Tag: 7 Rating

Serena’s Review: “Mooncursed”

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Book: “Mooncursed” by Holly Renee

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Casablanca, November 2026

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

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

Book Description: A cursed sea king, a stolen bride, and a fate meant for another.

They say madness dwells in the ocean’s depths…and in the eyes of the Drowned King. Cursed to take a human bride and break her mind the moment she sees his face, the Drowned King spends his life in torment, watching. Waiting.

Lou was never meant to be chosen. Branded from birth as a saltwitch, she has always been seen as the cursed shadow of her moonblessed twin. Now, veiled and bound in marriage to a man she must never see, she’s thrust into a life of ancient gods and unraveling fate…and unspeakable desire.

Yet even as fear becomes tangled with a perilous longing for the Drowned King’s heated touch, the truth of her choosing looms over her like a siren’s song. It rages louder with every breath she takes as whispers travel through the rumblings of war, of ancient goddesses awakening, of a queen with saltwater on her lips who will change everything.

Review: I’m not too proud to admit that I was definitely drawn in by the cover art on this one. I’m fairly picky about characters on covers, but something about the composition of this one seems to work for me. I’ll also admit that based on the title, I was perhaps under the impression that this was a werewolf story of some sort. Oops! That said, while I had a mixed experience with this book, I did enjoy the main fantasy setup and the ocean magic that was central to it all.

On that note, let’s start with what I did like. Once I settled into the type of fantasy story that was on offer, I did enjoy the general setup. The first chapter, especially, was lovely, detailing the conflict between gods that led to the current challenges faced by humanity. This is kind of an aside, but there does seem to be this odd trend where the sort of introductory chapter we get at the start of a novel is written in the lovely style of prose that feels very fairytale-like. But then, when the story switches to the main text, the style switches to a much more simplistic (and less interesting) style. I always find it to be quite disappointing, as if the author has pulled some sort of bait and switch on me stylistically.

That aside, though, I did enjoy the magic of this world. Not only was this background history interesting, but when the story gave itself time to breathe and focus in on the ocean, the threat of madness, and all of the rest, I really enjoyed how it was all woven together. That said, I don’t feel like enough time was really given to this portion of the plot.

Indeed, I’m not sure I can say that enough time was given to almost any portion of the plot, which is kind of a novel problem to have! Typically, a book overplays one side of things and underplays another, but here, the story seemed to get trapped in a cycle of events that repeated over and over again. And this cycle diligently ate up the page count without ever offering anything new, either to characterization, the story, or to the developing romance.

To the first point, basic facts seemed to be missing. I read an ARC, so maybe this will be added later or I could have missed it completely, but I don’t believe we are ever told the ages of our main characters. Of course, exact ages aren’t a requirement, but I wasn’t even sure what ballpark I was supposed to be operating within. Are these upper teens, like 18–20-year-old new adults? Late twenties? What?

The story also felt very repetitive. This cycle of events did include action, but as it was so often the same conflict and resolution, ultimately, the repetition of these scenes didn’t do anything to advance the overall story. I never came out of one of these scenes feeling like anything new had really been added to the equation.

And the romance struggled in much the same way. By the time these two came together, I think they had had maybe three or four scenes/interactions together. Total. And many of these interactions also felt very cyclical, with similar emotional beats being trodden in each repeated scene. So when the romantic climax comes, it in no way feels earned or like the characters would have had any time to develop these deeper feelings that are now being alluded to.

Overall, there was potential here. The writing was fairly solid throughout, and I think the general setup had a lot of potential. However, something didn’t work with the way things were pieced together. It feels suspiciously like the author had a good world idea and some general characters in mind, but then simply didn’t have enough of a plot to tie it all together into an actual story. All of this said, if you enjoy ocean magic and a familiar-feeling romance, this might still be worth checking out. I just wish there had been a bit more to it.

Rating 7: The vibes are strong, but the actual plot was a bit thin on the ground.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Mooncursed” can be found on these Goodreads lists: romantasy books that have to do with the oceans and starry night romantasy.

Kate’s Review: “All Hallows Eve”

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Book: “All Hallows Eve: Stories of Halloween and Other Festivals of the Dead” by Ellen Datlow (Ed.)

Publishing Info: Titan Books, September 2026

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

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

Book Description: Halloween, Samhain, Día de los Muertos—festivals across the world where we can commune with those we have lost, when spirits can cross over, and when the boundary between the living and the dead is far, far too thin.

A young boy encounters a woman with an ancient and terrifying link to the holiday, a group of college students attend a Halloween party to die for, and a troubled girl exploits a local urban legend to try and turn her life around.

From America to New Zealand via the rural Romanian wilderness, this anthology explores our worldwide obsession with the spookiest season of the year, when the veil is lifted and the spirits come alive. Featuring 19 original stories from bestselling and award-winning masters of the genre, and from Hugo, World Fantasy, Locus, Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson award-winning editor and horror legend Ellen Datlow, this anthology invites you to carve a pumpkin, light the lanterns and welcome in trick or treaters from across the world.

