-
Book Review: Chalmach Chronicles – Book One
Chalmach. God’s Seat. The City Ever-Drowning. The Ascended Locus. The capital is known by many names, some of which are shrouded in mystery. Even in a world full of wonders, Chalmach has no rivals, neither in form, beauty, nor power. For over a thousand years, it has witnessed the best and the worst of humanity. Stories of undying love and unforgivable betrayal, unfathomable power and unyielding sacrifice. Stories that have shaped the world, in every sense of the word.
-
Book Review: A Victim at Valentine’s by Ellie Alexander
In the cozy town of Redwood Grove, Annie Murray’s Valentine’s Day plans take a sinister turn when a beloved pillar of the local community is found dead at her Agatha Christie-inspired bookshop. As Annie assists the lead detective in unraveling the mystery, she quickly identifies a host of likely suspects – from an oddball psychic, to a professional matchmaker, to a rival bookseller – each with a worryingly plausible motive.
-
Book Review: The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap
Historical fiction, true crime, and dark academia intertwine in a harrowing tale of murder, greed, and the grisly origins of modern medicine. Edinburgh, Scotland, 1828. Naïve but determined James Willoughby has abandoned his posh, sheltered life at Oxford to pursue a lifelong dream of studying surgery in Edinburgh. A shining beacon of medical discovery in the age of New Enlightenment, the city’s university offers everything James desires—except the chance to work on a human cadaver. For that he needs to join one of the private schools in Surgeon’s Square, at a cost he cannot afford. In desperation he strikes a…
-
Book Review: The Edge of the Silver Sea by Alex Mullarky
An island all alone at the edge of the silver sea. In a place like this, anything could happen... Forced to move to the remote island of Roscoe, Blair Zielinski is determined to get back to her old life. Then one of the island's darkly magical fey folk offers her an irresistible deal. As she unravels the island's secrets and makes new friends, both human and otherworldly, Blair discovers that a promise to the fey cannot be broken. Can Blair save the wild isle that she's come to call home?
-
Book Review: We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
Get Out meets Parasite in this eerily haunting debut and Reddit hit—soon to be a Netflix original movie starring Blake Lively—about two homeowners whose lives are turned upside down when the house’s previous residents unexpectedly visit. As a young, queer couple who flip houses, Charlie and Eve can’t believe the killer deal they’ve just gotten on an old house in a picturesque neighborhood. As they’re working in the house one day, there’s a knock on the door. A man stands there with his family, claiming to have lived there years before and asking if it would be alright if he…
-
Book Review: Thanks for Listening by Molly Horan
Perfect for fans of Loveless and You Should See Me in a Crown, this wry and insightful novel from the author of Epically Earnest features a sweet ace romance and a secret social media advice account that goes wonderfully, terribly astray. Mia knows what she’s talking about. Class schedules, significant others, existential life crises—you name it, she’s talked someone through it. The problem? No one actually takes her advice. So when her latest round of (very sensible!) guidance is ignored, resulting in a class flyer stapled to her best friend’s arm and her brother going steady with a girl he…
-
Book Review: The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman
A gifted young knight named Collum arrives at Camelot to compete for a spot on the Round Table, only to find he’s too late. The king died two weeks ago at the Battle of Camlann, leaving no heir, and only a handful of the knights of the Round Table survive. They aren’t the heroes of legend, like Lancelot or Gawain. They’re the oddballs of the Round Tables, from the edges of the stories, like Sir Palomides, the Saracen Knight and Sir Dagonet, Arthur’s fool, who was knighted as a joke. They’re joined by Nimue, who was Merlin’s apprentice until she…
-
Book Review: Bluebird Day by Megan Tady
In this hilarious, heartwarming tale, mother-daughter skiing champs face the bumps in their own relationship when an avalanche in a Swiss village forces them together. Alpine skiing G.O.A.T. Claudine Potts and her daughter Wylie have been bred for gold medal glory. They’re skiing their way to fame, but this gilded future is cut short when a fall forces Claudine’s retirement and Wylie’s debilitating anxiety sends her off the slopes. With the collapse of their ski careers, their relationship falters and now it’s been years since Wylie and Claudine have even spoken. They live on opposite coasts, pursuing different passions, until…
-
Book Review: The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why -- or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch -- and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the…
-
Book Review: The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore
If there's one thing that this festive season brings out in me, it's the need to read cozy books. Whether they are Romance, Mystery or Fantasy, I want something that's going to make me want to settle in with a warm cup of tea and just relax. Friends, I can confidently say that The Pumpkin Spice Café is that kind of story. If you're a fan of Hallmark movies, welcome to your new favorite book. Jeanie has arrived in Dream Harbor (adorable, I KNOW) determined to turn her life around. After realizing that her life in the city was not…