Category: Joint Reviews

Joint Review: “Devil Inside”

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

Book: “Devil Inside” by Clay McLeod Chapman

Publishing Info: MIRA, August 2026

Where Did We Get This Book: We received ARCs from publicists/the publisher

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

Book Description: A man who’s back from the dead meets a woman who’s from somewhere even worse in Clay McLeod Chapman’s new horrormance about love, possession, and just a little murder.

After a traumatic accident that almost cost Jordan his life, he’s finally starting to feel normal again. Well, maybe not normal. Everything tastes like ash, and when he looks at the people around him, their faces start to melt. At least he’s not dead, right? His friends are doing their best to get him back on his feet, maybe find someone to talk to, perhaps even find someone to take his mind off his last failed relationship.

Then he meets Lilith. The two share an instant connection but after a wild and passionate night together, she ghosts him. Jordan searches the city for Lilith, desperate to see her again. But when a woman claiming to be Lilith shows up, wearing a different face but knowing intimate details about Jordan, he worries he’s losing his grip on reality. As he grows closer to this mysterious woman, he discovers that happily ever afters sometimes come at a cost. How far will Lilith take him, and how much darkness will he embrace to find love?

Kate’s Review

I heard Clay McLeod Chapman talk about “Devil Inside” at ALA in 2025, and I was very intrigued by the idea of a Clay McLeod Chapman take on a horror romance. I knew it would be heavy on the horror, but was QUITE interested to see what he’d do with the lovey dovey stuff. I had a feeling it was going to be wild, and as I was reading I was like ‘oh, yeah, this is going to be INCREDIBLY polarizing I bet’. Because yeah, again, heavy on the horror. The romantic entanglements are dark, dubious, and bordering on problematic. But as someone who has read or seen horror with deeply problematic romantic elements and who has enjoyed them before, it wasn’t my first time at the rodeo, and overall it worked for me as a possession story, a horror story, and, yes, a love story.

I have unironically and fully shipped these two toxic assholes since I was in high school, your deeply fucked up romance doesn’t scare me, Chapman! (source)

“Devil Inside” follows a bike courier named Jordan who was in an accident that left him dead for two minutes, and has now left him aimless and anxious and seeing strange things. He meets a woman who calls herself Lilith and is immediately smitten, but Lilith is a demon who hops from body to body causing chaos, who finds herself drawn to and obsessed with Jordan. A romance is sparked, obsessions and possessions of multiple kinds foment. The demonic possession elements of this story are super unsettling and I loved getting into Lilith’s head as she hops from host to host, sampling them and feeding on them and encouraging darkness to come out even after she has gone. In true Chapman form it can go hog wild and be disturbing and in your face, and while usually demonic possession tales can be a bit predictable, this one felt unique enough that I enjoyed the freshness of it all.

Now. The romance. So it has some actually incredibly tender moments between a demon and her object of obsession. There is one scene where Jordan takes Lilith on a bike ride that actually had me saying ‘awww’ as I read it, even though I had also seen Lilith viciously murder multiple innocent people and take away their bodily autonomy for her own devices. Overall, I liked their fucked up dynamic as an entertaining plot point in a horror novel about demons and not so good people. All that said, this will NOT be for everybody. There are definitely themes of dubious consent here, as Lilith is possessing a woman’s body and Jordan is having sex with Lilith while in said body, which is SKETCHY AT BEST. I will say that Chapman does address this, and does find a way to make it less like an “Obsession” Nicki/Bear situation (that was a specific comparison I saw in a review after the fact) and more ‘consensual’, but it’s still debatable. I totally understand how people would be uncomfortable with it and I don’t undercut that. For me it never read as aspirational, and this is, after all, a horror story. But it’s probably good that there is a content warning at the start of the book, because, like I said, this won’t be for everyone and people should know what they are getting into.

“Devil Inside” is a fresh an interesting new book from one of my favorite horror authors! I recommend people look into it a bit before reading, but if you know what you’re getting into as a horror reader it will probably be a fun and nasty read.

Serena’s Review

I largely agree with everything Kate has already so well stated! I hadn’t read anything by this author before, but I knew that Kate was a big fan, so I was excited to give this one a shot, seeing as it was blending elements from some of my favorite genres. And I’ll say, as a first look, I can definitely see the appeal! While horror will never be my go-to, there are some authors who are simply so compelling that I’ll find myself picking up books that I never would have otherwise. McLeod Chapman spins a tale so cleverly that you find yourself caught up in it almost despite yourself (much like certain characters in the book, perhaps). The strength of the writing really did carry me through some of the horror elements that weren’t naturally to my taste.

That said, I didn’t enjoy the romance itself. I think as a horror story that revolves around obsession, possession, and the darkness within, it works very well. But I agree with what Kate said: the romance itself will be polarizing, and this one wasn’t personally for me.

However, I also think that there is a very interesting conversation to be had about how we evaluate romance novels and darker elements. I don’t have any strict evidence to back this up, but it sometimes seems that readers will give a pass to dark romance novels but then turn around and point the problematic finger at books that contain the same elements in different subgenres. Dark romance routinely features non-consensual aspects, many of which are the same as, if not much, MUCH, worse than anything we get in this book. On one hand, the fact that a book is labeled a “dark romance” is essentially a trigger warning for this kind of thing. But on the other, shouldn’t we apply a similar standard to a “horror romance?” It’s right there in the name!

So while this book’s love story wasn’t my thing, I’d put that right next to the reason that many “dark romance” novels aren’t my thing. And I’m not sure it’s fair to judge this book’s problematic love story through a different lens than that which we use for a sister genre like “dark romance.”

Overall, I enjoyed this one as a horror novel more than I did as a romance novel, and I’m glad I got to finally check out a book by an author I know Kate’s raved about repeatedly on this blog!

Kate’s Rating 7: A unique and creepy possession story with an entertaining (albeit bordering on problematic) romance storyline, “Devil Inside” was a fun read. But it won’t be for everyone.

Serena’s Rating 7: I could enjoy it for what it was, even if it wasn’t my preferred sort of love story. The horror aspects worked particularly well which I think made up for my disconnect with the love story.

Reader’s Advisory

“Devil Inside” is included on the Goodreads list “All the New Horror Books Arriving in August 2026”.

Joint Review: “The Intrigue”

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

Book: “The Intrigue” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Publishing Info: Del Rey, July 2026

Where Did We Get This Book: NetGalley

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

Book Description: Handsome con artist Ulises has long charmed lonely women via letters to steal their money, but money is hard to come by in 1940s Mexico. Ulises knows his looks won’t last forever, and he’s desperate to get his hands on a real fortune.

