My Favorite Fiction Podcast and Book Pairings: Spooky Edition
/My family and I have been so busy lately that finding time to read has been extremely difficult. As someone who always has an earbud in and a podcast playing, I’ve come across a few fiction podcast gems that have completely sucked me into their worlds and made me slightly obsessed. I have always enjoyed audiobooks and still listen to several a month, but there is just something different about a story in podcast form. Maybe it’s all the time I spent watching soap operas growing up, but the short episodes filled with a wide range of characters and multiple concurrent storylines has always been the best way to keep my attention and interest.
Some of these podcasts are no longer active, but all their episodes are available for listening. Some have some pretty intense content warnings so definitely check their websites for details.
Because I loved:
I listened to:
Old Gods of Appalachia. Created by Steve Shell and Cam Collins, this horror anthology podcast is set in an alternate Appalachia and features dark gods, magical people, and intricate storytelling. Steve Shell’s voice is almost disturbingly perfect for the narration of these stories and the full cast episodes are absolutely haunting. It’s highly recommended that you begin with episode 1 and continue in episode order. This is one of my absolute favorite podcasts.
Unwell: A Midwestern Gothic Mystery is a fabulous full cast fiction podcast. Lillian Harper returns home to care for her estranged mother and discovers that there is so much more to the small town of Mt. Absalom. Centered around the boarding house her mother runs, Unwell is full of ghosts, creepy mysteries, and disturbing happenings in the woods.
Because I loved:
I listened to:
After losing his job, Nate moves across the country with his precious dog Bella and discovers a disturbing stash of letters in the cellar of his rental house. As Nate tries to uncover the mystery of his new house, he documents it all in podcast form with some….mixed results. I really love this one and luckily, the third season is coming soon!
I’m pretty sure I was the last person on earth to discover this fantastic podcast. Jonathon Sims is the new head archivist of the mysterious Magnus Institute. As Jonathon begins the overwhelming task of organizing and recording disturbing witness statements that were left in disarray from the previous archivist, Jonathan uncovers a disturbingly dark side of the Institute. Full cast, completely engrossing and horrifying, it’s no wonder it has won ALL the awards.
What are your favorite spooky podcasts?
This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.
Houseplants and Their Fucked-Up Thoughts: P.S. They Hate You by Carlyle Christoff
/Available now
Yes, I totally clicked on this book for its title and I’m not going to feel bad about it. While perusing the spring catalog I stumbled across this gem and instantly thought of my sister. She’s a Fancy Plant Lady and I know better than to try and buy her actual plants as gifts. Her bookish tastes also run towards humor so I knew this would be a perfect fit for her.
Spoiler, she hasn’t seen the book yet but I know she’ll love it.
The book is organized into three sections: The Popular Crowd, The Drama Queens, and The Bitches. Each plant is given a witty description, watering instructions, and if it’s edible or not. It’s snotty, snooty tone is quite funny and it’s small, consistent color palette is very pretty and soothing. I showed it to the Hubs and he spent a good 20 minutes flipping through it and reading aloud his favorite parts.
Perfect for giving as a gift or to set out on a (probably child-free) living room coffee table, this is a book that is certain to elicit giggles.
Thank you to The Collective Book Studio for an advanced digital copy of this book. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate Links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.
Lassiter by J.R. Ward
/Available now
It’s here! Lassiter has his book!
From the author’s website:
Lassiter, the fallen angel, is too good at the savior business. In his new role overseeing the fates of all vampires, he’s influenced outcomes he shouldn’t have- so the Creator is calling him home. But the angel has a reason to stay in Caldwell. He’s bonded with a mysterious female who’s seemed to appear from out of nowhere… and has powers that defy all reason.
Rahvyn is well aware that she doesn’t belong in the present. And she never intended to stay, for her true place is in the past. Lassiter proves to be undeniable, however, and she lets herself fall for the angel- until a secret he’s been keeping comes out and she fears that for him, it’s not about love, but duty.
As the Omega’s son reestablishes the Lessening Society, and the Brotherhood must resume the deadly war- an unfathomable tragedy occurs. In the aftermath, Rahvyn has to decide whether to stay and help- or save herself from an immortal heartbreak she knows will crush her very soul…
I have been a fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood from the very beginning. When my husband and I built our bookshelves around our new fireplace, these books were the first to be shelved. When I was pregnant with my son, I was so scared of losing another pregnancy that I took rest very seriously. During this time, I fell back in love with reading for pleasure and discovered many authors that have become the core of my reading. But with all long running series, this is book 21 of just the core series!, sometimes you get a bit of reading fatigue. I fully believe that you can love a series with all your heart and also wonder how much longer an author is going to keep it going. If you have felt that way at all with the BDB, I get it, and also, this book made me remember why I love Ward and this series so much. And, as with long running series, it’s so hard to discuss them without all the spoilers.
So here’s what I loved:
Lassiter really gets to show his humanity and express his true feelings about his role in the Brotherhood’s life.
Rahvyn’s character is given more depth and complexity. I really like her storyline.
Lassiter and Rahvyn’s romance felt so pure, but also so fragile. I really loved the uncertainty of it all.
Beth gets to be more than LW’s mom.
Devina and Lash. My word these two are diabolical. I love it.
I screamed during a pivotal scene. Screamed. While working a local election.
