Book Review: Hollow Folk By Andrew K. Clark

 As far as trends go in the Bookish World, we are continuing to see a BOOM in Appalachian Horror. I love it, and no matter what, it really does bring back memories of my Appalachian childhood which was pretty much 98% horror free. (Unless you count "Bible Release" where we were all dropped off at the Brethren Church on Wednesday afternoon to learn Bible Verses while technically at "school" - this of course seemed pretty normal to all of us and I found out later my parents decided it to allow it so we wouldn't be ostracized by the rest of the kids going.) Despite being essentially horror-free, those woods that we played in and constructed our own little kingdoms in, always had an alive feeling that I haven't duplicated anywhere else. 

So when I saw Hollow Folk up on the net-galley's  I kind of went wild for the cover. 

The cover artist is Jonathan Thunder. 

I am enthralled by the cover, and you should check out this artist, he's got some very affordable creations and then some that are amazing and out of my range.  I would really love to own a big print of this cover for the home office.  (The work office might not approve as it is just on that edge of too creepy for my very normal workspace). 

Ok, Ok So... what about the book? you say...

This book was an excellent mash up of history, mystical/magical elements and horror. There's body horror, historic horror, insect horror and the horror of surviving in current day America, all rolled into a story that felt a bit like a fever dream.  I see it's being marketed as a romance, and it does sort of have a HEA of sorts, but I'm not sure this is one that the average romantasy reader is going to enjoy. OK - To be FAIR- I think they would enjoy it, but they would find it doesn't fall into the classic romantic tropes of "who did this to you" or "only one bed". 

No Spoilers- because they are the worst. 

Ethan works the night shift at a fairly fancy hotel in the mountains.  The kind that business people and people on expensive vacations might choose, not the Super 8 or Best Western. This is a classy joint, it's not the Biltmore, but...it seems to have aspired to the Biltmore standards.  

He likes it because he doesn't have to deal with a lot of people, and he can get some grad school reading done if he finishes his work early.  He's sitting outside one hot August night and notes that while the wind seems to be kicking up- everything around him is still- the flag, the trees. There's no animals scuttling around, no bats or night birds. He shrugs it off, after mentioning it to night security guy, Kal. 

Unusual things start to happen.  Time slows. Teresa, another hotel worker shows up unexpectedly to do laundry, and from there, the three must band together to uncover just what is going on at the Holloway Resort.  As the three explore the hotel and surrounding area they encounter sins of the past, the marred history of the hotel's creation, and a deeper botanical horror that surrounds the area.  They all have reasons to want time to return to normal, but can they fix this?  To do so they must explore the mysteries of the Holloway, the mysteries held within themselves, and the mysteries of the old earth, trees and nature of this area. 

This is more than just a haunted hotel. It's more than a historic horror.  It's more than just botanic/body horror.  Put together Clark has managed to really capture the essence of modern Appalachia drawing in the historic and natural events which come together to create this long terrifying night at the hotel. 

   If there is a weakness to this novel, I think it was maybe not tied up exactly as well as I would have liked. The ending is solid, but being a very fact based person, I really wanted to know just a bit more about how Teresa exists, her ties to the earth and insect life, and I really wanted to meet Kal's new bride! 

That said, this is sure to please any horror fan, any fan of folklore novels, and those just looking for a scary story for the season. 

One last thing, Mr. Clark, I'd love to know if you based the title on the 1933 study by Sherman and Henry by the same name? 

 STATS

First Published:  September 2026

Pages: 274

Available as an Audio Book :  No 

Trigger Warnings: violence, ghosts, sexual content, insects, animal gore, religion 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

It's Hugo Award Eve!

 Tomorrow evening at 8Pm Pacific Time, the Hugo Awards will be awarded.  (cue sad trombones, for that very awkward sentence.) 

I'm pleased to say that I have read all 6 of the contenders for best Novel, and also several of the contenders for best Novella.  