He thinks he’s found it when he captivates his newest correspondent, Perla, the owner of a small-town boardinghouse in picturesque Veracruz. But when he meets her, he finds something he didn’t expect. The woman has a niece, Inés, who is as observant as she is desperate to escape her aunt’s household.

When Inés discovers Ulises’ true intentions, she wants in on the scheme. They’ll convince her aunt that Ulises is a great catch, Perla will marry him, and her money will vanish. Easy, fast and clean.

But Perla is not the desperate, silly spinster Ulises imagines. She harbors secrets. And although Ulises does not believe in true romance, Inés is more alluring than he bargained on. Suddenly, a simple plan may become perilously complicated.

Venture into the streets of a small town where the patina of convention and good manners conceals a cauldron of avarice and lust.

Kate’s Thoughts

I always look forward to Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books, as she has truly shown herself to be an adept author who can dip her toes into different genres with ease. When I read the description it sounded like it could be a thriller, with a con man and an ambitious young woman teaming up to scam a cold and repressed spinster. But as I was reading it I kind of started to realize that it’s not really a thriller, nor is it a mystery or a romance. As Serena says below, I’m not certain it’s totally definable, but I DID know that it has a certain vibe to it, and that vibe is soap opera. But even beyond that, because while soap operas have archetypes that serve very clear character choices and paths, “The Intrigue” has far more complicated players at hand.

Did I like anyone in this book? Not really. Was I rooting for anyone? Not really. But I did enjoy that Moreno-Garcia was willing to have unlikable characters at the center, and that she made them not only morally grey but also interesting in their motivations (some more than others; I never fully got on board with Ulises’s bullshit but I fully understood where both Perla AND Inés were coming from). Thrillers with soapy elements aren’t unheard of and I like nice and dramatic reads with thrills and chills, but I liked that this ‘soap’ didn’t feel so cliché even though there were familiar beats.

And as always we get some insight into Mexican history that I wasn’t as familiar with. We see the way that Mexico has been affected not only by World War II, but also how the reverberations of the revolution are affecting various people in the story and society as a whole. Moreno-Garcia is always putting this history in her stories and I always enjoy it very much.

“The Intrigue” is another enjoyable read from Silvia Moreno-Garcia! I look forward to her books every summer and the streak continues!

Serena’s Thoughts

I really enjoyed this one! I wasn’t even quite sure what genre this was when I picked it up, and I was struggling a bit to classify it even by the end. But the author’s note (never neglect the author’s note!) put a great perspective on things: essentially, her inspiration was a combination of thriller, classic soap operas, and a unique point in Mexican history. And, looking back, all of this was on display!

One thing that I’ve always loved about this author is her complicated characters. There are very rarely any truly heroic characters, and the villains are often given almost the same amount of attention, so much so that you often find yourself sympathizing with their circumstances almost in spite of yourself! Such was the case here, but even more so. The “heroes,” such as they are, are a con artist and, essentially, a woman who was just waiting her turn to jump on the criminality bandwagon. And the villain, while very hateable, is a woman who was set up for failure by her parents, the point in history in which she was living, and the lies that were sold to her early in childhood about the “right” way to live.

I loved the exploration of this point in Mexican history, the effects of WWII, and the continued fallout from the shakeup in their own government. This is a world very much in transition, and the book highlights how adaptation to drastic change is not an easy thing for everyone.

I also really liked the “soap opera” elements. Kate can speak more to how this weaves together with typical thriller conventions, but for me, I loved the dramatic, over-the-top nature of certain aspects of the story. Our “heroes” bumble their way from one scheme to another, and it’s easy to see the influences of the dramatics of soapy tales. I also really liked the romance we got here, very much also feeling like it came straight from a daytime TV show.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one! It’s definitely a slower story, focused on the oppressive nature of the house, this remote town, and the limited options available to women in particular. But the characters were all so well fleshed out that I was always eagerly turning the page to find out what they would get up to next!

Kate’s Rating 8 : A soap opera rooted in a true history of hardship in Mexico with no heroes but some really fun morally grey characters. Moreno-Garcia does it again!

Serena’s Rating 8: Another banger from this author, this time focusing on a “soap operate”-like tale set in a remote village in WWII-era Mexico.

Reader’s Advisory

“The Intrigue” is included on the Goodreads lists Noir Fiction and Books with Big Title in Yellow Letters.

Beach Reads: Summer 2026

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

Back for 2026, here is a list of some more favorite beach reads! Perhaps a little early, but Memorial Day is the traditional kick off to Summer, after all, and that’s just a week away. “Beach read” is a very fast and loose term for books people read over the beautiful summer months when we really should be outside “doing things” but are instead reading…maybe outside. Some people see these months as an opportunity to slog through long classics (we’re looking at you “Moby Dick”) before the busy-ness of the fall starts up, but for the sake of this list, we’re limiting our choices to fast paced, mostly feel good books (though there’s some obvious leeway here for Kate’s horror tastes!) that could be easily brought along on vacations. So, still a very loose definition, but hey, we had to start somewhere! We will select one title for each of the genres we most read.

Serena’s Picks

Fantasy Title: “This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me” by Illona Andrews

This was a fairly obvious pick for me, as the one word that always comes to mind when I think about my experience reading this book is “fun.” This is all the more impressive because all told, it’s a fairly hefty novel, with a ton of world-building and a wide cast of characters (though there is only one POV character). That said, the concept itself is such a blast (a portal fantasy where a woman travels into her favorite fantasy novel and finds that she can’t die there) that I feel like I whipped through my read in only a few sittings! Andrews takes several familiar fantasy tropes and leans into them so hard that they almost feel completely fresh and new again by the time you get to the explosive end of this first book. There’s also a lovely romance, and Maggie herself is a fantastic protagonist. Definitely add this one to your vacation pile if you enjoy action-packed fantasy with a strong romance subplot!