(I live in a tiny district and it was a sloooow day. Don’t judge.)
I think this book sets up the opportunity for a huge shift in the world.
This book was amazing! I fell right into the story and was completely enthralled from beginning to end.
Thank you to the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.
A Soul to Keep by Opal Reyne
/Available Now
Spring is in full swing on the farm and finding time to read has been a struggle! One of my favorite things to do when I’m short on reading time and can’t seem to pick out a book from either my own stash or upcoming arcs, is to hit Kindle Unlimited and find the most bonkers cover and dive right in.
It works every time.
I really enjoyed this wonderfully wild and slightly chaotic book. I do, of course, say this with love. While I found the world building to be a little uneven, I loved the characters and found their journey to love to be sweet, super hot, and quite adventurous.
Reia has been shunned by her entire village. Forced to live alone and treated horribly for supposedly bringing on the deaths of her family, Reia has been offered by the village to be a virgin sacrifice to a Duskwalker. Faced with with a lifetime of imprisonment, Reia has no choice but to be the one who ensures the Duskwalker renews the ward that keeps the village safe from demons.
But, of course, our Duskwalker is not the soulless monster that everyone assumes. He is instead a kind, caring, and thoughtful (as much as he can be) individual who has been horribly hurt by a previous lover and has his own emotional issues to overcome.
This was a fun book. Reia doesn’t really fear Orpheus, our Duskwalker, and that really throws him off. Every time she shows him the slightest kindness he nearly loses his mind with joy and Orpheus expresses his emotions through the glowing orbs that are his eyes which leads to some really cute scenes. Just like the cover, our hero has a skull for a head. Just a bony skull. When Reia discovers the different colors signify emotions, she is determined to see his “happy” colors as often as possible. It’s really quite sweet.
This book is also super hot. It’s a slow burn but it’s definitely worth the wait. Reyne’s Duskwalkers are incredibly complex and unique in their anatomy and that made for some wild and creative sexual adventures. Reia was forced to remain a virgin until her sacrifice to Orpheus, but don’t worry, he pledged to never touch her without her permission, and she is quite confused about her feelings and desires towards him. If you love the microtrope of a human discovering she digs a “monster,” you’re going to love this.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one and already started the second book in the series. I’ve been on a bit of a monster romance kick and this was definitely worth the read.
If you’d like to add this book to your collection, it’s included in Kindle Unlimited or you can click on the cover, or here, for ordering information.
This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
/Available now
This book is incredible! Absolutely one of the best books I’ve ever read. Told in alternating points of view, we watch as The Bridegroom falls hopelessly in love with Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada, an incredibly wealthy and enigmatic woman. He’s known from the beginning that he can never ask about her past and is so swept up in his love for her that he manages to never question her until they are summoned to her childhood home to say goodbye to her dying aunt. As The Bridegroom wanders the mansion, he discovers the house wants to reveal secrets that Indigo is desperate to remain hidden.
Indigo’s childhood is revealed to us through the eyes of Azure, her closest friend. Orphaned as a young child, Indigo inherits not just her family’s wealth and business empire, but closets full of designer clothes and jewelry. Together, they crafted spells to take them to the world of fae and spent their days in preparation of becoming fae royalty and a life of immortality.
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is hauntingly beautiful. It’s part mystery, part fantasy, and completely engrossing. Chokshi is an incredibly talented writer and has crafted some of the beautiful sentences I’ve ever read. This ended up being far darker than I anticipated, but was so enthralling that I couldn’t put it down.
If you would like to add this amazing book to your collection, you can click on the cover for ordering information.
This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.
#BlogTour: The Witches of Moonshyne Manor by Bianca Marais
/Hey all! This week is the #TransRightsReadathon and I’m rounding up some of my favorite books by, or featuring, trans people. If you’d like more information about the origins and goals of this movement, you can find it here.
On Sale Date: August 23, 2022
9780778386995, 0778386996
Trade Paperback
$16.99 USD, $24.99 CAD
Fiction / Magical Realism
400 pages
About the Book:
A coven of modern-day witches. A magical heist-gone-wrong. A looming threat.Five octogenarian witches gather as an angry mob threatens to demolish Moonshyne Manor. All eyes turn to the witch in charge, Queenie, who confesses they’ve fallen far behind on their mortgage payments. Still, there’s hope, since the imminent return of Ruby—one of the sisterhood who’s been gone for thirty-three years—will surely be their salvation.But the mob is only the start of their troubles. One man is hellbent on avenging his family for the theft of a legacy he claims was rightfully his. In an act of desperation, Queenie makes a bargain with an evil far more powerful than anything they’ve ever faced. Then things take a turn for the worse when Ruby’s homecoming reveals a seemingly insurmountable obstacle instead of the solution to all their problems.The witches are determined to save their home and themselves, but their aging powers are no match for increasingly malicious threats. Thankfully, they get a bit of help from Persephone, a feisty TikToker eager to smash the patriarchy. As the deadline to save the manor approaches, fractures among the sisterhood are revealed, and long-held secrets are exposed, culminating in a fiery confrontation with their enemies.Funny, tender and uplifting, the novel explores the formidable power that can be discovered in aging, found family and unlikely friendships. Marais’ clever prose offers as much laughter as insight, delving deeply into feminism, identity and power dynamics while stirring up intrigue and drama through secrets, lies and sex. Heartbreaking and heart-mending, it will make you grateful for the amazing women in your life.
