Month: June 2024

Serena’s Review: “A Rivalry of Hearts”

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Book: “A Rivalry of Hearts” by Tessonja Odette

Publishing Info: Crystal Moon Press, June 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: NetGalley!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Two rival writers.
One prestigious publishing contract.
A bargain of hearts and seduction.

They say never bargain with the fae. They also say don’t get drunk on fae wine. Yet romance author Edwina Danforth has managed a blunder with both on her first visit to the infamous faelands. Now she’s trapped in a magic-fueled bet she barely remembers with a man she’d be happier to forget. The terms? Whoever can bed the most lovers during their month-long dueling book tour wins a coveted publishing contract.

The win should be easy for Edwina. She’s known for penning scintillating tales of whirlwind romance. There’s just one her imagination vastly exceeds her bedroom experience. But when failure means plummeting her career back into obscurity, losing isn’t an option.

Her handsome fae rival, William Haywood, poses an even greater challenge. Not only are his looks as aggravatingly perfect as his track record behind closed doors, but he has his own reasons for playing to win, and he won’t go down without a fight. Unless, of course, it’s a different kind of going down. In that case, he’s fair game.

Edwina and William clash in a rivalry of romance. But what happens when their objects of desire…turn out to be each other?

Review: I requested this one from NetGalley kind of on a whim. On one hand, it sounded like the kind of book that would be right up my alley: historical fantasy with a hefty dose of humor and romance! But on the other hand, I’ve been burned by the “cozy” subgenre of fantasy/romance many times in the past, so I’m always fairly apprehensive, especially when reading a new-to-me author. But this book is proof that it’s good to still go out on a limb with these things! Not only did I enjoy this book, but now I have an author with a back catalog that I can’t wait to check out!

There was so much to like about this book that I’m not quite sure where to start! I guess what it often comes down to with books like this, for me, is tone. How well does the author manage to capture the voice of her characters and do these inner voices translate into the cozy nature of the story itself. And on both counts, the answer is definitely yes! The banter was excellent, often leaving me chuckling aloud. And each main character perfectly balanced their growing interest in the the other character alongside a more meaningful personal arc. While the narrative was sweet and funny throughout much of it, this added level of heart helped balance out the book into a well-rounded finished product.

I also really liked the way the romance itself played out. This was very much a rivals-to-lovers scenario, but the author wisely didn’t draw out the rivals aspect of it beyond the point of reason (something that I often see in other romances like this, the same with enemies-to-lovers). Importantly, while their “rivalry” starts out in the typical “bad first impression” manner, as the story progresses, each character is given real stakes behind why they must compete with the other. I also enjoyed the “he falls first” aspect of this romance, especially given William’s unique backstory with regards to forming attachments and affection.

For her part, Edwina was an excellent leading character. I’d have to go back and check, but I believe we get more chapters from her perspective than Will’s, and this makes sense as she’s the avatar for the reader, also experiencing the land of Fae for the first time. I also enjoyed the overlay of Edwina’s life in the human world with all of the historical outfittings that come with that now travelling through the land of Fae that has very different fashions and cultures.

This was a blast of a read in pretty much way! This is definitely a spicy romance, so keep that in mind if you pick it up. That said, I think these scenes were done well, being both romantic and, notably, not off-putting with weird word choices and out-of-character actions. The plot is fairly straight forward, as you might expect. But the lovely characters, sweet romance, and bright sparkling world more than made up for it! Plus, we are introduced to the next couple in line to get a story, and I’m definitely going to check out that book the second it comes out!

Rating 8: Whimsical and romantic, this is a great book for any cozy fantasy fan looking for their next spicy read!

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Rivalry of Hearts” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Pink Flowers – Covers and June 2024 Most Anticipated Romance Releases.

Serena’s Review: “The Wren in the Holly Library”

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Book: “The Wren in the Holly Library” by K. A. Linde

Publishing Info: Entangled: Red Tower Books, June 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Can you love the dark when you know what it hides? Some things aren’t supposed to exist outside of our imagination.

Thirteen years ago, monsters emerged from the shadows and plunged Kierse’s world into a cataclysmic war of near-total destruction. The New York City she knew so well collapsed practically overnight. In the wake of that carnage, the Monster Treaty was created. A truce…of sorts.

But tonight, Kierse—a gifted and fearless thief—will break that treaty. She’ll enter the Holly Library…not knowing it’s the home of a monster. He’s charming. Quietly alluring. Terrifying. But he knows talent when he sees it; it’s just a matter of finding her price.

Now she’s locked into a dangerous bargain with a creature unlike any other. She’ll sacrifice her freedom. She’ll offer her skills. Together, they’ll put their own futures at risk. But he’s been playing a game across centuries—and once she joins in, there will be no escape…

Review: I was excited to check this one out when a publicist reached out with a copy for review! For one thing, the cover is lovely, and I’m always happy to have more pretty books. On top of that, either the author or the publisher knew what they were doing to pique a librarian’s interest: 1.) simply include the word “library” in your title (yes, we are that easy to please) and 2.) blurb the book as a vague re-telling of “Beauty and the Beast.” You know, the story where the hero gifts the heroine an actual library. So, let’s see how this all bore out!

While this wasn’t quite the perfect read I was hoping for, there was still a lot of really good stuff included, so let’s start with all of the positives. One of the first things that stood out to me was the unique world-building. I very much enjoyed the modern urban fantasy setting and the way the author played with the idea of a New York City that is still recovering from a massive reveal: that monsters are real. Especially in the first section of the book, we spend a decent amount of time roaming the streets with our main character and her friends, exploring all the various ways in which this shift in reality affected every bit of society. In some ways, nothing has changed, with the rich still able to essentially buy their way out of the monster problem. But in a myriad of more subtle ways, the entire culture of the city has shifted, from the lack of a night life to the delicate balance of politics at play between the city’s human and monster populaces. I very much appreciated how much time and effort the author put in to creating this world, and it was one of the things that really pulled me through the first half of the book when I was struggling a bit with the pacing and character work.