Science Fiction Title: “Seek the Traitor’s Son” by Veronica Roth

This one blends genres between science fiction and fantasy, enough so that I felt justified in promoting it again here! It is the start to a series, but on its own, it’s still a fast-paced, action-packed story with a surprising level of depth and commentary on grief, destiny, and free will. There are three main characters, though two of them make up much of the backbone of the story and also are included in the romantic subplot. Honestly, I pretty much loved everything about this book and think that anyone who enjoys fantasy or science fiction should give it a shot. And I don’t want to hear a word about “Divergent” as a reason to not give this one a shot, that was over a decade ago, people! I kid, I kid. But still…

Historical Fiction/Mystery Title: “His Majesty’s Dragon” by Naomi Novik

Yes, yes, the word “dragon” is right there in the title of my “historical fiction” selection. But what can I say, I am who I am, and that’s primarily a fantasy reader. That said, my reading experience is often at its peak when genres are blended, and that’s the case here. Dragons aside, if I was going to point to a comp title for this book, it would be “Master and Commander” way before anything like “Game of Thrones.” That’s because, while the dragons are also characters and the connection between the main character and his dragon is central to the story, the actual role and use of dragons as a concept in this book is essentially imagining these great beasts as warships in the sky. Much of the story is about warfare tactics, the structure of managing these great beasts and their massive crews, and many of the other day-to-day topics one would often find in historical fiction focused on naval warfare. Beyond this, the focus of the plot is very much grounded in its historical setting and the Napoleonic Wars. Novik does an excellent job of recreating the world and history we know so closely that you almost forget that dragons weren’t always in there! She also masters that particular style of writing that reads as “historical” first and foremost. I also strongly recommend the audiobook version of this book and the rest of the series, as I think the narrator does a fantastic job capturing the tone of everything.

Romance Title: “The Second Death of Locke” by V. L. Bovalino

This was such a lovely fantasy romance, and I feel like it somehow went by largely unnoticed last fall, which is such a shame! Not only does it feature a lady knight, but the romance is also a friends-to-lovers story, which is a nice breath of fresh air from the million and one enemies/rivals-to-lovers romances that are currently overwhelming the genre. The love story is a slow burn, but so satisfying in its yearning and building tension. While the love story itself takes a bit to get going, the two characters are so affectionate and devoted right from the start that I was highly invested practically from the first page. There’s also an interesting fantasy world built up here with a complicated history that is very much tied to our heroine. This book is a stand-alone, but there are more books to come featuring other characters in this world. Definitely check this one out if you’re looking for a romance novel that bucks current trends!

Kate’s Picks

Horror Title: “The Mean Ones” by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne

Horror is always a bit of a harder one to tackle for a beach read, as I feel like so much of what people want from beach reads includes something that feels low stakes and not so heavy, and horror can be HEAVY and HIGH STAKES just by nature of the genre. But I picked “The Mean Ones” because of setting (camping be it at a summer camp or in the woods), and because the main character is so easy to root for and it makes the pages turn so fast. This was one of my favorite reads last year, and I found it fun, spooky, and very summer-y with its themes and vibes.

Thriller Title: “Yesteryear” by Caro Claire Burke

This one is getting a lot of chatter surrounding it lately and people have a LOT of opinions, but I found it to be SO damn fun and enjoyable. And it’s such a fast paced thriller with such biting satire that I think a lot of people who like soap and drama will find it to be a fun read too. Trad wife fiction is really having a moment right now, and Natalie’s faux veneer as a trad wife influencer is scathing and dramatic… even before she wakes up potentially in the time period she pretends to love so much! This is the exact kind of page turner that is perfect for vacation and beach reading!

Graphic Novel Title: “The Girl from the Sea” by Lee Knox Ostertag

Not only does this one take place at the ocean itself, it’s also a sweet and touching fantasy romance! Morgan lives on an island and is ready to leave for good, as she feels like an outsider and is hiding a secret about her sexuality from everyone around her. Then she meets Keltie, a girl who comes out of the ocean and is actually a selkie. The girls form a connection and fall in love, which means that Morgan needs to start being honest in ways she isn’t ready for. This book is charming and quick, and the love story is very adorable.

Non-Fiction Title: “Vagabond” by Tim Curry

I love Tim Curry and have loved Tim Curry since “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” changed my life in ninth grade. I had been familiar with his work before that thanks to “Ferngully” and “Muppet Treasure Island”, and “Rocky Horror” was the life changing experience that defined him for me, but the man has such an illustrious career and impact on pop culture he’s a living legend. Because of my love for him I read his memoir “Vagabond” last fall and just adored it. He’s candid and not overly sentimental, but has so much to say about his life as an actor. It’s charming and touching and a little bit catty, and it’s a quick and lovely read perfect for poolside! Especially if Curry is a formative part of your life.

Joint Review: “Japanese Gothic”

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

Book: “Japanese Gothic” by Kylie Lee Baker

Publishing Info: Hanover Square Press, April 2026

Where Did We Get This Book: NetGalley;

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

Book Description: In this lyrical, wildly inventive horror novel interwoven with Japanese mythology, two people living centuries apart discover a door between their worlds.

October, 2026: Lee Turner doesn’t remember how or why he killed his college roommate. The details are blurred and bloody. All he knows is he has to flee New York and go to the one place that might offer refuge—his father’s new home in Japan, a house hidden by sword ferns and wild ginger. But something is terribly wrong with the house: no animals will come near it, the bedroom window isn’t always a window, and a woman with a sword appears in the yard when night falls.

October, 1877: Sen is a young samurai in exile, hiding from the imperial soldiers in a house behind the sword ferns. A monster came home from war wearing her father’s face, but Sen would do anything to please him, even turn her sword on her own mother. She knows the soldiers will soon slaughter her whole family when she sees a terrible omen: a young foreign man who appears outside her window.

One of these people is a ghost, and one of these stories is a lie.

Something is hiding beneath the house of sword ferns, and Lee and Sen will soon wish they never unburied it.

Kate’s Thoughts

Given how much I adored Kylie Lee Baker’s previous novel “Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng” I knew that I wanted to get my hands on “Japanese Gothic”. Baker really has a solid grasp on how to craft a well done horror story that not only reflects her cultural background, but also universal fears across many different people. Reading about “Japanese Gothic” had me excited, and when Serena asked if we wanted to do a joint review I was in because I really wanted to see how our two different perspectives of the genres involved (fantasy and horror) would meld. It’s always fun to see how we approach the same book through these lenses.

