

Review of Spellslinger (Spellslinger #1) by Sebastian de Castell
Kellen begins as a principled, headstrong young man lacking in the magic crucial for power, familial stability and social standing in his...
Jan 29


Review of The Blood of the Old Kings (Bleeding Empire #1) by Sung-Il Kim
In this first installment of The Bleeding Empire, Kim sets three characters on paths to discover their worth, their purpose, and their...
Jan 15


Review of A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
I love Liang's books, and this departure from her romantic comedies is inspired by the Chinese legend of Xishi. It's full of danger,...
Dec 3, 2024


Review of Libby Lost and Found by Stephanie Booth
Booth cushions the blow of the main protagonist's early-onset Alzheimer's with a zany romp, lots of love for books, and heartwarming,...
Oct 29, 2024


Review of Hell for Hire (Tear Down Heaven #1) by Rachel Aaron
I felt like the story started off slowly, but once the world was built and the background established, I was hooked on the interpersonal...
Oct 17, 2024


The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (Amina al-Sirafi #1) by Shannon Chakraborty
I loved every bit of the story of willful, sometimes grumpy pirate Amina al-Sirafi and her quest, her strategic swearing, her strength,...
Nov 15, 2023


Review of VenCo by Cherie Dimaline
VenCo offers feminist, hard-drinking, foul-mouthed witches bound together by mysterious forces who undergo a quest to secure their...
Apr 4, 2023


Review of Gregor the Overlander (The Underland Chronicles #1) by Suzanne Collins
If you can focus on the good qualities of the prominent (and giant...and talking) creepy-crawlies in this middle-grade novel, you'll find...
Feb 9, 2023


Review of The Impossible Destiny of Cutie Grackle by Shawn K. Stout
Stout's recently published middle-grade story is irresistibly strange, full of difficulties and a tough young heroine's gritty...
Jun 2, 2022