Month: February 2026

Serena’s Review: “Weavingshaw”

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Book: “Weavingshaw” by Heba Al-Wasity

Publishing Info: Del Rey, February

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

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

Book Description: Three years ago, Leena Al-Sayer awoke with a terrible power.She can see the dead.Since then, she has hidden herself from the world, knowing that if she ever reveals her curse she will be locked away in an asylum.

When her beloved brother, Rami, falls fatally ill, Leena is faced with a terrible CHOICE: Let him die or buy the expensive medicine that will save his life by bartering the only valuable thing she has—her secret.

The Saint of Silence, a ruthless merchant who trades in confessions and is shrouded in unearthly rumors of cruelty and power, accepts her bargain, for a deadly price. Leena must find the ghost of Percival Avon, the last lord of Weavingshaw—or lose her freedom to the Saint forever.

As Leena’s search takes her and the Saint to Weavingshaw, she finds the estate and the surrounding moors to be living things—hungry for blood and sacrifice. Fighting against Weavingshaw’s might, Leena must also fight her growing pull toward the enigmatic Saint himself, whose connection to Percival Avon remains a mystery.

As the house begins to entomb them, time is running out on their desperate hunt for answers. For Leena has come to see that here in Weavingshaw, the dead are not hushed—and some secrets are better left buried with them.

Review: Gothic fantasy/horror has to be one of the more reliable subgenres for my own particular reading preferences. As long as the correct atmosphere is struck, the story will always start out a mile ahead of others. And here, that note was struck right away. This world is one of grim realities where the average person is caught between corporations trying to drain every last ounce from them and political forces in various countries working to subdue rebellions. Further, their history is one made up of demons and dark magic. And their only salvation? A mysterious trader of secrets for wealth, bargains that can turn deadly more often than not. And that’s not even getting into the location of Weavingshaw itself (to be fair, and to set expectations, the book doesn’t even move to this location until about halfway through) or the greater world-building/magical reveals that come later in the story.

And, of course, both of the main characters have their own ties to dark magic. The book takes place entirely from Leena’s perspective (again and always: well done for avoiding the trap of dual POVs that seem to always lead to a “telling” style of writing as far as relationship development!), so we learn a lot about her abilities to see ghosts. I really liked the various ways that her abilities were used, not only to move the plot along, but to bring together story elements and important pieces of characters’ histories. She was also a great character beyond her magic, determined to save her family and unwilling to fall under the thumb of her powerful employer. The slow-burn relationship between her and the Saint was so well done. These two have no reason to trust one another, especially Leena. It’s only slowly, as the story progresses, that she begins to understand the deeper, more tragic layers hidden beneath the Saint’s icy exterior.

I also really liked the Saint himself. It would have been so easy for him to come across as yet another shadow daddy love interest. There are definitely a few familiar notes of that even now. However, the book does a great job of including various other POV chapters sprinkled throughout that further develop his story, giving us greater insights into his past and motivations. While he and Leena grow slowly closer to one another, neither gives up their own goals. I can’t say too much about this character, as much of his story is a mystery that is only slowly revealed, but I loved what we got from him and the set up for the next book.

While the book starts out with a fairly straightforward setup (Leena indebted and working for the mysterious Saint of Silence), I was honestly surprised by the direction the story took. Given the title and cover, I went in expecting a gothic, haunted house story. But, like I said above, we don’t even get to Weavingshaw until about halfway through the story. And even then, it was much more of a setting for the plot than an integral part itself (usually in gothic stories, houses are a character in and of themselves, to some degree). Again, I don’t want to spoil the reveals, but this is much more a developed fantasy world than I had expected initially.

I really enjoyed this one! While it wasn’t quite what I was expecting, in many ways, it was even better for these changes! The slow-burn romance was well done, and the character work remained solid throughout. The story definitely ends in a setup for the next book, so readers should be aware of that going in. However, for me, this just made me all the more eager to get to the sequel as soon as possible!

