Fatherland by Ginevra Mancinelli is a fantasy novel about vengeance, pain, love, glory, and so much more.
I really enjoyed this book not only for the great descriptions and writing, but also the Games of Thrones-y vibe, what with some of the gore, wording, and politics, but Fatherland is very much it’s own story with it’s own unique universe and tale.
Read MoreAmerican Monsters: Part 2 is a multi-author horror anthology. Each story offers a unique take on different North American (Canada, US, Mexico, and the Caribbean Islands) folklore, myths, and legends about monsters from the region.
Part 2 is the sixth of this monster series, and after reading this book, I want to go back and read the others!
Read MoreWearing Skin: 12 Devilishly Dark Horror Short Stories by Simon Paul Woodward is a quick horror read with some stories that’ll stick with you for a long time afterward.
Woodward has a way of bringing the reader into his world with every story. Some of these tales are remarkably different from each other, but it works. I’m going to focus on my three favorite stories, “Children of Ink," “Still Lives in Motion,” and “The Galilean Manoeuvre.” Woodward has other great stories, but these spoke to me the most.
Soul on Fire by Shannon Lane is an uplifting story about friendship, love, and self-discovery.
Our protagonist, Kenna, deals with panic attacks, self-doubt, and depression. The recurring theme within this story is her willingness to accept herself, and to be, not just okay, but to be happy with her life. Yet, Kenna feels the burden of loss and rejection, which makes her believe she is incapable of change.
Read MoreProtecting His Night: The Men of River City by Nola Marie is a hot romance about a mobster named Rory and a stripper named Layla.
Once in love ten years ago, Rory leaves Layla, but he doesn’t realize all that he’s given up, not until he sees her again dressed up as a stripper, hiding her identity—and not just from him.
Read MoreFinding Innocence: Book 1 by Karen Keith is a young adult fantasy novel focused on 17-year-old Alexa Walker and her growth from living in an orphanage to starting new with a family and friends who love her.
The funny thing is, I’m not a big YA fan, yet I’m excited for book 2 to come out because I found the story so engaging. Don't get me wrong; it is very much a YA book.
Read MoreBroken Road by Shannon Lane is a sweet, contemporary romance with relatable characters and many surprises.
Our protagonist, Ellen Mannis, wants to escape her painful past and abusive ex-husband, so she finds a new job as a nanny and part-time assistant for one of the biggest names in Pittsburgh, Brennan Grant.
Read MoreBoarded Windows, Dead Leaves by Michael Jess Alexander is a short story horror collection with nine stories.
I enjoyed these stories because they brought on a refreshing take to stories we may have thought we knew. For instance, I really enjoyed “Werewolf Cemetery,” which feels like it’s going to be any old werewolf story from the title, but man, was that a ride! The depth to which Alexander can dig into in such a short amount of time, explaining a character so profoundly, made for a great read.
Read MoreMaggie’s Dream by Leslie Tall Manning uses magical realism to explore the world of a woman struggling during World War II.
I really fell in love with Maggie’s character. She has her own thoughts and desires that I feel a personal attachment to. And while I dislike many of the other characters who ordered Maggie around, I remind myself the timing in which the novel takes place. Women didn’t have as much freedom as we do now. Women were expected to act a certain way and be certain things, even if it didn’t make them happy.
Read MoreAwakening by Jennifer Leigh Pezzano is a supernatural love story about Jezebel, a business owner woman haunted by her history, and August, a man who has lived for centuries, yet still recalls the past as if it’s right in front of him, constantly hurting him.
The two characters come together after August becomes Jezebel’s client, but it turns out he wants more than just the work she offers. He wants to take in some of her energy.
Read MoreThe book Jaws by Peter Benchley may carry the same name as Spielberg’s cult classic, the two couldn’t be any more different.
The book holds a darker and more disturbing message, one that ripples through the sea as a shark and through the house within a family. I know there are many out there who didn’t enjoy the book, and maybe I wouldn’t have enjoyed it so much had I not had such a low expectation of it going in, and due to that impression, it was moderately enjoyable.
Read MorePretty Lies by Jessica Scurlock is a great debut novel with distinctive characters, action, and mystery.
Scurlock takes us into a world of totalitarian government rule. Our main character, Ivy, moves and flows through this world, believing herself to be kept safe by the Enlightened Society, once known as the United States of America. While sometimes certain aspects of the setting were difficult for me to believe, this was a fun read.
Read MoreNo Pain, No Game by Lucie Ataya is a dystopian novel that explores what would happen if convicts sentenced to death row were put up on reality TV and tortured to death.
I enjoyed this book, but just like hunger games or the movie “Purge,” the premise is a little unbelievable, sometimes breaking my suspension of disbelief. At the same time, however, who’s to say something like this WOULDN’T happen to society? We had public execution and torture during the middle ages; what makes us so different now? What TRULY separates us? Humans are still just as bloodthirsty. And if we got desperate enough, perhaps we would revert back to past mistakes.
Read MoreThe Unnaturals by Dustin Dixon is a dystopian novel about two different life forms on earth: the humans and the unnaturals.
The story centers around one of the unnaturals named “UN-27.” Stolen from his golden-skinned comrades outside the human city, he is primed, like many of his other brethren, to be part of the fiercest fighting force of the humans the world has ever known.
Read MoreThe Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is a story of love, adventure, and, most importantly, revenge.
Completed in 1844, the novel is one of Dumas' more popular works, similar to The Three Musketeers. Lesser known is the second author of the novel, Auguste Maquet. Maquet wasn't credited with the work to the same extent as Dumas due to a decision by the publisher. And since the story has two authors, there are many inconsistencies in the book, as well as slightly different tones of voice.
Read MoreEdge of Light by Jay Antani is a YA/Hard Sci-fi Adventure Thriller about seventeen-year-old Dev Harrison and his friends, dealing with the aftermath of a meteor exploding over Los Angeles.
This story hits fast and hard! There’s definitely a lot to unpack here. From a roadtrip that lands Dev and his friends in a shifty town to dealing with the FBI, this will keep you on the edge of your feet. I also really loved the chemistry between the friends. This was well-thought out and one of Antani’s strengths.
Read MoreThe Clocktower: And Other Short Stories by N. T. Laemmle is a set of modern-day fables, interwoven in a striking poetic world.
Each story is very different from the others in this collection. What connects the stories is the lesson behind each one, and while some of the lessons were so subtle I had to go back and reread the story again, others were bright and bold in my face.
Colony One by T. L. Ford is a fun sci-fi/mafia adventure story about an orphan girl named Alex Smith.
I enjoyed this story for the most part, and I think T. L. is a talented and very analytical writer, but sometimes I felt this was to a fault. The book feels like two different stories, one where Alex is on the streets and then gets involved with the mafia, and then the other is about her experience founding Colony One. And unfortunately for me, it felt like the story dragged on near the middle when she’s creating her business.
Read MoreFlowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes is a fantasy tale about a science procedure on a lab rat and a man.
The story is written as a diary by a mentally disabled man named Charlie. He and a lab rat, Algernon, have an experimental procedure done to cause their intelligence to skyrocket. This seems like a breakthrough in science, and maybe it is! But what it means is not necessarily what anyone had planned.
Read MoreDonn’s Hill by Caryn Larrinaga is a psychic mystery with great writing and interesting characters.
Larrinaga did well crafting unique characters with their own voice and personality. In fact, I think the interpersonal relationships are the crux of this story and it’s how our main character, Mackenzie Clair, learns to accept and understand herself.
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