Where Fiction and Reality Meet
Title: By the Book Series: The Last Picks: Book Seven Author: Gregory Ashe Publisher: Self-Published Length: 241 Pages Category: Cozy Mystery Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: This Last Picks installment may feel like yet another crazy, cozy caper with Dash and company. It's a little more, though. It's a turning-point in some important relationships,... Continue Reading →
Title: Manhunt Author: Gretchen Felker-Martin Publisher: Tor Nightfire Length: 293 Pages Category: Horror Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Manhunt is quite possibly the darkest, bleakest horror novel I've ever read. It's a book without a clear-cut hero, which is something unto itself, and, if you look close enough, there's something in it to offend... Continue Reading →
Title: A Spell for Heartsickness Series: Rune Tithe: Book One Author: Alistair Reeves Publisher: Podium Publishing Length: 330 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: The world-building in this story is lovely and has some things to say about avarice, indifference, self-esteem, being true to oneself, enduring faithfulness, and unadulterated evil. For better... Continue Reading →
Title: A Long Time Gone Series: Ben Packard: Book Three Author: Joshua Moehling Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Length: 325 Pages Category: Murder Mystery Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: There is a comfort in Joshua Moehling's voice that leads readers along with a deep-seated need to not only see what happens next but to watch... Continue Reading →
Title: Curse of the Stag's Eye Series: Haunted Hearts Collection Author: Glenn Quigley Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 190 Pages Category: Paranormal Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Curse of the Stag's Eye is a fun ghost story full of creepy moments and danger of the paranormal variety. What was unexpected is a story-within-the-story that came... Continue Reading →
Title: The Ritual of the Broken Series: Ritual of the Broken: Book One Author: Seb L. Carter Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 450 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: This book is rife with so much suspense that I had to smack down my anxiety every so often so I could keep... Continue Reading →
Title: The Revenge of Captain Vessia Series: Sails of Black and Blood: Book One Author: Leslie Allen Publisher: Self-Published Length: 449 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: There is a slow-burn romance amongst the action and adventure and bloodthirst in The Revenge of Captain Vessia. While it doesn't develop along the usual... Continue Reading →
Title: Molly Boys Series: London Underside: Book One Author: Vawn Cassidy Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 372 Pages Category: Murder Mystery, Gaslamp Fantasy, Historical Romance Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: There wasn't much new or different about Molly Boys, nothing I hadn't read before in one form or another, but that familiarity made this an... Continue Reading →
Title: The Potent Solution Author: Ashley Nova Publisher: Spectrum Books Length: 355 Pages Category: Historical Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Smart, suspenseful, and rife with dread, Ashley Nova's debut novel left me hoping she has many more stories to tell. My only niggle with The Potent Solution exists in the seeming lack of... Continue Reading →
Title: The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle Author: Steve Hugh Westenra Publisher: Self-Published Length: 450 Pages Category: Horror, Mystery Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: Despite some issues, I liked this book. The claustrophobia of the island lent itself perfectly to the feelings Steve Hugh Westenra wanted his readers to feel; that is, isolated and trapped. Reviewed... Continue Reading →
Titles: Beneath Strange Lights and Against Fearful Lies Series: Amelia Temple: Books One and Two Author: Vivian Moira Valentine Publisher: Self-Published Length: 269 and 334 Pages Category: Cosmic Horror, New Adult, Historical Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: If you love your cosmic horror with a heaping side of intelligence, sympathetic heroines, evil-doers and alien... Continue Reading →
Title: Their Heart a Hive Author: Fox N. Locke Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 268 Pages Category: Teen Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: This is a beautiful book in both style and substance. That I was left in tears at the end only speaks to how lovely the story is and how invested I... Continue Reading →
And here we are readers, the last, but never least, favorite reads of the year. It was an embarrassment of riches, one I appreciate more than I can say. May we all find the same in 2025. Best of 2024 ~ PART II A Shot in the Dark by Victoria Lee: This novel is in... Continue Reading →
“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” ~ John Green, The Fault in Our Stars Cheers, my fellow readers, and welcome to the list of... Continue Reading →
Title: The Christmas Curse Author: Avery Cockburn Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 175 Pages Category: Holiday Romance Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Watching Anthony and Martin connect through shenanigans, compassionate moments, kindness, the mutual love of dogs (and cats), and uncompromising attraction to each other translates into a holiday romance that teaches a sweet and... Continue Reading →
Title: Again with Feeling Series: The Last Picks: Book Six Author: Gregory Ashe Publisher: Self-Published Length: 211 Pages Category: Cozy Mystery, Romantic Suspense Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: The quips, the banter, the awkwardness, the warmth of the emotional connection within this found family, they're all an amalgamation that works so splendidly against the... Continue Reading →
Title: His Lordship's Folly Series: His Lordship's Mysteries: Book Five Author: Samantha SoRelle Publisher: Self-Published Length: 271 Pages Category: Mystery, Historical Romance Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: My love of all the ways Alfie and Dominick flirt, and banter, and how much they adore each other grows with each book in the series. That's... Continue Reading →
Title: Your Final Resting Place Series: SOS Hotel: Book Seven Author: Adam Vex Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 195 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: The sweet one, the sassy one, and the stoic one walked into a bar. What happened from that moment on was brilliant. I’m sorry to see these... Continue Reading →
Title: Twisted Shadows Series: Sugar & Vice: Book Two Author: Allie Therin Publisher: Carina Adores Length: 395 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Hands down, the worst thing about this book is having to wait a year to see how Allie Therin is going to fix what she broke. Things are... Continue Reading →
Title: Loser of the Year Author: Carrie Byrd Publisher: Ylva Publishing Length: 361 Pages Category: Contemporary Romance Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Loser of the Year is a little sweet, a little spicy, and gave me a couple to cheer for when the going got tough. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: Mattie Belman’s life has... Continue Reading →
Title: No Man's Land Author: Sally Malcolm Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 319 Pages Category: Historical, Paranormal/Horror Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Sally Malcomb delivers an utterly engrossing story in No Man's Land. Not only is there horror enough to satisfy my love of the genre, there's also a romance that blooms alongside what resides... Continue Reading →
Title: They Who Bring the Light Series: Ghost Flower: Verse Two Author: Jessica Conwell Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 242 Pages Category: Fantasy, Horror Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: This book is anger and retribution against a corrupt system that professes to love but only harms. It is justice meted out to the unjust on... Continue Reading →
Title: Not for the Faint of Heart Author: Lex Croucher Publisher: Wednesday Books Length: 394 Pages Category: YA Romance, Historical Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Even amidst the battles and losses and heartbreak there is a bright and uplifting story told here of found family and affirmation and acceptance. The representation and support among... Continue Reading →
Title: The Reanimator's Remains Series: The Reanimator Mysteries: Book Three Author: Kara Jorgensen Publisher: Self-Published Length: 360 Pages Category: Historical Fantasy, Gaslamp Fantasy, Paranormal Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: The chaos and danger in The Reanimator's Remains usher in a perfectly romantic and beautiful ending to this chapter of Oliver and Felipe’s story. Where... Continue Reading →
The Novel Approach Reviews 