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

October always flies by so quickly! It feels like it was just yesterday that we were starting the spooky season, but here we are, two days out from Halloween, and I don’t know if I am ready to say goodbye to the season. But since we do still have those two days, and one more day of my Horrorpalooza reviews, I saved the most festive book for last. “All Hallows Eve: Stories of Halloween and Other Festivals of the Dead” is a new horror short story collection edited by Ellen Datlow, bringing in a number of horror authors to try their hand at Halloween-y (or other weird festival) fiction. How appropriate! I was definitely in the Halloween spirit when I picked it up!

As usual, I will review the three books that stood out to me the most, and then I will review the collection as a whole.

“Treats” by Clay McLeod Chapman: No surprises here that one of my favorites in the collection was by one of my favorite horror authors! A grieving husband and wife have turned their back on Halloween after their only son dies suddenly and tragically, opting to sit the night out as it was his favorite. But someone keeps ringing the doorbell, and every time the door opens, the costume changes but is always familiar. This one was my favorite of the lot, and it had me sobbing by the end of it. Chapman is so good with grief horror, and this one had a creepy building tension that oh so bittersweetly turned from suspenseful to tragic to perhaps a hope for closure. I just loved it.

“The Kuker” by Alma Katsu: Another piece of grief horror? Why not! But in a different way. A widow is still dealing with the loss of her husband, whose interest and knowledge of Eastern European folklore and custom led him to having a kuker suit that he liked to wear on Halloween. As she starts to clean out his office, she finds the suit that had always set her on edge. Katsu’s story is simple, and it is a bit quiet, and I really loved how she weaves such a gentle tale of grief, loss, and letting go.

“The Hungry Grass” by Siobhan Carroll: I love it when horror stories blend with historical fiction, and when that historical fiction gets political. An English man stationed in Ireland during the Irish Potato Famine is watching as many around him starve while food for the English is shipped on out, and ends up sharing a lodging with a strange young woman who was in a carriage accident. As she boards with him, he starts to feel more and more out of sorts. This vampire story is not only about a vampire who is stalking a colonizer, it is also about how colonialism as a whole is just as parasitic as vampires themselves. I really liked it.

As a whole, I had a few others that stood out to me, a few that were okay, and then a few that I just didn’t enjoy. I did like how there were a lot of different takes on Halloween and holidays about death celebrations, and how the authors took different interpretations of that prompt to create a wide array. It was mildly disappointing that we didn’t get a huge number of stories that knocked it out of the park, but my preferences may not line up with those of others.

“All Hallows Eve” is a festive short story collection that is just right for the upcoming holiday this weekend. Seek it out of you want some quick reads that will get you in the mood.

And with that, Horrorpalooza 2026 comes to a close! I hope that everyone out there has a Happy, Safe, and Spooky Halloween!

Rating 7: The strong stories were incredibly strong, and while some of them were middle of the road, it’s a nice batch of festive reading for Halloween!

Reader’s Advisory:

“All Hallows” isn’t included on any relevant Goodreads lists as of now, but it would fit in on “Books to Get You in the Halloween Mood”.

Serena’s Review: “Stormheart”

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Book: “Stormheart” by Julia Makin

Publishing Info: Books Fluent, October 2026

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

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

Book Description: Once an enslaved princess, now a fugitive, Tan is hunted across the Empire after a fatal mistake brands her its most wanted criminal. Desperate to survive, she strikes a perilous bargain with Kier—a cold, calculating pirate from the rebel stronghold of Stormheart. His promise: freedom on the open sea aboard the Revenge, a ship ruled by the sadistic Captain Blackthorn.

The price: her soul, bound to Blackthorn in an eternal blood-oath.

Unless she can win it back. To break the bond, Tan must defeat one of Blackthorn’s criminals in a deadly game, relying on Kier’s brutal training—and navigating the dangerous pull between them. But when passion awakens an ancient power even the Empire fears, Tan becomes the spark that could ignite a war.

As dark tides rise and loyalties fracture, she must choose: surrender to the darkness rising within her, or carve her own destiny before it’s too late.

Review: This book had a lot of potential, and there were definitely some high points. However, I struggled with inconsistent characterization and some of the world-building that made up the foundations of this society and the conflicts therein. But, like always, let’s start with the positives!

The book definitely starts on a strong note, and I was immediately pulled in by the greater concept: a princess who has been shunned and locked away as an outsider for her entire life must escape and find her own freedom. Of course, pirates are also always a pro, and I found myself enjoying any bits that focused more strongly on her experiences on the high seas.

However, while it started out with an interesting concept, it did quickly fall into some familiar fantasy tropes. I really could go for quite some time without a fantasy novel feeling the need to include some sort of deadly competition into the mix. And this one already had a lot of moving parts what with the caste system it had set up, the various political maneuverings between foreign bodies and the rebels, and then, of course, Tan’s own journey of self-empowerment and her budding romance with Kier.

