Month: May 2025

Book Club Review: “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret”

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We are part of a group of librarian friends who have had an ongoing book club running for the last several years. Each “season” (we’re nerds) we pick a theme and each of us chooses a book within that theme for us all to read. Re-visiting some of our past themes, we’re once again reading books that have had film/TV adaptations and then comparing the two mediums. For this blog, we will post a joint review of each book we read for book club. We’ll also post the next book coming up in book club. So feel free to read along with us or use our book selections and questions in your own book club!

Book: “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” by Judy Blume

Publishing Info: Bradbury Press, 1970

Where Did I Get This Book: The library!

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

What We Watched: “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” (2023)

Book Description: Margaret Simon, almost twelve, likes long hair, tuna fish, the smell of rain, and things that are pink. She’s just moved from New York City to Farbrook, New Jersey, and is anxious to fit in with her new friends—Nancy, Gretchen, and Janie. When they form a secret club to talk about private subjects like boys, bras, and getting their first periods, Margaret is happy to belong.

But none of them can believe Margaret doesn’t have religion, and that she isn’t going to the Y or the Jewish Community Center. What they don’t know is Margaret has her own very special relationship with God. She can talk to God about everything—family, friends, even Moose Freed, her secret crush.

Margaret is funny and real, and her thoughts and feelings are oh-so-relatable—you’ll feel like she’s talking right to you, sharing her secrets with a friend.

Kate’s Thoughts

I missed out on so much classic children’s literature when I was little, because I basically jumped from the likes of “Goosebumps”, “The Babysitter’s Club”, and “Fear Street” to full on adult novels, without really touching any contemporary books that are long enduring classics. So I never actually read “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” by Judy Blume when I was a prepubescent girl, which was probably the best time to read it. But thanks to book club, I had the opportunity to read it, now at forty years old! Better late than never?

And I really enjoyed this book! I actually kind of wish that I HAD read it as a pre-teen because there were so many things that I absolutely would have been able to relate to when it comes to Margaret. I was a girl who was worried about making friends and fitting in, and I was a girl who was raised without any kind of religion, really, outside of major Christian holidays celebrated in the most secular sense (we did go to Church for a month when my Mom convinced herself that we needed that community factor in our lives and then remembered pretty quickly that oh yeah, Church was NOT something ANY of us wanted to do, least of all her). And even though the book was written decades ago, I thought that it still has a lot of pertinent and timeless themes like friendship, peer pressure, burgeoning sexuality, and the way that families can be complicated, even if we don’t fully see the big picture as children. Margaret is very realistic in her anxieties, whether it’s fitting in, her crush on a boy who may not be seen as ‘cute’ by her friend group, her worries about not getting her period yet, or her existential crisis when it comes to her family’s approach to faith.

And I have to say, the film adaptation was actually better than the book! I think that is due, in part, to the way that not only do we see Margaret’s point of view, but we also see the POVs of her mother (played by a delightful Rachel McAdams) and her grandmother (played by the ICONIC Kathy Bates). It made the story all the more emotional seeing three generations of women trying to figure it out through crazy changes in their lives. It also wrapped up a few things that I felt were left a bit hanging in the book (I was far more satisfied with how the Laura storyline ended in the movie). I really, really loved it.

I am so glad that I finally read “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret”! What a charming and delightful book that still speaks to the anxieties of adolescence.

Kate’s Rating 9: A charming, incredibly relatable, and at times emotional coming of age story. I really enjoyed this one!

Book Club Questions

  1. Have you read “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” before? If so, how does it compare reading it now? If not, what books were you reading as a pre-teen?
  2. Religion is a huge theme in this book. Why do you think religion and choosing one was suddenly so important to Margaret after not really thinking about it for so many years in New York City?
  3. When it comes to the adults in the book and in the movie, how did you feel that they were portrayed between the two mediums? Did you prefer one portrayal over the other?
  4. What were your thoughts on Margaret’s friend group in her new home?
  5. Do you think that this story could be updated to take place in the 2020s as opposed to the 1970s? Why or why not?

Reader’s Advisory

“Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” is included on the Goodreads lists “Best Coming of Age Stories”, and “Friendship Between Girls”.

Next Book Club Pick: “Matilda” by Roald Dahl

Serena’s Review: “The Knight and the Moth”

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Book: “The Knight and the Moth” by Rachel Gillig

Publishing Info: Orbit, May 2025

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

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

Book Description: Sybil Delling has spent nine years dreaming of having no dreams at all. Like the other foundling girls who traded a decade of service for a home in the great cathedral, Sybil is a Diviner. In her dreams she receives visions from six unearthly figures known as Omens. From them, she can predict terrible things before they occur, and lords and common folk alike travel across the kingdom of Traum’s windswept moors to learn their futures by her dreams.

Just as she and her sister Diviners near the end of their service, a mysterious knight arrives at the cathedral. Rude, heretical, and devilishly handsome, the knight Rodrick has no respect for Sybil’s visions. But when Sybil’s fellow Diviners begin to vanish one by one, she has no choice but to seek his help in finding them. For the world outside the cathedral’s cloister is wrought with peril. Only the gods have the answers she is seeking, and as much as she’d rather avoid Rodrick’s dark eyes and sharp tongue, only a heretic can defeat a god.

Review: Some may have noticed that I didn’t review the “One Dark Window” duology back when it came out a few years ago. Well, I tried! But it was one of those book that I just couldn’t get into to, struggling through the entire reading experience. Sometimes I’ll post reviews for books like this if I feel like I have anything constructive to contribute to the conversation or if it’s a title I committed to covering for a publicist. But the rest of time, I usually just pass them by. Well, over the last several years, that duology has exploded in popularity! So much so that I began to question my initial judgement of the book I read. Was I, perhaps, just not in the right mood for it? Did the second book (which I didn’t read) massively improve on the first? People seemed to universally love this series! That being the case, when I saw that Gillig was coming out with her debut adult romantasy title, I was excited to give it a chance! Perhaps I would finally get to hitch a ride on this hype train!