Rating 9: Not what I was expecting in the best way possible! Gothic fantasy, but with a more developed fantasy world and swoon-worthy slow-burn romance!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Weavingshaw” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Gothic Fantasy and 2026 Most Anticipated Romantasy & Fantasy Romance Releases.

Fire’s Catching: “The Hunger Games”


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It’s been eighteen years since Suzanne Collins wrote “The Hunger Games”, the smash hit literary sensation that continues to feel relevant and capture the attention of readers. This ongoing series will be a review series of both the Suzanne Collins books, as well as the film adaptations of the novels. I will post my review on the last Thursday of the month as we revisit the totalitarian world of Panem and the hope of the Mockingjay.

Book: “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins

Publishing Info: Scholastic Press, October 2008

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it

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

Book Description: Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have begun. . . .

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Review: I got back from a week long cruise with friends this past Monday, having to sink back into the real world like one always does after a vacation. As I was taking my kid to school on Tuesday and I was pulling into the drop off lane, I noticed something that hadn’t been there before I left: there were now people in green vests standing on the corners by the various drop off and pick up entrances to her elementary school, keeping an eye on the drivers who were coming and going. I immediately clocked that they were there to watch out for ICE. Coming back to reality after a fun trip with dear friends is already hard; it’s even harder when you come back to an occupied metro area that has an ever present anxiety of our neighbors being harassed and kidnapped and murdered, especially when those being targeted include children.

Welcome to “Fire Catching”, my series where I revisit “The Hunger Games”, the dystopia phenomenon written by Suzanne Collins. It had been some time since I read the first book in the series, almost fifteen years probably by my count, though my husband and I have watched the movies many times. When I read it originally it was a fun dystopia with complicated world building, nuanced characters, and a lot of action that fit well together and created a book that I read in about one afternoon. I really loved it then. I still really love it on this revisit, though it feels a bit closer to home these days. This will be a review for the most part! That’s what you are here for. But I’m sure I’ll also be reflective a bit. I feel like I have to be.

(source)

What strikes me about “The Hunger Games” this time around is just how much Collins trusts her readers to be able to handle dark and complicated themes, while also being able to break them down for the audience in ways that aren’t condescending but are easy to understand. Katniss Everdeen is our first person protagonist, a sixteen year old girl living in a poverty stricken community known as District 12, one part of multiple districts that have to answer for a rebellion against The Capitol years earlier. The districts answer by sending two kids, one boy and one girl, drawn by a lottery, to a battle to the death. Katniss isn’t selected, she volunteers so that her gentle younger sister Prim doesn’t have to go. It’s most likely that you know the story. But I never get sick of it, and re-reading it this time I was pleased with how harrowing her story of training, preparing, fighting, and having to perform for her oppressors as entertainment remains. Katniss is prickly, she’s had to grow up far too fast (not just because of life in the Districts but also because of her father’s death leaving her mother catatonic for a spell), and now she has been chosen to be a prop for an oppressive government’s bloodsport. She’s complex and hard headed, but Collins is also great and bringing her vulnerability out, more than happy to remind the reader that she is a child who has been put into a horrifying situation. We see everything through her eyes, and while sometimes it’s a bit on the nose as to how she is misinterpreting things (girl, of COURSE Peeta adores you and has adored you this whole time), but at the same time I fully believe that she has EVERY reason to be paranoid and to think the worst of people, whether it’s her drunk mentor Haymitch, or even the sweet and quiet Peeta.

And we are just starting to scratch the surface of the world building for Panem and its history here, and Collins gives us enough information to make a compelling story while also holding enough back to give us much more to work with as the series goes on. The idea of children’s peril and death being used as punishment and control isn’t new by any means (from The Minotaur to “The Long Walk” to “Battle Royale” it has been seen in so many stories throughout history), but the way that Collins builds this world makes it feel freshly horrifying. With Katniss giving tidbits about how the Hunger Games work, the various ins and outs of how the system can be rigged and gamed based on social standing (because even in the oppressed districts there are still class differences within themselves and between themselves), hints of how The Capitol crushes dissent with a veneer of beauty and wealth, and showing how death has been turned into eagerly eaten up entertainment due to years of propaganda, the world building is rich and incredibly well done. The games themselves are horrifying, more horrifying than I remembered from the first time I read it. I’m sure that’s in part due to the fact I now have a child of my own that I can’t help but project into the horrors, as well as the other stuff going on in my community that seems downright dystopian at the moment. Still so relevant, unfortunately.

