Where Fiction and Reality Meet
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: 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 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 →
Title: Love Immortal Author: Kit Vincent Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 326 Pages Category: Horror, Paranormal, Dark Academia Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: Love Immortal is a satisfying vampire/human romance. It doesn't set out to reinvent the genre, and it doesn't need to. There is not a strict ending to the story, though, so all... Continue Reading →
Title: Between the Teeth Series: Between the Teeth: Book Three Author: Taylor Fitzpatrick Publisher: Self-Published Length: 285 Pages Category: Contemporary Sports Fiction Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: I didn't love the execution of Between the Teeth, which is a rarity for me and this author, but I did love the support and compassion David... Continue Reading →
Title: Awakening in Sapphire Series: Once & Forever Kings: Book One Author: Jonathan Hawker Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 502 Pages Category: Sci-Fi/Fantasy Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: Stylistically speaking, this book and I didn't jibe, but overall, Awakening in Sapphire throws out some great surprises and originality to give an awesome spin to an... 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: 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: 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 →
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: A Draft of Ash and Wine Series: Midnight Guardians: Book Two Author: Kristin Jacques Publisher: City Owl Press Length: 311 Pages Category: Historical, Paranormal Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: The egregious editing notwithstanding, I liked the continuation of what is shaping up to be a trilogy. I'd be lying, though, if I didn't... Continue Reading →
Title: This Is How You Lose the Time War Authors: Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone Publisher: Gallery/Saga Press Length: 223 Pages Category: SciFi Romance Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: There is an extravagant and dazing wordiness to this story, like gorging on mouthfuls of narrative where simplicity might have sufficed, though the end result... Continue Reading →
Title: Harley Quinn: Reckoning Series: DC Icons Series: Book One Author: Rachel Allen Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers Length: 390 Pages Category: YA/Teen Fiction Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: Reckoning is all about the Girl Power. Rachel Allen unapologetically instills this as the foundation of her plot, and embracing that is a... Continue Reading →
Title: Straight Author: Chuck Tingle Publisher: Self-Published Length: 84 Pages Category: Horror Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: Straight is not for the sensitive reader. It's a bit spendy for its length, and it could have used a proofreader, but its goal was the happy ending for a group of queer friends, and in that,... Continue Reading →
Title: The Solstice Cabin Series: Flos Magicae Author: Arden Powell Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 95 Pages Category: Holiday Romance, Fantasy Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: If you're looking for something a little different and a bit fantastical this holiday season, a story that reunites two friends and gathers together their fears, strength, and courage... Continue Reading →
Title: The Rivals of Casper Road Series: Garnet Run: Book Four Author: Roan Parrish Publisher: Harlequin Special Edition Length: 258 Pages Category: Contemporary Romance Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: There are so many cute little details Parrish throws into this book, including Zachary's address, and obviously Casper Road must be honored in ghosty Halloween... Continue Reading →
Title: Emerald Earth Series: The Witch Brothers Saga: Book One Author: Adam J. Ridley Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 200 Pages Category: Fantasy Romance Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: There are no surprises or unexpected turns to this story, which makes it a sweet, low-drama read, predictable but still interesting for the inclusion of the... Continue Reading →
Title: The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry Series: Unnatural Magic: Book Two Author: C.M. Waggoner Publisher: Ace/Penguin Books Length: 383 Pages Category: Gaslamp Fantasy Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: Delly Wells' unique elocution was such a fun novelty, and the opposite-side-of-the-tracks romance between Delly and Winn was terribly, irresistibly sweet. The pace was slow-going... Continue Reading →
Titles: Not So Fake, Not So Innocent & Not So Nice Series: The Real Thing: Books One thru Three Author: Emma Lyon Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 157 Pages, 156 Pages, 215 Pages Category: Contemporary Romance Ratings: 4 Stars, 3.5 Stars, 3 Stars At a Glance: There are grand romantic declarations and gestures aplenty in the... Continue Reading →
Title: If This Gets Out Authors: Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich Publisher: Wednesday Books/Macmillan Length: 408 Pages Category: Young Adult, Contemporary Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: There's a lot to unpack in If This Gets Out, and I think Dietrich and Gonzales do a darn good job of addressing it all. I liked that... Continue Reading →
Title: The Threefold Tie Author: Aster Glenn Gray Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 148 Pages Category: Historical Romance, Bisexual Romance, M/F/M Romance Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: The Threefold Tie is a quiet story, not given to extremes of emotion or action. I found more to like in the book than not, but would've appreciated... Continue Reading →
Title: A Scot's Surrender Series: The Townsends: Book Three Author: Lily Maxton Publisher: Entangled: Scandalous Length: 242 Pages Category: Historical Romance Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: A Scot's Surrender is a sweet and tender bit of escapism, low on the conflict and high on some of my favorite romantic tropes. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb:... Continue Reading →
The Novel Approach Reviews 