Whelp. Not so much. I really struggled to enjoy this book and was reminded strongly why I didn’t connect with the first one. They both had similar struggles with writing structure and characterization. But let’s start with some positives! The book started on a strong note, with the introduction of this world and the set up for themes regarding religion and prophesy. Some of these initial scenes were incredibly compelling, and it was all the more disappointing seeing some of this early strong work flail under weak characters as the story continued. I also have to give a shout-out to the fun gargoyle companion, the only character who actually seemed to, you know, have a personality? Due to how out-of-step I was with my opinion of Gillig’s other book, I won’t be surprised to find myself on the opposite side of this one as well. But I can almost guarantee that the other reviewers who may, like me, struggle with this book will ALSO love the gargoyle!

I think I would have enjoyed the gargoyle on its own, but it did end up standing out in stark contrast to our main character and the love interest, only highlighting just how little THERE was there for either of them! I couldn’t tell you a single fact about either of these characters, other than things that were strictly having to do with the actual plot points of this story. She is a seer, he is a knight. Yes, yes, and? As we follow Sybil, she was by far the worse of the two. Her “voice,” such as it was, was incredibly bland and dull. This carried over to the romance. We were never given any reason why these two would even like each other, let alone fall in love. It was like reading about to cardboard cut outs of people snark badly at each other and then suddenly declare their deep feelings. Chemistry is a hard thing to peg, but man, when it’s lacking, it’s obvious. And that was definitely the case here!

I was also reminded why I struggled to enjoy the previous book I read by this author. I simply do not enjoy her writing style. There’s a very odd mix of purple prose woven in alongside incredibly modern vernacular. She’s also way too fond of writing incomplete sentences. Every once in a while, this choice can make sense to add emphasis or weight to particular scene or moment. But Gillig uses it constantly and to an overwhelming degree. Here’s a quick example of what I’m talking about: “I shivered. Turned to the gargoyle.” Why not just put an “and” in there? Or simply put a comma after “shivered.” There are many options, but again and again this structure is utilized, making the writing feel choppy and, I think, contributing to the sense of distance I felt from the characters. Often it’s these little style choices that give readers the clues to pick up on the personality of the characters they’re following. And when the writing is choppy and inconsistent, so, too, the characters feel lacking.

The story was also incredibly predictable. And anything the reader couldn’t guess based on any previous exposure to typical fantasy plot points is almost spoon fed to them by the author herself. By the end of the book, I felt like not only had this one followed a familiar structure (very similar to “One Dark Window” in fact) but that I could easily guess the conclusion of the duology as a whole, without even picking up the second book.

I don’t really know how to conclude this review. Obviously, this was a complete miss for me. But I also know that Gillig is a fairly beloved author at this point, and that this book in particular is incredibly hyped in the genre. So, I guess if you’re a huge fan of her previous duology, this one might work for you. However, if you struggled to connect to this author’s style before, this was more of the same, in all of the worst ways.

Rating 5: Choppy sentences, purple prose, and characters who read like wet cardboard; unfortunately, not the book for me.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Knight and the Moth” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Epic High Fantasy/Romance/Mythology in 2025 and Gothic Fantasy.

Kate’s Review: “Leap”

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Book: “Leap” by Simina Popescu

Publishing Info: Roaring Brook Press, November 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: The library!

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

Book Description: A coming-of-age graphic novel following two dancers at a conservative performing arts school―exploring friendship, first love, and what it means to fall out of step with your own dreams.

Ana has been studying contemporary dance since she was little, but her heart isn’t in it anymore. Instead her focus is on Carina―a beautiful, ambitious ballerina whose fear of being outed keeps Ana in the closet and their fragile relationship from seeing the light of day. Risking her own career, Ana gives up more and more in order to fit into the shadows of Carina’s life.

Sara, on the other hand, is fielding whispers she may be the best dancer their school has produced in years. Much of that is thanks to her mentor and instructor, Marlena, who plucked Sara from the classical track and encouraged her to blossom as a contemporary dancer. Sara has always been in awe of Marlena, but recently, that admiration has sparked into something more, and Sara’s not sure what to do about it.

As junior year at their performing arts school begins, Ana and Sara are assigned as roommates. What starts off as a tentative friendship soon becomes a much-needed anchor.

Review: Sometimes I have a hard time writing reviews because I find myself somewhat unable to express why I feel a certain way about a book outside of the very simple and concise phrase ‘vibes, man’. It never feels fully constructive, but sometimes it is what I find myself falling back upon. “Leap” by Simina Popescu is absolutely one of those books, as once I had finished it I was chiller and calmer and happier than when I’d started it, all because of the vibes. But then it was time to explain why, exactly, it made me feel that way, and I found myself having a hard time articulating. So you may have to forgive me as you read this review, as it very well may fully turn into a written out screed that all comes back to vibes. But hopefully that can be enough sometimes?

Okay fine, even I’m unconvinced, I’ll give it a shot! (source)

“Leap” has a very straightforward plot: two young women, Sara and Ana, are two dance students at a fairly conservative academy in Romania. They are both in a more contemporary program, though Ana is dating an ambitious ballerina named Carina on the sly, as Carina isn’t ready to come out. Ana and Sara become roommates and start to forge a friendship through a shared interest in dance, as well as the realization that they are both queer women in a setting where they are a bit more invisible, though Ana would love to be out and Sara is grappling with the possibility of doing so. It’s a bit slice of life, and I enjoyed watching their friendship build as they support each other through the highs and lows of what’s going on in their lives (Sara’s unattainable crush on Marlena, one of the teachers at the school, and Ana’s ennui with dance and her somewhat one sided relationship with Carina). The issues were important and weighty without feeling overwrought, and their separate but easily relatable journeys felt very real and fit together well, leading to believable conflict but nothing a little communication and empathy couldn’t fix.

