Review: Archangel's Eternity

Archangel's Eternity by Nalini Singh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the pre-release copy of Archangel's Eternity by Nalini Singh. Below is my honest review.

So I'm torn on this one. It was a great tie-up to a fantastic series. It gave us reunions, rebirths, new births, updates, new matchups, etc. But it didn't really have a plot. It literally felt like a giant epilogue to the series, rather than its own separate installment. Lots of loose ends tied up. Lots of happy moments. Lots of setting up a long-term joy for almost all the characters. But no plot, no story thread that made it its own novel.

This is definitely a good one if you're a fan of the series. In fact, it's mandatory. You must read this and enjoy reaping the benefits of 17 prior books of fight, struggle, danger, war, and overcoming obstacles. But just be prepared going in for the fact that it's an epilogue. Knowing this, you'll enjoy it much more.

Four stars - one star off for not really having a plot, but the other four for being a perfect epilogue to a grand series.

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Review: The Masked Truth

The Masked Truth by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Tundra Books for the pre-release copy of The Masked Truth by Kelley Armstrong. Below is my honest review.

I'm so happy I was able to snag an ARC of this updated rerelease of The Masked Truth. It's one of Kelley Armstrong's YA books that I hadn't been able to get my hands on yet, so I was super excited to have the chance to read it.

I really enjoyed it. The danger definitely felt real for the characters as they were trying to find a way out of the locked building, full of gunmen. The you-know-what definitely hit the fan. The stakes were high, the losses were many, and the plot got more and more tangled as the story went along - in a good way.

The resolution was brutal. The explanation was devestating. But there was still hope.

The characters, at least Riley and Max, were really fleshed out and had depth, and I appreciated following the story in both of their minds. Armstrong handled a delicate subject and representation with grace and aplomb.

Definitely recommended, especially for Armstrong fans. Four stars.

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Review: I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours

I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours by Nat Cassidy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Shortwave for the prerelease copy of I Know a Place by Nat Cassidy. Below is my honest review.

Nat Cassidy is a new to me author, but I've heard so many of my current favorite horror authors talk about him and his work, so I was aware of him. When I saw this available on Netgalley, I knew it would be a good start to figuring out if his work was for me - multiple stories showing multiple aspects of his style and wit.

This one knocked it out of the park. The collection starts with Rest Stop, which was brutal and compelling and hard to put down. It should totally be a movie! The rest of the stories then kept me going deep into the night, with some favorites being The Art of What You Want, Come, and Laughlines. But overall, they were all strong stories, and it looks like by TBR will be growing, thanks to adding the rest of his works.

5 stars, highly recommended for horror and thriller fans.

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Review: The Power of Beliefs: How Strengthening Seven Core Beliefs Predicts Greater Success and a Better Life

The Power of Beliefs: How Strengthening Seven Core Beliefs Predicts Greater Success and a Better Life by Shawn Achor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: We Burned So Bright

We Burned So Bright by T.J. Klune
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor Books for the pre-release copy of We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune. Below you'll find my honest review.

I love TJ Klune. He's weird. He's creative. He's queer. He's got so many fun ideas.

This is not one of those ideas. It's not fun. It's tragic, and it's dark, and it's brutal, but it's also full of joy and full of unexpected moments with random strangers, and most importantly, it's about finding that light in the darkness and grabbing hold of it with everything you've got.

I loved Rodney and Don. Experiencing their journey with them was an honor.

Further proof that TJ Klune knows how to write people well and with depth.

HIGHLY recommend. Pick it up! Just be warned that it's not pony rides and rainbows - it's facing down imminent and unavoidable death with joy, forgiveness, grief, and love.

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Review: The Caretaker

The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria 12:01 books for the pre-release copy of The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer. Below is my honest review.

What a wild ride! As we follow our hot mess express MC into the worst quick buck part-time job in the history of the world, we see a little glimpse into more of Kliewer's mind-bending imagination, and I am totally here for it.

This was an absolute gem. Paced well, crazy enough to make you wonder if things were real or not, creative to the very bone, and an excellent candidate for a screen adaptation (which I've heard is in the works?).