As I was reading it I kind of found myself feeling like this book was more dark fantasy than horror (only because while it had spooky elements it didn’t really invoke dread in me), but given that I love dark fantasy as well that wasn’t a detriment. The suspense was there and as we follow two different perspectives (that of murderer Turner in our modern timeline, and that of ambitious would be samurai Sen in a timeline centuries before, who both live in the same house), Baker creates a time bending and mysterious story with murder, mystery, and two damaged people making a connection. We don’t really know why they are having this overlap, but as we learn more about the both of them I found myself getting more attached even though both of them, especially Lee, seem pretty menacing. I also liked how Baker carefully peels the layers back of both Lee and Sen, letting them learn about each other and letting us see how they could be drawn to one another through a weird dreamlike connection that feels otherworldly and strange. I liked both of them and all of their trauma, be it Lee’s mother who disappeared and who he thinks was kidnapped for human trafficking purposes, or Sen trying so desperately to impress her uncompromising samurai father. All of it worked for me and kept me on edge.

I will say, though, that if you are a little squeamish around violence and gore, this book has it’s moments. I still don’t really think it’s horror, but others may disagree due to some of the story beats and violent moments.

I enjoyed “Japanese Gothic”! It’s unique and weird and it will surely satisfy horror and dark fantasy fans alike.

Serena’s Thoughts

It’s always fun when we can find authors that cross over between our two genres. I had read Baker’s YA duology, “The Scarlet Alchemist,” a few years ago and really loved it. Her next book, “Bat Eater,” I saw was more horror-focused and left to Kate. But when I saw this one coming down the pike, the mentions of “dark fantasy” and “gothic” sounded more up my alley, so a joint review was definitely in order!

And it really came through in that way! I’d agree with Kate that this felt much more like a dark fantasy than a horror novel. I’ve read and enjoyed a few horror novels here and there, and as Kate identified, a feeling of dread is key to that genre. And while this had spooky elements, it didn’t have that lingering feeling in the back of your mind that something terrible was right around the corner. That said, it’s definitely not a book for the faint of heart; Baker doesn’t back away from some of the more gruesome moments and depicts them quite starkly on the page.

Part of the darkness came down to the two main characters, each with their own simmering issues. They are the sorts of characters that you catch yourself rooting for, and then take a step back and look at them objectively and start questioning whether you really should be supporting them so fully. It’s an interesting dynamic and one that had me sucked into each of their stories, perhaps even despite myself at times.

I also really liked the way she used the two timelines and wove them together. There were plenty of twists and turns throughout, and I was on the edge of my seat for much of it to see how it was all going to come together in the end. Towards the end, some of these twists and turns began to feel a bit overwhelming as characters were dropping left and right, but I found the end itself satisfying.

Overall, I enjoyed this one and definitely think it’s a great read for dark fantasy fans!

Kate’s Rating 8: A suspenseful and time bending dark fantasy with two complicated protagonists and a hell of a hook.

Serena’s Rating 8: Dark in just the way like: full of twists and turns and grounded in two protagonists that you’re not quite sure what to do with at times.

Reader’s Advisory

“Japanese Gothic” is included on the Goodreads lists “Weird Lit”, and “2026 Women in Horror”.

Joint Review: “Mate”

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

Book: “Mate” by Ali Hazelwood

Publishing Info: Berkley, October 2025

Where Did We Get This Book: the library!

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

Book Description: Serena Paris is orphaned, pack-less, and one of a kind. Coming forward as the first Human-Were hybrid was supposed to heal a centuries-long rift between species. Instead, it made her a target, prey to the ruthless political machinations between Weres, Vampyres, and Humans. With her enemies closing in on her, she has only one option left—if he’ll have her.

As Alpha of the Northwest pack, Koen Alexander commands obedience. His authority is so absolute, only a fool would threaten his mate. It doesn’t matter if Serena doesn’t reciprocate his feelings, nothing will stop him from keeping her safe.

But power-hungry Vampyres and Weres are not the only threats chasing Serena. Sooner or later, her past is bound to catch up with her—and Koen might be the only thing standing between her and total annihilation…

Previously Reviewed: “Bride”

Serena’s Thoughts

I deeply disliked this book. Part of the reason comes down to the natural comparisons to its predecessor, but some of it also includes a spoiler for the book. I think it’s a pretty obvious part of the story (a big part of the problem actually is how obvious it is), but I wanted to give people a heads up before they read on!

Anyways, so yes, I really, really didn’t enjoy this one. For one thing, I don’t think either Serena or Koen hold up well in comparison to Misery and Lowe. For her part, Serena was almost too similar to Misery to come across well. She felt like a non-stop snark fest from the start to finish, but somehow missing the heart that Misery brought to her wit. What’s worse, much of Serena’s character arc involved exploring some of her very damaged perceptions of self. Indeed, these themes were so strongly touched on in the first half of the book, that I was confidently waiting for the scenes where she was forced to confront these toxic views of herself. And I waited, and I waited, and nothing really came of it, except for more snark, of course.

As for Koen, the very first scene with him set him up in a fairly poor light, and it just never recovered. Beyond this initial poor impression, the story also included a series of flashbacks that also painted him a very negative light. The conflict that was set up in Koen and Serena’s relationship was incredibly contrived (and equally conveniently hand-waved away at the end) and easily explained between adults. Of course, it wasn’t. But beyond failing basic communication, Koen was unnecessarily cruel to Serena again and again. For absolutely zero reason. He only started behaving better late in the book, and by that point, my dislike had hardened pretty solidly.

I also really, really hated the romance itself. I’m not into the whole breeding kink as it is, but even if I was, I don’t think I would have enjoyed this version of it. For one thing, it boggles the mind that readers are expected to buy that not only one but TWO werewolf doctors failed to recognize the incredibly common condition of heat in a female werewolf and instead proclaimed her as dying of a super rare and unlikely condition. Perhaps there was meant to be some commentary on healthcare services and women, but if there was, it didn’t land.

Beyond this, from a love story perspective, the heat thing combined with the fated mates trope sucked the romance entirely out of the story for me. At no point did I feel any true connection between Koen and Serena. Instead, we had two characters who were biologically drawn to and tied to one another, and the story never did much to advance their relationship beyond this. Indeed, even by the time we got to the steamy bits (and there was much of this, though all crammed into the last quarter of the book, which hurt the pacing), it never felt like there was much of an impetus behind their coming together beyond these biological factors. As such, it felt like lots of steamy sex scenes, but no actual romance.

So yeah, I didn’t like this one. Perhaps if readers are fans of the fated mates trope and heat/breeding kinks, they might enjoy it more than me. But even those aspects aside, I think Koen and Serena were weak characters and the plot, for what there was, was all over the place and solidly an afterthought to the spice. This was a stark contrast to the first book, where we not only had solid leading characters, but a developed love story and a plot worth caring about.