I also struggled with Tan’s characterization at times. In the very first chapter, I began to have trouble reconciling Tan’s motivations or general motivations with her actions and her goals. For example, in this first chapter, an ally presents her with a risky but viable plan for them both to escape the palace once and for all. Not only is Tan incredibly hesitant (understandably), but by the time she does decide to move forward with this plan, she warns this other character to behave carefully, to not draw attention to himself or do anything that might throw this plan into disarray. From this, Tan seems to be a cautious but methodical character. Perhaps slow to act, but careful and thoughtful once she decides to move forward.

But then, only a few pages later, Tan, the very character who just lectured another about not creating waves, suddenly transforms into the ubiquitous “strong female character” who can’t keep her mouth shut and immediately must prove herself through snark and rebellion. She walks down a hallway from the room where she gave this lecture and immediately creates a massive scene with one of the most dangerous people in the palace and promptly blows up the entire plan before it even gets a chance to start. It was an incredibly frustrating bout of confused characterization, and it was a problem that persisted throughout the book. Characters would say one thing, or express a motivation to behave in one way, and then for no reason whatsoever, do the very opposite thing.

All of this said, there were still strong flourishes to the writing, and I’m definitely curious to read more from this author. Perhaps a stronger hand on the editorial wheel could help iron out some of the character wrinkles, and from there, you are left with a lot of potential. That said, if you enjoy feisty heroines and are able to roll with some punches, this is still a fun fantasy novel that is worth checking out!

Rating 7: A bit bumpy with its characterization (our main lead can’t decide whether she’s a cautious planner or a rebellious firebrand), but still a fun time, especially if you enjoy pirates and magical competitions!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Stormheart” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Swashbucklers and Pirates!

Kate’s Review: “Oubliette”

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Book: “Oubliette” by L.V. Russell

Publishing Info: Quill & Crow Publishing, October 2026

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

Where You Can Get This Book: Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Rue knows only bloodshed, longing, and isolation. Born into ancient wealth on the Cornish coast, Rue grows up in the crumbling Folkehaven Manor, steeped in rot and haunted by the dead. Twisted specters trail through the halls, the lords and ladies of high society Rue delivered to her mother. For her mother is hungry for attention…and for flesh. During one blood-soaked feast, Rue is drawn to Oren Pengelly, a quiet gentleman whose sister’s betrothed is consumed. Oren sees past Rue’s sins, beyond all the horrors, and sees someone deserving of love. But Rue struggles to leave her mother, for who will keep her fed?

With blood beneath her nails, and a soul darkening by the day, Rue wonders if there might be something more than violence and decay. Something more than hunger… Or if perhaps hunger is all she was ever made for.

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

We are starting to wrap up my Horrorpalooza celebration. October always goes so fast, and I am pleased with the varied books that I was able to tackle this time around. I am once again talking about vampires (ish? I feel like perhaps it could be a ghoul tale), one of my favorite sub-genres of horror, and “Oubliette” by L.V. Russell is on the opposite end of the spectrum that my last vampire read. Instead of a dark academia vampire romance, we are now into Gothic territory, with a dilapidated mansion, a Victorian time setting, and a vampire mother who keeps her daughter close, no matter how much the daugther wants to leave. It had great promise, and for the most part it delivered.

I do love a Gothic horror novel, just as I like complex stories about mothers and daughters no matter what the genre, and “Oubliette” combines the two into a vampire/ghoul story as well as a mother daughter tale where the child craves independence while the parent wants to hold on. Rue is a young woman who feels tethered to her vampire mother Sylvatica, and feels like she cannot leave her behind even though she would love to go live a life for herself and away from the rotting home, as well as the rotting parent. Sylvatica’s appetites and gory and gross, going above and beyond the usual ‘vampires drink blood’ and entering into straight up consuming flesh territory in ways that made my stomach turn, though it never got too be too much as I read. It had the right amount of gross horror without being distracting. We also get another well crafted metaphor of vampires feeding off of people in ways that go beyond just blood to sustain their life, as Sylvatica manipulates and guilts her daughter, feeding off of her innocence and her need to be devoted to her mother, no matter how monstrous she can be, because of the need to feel that maternal love from her. I was less convinced of Rue’s burgeoning relationships with the outside world, whether it was a romance with a young upper class named Oren or a friendship with his sister Anne. In Oren’s case especially it felt a bit rushed and like instalove. I suppose it could have been a commentary about how desperate Rue is to get away, latching onto the first thing that seems like an out, but if that was the intent it wasn’t as clear as I would have liked.