Since I have read all 6 of the Nominees, I feel like I really should be making a prediction. Last year I predicted incorrectly, but the novel I would have chosen if I had gone with my heart, won. This year, I am again torn.  Firstly these 6 are all strong contenders.  They were all pretty much bangers, well written, well composed, addressed interesting issues in unusual ways. None of these were novels I finished and forgot about. 

That said, I did have my favorites. If you follow the blog you won't be surprised that I adored Robert Jackson Bennett's book two in the Ana and Din series, Emily Tesh's The Incandescent and also the Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson.  You might be surprised to find that I did not really enjoy Alix Harrow's The Everlasting, and that I was impressed by Okorafor's novel but I honestly didn't enjoy the reading of it. And Tchaikovsky.  Well.  He is a brilliant writer, but I do not think he is exactly the writer for me. Many of his novels seem incredibly inventive, until one has read several and then suddently it's always disgruntled academics, and insectoid creatures (that said Preaching to the Choir, a new novella he put out, has my heart, I loved that one, insects and all) . 

For me my TOP contenders are The Raven Scholar  and A Drop of Corruption. The Incandescent was a book that I really really enjoyed, but when compared to the others in this list, it just didn't pack the same punch as Some Desperate Glory did. If I was giving the award, I think I might just give it to Robert Jackson Bennett, AGAIN.  But honestly if I was giving the award, I might just go with The Raven Scholar, since Mr. Bennett won last year.   I do feel like A Drop of Corruption is superior to the first book, but still... I don't know that people should hog awards year after year.  Looking at Hugo's of the past, I do see that this has occasionally happened, so it could happen again. 

The Raven Scholar was fascinating to me because when I describe it to others, it sounds like a very standard fantasy novel, but at every opportunity Hodgson injects twists that I did not expect, lore that makes the world feel familiar and foreign at the same time, and characters that are hard to forget. 

So frankly, if I had all the power, I would choose Hodgson's The Raven Scholar. 

Do I think the Raven Scholar will win? 

I feel like that may be a No. 

From watching reviews and discussion, I am going to predict that actually Alix Harrow's The Everlasting may take the podium.  I personally do not like time travel and this novel... was heavily time travel. I also sort of got sick of the circular time frame and once I realized that there would be some sort of success in this desperate battle, I mostly wanted the repetitive time loops to just.. cease and desist. Others did not feel as I did and I saw so many 5 star reviews from readers all over the world. Readers who normally read only romantasy were all over this book.  Sci-Fi readers enjoyed  the time bending aspects, and others just thought it was a great story overall.   

I don't think I'll be mad if Harrow's novel takes top spot. It's well written, and although I had issues with it, I was still able to finish it, and I did enjoy many aspects of the novel. 

I look forward to waking up tomorrow evening around 11-12 eastern and finding out who prevailed.  let me know if you have predictions in the comments!!!! 

Book Review: THe Grand Couvert By Eoghan Brunkard

   The Grand Couvert is a surprising novel I picked up because it had a Black Cat on the Cover. 

I'm not extremely into Black Cats or Grand Couverts  BUT, I had a reading prompt to read a book with a Black Cat on the Cover.  NOW.  I am fairly sure the person who did this bookstore reading prompt expected me to pick up some fluffy Halloween themed Rom-Com.  I was down for that, but this popped up on NetGalley and did look infinitely more interesting than a standard Rom -com.  

This was a unique read for me and I was sort of surprised and oddly charmed at every twist and turn in this novel. 

Probably my favorite twist was learning how the cat actually fit in to all of the business goings on at the time of the French Revolution. 

The French Revolution- yes it's the French Revolution, and we have a  reluctant participant- hero Edouard, who crosses paths with Edouard and offers him a chance he can't refuse.  All he has to do is find a secret relic.  And off we go... Edouard, and his team (who are ready for all adventure!) find themselves hot on the relic's trail.  They are, of course pursued by a Comte, or is that a Cat? You'll want to read to find out! 