Doesn’t this sound amazing? Read on for an excerpt from The Witches of Moonshyne Manor.
1
Saturday, October 23rd
Morning
Half an hour before the alarm will be sounded for the first time in decades—drawing four frantic old women and a geriatric crow from all corners of the sprawling manor—Ursula is awoken by insistent knocking, like giant knuckles rapping against glass. It’s an ominous sign, to be sure. The first of many.
Trying to rid herself of the sticky cobwebs of sleep, Ursula throws back the covers, groaning as her joints loudly voice their displeasure. She’s slept in the buff, as is her usual habit, and as she pads across the room, she’s more naked than the day she was born (being, as she is, one of those rare babies who came into the world fully encased in a caul).
Upon reaching the window, the cause of the ruckus is immediately obvious to Ursula; one of the Angel Oak’s sturdy branches is thumping against her third-floor window. Strong winds whip through the tree, making it shimmy and shake, giving the impression that it’s espousing the old adage to dance like no one’s watching, a quality that rather has to be admired in a tree. Either that, or it’s trembling uncontrollably with fear.
The forest, encroaching at the garden’s boundary, looks disquieted. It hangs its head low, bowing to a master who’s ordered it to bend the knee. As the charcoal sky churns, not a bird to be seen, the trees in the wood whisper incessantly. Whether they’re secrets or warnings, Ursula can’t tell, which only unsettles her further.
That infernal billboard that the city recently erected across from the manor property—with its aggressive gigantic lettering shouting, ‘Critchley Hackle Mega Complex Coming Soon!’—snaps in the wind, issuing small cracks of thunder. A storm is on its way, that much is clear. You don’t need to have Ivy’s particular powers to know as much.
Turning her back on the ominous view, Ursula heads for the calendar to mark off another mostly sleepless night. It seems impossible that after so many of them—night upon night, strung up after each other seemingly endlessly—only two remain until Ruby’s return, upon which Ursula will discover her fate.
Either Ruby knows or she doesn’t.
And if she does know, there’s the chance that she’ll want nothing more to do with Ursula. The thought makes her breath hitch, the accompanying stab of pain almost too much to bear. The best she can hope for under the circumstances is that Ruby will forgive her, releasing Ursula from the invisible prison her guilt has sentenced her to.
Too preoccupied with thoughts of Ruby to remember to don her robe, Ursula takes a seat at her mahogany escritoire. She lights a cone of mugwort and sweet laurel incense, watching as the tendril of smoke unfurls, inscribing itself upon the air. Inhaling the sweet scent, she picks up a purple silk pouch and unties it, spilling the contents onto her palm.
The tarot cards are all frayed around the edges, worn down from countless hours spent jostling through Ursula’s hands. Despite their shabbiness, they crackle with electricity, sparks flying as she shuffles them. After cutting the deck in three, Ursula begins laying the cards down, one after the other, on top of the heptagram she carved into the writing desk’s surface almost eighty years ago.
The first card, placed in the center, is The Tower. Unfortunate souls tumble from the top of a fortress that’s been struck by lightning, flames engulfing it. Ursula experiences a jolt of alarm at the sight of it for The Tower has to signify the manor; and anything threatening their home, threatens them all.
The second card, placed above the first at the one o’clock position, can only represent Tabitha. It’s the Ten of Swords, depicting a person lying face down with ten swords buried in their back. The last time Ursula saw the card, she’d made a mental note to make an appointment with her acupuncturist, but now, following so soon after The Tower, it makes her shift nervously.
The third, fourth and fifth cards, placed at the three o’clock, four-thirty and six o’clock positions, depict a person (who must be Queenie) struggling under too heavy a load; a heart pierced by swords (signifying Ursula); and a horned beast towering above a man and woman who are shackled together (obviously Jezebel). Ursula whimpers to see so many dreaded cards clustered together.
Moving faster now, she lays out the sixth, seventh and eighth cards at the seven-thirty, nine and eleven o’ clock positions. Ursula gasps as she studies the man crying in his bed, nine swords hovering above him (which can only denote Ursula’s guilt as it pertains to Ruby); the armored skeleton on horseback (representing the town of Critchley Hackle); and the two bedraggled souls trudging barefoot through the snow (definitely Ivy). Taking in all eight sinister cards makes Ursula tremble much like the Angel Oak.
Based on the spread, Ursula absolutely should sound the alarm immediately, but she’s made mistakes in the past—lapses in judgment that resulted in terrible consequences—and so she wants to be a hundred percent certain first.
She shuffles the cards again, laying them down more deliberately this time, only to see the exact same shocking formation, the impending threat even more vivid than before. It couldn’t be any clearer if the Goddess herself had sent a homing pigeon with a memo bearing the message: Calamity is on its way! It’s knocking at the window, just waiting to be let in!
And yet, Ursula still doesn’t sound the alarm, because that’s what doubt does; it slips through the chinks in our defenses, eroding all sense of self until the only voice that should matter becomes the one that we don’t recognize anymore, the one we trust the least.
As a result of this estrangement from herself, Ursula has developed something of a compulsion, needing to triple check the signs before she calls attention to them, and so she stands and grabs her wand. She makes her way down the hallway past Ruby’s and Jezebel’s bedrooms at a bit of a clip before descending the west wing stairs.