This is going to be a gratifying and intense re-read, I can tell. “The Hunger Games” is still such a great start to the series. Next up I will tackle “Catching Fire”. Which I haven’t actually read! So that will be interesting!

And please take a look at this link for Stand With Minnesota, a resource hub for mutual aid, donation drives, and other resources to help communities all over my home state right now. We need help.

Rating 9: Still as harrowing and relevant as when it first came out, which is both a positive (for timelessness purposes) and negative (for the too real feels of it all).

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Hunger Games” is included on the Goodreads lists “Best Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction”, and “Best Survival Stories”.

Serena’s Review: “Nightshade and Oak”

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

Book: “Nightshade and Oak” by Molly O’Neill

Publishing Info: Orbit, February 2026

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

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

Book Description: When Malt, the goddess of death, is accidentally turned into a human by a wayward spell, she finds she’s ill-equipped to deal with the trials of a mortal life.

After all, why would a goddess need to know how to gather food or light a fire?

Trapped in a body that’s frustratingly feeble, she’s forced to team up with Bellis, warrior daughter of Boudicca on a perilous journey across Roman-occupied Britain to the afterlife to try to restore her powers. As animosity turns to attraction, these two very different women must learn to work together if they are to have any hope of surviving their quest.

Review:I had read and enjoyed (for the most part) the first book I read from this author. But I’ll be honest, it was the mention of Boudicca and the promise of more Welsh/British folklore that really drew me in. And while I did struggle with some tone, pacing, and character work, I was very pleased with this aspect of the story! In many ways, the story reads as historical fantasy, with the author drawing from a real-world person (Boudicca) but then extrapolating from that into a wholly imagined story revolving around her daughter.

Of course, given that Boudicca’s story is one of rebellion and warfare, the themes of this book heavily focus on the violence, loss, and tragedy of war. One of the strongest scenes in the book was actually the first chapter, where we see the remains of a battlefield through the eyes of the goddess. This was a very poignant scene and definitely set up the story well.

That said, it did lead into one of my struggle points for this read: inconsistency with regards to tone and themes. After this amazing first scene, the book takes a sharp turn towards a more cozy, travelogue sort of story, following our two characters as they traverse the land. Much of this next forty percent or so of the story was made up of these smaller, more “slice of life”-like scenes. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the version of the book we had here. Much of this time was devoted to Mallt’s struggles to understand the ins and outs of existing as a mortal.

But then, about halfway through the book, the story took a massive shift back to the darker, more grim tones that the first chapter established. And again, I did not enjoy this portion of the book. Indeed, I think it had a lot of good things to say with these themes. However, the end result was that the pacing and tone of the story shifted entirely halfway through, which made for an awkward reading experience. Further, the very last portion of the book was made up of chapters that bounced back and forth between these cozy and darker tones, with the story feeling like it never really settled into what it wanted.

I also struggled a bit with the characters. For the most part, I really enjoyed Mallt. I thought her struggles with mortality were interesting and provided her with an excellent arc for the story. However, she also could be frustrating and annoying as she dealt with the limitations put upon her. I was also disappointed by Belis. Mostly this was because she was the sort of character I really enjoy! I love warrior woman characters, and Belis had a lot of potential. But as the story progressed, she was kind of just…there. Especially in comparison to Mallt’s more complicated character arc, Belis was unchanged and unchallenged throughout most of the book.

Overall, this was a mixed bag. I really wanted to like it more than I did. The uneven pacing and tone really threw me off, and I often found myself wanting more from the characters. However, fans of historical fantasy might still really enjoy this one!