I enjoyed this novel which was full of wry humor, and twists around every turn. This is a good one to buddy read with your history buff friend, as it's fictional but also highly accurate. 

   STATS

First Published:  05/01/2025

Pages: 332

Available as an Audio Book :  No 

Trigger Warnings: violence, political upheaval, death, troublesome feline, classicism

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

Book Review: The Oxygen Farmer, By Colin Holmes

  I found this novel while browsing through my library's audiobook collection. I was itching to get back to some Outer Space reading for my 2026 theme, and I was also looking for books that would fulfill any one of the prompts for the Hardest Reading Challenge You'll Ever Do. Voila. 

I do like the cover. It gives off a very 1980's Sci-Fi Vibe, and the character on the cover, does somehow capture the stubborn, ornery main character of the novel.  Sadly, I cannot find any credit for who designed the cover or did the art work, so I am deeply hoping this isn't AI. 

   

 Millennium Harrison is your typical farmer. He's elderly, crusty, dusty, and ornery. Oh, and he farms oxygen, on the Moon. No matter that he's estranged from much of his family, even grumpy, he would give the shirt off his back (even if it mean being exposed to radiation in immense amounts) to save you if he could. He's also- curious. When he stumbles on an area of the moon that has equipment he isn't expecting, he starts to ask questions. And while he's 
just asking questions- the questions turn out to be rather dangerous. They set into action a series of events that tumble and cascade like a set of dominos. There's a cover -up, decades old governmental secrets, and political scheming - all while Mil and his found and actual family are just trying to live their lives. Who will prevail? You'll want to read to find out. 

Holmes has created a very believable Sci-Fi novel drawing on recent international events. There is a good blending of plot, hard sci-fi elements and character arcs to bring in multiple types of readers. I enjoyed this novel, but, I admit- I didn't find it all consuming. The plot wrapped up maybe a little TOO neatly there at the end, but I can't complain too much as it was very satisfying that way! 

The audiobook was narrated by Keith Szarabajka. He did an amazing job, because 1 day later as I am writing this, I was thinking what an amazing job he did capturing the husk of Mil's 83 yr old voice, while also narrating the story smoothly - and also wondering who voiced the women in the novel.  Yeah.  It was ALSO Keith. He's not one of the narrators well known to me like Eunice Wong or Teddy Hamilton, but I'm a fan of Keith now. 

    STATS

First Published:  December 5, 2023

Pages: 320

Available as an Audio Book : YES!  (9 hrs) 

Trigger Warnings: violence,  nudity, , murder, medical trauma, torture, difficult family relations, Death of spouse, Death of parent. 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

Book Review: Blood Rising by Markus Redmond

   I saw Blood Rising pop up on NetGalley in audio book form and I JUMPED at it. Thank you to RB media.  I was so excited to get approved for this one that I listened to it very quickly!  

This is Book two in The Blood Saga, which I think is going to be a trilogy.  Book One is Blood Slave.

Blood slave is set mostly in 1710 in the Carolinas on a horrific plantation- though one could argue that it was a typical plantation. We meet multiple characters including Rafazi, who is the lone survivor of the Ramanga, an ancient vampire tribe from Africa.  Vampires have very long lives and Rafazi has been enslaved - sort of - since 1407. Rafazi works to build a supernatural following that will challenge the status quo.  

It is a powerful book and highlights the absolute violence of daily plantation life. It's one that really brings up a lot of uncomfortable topics, and as it is historically inspired, and blended with the supernatural, it really opens up so many ideas. I really liked it. 

So of course, I was excited to get Blood Rising.  I've sort of sworn off requesting anything but audiobooks since I am still trying to review 8 regular net galley books. 

Blood Rising is narrated by Akin Omotoso and Waceke Wambaa who are both veteran voice actors- bringing the story to life.  While it isn't a graphic audio, the way that the characters were voices gave it a very "graphic audio" feel to me.  A movie in my head quickly developed and I could really SEE the characters as the audio book was playing. 