The characters were a bit more of a mixed bag. On one hand, I liked the fact that many of the characters, especially our two main leads, were truly morally grey characters. Our heroine essentially spends the first bit of the book telling readers that she got into theft simply because she enjoyed stealing, full stop. And then turned out to be good at it, hence her job. Unlike “bestest best assassins” who never kill anyone and when they do they then break down with massive internal crises, I appreciated that the author simply allowed her characters to be a bit questionable. This is a dark world, and in many ways, we see again and again that only those able to adapt have even survived up to this point.

That said, I did struggle to really connect to Kierce (weird name alert). In the first chapter, I really enjoyed her. She meets the mysterious love interest, and, overall, manages herself well, being both reasonable in her actions, entertaining in her commentary, and, notably, not simply overcome by good looks as so many heroines seem to be. That said, as the story continued, I struggled more and more to maintain my interest. Part of the problem, I think, is that shortly after this first chapter, Kierce goes back into the world and the reader is quickly introduced to a huge cast of supporting characters, all with various connections to Kierce and her life. It simply became overwhelming, and given how many of them there were, I was never quite sure where I was supposed to be directing my interest. Further, because so many characters are introduced quickly, many of them felt like they were presented in a flurry of “check box traits lists” before the reader was hurried on to meet the next one.

This wasn’t helped by the very nature of the story; that it, it’s one chock full of betrayal and secrecy. That being the case, for most of the read, I was left feeling off-balance and, again, unable to connect to any of these characters as they were constantly revealing/withholding information and betraying one another, to the point that it was almost easier to disconnect a bit than to try to keep track of motivations on an individual basis.

And, lastly, I didn’t particularly enjoy the spicy scenes in this one. The dialogue in these scenes, especially, felt a bit cringe-y to me. But this is an incredibly subjective area, so I’m sure other readers will not struggle with it the way I did.

All of that said, I do think this book has potential as the beginning of a series. The world-building was interesting and the writing was fairly strong throughout. Honestly, I think this will be a hit for a lot of urban fantasy fans who are looking for a spicy romance read as well. I struggled with some of the character work, but I’m also hopeful that some of this is now resolved in this first book and I will enjoy the sequel more. If this one has been on your TBR list, it’s probably worth checking out!

Rating 7: An intriguing world people with truly morally grey characters, though perhaps a bit too keen to betray and withhold information from one another.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Wren in the Holly Library” should be on this Goodreads list: Speculative Fiction Heist/Caper Stories

Kate’s Review: “The Eyes Are the Best Part”

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Book: “The Eyes Are the Best Part” by Monika Kim

Publishing Info: Erewhon Books, June 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from NetGalley.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Feminist psychological horror about the making of a female serial killer from a Korean-American perspective.

Ji-won’s life tumbles into disarray in the wake of her appa’s extramarital affair and subsequent departure. Her mother, distraught. Her younger sister, hurt and confused. Her college freshman grades, failing. Her dreams, horrifying… yet enticing.

In them, Ji-won walks through bloody rooms full of eyes. Succulent blue eyes. Salivatingly blue eyes. Eyes the same shape and shade as George’s, who is Umma’s obnoxious new boyfriend. George has already overstayed his welcome in her family’s claustrophobic apartment. He brags about his puffed-up consulting job, ogles Asian waitresses while dining out, and acts condescending toward Ji-won and her sister as if he deserves all of Umma’s fawning adoration. No, George doesn’t deserve anything from her family. Ji-won will make sure of that.

For no matter how many victims accumulate around her campus or how many people she must deceive and manipulate, Ji-won’s hunger and her rage deserve to be sated.

A brilliantly inventive, subversive novel about a young woman unraveling, Monika Kim’s The Eyes Are the Best Part is a story of a family falling apart and trying to find their way back to each other, marking a bold new voice in horror that will leave readers mesmerized and craving more.

Review: Thank you to NetGalley for sending an eARC of this novel!

Most every night when I have no plans, around 9 or so I retreat to bed to read until I turn out the light. My husband’s routine is to stay up playing video games until around the time I’m turning out the light. One such night he came into our room as I was reading “The Eyes Are the Best Part” by Monika Kim. He asked “Ah, what are you reading tonight?” And I cheerfully said “I’m reading a book about a woman who is slowly descending into madness and is fantasizing about eating eyeballs”. To which he said, rather despondently, “I wish I could go into the way back machine and not ask that question”. Which, hey, I get it. It does sound pretty gross, and that’s something that a reader tends to want in a body horror tale. But I also told him that it’s actually an interesting satire and social exploration while also being about eating eyeballs. He wasn’t convinced, but let me tell you, I stand by this assessment and it’s also what makes “The Eyes Are the Best Part” more than just a shocking splatterfest.

I’ll lead off with the splatterfest, however, because man, Kim isn’t afraid to be gross and disturbing. There are many descriptions in this book about cannibalism, and mutilation, and general violence, and they don’t hold back. I definitely found myself wincing and having to skim every once in awhile when I am usually a fairly seasoned horror reader, but it never felt like it was in bad taste, somehow, and that’s probably because Kim’s story has a deeper point (we’ll get to that in a bit) as well as some really effective devices to anchor the violence within a very sympathetic protagonist in Ji-won. It’s from her perspective and we get to see in real time how she is slipping more and more into obsession, rage, and perhaps madness, and it’s a really well done spin on the unreliable narrator. It utilizes this well in the body horror tale, and it’s SO gross at times but always kept me compelled. It’s a fine line for me, because a lot of the time once you get too gross and in your face I’m turned off because it just feels like it’s trying to shock for shock’s sake. “The Eyes Are the Best Part” never took it that far. But trust, it’s still gross. So don’t worry, those who like that kind of thing. I think it will still work for you.