Another aspect that really worked for me, and I do have to spoil a bit here to talk about it but it doesn’t really spoil anything too much, is that this book’s focus really was on the importance of friendship instead of focusing on romance. Ana and Sara are two queer friends who are both going through difficult moments in their personal lives in the romance department; Ana is having to hide her relationship with Carina, and Sara is discovering her sexuality through crush on her teacher Marlena (and which is wholly unattainable for many reasons). While these relationship woes are definitely a conflict for them and unrequited and painful, Ana and Sara are always there and supportive of each other, and the story never hints at a possible romance for the two of them. I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve read that would have taken the opportunity to show that these two girls would fall for each other in the end (not that I dislike that kind of trope, friends to lovers can be fun!), and in this case I loved that Popescu instead decided to show that platonic love and intimacy can be more than enough for connections between two people.

“Leap” is a calm and lovely coming of age story that felt cozy and earnest. If you are looking for something sweet to read this Spring, this is a great choice. Vibes galore.

Rating 8: A sweet and charming coming of age tale about friendship, self discovery, and connection.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Leap” isn’t on any Goodreads lists as of now, but it would fit in on “Graphic Novels Featuring LGBTIQ+ Themes”.

Serena’s Review: “A Simple Twist of Fate”

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Book: “A Simple Twist of Fate” by April Asher

Publishing Info: St. Martin’s Griffin, May 2025

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

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

Book Description: At the bright-eyed age of eighteen, witch Harlow “Harry” Pierce attended her first Fates Haven Finding Ceremony certain the Blue Willow Wisp would lead her to her Fated match, her cougar shifter boyfriend, Jaxon Atwood. But Fate had other plans, guiding her best friend to him instead. With a broken heart, all her belongings, and a vow to never return, Harry did the only thing a broken-hearted witch could do. Run.

Thirteen years later, she returns to her magical hometown—with her half-human, half-shifter goddaughter in tow—hoping that not only would the town work its magic on the troubled teenager, but that the local Alpha of the Rocky Mountain Pack could help Grace identify—and control—her fiery abilities.

Jaxon Atwood was a shifter of few words and even less patience… until his mother retired as Alpha of the Rocky Mountain Pack and left the running of things to him. It’s a headache he didn’t need, and one that brought the witch who’d ripped his heart from his chest knocking on his door.

Ever since the disappearance of the town’s Fate Witch over a decade ago, Fates Haven’s magic has been slowly going haywire. There hasn’t been a Fated Match made in thirteen years, putting the town in serious jeopardy of losing its title of Most Fated Mates Per Population. But now, something is stirring in Fates Haven, Colorado, and it smells like the past, tastes like change, and looks like A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE.

Review: To start on a random note, I think this is one of the few cases where the cover actually spoils bits of the story. Now, I get why they included the dragon! Dragons are super popular right now, and I’m sure people will pick this book up based on this fact alone, so I can’t really blame the designers for making a savvy business decision. But on the other hand, this book is heavy on the cozy side of things, and one of the few actual plot points in the story has to do with a mystery about one of the characters. A mystery that is spoiled by this cover! Ah well. Like I said, this book lives and dies by its vibes, so the actual “twist” here is probably not that important anyways.

While this book didn’t perfectly click for me, I did enjoy the central romance. Over the last few years, as I’ve read more romance novels, I’ve discovered that I have a secret love of second chance romances, especially ones about highschool sweethearts re-connecting as adults (recs welcomed and appreciated!). So, in many ways, this was great match for me, especially with the supernatural twist of fate and the way that it lead our couple astray all of those years ago. I also enjoyed the angst that came from the fallout of this situation. Jaxon, perhaps, was owed a bit more of an apology from Harry. But at the same time, she was teenager at the time, and in a world where the concept of “fated” relationships exists, one can easily understand her reaction to the situation she found herself in.

I do wish Jaxon’s chapters had a bit more depth or a more established arc for him, as well, as his chapters became a bit repetitive with his thoughts fixated on his remaining attraction to Harry. Again, this is fairly standard in many romance novels, but I think it’s definitely an area of improvement for most books in the genre. Sure, it’s great that the romantic interest is so strongly focused on the heroine, but he needs to have an actual personality himself!

My biggest struggle with the book came down to the tone. As I said above, this is heavy on the cozy side of things, and part of the way it explores this light-hearted tone is through an abundance of, well, silliness. There was a point about a third of the way into the book where three adult women were spending their time…navigating a series of Legos on the floor to prepare for a competition at a festival. In this scene and throughout, especially when the women characters were together, it often felt like we were all back in not even high school, but middle school. We’re told these women have careers, but they behaved and talked like super young teenagers. You know how in “Friends” there is a running joke about the fact that they’re all hanging out a coffee shop all the time instead of working? Well, the same problem was here! I’m fine with a more light-hearted tone, but this one skewed too far, losing sight of the more serious aspects of the story and reducing the relationships between many characters to cliches.

In many ways, this was a fun romantic comedy with fun magic at its heart. Unfortunately, the tone was too silly and ridiculous for me, at parts. But fans of more light-hearted stories are sure to enjoy this one!

Rating 7: An enjoyable second chance romance, but the women characters behaved more like middle schoolers than adults, which took me out of the story a bit.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Simple Twist of Fate” can be found on these Goodreads lists: High School Sweethearts and Fated.

Kate’s Review: “Bochica”

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Book: “Bochica” by Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro

Publishing Info: Atria/Primero Sueno Press, May 2025

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

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

Book Description: A real-life Latin American haunted mansion. A murky labyrinth of family secrets. A young, aristocratic woman desperate to escape her past. This haunting debut gothic horror novel is perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic and The Shining.

In 1923 Soacha, Colombia, La Casona—an opulent mansion perched above the legendary Salto del Tequendama waterfall—was once home to Antonia and her family, who settle in despite their constant nightmares and the house’s malevolent spirit. But tragedy strikes when Antonia’s mother takes a fatal fall into El Salto and her father, consumed by grief, attempts to burn the house down with Antonia still inside.