But I also appreciated that we did get some flashback backstory to Sylvatica’s past, from her birth to her childhood and young adulthood to her eventual descent into being a monster. I almost enjoyed her chapters more, watching as she went from powerless peasant girl, with no support at home, on a failing farm, so desperate and lonely, to something terrifying, was really gratifying to read. It doesn’t excuse who she becomes and the kind of mother she is to Rue, her insatiable hunger and refusal to let her child go for her own ends always terrible and tragic. It would have been easy to just see the thing she had become and the violence that she left behind, be it the physical of the people she eats (no matter how some may have deserved it), or the emotional of the daughter she refuses to let go of. It made Sylvatica far more well rounded than I expected and I liked it.

“Oubliette” was a spooky and sometimes heavy tale about independence and codependence, and I liked the complexities of it all, even if there could have been more branching out in other areas beyond the mother and daughter relationship. Overall, it was a good read.

Rating 7: A dark and ultimately bittersweet story about toxic parent child relationships and trying to break free from an abusive cycle.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Oubliette” isn’t on any Goodreads lists as of now, but if you enjoyed “Night’s Edge” by Liz Kerin, this would probably be a good fit.

Serena’s Review: “Mortal Things”

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Book: “Mortal Things” by Marie Lu

Publishing Info: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, October 2026

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

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

Book Description: Rose despises Raven, the god of Death. His mysterious commands. His mercurial moods. His closed heart. But most of all, she loathes that she was forced to become his Harbinger, a human mercenary tasked to fulfil their god’s every want and whim. Still, she would do it again, because being a Harbinger is the only thing keeping her best friend alive.

When a murder rocks the world of the gods, Rose is suddenly thrust into the immortal realm’s spotlight as Raven’s heir. This is her chance to free her friend once and for all. But in order for her to ascend, she must first prove herself to the other gods—and the one person standing in her way is a fellow Harbinger.

Étienne Beauchard is notorious for his sly wit and charming good looks. Rose can’t stand that he is the one assigned to test her abilities, but as their initial hostility evolves into an intense attraction, they find that the gods’ secrets go deeper than they ever expected. Something is wrong in the immortal world, something that threatens to break their bond and engulf them all in war.

As Rose and Étienne fight to uncover the truth and trust each other with their hearts, they realize that everything hinges on the same How far would you go to save the person you love?

Review: Unfortunately, I’m starting to come to the conclusion that Marie Lu’s books might just not be for me. I really enjoyed her original YA trilogy, and I even met her once at an ALA conference, and she was wonderful to talk with. However, I’ve now read several of her other books, and none of them have quite hit the way I’d like them to, and such was the case here again.

My main takeaway when I turned the last page on this book was an overwhelming sense of “fine-ness.” There was nothing offensive about it, it didn’t lack in technical skill, the story had its moments…but there also wasn’t anything that would make me ever think about it again. Everything we see here is familiar in one way or another. Gods toying with mortals and using them in complex political games. A chosen one-type main character who “defies” the gods. And, of course, the enemies/rivals romantic subplot. But on each of these counts, Lu didn’t add anything to make her version of these tropes stand out.

The world-building had its moments of interest, and when the world was first introduced, I was intrigued. But the story quickly introduced so many plot holes that I immediately was drawn out of the story. For such powerful gods, we never really see them do anything. And the system for how they become gods quickly becomes incoherent the moment you think about it too hard. Further, the way that our main character ends up in the position she does is also highly questionable. Wouldn’t this happen all of the time in this system?

As for our main character, again, there were moments that I liked from her. The flashbacks to her time as a mere mortal and the friendship that set her on her current trajectory were interesting. But as the story continued, it became more and more apparent that I was simply going to be told everything I needed to know both about our main character and about the relationships that are important to her. Again and again, Lu defaulted into a telling style of writing rather than showing, leaving me to begin questioning whether our main character had really shown anything that we were being told she was capable of.

As for the romance, there were moments that I liked here, especially the introduction of these two and their original dynamic. But again, the contrived nature of the plot that puts them at odds did very little to add anything to this relationship. Instead, it took anything that might have felt original about them and watered it down with overly familiar interactions. By the end, I couldn’t tell you what uniquely drew either of these characters to the other. Like everything in this book, they were interested in each other because that’s what the story needed.

Underwhelming, that’s my main takeaway. By the time I got to the end of this book, half of my mind was already thinking ahead to what I was going to read next. I didn’t hate this one by any means; I simply didn’t care. That said, I have to now assume that some of this disconnect is simply on my side. I know that Lu remains a very popular author for many fans, so if you’ve enjoyed many of her books in the past, I’m sure this one will also be up your alley. But if you’re on the fence, there are perhaps more original and interesting books to pick up this fall.

Rating 7: “Inoffensive” is the word that comes to mind. There were moments where I felt like this could have been something special, but those quickly sunk back beneath the wave of overly familiar story beats that made up most of this book.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Mortal Things” can be found on this Goodreads list: 2026 – Paranormal Romance (Standalones and 1st in Series).

Book Club Review: “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals about Death”

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

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. 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! This season’s theme is books with specific colored covers where we all drew a color and matched it with a book.