Blood Rising pick up on the reclaimed plantation- The Crimson Plantation and works through both external threats that are both human and supernatural, while working to resolve some internal disagreements. The intrigue was intense and I was never sure what was going to come next.  There was a lot of character development, especially for the character Kwadzo as he moves into more of leader position while navigating newly developed supernatural skills.  In addition we see introduction of new characters- both heroes and villains, and a dive into some of the background lore of these vampires, and their skills. 

My biggest sadness... Cliffhanger. There is a massive cliffhanger, that I can't wait to hear what happens in book 3! 

STATS

First Published: August 25, 2026

Pages: 432

Available as an Audio Book : YES! 

Trigger Warnings: violence, gore, slavery, systemic abuse, nudity, kidnapping, murder, medical trauma, torture, mental illness, supernatural abuse. 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

Book Review The Eye of Goliath by Diego Muzzio

 This book has been described as a new, inventive twist on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but frankly, I didn't see that come through. It may be that my familiarity with Hyde and Jekyll are a bit limited.  

This book was published originally in 2022 in Spanish.  It is now coming out in an English Translation on September 1! 

I've been reading a lot of weird girl books- and I was pretty happy to find this book nearly 90% populated with "weird" men. Also I love this dramatic cover, it was perfect. 

  We start with war  veteran Dr. Edward Pierce. He's a psychiatrist who's specializing in hypnosis, and treating well heeled war veterans with problems that lend themselves to being tucked into a Scottish manor well enough away from major city centers.  Dr. Pierce is attempting to use hypnosis for treatment, while most of the others in his profession are experimenting with electro-shock and other such treatments. Indeed a sort of subplot, or concurrent plot is Pierce's relationships with his colleagues across Europe, as he attempted to establish himself as pre-eminent. 

One day he admits a patient, a fellow war veteran, who had returned to his job as an Engineer, but after a subsequent traumatic experience on the job, has developed mutism and an inability to stop "swimming".

The patient is admitted and Pierce soon becomes fully committed to this unfortunate man, forsaking all other patients, and leaving them for his colleague.

Readers are given an opportunity to delve into the horror of war, and how it mangles all those it touches, and the subsequent horrors awaiting even those who came through that war unscathed.  I enjoyed this book, though I did find it a bit "dense" for only about 197 pages. I was personally a bit disappointed that certain parts of the story seemed to have very abrupt switches with little explanation, but such is the situation when one has multiple unreliable narrators! 

Will the be for everyone?  Maybe not.  But if one is looking for an atmospheric, somewhat terrifying horror novel that ties in both the supernatural and actual horror, this is one to check out.  I would LOVE to have this in an audiobook format, and that might have increased my enjoyment. In addition, reading it as a buddy read with a committed buddy might have also enhanced my enjoyment!  Many Many thanks for Pushkin Press for the advance E-Arc! I hope to see a lot of folks reading this for Spooky Season. 

STATS

First Published  2022  English edition 9/1/26

Pages: 192

Available as an Audio Book : hopefully 

Trigger Warnings: Animal cruelty, war violence, references to murder, actual murder, mental health, drug use, angry animals, hallucination.

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

Book Review: Demons and Diplomacy by Megan Frampton

 Oh how I have digressed from my outer space theme!  I sometimes cannot help just reading whatever strikes my fancy.

No fear- I am currently not happily reading an account of the Gemini missions and will report back on that as well.

But I digress. 

I picked this up as a "read now" from Berkley and I found it to be just a perfect summer read! 

Imagine you're living in Victorian England, specifically 1851.  Things aren't quite as the history books instruct. Yes, Prince Albert and Queen Victoria are present.  Yes the great exhibition is going to open. BUT - hear me out-  Victoria is a vampire...and she isn't the only supernatural creature in town! 

