UNLIKELY ALLIANCES, FRIENDSHIPS, and even love link the Black and Jewish residents of a hardscrabble neighborhood in 1930s Pennsylvania. Luminous, magical novel is infused with hope and generosity of spirit. A MINUS
My #bookreview is brief/won't spoil, to spread good, great, & spectacular #horror#books far & wide.
BURN THE NEGATIVE will grab you immediately. Josh Winning's cursed media/slasher thriller is a fun love letter/homage to horror movies that keeps the fear (& mystery) increasing. Didn't expect the direction it went- if you want supernatural scares & creepy carnage, this has bucketfuls!
(Penguin Random House)
Calling all book reviewers, especially those who like crime capers: The Perfect Hoax, Reed Files 2 is available for download on NetGalley. The book comes out on September 17.
This is a weird one. At its core it's a mismatched couple romance, set in space. But I'm not sure why it's set in space at all, because everyone in the book has magical powers, and it's the magic that's central, not the technology.
There is some political court intrigue, but again, it feels more appropriate for a fantasy setting.
I have read this author’s work before & this didn’t feel like his usual fayre. Not that there was anything wrong with it, just different.
A slow burner with beautiful descriptions of Cornwall - the characters, landscape, myths & traditions. I enjoyed reading it but I’m still not 100% sure of what I read. Intimate or claustrophobic? Read it & decide for yourself ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#BookReview Free Love by Tessa Hadley
Read on audio
Narrator: Abigail Thaw
Pub 2022, 312pp
Over the past couple of years the name Tessa Hadley has come up on my favourite book blogs several times and on Backlisted podcast but it was listening to her talking to Daisy Buchanan on You’re Booked earlier this year that persuaded me to buy her most recent novel, Free Love.
The first chapter is a wonderful set piece which introduces the reader to the central family, includes some amazingly awkward interactions between characters and shows you their inner thoughts in a gently amusing way, reminding me very much of Barbaara Pym and Elizabeth Taylor.
The story revolves around Phyllis, a ‘60s housewife living in a sleepy London suburb with her husband Roger and children Collette and Hugh. She’s not happy where her life seems to have landed her and seizes an opportunity to throw caution to the wind. The narrative is told mostly from her perspective but we also see the inner thoughts of the other main characters, a tricky thing to pull off that’s done brilliantly. The characters often become lost in their thoughts, imagining how a situation might play out or drifting into daydreams.
I enjoyed reading about Collette who is a very unhappy teenager, feeling ignored and bored with school and her school friends, none of whom really understand her. She figures out some of what’s going on in her family as the book progresses, in an understated and accidental manner. At one point she’s being nosey, looking at her mother’s address book: ‘She was guided by some instinct of cunning she didn’t know she possessed. The book fell open in her hands, to its pale blue back page and there, among the upholsterers and electricians, penciled very faintly in the corner, she found in Phyllis’ writing miniaturised as if it were in hiding, the letter….’ But I’ll say no more!
A beautifully observed novel with great insight and fabulous characterisation.
Today's queer indie author review! To Love the Dragon King by Antonia Aquilante:
"An absolute delight... a slow burn... one of those books I didn’t want to finish, though I was anxious to find out what happened next. Highly recommended."
I read this book last year and I loved it so much, it's one of my all-time favorite books. So of course I had to tell my friend Kriti about it, and now that she's read it too, we had a little chat about it! Check it out at : https://armedwithabook.com/the-last-gifts-of-the-universe/
This book also recently won #SPFSC which I was so excited to hear about! (Check out more amazing #SelfPublished sci-fi books at @spsfc ).
Be careful what you wish for; the grass is not always greener; pride comes before a fall….All of these phrases & more can be applied to this fabulous family drama. Some of the characters really resonated with me, perhaps that’s why I felt so invested in this book.
I didn’t feel as though I’d been reading very long & only just got to grips with everyone’s storyline when I’d finished it. More please. 5⭐️
My #bookreview is brief/won't spoil, to spread good, great, & spectacular #horror#books far & wide.
📚 FEVER HOUSE is a diabolic delight of deranged devilry. It's creepy & thrilling with savage stakes and chaos & gore, galore. Keith Rosson has written a terrifying, imaginative story with an occult mythos of mayhem & mischief that takes you on a hellish ride & leaves you wanting more. (Penguin Random House)
Today's queer indie author review! Drama Queen" by Alexandra Caluen:
"A wonderful – and at times heartbreaking – story. I loved the author's depiction of Hollywood, filmmaking and actors - I highly recommend Drama Queen. Well worth the read!"
My thoughts on California Golden by Melanie Bejamin --
Set in the early days of California surfing culture, the story explores a number of themes, including mother-daughter issues, sisters, & women athletes. Recommended.
Today's queer small press release: Emily Carrington's MM urban fantasy Rhyme of Love.
Gil struggles to hide his loss of status from Jack, but when he finally confesses, Jack turns around and blurts out his own secret. Who can Gil trust now?...
"The world-building is seamless, with beautiful details that give a real sense of what the world Xelle lives in is like. I really enjoyed Night Ivy, from start to finish. I need more Xelle."
What are some things you miss that they don't make anymore? Whether it's a tv show or a food, it seems like they quit making everything I like. I miss the R.L. Stine show The Haunting Hour. It was scarier than the more child friendly goosebumps show. I wish they had made more. Anyway I just finished reading Stinetinglers 2 You don't have to be a kid to get a giggle or a shiver from these tales. Review posted at https://wellwortharead.blogspot.com/2023/08/stinetinglers-2-by-rlstine.html @bookstodon#rlstine#stinetinglers#bookreview#bookstodon
Today's queer indie author review! Sounds Complicated" by Frances Fox:
"Another entertaining read in the “Reluctant Rockstar” series. These stories are quick reads, but they're packed with drama, fun, love and some wonderful characters - perfect for a fast, relaxing escape."