Book: “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals about Death” by Caitlin Doughty

Publishing Info: W. W. Norton & Company, September 2019

Where Did We Get This Book: Serena got the audiobook from the library; Kate got a print copy from the library

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

Prompt Color: Red

Book Description: Every day, funeral director Caitlin Doughty receives dozens of questions about death. The best questions come from kids: What would happen to an astronaut’s body if it were pushed out of a space shuttle? Do people poop when they die? Can Grandma have a Viking funeral?

In Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?, Doughty blends her mortician’s knowledge and the intriguing history behind common misconceptions about corpses to offer factual, hilarious, and candid answers to thirty-five questions. In her inimitable voice, Doughty details the lore and science of what happens to, and inside, our bodies after we die. Why do corpses groan? What causes bodies to turn colors during decomposition? And why do hair and nails appear longer after death? Readers will learn the best soil for mummifying, whether you can preserve your best friend’s skull as a keepsake, and what happens when you die on a plane.

Kate’s Thoughts

This isn’t my first time at the ‘book about death’ rodeo. I’ve always been interested in death and death rituals and things like that (I even took a class in college about graveyard imagery and burial practices), and I’ve read books like “Stiff” by Mary Roach and others. Book Club picked “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs” and the concept alone was incredibly fun. I was more than happy to pick it up, and I had a very fun time reading it.

This book takes a very simple concept: children have questions about death, some are outlandish and hilarious, others are poignant and bittersweet, and a mortician, Caitlin Doughty, answers them in a straightforward and scientific way (though for adults). They range from questions about what happens to bodies if an astronaut dies in space, or if you can keep a loved one’s bones, or what happens when a person dies on a plane, and while some sound completely wacky (after all, kids asked the questions), Doughty approaches it with full seriousness and answers the questions in a scientific and realistic manner. She clearly knows what she is talking about, and she makes the answers, no matter how outlandish the question, accessible and interesting for a layman. The questions are from kids but the answers are for adults (though I do think teens would find this a very fun read too without being too complex or wordy), and while I knew a lot already (I’m a morbid weirdo after all), some explanations were actually new to me and really fun.

I also liked the humor that Doughty brings to this. I’ve always had a bit of a gallows humor streak when it comes to comedy I enjoy, and Doughty sometimes tries a little hard, but overall I really enjoyed the jokes and the flow of the humor, be it just kooky and fun or kind of macabre. It just hit in the ways that I wanted it to hit, and I read it in one afternoon it flowed so well.

So if you like death talk and want some solid facts wrapped in a very easy to digest package from a mortician, “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?” could be a good choice of book to check out!

Serena’s Thoughts:

This is the kind of book that is kind of hard to review. Because, on one hand, I think it would work well for its target audience (children who have questions about death and want light-hearted but informative answers), but for me, an adult, it was just an ok reading experience. I listened to the audiobook version, which the author narrated herself. She did a fine job, but for me, I feel like the combination of her narration style and the type of humor she utilized didn’t quite work for me. Kids will likely find it hilarious, but I found it to be a bit “try-hard” at times. Further, some of the references and jokes are clearly directed at adult readers and won’t be understood by kids, but this just made my personal disconnect with these comedic beats be felt all the more strongly.

Beyond the humor, the book was generally informative. Again, this is for children, so much of the information was familiar to me, but there were some interesting tidbits thrown in here and there that I found genuinely interesting. For example, there was a version of a spacecraft that was in use at one time that had a dedicated storage capacity for dead astronauts, should the worst occur. But beyond these moments, much of this was familiar. There were also a few questions that had answers that were almost the same. We heard more about “corpse desecration” laws than I needed to know!

But, again, I wasn’t the target audience for this. That said, I think that young readers who want a gentle and generally amusing introduction to some of the scientific aspects of death will be well served by this one.

Kate’s Rating 9 : This is one hundred percent my kind of jam due to the morbid curiosity, the interesting scientific and historical facts, and the gallows humor that it is all packaged within.

Serena’s Rating 7: Probably a great resource for children with questions about death, but as an adult reader, I wasn’t particularly blown away by this one.

Book Club Questions

  1. Did this book change your perceptions on death and dying?
  2. Were there any scenarios or explanations of death in this book that kind of surprised you?
  3. Have you thought about what you want done with your remains after you die? Has that changed at all as time has gone on?
  4. Have you read any other books about dying and death? How did they compare to this one?
  5. Who would you recommend this book to? Kids? Teens? Adults?

Reader’s Advisory

“Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals about Death” is included on these Goodreads lists: Humorous, Strange, or Downright Shocking Titles and Non-Fiction Books About Death and Death Culture.

