Review: Off the Reservation

Off the Reservation by Stephen Graham Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Saga Press for the pre-release copy of Off the Reservation by Stephen Graham Jones. Below is my honest review.

This one baffled me a bit, mostly because half the time I felt like I was in a fever dream of confusing hallucinatory moments that built up to create a wild story. But I got the framework down so just went along for the ride and I loved the weirdness of it all.

I really loved the characters of Christian/Christiana and Nate Yellow Tail, but the rest were... hard to root for or downright awful in the right way (come on, we're supposed to hate the bad guys!).

I think my issue with the book that lost it a star was the huge pacing problem for the first 50% or so of the book. It just dragged on for a while. After that, the poo hit the fan so it raced towards the end, but that first bit was kind of a slog for me.

Also, make sure you read the acknowledgements. Jones lays out so many inspirations for details from his story, and it's a really cool glimpse into the mind of a writer.

Four stars, go enjoy this one!

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Review: The Murder Party

The Murder Party by Cindy R.X. He
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the pre-release copy of The Murder Party by Cindy R. X. He. Below you'll find my honest review.

I quite enjoyed this one for a YA thriller. It wasn't super heavy, despite the grief/loss in it, as the burn to solve her sister's death drives the story more than the grief part. It had some twists and turns, for sure, but nothing groundbreaking. The MC made some obvious mistakes that had me annoyed with her for parts (like telling multiple suspects her suspicions! dudette, what are you doing?!), but overall she was relatable. I loved the best friend - I want someone so eager and on board in that situation like Zoey!

All in all, it was a decent book. I would say I'd give it 3.5 stars out of 5. And since no one lets me give partial stars and it wasn't a round down situation, I'll round it up to 4.

Recommended for fans of mysteries, thrillers, and YA high school situations (without it being annoyingly high school, if you know what I mean).

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Review: Dive Bar at the End of the Road

Dive Bar at the End of the Road by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's for the pre-release copy of Dive Bar at the End of the Road by Kelley Armstrong. Below is my honest review.

I am not sure if you know this about me or not, but you should if you've kept up with my reviews for a while - I adore Kelley Armstrong. She's pretty much instant-buy/must-read for me. I still have some of her back catalog to work through, but I'm trying not to race through them so I don't catch up completely and have long waits for more. Luckily she puts out multiple books a year!

I'm really glad she's taken her recent steps into horror. Hemlock Island? Great. The Haunting of Payne's Hollow? SO GOOD. I'll Be Waiting? More please!

So when Dive Bar hit Netgalley, I immediately hit request.

I love the show From, and this book has some similar story set up items as that, so if that show is your jam, you might enjoy this one. Other than the set up similarities, it's wildly different.

The atmosphere is spot on for horror - mysterious backroad, surrounded by the creepiest of forests, random dive bar in the middle of nowhere.

The characters are diverse and deep - you probably know most of these people in different forms in your own life.

The feelings are relatable - loneliness, fear, depression, feeling insignificant or invisible... Armstrong has really driven some points home about how people feel unimportant and the truth surrounding that feeling with the backdrop of a horror novel.

And the terror? It's real. The fear, the monsters in the woods, the different forms they take, the realization that it's not just some shadow in the woods that is out to get you, but that people can be evil as hell as well, all coagulate into this brutal nightmarish night on a backroad in the middle of nowhere.

Did I mention that I love Henry? What a gem.

Five stars, highly recommend for horror and thriller fans.

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Review: The Chain House

The Chain House by J.H. Markert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane for the pre-release copy of J. H. Markert's The Chain House. Below is my honest review.

Pros: The pace was at break-neck speed, one reveal after another, one action scene after another, one character moment after another. The characters were likeable/hateable in just the right amounts, and there were characters you were really rooting for.

Cons: So much of it was predictable - most of the twists, most of the reveals, pretty easy to see coming if you read more than a small number of books (especially mystery/thriller) a year or watch a lot of movies.

Overall, I'd probably have given it 3 stars but the fast pace and compelling "what's next" writing bumped it up to a 4 for me. This was my second Markert book, and I have a feeling it won't be my last (especially because I happened to pick up some of his back catalogue on a Kindle sale recently).

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Review: A Divided Duty

A Divided Duty by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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

Well, Seanan's done it again. Another grand Toby adventure full of found family, the ties that bind, and a lot of bleeding. LOL

The Raysel, Sylvester, Luna storyline has been really well done. She's really plumbed the depths of these characters to show the darkest and brightest sides of personhood and how each can express in the same person.