Three years later, haunted by disturbing dreams and cryptic journal entries from her late mother, Antonia is drawn back to her childhood home when it is converted into a luxurious hotel. As Antonia confronts her fragmented memories and the dark history of the estate, she wrestles with unsettling questions she can no longer Was her mother’s death by her own hands, or was it by someone else’s?

In a riveting quest for answers, Antonia must navigate the shadows of La Casona, unearthing its darkest secrets and confronting a legacy that threatens to swallow her whole.

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

Anyone who knows me or has been reading this blog for awhile knows that I really adore Gothic stories, especially if they are within the horror genre. Isolated settings, tormented heroines, questions of hauntings or ghosts or hallucinations, I love it all. So obviously the book “Bochica” by Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro really called out to me, given that not only is it a Gothic story with a mansion that has a haunting history, it’s also in the jungles of Colombia! In the early part of the 20th Century! All of this is just catnip to me, and I had been really looking forward to digging in once it was getting closer to review time.

I absolutely loved the setting of this book. For one, I really enjoyed the time and place, with the focus on Colombia in the 1920s and 1930s, centered mostly in a Gothic mansion nestled in the jungle by a large waterfall (based on an actual mansion that has its own history that somewhat mirrors this story). I love Gothic stories, and to have one centered with a Latin American backdrop and a rich and complex historical basis really compelled me. I loved the way that Flórez-Cerchiaro paints a portrait of this opulent hotel with a dark history, and how I could just see it all come to life as I read the book. I also greatly enjoyed the histories that this story touched upon, whether it was the Muisca mythology and folklore, as well as the ways that the book would touch upon colonialism and imperialism, and the role that the Catholic Church has played in such things ever since the Spanish-led conquest/genocide in this area. There are also some creepy and eerie moments that really unnerved me, with strange shadowy figures or weird moments in the dark.

On the flip side, outside of our main character Antonia, I wasn’t really blown away by our cast of characters, as everyone that wasn’t her didn’t really interest me or feel well expanded upon. Whether it was a complicated relationship between Antonia and her father Ricardo that felt limp, or a romantic connection between Antonia and her love interest/journalist Alejandro that never really crackled, or even an antagonist with secrets in Doña Pereira, who has a past connection to Antonia and her mother and has taken over El Salto as a hotel, none of the characters really did much for me, and the way that Antonia interacted with any of them just didn’t really take off. And because of that, my reading experience never felt very high stakes, and I wasn’t as engrossed with the story as much as I had hoped I would be. I think that going in with a lot of high hopes set it up for a bit of a free fall when they weren’t met, and while I would certainly recommend this book as a Gothic horror story with a unique POV, it doesn’t really stand out beyond that.

A bit of a mixed bag. I definitely suggest checking it out if you have been thinking about it, but the comparisons to other stories like “The Shining” and “Mexican Gothtic” aren’t quite on point.

Rating 7: The setting is eerie and very unique with great explorations of the history of the area, but the characters were kind of flat, and I was never fully pulled in. Overall, lots of potential, but it didn’t quite channel it.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Bochica” is included on the Goodreads list “Horror to Look Forward to in 2025”.

Joint Review: “Overgrowth”

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Book: “Overgrowth” by Mira Grant

Publishing Info: Tor Nightfire, May 2025

Where Did We Get This Book: Kate received an eARC from NetGalley,

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

Book Description: Annihilation meets Day of the Triffids in this full-on body horror/alien invasion apocalypse.

This is just a story. It can’t hurt you anymore.

Since she was three years old, Anastasia Miller has been telling anyone who would listen that she’s an alien disguised as a human being, and that the armada that left her on Earth is coming for her. Since she was three years old, no one has been willing to listen.

Now, with an alien signal from the stars being broadcast around the world, humanity is finally starting to realize that it’s already been warned, and it may be too late. The invasion is coming, Stasia’s biological family is on the way to bring her home, and very few family reunions are willing to cross the gulf of space for just one misplaced child.

What happens when you know what’s coming, and just refuse to listen?

Kate’s Thoughts

I have read a fair amount of Mira Grant, and have mostly enjoyed basically all of the stories I have read! I really enjoyed the “Feed” Series, and also liked “Into the Drowning Deep”, and I always find her horror stories fun and incredibly readable. So when Serena approached me asking if I wanted to do a joint review of her newest book “Overgrowth”, I immediately jumped on board. Sure it sounded a bit more Science-Fiction-y, but at the same time the idea of plant aliens invading Earth sounded a lot like “Little Shop of Horrors”! And plus, it was Mira Grant! I had high hopes!

Me picking up this book, before disaster inevitably struck (source).

But. I did not like this book. What did I like? Well, I did like the little nods to “Little Shop”, including Stasia having a cat named Seymour, which REALLY tickled me. And I liked that Grant continues to do a bang up job of having great rep for LGBTQIA+ characters in her books, this time having Graham, Stasia’s trans boyfriend, being a well rounded and compelling player in the story. I even liked the way that Grant draws comparisons between the treatment of marginalized groups being Othered with Stasia and her own Othering as an alien who never hides who she is, and is seen as weird and treated as such by others.

But the not so good. The first thing is that the pacing is a bit stilted. It can go from feeling like it’s lagging and slow, to going WAY too fast by the end (once we got to the invasion itself, VERY close to the end of the book, it was warp speed, and that was jarring). The second thing is that this is definitely more heavy on the Sci-Fi than it is horror, and that genre just isn’t for me outside of some very VERY specific parameters. But the biggest issue for me includes a spoiler, even if it’s very early in the story and will be clear pretty quickly, but still, be warned: SPOILER ALERT. We have a very gruesome scene almost right away in which a three year old little girl gets consumed by an alien plant, in lots of really unsettling and upsetting detail. With little to no warning. This is just the kind of stuff that I really can’t abide anymore in books that I read, and had I known that it was going to include that, I wouldn’t have read it. Is this probably more of a ‘me’ problem than a problem with the book? Yeah, almost assuredly. But it really turned me off, and there wasn’t really any recovery in regards to my reading experience, so my review stands as such.