Next Book Club Pick: “Forgive-Me-Not” by Mari Costa

Kate’s Review: “Quaint Folk”

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

Book: “Quaint Folk” by Bitterl Karella

Publishing Info: Run For It, October 2026

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC from the publisher at ALAAC26

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

Book Description: From the outside, it looks like Jessica has the perfect life. She’s a stay-at-home mom, married to a man with a respectable job, raising a son they adore. Her family is as wholesome as all-American pie. But deep down, Jessica knows there’s something wrong with her; she knows she can’t escape her past.When her husband’s job has them move abroad, Jessica thinks this is her chance for a fresh start. On the remote island of Hasenhurst, the modern world can’t get in. The people there grow their own herbs, make their own jam, and mind their own business. They believe in folk tales and the power of dreams. They tell visitors, we’re a quaint, quiet people.The right sort of family would do well here.Jessica is determined to be the right kind of person for a family―and a life―like this. But as she tries to befriend the townsfolk and learn their ways, she soon realizes that beneath the town’s cozy idyll, something sickly-sweet and rotten lays buried …

Review: Thank you to Run For It for providing me with an ARC at ALAAC26!

Sometimes when I’m at ALA’s Annual Conference I stumble upon a book that I have never heard of, but am then incredibly intrigued by when it crosses my path. This year that honor went to “Quaint Folk” by Bitter Karella. I had never heard of it. But when I saw this amazing cover with so many folk horror and “Wicker Man” visuals all with neon coloring, I HAD to have it. May as well be catnip to me! Well, “Quaint Folk” wasn’t a one to one (but queer!) “Wicker Man” homage, but it’s still very much in the tradition of other folk horror classics.

I will admit that the comparisons to “The Wicker Man” really roped me in, but I definitely think the foundation and homage is there (the cover alone with the Green Man imagery REALLY stood out to me). This book is self aware and tongue in cheek with its folk horror elements, and sometimes it felt a little TOO twee for this reader, and some of the folk horrorness of it all got bogged down because of it. But it is clear that Karella loves the folk horror genre, and it all works as a folk horror tale (an outsider family, a seemingly perfect but perhaps sinister community pulling them in). I also enjoyed the framing of each chapter with ‘quotes’ about Hasenhurst, the traditions that are found there (Tigglestide Eve, and the entity Round Robin), which helps slowly set up the reveal and build the tension as the story goes on and Jessica, Sandy, and Greg are becoming more entangled.

But I also liked the way that “Quaint Folk” works in themes of queerness and identity into this book, mostly explored through Jessica herself as well as her nonbinary child Sandy. For Sandy it’s a bit more staightforward, as they are very self assured in their identity and have very supportive parents in Jessica and Greg. Sandy has a harder time fitting in in the new community, though they do make a connection with a girl named Georgette, who hates having to conform to female gender norms and insists that people call her George, even though she is constantly warned that the mysterious Round Robin doesn’t like people moving outside their gender. Not that she cares. I really enjoyed seeing both of these characters exploring their gender expressions, and their interactions are pretty funny with the more subdued Sandy and the WHOLLY unhinged George playing off each other. Jessica’s own journey of identity is a bit more difficult. She has religious trauma from her adolescence, as she had romantic feelings for another girl and her parents were furious. She has since rejected religion, but has still felt a need to conform with a perfect husband and perfect wife role, though when she gets to Havenhurst old temptations start to bubble up. It adds another layer of tension as the story goes on.

“Quaint Folk” is a unique folk horror tale that had themes I wasn’t expecting! While the comparisons to “The Wicker Man” didn’t really ring as true as I had hoped, I still had fun with it.

Rating 7: A witty satire on folk horror that also frames the sub genre through a queer lens, “Quaint Folk” has fun with a long loved trope and brings new perspectives to it.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Quaint Folk” is included in the Goodreads blog post “Peek If You Dare: Our Guide to to New Horror Books Coming This Fall”.

Kate’s Review: “The Sisters of Crimson House”

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Book: “The Sisters of Crimson House” by Melissa Anderson Sweazy

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Landmark, September 2026

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

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

Book Description: Every house has its secrets.

Charley Bryde is miserable in a house filled with magic. The only woman in a long line of famous psychics to not inherit the family gift, she spends her days inside Crimson House, the coveted family mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, living in the shadows of her talented older sister, Miranda. But when a shocking tragedy scatters the Brydes across the globe, Charley is forced to grow up on her own, and fast. As the money runs dry and Charley’s ownership of Crimson House is put at risk, she’s left with no other option; turn the manor into a haunted attraction and start representing the family brand with lies, cons, and expertly read tarot cards to make ends meet.

When a skeptic starts targeting Charley for the fraud that she is, she’ll stop at nothing to save the family legacy. But the skeptics’ arrival cracks something open in Charley that the Brydes wanted to remain buried. Deep. And when Miranda shows up unannounced after eight years away, the two will come to realize that Crimson House, and their own family, hold secrets even the greatest psychics couldn’t foresee. Secrets that will threaten to destroy them.