In this one, we get a little more closure on some of the fronts - a little more of Blind Michael's lands and victims, a little more for Raysel's penance, a little more for Luna's obsession, and some touches of how changed characters are after the big Titania world-shifting spell storyline.

I absolutely love this series, and really hate waiting for new ones. *sigh*

The attached short story/novella brings some serious character study for Quentin after Titania's spell, and for showing a hint of The Luidaeg's vulnerable side, which were both welcome and well done.

Five stars, and I highly recommend, but you can't just jump in on this one if you want all the meat of the story. This is book 20 after all. BOOK 20!!!

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Review: Sometimes I Scare Myself: A Collection of Horror

Sometimes I Scare Myself: A Collection of Horror by Jeneva Rose
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone for the pre-release copy of Sometimes I Scare Myself: A Collection of Horror by Jeneva Rose. Below is my honest review.

Wow, this was my first taste of Jeneva Rose but won't be my last!

Never Kill the Medium - a case of possession gone very, very wrong. Wasn't my favorite story, but was definitely entertaining and would make a great movie. 4 stars

The Nightmare House - dang, this haunted house is BAD NEWS. I loved this one. Dark, twisted, and definitely explains the title of the collection. Jeneva Rose, your mind is twisted! 4.5 stars

All Curses Are Final - feel REALLY bad for the young adults in this one. Some jokes just aren't funny, especially when they stop being jokes (if they ever even were). 4.5 stars

Overall, I'd give it four stars and say if you like horror and shorties, give this one a shot. All of them would make great movies and I'd be first in line to buy my tickets!

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Review: How to Write a Murder

How to Write a Murder by Jessica Brody
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Bantam for the pre-release copy of How to Write a Murder by Jessica Brody. Below is my honest review.

Jessica Brody has out-meta'd the meta. She wrote a mystery with so many twists and turns, both obvious and subtle, with one misdirect after another. I don't want to spoil anything, but as the cast starts to realize they're trapped and the poo starts hitting the fan, things get chaotic in the best ways.

I might have figured out one of the big twists, but I still loved reading how it all played out. This was SO SO SO much fun.

Highly recommended for fans of mystery, fans of meta twists, and fans of turning their favorite genre on its head.

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Review: Daggerbound

Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: The Bestseller

The Bestseller by Jenny Knightsby
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Headline for the pre-release copy of The Bestseller by Jenny Knightsby. Below you'll find my honest review.

This was a debut?! Jenny, I feel like I should hate you a little on principle! No debut should be THIS GOOD.

I couldn't put this one down. Literally, I started it and read all the way through in one sitting, all 400 pages.

The characters were deep. The twists were twisty. The darkness was palpable. And the tension, buildup, and pacing were perfection.

Massive round of applause for Jenny Knightsby. No pressure, dear, but you've set the standard high. Can't wait to see what you come up with next.

Five stars, highly recommended to those who like dark twisty thrillers. Just be warned there are a few trigger possibilities with this one going in, though if you're a fan of dark thrillers, you'll probably be okay. If your tastes range from Frieda McFadden and Lisa Jewell to Karin Slaughter, you'll love this one.

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Review: A Thousand Monstrous Forms

A Thousand Monstrous Forms by Saratoga Schaefer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane for the pre-release copy of A Thousand Monstrous Forms by Saratoga Schaefer. Below is my honest review.

ALL THE STARS. If I could give more than five, I would. I'd give them all.

This one was SO GOOD. A modern day sapphic retelling of Bluebeard isn't at all what I would have expected to be one of my favorite reads of the year, but it absolutely was. I loved Schaefer's Serial Killer Support Group, and this one makes that one look downright average (and it's not average at all!). I skipped Trad Wife because it didn't seem up my alley, but Schaefer is two for two for me at this point, so I think I'll have to go back and catch up on that one. She's going on my "absolutely heck yeah insta-request/insta-buy" list.

The characters were deep. The atmosphere was IMPECCABLE. The tension was palpable. The buildup and pacing were perfection.

Highly recommend. HIGHLY.

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Review: Fear Farm

Fear Farm by Vincent Ralph
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks so much to Netgalley and St. Martin's Wednesday books for the pre-release copy of Fear Farm by Vincent Ralph. Below is my honest review.