It’s just before she reaches Ivy’s glass conservatory that Ursula breaks out into a panicked run.
Excerpted from The Witches of Moonshyne Manor @ 2022 by Bianca Marais, used with permission by MIRA Books.
About the Author:
Bianca Marais cohosts the popular podcast The Sh*t No One Tells You About Writing, aimed at emerging writers. She was named the winner of the Excellence in Teaching Award for Creative Writing at the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies in 2021. She is the author of two novels, Hum If You Don’t Know the Words and If You Want to Make God Laugh, as well as the Audible Original The Prynne Viper. She lives in Toronto with her husband and fur babies.
Social Links:
Author website: https://www.biancamarais.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/biancamaraisauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/biancam_author/
The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey
/Available Now
Hey all! This week is the #TransRightsReadathon and I’m rounding up some of my favorite books by, or featuring, trans people. If you’d like more information about the origins and goals of this movement, you can find it here.
I was very fortunate to have this gem with me while on my forest getaway and it was the perfect way to spend an afternoon cuddled under blankets, watching the snow fall. I have loved everything Gailey has previously written and I had no doubts they would deliver an amazing and thrilling adventure in The Echo Wife.
Readers, this is an amazing book.
Imagine being the scientist who perfects cloning. Now, imagine that scientific discovery being stolen by your husband to not only clone you, but to leave you for your own clone. Yeah, completely messed up. As if that isn’t enough drama for you, imagine that clone coming to you for help burying your ex’s body.
Uh huh. I told you, this book is amazing!
From the beginning page, Gailey has given us a story that starts off running and never slows down. From the moment we are introduced to our main character, Dr. Evelyn Caldwell, we know that she is driven, brilliant, and has a complicated childhood which drives her every decision. It was fascinating to see her next to her clone, Martine, and see the nature vs. nurture argument play out in real time. Dr. Caldwell was an interesting character in that she is written as your typical “ice queen” and could care less. She loves science and is determined to be the best in her field. She chose career over family and doesn’t feel guilty about it. When problems come up, she approaches them with an almost clinical calm and thrives on the stress of solving them.
Gailey’s writing is gripping and compelling, driving the story forward through a never-ending series of twists and turns. Very bizarre and creepy turns, but many, many twists and turns. It’s a fascinating exploration of marriage, identity, family, and the effects of abuse.
I absolutely loved this book and if you love a good psychological thriller, you will too.
If you’d like to add this book to your collection, you can find ordering information here:
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.
The Honeys by Ryan La Sala
/Available Now
Hey all! This week is the #TransRightsReadathon and I’m rounding up some of my favorite books by, or featuring, trans people. If you’d like more information about the origins and goals of this movement, you can find it here.
Reader Friends! Buckle Up! This is a glorious, captivating wild ride through the lives of the rich and elite.
When Mars’ sister dies under mysterious and bizarre circumstances after unexpectedly returning home from her elite summer camp, Mars becomes consumed with the need to find answers to their twin’s death. On the night of Caroline’s death, she brutally attacked Mars, seemingly intent on ending their life. But in a moment of clarity, she apologizes to them before tragically dying. After her death, a brain tumor seems to be the cause of her erratic behavior but Mars is convinced there is more to the story.
After convincing their parents to let them take Caroline’s place at Aspen, the exclusive summer camp for the children of the wealthy and connected, Mars returns to the place that is a great source of trauma and pain. Mars’ gender fluidity and nonbinary identity goes against the very core of Aspen and it’s incredibly gendered values. Once at Aspen, Mars does their best to get in with the girls from Cabin H, better known as the Honeys. Caroline was a part of the Honey’s and they are convinced they have all the answers. But the Honey’s exist outside of the rules of Aspen and Mars is constantly shadowed by Wyatt, a leader in training and nephew to the camp’s director. As Mars gets closer to the answers they seek, they discover a world where people disappear, memories are altered, and the power of the Honeys seems to know no bounds.
This is a dark, twisting, captivating story of love, power and betrayal. I was so enthralled by the darkness in the story that I flew through this book in one sitting. The Honeys is a perfect blend of the horror, mystery, and paranormal genres told through the eyes of a grieving twin. It’s so much more than a story of a mysterious death. It’s an examination of greed, wealth, family expectations, toxic masculinity, and the way societal expectations about gender and generational wealth impacts teens. Nearly every activity at Aspen is based on gendered roles and expectations and how someone like Mars, a nonbinary teen who refuses to change for others, is forced into unsafe situations and ridicule when they reject the pressure to conform.
It’s also a lesson in underestimating the next generation-they are terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.
This book is fantastic-definitely give it a shot. If you’d like to add this book to your shelf, you can click on the book cover or here for ordering information.
This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases. As always, these are just my opinions and ramblings and all mistakes are my own.
Defekt by Nino Cipri
/Available April 20, 2021
Hey all! This week is the #TransRightsReadathon and I’m rounding up some of my favorite books by, or featuring, trans people. If you’d like more information about the origins and goals of this movement, you can find it here.
Last year, I was fortunate enough to read a review copy of Finna by Nino Cipri and I realized just a few moments ago, that I neglected to share that wonderful and quirky book with all of you. In Finna, we are introduced to the bizarre and chaotic world found within LitenVärld. A store so large, it’s very layout has the ability to create wormholes that can ensnare customers and employees alike.