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

Gather round everyone, for it is October 1st, and that means that not only is my very favorite month of the year, but that it is time for my annual Horrorpalooza celebration! For those unaware, during the entire month of October and in honor of my favorite holiday, Halloween, I will be reviewing horror and horror adjacent books, saving all other genres for after the holiday has passed. It’s always a fun endeavor for the Season of the Witch, and it’s fun to start things off with a bit of a bang. And therefore I am starting with Melissa Anderson Sweazy’s horror novel “The Sisters of Crimson House”! A Southern Gothic horror/family drama about a family of psychics, the one without any powers, and a reunion between estranged sisters who need to come together to save their loved ones and their legacy against a malicious entity. Like I said, starting off with a bang.

I love stories about psychics and I love family dramas, so there is a lot to like about “The Sisters of Crimson House”. I enjoyed the idea of a faux psychic who comes from an actual line of psychics having to hold a run down house together after tragedy has pulled the family apart. Charley feels a bit like Mirabel in “Encanto”, if Mirabel decided to pull cons on tourists by doing cold readings and tarot cards under guise of her very truly psychic family lineage that she herself never grew into. When actual psychic/sister Miranda returns after running away after their parents deaths (and most of the rest of the family has scattered to the wind), a malicious presence starts to threaten the estranged sisters, and they have to put aside their differences to try and save each other and the Bryde family legacy. I liked the psychic elements of this book, and how Charley is doing her best while powerless, though she too is starting to see things as an entity grows stronger and stronger. Is it particularly scary? I didn’t think it was, though I did like the world building and the magic system at hand. The vibe is also SO Southern Gothic, with family conflicts, a heady Memphis setting, and ghosts galore.

But it’s the relationship between Charley and Miranda as well as the other family members that really bolsters this story. We see their story through both the past and the present, seeing the Bryde women at their most powerful and sought after, as well as seeing Charley as she tries to keep the house and her life afloat after they have lost almost everything and she is the only one left, and has turned to faux psychic readings and parlor tricks to keep the lights on. When the gifted Miranda returns, resentments, secrets, and trauma brim up and the two sisters have to work together through all of the baggage in hopes of saving their home and their legacy (as well as themselves). There is a clear tension between the two, with Charley resentful that Miranda was so loved and then ditched out leaving her to pick up the pieces, while Miranda seems resentful of her gifts that made her a golden child, and they have to overcome their mutual frustrations with each other. It’s a sister story at the heart of it, and found that to be the strongest piece of it. I really liked Charley and found her to be very easy to root for and connect with, and while I didn’t really like Miranda as much I definitely understood her. They were well developed and had clear motivations. I also enjoyed thorn in the side skeptic Sy, who has a bone to pick with the family that may go beyond wanting to expose frauds, but who also has some interesting chemistry with Charley. Can you tell I really liked Charley?

“The Sisters of Crimson House” might not have been as spooky as I had hoped for, but it is still a great way to kick off Horrorpalooza because of the very human aspects of the story of two sisters finding each other again. With some spooky psychic energy to boot!

Rating 7: A sister story with psychic powers, a Southern Gothic flair, and a few menacing spirits, “The Sisters of Crimson House” is perfect for the start of Halloween Season!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Sisters of Crimson House” is included in the Goodreads article “A Coven of Beloved, New, and Upcoming Witch Books”.

Kiss of the Black Flame

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Book: “Kiss of the Black Flame” by Helen Scheuerer

Publishing Info: Atria Books, September 2026

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

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

Book Description: Saige Grayson has always believed stories could heal—even when her own body refuses to. As the most promising bookbinder in the capital, she’s learned to work through chronic pain and crushing debt, restoring other people’s treasures while trying not to fall apart herself. But when the man she owes decides her rare talent is worth more than her payments, Saige is traded to the Azkari—an immortal race forged by the gods for war—and imprisoned in their ancient stronghold.

Her only chance of survival lies with Archer, a fallen Azkari general imprisoned beside her —cursed, dangerous, and impossible to ignore. He offers her a way out, and in return, Saige must help him retrieve and restore an ancient book. But the book is made of living magic, powerful enough to stop a great evil—or unleash it. And as Saige works with Archer, the tome begins to awaken something dark and dangerous—both in the realm and within her.

As their enemies close in and buried memories resurface, Saige and Archer must decide what they’re willing to their freedom, their fragile trust…or the spark that could ignite the world.

Review: This was a frustrating read. At times, I was really clicking with the general style of writing, the concepts being introduced for this world, and the broad strokes of the characters we were following. But as the story continued, I was equally often thrown out of my reading experience with eye-roll-inducing instalove and weaker world-building moments.

Let’s start with what I did like. First off, the introduction of this world and its characters was very strong, as was the writing in general. I was intrigued by the greater stakes at the heart of the plot, but I also enjoyed the smaller moments, especially early in the story between the FMC and her friends. The idea of a bookbinder as a main character was also incredibly endearing.