Will “Overgrowth” work for others? Yeah, probably! But for me, I didn’t enjoy it.

Serena’s Thoughts

I largely agree with Kate. While I have read Mira Grant’s “Feed” series, I’m more familiar with Seanan McGuire (Mira Grant is her pen name for most of her horror and horror adjacent titles) and her fantasy works, all of which I’ve enjoyed to some extent or another. But yeah, this one was a struggle.

Kate already touched on the pacing, and I completely agree with her assessment there. I’ll also add that tonally the book felt equally out of sync as it did with its pacing. It starts out in an incredibly dark and gruesome manner (I’ll also talk a bit of spoilers in my last paragraph and will warn you ahead of time!) and then ends in a way that, I felt, was also pretty dark. But in between it seemed to be almost going for a romcom-like tone? There were a bunch of quirky characters and found family moments and much more emphasis on the love story than I had been expecting. Of course, I’m never one to complain about a love story, but, again, the romcom-like tone of the love story sat uncomfortably alongside the more serious aspects of, you know, the world being invaded by plant aliens.

I didn’t mind the science fiction elements nearly as much as Kate (obviously, since this is a preferred genre of mine). But at the same time, there’s a reason I don’t read horror, and for me, this book highlighted my struggles with that genre. So, it’s kind of funny in how predictably Kate and I reacted, with regards to our priors of genre preference! Mostly, this came down to the darker aspects of the horror elements. By no means do I need every book to wrap up with flowers and rainbows, but I also tend to struggle with the horror genre with the morally grey/questionable/is it really over?? type endings that you sometimes find. And this one…yeah, I couldn’t feel great about any of it. However, I do want to applaud the author for following through on her concept.

Likewise, and here come the spoilers, I had similar feelings about the beginning. Right away, you know it’s going to a dark place in that first chapter. And she GOES THERE. So, on one hand, I can appreciate that she didn’t shy away from the horrific nature of what she was writing. But on the other hand, yeah…I, too, could have lived without reading this scene. I don’t think I’m overly sentimental as a mother, but there are definitely new lines that I really try to avoid crossing in my media consumption, and this was a perfect illustration of that exact line. Beyond the scene itself being hard to read, I never really recovered. I know it’s not the main character’s “fault” that this happened, but I couldn’t ever really invest in her either, with this horrible image constantly in my mind. Like Kate said, this was definitely a personal reaction to this scene, and other readers may not struggle with it as much.

So, there ya go. Unfortunately, this one didn’t really work for either of us. But I also think it’s one of those reads that others may enjoy much more!

Kate’s Rating 4: This just didn’t work for me, in spite of the “Little Shop of Horrors” nods and the well done representation of queer and trans characters. I had high hopes that weren’t met.

Serena’s Rating 5: I think that trigger warnings can definitely go too far and get into spoiler territory sometimes, but one definitely could have been used here! Other than that, some mismatches in tone and pacing also let this read down for me.

Reader’s Advisory

“Overgrowth” is included on the Goodreads list “2025 Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction”.

Serena’s Review: “Labyrinth’s Heart”

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Book: “Labyrinth’s Heart” by M. A. Carrick

Publishing Info: Orbit, Aug. 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: from the publisher!

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

Book Description: Ren came to Nadežra with a plan. She would pose as the long-lost daughter of the noble house Traementis. She would secure a fortune for herself and her sister. And she would vanish without a backward glance. She ought to have known that in the city of dreams, nothing is ever so simple.

Now, she is Ren, con-artist and thief. But she is also Renata, the celebrated Traementis heir. She is Arenza, the mysterious pattern-reader and political rebel. And she is the Black Rose, a vigilante who fights alongside the legendary Rook. 

Even with the help of Grey Serrado and Derossi Vargo, it is too many masks for one person to wear. And as the dark magic the three of them helped unleash builds to storm that could tear the very fabric of the city apart, it’s only a matter of time before one of the masks slips—and everything comes crashing down around them.

Previously Reviewed: “The Mask of Mirrors” and “The Liar’s Knot”

Review: This will be another tough review to write, but for different reasons than I usually experience. I’ve absolutely loved this trilogy so far. In hindsight, I almost want to go back and give both of the other books 10 ratings! They’re the kind of stories that have characters who stick with you, popping up in my mind long after I’ve turned the last page. So it’s a weird situation to now finish up the trilogy and…just like it, not adore it! The struggle in writing up my thoughts, then, is that I may come across as more critical than the book deserves on its own merits. It’s still an excellent book in the end!

I’ll start with the unequivocal good parts. The writing. Across the board, all three books have been so incredibly well written. Natural dialogue, vivid descriptions, and a steady hand at the wheel throughout, never losing a sense of tone or place, even while balancing a million characters, cultures, and magic systems. It’s even more impressive that two authors worked together to write this! It’s absolutely seamless, and I have to wonder how they even pulled it off.

Beyond that, the world-building continues to impress. This is a fully-formed world, complete with various cultures and peoples, all with long histories that we see impacting the choices made today. Further, there are no purely good or purely evil sides to many of the complicated situations that arise. The authors carefully navigate the concepts of necessary revolution while equally condemning wanton violence or the easy slip into simply swapping positions, leaving the wrong-doing still present, if now in different hands. Extremism is rightfully identified and denounced, no matter the histories involved, and instead a focus on working together and living alongside those who are different is clearly emphasized.