What really stood out to me, though, is how Kim has taken Ji-won and her circumstances and has managed to make her a multi-faceted and nuanced protagonist, even if she is a budding serial killer who has become obsessed with eating other people’s eyes, specifically the eyes of her mother’s new boyfriend George, a white man who is clearly fetishizing this family of Korean-American women based on their race. I found Ji-won’s arc incredibly compelling as she is slowly descending into her madness and instability, and how Kim weaves some great social commentary into the story and the foundation of it. Whether it’s having to hold her mother and sister together after her father abandoned them for a younger woman, or having to maneuver through her own discomfort and the microaggressions she experiences as an Asian woman in modern America, or having to deal with an overt misogynistic racist like George or a covert one like a classmate that she, at first, enjoys the company of (THIS was the most interesting thread in the story for me, as the overt creeps like George can pale in comparison to the creeps who hide behind empty allyship and hollow/self serving white progressivism), or just having to deal with her own traumas and losses, Ji-won’s ultimate path is a dark one, but it’s one that does have reason, and does evoke sympathy. And hey, if there can be stories about sympathetic white men murderers, there should be room for others that don’t fit that mold as far as I’m concerned.

I quite enjoyed “The Eyes Are the Best Part”. Monika Kim is a debut author to watch, because this is a STRONG debut and I have high hopes that it’s going to lead to a great horror career.

Rating 8: Twisted and gross at times, but also a cutting insight into living in America as a Korean American woman, “The Eyes Are the Best Part” is a nasty horror novel with some serious teeth.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Eyes Are the Best Part” is included on the Goodreads list “Books With Names That Slap”.

Serena’s Review: “The Witchstone”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “The Witchstone” by Henry H. Neff

Publishing Info: Blackstone Publishing Inc, June 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: NetGalley!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Meet Laszlo, eight-hundred-year-old demon and Hell’s least productive Curse Keeper. From his office beneath Midtown, he oversees the Drakeford Curse, which involves a pathetic family upstate and a mysterious black stone. It’s a sexy enough assignment—colonial origins, mutating victims, et cetera—but Laszlo has no interest in maximizing the curse’s potential; he’d rather sunbathe in Ibiza, quaff martinis, and hustle the hustlers on Manhattan’s subway. Unfortunately, his division has new management, and Laszlo’s ratings are so abysmal that he’s given six days to shape up or he’ll be melted down and returned to the Primordial Ooze.

Meet Maggie Drakeford, nineteen-year-old Curse Bearer. All she’s ever known is the dreary corner of the Catskills where the Drakeford Curse has devoured her father’s humanity and is rapidly laying claim to her own. The future looks hopeless, until Laszlo appears at the Drakeford farmhouse one October night and informs them that they have six days—and six days only—to break the spell before it becomes permanent. Can Maggie trust the glib and handsome Laszlo? Of course not. But she also can’t pass up an opportunity to save her family, even if it means having a demon as a guide …

Thus begins a breakneck international adventure that takes our unlikely duo from a hot dog stand in Central Park to the mountains of Liechtenstein, a five-star hotel in Zurich, and even the time-traveling vault of a demonic crime boss. As the clock ticks down, tough-as-nails Maggie and conniving Laszlo will uncover a secret so profound that what began as a farcical quest to break a curse will eventually threaten the very Lords of Hell.

Review: So, I was feeling fairly positive about this book when I first requested it, as it was one of two, similar-sounding books that I had slotted for review this spring. Unfortunately, the other one was “How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying” which…I didn’t love. Even worse, that was the one I had more confidence in simply because I’d read other books by the author that I’d enjoyed. On the other hand, this one was largely an unknown. But I’m happy to report that this one came through in every way I wanted!

There’s so much to love about this book, it’s hard to know where to start! But let’s first touch on the world-building and overall tone of the story. I don’t want this review to turn into a 1:1 comparison between this and “Dark Lord,” but this was one aspect of the storytelling that was starkly different between the two. Where the latter was banging the reader over the head with “jokes,” this one had a much better balance between its humor and the other notes the story was hitting. And, notably, when it was funny, it was actually, you know, funny. There were numerous points where I was laughing out loud, even in the middle of otherwise horrifying scenes. Much of this comes down to Lazlo himself, who was an enigma of narcissism, snobbery, and secretly, a being who cared about those around him, despite himself, almost. He is the kind of character that is just a riot to travel through a story alongside.

But, importantly, while the comedic aspects were on point, the laughs, and Lazlo himself, were counterbalanced by the much more serious “straight man” character, Maggie. It is her story where the heart of the plot really lies, the curse that her family has suffered through, and her determination to finally bring it to an end. She was the perfect foil to Lazlo, as well as an avatar to the reader, seeing this world of demons and magic for the first time as well (curse itself aside).

There were also notable side characters, including a work colleague of Lazlo’s, a demon with a shark’s head, who was frankly hilarious. As well as Maggie’s younger brother, Lump, the sort of encyclopedic “smart kid” character who could have quickly fallen into clichés and not much else. Indeed, when we were first introduced to this character and his gimmick, I pretty much dismissed him. But as the story continued, the author included several very heart-felt scenes between brother and sister that solidified Lump as a fully-realized character in his own right. Even down to the simple, child-like fact that he didn’t like Maggie swearing.

The pacing and plotting were also tight throughout. The story drew me in immediately and we were quickly off to the races, travelling through New York and into Europe to track down the curse-breaking components. However, the action never overwhelmed the character arcs at the heart of the story, and the author always managed to neatly transition from focus to the other. And things ultimately came to a head with a true “final battle” type climax at the end of the book where the fantastical elements became larger-than-life.

I loved this book, and it was such a surprise! This is exactly what I was looking for in the realm of fantasy and comedy combined. Notably, while it was funny, it was also heartfelt, tragic, and touched on the twisted nature of different family dynamics. I definitely recommend this one to pretty much all fantasy fans, especially those who are looking for a good dose of humor in their story.

Rating 9: Fantastic! Fast-paced, hilarious, but full of heart!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Witchstone” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet but it should be on Humorous Fantasy Novels.

