Book Review: Milk, Blood Heat By Dontiel Moniz

 I picked this back list book up for a reading prompt from my local bookstore. I felt like I hadn't really been reading enough diverse books and the cover was beautiful. 

I would like any reader to recall that I am not a literary critic, and that all opinions are just my own when I admit that I really... really did not enjoy this collection of short stories. In part because I am not often a short story fan, and in part because I just...didn't. The writing is good, the stories are well constructed, and they really were self contained nuggets of Florida life.  I still...just kind of got the ick. I missed the electrifying, enchanting and thrilling aspects of a story about a teen suicide, a woman dying of cancer, and depression after a miscarriage. 

         This could be a book for a Book Club, but it would need to be a club with a skilled leader as the topics involve miscarriage, suicide, cheating, death and disease, all of which are extremely relatable in one form or fashion.  It is an excellent read for anyone studying literature or a writer wanting to improve their craft, as Moniz does handle the short story form with ease. 

I'm glad I delved into it, and I was also glad to return it to the library. One more notch on my book challenge done! 

First Published :  2/2/21

Pages: 208

Available as an Audio Book :  YES

Trigger Warnings: Disease, violence, killing/death, SA, Miscarriage, child loss, religious trauma (this is not a full list, read responsibly)

  

Book Review: All Hail Chaos By Sarah Rees Brennan

 I enjoyed this novel via Audiobook from Hachette Audio and Orbit! 

I grabbed this from Net Galley in part because Narrators Moira Quirk and Shane East. I knew they would make the fantasy elements come to life.  It was most surely not because of the cover, which, has a charm to it, but not a charm I was affected by. 

This is book 2 in a series, and I think if you're interested, reading book one is a good idea.  Rae is unwell- literally, but she's found a way to slide into her favorite unfinished fantasy novel. This is the dream of so many readers! In book two, her sister, - who is literally not unwell- notes that the story she remembered is not the same, but she has no idea that it's Rae who's affecting the changes and not her memory. There's a definite Fourth Wall vibe to the book that I was there for! 

   Rae's all in the world of Time of Iron- she believes it may create a cure for her disease. While most readers would jump into a hero role, Rae's solidly embraced the villain. All Hail Chaos begins right where the first book left off, and Rae is left surprised that the plot she remembers is not the plot she is living. 

This novel is tagged as a "Meta-Novel" and it lives up to this with references, and commentary to popular literary tropes, other fiction, and reader behaviors. It's funny, and tender and touching.  I felt like the representation of someone facing a serious illness was spot on, and that his book is worth reading if just for that. 

  The book does seem to fall prey to many second in a series books- lots of snappy lines, twists and some jaw dropping reveals, but not very much movement of the plot. 

That said, I had a good time with this read. The narration helped me move swiftly through the chapters. It might be one for the fantasy reader in your life- which might be you! 

First Published :  5/12/2026

Pages: 480

Available as an Audio Book :  YES

Trigger Warnings: Disease, violence, killing/death, body corruption, body horror. (this is not a full list, read responsibly)

Book Review: The Girl with a Thousand Faces by Sunyi Dean

  I requested this one on Net Galley  mostly on the strength of the cover.  I mean... look... look at this cover! 

Lucky for me, the audiobook was available  and I sunk into  the world, with the narrator Natalie Nadus disappearing in my mind, replaced by the sounds and smells of Post War Kowloon!  I love her narration because it really is transportative. After a few minutes, I am entirely immersed in the world, and forget I'm just sitting with headphones in rush hour commuting. 

  It's advertised as 'Gothic"  but I'm not sure that Gothic really applies that well to this one. While there's a lot of ghostly happenings and some horrible occurrences, I didn't have that creeping feeling of building and growing fear with this novel that I have gotten with other recent "Gothic" reads- WolfWorm (T. Kingfisher) or Japanese Gothic (Kylie lee Baker). It's got something different, a more shimmering quality than creeping dread. 

I'm going to call this the most Book Club Book I've read all year.

What makes it PERFECT for book clubs?  Well, it has a little bit of all the things that will appeal to a broad base of readers. 

Without Spoilers, Dean takes readers through a time pre- and post WWII Hong Kong and some outlying islands. This part of the narrative is meticulously researched and feels very accurate. Over top this is generously layered a dose of the supernatural- where ghosts flit in and out and can only be managed by exorcists and ghost talkers. The ghosts aren't just made entirely out of Dean's imagination, however, they are created and steeped in cultural beliefs about ghosts, and how to treat and interact with them over time. 

So all rolled into one we have historical fiction, a bit of a war drama, some messy family relations, the supernatural, and fiction that highlights cultural ideas and beliefs over time.  If that isn't a perfect book for the Book club to dive into, I don't know what is.  It's only missing a strong romance, and honestly, for the majority of book clubs, strong romances aren't the best for discussion.  (Unless of course it's the Stabby and Smoochy book club because we are all about ROMANCE) 

 I had not read Sunyi Dean before, and I think I'm going to have to pick up the backlist! 