Kate’s Thoughts

Okay, so…… I didn’t hate this book as much as Serena did. There were definitely things about it that I liked, and I will start with those because a few of said things I found to be pretty interesting. The biggest thing that I DID like was the way that Hazelwood brings in pack politics and dynamics, and the offshoot fringe group (led by a megalomaniac named Constantine) that had a huge run on power in the past that shook the Northwest Pack (the group that Koen leads) to its core, involving lots of violence, death, enslavement, and bad tensions between Weres and humans. Which has left a huge mark on the group as time has gone on. This kind of thing is always interesting to me, with cult stuff and fringe extremists catching my eye in basically anything I’m reading, watching, consuming. I enjoyed that aspect of the book (incredibly predictable plot reveals about it aside). And Serena’s (character) characterization didn’t bother me as much as it did Serena (blogger), as I’ve just kind of come to expect this from Hazelwood in many of her female main characters: they’re going to be quippy, they’re going to be cute, and they’re going to be hand wringing about their attraction to the guy they can’t believe they feel attracted to.

But generally, I do agree with a fair amount of the other stuff that she said at least a little bit (I do think that the misogyny in medicine leading to a crap diagnosis landed more than she did, but I also think that it was kind of ludicrous just as a plot device to lead to Koen’s magic dick banging it all out for our characters). I also really didn’t enjoy Koen as a male main character, as he is hostile and he is a huge jerk to her throughout a lot of the narrative. I get why it was happening within the narrative, but it was still just kind of a rough character to have to follow and root for romantically, especially since Hazelwood CAN write standoffish and conflicted male main characters that don’t feel like flat out assholes. I’m guessing that there is an audience for this kind of character in a exploring this type of dynamic through fantasy, and I’m not going to yuck anyone else’s yum in that regard because explore away! But it rarely clicks with me.

I also think that overall I just wasn’t as entertained by the story as other books that Hazelwood has written. And I do think that it’s because 1) I’m not really an Omegaverse reader (though I’m not against it, don’t misunderstand me), and 2) the characters just didn’t hit because of the lack of chemistry and the way I just couldn’t gel with Koen. Not to mention some predictability in the plot points. There is almost assuredly an audience for this book, but I was just kind of bored. I still appreciate Hazelwood exploring all sorts of sub-genres, but with the huge swath of story types they will almost certainly not all be winners for me. “Mate” fits into that category.

Serena’s Rating 4: I have a clear memory of coming up for air about halfway through and realizing that I was actively hate reading the book. As I continued, nothing swayed me from this perspective.

Kate’s Rating 5: I liked some of the lore, but the main plot at hand was just kinda middling for me.

Reader’s Advisory

“Mate” is included on these Goodreads lists: Gimme a Beast and (because I can) “Serena”.

Joint Review: “What Stalks the Deep”

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

Book: “What Stalks the Deep” by T. Kingfisher

Publishing Info: Tor Nightfire, September 2025

Where Did We Get This Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: Alex Easton does not want to visit America.

They particularly do not want to visit an abandoned coal mine in West Virginia with a reputation for being haunted.

But when their old friend Dr. Denton summons them to help find his lost cousin—who went missing in that very mine—well, sometimes a sworn soldier has to do what a sworn soldier has to do…

Previously Reviewed: “What Moves the Dead” and “What Feasts at Night”

Kate’s Thoughts

I have found myself repeatedly charmed by T. Kingfisher’s stories. I think that once I figured out that they’re less scary (though there are certainly some scary beats to some of them!) and more cozy in their horror-esque elements and just embraced it it clicked into place, and because of that I was interested to see what she was going to do with another “Sworn Soldier” novella. I like Alex Easton as a protagonist, I like the world that she has built that is of our own but with some tweaks and differences, and I was curious to see what kind of horror theme we were going to get this time. And she had me at caves, because MAN do caves freak me out.

It’s not the monsters in “The Descent” that scare me, it’s the caving stuff (source)

“What Stalks the Deep” is another kinder gentler horror tale from Kingfisher, and while I think it’s probably the weakest of the series for me thus far I still found it to be enjoyable and at times tense. Alex Easton has fought in wars and seen strange and dreadful things over the years while being a Sworn Soldier for Gallacia, but they still have their personal anxieties, and going to America to look for a missing person in a remote cave system in Appalachia is one of them. It was interesting seeing Easton in a wholly new environment and culture, as The U.S. and Europe are certainly filled with differences, and I thought it was a really cool choice to have Appalachia with its mysteries and general otherworldliness adding to it.

I don’t want to spoil much here, as I think Kingfisher deserves to have the build up and the reveals, so when talking about the horror bits I’m going to be as vague as I can be. In terms of the supernatural, this felt a bit like a spin on John Carpenter’s “The Thing” but maybe by way of “E.T.” as opposed to the body horror scares of that film. I liked Easton and their new compatriots trying to figure out where the missing man Oscar ended up, be it lost in a cave or perhaps something worse, and I liked that we had some pretty claustrophobic moments in the cave itself. Much like what I referenced above with “The Descent”, the true horrors in this book are more about the perils of mining and caves and the unpredictability of both.

I am very pleased that the “Sworn Soldier” series is continuing! T. Kingfisher continues to have really creative stories for a really charming protagonist.

Serena’s Thoughts

I completely agree with Kate’s assessment that much of the true horror to be found in this book comes from the cave itself. There is plenty of time and focus devoted to the many ways that a coal mine can kill you. And that’s not even getting into the sheer claustrophobia-induced terror that comes with vivid descriptions of crawling through tight spaces, not knowing what’s ahead and without the ability to turn around.

Beyond that, I continued to enjoy Alex as a main character. Endlessly practical with many believable foibles (such as the instinct to volunteer to do what we least want to do just to prove something to… someone…), Alex is a sympathetic and hilarious narrator. This one was all the funnier for the snide observations of American behavior. (Alex has strong feelings about our propensity to shake the hand of everyone around us.)

The monster in this one wasn’t quite as terrifying as the ones found in the first two books, perhaps. That said, it did follow a trend seen in many of Kingfisher’s horror novels—that is, the ability she has for creating creatures that are at once horrific and terrifying, but who, through some combination of childlike ignorance and sadness, are also bizarrely sympathetic. It creates this odd emotional state in the reader where you both want Alex to succeed in getting rid of this horrible thing, but are also slightly sad that it had to come to this in the first place. Without getting into spoilers, I was happy with the direction one aspect of this took in this book in particular!