The story also started out just as strong as the rest. Indeed, for the first third of the book, I was convinced that this would also end up as a 9 or 10 level read for me. This section had all the hallmarks of what I loved from the first two books: a clever Ren, a morally grey Vargo, and an emphasis on characterization, giving the reader ample opportunity to see even small moments play out between all the characters we’ve come to love so thoroughly. It was only as the book continued that I began to have problems, and it really came down to two things: Ren’s character arc (to lesser extent, Vargo as well), and the attempt to wrap up every loose thread.

To tackle the characters stuff first, while the story started out strong, character-wise, as we got more into the thick of the resolutions to the various plot lines, the characterization began to fall through the cracks. I remember mentioning in my review of the second book that I was beginning to have minor quibbles with the character arch of Ren and Vargo, both having to do with the wavering of their characterization from the first book. Unfortunately, that was doubled-down on here. For his part, Vargo pretty much lost all of his moral ambiguity, instead reacting with nothing but love and understanding to almost every reveal sent his way. Which, sure, I want him to get all the found family connections he ultimately ends up with, but it was all just so…easy, no conflict to speak of.

For her part, Ren became the most special of all the special snowflakes by the end of this book. She was still a well-written character, unlike many characters who end up with this nickname given to them, but the problem remained. By the end of the book, a character joking introduces her listing off all the unique, important roles that she now inhabits. And while it’s played for laughs, it also unintentionally highlights the problem. Ren was at her best when she was a con woman, deftly navigating numerous roles and goals while also trying to balance the deeper feelings and connections she was developing with those around her. Here, after that first third of the book is done, we pretty much lose all of the cleverness or greyness of this character. Again, someone makes a joke at one point that Ren “saves the world through talking.” And it’s true! And that’s bad!! Especially because, for a character like Ren, if she was going to solve problems through talking, it should be through clever manipulation and schemes. Instead, the book devolves into numerous speeches about togetherness and understanding that miraculously solve pretty much every problem or conflict.

Further, some of the joy of the first two books was seeing Ren slowly learn to expand her understanding of family to characters like Vargo, Grey and the Traementis family. Well, here, that’s all blown out of the water by the absolute deluge of family units Ren finds herself apart of. The reason the ties between Ren, Vargo, Grey, and Traementis family worked was due to the sheer amount of page time devoted to developing them. These later connections don’t have that and also worked against these established characters, as we spent less time between the ones we care about, as Ren was overrun by the various family groups that now surround her.

And lastly, this book suffers from a severe case of “Return of the King” syndrome. You know what I’m talking about: a story that ends up with numerous, seemingly endless, endings. And here, it feels like the endings start up near the half way point! There was a lot that needed to be wrapped up in this book already. But the authors didn’t help themselves by adding new characters and new histories on top of what they already had to deal with.

Beyond that, there seemed to be an almost compulsive need to wrap up every ill that ever befell this world. And look, I don’t love grimdark fantasy, and I honestly think that the fantasy genre as a whole, and particularly epic fantasy, needs to come out of the haze inflicted upon it by “Game of Thrones,” the idea that a fantasy story isn’t “serious” if it isn’t full of horribleness and tragedy. So I applaud the authors for proving that this needn’t be the case.

Unfortunately, it feels like they went too far in the other direction! The main plots lines being wrapped up well? Great! But then it began to feel as if every character was being neatly paired up, every historical ill-doing was magically made right, and any point of character conflict was easily resolved with a few short words and a hug. And the magic system was totally abused in the service of this goal! Need some past wrong figured out? Something something magic! It all began to feel like too much. And with everything so, SO neatly resolved, it started to feel unrealistic, undercutting the real pain and heartache that was at the heart of all of the characters’ motivation, up to this point.

I think one of the strangest take aways from this book was the feeling that it was both too long and too short. Too long, because numerous scenes and plot points didn’t seem to go anywhere and could have easily been lifted (even while keeping the strong scenes between members of the core cast!). And too short because a full half of the book had to be devoted to wrapping up the entire trilogy with ending after ending coming in quick succession. Instead, had this been split into two books, some of these ending could have been dealt with in one book, leaving the others to the final book.

Wow, so this ended up being way longer than I had intended, but it turns out I had a lot to say! Overall, however, I still loved Ren, Grey, and Vargo. The love story between Grey and Ren is one of my favorites in a long time, and the writing across the entire trilogy was excellent. This one may trip a bit at the end, but it by no means undercuts the strength of the entire trilogy and my emphatic recommendation of it to all fantasy fans!

Rating 8: Too many endings and some wobbly characterization brought this one down a bit, but it was still a satisfying conclusion to an excellent trilogy!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Labyrinth’s Heart” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Renaissance and Tudor Fantasy and Genius Protagonists ( who DEMONSTRATE actual thinking in intricate plots).

Serena’s Review: “Silver Elite”

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Book: “Silver Elite” by Dani Francis

Publishing Info: Del Rey, May 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: The world is divided. On the Continent, you’re either a Prime—immune to the biotoxin that nearly wiped out the Earth’s population 150 years ago—or a Modified, one who was enhanced by the toxin, developing powerful psychic gifts.

As conflict rages between the two sides, Wren Darlington lives in hiding. Occasionally running the odd op for the rebel Uprising against the Primes’ oppressive rule, she must keep a low profile. After all, if the enemy finds out that she is a Mod with a staggering four psychic abilities, she won’t just be sent to the labor camps. She’ll be executed—immediately and without trial.

When a careless mistake puts Wren in the crosshairs of the Continent’s military, she is taken captive and forced to join their most elite Silver Block. Unwittingly, they’ve handed her the perfect opportunity for the Uprising to strike a devastating blow from inside their ranks. That is, if she can keep her powers hidden, survive training, and prove herself to Cross Redden, her maddeningly cocky commanding officer.

Despite the explosive chemistry between them, Cross doesn’t trust her—even as he seems determined to destroy the remaining shreds of Wren’s self-control. Yet as the war between Primes and Mods escalates, and as Wren and Cross find themselves unable to stay away from each other, they must decide how far they’re willing to go for their secrets—and how much of the Continent is worth saving.