In Defekt, we return to the mysterious world of LitenVärld and it’s eclectic group of employees. Derek is a proud employee of LitenVärld, spending his days stocking merchandise and creating beautiful displays in the many showrooms. Derek appreciates the company’s devotion to it’s employees as LitenVärld provides housing in the extra cargo containers at the end of the parking lot and drafts detailed employee handbooks, answering any and all questions that employees may have. Derek is always receptive to feedback on his performance and routinely practices smiling at customers in the mirror while getting ready for work. When Derek becomes unexpectedly ill, the first illness he can ever remember, a call to the employee helpline and a chat with his manager leave him with more questions than answers. When a high-up human resources official makes Derek the point person for a special inventory team, Derek realizes that everything he has ever known about the world, and his very existence, is a lie. Because truly, isn’t life better with more Derek’s?
This is a smart, snarky, and witty novella that is brimming with humor and insight into the human experience. Nino Cipri crafts these darkly hilarious novellas that break down the horrors of capitalism and it’s effects on people in such a way that you are laughing when you really should be enraged and crying. If you’ve ever been inside an extremely large department store, like an Ikea, you can imagine how massive the place would seem without any people in it. Now, add in an overnight shift and furniture that comes to life. It sounds like the start of a horror novel. But what if we didn’t immediately believe that everything that is different is inherently evil? What if we initiated contact with the hopes of understanding and creating a new friendship? This was a fascinating take on a “first contact” story. I also really enjoyed how the team of “Dereks” were not only different in personalities and temperaments, but also genders and identities. While it’s not necessary to have read Finna before Defekt, the two genuinely compliment each other and I highly recommend both. If you like witty and snarky takes on current events, this is definitely up your alley.
Intrigued? Feel like shopping? How about adding this to your bookshelf? You can find ordering information here:
Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post also contains affiliate links and I do earn from qualifying purchases.
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
/Available Now
Hey all! This week is the #TransRightsReadathon and I’m rounding up some of my favorite books by, or featuring, trans people. If you’d like more information about the origins and goals of this movement, you can find it here.
Content Warnings for harm to children, partner abuse, and body horror.
Look at this gorgeous cover!
If you are able to, avoid all descriptions of this book before diving in. I mean it; just go in blindly. All I knew when I requested this book was that it was by Rivers Solomon and it was about a woman who is going through a metamorphosis and needs to escape a religious compound. I didn't really need any more information than Rivers Solomon being the author to get excited and I am so glad that I didn't read further. This made every twist and turn that much more exciting and I was completely caught off guard multiple times. Now if you really need to know more, then by all means keep reading this post before putting this book on hold at the Library. But trust me, this book is amazing.
Reader Friends, this book is an intense ride and I was completely enthralled from start to finish. Vern gave birth to her children alone while hiding in the woods from her abusive husband and the repressive religious compound she grew up in. Only more surprising than her not knowing she was pregnant with twins is Vern´s age. At only 14, Vern is now tasked with not only her own survival against a dark and evil force, but that of her children as well. Deep in the woods, Vern and her small family spend their days gathering, foraging, and hunting their food while spending their nights drying and preserving their surplus. As the days pass on, her children grow into inquisitive toddlers as Vern discovers her own body changing and developing as well. When the forest fiend gets too close to her children, Vern knows she must finally ask for help. Packing up her children and their meager supplies, Vern and her children set off across the country to find an old friend from Vern´s childhood. As the days pass, Vern continues to change and hallucinations from her childhood return with greater force. With no one to trust but herself, Vern must learn more about her past in order to secure a future for herself and her children.
Sorrowland is one of those magical books that crosses so many genres that it becomes something new altogether. It is part historical fiction, part science-fiction, and a whole lot of gothic horror. Solomon´s writing is intense and compelling with richly drawn characters caught up in an intricate and complicated plot. Much of the book's impact comes from it's too-close-to-reality storyline of racism, misogyny, and distrust in authority. Spoiler, everyone has every reason to distrust all authority in this book. It's also incredibly fast paced and I was so engrossed in the story that I finished it in one sitting. I loved this book and can't wait to hear what you all think of it.
If you would like to add this book to your collection, you can find ordering information here:
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post also contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
/Available Now
Hey all! This week is the #TransRightsReadathon and I’m rounding up some of my favorite books by, or featuring, trans people. If you’d like more information about the origins and goals of this movement, you can find it here.
I have seen this book everywhere and for good reason-it’s a perfect book. Just perfect. If you are someone who is remotely interested in a young adult paranormal romance, you must pick this up. Now. Go get it.
Yadriel believes with all his heart that Lady Death will see him for what he truly is: a brujo. When his father refuses to listen to Yadriel and bans him from participating in his quinces ceremony, he knows the only way to prove himself is by performing in his own ceremony. With the help of his best friend and cousin Maritza, Yadriel defies all expectations and receives the blessing of Lady Death. When his cousin Miguel goes missing, the community begins a search for him but they are quickly overcome with the feeling of his death. Yadriel knows that he can help by summoning Miguel’s spirit and solving the mystery of his death but when Yadriel performs the ritual, he summons a ghost...the ghost of the high school bad boy Julian.
