Where Fiction and Reality Meet
Title: In the Dark Heart of Winter Author: Mere Rain Publisher: JMS Books Length: 104 Pages Category: Gothic Fantasy, Paranormal Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: This is one of those books I enjoyed for what it is and yet wished there'd been more to it. I didn't get the background that would have made... Continue Reading →
Title: Gary the Once and Former King Series: The Unwanted King: Book Two Author: Isabel Murray Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 242 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 3 Stars At a Glance: Gary the Once and Former King comes down to this: it wasn't necessary to read this book. It doesn't add anything of depth or value... Continue Reading →
Title: Gary of a Hundred Days Series: The Unwanted King: Book One Author: Isabel Murray Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 172 Pages Category: Romantic Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Gary of a Hundred Days is categorized as Fantasy, but it's more so a Fairy Tale. That is unless the next book builds a more... Continue Reading →
Title: A Circle of Stars Series: The Stardust Duology: Book One Author: Craig Montgomery Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 483 Pages Category: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, YA/Teen Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: A Circle of Stars is a political saga and comes with some content cautions, including homophobia and abuse. Craig Montgomery's writing is straightforward without being... Continue Reading →
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: 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: 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: 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: Bookshops & Bonedust Series: Legends & Lattes Author: Travis Baldree Publisher: Tor Books Length: 332 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Every single message Baldree meant to convey in Bookshops & Bonedust hit their mark with precision, and I took those hits gladly. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: When an injury throws... Continue Reading →
Title: A Power Unbound Series: The Last Binding: Book Three Author: Freya Marske Publisher: Tordotcom Length: 422 Pages Category: Historical Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: On the long, long list of series I’ve been sorry to see come to a close, but am nonetheless glad I got the chance to love, The Last... Continue Reading →
Title: 23 Riverside Drive Series: Twist in the Tale Event Author: Taylor V. Donovan Publisher: Free Story Giveaway Length: 72 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: This free short story is full of twists and temptations and left me wanting more in all the best ways. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: All his... Continue Reading →
Title: Dark Moon, Shallow Sea Series: The Gods of Night and Day: Book One Author: David R. Slayton Publisher: Blackstone Publishing Length: 407 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: If you love character-driven fantasy set in a world rife with danger and treachery, magic and mythology, Dark Moon, Shallow Sea delivers. Reviewed... Continue Reading →
Title: The Reanimator's Soul Series: The Reanimator Mysteries: Book Two Author: Kara Jorgensen Publisher: Self-Published Length: 340 Pages Category: Historical Romance, Fantasy, Mystery Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: I love everything about what Jorgensen communicates in this story and through these characters, up to and including the fact that relationships can be tested from... Continue Reading →
Title: Resurrection Reprise Author: Hailey Turner Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 413 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Hailey Turner writes high stakes battles with low odds of survival. That’s part of the fun, though—the breathless anxiety of knowing her MCs will make it, but still having to read your way through... Continue Reading →
Title: Death by Silver Series: Lynes & Mathey: Book One Authors: Melissa Scott and Amy Griswold Publisher: Queen of Swords Press Length: 375 Pages Category: Historical Mystery, Fantasy Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: While I remain perplexed by all the accolades heaped up this book, if you like a good procedural mystery, Death by... Continue Reading →
Title: Bewitched: Being a History of Affection, Enchantment, and Housecleaning Series: Sea Goblins: Book Two Author: Juniper Butterworth Publisher: Self-Published Length: 179 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Juniper Butterworth’s incessantly enchanting imagination and loveable goblins are the driving force in this series. And Baby, as always, is the scene-stealer in the... Continue Reading →
Title: Wrath Becomes Her Author: Aden Polydoros Publisher: Inkyard Press Length: 304 Pages Category: YA/Teen Fiction, Historical Fiction, Speculative Fiction Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Aden Polydoros has an immense gift for telling stories that are exceptional, eloquent, and introspective. Wrath Becomes Her is far and away one of the best books I’ve read... Continue Reading →
Title: OKPsyche Author: Anya Johanna DeNiro Publisher: Small Beer Press Length: 124 Pages Category: Transgender Fiction, Speculative Fiction Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: OKPsyche is a long short novel. It packs a lot of narrative and food-for-thought into its pages and while the world-building remained elusive to me, the aim of the story is... Continue Reading →
Title: Shipwrecked Series: Sea Goblins: Book One Author: Juniper Butterworth Publisher: Self-Published Length: 161 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: If you're looking for something a little wacky and smilesome, filled with whimsy and doesn't take itself at all too seriously, there are goblins and goats afoot to the rescue. Reviewed By:... Continue Reading →
Title: A Market of Dreams and Destiny Author: Trip Galey Publisher: Titan Books Length: 432 Pages Category: Fantasy, Teen Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: A Market of Dreams and Destiny is bewitching, enchanting, extraordinary, and is one of the most imaginative books I’ve read this year. What makes it an original isn't its... Continue Reading →
Title: The Death I Gave Him Author: Em X. Liu Publisher: Rebellion Publishing Length: 432 Pages Category: Sci-Fi, Technothriller Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: The Death I Gave Him is a sci-fi locked-room drama. Em X. Liu’s storytelling is utterly lush, and their world-building portrays the claustrophobia of the setting and duplicity of the... Continue Reading →
The Novel Approach Reviews 