Between this and We Used to Live Here, Marcus Kliewer has reached my list of top must-buy-immediately horror/sci-fi thriller writers.

Highly recommended, five stars.

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Review: Thrall

Thrall by Rebecca Mahoney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue for the pre-release copy of Thrall by Rebecca Mahoney. Below is my honest review.

I absolutely LOVED this one. Great characters, good development, awesome setting, creepy villains, and a really fun take on vampire lore, without all the "oh vampires are so sexy" stuff that so many vampire stories have since Twilight.

I can't wait to see what Rebecca Mahoney comes up with next, because she's got a new fan here!

Five stars, highly recommended.

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Review: Paranormal Payback

Paranormal Payback by Jim Butcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the pre-release copy of Paranormal Payback by a bunch of great authors! Below is my honest review.

Mister Petty by Jim Butcher - 5 stars - This story is set in world of the Dresden Files. Goodman Gray is such a fun character and I'd like to see him more often!

The Underground Goddess by Kevin Hearne - 4 stars - an interesting tale about some modern day witches.

Dying Isn't Just for the Young by Holly Black - 4 stars - This is set in the world of Coldtown. It was really cool to see some of the world of Coldtown from someone else's perspective, absolutely.

A Midsummer Night's Scheming by Delilah S. Dawson/Isla Jewell - 3.5 stars - This is set in the world of Arcadia Falls. This was a weird tale about a magical woman coming into her powers and getting a donkey familiar, Gary, who was hilariously weird, and helping get some revenge on the awful people who hurt her sister.

Contained by Tanya Huff - 3.5 stars - This is set in the world of Henry Fitzroy. Definitely made me interested into looking into this series. Henry was a cool character.

Dirt by Jennifer Blackstream - 4 stars - This is set in the world of Shade Renard/Blood Trails. I think I would have enjoyed this one so much more if I'd had more knowledge of the world. Yay for a new UF series to add to my list, though!

Black Bond by Maurice Broaddus - 4 stars - Some much overdue justice is served!

Dog-Eared by Kim Harrison - 5 stars - This is set in the world of The Hollows. I freaking adore Al and Newt so this story was an absolute gem.

Razors and Revenge by Faith Hunter - 5 stars - This is set in the world of Jane Yellowrock. I'm hoping we see some more of Shiloh in the upcoming Angie Baby/Evan Jr series. She was an interesting combination of lore!

A Clean Break by R.L. King - 3.5 stars - This is set in the world of Alastair Stone. I'd take a leap into this world again to get to know it better.

Grave Payback by R.R. Virdi - 3.5 stars - This is set in the world of The Grave Report. I read one of these in the last anthology, Heroic Hearts, and added it to my list. I need to go ahead and get to the series already!

The Broom by Kerrie L. Hughes - 4.5 stars - This is set in the world of Great Lakes Grimoire. I was very intrigued by the brother-sister pair and the magic they used. I definitely want to pick up more of this series!

All in all, a great anthology! Definitely worth a read.



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Review: What We Did to Survive

What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for my pre-release copy of What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally. Below is my honest review.

I loved the first two Megan Lally books. They were so much fun. This one was good as well, but didn't carry that same... je ne sais quoi... for me. There was a lot of bickering in this one - understandable considering the situation they were all in, but it felt a lot more juvenile than YA. I did like the characters, and the plot overall was decent. The villain was realistic and very close to the idea of "everyone knows a douchebag like this" (but maybe without the willingness to kill LOL). The twist at the end didn't feel original and kind of killed the emotional payoff of what they went through for me.

All in all, 3.5 stars rounded up. Still a fun read, but not my favorite of Lally's books.

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Review: A Deadly Inheritance

A Deadly Inheritance by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Tundra for the pre-release copy of Kelley Armstrong's A Deadly Inheritance. Below you'll find my honest review.

This is my first of Kelley Armstrong's YA novels. I've read a huge chunk of her adult catalogue and she's one of my insta-buy authors, so I figured it was time to give the YAs a shot when I saw this one available for request on Netgalley.