Now, Yadriel must hide the existence of Julian’s ghost from his brujx family, no small feat, solve the mystery of both Julian and Miguel’s death, and prove himself to his father. I mean, no big deal right?
This is a fantastic book! I loved every page, every word. Yadriel is such a wonderfully written character. He is determined to live his life as his true self-a boy who wants to become a brujo. His mother was the understanding parent who accepted his transition but he still has his father and grandmother who struggle to see him as a boy and use his real name, not his dead name. The connection between Maritza and Yadriel is so pure and accepting. They are cousins, family, best friends, and completely honest with each other. Aiden Thomas gives readers an honest and frank look at the life of a trans teen and all of the ways their identity dictates everyday decisions. There is a scene where Julian finds out that Yadriel hasn’t used the boys’ bathroom at school because he’s afraid and it just broke my heart. Julian’s presence has a significant impact on Yadriel. He is openly gay and quite blunt about Yadriel’s interactions with his family and their treatment of Yadriel. Julian questions his loyalty to a family that is holding him back from becoming a brujo because he is trans and the two have conversations that provide incredible insight into Yadriel’s life.
The descriptions of the family’s belief system were rich and detailed. I love magic in all its forms and learned so much about Yadriel’s history and culture. The tight knit community and the closeness of the family members creating such an elaborate set of festivities to honor their dead was fascinating and beautiful. Be prepared for some incredible descriptions of food-I was starving the entire time I read this!
The story takes place on a very quick timeline-they must find Miguel’s killer and release Julian’s spirit before Dia de Muertos. I love YA that has a tight timeline the characters have to follow but still have to go to school. I love it. This urgency is really felt in the development of Yadriel and Julian’s relationship. What do you do when you fall in love with a ghost who only has a few days to remain on earth? It’s pretty incredible Readers.
This book checks a lot of boxes: found family, family friendships, magic, history, culture, romance, coming of age, and so much more. Best part-this is a debut! I can’t wait to find out what wonderful novels Thomas has in store for us next.
If you would like to add this amazing story to your collection, you can find ordering information here:
This post contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.
Bad Cree by Jessica Johns
/Available now
Hey all! This week is the #TransRightsReadathon and I’m rounding up some of my favorite books by, or featuring, trans people. If you’d like more information about the origins and goals of this movement, you can find it here.
As the anniversary of her sister’s death approaches, Mackenzie finds herself plagued with strange and disturbing dreams. After a nightmare where she has to battle a murder of crows, she awakens to find the severed head of a crow in her hands. As the nights go on, her dreams become more vivid and she finds herself bringing objects from the dream world into the waking world. Her dreams keep sending her to her family’s favorite camp site, and to a memory that has disturbed Mackenzie for years. When her dreams become too disturbing to handle alone, she finds herself back home for the first time in years.
Her family, still grieving the loss of Sabrina, Mackenzie’s sister, and the recent loss of her kokum, comes together to discover what is behind her disturbing dreams and how to keep her safe.
This is a fascinating story. Mackenzie is a compelling character who is burdened by the grief of her sister’s death and her guilt over not going home for the funeral. Growing up, Mackenzie was always surrounded by family. From camping trips to late night card games and cousin sleepovers, Mackenzie has always been surrounded by her family. But Sabrina’s sudden death and Mackenzie’s behavior created a rift that’s she’s unsure of how to heal. Johns does an incredible job of expressing the different ways that we grieve and how that impacts our relationships with others.
When she returns home, Mackenzie discovers that her mother, aunts, and cousins have more experience with the mysteries of dreams and the supernatural than she realized. I really loved learning more about Cree culture and the myths that were shared in the story. Many of the women all had some type of special gift and it was a bit sad to hear how they felt the need to keep it secret, especially when it became clear that they needed everyone’s knowledge to solve the mystery and keep everyone safe.
I was a bit surprised to find a horror novel that was more of a slow burn and character driven. I found it very well written, the story very compelling, and the characters very interesting and realistic.
If you would like to add this amazing book to your shelf, you can find ordering information by clicking here or on the book cover above.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post may contain links, including Amazon Associate Links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
/Available Now
Hey all! This week is the #TransRightsReadathon and I’m rounding up some of my favorite books by, or featuring, trans people. If you’d like more information about the origins and goals of this movement, you can find it here.
This is a brutal, violent book that deals with death, abuse, suicidal ideation, assault, alcoholism, and torture.
If you, like me, get excited when you find out a book is 400 pages of feminist rage, this is the book for you! Zetian Wu has lived her whole life at the mercy of her family. Her sole purpose is to sacrifice herself so the family may succeed. When her older sister dies, Zetian focuses her rage on the person responsible and vows revenge.
Set in a future China, a battle rages between humans and the massive aliens beyond the Great Wall. Using Chrysalises, giant mechanical robots (kind of, it’s so complicated) that require one male and one female to join their life forces to pilot. One extremely unfortunate side effect of this arrangement is that the female pilots die in nearly battle, sacrificing themselves to save the male pilot. Shortly after enlisting, much to the disappointment of a young, wealthy man who offered to marry her, Zetian is given her chance to kill the pilot who sacrificed her sister. His death was fast, brutal, and gave her the title of Iron Widow. Unfortunately for the higher ups, Zetian is an incredibly powerful warrior and with nothing to lose, they have no leverage against her and she’s too valuable to kill.
