’t come together under a unifying theme at the end, which Woom did, resulting in it being (in my opinion) a horror masterpiece. This book is more of a mainstream horror thriller action film. However while I’m saying this book isn’t as disturbing, it still might be disturbing for many (most? I’m not sure), so I would check my triggers before reading.
This is an entertaining, intelligent, and short horror thriller with lots of twists and complex characters.
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*Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for the ebook to review*
The day has finally come! I’ve been obsessed with Jasmine Mas’s Cruel Shifterverse *Series Spoiler-free review! *
Mulan meets dark fantasy romance
The day has finally come! I’ve been obsessed with Jasmine Mas’s Cruel Shifterverse ever since I binge-read Sadie’s trilogy in January. It had felt like forever waiting just the single month for the first in Aran’s series to come out (February 28th), and waiting for the second felt even longer!
I’m super excited that I got my hands on an advanced reader copy of Psycho Devils!
This is the second book in Aran’s trilogy, and while I reread the first before reading this one (like I need an excuse to reread these books haha), the author does have a handy summary in the beginning, which reminds us what happened in Sadie’s trilogy and then the first book in Aran’s trilogy.
That said, you shouldn’t read this trilogy without reading Sadie’s trilogy first. The tropes and vibes are incredibly similar between the two trilogies, so I can’t imagine why you’d want to skip the first trilogy anyway. (If you’re like me and really into the “Mulan”/ Aran hiding her identity concept, note that Sadie has lots of secrets that she keeps hidden in the first two books of her trilogy. *Sigh* I love the angst).
The premise of Psycho Devils reminds me of an adult Hunger Games or Harry Potter Triwizard tournament. Emphasis on the “Adult”, because it’s dark and twisted and the challenges are something that even immortals struggle to survive! ...more
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