Kate’s Review: “Feeding Ghosts”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir” by Tessa Hulls

Publishing Info: MCD, March 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: The library!

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: In her evocative, genre-defying graphic memoir, Tessa Hulls tells the stories of her grandmother, Sun Yi; her mother, Rose; and herself.

Sun Yi was a Shanghai journalist caught in the political crosshairs of the 1949 Communist victory. After eight years of government harassment, she fled to Hong Kong with her daughter. Upon arrival, Sun Yi wrote a bestselling memoir about her persecution and survival, used the proceeds to put Rose in an elite boarding school―and promptly had a breakdown that left her committed to a mental institution. Rose eventually came to the United States on a scholarship and brought Sun Yi to live with her.

Tessa watched her mother care for Sun Yi, both of them struggling under the weight of Sun Yi’s unexamined trauma and mental illness. Vowing to escape her mother’s smothering fear, Tessa left home and traveled to the farthest-flung corners of the globe (Antarctica). But at the age of thirty, it starts to feel less like freedom and more like running away, and she returns to face the history that shaped her.

Gorgeously rendered, Feeding Ghosts is Hulls’ homecoming, a vivid journey into the beating heart of one family, set against the dark backdrop of Chinese history. By turns fascinating and heartbreaking, inventive and poignant, it exposes the fear and trauma that haunt generations, and the love that holds them together.

Review: I sometimes find a book that doesn’t exactly fit the expectations I have based upon the circumstances in which I found it. “Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir” by Tessa Hulls is a great example of that, as I saw it for the first time on the social media feed of horror influencer Sadie Hartmann, aka Mother Horror. Since she is such a huge presence in the horror lit community I assumed that it was a horror graphic novel (and I mean, the word ‘ghosts’ in the title added to that). But when I did research on it, I realized that it wasn’t a horror story, but a story about three generations of Chinese and Chinese American women, and the trauma that is passed down between the three of them. Sure it wasn’t a horror novel, but the premise still very much intrigued me. So I got it from the library, thinking I’d work through it pretty fast. Little did I know that it would be one of the harder reads of 2024. But not in a bad way by any means.

So I’m immediately going to clarify what I mean by ‘harder’, because I know that it makes it sound like a chore to read. And it is by no means that. When I say harder I am more talking about two things. The first is that this is a VERY dense book. Like on the page, there are SO MANY WORDS for a graphic novel. The most recent graphic memoir I read before this was “Worm” and I was able to read that in one night. That was NOT the case for “Feeding Ghosts”, as Hulls wants to tell three individual stories of herself, her mother Rose, and her grandmother Sun Yi, as well as the story of their relationships due to the trauma that is passed down through them, AS WELL AS a compact history of China in the 20th Century and how that influenced Sun Yi and Rose. The other is that the subject material is very, VERY heavy, with lots of themes that are very difficult, and Hulls approaches them with a matter of fact cadence and tone. Sun Yi was living as a reporter in Shanghai when the Communist Party took over, and after giving birth to Rose out of wedlock (and with a foreigner, as Rose’s father was a Swiss diplomat), and being an undesirable person for other reasons on top fo that, the new government spied on, intimidated, harangued, and harassed her until she and Rose could escape to Hong Kong. Shortly thereafter Sun Yi wrote a memoir speaking out against the Communists, and then had a severe mental breakdown that left Rose to her own devices in a boarding school, and then as a caregiver after they moved to America. In turn, Rose raised her own daughter Tessa with a lot of fear, anxiety, and a clinging fear of losing her to mental illness, which in turn pushed Tessa away and gave her her own set of traumas. Tessa writes this memoir with lots of honesty as to all the things that all of them went through, and how trauma and mental illness can keep reverberating through generations and progeny. With the combination of the jam packed pages and some VERY heavy themes, it took me longer to get through this than I anticipated. But again, that’s not a bad thing. I appreciated the care and context that Hulls wanted to give her family, as well as herself, and I thought that she did a really good job of pulling it all together, as well as allowing herself vulnerability to open up about some very tragic truths about her family history that is still present to this day. It’s quite the achievement, and I found it to be deeply fascinating and moving.

I also quite enjoyed the way that Hulls weaves in the history of 20th Century China into this tale, as so much of that time period had an effect on Sun Yi, and in turn Rose and Tessa down the line. She does a good job of laying out the timeline from the jump as almost an outline, and then diving deeper into the various parts of it, including the invasion of Japan to the Communist Revolution to the Great Leap Forward, and showing how these events shaped Sun Yi’s life, and the repeated traumas in all probability led to her complete mental breakdown that she never recovered from. It’s by no means a deep dive into this time period or the events, but she does make them very accessible and takes some pretty complex moments and parses them out without disrupting the flow of the story of her family. Lord knows I don’t know that much about this time period outside of learning about it for a unit when I was in high school, and I liked having the basics laid out. It’s also so important to the overall story I really like how she made sure it was all there, even if it did contribute to the aforementioned denseness.

All in all, “Feeding Ghosts” is a deeply personal and moving memoir, a magnum opus for an author who was trying to untangle some complicated histories in her family. If you like memoirs, this is absolutely one to check out.

Rating 8: An emotional memoir about cycles of trauma that went through three generations of women, “Feeding Ghosts” is dense, deeply personal, and very well done.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Feeding Ghosts” is included on the Goodreads list “Memoirs Published in Year: 2024”.

Not Just Books: June 2024

While we do love us some books, believe it not, we do have a life outside of reading. So to highlight our other pop culture interests, on the last Monday of each month, we each will highlight three other “happenings” from the last month. Big events on favorite TV shows, new movies we’ve watched, old movies we’ve “discovered,” etc. Pretty much whatever we found of particular interest outside of the book world during the last month. Share your own favorite things in the comments!

Serena’s Picks:

TV Show: “Your Honor”

Honestly, we started this one purely because Bryan Cranston was the star. And clearly whomever made this poster understood that that was probably the primary appeal for most people! The story follows a judge whose son commits a hit-and-run, accidentally killing the son of a mob boss. Shenanigans ensue as the judge attempts to save his son while actively working against his own moral judgement. It’s definitely been a tense watch, and I spend way to much of my time being angry at the son, but Cranston shines as always. If you like dark legal thrillers, than this one might be worth checking out!