I'm glad I did. This was a solid YA mystery with lots of twists and turns and (mostly) believable sleuthing by the main characters. I loved the setting and the characters, and the main character wasn't insufferable like in so many YA stories.

But it also wasn't perfect. There were a few things that felt out of place for teenagers in today's world like mentions of "smelling his aftershave" (I'm 41 and know NO adults that use aftershave now, so would a teenage boy be using it? I dunno, but it felt off to me) or "layaway plans" (I had to net-search to even see if there are stores left that offer layaway still! Maybe this is sign of my privilege to never having had to use layaway, I guess?).

And the biggest thing I have to gripe about is the romance aspect. I'm pretty danged liberal, and I'm not judgmental of weird relationships between consenting adults, but having a group of teenagers basically be in a throuple after knowing each other for a few months was odd. It wouldn't have even been a problem for me at all if it wasn't made such a huge focus, distracting from the mystery. Kudos to Armstrong for showing that not all relationships have to meet some traditional guidelines, but it shouldn't be getting in the way of the main plot of the novel.

All in all, I really enjoyed it and will definitely read more of Armstrong's YA back catalogue. She's one of my top fave authors.

Highly recommended for fans of Inheritance Games, Truly Devious, YA dark academia, mysteries, secret societies, etc.

Three and a half stars rounded up to four.

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Review: Daughter of Crows

Daughter of Crows by Mark Lawrence
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Ace for the prerelease copy of Daughter of Crows by Mark Lawrence. Below you'll find my honest review.

Mark Lawrence is the King of Trilogies. It's just fact. Every trilogy he writes is immaculately well done, with the story spread over three volumes just right, and each feeling like its own complete volume in that trilogy. Daughter of Crows is further proof of his rightful crowning as King of Trilogies.

This one follows characters from the Academy of Kindness, where a bunch of girls go to train, but also to die - only three will survive and bear the title of Kindness, and then go out into the world meting out justice.

This story jumps around and follows multiple POVs through different time periods, and not everything is as it seems.

Also there are some magical elements to the story, some warring factions, some interesting mythological lore-borrowing (like the Morrigan), etc.

A little bit of a pacing issue for me in some parts, but not something I feel like everyone will find to be the case.

Highly recommended for fantasy fans, 4.5 stars rounded up.

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Review: Wolf Worm

Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for the pre-release copy of Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher. Below you'll find my honest review.

This was my first T. Kingfisher. It won't be my last. I regret not jumping on the bandwagon sooner on this one.

Absolute banger of a tale - meticulously precise in the scientific and artistic aspects, clever twists, a fantastic protaganist, a creepy setting, an entertaining plot, an extra little OOMPH that I didn't expect but am really thrilled with, and some really gross skin-crawling wolf worms.

Five stars, knocked it out of the park, recommended for any and all horror fans.

(Warning: this book is not for the squeamish. Wolf worms are absolutely nasty little things. I'm seriously rethinking ever going outside again.)

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Review: Wretch: or, The Unbecoming of Porcelain Khaw

Wretch: or, The Unbecoming of Porcelain Khaw by Eric LaRocca
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Saga Press for the pre-release copy of Wretch by Eric LaRocca. Below is my honest review.

I'm not entirely sure how to feel about this one. It was quite compelling to read, but it was also pretty hard to read in other places. It was definitely disturbing, and touched on some dark and triggering subjects. Overall, I enjoyed it - it was really hard to put down once it got going - but the characters weren't likable, so I didn't feel myself rooting for anyone. And the ending was a little meh overall. There were some draggy parts too.

3.5 stars, rounded down - a good story with some execution issues.

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Review: Kidney Stone Buster: The Quick Guide to Prevent Stones Fast

Kidney Stone Buster: The Quick Guide to Prevent Stones Fast by Anthony Dat
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: Butterfly Effects

Butterfly Effects by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for the pre-release copy of Seanan McGuire's Butterfly Effects. Below is my honest review.

It's no secret that Seanan McGuire is one of my absolute favorite authors. I'll shout about her works from the mountain tops. She's so good! And this one is further proof that she walks around on the daily with ENTIRE WORLDS living in her head. I have no idea how she gets anything done when all of these stories and characters and alternate dimensions and storylines all take up space in her noggin!