Unfortunately, it quickly became clear that these broad-stroke introductions of the world, the magic, and, to some extent, the characters were all that the story was going to have on offer. This was especially egregious with the world-building and the overall stakes. There is a “villain,” yes, but they are absent for large chunks of the story. In theory, there were things happening, but the reader was never given enough information to really feel any sense of urgency or weight to the action happening on the page. As the story continued, I was increasingly lost behind an ever-growing pile of questions about how any of this worked. There were small contradictions sprinkled throughout the entire read, made all the worse by glaring plot holes and conveniences that popped up with increasing frequency.

The romance itself was also incredibly frustrating. The MMC literally gets one glance of her and then is obsessed for years. And then she, likewise, seems to fall in lust within hours of meeting him. Things don’t improve from there. The relationship between them lacked any chemistry, and I struggled to believe that either of these characters could possibly enjoy the other. He was rude and insufferable. And she was a 35-year-old woman who threw tantrums with the best of her teenage non-peers.

However, like I said in the beginning, the actual writing itself, on a line basis, was very strong. I do think the pacing struggled in the middle, and the plotting also was a bit starved. But I would still be interested in checking out another book by this author, simply on the strength of the prose itself. That being the case, I do think there are plenty of readers who will connect with this one more than I did. Romantasy readers in general will likely be pleased, but be warned that “slow burn” this is not.

Rating 7: While the writing itself was strong, the world-building was lacking and the main characters suffered from a pretty bad case of instalove.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Kiss of the Black Flame” can be found on this Goodreads list: We Fire the Darkness And Flame At Night.

Serena’s Review: “The Ice Beyond”

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Book: “The Ice Beyond” by Olivia Wildenstein

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Casablanca, September 2026

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

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

Book Description: I had two childhood dreams: to shift into a wolf, and to win Nordin Stormsson’s forbidden heart. My first dream shattered the day my mother confessed I wasn’t a shifter, but a valkyrie—stranded in a land far from my people. My second was crushed when Nordin rejected me…only to claim another as his mate.

Heartbroken, I crossed beyond the wards in search of my birth clan. My freedom came at a cost. Dragons, vampyrs, and enemy wolves stalked me through the dark. They weren’t the only ones who came after me, though.

Nordin came too. He seized me before they could, stealing my body and then my heart. For a time, I dared to dream once more, to imagine a future with Nordin in the land of ice and wolves. Until I uncovered my beloved’s most closely guarded secret.

A truth about my past.

One that ruined us all.

Review: This was a very mixed bag read for me. There were parts that I really enjoyed, and then others that I really struggled to get through. I think the world-building was one of the most interesting parts. Of course, it’s hard to go wrong with Norse mythology and fantasy, and I think the familiar elements from this were used well, as well as some nice twists to things to build a more unique and individual version.

As the story continued, we were given more and more information about this world, and more and more little subplots were added in. On one hand, I was interested in many of these newly introduced aspects of the story, but on the other, it did begin to feel a bit overwhelming, with very little resolution coming to any pieces of the story. There were a bunch of questions left wide open, and at a certain point, this did begin to feel frustrating rather than interesting.

I also struggled to enjoy the main character and the love interest. The main character wasn’t a complete loss, but the author chose to include diary entries and letters written by this character between chapters, and these really didn’t help me connect to her. The tone of voice used by Zas in these written portions was so juvenile, so silly, that I had a hard time keeping it in my head that I was supposed to be reading about a new adult woman. I guess 19 is still fairly young, but if a character is written as a very young 19, it’s always going to give a bit of an “ick” factor to the spicy aspects of the romance. And such was the case here.

Beyond how young she sounded, Zas was frustrating in her focus. She learns she has this entirely unknown history, and while this should be a driving force for her story, instead her inner dialogue and these letters revolve almost exclusively around the romance. I get that this is a hard balance to strike, as this is a romantasy title, so the love story should come first. But be that as it may, something in the balance here between the romance and Zas’s own personal arc didn’t work.

I also didn’t love the romantic interest. Nordin was your typical bossy, possessive romantic lead. He wasn’t the worst I’ve seen, but it was frustrating watching the entire progression of the romance come down to him just deciding for them both when the romance could or could not happen.

I also didn’t love the first-person, present-tense style the book was written in. However, as this is so common in romantasy, it’s hard to really hold it against this book in particular. I, for one, just want this entire trend to die a quick death, as I think it makes even skilled authors come across as weaker than they are. But plenty of romantasy/romance readers seem to be fine with it or even prefer it, so I’ll likely remain in the minority on this one.

Me and the other hold outs for third person and past tense!

So this was just an ok read. I know this author is fairly popular, and I’m still curious to go check out her older books, as I think the world-building was interesting and there were aspects of the characters I liked. If you’ve enjoyed this author in the past, I imagine this will be for you. Also, if you enjoy most trending romantasy nowadays, this fits in well with many of the other currently popular titles.

Rating 7: The world-building was interesting and I had a whole lot of questions about where things were going. Alas, I didn’t get many answers, but instead had to spend way too much time reading juvenile sounding journal entries.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Ice Beyond” should be on this Goodreads list: Norse Fantasy.