I'm really sad that this is the final book in the series. Surely there are more bloody, scary, creepy tales from the town of Bleak Haven that you guys can contract Ralph for, right? Please?

This one is more in line with the first two in terms of quality for me, having been let down by book three a little.

We've got the scary farm where a lady runs a haunt attraction and bad things keep happening. We've got the mysterious warnings and "accidents" where people get hurt. We've got fake weapons turning out to be real weapons, big name movie stars coming back to town for a visit, and all sorts of shenanigans with blood. Once the real murder starts, there's no letting up until the end.

My favorite part about this one is that the twist is SO OBVIOUS and I missed it entirely. There's a good amount of "look over there" and "no wait, look that way instead" but most of that is clear misdirection, but then the actual reveal happened and I was stunned that I missed it. And I feel like many would miss it alongside me. Or at least I'm telling myself that.

It's not often that a mystery pulls one over on me so well, so I'm pleased with my reading experience. :)

Five stars, read the rest if you enjoy creepy YA horror in the vein of Fear Street and Goosebumps with some Scream/Friday the 13th style slashery-ness and Stephen King "this stuff keeps happening in the same town" vibes thrown in for good measure.

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Review: Corpse Creek

Corpse Creek by Vincent Ralph
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Wednesday for the pre-release copy of Vincent Ralph's Corpse Creek. Below you'll find my honest review.

I was really intrigued by this one and interested in seeing where it ended up, especially once the... bargain... was introduced as part of the story. But the ending wasn't really satisfying. It felt quick, left too much hanging, and didn't really provide any closure. So while the rest of the book had decent pacing and a good plot, the end left a lot to be desired.

3.5 stars rounded down. Recommended for YA horror fans and people who have been following the loosely connected Bleak Haven books.

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Review: Pictures of You

Pictures of You by Josh Malerman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey for the pre-release copy of Pictures of You by Josh Malerman. Below is my honest review.

Not sure how I feel about this one. I enjoyed it. The tension was good, the buildup was strong, and the characters were decent. But I also didn't enjoy it. It got very repetitive and the ending wasn't super satisfying.

I've read some of his other books, and Bird Box and Incidents Around the House were both so good that I had high expectations going into this one, and I think that might have clouded my enjoyment a little.

Three stars. I'd still recommend it, but people need to know it's not really horror.

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Review: Kiss Slay Replay

Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the pre-release copy of Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison. Below is my honest review.

Rachel Harrison has done it again. Kept me up late into the night multiple nights in a row. Made me love and root for her main character. And wrote an absolute banger. She’s quickly become one of my must-buy must-read must-recommend authors.

This one involves a former summer camp (horror trope!), a time loops with gruesome death/murders (horror trope!), etc but finds a way to make those tropes new and interesting. It's actually kind of easy to root for the main character, because it's easy to understand her and empathize, especially if you've gone through some hard times and come out the other side feeling lost and adrift.

I freaking LOVED this one, guys. LOVED.

Check this one out if you like horror with meaning behind it. And her other books too! They’re all great!

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Review: Little Red Death

Little Red Death by A.K. Benedict
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the pre-release copy of Little Red Death by Alexandra Benedict. Below is my honest review.

I really enjoyed a book of Benedict's that I read back in December, The Christmas Murder Game. It was a great mystery, twisty and turny in the right ways and with a setting that really established the mood and tone.

I felt that same energy for the first 60% or so of this one, but then THE TWIST happened, and my feelings got conflicted. Was the twist original? Yeah, pretty much. I can think of a movie that kind of did something similar but not in a thriller-y way. But was the twist SATISFYING? Not really. Once the twist went "meta," I felt like the charm and theme of the mystery was lost in the attempt to explain how things happened to be the way they were, and an inner monologue on existence became the focus.

So I can say I really enjoyed the first half and am unsure on the second half, leaving me settling at a 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3.

I still enjoyed the book, but I felt like I was taken out of the story for all the meta part. If you like twisty mysteries with weird things going on (like, say, The 7 and 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle) then you'll enjoy this one I think. I'd still recommend it as a fun read.

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Review: We Are for the Dark

We Are for the Dark by Gretchen McNeil
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and DAW for the pre-release copy of We Are For the Dark by Gretchen McNeil. Below is my honest review.

Let's start with the pros:

Awesome setting - creepy, atmospheric, mysterious, gives that preternatural eerie feeling of dread from the start.