When Zetian is paired with the terrifying and notorious Li Shimin, Zetian believes it’s a death sentence. Addicted to alcohol, known for violent outbursts, and convicted of killing his entire family, Li Shimin appears to be as volatile as he is deadly. What Zetian quickly realizes, is that Li Shimin is a pawn in a twisted government plot and feels deeply about the girls who have died as his partner. Luckily for both Zetian and Li Shimin, that young, wealthy man who wanted to marry Zetian has found his way to her and is able to work with both of them in an official capacity.
As Zetian points out over and over again, is a triangle is the strongest shape…
Iron Widow is a fast paced, thrilling, scream of a book. Zetian’s rage is palpable and she holds nothing back. She is an absolute force and a joy to follow in her adventures. I loved this book so much! It looks like it’ll be part of a duology and I’m really excited to see how the story moves further.
If you would to hear the author pronounce all the characters names, you can find it here.
If you would like your own copy, you can find ordering options here:
This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.
Entranced by the Basilisks by Lillian Lark
/Available now
Reader Friends, I love Lillian Lark’s books. I love how imaginative and sexy they are. I love how the characters have real, interesting lives and jobs. I love how easily she can turn magical elements into something that feels completely believable and relatable. I also love how imaginative and sexy they are.
Her books are so hot. So. Hot.
In Entranced by the Basilisks, we are back with Emilia from Deceived by the Gargoyles. She is still reeling from learning that magic is real and the discover that her best friend and co-worker has been lying to her for their entire relationship. When a crate of books is delivered to her office for restoration, she follows all of the precautions taught to her by Grace, including using crystals to check for, and deactivate any magical wards. When the first book appears to be nothing more than a beautiful antique book, Emilia is delighted to have a project that will keep her busy and focused on something other than her new-found magical knowledge.
But, magic is fickle and instead of hours of peace and quiet, Emilia discovers a curse. A curse that turns her into a Medusa-like creature and a threat to all who come near her. Desperate to find a cure, Emilia finds herself at the magical Love Bathhouse and in the capable hands of Rose, our favorite magical matchmaker. Will finding her mate cure the curse? Will finding pleasure on a serpent’s tongue be just what she needs?
Gods I love a book with the possibility of sex magic!
Luckily for Emilia, everyone steps up to help her control her new magical power. Everyone, including Jasper Adder, her very grumpy boss who has been harboring a secret crush on his employee. Everyone, including Ari Zeyad, the rich antiques dealer who has spent the last seven years wanting a real relationship with Jasper, only to be pushed away.
Lark has gifted us with a steamy romance that is a glorious blend of enemies to lovers, workplace pining, age gap, and “ancestor did something wrong so the entire line suffers” longing. It’s an incredibly sweet book, with characters that feel real even with all the magic involved. Jasper and Ari have a long and complicated history together with real reasons for not taking their relationship public. Ari’s tendency to be very pushy and manipulative makes things more difficult, not just for his relationship with Jasper, but for his relationship with both Jasper and Emilia. Emilia isn’t one for casual relationships and to just jump into a relationship with not one, but two men is an incredibly hard choice to make. Add in their shapeshifting abilities and the whole “magical curse” thing and it’s quite a lot for her to take in. But it all works. Lark is able to weave together all these elements and craft a beautiful, steamy, romance that I thoroughly enjoyed.
This is part of the Monstrous Matches series but can be read as a standalone. Deceived by the Gargoyles is fabulous so I recommend you read that first, then come back to Entranced by the Basilisks. Both are available in KU.
If you’d like to add this fantastical romance to your collection, you can click on the cover above or here for ordering information. If you’re interested in starting a Kindle Unlimited subscription, you can find information here.
This post contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.
Midnight Duet by Jen Comfort
/Available now
Guys, once upon a time, while doom scrolling on the bird app, I came across an author posting one star reviews of her books. If I’m remembering correctly, this author shared a review that stated the book was pure filth and nothing but sex (or something along those lines).
I immeadiately bought the book. And I’m now realizing I didn’t post about it here! It’s The Astronaut and the Star and it’s fabulous! Go read it. Equally hot and fabulous is her latest novel, Midnight Duet.
In Midnight Duet, we meet Erika Greene, a beautiful and talented Broadway star who can’t seem to keep her hands to herself. After sleeping with her co-star’s boyfriend, and being very publicly called out about it, Erika suffers a tragic accident on stage and is left badly injured and traumatized. Feeling like the universe is punishing her for her sins, Erika moves to the Paris Opera House (in Nevada) that has been in her family for over one hundred years. Business is almost nonexistent, debts are piling up, repairs desperately need to be made and Erika now has to come up with $10K to cover a loan or she’ll lose the theater.
In a last ditch attempt to save the theater, and not leave herself homeless, Erika agrees to rent out the theater, slightly illegally, to the band Nachtmusik. Assuming that a German band would need several weeks to pack and plan their trip, Erika plans to use the down payment to make some repairs and prepare for their arrival. Except…the tall, handsome band leader Christof is also extremely organized and determined to get their record started and shows up the next day.
What follows is a delightfully chaotic story, full of quirky and lovely characters. Every character is interesting and I would a read a book about every single of one of them, especially Sibylle’s. The chemistry between Christof and Erika is off the charts. Because the band is only set to be in Nevada for two months, and Erika has even less time to save the theater, the timeline is quite compressed. Erika’s urgency to save the theater and Christof’s pressure on the band to write the next album mirror the intense feelings the two share for each other, and it’s just so well done. And intense is no exaggeration when it comes to these two. Erika and Christof are absolutely explosive together!