Readers meet Cora, who is an Ombudsman to the supernatural community. She's smart, savvy and organized.  She's the glue that holds things together and she enjoys making sure that everyone is treated equally. The Great Exhibition is too tempting for some Supernatural beings and Cora soon finds herself planning for, and escorting the actual Devil  for this event. 

And as luck would have it the Devil, has a devilishly handsome son- Marcellus. 

Sparks fly fairly early on in this novel, and once they do, things are complicated by the discovery of a secret plot to disrupt the peace, and she and Marcellus must join forces to combat this. 

I enjoyed this interesting mix of actual history with obvious "not history"  clearly Queen Victoria was never a vampire, but it's fun to think about what might be if she were! Cora is a fun main character, and I enjoyed her "can do it" attitude. Marcellus was an extremely typical broody, morally gray romance figure and fit very well into this novel. Neither character has a huge amount of depth, but the movel moved along without this character development. 

This was my first novel by Megan Frampton, and I think I would read more from her, especially when seated in a beach chair enjoying the breeze! 

STATS

First Published  August 25 2026 

Pages: 352

Available as an Audio Book : probably!  

Trigger Warnings: moments of questionable consent, insects

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

 

Book Review: One Shattered Crown By Rebecca Zanetti

   I picked this audiobook off of NetGalley in order to fulfill a prompt for a "re-re-re-telling" of a fairytale. 

In general I do not like Re-tellings. They just don't do it for me. Other LOVE them, but for me, I want something a little more original.  And YES- I know it's sometimes even more of a challenge to make a well know tale "fresh" or original. 

And thus we have One Shattered Crown

It does come with beautiful sprayed edges and a vibrant cover. Of course, my audiobook did not come with that cover! :) 

This is a Cinderella re-telling that is sure to be a big hit for Book Tok Romance readers.  We meet Ella and Justice, two young folk from two powerful tech companies and add in the Irish Mafia, and you may be seeing where this is going.

Ella is the disowned heir to a social media giant.  She's delicate like a Pixie, and a wild risk taker with a soft heart. She is stubborn and tough, but also of course, tiny and vulnerable. 

Justice is the tough Mob Boss who also heads up a different social media giant.  He's wary of Ella, as she is dangerous, but also- exceedingly attractive, so much so that the fact that she infected his brother with a virus that almost killed him doesn't really phase him. He has to have her. Justice is bound and determined to protect the reckless Ella, even when she requests that he cease and desist.

We can see where this is headed?  If you cannot, you have not read many of these romances. 

I enjoyed this novel.  It fits the mode of the mafia romance without any unusual twists or turns. I felt like the re-telling aspect was more of a nod to the basic Cinderella story, and this remake in the modern world, with  cell phones, high speed cars, and on-line presence really made it stand out as original in that sense. 

The Narration of this book by Emma Wilder and Lance Greenfield made the listen entirely enjoyable.  Both voice actors voiced the characters exactly as I imagined them in my mind!  I don't recall having either of these narrators prior to this book, so I am excited to discover new narrators that I enjoy! 

Readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers, morally gray characters, and dark romance with power imbalances will want to add this to their shelves.  Many Thanks to RB Media for the Advanced Listener Copy. 

STATS

First Published  July 28, 2026 

Pages: 400

Available as an Audio Book : Yes  

Trigger Warnings: Animal cruelty, death of parent, gore, guns, drugs, kidnapping, assassination attempts, Dub Con.

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

 

Women in Translation Month

 I have been trying for two years to increase my reading in translation, and August is Women in Translation Month!

So while I haven't read ALL the translated literature, I feel like I can offer a variety of suggestions for all sorts of readers!  For variety sake- I have decided not to feature the most popular authors such as Isabel Allende, or  Olga Tokarczuk. Since anyone can easily discover those works.

For those interested in Horror and History-  I recommend Mariana Enriquez  Our Share of the Night. 

After a woman dies, her husband and son embark on a wild and chaotic journey with her unconventional, possibly demonic family. 