Good characters - the two MCs are developed and have some depth to them

Twisty plot with decent pacing

And the cons:

Predictable, unsatisfying ending

I like this author a lot, having enjoyed her YA horror/thriller TEN and absolutely loving her 2025 adult horror release They Fear Not Men in the Woods, which is an epic banger of a novel and you need to go read it immediately.

I'm glad she's branched into adult horror (get it, branched, after I just mentioned the book with "in the Woods" in the title???), and I hope she keeps going with it. But alas, this one wasn't my favorite of hers.

3.5 stars, rounded down to 3.

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Review: Blightfall

Blightfall by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Delacorte for the pre-release copy of Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson's Blightfall, book one in the new Skyward sequel series Riftwake.

This is my second BrandoSando collab book this year, and boy was this one a winner (especially compared to the other *sad face*).

I had a hard time even realizing it was mostly written by someone OTHER than Sanderson, because they worked so closely together on the previous three Skyward side tales.

I had a blast with this one. Arturo and Sadie were fun POV characters, and the remaining cast really rounded out nicely. My favorite was Suki, the kitsen xenoanthropologist who was intrigued by and trying to document every little detail. And of course, I adored the slugs. The taynix always steal the show for me, but even more so because in this book they had their own little interlude chapters!

Can't wait for more in this world, as this one set up the next phase of Skyward universe so well.

Five stars, highly recommend (but please read the first series beforehand, or you'll be massively spoiled).

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Review: The Calamities

The Calamities by Chuck Wendig
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey for the pre-release copy of Chuck Wendig's The Calamities. Below is my honest review.

Ughhhh, Chuck, the majority of the time, your books are big wins for me, but this one didn't work for me at all.

The characters weren't really likeable or root-for-able, though I am hoping Key completes her quest and Silas was a creepy yet interesting POV. The plot was kinda messy and all over the place with a lot of extraneous complications, and the pacing was just off. I felt like there was a lot of potential that was spent on making things gruesome for shock value rather than put into the main storyline.

There was a lot of build up at the end, leading to something huge, but then it just kind of abruptly stops and you're left feeling like "that's it? that?" and that was disappointing.

I did like the concept of the soul-bargaining and the elixir, but I felt like it took a massive back burner to the convoluted plot.

I didn't hate it overall though, and I'll consider reading the second/final book of the duology when it comes out, to see if it picks up and utilizes all the potential built in this one.

I give it 2.5 stars, rounded up to three for a "didn't love it, didn't hate it, liked it I guess."

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Review: Dreamland

Dreamland by Olivie Blake
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for the pre-release copy of Olivie Blake's Dreamland. Below is my honest review.

This is a hard one to review because it was VERY convoluted at the beginning, which made it hard for me to get into. But I pushed through, and I'm glad I did. Turns out, it was weird and confusing with unlikeable characters, but also compelling to watch things fall apart.

I'm not really sure how to explain my feelings, because I was drawn to the circling of the drain that Anya seemed unable to shake - she was drawn to the chaos like a moth to a flame, and I was drawn to watching her sink further and further like the call of the void.

But again, no one was really likeable in this one. No one made me root for them, not even the tortured Julian, even though he was probably the one I rooted for the most, as much as I could, I guess.

What a weird, confusing, but even still, entertaining book. 3.5 stars rounded up.

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Review: The House That Eats the Dead

The House That Eats the Dead by Max Doty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Bantam for the pre-release copy of The House That Eats the Dead by Max Doty. Below is my honest review.

I love haunted house stories, and this is definitely haunted house adjacent. After the family moves in, the weirdest things start to happen and every member of the family begins to change.

I really enjoyed watching Claire grow to understand the house and its hunger. I felt like the pacing was on point, and I felt that the revelations along the way made total sense.

There were some really sad parts, especially due to the house's influence over the world after it eats.

I had to knock off a half a star because, well, Max Doty, you know what you did (hint: there is a dog in this book.)

All in all, a fantastic story. This is the second thing I've read this year that started as a reddit serial, the other being We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer, which was also top notch. Publishers take note, there are some badass writers on reddit and you guys should be stalking subreddits like "nosleep" and finding these gems.

Highly recommended for horror fans and haunted house (or haunted house adjacent!) stories. Four and a half stars, rounded down.