First Published :  5/5/2026

Pages: 320

Available as an Audio Book :  YES

Trigger Warnings: Abuse, trauma, mental health, violence, ghosts, violent ghosts, War, drowning, brief mention of suicide, death, body horror (this is not a full list, read responsibly)

Book Review: Half City By Kate Golden

 I wanted to LOVE this book.  I saw it on Net Galley and decided not to request it as I already had several ARC's to give feedback on, but I popped the audiobook on hold immediately.  The cover was awesome and I wanted to love this. Did I love this?  Did you read it? Did you Love it? 

This promised to be a pretty darn good time. The premise is that a young woman - who is a demon hunter at night and a literal disaster during the day, finds herself unexpectedly invited to attend Harker University, a school for other demon hunters. 

Yes- this is magical academia, for adults. Think Harry Potter, but with adults. Think Fourth Wing without dragons.  Please, though, whatever, you think, don't think you're going to read anything unique or different. 

   This was, frankly, predictable and boring. Viv has a tragic background pasted on her. She has a loyal group of demon hunting besties and one friend who is unawares of all these things.  This friend pretty much exists as a prop. I kept hoping the friend would turn out to be more than what she was made into, but no dice. 

She agrees to attend the school in order to find out more about her tragic backstory, and finds herself attracted to the Hot professor- who's actually... a demon. 

The plot meanders around, with several breaches in the integrity of the schools "impenetrable walls"; a student goes missing, and her own friend group decides it's most appropriate to attend a lacrosse game before looking for clues about her even after they've decided her absence is fishy, and some other various "hints" being dropped as to what's about to happen. There were other odd phrases in there, such as the main character, written as an American consistently saying "I should have rang him back"  which is distinctly not in America's vernacular. In the end yes, the reveal happens and we end on a cliff hanger. 

The more I write this review, the less I like this book. So I think I should cut to the chase.  This is a book for a reader who's read Fourth Wing and really wants something almost exactly like it. I probably would have enjoyed this a lot more but it was OVER 16 HOURS on Audiobook.  It has an appearance of Teddy Hamilton, which- unfortunately for me- his voice is SO distinct now that it took me out of the story as I was like - OH  what's Teddy Hamilton doing here at the Demon Bar? 

  I gave this 3 stars. It was to me a very average book, that will appeal to some readers, but did not really even make me giggle or kick my heels at what was a somewhat cute romance. I reviewed it also for the Social Media so if you want to meander over there and give that a like, I'd appreciate it.   I was just somehow over it at 8 hours into the listen. I wanted to love this. I wanted to suspend reality and go demon hunting. I found I just wasn't up for more "sparring sessions" gates being breached for the first time in never, and the predictability of this one. Hopefully I'll land on something with a bit more substance soon! 

STATS

First Published: 12/1/26

Pages: 496

Available as an Audio Book :  Yes  16.5 hours 

Trigger Warnings:  Violence, Deception, alcohol and drug use, death, supernatural creatures, forbidden romance (professor /student both of age), kidnapping, poison

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

 

Hugo Awards nominees!!!

 I am so excited about the Hugo Awards every year! 

There are 6 books in the Best Novel category this year.  I'm  actually not entirely sure how I feel about these selections. I've read 3 of them, and have to get to the other three. 

Because I have read so many of the novels already I think I will branch out into the novella category aw well (As I've already read a few of them also!) 

Here's the rundown for Best Novel! 

BEST NOVEL NOMINEES: 

• A Drop of Corruption, Robert Jackson Bennett (Del Rey; Hodderscape)
• 
  
  
• The Everlasting, Alix E. Harrow (Tor US; Tor UK) 
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• The Raven Scholar, Antonia Hodgson (Orbit US; Hodderscape) 
• 
  
  
  
• Death of the Author, Nnedi Okorafor (Morrow; Gollancz)
• 
  
  
  
• Shroud, Adrian Tchaikovsky (Tor UK; Orbit US) 
• 
  
  
  
• The Incandescent, Emily Tesh (Tor US; Orbit UK) 
• 
  
  
  

Out of the Six, I've read A drop of Corruption, The Incandescent and Death of the Author.  I have partially read The Raven Scholar, but couldn't finish it in time for my library loan. So I will have to tackle Shroud, The Everlasting and finish up The Raven Scholar. 

From my reading the three are all strong contenders. I enjoyed all three in various ways, but I'll say that Robert Jackson Bennet's Drop of Corruption really tops the list for me. I just don't know that he can win two years in a row.  I don't think Okorafor's book was well liked, despite it being well written, with great presentation and an interesting story. I personally enjoyed it, but didn't love it. The Incandescent was great fun, but didn't have the pull of Some Desperate Glory which won a few years back. So... I've got some reading to do. 

Which ones are on your radar? Will you be joining me inreading all six?  

Book Review: Call Me Traitor by Everina Maxwell

 Call Me Traitor by Everina Maxwell is a new release for December from Macmillan/Tor. 