I loved this novel, and I like that it was also translated by a woman.  Although it is an investment in time, I was entranced by the writing and the bizarre twists and turns of the novel. 

If Horror isn't you thing and you'd prefer a spicy romance - Let me introduce you to Only After We Met  by Alice Kellen. 

Don't let the name fool you. Alice is a Spanish writer and the translator was A. Nathan West (not a female translator, alas) 

Our main characters Rhys and Ginger meet in Paris and spend one unforgettable night together.  Readers follow their lives, keeping in touch via email. I won't give away the ending, but it's sure to interest thos who like a HEA ending. 

In keeping with the Romance theme: Mona Kasten is a German author whose popular Maxton Hall Series has been translated into English by Rachel Ward! 

This is an intense enemies to lovers in an academic setting romance.  Just what Book Tok ordered! 

If steamy romance isn't your thing-  The Aunt who wouldn't Die  by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay. This was translated from Bengali by Arunava Sinha.  Somlata is recently married into a family of decaying wealth.  After an Auntie passes on, Somlata finds herself haunted by the Auntie.  

Readers experience several generations of women all living in close proximity. Fast paced, and funny at times, this one is one I am currently enjoying. 

And the Last one I'd recommend- but definitely not the least: Half a Lifelong romance by EIleen Chang, translated by Karen Kingsbury. 

Set in the 1930's Shanghai, an Engineer falls in love, but is thwarted at every turn, encouraged to marry for wealth, and family ties, he persists in his desire to marry his true love. Will the star crossed lvoers find each other?  You'll have to read to find out! 

There are so many good books in translation!  Which ones did I miss? 

Book Review: The Burn Line by Jonathan Sims

 I picked up the Burn Line by Jonathan Sims  as part of "Camp Net Galley 2026"  This is a fun little event where they put on offer 10-20 or so books  and if readers complete the book and review within the Camp time frame, they receive a cute badge.

Now, there were a lot of people saying "will this help me get approved on Net Galley more?"  and I do not think having the Camp Net Galley badge is prestigious but, I know it's a lot of fun.  in 2025, I discovered Canticle by Janet Rich Evans, and loved the book so much I purchased it as a gift for my Mom. 

SO this year, I was HYPED for Camp Net Galley.  Unfortunately my new job was also "HYPED" for me to work some incredible hours. 

I have still managed one book, though I wanted to read about 5 of them on offer. 

 

 I chose the Burn Line by Jonathan Sims. 

Did I choose this in part because of the cover?  HECK YES! 

Looks at the cover! The interesting thing about book covers is that there is an artist , but also a designer who brings that cover to life and makes it just JUMP out of a shelf to catch your attention. 

Cover Art: Andreea Dumuta

Cover Design: Erin Fitzsimmons  SO- KUDOS to these two individuals who made me want to select this one out of all the choices. 

I really enjoyed this slow burn, tension filled horror novel. 

As a "synopsis" with no spoilers: 

 

5 perfectly normal individuals-who are wildly divergent come together in a London Underground tube car during the hottest summer on record. As the story opens, the writing had me immediately picturing each character as they endured the ride while trying to maintain composure in the hear. 

Passengers experience a sensation of disorientation/disassociation which they all seem to chalk up to the heat.  They notice they have somehow gotten an oily gray film on their hands or other body parts, and also shrug that off as just part of the tube. Everyone is going about their daily life, but they all feel unsettled. Soon, the feeling grows, and these unlikely travel companions feel like they are being stalked by something very old and very evil. This of course is no way to live in the modern era.  This unlikely group of underground companions must somehow find each other again, recover those moments of disorientation and find a way to stop this evil before they become the next victims.   

I loved the character development in this novel, readers meet wildly divergent characters who must work deeply with each other, and each of them must move out of their comfortable circles to achieve even the possibility of success. 

