TL;DR Review: Compelling, colorful, and complex. Epic storytelling that sinks into your bones and keeps you turning pages. Synopsis: Powered by the corpses of sorcerers, the Empire has conquered the world. It claims to have brought peace and stability to its conquered lands, but some see that peace for what it is—a lie—and will give […]
Book Review: Swordcrossed by Freya Marske
TL;DR Review: High on the steam, spice, and sass. An insightful exploration of the burdens of duty and the cost of desire. Synopsis: Low stakes. High heat. Sharp steel. Mattinesh Jay, dutiful heir to his struggling family business, needs to hire an experienced swordsman to serve as best man for his arranged marriage. Sword-challenge at […]
Book Review: Falling Into Oblivion Aaron M. Payne
TL;DR Review: Colorful characters inhabit a futuristic world at once familiar and fresh. A cyberpunk thriller that had me enthralled from the first page. Synopsis: MODIFICATIONS COME AT A PRICE. Detective Sol Harkones is tangled in the wires of a deadly conspiracy involving defective body modifications causing permanent brain damage. A suspect is known, but […]
Book Review: New York Minute by Stephen Aryan
TL;DR Review: A detective thriller that feels instantly familiar but isn’t afraid to go in bold, unique directions with setting and character. Synopsis: A noir story, set in an alternate New York City. After years of being a cop, and now a private investigator, there’s little that surprises Cole Blackstone. But when someone working for […]
Book Review: Hell of a Witch (Tear Down Heaven #2) by Rachel Aaron
TL;DR Review: Action, romance, magic, and intrigue dialed up to max intensity. A delicious “will they, won’t they” I absolutely loved. Synopsis: The hotly anticipated sequel to HELL FOR HIRE! One month ago, Bex, the demon Queen of Wrath, and Adrian, witch of the Blackwood, pulled off the upset victory of the century. Now, they […]
Book Review: Wistful Ascending (Hybrid Helix #1) by JCM Berne
TL;DR Review: Zippy pacing, hyper-colorful sci-fi setting, rich tapestry of characters, and, most delightful of all, an upbeat and optimistic tone. Synopsis: A superhero space opera for grownups. For fans of Invincible and Marvel Cinematic Universe films.If Thor and Harry Dresden combined in a transporter accident. The il’Drach have conquered half a galaxy behind the […]
Book Review: A Grave for Us All (Crown and Tide #2) by Michael Roberti
TL;DR Review: Higher stakes, deeper grimdarkness, bloodier battles, and messier characters—exactly what I want in a Book 2! Synopsis: “A civil war on that scale would make Harfal little more than a mass grave.”“There would be death. There would be chaos. But this time there would be a lasting peace…” Follow Cael, Emil, Merily and […]
Book Review: The Pale City (Rites of Resurrection #1) by Marshall J. Moore
TL;DR Review: Lightning-fast plot, richly colorful world, and heart-pounding action. Roman/Greek Republic colored with African-inspired culture and magic. Synopsis: Only the dead can save the living. In Albastine, the dead are made into mindless servants known as Attendants, incapable of harming the living unless commanded to by the soldier-necromancer Legates. Forced into an early retirement, […]
Book Review: ShadowBane by Cal Logan
TL;DR Review – Japan-inspired world, a grimdark tone, and packed to the brim with bloody action. An absolutely epic read! Synopsis: One womb, one soul, two fates. One will rise. One will fall. Shura and Jin are the last of a divine bloodline, operating at the bloodiest fringes of society where they wield might and […]
Book Review: Bringer of Dust (The Talents Trilogy #2) by JM Miro
TL;DR Review: Addictive and enthralling, but not for the faint of heart. Deeper, darker, and twistier—an excellent second installment in this gothic historical fantasy trilogy. Synopsis: In this highly anticipated second book in the Talents Trilogy, the world of the dead is closer than you think. Agrigento, Sicily, 1883. With the orsine destroyed, Cairndale lies […]
Book Review: The Traitors We Are (Crown and Tide #1) by Michael Roberti
TL;DR Review – “Light” grimdark flavor, with singular characters and a world that just keeps getting more interesting with every chapter. Synopsis: In a world where writing disappears when the author dies, 22-year-old Cael Oberlan watches the last gasping breaths of his best friend. He pulls a scrap of paper out of his pocket as […]
Book Review: Off Midway Station by Marc Alan Edelheit
TL;DR Review – Slow-burn beginning that builds to an action-packed climax. A fascinating look at the construction and launch of a brand new spaceship. Synopsis: Humanity is on the brink of annihilation. Only one man can turn the tide. For centuries, we explored the stars and settled new worlds. But a mysterious alien threat emerged, […]