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Review: Reliquary

Reliquary by Hannah Whitten
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for the pre-release copy of Reliquary by Hannah Whitten. Below is my honest review.

What happens when you take a character desperate for a place in the world and adrift, a rich family with everything to lose, and smush the two together in a Lovecraftian isolated oceanside castle? You get this book, and I. WAS. HERE. FOR. IT.

No matter how many warning signs we see or the creeping sense of dread, it's impossible to put this one down. The saltwater tale seeps into your skin, into your organs, into your soul, and you just have to keep going to see what's going to happen next.

Absolute gem of a book. Five stars. Highly recommended for fans of horror, Lovecraft, isolated settings, creepy cultish vibes.

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Review: A Family Affair

A Family Affair by Jodi Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Headline for the pre-release copy of A Family Affair by Jodi Taylor. Below is my honest review.

Warning: Please note that this novel is the second in the Smallhope & Pennyroyal series, which is a spinoff of the Chronicles of St. Mary's and The Time Police series. It does have spoilers for some of the events of St. Mary's and the events of Time Police 6, in addition to the obvious references to the events of The Ballad of Smallhope and Pennyroyal.

I loved this one, which is par for the course for everything in the St. Mary's-verse. This one sees both of our main characters dealing with issues with their respective families, and jumps around a bit. It's nearly impossible to say much without giving massive spoilers, but I will say - Pennyroyal's story is a bit of a tearjerker, and Amelia's family dealings are quite a hoot to read, mostly because Smallhope is the queen of petty pre-emptive strikes and I'm here for it.

Highly recommended, but do take note of my warning above. This one does discuss the events of the rest of the St. Mary's universe books, especially the recent events of Time Police 6.

Five stars. GIMME MORE JODI! I NEED MOOOOOOOORE!

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Review: Carry Me to My Grave

Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the pre-release copy of Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden. Below is my honest review.

I really hate describing a book as "meh." As an aspiring (and imposter syndrome suffering) writer myself, I know how much of your heart and soul and sweat and tears get poured into every page, so it pains me to write that word in regards to someone's hard-earned page count.

But this? Meh. The concept was great, but I really didn't enjoy it executed this way all that much. The characters felt trope-y, and lacked a lot of real depth. Their behavior in every scenario was exactly as you'd expect or predict. The majority of the book felt like "oh we got away!" "oh no we didn't!" "oh no people died around us!" "oh we got away" "oh no we didn't!" "oh no people died around us!" over and over and over.

I very much enjoyed Golden's All Hallows and The House of Last Resort, so was very disappointed to find that, in my opinion, this one didn't live up to the quality of those.

But I didn't hate it. Like I said, the concept was interesting. And the monsters *were* creepy. I just couldn't love it either, because part of it felt... I dunno, phoned in?

Two and a half stars, but I'll round up.

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Review: Unpredictable Magic

Unpredictable Magic by Faith Hunter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for a pre-release copy of Faith Hunter's Unpredictable Magic. Below is my honest review.

YAY! More in the world of Jane Yellowrock! This time, we're checking in after a time jump. There's been a Witch War, unleashing demons on the world. We're following Angie Baby and little EJ, but they're all grown up now. Heck, the book starts with Angie Baby already having been married and divorced!

I am so glad we get more in this world, and I'm so happy that Faith decided to give us this story. I read in the acknowledgements that she had thought the final Soulwood book would be the end of her writing, but she was convinced (send that person a winning lottery ticket please!) to keep writing for fun instead of writing for deadlines, and this was the result. And supposedly we will get some more??? Celebration all around!

This one was tangly in true Jane/Nell fashion. Vampire plots, layer upon layer, are revealed, and the stakes are higher than they've ever been before with the EEBs being weaponized. We even get a few cameos! :)

I really loved this one. I can't wait for more!

Five stars, highly recommended, especially for fans of Jane Yellowrock and Nell Ingram.

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Review: Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die

Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die by Mallory Arnold
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen for the pre-release copy of Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die by Mallory Arnold. This is my honest review.

If you're into slashers set in isolated small towns with big snowstorms, this is your book. If you enjoyed Until Dawn (the video game, not the movie with a different story), then you'll love this one.

Once the set up is done, the story ends up in an isolated mountainside group of cabins, only truly accessible by gondola, in the middle of a massive snowstorm, and that's when the crap hits the fan. Things go crazy outside their planned scare.