Overall, I very much enjoyed this latest entry in the series! I think I enjoyed it a bit more than Kate, so I’ll bump this one up in my rating!

Serena’s Rating 8: It’s so weird to both be terrified by the monster but also kind of wanting to pat it on the back and tell it “it will be ok??” Another excellent entry!

Kate’s Rating 7 : With echoes of “The Thing” but without the dread (though the claustrophobia is scary on its own) and another strange mission for our charming protagonist, “What Stalks the Deep” is a fun entry in the “Sworn Soldier” series.

Reader’s Advisory

“What Stalks the Deep” is included on these Goodreads lists: Novella Length Fantasy & Sci-Fi and Perfect Reads for All Hallows’ Eve.

Joint Review: “The House of Quiet”

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

Book: “The House of Quiet” by Kiersten White

Publishing Info: Delacorte Press, September 2025

Where Did We Get This Book: ARC from ALA!

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

Book Description: To save her sister, she must enter the House.

In the middle of a deadly bog sits the House of Quiet. It’s a place for children whose Procedure triggered powers too terrible to be lived with—their last hope for treatment. No one knows how they’re healed or where they go afterward.

Birdie has begged, bargained, and blackmailed her way inside as a maid, determined to find her missing sister, Magpie. But what she discovers is more mysteries. Instead of the destitute children who undergo the Procedure in hopes of social advancement, the house brims with aristocratic teens wielding strange powers they never should have been burdened with.

Though Birdie wants to ignore them, she can’t help being drawn to stoic and silent Forest, charmed by clever River, and concerned for the youngest residents. And with fellow maid Minnow keeping tabs on everything Birdie does, danger is everywhere.

In her desperate search for Magpie, Birdie unearths terrifying threats and devastating truths, forcing her to confront just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to save her own sister. Because in the House of Quiet, if you find what’s lurking beneath . . . you lose everything.

Unravel the mystery. Ignite the rebellion.

Serena’s Thoughts

Long time readers of the blog may remember the last joint review Kate and I posted of a Kiersten White book….Suffice it to say, we didn’t love it. So I went into this one with trepidation. However, I’m happy to report that this one worked much better for me!

For one thing, it had a lot going for it with themes and tropes that play well into my preferences. I’m curious to see how Kate felt, because unlike another recent joint review (“The Library at Hellebore”), this one felt like it more closely aligned with the fantasy genre than with horror. Though it definitely still had its creepy moments, particularly in some of the other POV chapters highlighting the kids’ powers. Most strongly, however, this read as a gothic mystery, which I gobbled up. I think this sort of slow-burn, highly atmospheric story plays well to White’s strengths as an author which left me much more satisfied with it than with her last.

I will say that while I enjoyed the sibling relationship at the heart of the story, it took me a while to become too invested in our main character, Birdie. There was nothing wrong with her, per see, (other than the fact that she missed what were some fairly obvious clues), but I never felt strongly connected to her as a character. The story is also on the slower side, so readers looking for a more fast-paced read may struggle a bit here.

Overall, however, I was happy to see return to form for White. While this wasn’t my favorite book of hers, I think it was successful for what it set out to do, especially for readers looking for gothic YA fiction.

Kate’s Thoughts

Hooray! After not enjoying the previous Kiersten White book that we joint reviewed on the blog I’m happy to report that “The House of Quiet” was a return to form! This was an anticipated read for me this year, though I was feeling a bit nervous after the last of her novels, but overall I found this one to be much more enjoyable.

I do agree with Serena that this is more of a Gothic Fantasy, or perhaps Dark Fantasy, tale as opposed to the horror-esque cover, but that was fine for me! I enjoyed the world building that White did, with different regions having different cultural touchstones, and different characters from different areas having different motivations depending on what their life experience was like. I enjoyed Birdie enough as one of our main characters, as her trying to find her sister Magpie in The House of Quiet by pretending to be there strictly as a maid, but actually looking for information.

But I think that the character I enjoyed even more was the mysterious and acerbic Minnow, who was also hired on as a maid, but who is clearly hiding her cards and has other motivations that she is trying to fulfill. White is always quite skilled when it comes to creating characters that you can’t quite suss out at first, peeling back layers to reveal interesting truths, and Minnow was a good example of that. I also enjoyed the mystery at hand as Birdie finds herself in a dangerous web with more questions popping up as she gets deeper and deeper into her investigations.

“The House of Quiet” was a fun Gothic tale from Kiersten White! Set this one aside for the upcoming spooky season, I’d say!

Serena’s Rating 8: Perhaps a bit slow at times, but a nice option to scratch that gothic YA fantasy itch!

Kate’s Rating 8: I’m so glad that I’m back on the Kiersten White bandwagon! “The House of Quiet” is strange, layered, and a well pieced together Gothic mystery!

Reader’s Advisory

“The Library at Hellebore” is included on these Goodreads lists: Twisted Tales for Beautifully Damaged Minds and 2025 Dark Academia Releases.

Joint Review: “The Library at Hellebore”

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

Book: “The Library at Hellebore” by Cassandra Khaw

Publishing Info: Tor Nightfire, July 2025

Where Did We Get This Book: ARC from the publisher!

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

Book Description: The Hellebore Technical Institute for the Gifted is the premier academy for the dangerously the Anti-Christs and Ragnaroks, the world-eaters and apocalypse-makers.

Hellebore promises redemption, acceptance, and a normal life after graduation. At least, that’s what Alessa Li is told when she’s kidnapped and forcibly enrolled.

But there’s more to Hellebore than meets the eye. On graduation day, the faculty go on a ravenous rampage, feasting on Alessa’s class. Only Alessa and a group of her classmates escape the carnage. Trapped in the school’s library, they must offer a human sacrifice every night, or else the faculty will break down the door and kill everyone.

Can they band together and survive, or will the faculty eat its fill?

Serena’s Thoughts

There are definitely specific sorts of books that Kate and I target for joint reviews: often some sort of dark fantasy/horror lite title. That being the case, the balance between dark fantasy and horror elements often determines where each of lands on any given read. And this one leaned a bit too far into the horror side for me to fully appreciate.

I did, however, enjoy the dark academia vibes of the story. I definitely understand the comparisons to Naomi Novik’s “Scholomance” trilogy. However, for me, this worked a bit against the book too, as Novik’s series is one of the more fully realized, complex world/magical systems that I can remember reading. In contrast, while this book leaned heavily into similar areas of dread and constrained claustrophobia within the school setting, there wasn’t quite as much actually backing up how this world operated.