Apple TV Show: “Masters of the Air”

Continuing my steady march into middle age, I’m back again with yet another WWII story! This time the story focuses on a group of flyers in the bombing unit of the air force. I haven’t watched “Band of Brothers,” but it’s from the same group of producers, which probably gives you some idea. The story is based on true stories and characters and man, it’s tough at times. But the bravery of the flyers in these situations was also incredible! For some reason, I feel like I’ve only ever really heard/watched/read about the fighter pilots in this war, so this was a unique look into the world of bomber flying, which, turns out, is very different! If you enjoy true stories about historical warfare, than this is definitely one to check out!

Movie: “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”

I know this one has been a bit of a let down at the box office with some fairly mixed reviews, but I still wanted to give it a chance based on the strength of the last “Mad Max” movie and the fantastic cast. And while it’s not as good as the last entry in this series, I also don’t think it’s nearly as bad as some of the reviews are saying. In fact, bizarrely, it’s biggest problem seems to come down to the effects. During the credits, they roll scenes from “Fury Road” and even these brief glimpses are a bit of a slap in the face with how much better that (older) movie looked than many of the scenes in this (newer) movie. That said, if you look past the step backwards in this area, I think this was a successful film! The acting was fantastic, the story delivers on a believable prequel arc for a fan favorite character, and the overall vibe fits well within the “Mad Max” series as a whole. I think it’s well worth a shot, even if one has to lower the standards a bit on some of the effects.

Kate’s Picks

TV Show: “Criminal Minds: Evolution”

Some things never change, and one of those things is my love for procedurals. And “Criminal Minds: Evolution” is back and I am hooked. After the BAU captured prolific serial killer Sicarius, immediate questions were raised about the phrase ‘Gold Star’ when he mentioned it to one of their colleagues, who was killed shortly thereafter. Now they are trying to find out what ‘Gold Star’ is, but it seems like it’s another serial killer who is even more dangerous. Now they may have to get insight from Sicarius himself, as much as they don’t want to. Because Sicarius may have the only information on this murderer who may also be government trained in his kills. This iteration of “Criminal Minds” is darker and has been doing more interesting things than the original, and while the team is still missing a few core characters, I love seeing how those who have returned have been faring. Especially Penelope Garcia! Man I love her.

Film: “Love Lies Bleeding”

I was one of those jerks that scoffed at Kristen Stewart for a long time because of “Twilight”. But lately I’ve realized that I was super wrong because she has really done some dynamic and compelling movies, as I am pretty certain that she is going to have an Oscar someday. My most recent instance of eating crow was “Love Lies Bleeding”, an erotic thriller/neo-noir tale that stars Stewart and Katy M. O’Brian as misfit lovers caught up in a violent crime that unravels them both. Stewart is Lou, a woman who runs a gym who meets Jackie, an ambitious body builder. The two fall for each other immediately and start a relationship, but an impulsive act of violence turns their world upside down as Lou tries to protect Jackie from a local gangster… who also happens to be her father. I really enjoyed the vibes of this one, it’s tense and sexy and a wild ride.

TV Show: “Frasier”

I have honestly been struggling a lot with some serious burnout as of late, with lots of things making me stress out and my emotional regulation being a lot less, uh, regulated? So what do I do in times of severe burnout? I dive into things that just bring me predictable comfort, and one of those things is the show “Frasier”. I’ve definitely highlighted it before, but I’ve started jumping around the original series again with favorite episodes, and it still manages to bring me lots of laughter and lots of comfort even when I’m feeling out of control and exhausted in my life. The cast is still perfect, the stories are still hijinks, and the heart is still beating strongly. Thank you, Crane family and friends! I needed this!

Serena’s Review: “The God and the Gumiho”

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Book: “The God and the Gumiho” by Sophie Kim

Publishing Info: Del Rey, June 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Kim Hani has retired from a life of devouring souls. She is, simply put, too full. Once known as the infamous Scarlet Fox, she now spends her days working in a coffee shop and annoying a particularly irritating, if unfairly handsome, trickster god as often as she can.

That god is Seokga the Fallen. Exiled from the heavenly kingdom of Okhwang, he now begrudgingly resides in the mortal realm, working toward his redemption and suffering through his interactions with the particularly infuriating, if sneakily charming, gumiho barista at his favorite café.

But when a powerful demon escapes from the underworld and threatens to end all of humanity, Okhwang’s emperor offers Seokga an enticing bargain: Kill this rogue creature, as well as the legendary and elusive Scarlet Fox, and he will be reinstated as a god. Hani, however, has no intention of being caught. Seokga might be a trickster god, but she has a trick of her own that he’ll never see coming: teaming up. As Seokga’s assistant, Hani will undermine and sabotage his investigation right under his overly pointy nose. Sure, she’ll help him kill the demon, but she certainly won’t allow him to uncover her secret identity while they’re at it.

As the bickering partners track their case down a path of mayhem and violence, the god and the gumiho find themselves inescapably drawn to each other. But will the unlikely couple stand together to prevent the apocalypse, or will they let their secrets tear them—and the world—apart?

Review: I was very excited when I received an ARC from the publisher for this book! Right off the bat, it has a lot of things going for it: combining urban fantasy and South Korean mythology, and then setting the story in the early 90s. Looking at all of that, it was easy to see that this book was going to be lots of vibes all mashed together. Add in an enemies-to-lovers romance, and yeah, easy to see why I was excited. Let’s get into the full review!

While I had a lot of hopes for this book, it didn’t all come together quite like I wished. But there was still a lot to like about it, and I do think there are many readers out there who will enjoy it. Let’s start with some of the good stuff! I’ve had some exposure to South Korean mythology in other fantasy books, but I’m by no means an expert. In that regard, some of the fantasy elements were just familiar enough that I felt like I understood this world easily, but were still exploring new dynamics and aspects of the mythology that felt completely fresh. Even the familiar elements were twisted into new forms that were intriguing.