I was so excited about this book coming out that I requested a digital ARC from netgally and Tor.  I did not wait to see if an audiobook was coming, I just could not wait. It did take me... a hot minute to read it with my eyeballs, but I really really enjoyed the pleasure of sinking down into my couch, and opening this one up- instead of consuming this while traversing the highways and by ways. 

      Maxwell did not disappoint!  This book, for me is the whole package. It's Romantasy, but it's romantasy that really is a true fantasy. In other words, this is not a romance with a few castles and dragons added in. It really is a solid fantasy, and a solid romance, either could stand without the other. This book will reward fantasy readers with delicious, detailed unique world building, a plot with a bit of a mystery that slowly unravels and reveals itself, and complex characters that are really easy to fall in love with!  For romance readers, the world building may seem overly detailed, but the yearning between our two love interests in this slow burn will more than make up for any confusion over the world building. And, it's sapphic. 

  Now, with out any spoilers- because of course, spoilers are the worst - here's a synopsis. 

   En is a super soldier imbued with magic and programmed to obey orders no matter the cost. She's sent to support a team that is extracting traitors from a wild, rough area known as the upper peninsula.  Things, of course, do not go as planned! She encounters Tamol, who is also a soldier - who's got magic more of less in her soul. Tamol, in direct opposition to En is not programmed for anything, and seems to be the human embodiment of chaos. As events continue to push this unlikely pair together, they discover that together they have greater power. Can En and Tamol stand against all odds?  You'll want to read to find out. 

   Some readers may note that many of Maxwell's books do contain a steady solemn partner and one who's a bit flighty. Despite this similar set up- the story is wholly original and the characters are wildly different than her previous two books- Ocean's Echo and Winter's Orbit. The strength lies in the deep character development that Maxwell creates.  She doesn't info dump a tragic story over her character, instead her characters show through actions, and little moments how their life has created each flaw or strength possessed.  I felt like I'd recognize not just En and Tamol but a few of the supporting characters as well- if I saw them in line at my local coffee shop.  

On top of being a grand adventure, and romantic story, I did take some inspiration that even when one feels weak or damaged, it's still possible to make good choices and uphold what feels right. I think we need more of this in our world. So Cheers to Call Me Traitor being out in the world soon! 

STATS

First Published: 12/1/26

Pages: 480

Available as an Audio Book :  Yes 

Trigger Warnings:  Violence, magical coercion, mind control, Deception, physical injury and pain 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

 

Book Review: The Winter Folk by Jen Julian

 Appalachian Folk Horror is really seeming to have it's moment in the sun!  I hope that moment never ends, because as a Born and Raised in Appalachia  card carrying member, I love this stuff. 

 And this book, in particular is just really- something else! It pulls on my memories, and introduces new ideas, mixing in with familiar myths involving wishes granted (with additional unseen consequences). 

Jen Julian, a new author to me, really knocks this one out of the part.  I love that she got a degree at a college where I also got a degree.  We're just one degree apart (HA HA HA) 

This cover just screams Appalachia - and without being gruesome, kinda gives me the creeps in a most delicious way. It was designed by

Lisa Marie Pompilio.  Jo Wyckoff did Hand Lettering for the cover. 

    I like that this book allows one to just settle into it while reading.  

No spoilers- just some teasers:  Our main character- Vera Stoker grows up with stories of the Deer King. Her mother warns her off the Deer King, which likely makes him all the more attractive, and Vera- Moth is fascinated by the folks that come and go from Deer Lodge.  Eventually, she lands a contract at Deer Haven- a season of work for a wish granted...  (Could that be a BARGAIN? We all know that when bargains are made things may not go well for humans... at that point I was hooked!  Bringing the modern to the mythical is something that's often tried - with varying success. Julian seems to have melded the two together as we move from former times at Deerlodge to the current day. 

Readers move seamlessly between the reality of Moth's current life and her former situation- throughout the novel the uneasy sensation builds leaving readers with much to think about.  What's real?  Was it always real? Was it never real?  If it wasn't as remembered, what really happened? Moth must come to terms with the past to free her for her future. 

   While reading this, images like this just kept popping up in my head, not as Deer lodge but of the residents of folks like Vera- Moth who live in proximity to , but without access to the lodge. 

United States Resettlement Administration, Mydans, Carl, photographer. Interior of mountain farmhouse, Appalachian Mountains near Marshall, North Carolina. North Carolina United States, 1936. Mar. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017715156/.

 Now, all the pre-reviews and blurbs note that readers of T. Kingfisher and Alix E. Harrow will enjoy this book and I'd agree, but I also feel that if you're a fan of Seanen McGuire, - Jen Julian is an author you'll want to pick up- especially The Winter Folk. I definitely felt the "Every Heart a Doorway" vibes through this novel. 

This novel doesn't come out until July- but with a wintery kind of theme, it's going to be perfect to bring a chill to that July air. 

 

                                             STATS

First Published: 7/21/26

Pages: 384

Available as an Audio Book :  YES unclear on time at present

 

Trigger Warnings: Body Horror, insects and other wild animals, death

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)