In place of some of these scene setting or worldbuilding elements, the author peppered in a seemingly inexhaustible number of deep cut word selections. It sometimes felt like a thesaurus was required reading for getting through certain sections (perhaps this is just revealing my own limited vocabulary, but it’s a fairly unique problem I had with this book.) At the same time, there was a lot of emphasis on modern references peppered throughout. Between the high-end academic vocabulary, the modern references, and the choice to swap between two different points in time within the story, the book had a distinctly choppy feel to it as I read through.

I appreciated a lot of what this book was trying to do, and towards the back half I definitely started to become more invested. I also think that, when disconnected from some of the more elaborate word choices, there was a lot of skill to the writing itself. There were some incredibly poetic turns of phrase, and, even if I didn’t enjoy some of the darker horror moments, there’s no denying the author’s ability to write in a way that elicits a strong emotion.

However, in the end, this was simply too gross and too depressing for me to really enjoy. It may work better for true horror fans than the dark fantasy readers who enjoyed “Scholomance” so much.

Kate’s Thoughts

As someone who has read previous works by Cassandra Khaw, this was not my first time the gruesome body and cosmic horror rodeo, as it were, so I think that I was little more prepared for some of the elements than Serena was (also, SORRY SERENA, I should have warned you that Khaw is BRUTAL). I think that going in expecting something truly disgusting along with flowery turns of phrase made my experience a bit better than my blog partner’s, but I also think that I agree in a lot of ways with her review.

Since I’m the horror gal here I can focus on that for the most part, and I still think that Khaw has this true knack for pulling truly beautiful words and phrases and literature from unrelenting balls to the wall descriptions of viscera, violence, and despair. This was the first full length novel I’ve read of theirs, and I will say that MAN the body horror and gore just kept going because it wasn’t a novella, and it made for a harder read. But at the same time, I really appreciated the visuals and the descriptions because Khaw is more than willing to go to some disgusting places, and I gotta respect that even if it can be stomach churning. And I also have to give credit where credit is due; they are VERY creative with some of the kills in this book.

I also didn’t mind the time jumps as we went on, as I generally enjoyed getting juxtaposition of the present danger of being trapped in a library with a ravenous faculty outside the door with the background of our main players, and getting to know Alessa and her changing relationships with her dangerous cohorts turned unlikely allies. I also just liked Alessa. She’s not particularly likable but I found her refreshing in her candor and ruthlessness.

“The Library at Hellbore” is exactly what I expected from Cassandra Khaw, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t wholly repulsed as I was reading. I mean that as a compliment.

Serena’s Rating 7: This one was a bit too horrific for me, but if you’re truly looking for a dark DARK academia read, this one might be for you!

Kate’s Rating 7: Gory and horrific but sure to please those who love some really gnarly body horror.

Reader’s Advisory

“The Library at Hellebore” is included on these Goodreads lists: Twisted Tales for Beautifully Damaged Minds and 2025 Dark Academia Releases.

Joint Review: “The Bewitching”

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

Book: “The Bewitching” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Publishing Info: Del Rey, July 2025

Where Did We Get This Book: eARC from Netgalley!

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

Book Description: “Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches”: That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva—stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that’s why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.

In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay’s most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay’s manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.

Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved.

Kate’s Thoughts

I was very pleased to see that Silvia Moreno-Garcia was finally taking on a witch story. She has done so many other kinds of genres and sub-genres, sometimes in fantasy and horror, and now she has taken her genre hopping to a witchy tale with “The Bewitching”. I love witch stories as we all know, and I was very excited to see what Silvia Moreno-Garcia would do with it.

Overall, I enjoyed this fantasy tale and the three narratives that we followed. In the early 1900s in Mexico we have Alba, a young woman in the countryside whose home seems to be cursed and bewitched, and who is trying to figure out who is doing it, all while contending with her mysterious uncle and a local man that is infatuated with her. After that we go to 1930s New England, where a University student named Beatrice has a deep connection with her roommate who vanishes. And in the 1990s, University student Minerva is researching Beatrice’s writings, and starts to realize that there are similarities between Beatrice’s experiences and the experiences of Minerva’s grandmother Alba. It’s a LOT, but I felt like Moreno-Garcia balanced it well and wove it all together perfectly. She takes her time parsing out how all of these things fit together, but I never felt like it was poorly paced or glossed over as I was reading.

I also enjoyed the magical and witchcrafty elements, combining elements from New England lore along with lore from Mexico, and blending them in ways that show their similarities as well as their differences. This definitely leaves behind any romanticism of witches and witchcraft, with a focus on the scarier elements from a story like this, and I liked that there were some genuinely scary beats. While it’s true that I like romanticized witch stories, this one was a well executed thoroughly creepy take. I’m always up for that.

“The Bewitching” is another great tale from Silvia Moreno-Garcia! If you can’t wait for the Fall for a witch story, definitely seek this one out!

Serena’s Thoughts

It’s probably no surprise at this point, but I really enjoyed this book! Witches are one of those paranormal themes that easily crosses genres between fantasy and horror, so between the subject matter and the author in question, this was a match made in heaven for Kate and I to jointly review!

Sometimes I struggle to fully become invested in stories that follow different characters in different time lines. Too often, one or more feels less fleshed out than another and I feel the urge to speed read sections. While I did have favorites here, however, all three timelines and stories were interesting in their own ways. You know the tragedy that is written on the wall for some of them, but even knowing this, I was drawn in to the details of their individual stories. It’s the kind of horror that hides in plain sight: you know what’s coming, and that makes the building dread all the worse.

Like many of this author’s novels, the story is a slow-burn affair. She takes her time fully setting the stage, between the various time periods, locations, and women involved. That being the case, the pacing is definitely on the slow side. However, the payout for all three times lines all pulls together in the end in a fantastic manner, so it is well worth the wait. And, as I mentioned earlier this slower pacing works well to increased the suspense (another factor that is easy to identify as quintessentially Moreno-Garcia’s style).

Overall, I really enjoyed this read. It was creepy but mostly in a way that I could handle (though one scene was a bit much for me), and I was fully invested in the story by the time we got to the end. Definitely check this one out if you’re looking for an interesting take on witches!

Kate’s Rating 8 : Witchy, suspenseful, and very unnerving, “The Bewitching” is yet another great read from a true master of many trades within the writing craft.

