TL;DR Review: Cozy, heartwarming, and instantly engaging. A great look at a “second act/second career” so many of us can resonate with. Synopsis: When life gives you lemons, squeeze them into a stiff drink and stir. After twenty years defending the frozen north against some of the most dangerous threats in the nine kingdoms, […]
Book Review
Book Review: The Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
TL;DR Review: Fun, easy reading. Cozy fantasy that becomes wonderfully epic by the end. The perfect binge-reading book. Synopsis: Fourteen-year-old Mona isn’t like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can’t control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable […]
The Fall (The Bound and the Broken #0.5) by Ryan Cahill
Synopsis The Order have watched over the continent of Epheria for thousands of years. But there are those who believe The Order has had its day. That it is corrupt, indulgent, and deceitful – that it is ready to fall. The City of Ilnaen is on fire.Dragons fill the skies.Traitors fill the streets. The Fall […]
Book Review: The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston
TL;DR Review: Grueling, gritty, and grimdark as hell. A main character who takes badass and resilient to a whole new level. Synopsis: A gender-flipped Die Hard set in a mysterious castle, Cameron Johnston’s The Last Shield is an engaging fantasy read, perfect for fans of John Gwynne and Mark Lawrence. The ancient forest realm of […]
Book Review: Hell for Hire (Tear Down Heaven Book 1) by Rachel Aaron
TL;DR Review: Lovable characters, a fascinating world, and epic action. Had me hooked from Page 1. Synopsis: The CrewA hulked-out wrath demon who eats gamer rage and loves cats, a shapeshifting lust demon who enjoys their food a bit too much, and a void demon who doesn’t see the point of any of this. They’re not the […]
Review: The World to Come (Dark Legacies #3) by Yuval Kordov
The World to Come is the dark, harrowing, emotionally intense, mind-bending, and hugely rewarding, conclusion to the Dark Legacies trilogy.
Book Review: Easy Guide to Escape Hell by Elisa Menz
TL;DR Review: Urban fantasy that strikes an excellent balance between cozy and epic. An insightful exploration of healing from parent-inflicted trauma. Synopsis: You inherited a house, but it has a minor demon problem… Dagon Gunthersson—a powerful demon warrior and a renowned member of Hell’s nobility—stands accused of treason by his commander. His abrupt escape leads […]
Book Review: Outlaw Mage by (The Dageian Puppetmaster Book 1) K.S. Villoso
TL;DR Review – A wonderfully complex examination of cultural whitewashing and complicated families. Synopsis: Despite Rosha’s best efforts, she will never fit in. To her classmates, she is forever an outsider, a girl from the fringes of the empire just lucky enough to have well-off parents. To her teachers, she is either a charity case […]
Review: Crushing Snails by Emma E. Murray
Is that the crunch of a snail shell or my sanity crumbling, who can say Synopsis Winnie Campbell is sixteen and a burgeoning serial killer. Her father blames her for her mother’s death, dotes on her little sister, and executes increasingly cruel punishments meant to humiliate Winnie. As the punishments morph into torture, she begins […]
Review: Forge of Darkness (The Kharkanas Trilogy #1) by Steven Erikson
Synopsis: It’s a conflicted time in Kurald Galain, the realm of Darkness, where Mother Dark reigns. But this ancient land was once home to many a power. and even death is not quite eternal. The commoners’ great hero, Vatha Urusander, is being promoted by his followers to take Mother Dark’s hand in marriage, but her […]
Book Review: Titan Hoppers (Titan Hoppers #1) by Rob J. Hayes
TL;DR Review – Immensely addictive and character-driven progression sci-fi fantasy. Familiar yet wonderfully fresh. Spoiler: Courage Iro will shatter the Gates of Power to protect his fleet. Born talentless, Iro has all but resigned himself to a life of drudgery, watching his sister hop across to the massive space titan for supplies. But when the […]
Book Review: Of Thieves and Shadows by B.S.H. Garcia
TL;DR Review: A breathtakingly epic world and high stakes adventure with an intriguing cast of complex, well-developed characters. Synopsis: Some secrets are best left to the shadows. But shadows have a mind of their own. The ancient land of Quinaria teeters on the brink of war, as its most precious resource is unearthed and exploited. […]