Review: While I love romance and romantasy, it’s always a breath of fresh air to wander into other genres. And while dystopian fiction had its day in the sun, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a title like this! However, my reading experience of this book was highly mixed. There were things I enjoyed for sure, but I also struggled to maintain interest at times.

Largely, I think this comes down to the balance between the romance and the dystopian aspects. This book promotes itself as slow-burn which I think is misleading. Perhaps I’m just a romance snob, but to me, slow-burn isn’t just “how far into the book does the sex scene happen” but instead refers to the slow development of interest/feelings which then leads to intimacy. Here, however, the book leans heavily into lust almost instantly, which very much turned off my slow-burn-loving heart.

It didn’t help that some of the “reveals” around the identity of one of the characters was telegraphed a mile away. I found that once I got further in the book and some of this information had come out, I was able to enjoy the romance more. That said, I never fully recovered from the instalust turn off, so by the end, the romance was solidly in the “meh” category. I also felt there were too many spicey scenes for my taste, leaning more heavily into the smut side of things, especially given some of the weaker aspects of the world-building as a whole.

The writing was approachable, but I also felt that it was a bit simplistic at times. The tone often didn’t seem to match the serious nature of the world that was being describing, coming across as far too unserious for the situations on hand. Similar to the reveals regarding characters, many of the plot points were very familiar. Again, this can be comforting for some readers who are more focused perhaps on the love story than the over-arching plot. But for me, it was a definite let down. Pacing-wise, however, it was fairly steady throughout. And readers who enjoy more straight-forward writing may be less put off by the writing style. For me, it came across as a bit too juvenile for an adult book.

This is a hard one to rate. I personally didn’t have a great time with it, as it felt very derivative and like something I had read many times before. That said, I also think it’s just the sort of story that will appeal to romantasy fans who are more interested in spice and the romantic plot line and who are looking for some more variety in their reading (after picking up the millionth dragon or Fae book). If the latter sounds like you, by all means, check this one out! But if you’re more interested in the world-building or the complexity of a dystopian novel, this might be a bit of a let down.

Rating 7: A bit too predictable in its plotting and its character reveals, but romantasy readers will likely still gobble this one up!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Silver Elite” can be found on this Goodreads list: 2025 Debut Novels.

Kate’s Review: “See How They Fall”

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Book: “See How They Fall” by Rachel Paris

Publishing Info: Scarlet, April 2025

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

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

Book Description: In this compulsive debut thriller set in Sydney’s wealthiest suburbs, one detective’s investigation into a family tragedy threatens to collapse a powerful dynasty. . . .

When Skye married into the wealthy Campbell family, she thought she was entering paradise. But lately, she’s been unhappy in her marriage to Duncan and hiding a few secrets of her own as she tries to maintain a normal, happy life for their six-year-old daughter, Tilly.

Now the family patriarch, Sir Campbell Turner, has died and his three sons are set to inherit the luxury goods empire upon which he built their fortune. But plans for a seamless handover are complicated when a fourth, hitherto unknown, heir named Cody comes forward. The Turners gather for an intimate weekend retreat at an opulent seaside estate in order to meet this newcomer and figure out their next steps. With so much at stake, tempers flare and egos clash within their first few hours together. But even as the tensions rise no one could predict that their very first night would end with a shocking poisoning that leaves one family member dead and another fighting for her life.

Sergeant Mei O’Connor is assigned to investigate the incident and though her superiors are keen to close the case as swiftly as possible, the evidence just isn’t lining up. Mei already has enough on her mind as she struggles to care for her terminally ill mother and recover from her broken engagement, but she can’t help poking around the Turners, convinced that there’s more to the suspicious poisoning than a simple accident. As Mei continues to push for answers, she may just send the carefully laid dominoes of the Turner empire crashing down.

Review: Thank you to SparkPoint Studio for sending me an ARC of this novel!

Hoo boy, buckle up everyone because I have once again brought you all a novel that has scummy rich people behaving badly! Nope, this trope still hasn’t gone out of style for me, and the more frustrated I get with real world examples of this, the more cathartic I find novels that center nasty wealthy sleaze balls and show them for what they are. So of COURSE I wanted to read “See How They Fall” by Rachel Paris! I like soapy thrillers, I like dysfunctional families, and I like murder mysteries. It was bound to be a winner.

The premise is simple. The Turners, a billionaire family still reeling from the patriarch’s death a few months earlier, are gathering with their loved ones for a weekend at a summer estate, with hopes of hashing out the inheritance, while also dealing with a new surprise heir in the form of an illegitimate son of the middle son, Duncan. During the weekend, one of the brother’s wives is dead, and Duncan’s daughter Tilly is hospitalized in grave condition, both victims of arsenic poisoning. Skye, Tilly’s mom, is desperate to find out what happened, while Duncan hides her away, and Mei O’Connor, a detective assigned to the case, starts to peel back the nasty layers of this wealthy family. Our mystery is mostly who poisoned Tilly and her aunt Nina, but as we see it through Skye and Mei’s perspectives, the mystery becomes more about what the family as a whole has to hide. It’s suspenseful, it has believable twists and turns, and it has high stakes with a little girl near death, her mother becoming more unhinged as more secrets come out, and our lead investigator finding lots of dirty laundry, therein putting a target on her back as well. The Turner Family is filled with complete sociopaths, and as the story continued the more tense I became, fearful for Skye AND Mei and what they may uncover. Paris has a lot of tricks up her sleeve, and many of them were pulled off seamlessly.