Serena’s Rating 8: As always, Moreno-Garcia delivers with fantastic, multi-generational story of witches and brewing dread.

Reader’s Advisory

“The Bewitching” is included on the Goodreads list 2025 Dark Academia Releases.

Beach Reads: Summer 2025

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

Back for 2025, here is a list of some more favorite beach reads! “Beach read” is a very fast and loose term for books people read over the beautiful summer months when we really should be outside “doing things” but are instead reading…maybe outside. Some people see these months as an opportunity to slog through long classics (we’re looking at you “Moby Dick”) before the busy-ness of the fall starts up, but for the sake of this list, we’re limiting our choices to fast paced, mostly feel good books (though there’s some obvious leeway here for Kate’s horror tastes!) that could be easily brought along on vacations. So, still a very loose definition, but hey, we had to start somewhere! We will select one title for each of the genres we most read.

Serena’s Picks

Fantasy Title: “The Thirteenth Child” by Erin A. Craig

This book is criminally under-hyped, and I’m not sure why! There is so much to love here! It’s an original fairytale with a lovely romance at its heart, all things that are particularly popular at the moment. What’s more, the god of Death is the main character’s godfather, and we all know how much fantasy readers enjoy characters like that! Beyond this, the story does an incredible job of exploring the morality of “for the good of many” decisions. But for all of its heavy and heart-breaking themes, the swoon-worthy romance and solid fantasy world-building were what really stuck with me and what make it a great pick for a vacation read!

Science Fiction Title: “Full Speed to a Crash Landing” by Beth Revis

Humor! Romance! Tons of action! What more could you want? Oh, also something super quick that you can probably finish up over a solid plane ride? Well, not only is this novella perfect for you, but the entire trilogy of novellas are already out! That said, you by no means need to read them all back to back, and this first book was an incredibly exciting read all on its own. Ava has to be one of the most fun sci-fi leading ladies I’ve read in a long time. She was laugh-out-loud funny but also incredibly smart, never questioning herself in the face of others judgements or opinions. If you’re on the lookout for a sci-fi story that is full of fast-paced action, this is the book for you!

Mystery/Historical Fiction Title: “Murder in Highbury” by Vanessa Kelly

In a change from previous years, I’m combining the mystery and historical fiction categories. Honestly, in the past, it was kind of a coinflip which books ended up under which category, as I almost always read a combination of the both (mystery novels that take place in a historical settings.) And here’s another example of that! I also often feature Jane Austen mysteries/re-imaginings in some way or another, so I’m nothing if not predictable with this choice. The beginning of a new series, this story focuses on Emma Woodhouse (now Emma Knightley) as she works to solve the titular “Murder in Highbury.” The mystery itself was very enjoyable, but I particularly loved all the scenes between Emma and Mr. Knightley. Very swoon-worthy!

Romance Title: “Swordheart” by T. Kingfisher

And now, since I’ve combined my other two genres, I’m going to pivot to including a romance title on this list. Not only is romance a huge genre, but it’s also one that I’ve been reading more and more of over the last few years, so it makes sense to give it a placeholder here. That said, I’m a fantasy reader first and foremost, so in all likelihood, this will often be a romantasy title of some sort. This time, I’m going back to the always great well of T. Kingfisher’s books. She has so many excellent stand-alone fantasy romances that it’s hard to choose just one. But “Swordheart” was just re-released by Bramble this last summer, so it’s bound to be readily available. Familiarity with Kingfishere’s “World of the White Rat” will make this one all the more enjoyable, but it’s also excellent as an entry point. Yes, the romantic interest is the spirit of a sentient sword, but I promise it’s not as weird as it sounds!

Kate’s Picks

Horror Title: “So Thirsty” by Rachel Harrison

I am fully aware that this book actually takes place in a cooler climate, but hey, I figure that a beach read doesn’t have to have a specific setting, just a specific vibe. And the vibe of “So Thirsty” is very much the kind of vibe I want for a beach or vacation read. It’s a little bit soapy, a little bit cheeky, and it has two entertaining main characters who find themselves in a whole lot of trouble when they run afoul a group of eccentric vampires. I definitely devoured this one in a couple of sittings when I read it initially, and not only is it a hoot, it also has some pretty scary moments and a solid vampire mythos to boot. Harrison is such a fun horror author because I feel like she can hit many emotional beats, and this book is a really entertaining pick and will keep you completely hooked.

Thriller Title: “Heart-Shaped Lies” by Elizabeth Agyemang

Love squares! Influencers behaving badly! Girls banding together to clear their names after their shitheel boyfriend is dead and they are all suspects! A murder! “Heart-Shaped Lies” is a propulsive YA thriller that really kept me interested when I picked it up, and it definitely came to mind for this list because, like the pick above, it just feels like the perfect beach read with its breakneck plot, surprising twists, and salacious plot points. It also had a solid murder mystery at its heart, and every perspective character is a suspect and could have reason to want the victim dead. I also just enjoy influencer based stories because there is SO much room for drama, which is something I do enjoy in my stories.

Graphic Novel Title: “Lunar New Year Love Story” by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham (Ill.)

While I’m sure we all know that Lunar New Year tends to be in winter, I think that a nice charming romance can fit in any time of the year, and sometimes I like to have romance on my vacation book pile because it can read so easily. That isn’t to say that “Lunar New Year Love Story” doesn’t have some serious moments of pathos, as Gene Luen Yang is very good at bringing out all the emotions of his books, but it’s very sweet and hopeful even if it touches on some tough subjects of love, family, and fears of opening up one’s heart to someone else, no matter how wonderful they may seem. Maybe have some tissues for this one with your beach bag.

Non-Fiction Title: “Dinner For Vampires” by Bethany Joy Lenz

I LOVE CULT MEMOIRS! I have not made this a secret by any means on this blog, as we have shared our thoughts on many a cult documentary, most of which were picks by me. Sometimes cult memoirs can be heavy, and while “Dinner For Vampires” does have it’s moments where “One Tree Hill”‘s Lenz was in very difficult situations, it’s also a biting and sometimes humorous look into the experiences she had with a fundamentalist Christian cult that was manipulating her and trying to take over her life (and finances) under guise of piety. Lenz is pretty self aware and candid about her experience, and even though I missed out on the “One Tree Hill” phenomenon (that was more my sister’s thing), it was still a LITTLE nostalgic to boot.

What are some of your favorite beach reads? Let us know in the comments!