I also thought the writing was approachable and easy to read. While I think it was a tad simplistic at times, especially with regards to characterization, it shone as far as pacing and fast-paced storytelling. The reader will be quickly drawn into this world, and the story will catch them up for the ride from there. As a reader who often focuses on characterization above most other elements, it speaks to the readability of the style of writing that I finished this one up fairly quickly even though I wasn’t connecting to the main characters.

Now, as I’ve mentioned, I did struggle with the characters themselves, both separately and as a couple. From the romance angle, I was left wanting right away when I realized that the “enemies” portion of their relationship came from a mess up in a coffee order. Now, I get that this is played for humorous effect, but it just didn’t work for me. We’re talking about centuries-old beings here with untold powers; the fact that they are equally ridiculous about this minor altercation doesn’t speak well of either of them. And it simply wasn’t as funny as it was clearly meant to be.

Things didn’t really improve from there. On one hand, we have a trickster god, and yet I barely ever felt this aspect of his personality. Instead, he was very much the “grumpy” side of the relationship, and the chaos aspect of what I imagine from trickster gods was nowhere to be found. As for Hani, we learn early in the story that she has been in hiding for decades now after committing a mass murder for which she is still being hunted today. We’re told that she is incredibly clever to have avoided capture for so long. But again, right from the beginning, we see her making choices that clearly give away her past. In one notable example, when choosing a weapon, she immediately picks the type of weapon that her wanted identity was most known for using. And, predictably, this is what begins to alert the hero to her past. It’s just…kind of silly. And there were multiple instances of things like this for both characters, where we are told they have certain traits, but the actual choices and behaviors we see on the page directly contradict this. And, again, I could never get past some of the ridiculousness and immaturity of characters are are hundreds of years old.

Overall, this was just an ok read for me. The readability of the style of writing and some of the more fun aspects of the world-building were enough to pull me through this read fairly quickly. But throughout it all, I struggled to connect to these characters or become invested in their love story. If you’re looking for a fresh-feeling urban fantasy, this might be one worth checking out, however!

Rating 7: A fun concept and world were dampened a bit by characters who I found more ridiculous than not most of the time.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The God and the Gumiho” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Asian SSF and Adult SFF by BIPOC Authors.

Kate’s Review: “Middle of the Night”

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Book: “Middle of the Night” by Riley Sager

Publishing Info: Dutton, June 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from NetGalley.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: In the latest jaw-dropping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager, a man must contend with the long-ago disappearance of his childhood best friend—and the dark secrets lurking just beyond the safe confines of his picture-perfect neighborhood.

The worst thing to ever happen on Hemlock Circle occurred in Ethan Marsh’s backyard. One July night, ten-year-old Ethan and his best friend and neighbor, Billy, fell asleep in a tent set up on a manicured lawn in a quiet, quaint New Jersey cul de sac. In the morning, Ethan woke up alone. During the night, someone had sliced the tent open with a knife and taken Billy. He was never seen again.

Thirty years later, Ethan has reluctantly returned to his childhood home. Plagued by bad dreams and insomnia, he begins to notice strange things happening in the middle of the night. Someone seems to be roaming the cul de sac at odd hours, and signs of Billy’s presence keep appearing in Ethan’s backyard. Is someone playing a cruel prank? Or has Billy, long thought to be dead, somehow returned to Hemlock Circle?

The mysterious occurrences prompt Ethan to investigate what really happened that night, a quest that reunites him with former friends and neighbors and leads him into the woods that surround Hemlock Circle. Woods where Billy claimed monsters roamed and where a mysterious institute does clandestine research on a crumbling estate.

The closer Ethan gets to the truth, the more he realizes that no place—be it quiet forest or suburban street—is completely safe. And that the past has a way of haunting the present.

Review: Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this novel!

It’s fully summer now, and along with the promises of pool days, barbecuing, river tubing, and melting in the heat and therefore hiding in an air conditioned home as much as I can, I also have the promise of a new Riley Sager novel every year. And this year we have “Middle of the Night”, a new thriller about a long missing boy, the man who was the one left behind and facing survivor guilt, and a neighborhood that has had this case haunting them for decades… oh, and also a spectral person lurking in the neighborhood in the dead of night. Oh yes. This has potential for sure.

Like most of Sager’s books before it, I was entertained by the mystery and the twists and turns of “Middle of the Night”. The initial mystery is already a solid premise: thirty years ago, Ethan Marsh and his neighborhood best friend Billy were camping in his backyard on a sleepover, only for their tent to be cut into and Billy to go missing, with Ethan clueless as to what happened outside of shoddy flashes of memories that don’t make much sense. In the present Ethan has returned to the old neighborhood to sell his parents house after their retirement, and has started noticing weird things, like a mysterious shadow person creeping through the neighborhood at night, or signs of life that only Billy could have done back in the day. You already have me with the questions of what happened to Billy, and who (or what) is now sending Ethan messages thirty years later, but then Sager adds MORE to it by bringing in a mysterious local institution with connections to the Ivy League that may or may not have been doing some odd things they hoped to keep hidden. The weirdness and the slow reveals of how THAT plays into the story, as well as more evidence, motives, suspects, and, yes, red herrings, makes for a suspenseful read as we jump from Ethan’s perspective in the present to other people’s perspectives in the past, and even though it could have been a lot of narrative shifting, it worked well for me. I was genuinely surprised by a lot of the reveals, and even those that weren’t as shocking to me still felt executed tightly and properly. I know that Sager can be polarizing to thriller fans, but I always buy into his books because it’s just fun to experience the ride.