But she gets them down on paper and shares them with us, and I'm thankful for that.

This one picks up some of the threads left behind after Sarah's books and weaves them back into the main story again, and I am absolutely thrilled with how this one went down. What a ride!

I can't say too much without spoiling things, but I think if you've read the rest of the series, the payoff of some longstanding story threads will really satisfy you.

Five stars, highly recommended, but you're going to spoil most of the rest of the series if you pick this one up first. It's a culmination of so many character storylines that it's a bad place to start.

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Review: The Fox and the Devil

The Fox and the Devil by Kiersten White
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey for the pre-release copy of The Fox and the Devil by Kiersten White. Below is my honest review.

I'm gonna be completely honest. I saw Kiersten White and I clicked request. I'm not even entirely sure I read the blurb before starting this one, because the farther I went in, my brain was like, "did you know this was a Van Helsing/Vampire-esque novel?"

And it was exactly what I needed. I love vampy stuff, so I was pleasantly surprised.

I really liked the side characters, especially Maher and Mama, and really enjoyed watching the team track and hunt a killer over the course of a few years. It was a fun ride.

Definitely recommend to horror-ish mystery fans.

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Review: When I Was Death

When I Was Death by Alexis Henderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the pre-release copy of When I Was Death by Alexis Henderson. Below is my honest review.

When I Was Death is about a lot of things. It's about a girl getting roped into a deal with Death to travel with a group of other girls who made deals and reaping souls for him. It's about a girl dealing with the death of her sister and putting her life back together. It's about a girl coming into her own. It's about forming friendships and realizing that people aren't perfect.

Where it shines though? It's a book about grief and processing loss and finding ways to move forward in a world that isn't the same any more.

Absolutely loved this book. I read it in 2 sittings, as it was very compelling and hard to put down.

Definitely recommend this to Henderson fans, but also recommended to YA-adjacent fans, horror-adjacent fans (I definitely wouldn't label this horror, but it's a little dark), and people who just like good compelling stories.

Five stars.

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Review: Trust No One

Trust No One by James Rollins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for the advance copy of Trust No One by James Rollins. Here's my honest review.

What a rollercoaster! It's been a while since we've had a James Rollins standalone. He's got Sigma Force, going on forever now. He's got fantasy stuff. He's got some side stories about Tucker and Kane, but it's been since what, Altar of Eden, that we've gotten a new standalone? And it was worth the wait.

This one does not disappoint. A small group of college students is thrust into a very dangerous power struggle between two factions that have been warring for generations - the Brotherhood and the Guardians. What are they fighting over, you ask? The treasures of a historical figure, the last of which supposedly includes the secret to extending life far past the normal limits.

Alas, the evil Brotherhood didn't foresee this group of meddling kids getting in their way.

Trust No One was a LOT of fun, and I highly recommend it to thriller fans, Dan Brown fans, fans of Rollins' other work, Steve Berry fans, etc.

Five stars.

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Review: How to Get Away with Murder

How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's for the pre-release copy of Rebecca Philipson's debut novel, How to Get Away with Murder. Below is my honest review.

What a way to start off 2026... with a banger of a five star read. One of the best debut novels I've ever read (and I read a lot of those!), so Rebecca Philipson, you've got my attention!! I can't wait to see what you do next.

I will say there are a LOT of potential triggers in this book, mostly from the chapters discussing the cold cases/Denver Grady speaking on his past murders, which involve all sorts of content warnings. But also because the main character is dealing with the fallout of a colleague in her office SAing her. So be warned going in, this could trigger you. Philipson doesn't go into much detail on that, and the emotional arc for the main character is overcoming the trauma this has caused her and regaining her strength, and it's done with aplomb and power.

Hard to put down, compelling, and really, really, really good.

Five stars. First read of the year and I highly HIGHLY recommend picking it up if you read mystery/thriller and are okay with some grit.

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Review: Nowhere Burning

Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for the pre-release copy of Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward. You'll find my honest review below.