Rating 7: While I enjoyed both the more serious historical fantasy elements as well as the cozy quest, I wasn’t sure that these two mixed particularly well here.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Nightshade and Oak” can be found on this Goodreads list: Adult Queer Romantasy 2026.

Kate’s Review: “Krackle’s Last Movie”

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

Book: “Krackle’s Last Movie” by Chelsea Sutton

Publishing Info: Split/Lip Press, February 2026

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

Where You Can Get This Book: Split/Lip Press

Book Description: When underground documentarian Minerva Krackle mysteriously disappears after an interview with the “Modern-Day Mummy of San Bernardino County,” her assistant Harper is left with a mess of footage and a tight deadline. During her review of thirty years of interviews Krackle conducted with real-life monsters—werewolves, vampires, invisible dancers, mermaids, sea monsters in the desert—Harper pieces together their links with Krackle’s disappearance and also with the tragic on-stage death of pop-magician The Great Merlan. With the help of Krackle’s former bodyguard Dr. Danger and small-town diner waitress Liz, Harper must decide whether to expose her own hidden history to finish the film, or to let Krackle’s legacy disappear right along with her.

Review: Thank you to Split/Lip Press for sending me an ARC of this novella!

I have found that a tight, easy to read and complex novella can be hard to find at times. I like short stories and novellas as quick reads, but man, sometimes the brevity can be a slight hindrance to the craft if not approached properly, especially if the premise is a bit of a leap of faith on its own. And while that kind of thing was admittedly in the back of my mind when I read up on “Krackle’s Last Movie” by Chelsea Sutton, the premise alone was enough to throw caution to the wind and check it out. Sometimes leaps of faith can be misguided, but when it comes to this novella the pay off was pretty substantial!

It was the premise that lured me in when it came into my inbox: Harper is a film assistant to a Gonzo documentarian named Minerva Krackle, whose works have focused on real life monsters (think werewolves, vampires, mermaids, etc), and who has presently been pursuing a story about a real life living mummy. After Krackle disappears during the production, Harper is left to try and piece it all back together to do her mentor proud and to get her final work out for the world to see. It’s part found footage, part monster tale, part mystery, and it combines to make a very strange and yet incredibly charming novella. I loved the interviews with the ‘monsters’, be it a couple of daffy mermaids or an affable sea monster, and I loved the way that these beings are given more relatable moments that can be very funny to very moving. It’s just such a cute idea, and the comparisons that some have made to a Guillermo del Toro film hit the nail on the head. It’s exactly the kind of fondness for the weird that his movies project, and it’s done in a way that’s compact yet very effective.

But it’s the story of outsiders finding a person who will champion them through thick and thin that really stood out to me as I read this novella. The idea of Krackle meeting these real life ‘monsters’ that are so out of the ordinary so as not to be believed, and to have a goal of telling their stories in their own words at the forefront. As Harper is piecing together these interviews as a final retrospective with the intention of giving them a voice, we see some charming, bittersweet, and sometimes cathartic sequences for the reader and Harper alike. It’s ultimately a journey of self discovery for Harper, as she herself has been suppressing her own ‘quirk’, shall we say, and as she is trying to do justice to Krackle’s vision she begins to look inward and to see her own loneliness and shame and starts to become more comfortable in her own skin. It’s a lovely and sometimes sad story arc as you watch her peel back her pain and trauma and finally start to accept who she is and always has been.

“Krackle’s Last Movie” is a whimsical and charming found footage tale that left me smiling as I was reading it. The epitome of short and sweet (with a twist of strange to even it all out).

Rating 8: A strange, dreamy, and ultimately touching story about being different, those who champion you, and finally coming to be comfortable in your own skin.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Krackle’s Last Movie” isn’t on any Goodreads lists, but the comparisons to Guillermo del Toro are well earned.

