TL;DR Review: Beautifully balanced between epic and cozy, it’s an adventure as action-packed as it is heartwarming. Synopsis: Dark Lord Davi rules the kingdom, but she must now break the time loop that binds her in this hilariously bloody conclusion to the Dark Lord Davi duology. After countless failures (let’s not dwell on it), Davi […]
Cozy Fantasy
Review: The Baby Dragon Cafe by A.T. Qureshi
Synopsis When Saphira opened up her café for baby dragons and their humans, she wasn’t expecting it to be so difficult to keep the fires burning. It turns out, young dragons are not the best magical animals to keep in a café, and replacing all that burnt furniture is costing Saphira more than she can afford from […]
Book Review: A Clockwork’s Dreaming by Scott Oden
TL;DR Review: The cozy flavor of Beatrix Potter’s animal tales, but taken to new prosaic heights of wonder by the addition of magic and color. Synopsis: In Claude Moreau’s Garden, magic blooms between dewdrops and dreams, where scholarly mice debate proper tea service in a library housed within an ancient teapot, and frost spirits dance […]
Review: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen
Synopsis Hart is a marshal, tasked with patrolling the strange and magical wilds of Tanria. It’s an unforgiving job, and Hart’s got nothing but time to ponder his loneliness. Mercy never has a moment to herself. She’s been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers afloat in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart, who seems to […]
Review: Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
Synopsis Desperate to undo the curse binding them to each other, an impulsive sorcerer and his curmudgeonly rival venture deep into a magical forest in search of a counterspell—only to discover that magic might not be the only thing pulling them together. Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics. He can summon butterflies with […]
Book Review: Chronos Warlock (Time-Marked Warlock #2) by Shami Stovall
TL;DR Review: Urban fantasy murder mystery, but with a cozy twist and lovely insights into the wonders of being human. Synopsis: Adair Finch, the most powerful warlock in the world, is back in business! But first he must complete his pact with a mischief spirit by finding her a human body. Seemingly no easy task, […]
Review: Monk and Robot by Becky Chambers
Synopsis Becky Chambers’ delightful, post-Utopian, Hugo Award-winning series gives us hope for the future. It’s been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again; centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend. One day, the […]
Book Review: Guard in the Garden by Z.S. Diamanti
TL;DR Review: A cozy, heartwarming fantasy story that does a wonderful job of exploring PTSD and finding a purpose in post-military life. Synopsis: Embark on a wholesome journey of healing and self-discovery. A cozy fantasy tale of forging new friendships and overcoming fears. A quiet quest of family bonds and budding romance. From dragon fire […]
Review: The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
Synopsis A wandering fortune teller finds an unexpected family in this warm and wonderful debut fantasy, perfect for readers of Travis Baldree and Sangu Mandanna. Tao is an immigrant fortune teller, traveling between villages with just her trusty mule for company. She only tells “small” fortunes: whether it will hail next week; which boy the […]
Mini Reviews by Shaggy #1
I regularly read and review short stories, novelettes, and novellas, and their reviews don’t always feel long enough to have a whole post for them. Even some novel-length books are really fun but don’t have me writing a ton about them besides proclaiming my enjoyment for them. Instead of keeping them completely from you, I […]
Book Review: Dungeons and Dragon Dating by Virginia McClain
TL;DR Review: Legends and Lattes goes on an adventure disguised as a dating game. Lovely, heartwarming, satisfying queer cozy romance I adored. Synopsis: WHAT KIND OF DRAGON SENDS A BLIND DATE TO A CURSED FOREST?! Quiet café owner Lyra Stranglevine knows that she’s too broken for romance. So, she never expected to wind up killing […]
Review: Tangleweed & Waterbloom (The Garden Knight #1) by Justin Greer
Synopsis: After years of travel in the wide world, Derry Melyvante has made his home near the quiet woodland village of Haverdell. He lives with his dog Barrow on a small island outside town and spends his days in singular pursuit of his craft: Derry is a gardener, a master of woodlore and plants and […]