Wow. Just... wow. This book slammed straight into my heart. I absolutely loved this one. The twists, the turns, the traumas, the triumphs, the devastation of abuse and being powerless, loss, grief, hope, finding strength... so many big feels and big psychological explorations.

This is my first Catriona Ward, beyond a little shortie through Amazon's Original Stories (Night and Day in Misery, part of The Shivers collection) that I really enjoyed, but this will not be my last.

I really don't want to spoil things, because the synopsis does a fantastic job of giving you a picture of the plot setup, but it doesn't really prepare you for what's to come. And the "what's to come" was what really pushed this novel into becoming one of my favorite reads of 2025.

Five stars, highly recommended, but gird yourself - there are potential trigger warnings all over with this one.

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Review: First Sign of Danger

First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's for the pre-release copy of First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong. Below you'll find my honest review.

ALL the stars. Extra if I could.

I love love love this series (from Rockton #1 all the way through until this one, Haven's Rock #4), and this one was no exception. Twists and turns and a dark mystery to solve.

There were some touch and go moments in this one that were hard to process, but I can't spoil anything so I won't say what they were.

All in all, another fantastic entry into Armstrong's delectable Yukon settlement series. I was super sad to see the note at the end that said to look out for Casey and Eric's final installment in February 2027. I don't want another one of my favorite series to end. Sad.

Five stars, highly recommended, but please don't start here. This is like 11 books deep into a series and its spinoff. You'll spoil so much for yourself if you start here. The series is entirely bingeworthy, so do yourself the favor and start at the beginning.

Sad to see the note at the end saying the final Haven’s Rock book will be Feb 2027. Another of my favorites ending :(

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Review: The Devil's Bible

The Devil's Bible by Steve Berry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central for the pre-release copy of The Devil's Bible by Steve Berry. Below is my honest review.

This one is Berry at his best, even though it's brutal and heartbreaking and nerve-wracking and stressful. There was a lot of intrigue in this one, like usual, but The Devil's Bible had quite a few layers of plots and schemes. Luckily, they weren't convoluted, so they were easy to follow, and watching Cotton, Vitt, and Nelle untangle the knotted web of alibis and deception was entertaining. We had a lot of past to revisit in this one as well, with references and discussions of the events of books gone by.

I had some issues with the sheer volume of sentence fragments and questions missing question marks, but I'm hoping many of those were or will be caught with final passes before publication. Not sure why Berry has suddenly started using fragments so often (one page is almost entirely sentence fragments!) in his last few books. Maybe he always did and I just didn't notice. I'm not sure.

Anyways, the ending of this one was world-shifting, so I'm interested to see where Cotton's story goes from here and how things will work moving forward.

Four and a half stars, rounded up. Highly recommended for fans of political intrigue and action movies with historical references, etc mixed in. I'd very much suggest reading the rest of the series first, as this one is built on LOTS of past history and ties up some MAJOR threads. But that's up to you, dear reader.

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Review: Secondhand Luck

Secondhand Luck by Kim Harrison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the pre-release copy of Secondhand Luck by Kim Harrison. Below is my honest review.

Kim Harrison built a really cool world in Three Kinds of Lucky. In Secondhand Luck, she tore it to pieces and built it back even cooler.

Most of the time I feel like book two in a series is weaker than book one, as they're still finding their footing and trying to make sure the characters all have storylines, etc. But in this one, I felt like it was stronger than book one, or at the very least, just as strong.

It really changed the game up. I loved the development of new bonds - specifically the ones Pluck has with himself and those around him. I loved the fun powers. The villain was actually pretty scary and always a step ahead.

Five stars, highly recommended for urban fantasy fans. But do yourself the favor of reading book one first.

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Review: Operation Bounce House

Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the pre-release copy of Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman. Below you'll find my honest review.

This one was a roller coaster! I recently discovered and binged the entire library of available installments in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series and LOVED them, so when I saw this standalone by Dinniman on Netgalley, I knew I had to request it.

Sadly, for the first half (maybe 60%) of the book, I was struggling hardcore. It was slow and a little repetitive. But the last 40-50% totally made up for that in awesomeness, so I'm glad I didn't give up!

