My late Grandma, Mary, used to proclaim that our family descended from “a long line of Lancashire witches”. It is thanks to her I have had a lifelong interest in the supernatural and otherworldly, but have always been keenly aware that my daughter and I are preceded by centuries of female oppression. So it is … Continue reading Review: Weyward, by Emilia Hart (St. Martin’s Press)
Review: Biography of X, by Catherine Lacey (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Catherine Lacey is on my auto-read list after I was blown away by her 2020 novel, Pew, an uncanny tale not too far removed from the The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas (Le Guin). Her latest, The Biography of X, is an incredibly impressive novel, in which a widow chronicles the life of her … Continue reading Review: Biography of X, by Catherine Lacey (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Review: The Other Side of Never, edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane (Titan)
Have there always been this many Peter Pan spin-offs around? Don’t get me wrong, I love it. Christina Henry’s phenomenal novel Lost Boy is the standard to which I hold every Neverland-adjacent story. And this dark collection definitely delivered the goods. Experly edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane, The Other Side of Never brings … Continue reading Review: The Other Side of Never, edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane (Titan)
My Week in Reading – March 15th, 2023
Not an awful lot to report this week, I'm afraid. I finished two great books, Such Pretty Flowers by K.L. Cerra, and The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller. I loved this great article on Kelly Link; a reminder that her new and flawless collection White Cat, Black Dog is release at the … Continue reading My Week in Reading – March 15th, 2023
Review: The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill, by Rowenna Miller (Redhook)
I’ve read enough fantasy, and met enough sneaky fairies to know that one should never strike a bargain with the Fae. Something always goes wrong and you end up with a pink hare instead of pink hair, or something much worse. The residents of Prospect Hill don’t have any such qualms. After a rare successful … Continue reading Review: The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill, by Rowenna Miller (Redhook)
Review: Such Pretty Flowers, by K.L. Cerra (Random House)
On the surface, Such Pretty Flowers is a standard thriller; Holly is mourning the death of her brother, Dane, and it seems like his eccentric girlfriend, Maura is hiding something. Holly becomes suspicious, begins investigating Maura and Dane’s relationship, and uncovers something shocking. But it is the “something shocking” that sets this novel apart. Maura … Continue reading Review: Such Pretty Flowers, by K.L. Cerra (Random House)
My Week in Reading – March 7th, 2023
March?! Really? I'm not buying it. Anyhoo, here's what I've been up to. I finished The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas, which was obviously amazing and you all knew this. I listened to the audiobook, expertly narrated by Victoria Villareal and Lee Osorio. I'm not a big fan of romance novels, but the romance plot is … Continue reading My Week in Reading – March 7th, 2023
Review: Monstrolio, by Gerardo Sámano Córdova (Zando)
I am a big fan of unconventional tales of parenthood. Raising a child evokes such a range of emotions that, as a mother, I often question what the heck is going on. So weird, supernatural tales about children make complete sense to me. And Monstilio, the debut novel by Gerardo Samano Cordova, is an incredible … Continue reading Review: Monstrolio, by Gerardo Sámano Córdova (Zando)
Review: Our Share of Night, by Mariana Enriquez (tr. Megan McDowell) (Random House)
It’s difficult to sum up this 600+ page novel in a paragraph, but Our Share of Night is about a weird cult called The Order, who participate in grotesque rituals in the pursuit of eternal life. Tied into that is Juan, a kind of decaying demi-god, and his son Gaspar. The Order hopes that when … Continue reading Review: Our Share of Night, by Mariana Enriquez (tr. Megan McDowell) (Random House)
My Week in Reading – Feb. 23rd, 2023
Gah, combo breaker! I was doing so well updating these weekly. But here's my excuse: Nothing major, I just missed a step in my Escher painting house and crumpled. Anyhoo... Mister Magic I did a little squeak of joy when my ARC request was approved for Kiersten White's latest novel. Her previous adult novel, Hide, … Continue reading My Week in Reading – Feb. 23rd, 2023
California Reading 