Cults? Isolated setting? One by one picking off? Twists within twists? Yep.

Lots of fun, four stars, recommended for horror/slasher/quick reads.

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Review: Scary Movie Night

Scary Movie Night by Miranda Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine/Bantam for the pre-release copy of Scary Movie Night by Miranda Smith. Below is my honest review.

This one was so twisty and turny and I loved every second. The mystery was well-plotted, layered, and had quite a few unexpected moments. The characters were, for the most part, deep and developed enough for the story, and the setting was spot-on for a fun time and a Hitchcock homage.

Four stars, highly recommend, will definitely pick up Miranda Smith's first novel.

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Review: Fabulous Bodies

Fabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Extra special thanks to Netgalley and Tor for the pre-release copy of Chuck Tingle's Fabulous Bodies. Below is my honest review.

In true Tingle fashion, I finished this book and immediately thought, "what in the actual f*$# did I just read?" But in a good way, also in true Tingle fashion.

I thought I knew what was coming in this one, and I did guess a few tidbits, but man alive did this one keep throwing me for loops!?

I loved how we saw that the shallow MC wasn't really all that shallow. I loved how we saw that you should never, ever meet your idols/heroes. I loved that we saw a really interesting take on zombies, even though zombies stress me out. And there was even a little science involved.

Absolute mindbang of a horror novel. Four stars, highly recommended especially for horror sci-fi weird stuff.

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Review: What Happened to Those Girls

What Happened to Those Girls by Carlyn Greenwald
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for the pre-release copy of What Happened to Those Girls by Carlyn Greenwald. Below is my honest review.

This one was a wild ride! From the moment the main character got the text message about how they're all going to die out there that then was unsent to the very end, it was explosive. I couldn't put it down!

It was a well-plotted and twisty mystery thriller, and I was very impressed with the author's ability to give depth to even the characters that weren't alive any more.

Highly entertaining, will read more by Greenwald.

Four stars, definitely recommend to mystery-thriller fans and YA readers who like a dark gruesome murder mystery.

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Review: Songs of the Dead

Songs of the Dead by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Saga Press for the pre-release copy of Songs of the Dead by Brandon Sanderson and Peter Orullian. Below is my honest review.

Meh. I hate to say that about a book with BrandoSando's name on it, but meh.

It dragged... a lot. It felt like a lot of info dumping instead of world building. And gosh, I was so sick of hearing about the life-saving power of metal music. Like other reviewers have pointed out, there was a ton of telling instead of showing, too, which also contributed to how the book felt unpolished.

All in all, I gave it 2.5 stars, and since 2 didn't seem right, because it wasn't AWFUL, just not my jam, I rounded up to 3.

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Review: The Secret Attic

The Secret Attic by Chelsea Conradt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and for the pre-release copy of The Secret Attic by Chelsea Conradt. The following is my honest review.

I absolutely loved this one. Twists and turns galore, creepy as heck dolls, and tension that builds. If I ever find a secret attic with a bunch of dolls in it, I'm out. See ya. Later toots, I'm out like Mark Cuban on a bad pitch on Shark Tank. Absolutely not.

Alas, the main character doesn't choose to run screaming away from the secret attic she finds, which is for the best (for us) because it gives us this novel!

Five stars, highly recommend for thriller fans.

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Review: It Came from Neverland

It Came from Neverland by Cynthia Pelayo
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane for my pre-release copy of Cynthia Pelayo's It Came from Neverland. Below is my honest review.

I'm a bit disappointed. This one had such an intriguing premise, but the execution was quite lacking. The stakes never really felt high. The plot dragged until the last 20%, and I almost gave up multiple times. I'm glad I didn't because I enjoyed parts of the story, but it was a slog.

The characters were kinda shallow and under-developed. There was talk of an entity that made Peter what he is, but then it's never mentioned again when they're discussing how to stop Peter for good... what's stopping the entity from creating another Peter?

There were SO many typos. SO SO SO many. And the shifts from current reality to a memory of time in Neverland and back weren't really indicated, so all of a sudden mid-page you'd be thrust into a conversation that was a memory being relived, but nothing told you that. It was jarring.

The "happy ending" part was awkward and cringy as well.

Two stars, meh, and I hate saying that about any book.

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Review: Marion

Marion by Leah Rowan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a pre-release copy of Marion by Leah Rowan. Below is my honest review.