Although there were some parts of the book that kind of dragged a bit for me, they seemed necessary for the ongoing character development over the course of the novel. 

 This is a very good combination of classic horror elements with a modern setting.  I enjoyed this one from Jonathan Sims and I would read more from this author. 

STATS

First Published  August 25, 2026 

Pages: 384

Available as an Audio Book : Unsure  (I hope so!) 

Trigger Warnings:  classism, death, death of parent, gore, guns, drugs, transphobia, mental health, vomit, racism 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

Book Review: Preaching to the Choir by Adrian Tchaikovsky

    Those who have followed my reading escapades know that I am a little lukewarm on Adrian Tchaikovsky.  As a writer, he's a master.  It's just that sometimes even though his Sci-Fi is masterful, and very well put together, I just, kind of don't love it. 

So, I can  not really explain why I decided I needed to read Preaching to Choir, but... if you take a gander at the stunning cover, you might understand. 

This Cover was done by the amazing Gemma Sheldrake (also known as petitecreme), Without this cover, I likely would have avoided it. 

So glad I spent the time to delve into this novella.  It was so very different when compared to Shroud, or Alien Clay. I LOVED it. and psst- there are some amazing illustrations/photos in the novella as well. 

Coming in at a cool 176 pages this is a perfect read for "Summerween" It gives off the most delicious creepy gothic vibes, and I had a great time reading this. 

Without any Spoilers- Readers meet an international couple, Elena And Ross. Ross is British and well heeled, Elena's had to work hard to get where she is- which is attending a prestigious American med school.  Elena and Ross are headed to his old family estate for some sort of once in a lifetime family gathering.  As they approach the house, things get creepy- but Elena's sure she's just imagining things.  She breathes a sigh of relief when the doors swing open- only to get the most unwelcoming welcome ever. Elena, being tough, decides to stick around, until it becomes apparent she's Hotel California'd herself and well... can she leave?  Should she leave? Reader's will want to pick up this slim volume to find out. 

  Readers can expect signature Tchaikovsky Macabre moments, as well as incisive commentary on power, influence and money as well as the lengths people will go to obtain said things. 

This reader wants more of this from Adrian Tchaikovsky.   Thanks to Solaris, a division of Simon and Schuster for the advanced reading copy. 

STATS

First Published  August 11, 2026 

Pages: 176

Available as an Audio Book : Unsure  

Trigger Warnings:  violence, murder, death, monsters, racism, classism, creepy house vibes. 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

Book Review: The Jewel and The Comet

 This book was quite a surprise for me. It was advertised as "A quirky new space opera featuring charming characters and sarcastic spaceships"  SIGN ME UP. 

I am going to add in that this book also has quite a lot of reference to gendered-ness, pronouns and the kink community, which I did not expect from the description. While I didn't have an issue with this, somehow, I did not really expect it to be essentially the main focus at the beginning while we are also setting up the story.  I especially didn't expect it to feature so heavily in most of the chapters. I think that this is mainly just sort of an expectation issue rather than it not working for the story.  

Tim Pratt expands on his prior novel "The Knife and The Serpent" but this book can be read as a Stand-alone. Readers meet Vivy  ( a super spy!) and Gwen/Glenn (a gender-fluid grad student who's perfectly normal, except for being trained for a super-secret society, and being active in the kink community.) While these two items don't readily pair up like Peanut Butter and Jelly, I feel that Pratt does make it work. 

Glenn/Gwen and Vivy are dispatched on high stakes missions and separated from each other. For Vivy this is pretty standard, but for Gwen/Glenn, it is completely new and they only have a sentient space ship for help.  Of course, the Space Ship is one snarky ship as well. 

This is a wild ride- a character focused adventure where it seems like anything can happen. I did like that despite the heavy character growth focus, this isn't just a book using Space as a backdrop- the multi-verse is unique and fascinating, in fact I found the descriptions of the multiverse and it's workings to be my favorite part of the novel! 