He's crafted a novel that touches on how we treat people we perceive differently than ourselves, the issues with AI, and what it means to be a human on every end of the spectrum of behaviors.

I don't want to give too much away (Roger was my favorite, so I'll say that), but I'll say this:

First half or so - 2 stars. Needed some pacing work.

Second half or so - 5 stars. Top notch, real emotional and storyline payoff.

So on average, that's about 3.5 stars (2+5 = 7, divided by 2 = 3.5), and I'll round up because the last half was that good, so 4 stars overall.

Recommended for fans of sci-fi and dystopia, but be warned, don't go in expecting Dungeon Crawler Carl. Give it a fair shake as its own thing, like I did by the end but should have at the beginning.

(PS - thank you, Dinniman, for the little easter egg of Princess Donut.)

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Review: Strange Animals

Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine for the pre-release copy of Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson. Below is my honest review.

What a weird and wonderful and wild story! It definitely lives up to the "strange" descriptor. It's reminiscent of Seanan McGuire's Incryptid but much different take.

One thing I really enjoyed about this one is how isolated it felt. The whole book takes place in a small area set in the Catskills, a few mile radius around a specific spot, and includes a campground, a clearing in the woods, a gas station, a horse farm - all within that radius of said specific spot - and the surrounding forest. Anderson did an amazing job at really cutting us off from civilization and delving us straight into the story involving that specific area... while also finding a way to make the cryptid world mysterious and feel like a much much larger thing than the tiny circle of mountainous forest our story is set in.

I also found the creatures to be very inventive and quite entertaining to read about, so I was thrilled there.

I am not sure if this will have a sequel or if it'll just be standalone. I'd be thrilled to read more set in this world, but also felt like this one ended well enough to be standalone if the author chooses that.

Four stars, highly recommended for those who love the strange and exciting and mysterious creature feature.

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Review: Pendergast: The Beginning

Pendergast: The Beginning by Douglas Preston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central for the pre-release copy of Pendergast: The Beginning by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Below is my honest review.

I am *super* excited that we are getting a pre-Relic Pendergast tale. There is so much history that's hinted at and revealed over the course of the extremely long series, so having full length stories going into depth for some is such an awesome thing.

I really loved this one. It's classic Pendergast, but it's early on in his career and explains some really lingering questions: why was he transferred to NYC? Why is Proctor so loyal? What happened to his New Orleans partner agent?

It had a great plot, some very Pendergast-novel murders, and some fun little tidbits of sci-fi goodness.

Keep at it, Doug and Linc. We need more Pendergast stories, and I'll gladly devour any stories about him from ANY point on the timeline.

Five stars, highly recommended, AND since it's a prequel that was specifically written to be another potential starting point for new readers, you can start with this one if you'd like.

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Review: The Room in the Attic

The Room in the Attic by T.M. Logan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central for the pre-release copy of The Room in the Attic by T.M. Logan. Below you'll find my honest review.

Absolutely a five star read. I wanna start with that. I couldn't put this one down. I started it at bedtime (which is really the only time I have lately for reading) and meant to go to sleep at a decent hour, but read until almost 2 am. Then the next night, I did the same thing, finishing it in the second sitting.

The tension is so well designed, the mystery is so well plotted, and the chapters end with just the right little nudge to read one more. My only complaint is how long it took the main character to consider what was actually going on as a possibility.

Also, I really thought the kids were well written and adorable.

I'll definitely be reading more of Logan's thrillers. Hopefully they're as good as this one.

Highly recommended for mystery-thriller fans. Five stars.

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Review: Night Terror

Night Terror by Vincent Ralph
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's for the pre-release copy of Night Terror by Vincent Ralph. Below is my honest review.

I very much enjoyed the first novel, Dead Fake, in Vincent Ralph's new Bleak Haven YA horror/thriller series, but I think this one was actually way more fun. This one felt more like a horror type novel than the first, which was more mystery/thriller, and I really enjoyed seeing the characters rise to the occasion and fight for their lives while trapped in a locked mall with the villains. It was creepy and would make a decent movie (as would the first), so I'm hoping Ralph and his agents pitch this to Netflix to do like they did with the Fear Street trilogy.

