authentic reviews and insightful interviews for inquisitive readers
A roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in Winter 2025-2026. Beware of spoilers! Title: 100 Days of Sunlight Author: Abbie Emmons Series: Tessa and Weston #1 This author has a “writing how-to” YouTube channel that I’ve watched a few times, and when I learned she’s published a book with an interesting premise and it was available at my library, I wanted to check it out and see if Emmons can walk the walk or just talk the talk. DNF 19%. …
Title: The Lost Author: Sarah Beth Durst Series: not anymore PSA: If you’re furious about the ending and came looking for answers, check the copyright of the copy you just read. If it says 2014 and only 2014, find a copy of the updated 2025 version, stat! Read the last two or three chapters, then come back if you need to. 😉 —————– Initial Post: Wow. I haven’t felt fucked up by a book like this in a while. I …
A roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in Fall 2025. Beware of spoilers! Title: Dead Wrong Author: Kate Allenton Series: Cree Blue Psychic Eye Mystery #1 Not great. Very simplistic and superficial storytelling. Too short to include much detail or character development. The MC, Cree*, is more foolishly headstrong than spunky, and waaayyy overpowered: clairvoyant, psychometric, knows when people are lying, and she can see and communicate with ghosts? She must also be rich, because she’s entirely unbothered by the …
Title: Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter Author: Heather Fawcett Series: n/a Much thanks to Heather Fawcett, Del Ray, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. I like cats, but I don’t love them, which might have detracted from my enjoyment of this novel a bit. Cats are not only featured but secondary characters, so know that going in—if you don’t like cats, this isn’t a novel for you. I’m disappointed, but it …
A roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in late summer to fall 2025. Beware of spoilers! Title: What Comes After Author: Katie Bayerl Series: n/a Thank you to Katie Bayerl, Penguin, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Sorry it’s overdue. DNF 31%. The afterlife is the same as life, filled with veiled autocracy, big brother, social media, toxicity and strife, and other familiar bullshit. And so many awful puns. …
Another roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in Summer 2025. Beware of spoilers! Title: The Otherwhere Post Author: Emily J. Taylor Series: n/a Thank you to Emily J. Taylor, Penguin, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Apologies for this review being overdue. Something felt off to me the entire time I listened to this audiobook. I think I didn’t get oriented on the time period or worldbuilding quite right …
A roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in early summer 2025. Beware of spoilers! Title: When We Had Forever Author: Shaylin Gandhi Series: n/a Thanks to Shaylin Gandhi, Harlequin Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately I didn’t get to it before time was up; I borrowed an ebook copy from the library, so I can review the story but not the narration. Apologies. I want …
Title: Never the Roses Author: Jennifer K. Lambert Series: n/a Much thanks to Jennifer K. Lambert, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honereorient. Reading this book is like the slow, langorous dream it often describes. Don’t read it expecting action and epic battles; it’s very literary and introspective. Character driven, not plot. It doesn’t have much of a hook, at least not one I can recall; there was …
A roundup of several more small reviews I wrote in Spring 2025. Beware of spoilers! Title: A Most Extraordinary Pursuit Author: Juliana Gray Series: Emmaline Truelove #1 I liked Emma well enough, but there was a lot going on. 1. She inexplicably sees and converses with dead people; I think the intent is for her to wrestle with her conscience Jiminy Cricket-style, but it comes across more like she’s having full-on hallucinations. Frequently. 2. People are inexplicably moving through time, …
Title: Bull Moon Rising Author: Ruby Dixon Series: Royal Artifactual Guild #1 MUCH thanks to Ruby Dixon, Berkley, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. I’m a recent Ruby Dixon fan, and I knew I wanted to read this book the moment I first read the premise and saw the pretty cover last year. Life happened and I wasn’t able to read it right away when it came out last fall, …