   I appreciated they way Pratt draws a character and really brings the characters to life on the page.  The plot moves at a very fast pace, and the story is well imagined. If you're interested in a futuristic story with a bite (a kinky bite that is) - this will eb one you'll want to put on your TBR. 

I am so appreciative to Net Galley and Angry Robot for the Advanced Reader Copy for me to read and review. 

STATS

First Published  August 18, 2026 

Pages: 400

Available as an Audio Book : Unsure  

Trigger Warnings:  violence, murder, death, references and descriptions of kink community.

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

July Reading Wrap Up

  I KNOW we are 4 days into August but I think I still have time for a quick reading wrap up. 

This "new job" has really got me turned around.  I broke my own rule about requesting audio only, and thus I find myself buried in actual books that I need to read with my actual eyes. And then, I also have to make various reviews. Whew. 

I am not doing the request-a-pal-loo-za again. Because it means I am doing...small videos like this. 

Instead of more interesting ones like THIS. 

And... I'm behind on all sort of reviews. 

So here we are. In July I finished 14 books. 

Books in Translation:  ZERO  I took NONE. I am so sad about this, and since August is Women in Translation Month, I am hopeful for my August. 

Books by Diverse Authors: Also seems to have taken a huge hit.  I read 4 books by authors who I could discern that they are Diverse in some way 28% Not terrible, but I wanted it to be better. 

One of my favorites was indeed Road to Ruin by Hana Lee.  This book is criminally underrated.

Books that relate to my Outer Space Theme: 4/14 or another 28%  I'm disappointed that although I tried I failed to finish any instructional, non-fiction books about space, and mostly stuck to the Space Opera style novels.  

Otherwise I read a romance with my Book club which was not the best and not the worst. 

And some top Notch regular fiction.  A Penance for Crows by Shannon Morgan was amazing, as was The Raven Scholar, and Whalesong! 

So while it wasn't a month that moved my goals along that well, it was a very enjoyable one for reading. 

August looks to be a month ot tidying up, and so hopefully there will be plenty of reviews forthcoming!  I want to clear out my NetGalley list! 
 

Book Review: Shadow of Dragons by Jacob Peppers

 I'm usually a bit hesitant to pick up completely unknown authors on Net Galley, but for some reason, I decided I have not had enough dragons in my life. And thus, Shadow of Dragons made it onto my TBR. 

I am extremely grateful to Bookouture Audio and Second Sky Books for this audio version.  My eyes have been having a huge amount of trouble with the air conditioning required in summer these days, and I am reading but very very slowly, so having this on audio meant that I did indeed go on this dragon adventure in my car, while washing dishes and walking the dog. 

 Overall, I enjoyed this story which flows really well.  Our main character is Nolan, an orphan with a chip on his shoulder.  He also had a strange birthmark that occasionally warms his chest when he's upset. He knows that people say it's the mark of the cursed, and he isn't one to argue as his life indeed seems cursed. 

Nolan wants revenge against a man who killed a relative, but frankly speaking, I think Nolan is just angry and can;t find a place for that anger, so- revenge it is. He's living in an empire where dragons had vanished when a group of creatures who use ice and stone invaded and conquered. Life for Nolan is miserable, and one day when he attempts to change it in dramatic fashion he becomes one of the empire's most wanted. 

Luckily for Nolan, he is rescued by a talented Swordsman with a sharp tongued daughter, and together they travel to an area of secrecy- and Nolan learns that "he's got the magic in him" Shenanigans ensue. 

   I did overall enjoy this novel.  After listening to about 3 hours of the book, I really did want to know what happened to Nolan and Sarah, and the Empire.  The dialogue is a bit bumpy- and the honor and valor message is very heavy at times, but in general this is an interesting, engaging fantasy. 

STATS

First Published  August 4, 2026 

Pages: 392

Available as an Audio Book : Yes 

Trigger Warnings:  violence, murder, death, fire injury, parental death, child death, 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)