This one takes place in the 80s, whereas the first novel was set in modern times, and Night Terror tells one of the stories alluded to in Dead Fake - how the history of the town is rife with tragedy and murder.

I liked the cast, especially Grace, and this one was definitely a win for me.

All in all, a solid entry into this new series about a town plagued by violence, blood, sadness, etc. Book one, Dead Fake, is set to be released at the same time as this one, with hopefully more to come.

If you're a fan of the horror/thriller genres and 80s nostalgia, then you'll enjoy this foray into the YA horror space. Fans of the Fear Street trilogy about the same story spread over different time periods, then you'll enjoy this series as well.

Four "why did you read from that cursed book, dude?!" stars.

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Review: Dead Fake

Dead Fake by Vincent Ralph
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's for the pre-release copy of Dead Fake by Vincent Ralph. Below is my honest review.

I really enjoyed the first novel, Dead Fake, in Vincent Ralph's new Bleak Haven YA horror/thriller series. It had lots of twists and turns and was a lot of fun to read. I liked the whole "preview deaths by AI video" concept, as it was both creepy and disturbing. I thought the main character was developed well enough to root for, and the cast of secondary characters was pretty good too.

All in all, a solid series opener about a town plagued by violence, blood, sadness, etc. Looking forward to reading my ARC of book two, Night Terror, also releasing soon.

If you're a fan of horror and thriller genres or slashers, then you'll enjoy this foray into the YA horror space. It's also a bit of mystery, so that made for some extra fun.

Four bloody slashery stars.

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Review: Twelve Months

Twelve Months by Jim Butcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the pre-release copy of Twelve Months by Jim Butcher. Below is my honest review.

MORE DRESDEN! FINALLY!

So it's no secret that this is one of my absolute favorite series ever, and I've been anticipating this book since the end of the last one. In 2020 we got TWO Dresden books, and I was in heaven. Until the thing happened, that is. THE THING. I can't speak it out loud, because it's spoilery and also because I still am in denial, five years later and having read the next book following THE THING where it's solidified over and over that THE THING is real. And I can't. Like seriously, I liked that character so much that I named my dog after them. I was (and still am) devastated.

But this book really felt like a tribute to that character and the impact that they had on Dresden, and that I can appreciate.

I couldn't give this one the fifth star that I usually would because it did feel kind of... filler. It was moving chess pieces to get the world ready for the next BIG STUFF, and didn't have a huge plot other that Harry and Chicago trying to heal from the huge battle of Peace Talks/Battle Ground.

But I still loved it. So much.

Overall, this got a four and a half stars from me. I couldn't bring myself to round it up to 5, and since I had to do full stars, it got rounded down to four. Still part of a masterpiece series.

Highly recommended but please, please don't start with this one if you haven't read the series. Go binge it all. It's worth it.

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Review: Through Gates of Garnet and Gold

Through Gates of Garnet and Gold by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for the pre-release copy of Through Gates of Garnet and Gold by Seanan McGuire. Below you'll find my honest review.

Another trip through the Doors, not to Confection, not to the Moors,

This time a trip to Nancy's home, so close in nature to Christopher's bones.

The ghostly specters are riled up mad, the end for the statues gruesome and bad,

so back Nancy goes to the school for her friends, to get help to stop these untimely ends.

Off on a quest, a handful of them go, their bravery and courage and cleverness show.

Seanan's done it again, this book's a delight! Now hurry and go read all that she writes!

Highly recommended, especially if you've read the rest of these (this one does spoil prior books!)

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Review: The Storm

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's for the pre-release copy of Rachel Hawkins' The Storm. Below is my honest review.

My first Hawkins novel was The Heiress, and I really loved it, so when I saw this, I knew I had to request it. And I'm glad I did, because yet again, I really enjoyed it. It was a little predictable in places, but it was also a great read - it would be even better as a beach read or a "sitting in the hot tub at a mountain cabin" kinda read.

I think Hawkins really excels at creating an immersive setting, and she's a master of setting up that compelling chapter ending that makes you want to read just one more.

Highly recommended for thriller/mystery fans.

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