One of my favorite musicals ever is one called "& Juliet." It posits the following: what if Juliet didn't kill herself for a dude at the end of Romeo & Juliet, and instead woke to find Romeo dead and decided to run away and travel Europe, find a meaning to her life?

This is a similar set up: What happens if Marion Crane turns the tables on Norman Bates when he attacks her with the knife in the shower? What if she kills him? What kind of fallout would there be?

It's a really fun twist on Alfred Hitchcock's classic Psycho, but it's been modernized and some of the names changed a bit. And there's even a little Alfred cameo in there, which I think Hitchcock would have loved.

All in all, I think it was a really solid book. I had a few issues with the ending of the narrative feeling a little abrupt, but it was a great read overall.

Highly recommended, 4.5 stars rounded down.

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Review: "What Do You Mean, Murder?" Clue and the Making of a Cult Classic

"What Do You Mean, Murder?" Clue and the Making of a Cult Classic by John Hatch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: Velveteen vs. The Consequences of Her Actions

Velveteen vs. The Consequences of Her Actions by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Subterranean Press for the pre-release copy of Seanan McGuire's Velveteen vs. the Consequences of Her Actions. Below is my honest review.

It would seem Seanan has a thing for personifying the seasons into fun characters (see: Alchemical Journeys series), because this one has Velveteen visiting three of the seasons - Winter, Spring, and Autumn - to see if she wants to pledge herself to any of them. She's doing this as a result of the promise she made in the last volume, and boy do the seasons have it out for her. So of course, lots of hijinks ensue.

I love all the characters in these, and I love how much McGuire makes sure to show how deeply the characters care about each other and the lengths they will go to in order to save one another.

This one was lots of fun (for the reader... the poor characters are put through hell!), and I was really happy with how it all tied up.

Highly recommended, but hopefully you've read either Volumes 1 & 2 or their omnibus combination, Velveteen vs. The Early Adventures. This is a direct continuation of that storyline, consisting of Volumes 3 & 4.

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Review: An Ordinary Sort of Evil

An Ordinary Sort of Evil by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's/Minotaur for the pre-release copy of An Ordinary Sort of Evil by Kelley Armstrong. Below is my honest review.

This is definitely one of my favorite entries in the series thus far! I loved the mystery, I actually didn't guess the solution, I enjoyed the case-related characters (especially Art), and I absolutely adored the development of our main characters and their relationships.

If you haven't read this series and you're a mystery fan, you should definitely pick this series up. Start now before it gets even longer and you're behind that much more!

If you're a fan of time travel or things like Outlander or The Chronicles of St. Mary's, you're probably going to enjoy this series.

Five stars, highly recommended.

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Review: The Dorians

The Dorians by Nick Cutter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the pre-release copy of Nick Cutter's The Dorians. Below is my honest review.

What a ride! I really enjoyed this one by Nick Cutter, my first by him but not my last, mostly because I really cared about (some of) the characters and was hoping for something happier for them. It's hard to hope when the book literally starts with them on the verge of death!

But what happens when someone without the maturity or social awareness or ethical foundation decides to play god and mix the dna of some creatures/plants that defy aging? Nothing good or happy, let me tell you that much!

This one would make a great movie, especially in today's CGI age where they could cast a younger group and age them up for the beginning part.

Highly recommended, five stars - mostly for horror/thriller/sci-fi fans.



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Review: A Parade of Horribles

A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the pre-release copy of A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman. Below is my honest review.

WHAT A RIDE (literally)!

This one takes place on two floors of the dungeon, floors ten and eleven. Ten is like Wacky Races, the old Hanna Barbera cartoon, but with death and destruction and dismemberment and disgusting things. Our crawler fam find themselves on random mounts/vehicles, racing through weird places, hoping to avoid awful deaths, all while working through quests and storylines that the AI has been setting up all along AND attempting to rescue as many sentient beings from the dungeon as possible.

I won't spoil how that turns out, but then comes the Parade of Horribles, also known as floor eleven, and a weird little reenactment of past events and the crazed AI's pontificating... followed by an Arena where CHAOS HAPPENS, of course.

And of course, the way our faves get themselves out of messes is wildly entertaining... and leaves me ready for the next installment and really dreading the long wait.

Five stars, highly recommended for DCC fans, fans of talking cats, and fans of silly fun extremely ridiculous awesome LitRPGs. But do yourself the favor and start at book one if you haven't read them all!

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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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