Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Gist As a longtime reader of Seraphina Nova Glass, I’ve come to expect certain things from her thrillers—clever plots, strong pacing, and a knack for throwing in just enough twists to keep me hooked without going off the rails. Nothing Ever Happens Here fits that mold in many ways. It’s another gripping, well-plotted story that proves once again Glass knows how to construct suspense and deliver an engaging narrative. That said, this one left me with mixed feelings, mostly because of the characters. The Details Let me start with what worked: the premise and pacing.…
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The Haunting of Ashburn House
The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates My rating: 1 of 5 stars The Gist I went into The Haunting of Ashburn House hoping for a good, spooky time—ghosts, creaking floorboards, mysterious family secrets. You know, the classic cozy horror experience. Instead, I got 300+ pages of yelling at a protagonist who seems to have the decision-making skills of a soggy paper towel. The Details Let’s talk about Adrienne, our fearless (read: clueless) main character. She inherits a creepy old house in the middle of nowhere, and instead of asking any questions about its sketchy past, she just shrugs and moves in like it’s a quaint Airbnb. Because nothing…
