Where Fiction and Reality Meet
Title: Model Home Author: Rivers Solomon Publisher: MCD Books Length: 286 Pages Category: Psychological Horror Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Model Home is one of those books that people seem to either love or loathe, with very little middle ground. It's that kind of story, one in which readers become frustrated with the telling... 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: Teach the Torches to Burn Series: Remixed Classics: Book Seven Author: Caleb Roehrig Publisher: Feiwel & Friends Length: 372 Pages Category: Teen/YA Romance, Historical Romance Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: In Caleb Roehrig's enormously sublime reimagining of the classic tale, the patriarchy is the villain, and it's the forbidden friendship that develops between... Continue Reading →
Title: Camp Damascus Author: Chuck Tingle Publisher: Tor Nightfire Length: 256 Pages Category: Horror Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Chuck Tingle poured a lot of feeling into this novel, and it resonates. Camp Damascus is a story about a young woman growing up and growing away from her childhood, becoming her own person, told... Continue Reading →
Title: Lavender House Author: Lev AC Rosen Publisher: Tor Forge Length: 288 Pages Category: Historical (1950s), Murder Mystery Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: I'm not sure what the author's plans are for Andy, but the Evander Mills Mysteries seems like a great title for a series, and Andy is a character I'd happily get... Continue Reading →
Titles: Finna and Defekt Series: The LitenVerse: Books One and Two Author: Nino Cipri Publisher: Tor/Macmillan Length: 103 Pages/170 Pages Category: Sci-Fi/Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars/5 Stars At a Glance: Nino Cipri’s imagination is so impressive, and their knack for inspiring my own vision of a place that was fraught with danger, but shouldn’t have been,... 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: Summer Sons Author: Lee Mandelo Publisher: Tor Books/Macmillan Length: 336 Pages Category: Southern Gothic, Horror Rating: 4.5 Stars At a Glance: Lee Mandelo’s writing is evocative and provocative, and they tell a complex story with plenty of chills for Horror fans. Summer Sons is some taut and tantalizing Southern Gothic. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb:... Continue Reading →
Title: Under the Whispering Door Author: TJ Klune Publisher: Tor Books/Macmillan Length: 400 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 4.5 Stars At a Glance: This story sparkles when it delves into those quiet moments where two people share their loneliness, and they become not quite so lonely anymore. It is exquisite when it reminds us to slow... Continue Reading →
Title: The Fell of Dark Author: Caleb Roehrig Publisher: Macmillan Publishing Length: 384 Pages Category: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy At a Glance: Excellent world building, a creative use of historical figures, and an abundance of danger and intrigue come together to make The Fell of Dark one of the best books I've read so far... Continue Reading →
Title: Only Mostly Devastated Author: Sophie Gonzales Publisher: Macmillan Publishing Length: 272 Pages Category: YA/Teen Romance, Contemporary Romance At a Glance: Only Mostly Devastated succeeds in every single way it aimed to. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: Will Tavares is the dream summer fling—he’s fun, affectionate, kind—but just when Ollie thinks he’s found his Happily Ever... Continue Reading →
Title: Birthday Author: Meredith Russo Publisher: Flatiron Books/Macmillan Publishing Length: 275 Pages Category: Teen Fiction At a Glance: Author Meredith Russo has delivered another win with her sophomore release, a story of lifelong best friends, a coming-of-age story, a coming-to-terms story, and a story of the courage to face, and then live, one’s own truth... Continue Reading →
Title: If I Was Your Girl Author: Meredith Russo Publisher: Macmillan/Flatiron Books Length: 288 Pages Category: Contemporary Romance, Teen Romance At a Glance: There is a reason this book has won so many awards and garnered all the accolades. It is, hands down, one of the most candidly beautiful novels I’ve read so far this... Continue Reading →
Title: Red, White & Royal Blue Author: Casey McQuiston Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin/Macmillan Length: 425 Pages Category: Contemporary Romance, New Adult At a Glance: Red, White & Royal Blue earns every last one of its heart-tugs and includes more than a few memorable scenes and quotable lines—there’s absolutely nothing that isn’t romantic about, as Alex... Continue Reading →
Title: Black Wings Beating Series: The Skybound Saga: Book One Author: Alex London Publisher: Macmillan Length: 432 Pages Category: Young Adult, Fantasy At a Glance: Overall, there’s some really nice world building to enjoy in this story, but it’s home to characters that I didn’t grow to care for in spite of the author’s efforts... Continue Reading →
Title: Anger Is a Gift Author: Mark Oshiro Publisher: Tor Teen Length: 464 Pages Category: Teen Fiction, Literary Fiction At a Glance: This novel is timely, it’s political, it’s socially aware, and it’s an important read. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: Moss Jeffries is many things—considerate student, devoted son, loyal friend and affectionate boyfriend, enthusiastic nerd.... Continue Reading →
Title: The Prince and the Dressmaker Author/Illustrator: Jen Wang Publisher: First Second/Macmillan Category: Young Adult, Fairy Tale, Graphic Novel Length: 288 Pages Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: The graphics are as bright and engaging as the narrative is warm and heartfelt in this story about being true to oneself. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: Paris,... Continue Reading →
Title: A Simple Suburban Murder Series: Tom and Scott Mysteries: Book One Author: Mark Richard Zubro Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin/Macmillan Length: 224 Pages Category: Mystery/Suspense At a Glance: Despite some reservations, I felt this was an intriguing start to a fine mystery series and an above average debut for a now seasoned author. Reviewed By:... Continue Reading →
Title: Cover Up (Skin Deep Inc.: Book Three) Author: L.A. Wit Publisher: Swerve/Macmillan Length: 251 Pages Category: Contemporary At a Glance: Cover Up wasn’t my favorite of Witt’s books, but it was still a good read. Reviewed By: Jules Blurb: After ten years of blissful marriage, Navy Pilot Nate Chandler is divorcing his cheating husband.... Continue Reading →
Title: Back Piece (Skin Deep Inc.: Book One) Author: L.A. Witt Publisher: Swerve/Macmillan Length: 316 Pages Category: Contemporary At a Glance: This was a hot, emotional story with awesome characters. Reviewed By: Queue Blurb: Colin Spencer is a tattoo artist with a past he’d prefer to keep a secret. Actually, he has a few secrets... Continue Reading →
Title: Jess, Chunk, and the Road Trip to Infinity Author: Kristin Elizabeth Clark Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Sold by Macmillan Publishing) Pages: 272 Pages Category: Teen Fiction, New Adult Fiction, LGBT Fiction At a Glance: I’d recommend this for friends-to-lovers fans and trans fiction fans, alike. Reviewed By: Ben Blurb: The last time Jess... Continue Reading →
The Novel Approach Reviews 