Where Fiction and Reality Meet
Title: An Education in Malice Author: S.T. Gibson Publisher: Redhook Length: 346 Pages Category: Dark Fantasy, Historical Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: An Education in Malice is not meant to be light on drama. It foments darkness, steeps in a soup of its own secrets, complicates itself with a fixation on a decades-long separation... Continue Reading →
Title: A Fine Tangle Series: Silver Locket Origins: Book Two Author: Kennedy Sutton Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 340 Pages Category: Historical Drama Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: While I prefer more dialogue in telling a story than this book offers, the things that happen to Mickey and Hugh, and the things they make happen... Continue Reading →
Title: A Glorious Mess Series: Silver Locket Origins: Book One Author: Kennedy Sutton Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 278 Pages Category: Historical Romance Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Despite the complications and serious implications of Mickey and Hugh's romance, A Glorious Mess is a gorgeous book. I happily wallowed in all the turmoil Kennedy Sutton... Continue Reading →
Title: Interwoven Series: Daniel Owen Welsh Mysteries: Book Eight Author: Ripley Hayes Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 281 Pages Category: Mystery/Suspense Rating: 4.5 Stars At a Glance: Interwoven is such an inspired title for this final novel in the Daniel Owens Mysteries series. Kudos to the author for using it to such great effect. If you're... Continue Reading →
Title: Curio Author: C.S. Poe Publisher: Self-Published Length: 60 Pages Category: Contemporary Romance Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Curio is chock-full of warmth and smiles. It's a short, sweet, and utterly charming story that shines—not despite its length but because it packs so much heart into so few pages. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: Llewellyn... Continue Reading →
Title: Ghost Flower Author: Jessica Conwell Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 454 Pages Category: Dark Fantasy, Sapphic Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Jessica Conwell gives voice to a world and its characters filled with danger and wonder. And there is sorrow. So much sorrow. It is heartbreak given form and substance. I don't want... Continue Reading →
Title: The Evening Wolves Series: Iron on Iron: Book Four Author: Gregory Ashe Publisher: Self-Published Length: 373 Pages Category: Mystery/Suspense Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: The Evening Wolves took such a rivetingly dark turn, which seems counterintuitive considering none of these books has ever been what anyone would call intensity-lite. It solidifies the friendships... Continue Reading →
Title: Of Feathers and Thorns Author: Kit Vincent Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 314 Pages Category: Fantasy, Teen Fiction Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Kit Vincent wraps dangers and intrigues around a cast that served to help or hinder when Kieren and Esten were called on to show the stronger stuff they were made of.... Continue Reading →
Title: Us, Et Cetera Author: Kit Vincent Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 330 Pages Category: Sci-Fi/Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Kit Vincent leaves no doubt who the villains are in this story, no doubt who the heroes are, and no doubt that humanity is not defined by biology alone, but by words and deeds,... Continue Reading →
Title: Fiorenzo Author: Sebastian Nothwell Publisher: Self-Published Length: 534 Pages (print) Category: Romantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Every component of this book—the characters, the attention to detail, the romanticism, and the eroticism—comes together to make for a deeper dive into a lovely read. And the last sentence packed a real wallop. Reviewed By:... Continue Reading →
Title: Most Ardently Series: Remixed Classics: Book Nine Author: Gabe Cole Novoa Publisher: Feiwel & Friends Length: 304 Pages Category: Teen Fiction, Historical Fiction Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: This story is told with an abundance of heart, and while I do feel there could have been a deeper dive into the characterizations—Most Ardently... Continue Reading →
Title: Something Wicked Series: Black and Blue: Book Three Author: Lily Morton Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 340 Pages Category: Paranormal Romance Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: Overall, while I liked the horror and mystery elements of Something Wicked a great deal, I think the advancing of Blue and Levi’s relationship may have been better served in... Continue Reading →
Title: Don't Want You Like a Best Friend Series: Mischief & Matchmaking: Book One Author: Emma R. Alban Publisher: Avon Length: 396 Pages Category: Historical Romance Rating: 4.5 Stars At a Glance: Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend is a thoroughly charming historical romance with a decidedly modern flair, aiming for delightful and scoring... Continue Reading →
Title: The Captain's Holiday Homecoming Series: Christmas Masquerade: Book Four Author: Meg Mardell Publisher: Self-Published Length: 97 Pages Category: Historical, Holiday Romance Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: The heart of this story is also its appeal. Kindness and empathy are its hallmarks. That I wanted more isn't a criticism, merely a wish gone unfulfilled.... Continue Reading →
If you're reading this, welcome, and Happy New Year 🎉🎇🎊 If the best you can say is you're glad 2023 is in the rearview mirror, well, give yourself a pat on the back for persevering. You made it through another year, and that's something worth acknowledging as an accomplishment in itself. Throughout the year, I've... Continue Reading →
Title: Up to Snow Good Author: Charlie Kovak Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 199 Pages Category: Holiday Romance Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: If you’re looking for a romance that's low on the angst and high on the goodwill of the holidays, Charlie Novak delivers with warmth and charm. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: This Christmas,... Continue Reading →
Title: Death at the Dionysus Club Series: Lynes & Mathey: Book Two Authors: Melissa Scott and Amy Griswold Publisher: Queen of Swords Press Length: 359 Pages Category: Murder Mystery, Gaslamp Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: There were moments in this book where I imagined the authors could have been inspired by Lewis Carroll.... Continue Reading →
Title: Shelter in Garnet Run Series: Garnet Run Author: Roan Parrish Publisher: Self-Published Length: 181 Pages Category: Holiday Romance Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Shelter in Garnet Run falls faithfully into the heart-warmer category, and Roan Parrish delivers with a Holiday Romance that gives the gift of good feels. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: River... Continue Reading →
Title: Sentenced to Christmas Author: Marshall Thornton Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 256 Pages Category: Dark Comedy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Your expectations should be set accordingly should you decide to give Sentenced to Christmas a try. It’s worth reading if you like dark comedy, but not if you’re looking for something along the... Continue Reading →
Title: Rafts Author: Utunu Publisher: Self-Published Length: 177 Pages Category: Romantic Fantasy, Erotica Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Utunu is an eloquent storyteller, his voice soft and reassuring, his writing evocative and provocative. Rafts is a book I consumed as much as read as much as suffered. Every moment and every emotion was so... Continue Reading →
Title: Off With Their Heads Series: The Incarnate Accounts: Book Four Author: Justin Schuelke Publisher: Self-Published Length: 373 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: There doesn’t seem to be much in Justin Schuelke's imagination that can’t take on a mind and life of its own, making this one of the most... Continue Reading →
Title: The Spoil of Beasts Series: Iron on Iron: Book Three Author: Gregory Ashe Publisher: Self-Published Length: 328 Pages Category: Mystery Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Gregory Ashe doesn’t write low hanging fruit in his mysteries; he shakes all the trees and sees what kind of foul spoils fall out. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb:... Continue Reading →
Title: The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics Series: Feminine Pursuits: Book One Author: Olivia Waite Publisher: Avon Impulse Length: 219 Pages Category: Historical Romance Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Triumphant, affirming, and making science sexy one page at a time, The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics makes all the right steps and comes to... Continue Reading →
Title: Gwen & Art Are Not in Love Author: Lex Croucher Publisher: Wednesday Books Length: 352 Pages Category: Historical, Teen Fiction Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Full of charm and clever dialogue, rife with peril and betrayal, Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a sweet and sublime book. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb:... Continue Reading →
The Novel Approach Reviews 