Highlights: February 2026

We are in the midst of a deep freeze in Minnesota, with lots of snow, plummeting temperatures, and the lack of motivation to leave the house. I guess it’s okay that we have Valentine’s Day to look forward to for some romance time and hopefully lots of candy! And like always we have some new titles coming out this month that we can’t wait to read!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “Weavingshaw” by Heba Al-Wasity

Publication Date: February 26, 2024

Why I’m Interested: The cover alone, with all of its gothic-goodness, was enough to entice my interest in this one initially! And looking further, it seems that the story may also include much more than the standard spooky house with hidden secrets. For example, the main character can see ghosts and there sounds like there is a potential love interest who buys secrets for…reasons? Color me intrigued!

Book: “Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter” by Heather Fawcett

Publication Date: February 17, 2026

Why I’m Interested: So many reasons! Not least of which is the fact that the cover features not one, but many adorable cats! And, of course, the title itself promises a cat-centric story. Beyond that, its written by the same author as the “Emily Wilde” series, one of my favorite trilogies of the last few years, from start to finish. My only question has to do with the balance between “coziness” and plot, always a struggle point for me with this subgenre. But I have high hopes!

Book: “A Rose of Blood and Binding” by Claire Legrand

Publication Date: February 24, 2026

Why I’m Interested: Well, it’s the third and final book in this trilogy. And I have to say, my biggest emotion going in is probably trepidation. There were definite points I liked in the first two books, but I’ve also struggled a lot with the portrayal of the main characters, finding them more interesting as side characters, only to then get in their head and find a completely different person (both remarkably similar to one another, mostly fueled by some level of self-hatred). So, while I have really enjoyed what we’ve seen from Mara in other books, I’m also really worried that this will go the same route where an excellent character is watered down beneath layers of misery and gloom to the point that she’s no longer recognizable as the same person as the one in other books. We shall see!

Kate’s Picks

Book: “Trad Wife” by Saratoga Schaefer

Publication Date: February 10, 2026

Why I’m Interested: The trad wife/feminine alt right satire continues, and this time we are delving into pregnancy horror to go with the biting commentary! Camille is an up and coming trad wife influencer, though her engagement isn’t as high as she’d like and her husband isn’t as perfect as her social media implies. She tells herself that having a baby would be the perfect thing to fix their marriange and to boost her viewership, but conceiving isn’t coming as easily as she has hoped. So it must be divine intervention when she finds a weird old well in the woods behind her new house, and after wishing for a baby she finds herself pregnant after a very strange encounter with something otherworldly. Having a baby will surely fix all of her problems! Even if her pregnancy is weird and her urges are going to dark places… Sounds like a devilishly good time to me!

Book: “Maria the Wanted” by V. Castro

Publication Date: February 10, 2026

Why I’m Interested: Okay so admittedly Castro’s previous swing at vampire fiction felt pretty flat for me. But given that I have really enjoyed a lot of her other books I wanted to give her newest one a try, and now that the protagonist vampire is less erotic and more of an on the run thriller I’m more on board. Maria is trying to run away from some cartels that she ran afoul, but finds herself turned into a vampire whilst on the lam. Now she wants to find out what it means to be a vampire, and how she can survive in this new form. Especially since now some violent vampire thugs are on her tail as well. I have hopes that this vampire tale from V. Castro will work better and the description gives me hope.

Book: “Nowhere Burning” by Catriona Ward

Publication Date: February 24 2026

Why I’m Interested: I haven’t been as enthralled with Ward’s horror novels in the past, but I have told myself that after taking a break from the past couple I need to give it one more go in case a new premise just clicks for me. And the premise of this book is DEFINITELY interesting, feeling like a weird mix of Lost Boys and Charles Manson. Riley and her brother Oliver are running away from home, hoping to find a new home at Nowhere, a ranch once run by a strange movie star that is now a colony of feral, unrestricted children. It sounds like the freedom Riley is craving. But something else is on the ranch property, and the children who live at Nowhere are far more dangerous than Riley ever anticipated. It sounds culty and weird, and I am totally into it.

What books are you looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!