I found the story to be incredibly compelling and entertaining and the pacing felt perfect. I really, really enjoyed this one and if we could continue on with some more of these characters…that’d be great!
If you’d like to add this title to your collection, you can find ordering information here or by clicking on the cover above. It’s also included in Kindle Unlimited if you’re looking to make the most of your membership.
I was offered a free copy of Midnight Duet in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post may contain links, including Amazon Associate Links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.
Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones
/Available now
CW: A horror novel full of inventive and brutal ways to die.
If you haven’t read My Heart is a Chainsaw, go read that first! While you can read this as a stand alone, the first novel is not only fantastic, but it will provide some pretty important back story for Jade and Letha. So I guess…also a spoiler that Jade and Letha survive? Sorry.
Don't Fear the Reaper is the thrilling sequel to My Heart is a Chainsaw. Jade, out of prison and back in Proofrock, finds herself in the middle of a killing spree by the convicted serial killer Dark Mill South. So much of Proofrock has changed, and yet so much has stayed the same. Wary of those around her and wanting to move on with her life, Jade is forced into saving her hometown once again.
Stephen Graham Jones has written a perfect sequel to Jade's story. Jade's transformation from an angsty and horror movie obsessed high schooler to a young woman with an overturned murder conviction was remarkable. This time around, Jade, now Jennifer, wants to use more than her horror movie knowledge to save the town as her friend Letha, having spent the last four years immersing herself in Jade's former obsession, is convinced there is a new final girl that they must help in order to save them all.
Thrilling, fast paced, gory, and brutal, Don't Fear the Reaper is a compelling and terrifying novel of survival, family, friendship.
If you’d like a copy for yourself, you can find ordering information here, or click on the cover above.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post may contain links, including Amazon Associate Links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.
Horror Quickie: How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
/Available now
CW: parental death, child harm, creepy dolls
Grady Hendrix has this knack for writing really scary books with characters that I CANNOT STAND! Like in The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, I have zero interest in the main characters’ survival and yet, truly enjoyed the story and the writing.
In How to Sell a Haunted House, Louise and her estranged brother have suffered a devastating loss; their parents have died suddenly in a car accident. Leaving her young daughter back in California with her father, Louise returns home for the funeral and to settle her parents’ estate, only to discover her coddled, unmotivated, and spoiled brother has planned a funeral and made plans that don’t align with her family’s wishes. Now Louise must get the rest of the family on her side to plan a more appropriate funeral, clean out the house, and settle all the details so she can return home to her daughter.
But the house is haunted.
It’s not a spoiler, it’s literally in the title. This book gave me nightmares. Louise and Mark’s mother was a semi-famous star on the Christian puppet theater scene. Yep. The house is full of puppets and dolls. Very, very creepy puppets and dolls. Just when you think this story can’t get any wilder and more bonkers, Hendrix takes it to another level and you can’t be mad about it because you’re totally invested in seeing how the story ends.
It’s a wild, creepy, surreal experience and I enjoyed every single page.
If you’d like a copy for yourself, you can find ordering information here or click on the cover above.
This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.
The Dawnhounds by Sascha Stronach
/Available now
CW: homophobia, parental death, plague, body horror,
This is a wildly imaginative and fascinating book. Yat, a former thief turned police officer has recently been demoted after being seen at a gay bar. Her father’s death has left her devastated, both emotionally and financially. She’s struggling with the disappearance of her first love and is barely holding it together at work. When she discovers a dead body, two fellow police officers brutally murder her and throw her lifeless body into the harbor.
But she wakes up. Now, with a mysterious new power, she has to join forces with unlikely allies to stop a new plague from devastating her city and prevent a war.
The blending of fantasy and mystery was very interesting: our main character Yat is a police officer who lives in a giant mushroom and has to deal with dirty cops and politics. In Yat’s world, there are some really creepy religious groups that have a huge sway over local politics and are extremely homophobic. Sound familiar? When Yat was seen at a gay bar by an undercover officer, she was demoted to the night shift. And that’s not the only thing outlawed by the government. Steel is seen as political, as are books. Corruption amongst the police is widespread and Yat gets swept up with an officer who seems to be blatantly taking bribes and ignoring citizen infractions while they are out investigating the stabbing of an informant.
It’s through this investigation that we get to see more of Yat’s world. Bioengineering is huge. There are houses made of large fungus. Yat’s home seems to feed off of her-like her dead skin cells or something (science, science, science)-and grows around her at one point. There are guns that shoot grubs that kill you with neurotoxins and bore holes in to your body. People have also altered their bodies with various bone growths, limb alterations, and eyeball enhancements. Plants and fungus seem to be incredibly important in everyday life but this is where I got lost because science, science, science and that’s completely on me-not the author. There is also some really cool magic elements that may be spoilers so I won’t go into depth on those.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s one of those delightfully weird and imaginative books that you can escape into for hours. It’s also full of complex and interesting characters, the majority of which are queer. This is also the first book in a series and I’m very excited to see what comes next.
If you’d like to add this wonderful novel to your shelf, you can find ordering information here, or click on the book cover.
This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.