Sager is usually a good bet if you want an entertaining read for the fun summer months, and “Middle of the Night” once again delivers on that. But what I also liked about this book is how Sager explores the themes of survivor guilt and collective trauma for those who live in a tight knit community when a person, especially a young person, goes missing. My mind kept wandering back to a notorious and long lingering Minnesota case, that of Jacob Wetterling, who was kidnapped by a masked man in 1989 and was missing for decades until they got a confession and found his body in 2016. Ethan has come back to the place where his best friend vanished, and has to face how that has shaped his life up until now, and how that has reverberated through his relationships, actions, and experiences, usually with tragic elements as he hasn’t fully reconciled all of his guilt and fear and heartbreak. I found Ethan to be a very easy to follow main character, and I thought that Sager really dug into his psyche. It’s also a change to have a male protagonist in a Sager book (I suppose “Survive the Night” had a dual POV with a male protagonist, but it was split), so that was a breath of fresh air. And hell, we even get a little bit into the minds of all the people in the neighborhood around the time Billy disappears, which gave more complicated layers to a supposedly perfect suburban setting. I always enjoy a dressing down of the facade of a perfect Americana community, and “Middle of the Night” peels back some layers and exposes the cracks that were there even before Billy disappeared. It makes for some added pathos to an already emotional premise.

Ultimately I found “Middle of the Night” to be another serviceable thriller, and one perfect for summer vacations. It’s speedy and fun and I continue to hold Riley Sager in high regard when it comes to genuinely enjoyable thrillers.

Rating 8: Tense and at times incredibly sad, “Middle of the Night” is about going home in the face of unresolved trauma, and a neighborhood haunted (perhaps literally) by a long lost child.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Middle of the Night” is included on the Goodreads list “Best Dark Fiction of 2024”.

Serena’s Review: “Mirrored Heavens”

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Book: “Mirrored Heavens” by Rebecca Roanhorse

Publishing Info: Saga Press, June 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Serapio, avatar of the Crow God Reborn and the newly crowned Carrion King, rules Tova. But his enemies gather both on distant shores and within his own city as the matrons of the clans scheme to destroy him. And deep in the alleys of the Maw, a new prophecy is whispered, this one from the Coyote God. It promises Serapio certain doom if its terrible dictates are not fulfilled.

Meanwhile, Xiala is thrust back amongst her people as war comes first to the island of Teek. With their way of life and their magic under threat, she is their last best hope. But the sea won’t talk to her the way it used to, and doubts riddle her mind. She will have to sacrifice the things that matter most to unleash her powers and become the queen they were promised.

And in the far northern wastelands, Naranpa, avatar of the Sun God, seeks a way to save Tova from the visions of fire that engulf her dreams. But another presence has begun stalking her nightmares, and the Jaguar God is on the hunt.

Previously Reviewed: “Black Sun” and “Fevered Star”

Review: This was on my list back in January for most highly anticipated books of the year, and we’re finally here. So many massive events that have been slowly building up over the course of this series will be resolved! Prophesies will be either fulfilled or thrown off! And, most importantly for my romance-loving-heart, Serapio and Xiala will finally reunite (unless something goes wildly off track!). And while I do think there were a few weakness to the overall book here and there, in the ways that truly counted, this was a successful conclusion to an excellent trilogy!

I’ll say right now that, as a whole, I think this series is excellent. However, it did take an interesting trajectory as far as my experience reading each individual book. Looking back at my reviews, I gave a “10” to the first book, a “9” to the second, and this one is an “8.” Luckily, since it started out as the very top, even if each book dropped a bit in my estimation, that still left plenty of room to be solidly good reads. The main reason for the drop for this one had to do with the balancing of the various characters (their arcs and POVs) as well as the pacing towards the end of the book. Because of this former point, I think that readers’ reception of this book will largely come down to which characters are their favorite.

From the beginning, I’ve been here mostly for Xiala and Serapio’s stories, both individually and as a couple. And luckily for me, both of these two were done best by in this last book. Xiala, especially, was really given some of the best elements of this story. Not only do we finally make it back to her homeland, but we learn more about her connection to the ocean and her abilities (something that we barely touched on in the second book, really). Not only must she learn to wield these powers (game-changingly powerful abilities, as it turns out!), but she also travels an interesting arc of coming into her own as a princess and leader of her people, something she’s been fleeing from for most of her adult life. There was some real tragedy in this portion of the story, but we also get some of the best action sequences, as well.

I also loved seeing her and Serapio finally (FINALLY!) reunited. Both of these characters are excellent in their own right, but even some of the other side characters comment on the fact that they both seem to become fuller versions of themselves together. Theirs is a relationship built on radical acceptance, and it’s especially gratifying seeing it play out for Serapio, a person who is held at a distance by literally everyone else around him for his godly persona. For his part, Serapio’s story is once again wrapped up in a prophesy, one that he must fulfill in order to win the coming war. Some of this began to feel a bit like filler, but because Serapio’s personal story and arc is so compelling, the character himself brought a sense of gravitas to a plot line that could have felt superficial at times.

Unfortunately, the book begins to fall apart a bit when it comes to the many other POV characters. Most unexpectedly, this carries over to Naranpa, the third main character who has shared equal billing with Xiala and Serapio up to this point. By the time I finished up this book, I was frankly left a bit baffled by this character and her story here (both in this book, and, by extension, the entire trilogy). She’s off on a side quest throughout most of the book, and by the time it wraps up, I’m not sure what the point even was? It’s honestly a bit hard to describe just how little there was for this character to do, especially without getting into spoilers. It seems like it may be building up in one direction, but then just…doesn’t. And then it’s over and the reader is left wondering whether they would have even noticed had Naranpa’s storyline been excluded altogether? Pretty shocking stuff for a character who had been equally as important as Serapio and Xiala in the first two books.

While this was the most egregious example, primarily because of Naranpa’s positioning as a main character from the first two books, the unnecessary POVs carried over to other characters as well. For example, we get numerous chapters told from the villain’s perspective. Now, some of these take place in the past and thus serve to flesh out the history behind Serapio’s birth/creation. But, at the same time, again, much of what we got here felt rather unnecessary. Especially any of the chapters set in the modern time period. I simply didn’t need as much exposure to this character, and, given the way the story builds and concludes, there were no twists or swerves that would retroactively make these inclusions worth while.