I also enjoyed the dual perspectives between Skye and Mei, as both of them have some really well constructed back stories, well thought out motivations, and their two takes on the story as it is happening complement each other as they each present different clues to the reader about what is going on and who could be behind the poisonings. Skye is deeply sympathetic as her daughter lies unconscious after being poisoned, and while her husband Duncan is lying, gaslighting, and hiding something from her, and trying to keep her from finding out family business that may or may not be tied to Tilly’s attempted murder and Nina’s actual murder. I was seriously worried for Skye as well as enraged on her behalf, and Paris nails the way that the most insidious of wealthy people will manipulate even those that they purport to love if it will keep power within their grasp. Mei, on the other hand, has problems of her own, and it makes this case deeply personal, whether it’s because she is still reeling from a break up with a manipulative jerk, or because when she was a child her younger sister went missing, and she sees her sister in Tilly. I really felt for her, and if there was a series following her as a detective I would definitely read it.

Overall, “See How They Fall” is fun, addictive, and an entertaining thriller. If you like the genre, definitely seek it out.

Rating 8: Lots of reveals, lots of scandal, and two interesting character perspectives make this book an addictive thriller.

Reader’s Advisory:

“See How They Fall” isn’t on any relevant Goodreads lists as of yet, but it would fit in on the list “Novels If You Like ‘Succession'” in the Goodreads article “What To Read Based on Your Pop Culture Obsessions”.

Serena’s Review: “Shield of Sparrows”

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Book: “Shield of Sparrows” by Devney Perry

Publishing Info: Red Tower Books, May 2025

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

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

Book Description: Long ago, the gods unleashed monsters upon the five kingdoms of Calandra to remind us that humans are insignificant—that we must pray to the gods for mercy throughout our fragile, fleeting lives.

I didn’t need a deity to remind me I was powerless. Being a princess had never been more than a performance—twenty-three years of empty titles and hollow traditions. My sister revels in the spectacle, basking in the attention and flawlessly playing her part. I was never asked to be part of the charade.

Until the day an infamous monster hunter sailed to our shores. The day a prince walked into my father’s throne room and ruined my life. The day I married a stranger, signed a magical treaty in blood, and set off across the continent to the most treacherous kingdom in all the realm.

That was the day I learned that not all myths are make-believe. That lies and legends are often the same. And that the only way to kill the monsters we fear was to become one…

Review: I was approached by the publicist to read and review this book, so I’ll be honest, I knew next to nothing about it going in. I had the vague understanding that the author was fairly prolific in the contemporary romance world, but as I read very little of that genre, I’d never checked out any of her books. Beyond that, the book summary look interesting, but also fairly generic. Well, let this be a lesson to never write anyone off! This was one of those books where I ended up binge reading it late into the night over two nights total!

I’m always a bit nervous when an author unfamiliar to the genre decides to tackle fantasy. Will they understand the conventions of the genre? Will they be be able to add something unique and not become mired in generic tropes? I think these are valid concerns. But not only did Perry prove me wrong in these concerns, but I think she also highlighted a key factor in why the romantasy genre may need MORE cross-over authors.

Romantasy is a super popular, fairly new genre, and as such, publishers are whipping out new titles as fast as they can without a steady list of veteran authors to pull from. And over the last few years, this desire to catch the bandwagon has produced a run of books where it feels like debut authors were not given the proper editing support they needed or titles were picked up that really had no business being published in their current state. And lacking many veteran voices in the genre, this can lead to the feeling that the genre as a whole is a bit shaky as far as quality goes. Perry illustrates how an experienced author with numerous books under her belt can elevate even the most mundane romantasy tropes and produce a book that feels like a breath of fresh air to the genre!

So, now I’ve written several paragraphs and not really talked about this book at all! But let’s start with the characters. Right off the bat, I liked the variation in the main character from the typical leading lady we see. There are a million and one feisty, snarky, fighter FMCs in romantasy. Instead, we follow the overlooked sister, Odessa, who has her rather dull life already plotted out before her. So when she’s thrust into the role of new Queen and secret spy, she’s totally unprepared. And by that I mean…actually unprepared! She doesn’t suddenly reveal incredible powers of fighting prowess or the skillset to properly infiltrate a foreign nation. We see her flounder her way through the “spying” again and again, and the book devotes a healthy amount of time to her attempts to learn to fight. By the end of the book, it’s been months, and it’s clear that while she can now pull off basic moves, she’s by no means a powerhouse. Instead, her strengths are found in her resilience, her empathy for those around her, and her bravery in the face of a world of new dangers and unknowns.

I also really enjoyed the romance and the romantic lead! It’s easy for the readers to guess the real situation, but I particularly appreciated the care that was taken with the main character’s handling of this situation. Odessa’s attempts to balance her obligations, bond with the man she believes to be her husband, and deal with her growing attraction for another all feel believable and sympathetic. I’ve seen this sort of set up go very wrong in the past, and I was glad to see that avoided here.

I also have to give a shout out to the creativity and complexity to the plot line and the world-building. While there is a heavy focus on the romance, it’s definitely of the slow-burn variety, which leaves a lot of page time freed up. And instead of the fluff that I feel like I often see in books like this, here we get not only a rich world, full of creative and horrific monsters, but also a detailed history and political situation that took several twists and turns towards the back half of the book that I didn’t see coming! I was also impressed by the author’s dedication to portraying the horror that would be living in this world. There are terrible monsters filling this land, and that being the case, terrible things often happen to those who live in it. There were a few scenes that definitely had me tearing up! Again, it was gratifying to read a romantasy that took its world-building seriously, even when that lead to rough situations and scenes.

So, shocking no one at this point, you can see that I really enjoyed this one! It took me completely by surprise and now not only can I not wait for the sequel, but I’m even thinking about checking out some of this author’s contemporary romance books (if I can find the time to escape my massive TBR!). If you’re a romantasy fan who’s aching for a book with a bit more meat on the bones, this is definitely one to check out. That said, it does end on a cliffhanger of sorts, so go in knowing you’ll have a wait for any real conclusion (talking to my aunt here!)!

Rating 9: A perfect example of the highs that the romantasy genre can reach when in the hands of a skilled author! Swoon-worthy romance, rich world-building, and an fast-moving plot that doesn’t let up!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Shield of Sparrows” isn’t currently on any Goodreads lists, but it should be on Romantasy TBR 2025.