Lastly, the pacing of the major conflict felt a bit off. Xiala’s storyline is the main point of action for the first two thirds of the books. All of the other characters are following much more passive arcs, mostly spending time looking ahead to and positioning various pieces for the the great battle that is coming. I can’t emphasize enough just how much time is spent discussing and preparing for this conflict, how great the scale is meant to be, how insurmountable the odds our heroes face. And yet, when it actually comes, everything sort of falls flat. Again, I don’t want to spoil how it resolves, but given how much time is spent building to this moment, by the time it arrives, the reader would be excused for getting through it all all before realizing that it is, in fact, now already over.

So, a bit of a dour note to end on, but I don’t want that to tint the rest of the positives of this book and this trilogy as a whole. While there were definitely flaws in this last book, it also concluded in an extremely satisfactory way, especially if you’re fans of Serapio and Xiala. The world-building remained excellent throughout, and the author’s sheer skill as a writer is not to be underestimated. I definitely recommend this trilogy to any fantasy fans out there looking for a high quality, unique story!

Rating 8: Not without some flaws with regards to pacing and certain character POVs, but an excellent resolution to the trilogy as a whole.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Mirrored Heavens” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Ancient Mesoamerica Books and Polynesian and Native American Fantasy.

Kate’s Review: “The Pecan Children”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “The Pecan Children” by Quinn Connor

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Landmark, June 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC from the publisher

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: For fans of The Midnight Library and Demon Copperhead comes a breathtaking story of magical realism about two sisters, deeply tied to their small Southern town, fighting to break free of the darkness swallowing the land—and its endless cycle of pecan harvests—whole.

How long will you hold on when your world is gone?

In a small southern pecan town, the annual harvest is a time of both celebration and heartbreak. Even as families are forced to sell their orchards and move away, Lil Clearwater, keeper of a secret covenant with her land, swears she never will. When her twin Sasha returns to the dwindling town in hopes of reconnecting with the girl her heart never forgot, the sisters struggle to bridge their differences and share the immense burden of protecting their home from hungry forces intent on uprooting everything they love.

But there is rot hiding deep beneath the surface. Ghostly fires light up the night, and troubling local folklore is revealed to be all too true. Confronted with the phantoms of their pasts and the devastating threat to their future, the sisters come to the stark realization that in the kudzu-choked South, nothing is ever as it appears.

A story of the love between sisters, and an allegory of decay in small-town America, The Pecan Children walks the line between beauty and horror.

Review: Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for sending me an ARC of this novel!

We are about half way through Pride Month, and I’m happy to be able to say that today I have a horror-esque novel that will be a great choice if you are wanting to read LGBTQIA+ books through the end of June. Sourcebooks Landmark reached out to me with “The Pecan Children” by Quinn Connor (the pen name of writing duo Robyn Barrow and Alex Cronin), and touted it as a Southern Gothic story that has a lovely sapphic romance at the center of it. All of this caught my eye, and I was eager to jump into it leading up to Pride. And I think that it did make good on the majority of the promises it made in the description.

In terms of a genre I would PROBABLY classify this as more of a dark fantasy than a horror novel (which was what I thought I was getting into), but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be scary at times or definitely have horror elements that shine through. There are so many moments of dread, even if it’s just through the description of invasive kudzu, or strange children encountered in the wilderness, or strange fires that flicker to life only to abruptly disappear like they never started in the first place. We are mostly following twin sisters Lil and Sasha, who have grown up in a small town in Arkansas that has relied on pecan harvests and local community to survive, only for land to suddenly stop producing and predatory land grabs snatching up and threatening the town. But this is not the case on Lil and Sasha’s farm, the one that Lil has tended to ever since her other passed, and the one Sasha has returned to after being away. The slow building suspense of what is happening around them as they reconnect with old loves, the first being Lil’s ex boyfriend Jason who has also returned and the second being Autumn, an old friend of Sasha, makes for an eerie and creepy read as things just seem off. And by the time we find out just what IS going on (and I’m not going to spoil anything), the tension snaps back and reverberates as the story hurtles towards its end. I think that I was hoping for more straight up horror beats, but when I started approaching it as a dark fantasy it worked really well for me.

But like so many tales, “The Pecan Children” is rife with real world obstacles and societal commentary. The first is that Lil and Sasha’s hometown is in stasis and slowly succumbing to a rot and decay of an outside force that is sucking it dry. It works well for the horror elements and reveals that are in place (no spoilers here, again), but it’s also a pretty poignant way to talk about the way that many small towns in poorer rural areas are really struggling for many reasons, and how in turn many of the people who do stay cling to aspects of the past. But along with that is the fact that I also loved the dichotomy of the twin sisters, as Lil has stayed to continue the pecan farm as her mother had put that mantle on her, and Sasha left for a time, only to return and to reconnect with her sister, in spite of the resentment between both of them for different reasons. It’s a heartfelt thread that crosses throughout the dark fantasy elements and eerie scares of the greater story, and it has siblings that clearly loves each other while having to overcome bitterness and familial heartaches. It was the very human and realistic moments that worked best for me in this novel, whether it’s the love between the twins, or the romance between Sasha and Autumn, or the reconnection between Lil and Jason. I REALLY liked the relationship between Sasha and Autumn, as I love seeing two old friends reconnect and realizing that there was always something more there, and finally being willing to explore it more than they had in the past.

With a strange and dreamy aura about it and some easy to root for relationships, romantic and sisterly, “The Pecan Children” is a dark fantasy read that would be a great choice for Pride month, and a solid read for dark fantasy readers who like a Southern Gothic twist.

Rating 7: A creepy and dreamy dark fantasy tale that is also about sisters, lost loves, and decaying small town identity, “The Pecan Children” is an eerie read for summer.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Pecan Children” is included on the Goodreads list “Queer Books Set in Arkansas”.