Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett My rating: 5 of 5 stars The Gist Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands is a masterfully written sequel that deepens every element I loved in the first book. Heather Fawcett has once again crafted a story that feels like curling up by a hearth with a cup of tea—only to be swept into ancient forests, mischievous faerie courts, and the bittersweet truths of the human (and fae) heart. The Details We return to the journals of Emily Wilde, the fiercely independent and marvelously awkward dryadologist whose passion for faerie research remains unmatched. Her voice continues to shine—wry, intelligent, and deeply…
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The Dare
The Dare by Natasha Preston My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Gist The Dare by Natasha Preston is a gripping young adult thriller that doesn’t waste time pulling you into its twisted world. From the very first chapter, the story teases out guilt, trauma, and the ripple effect of one horrifying night. It’s eerie, fast-paced, and packed with enough secrets to keep you second-guessing everyone. The Details When Leah dies during a dare at a sleepover, the tragedy should have ended there. But for Mackenzie, the real horror begins after. She’s drowning in guilt and clutching a secret that could destroy everything. As threatening messages start rolling in, Mackenzie…
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The Vacancy in Room 10
The Vacancy in Room 10 by Seraphina Nova Glass My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Gist Seraphina Nova Glass once again proves her skill at crafting smart, character-driven suspense with The Vacancy in Room 10. This psychological thriller grabs you from the opening chapter and keeps the tension simmering until the final page. It’s eerie, emotional, and impossible to put down. The Details The story follows Anna Hartley, a woman who’s been through hell. She’s running from a messy life—loss, addiction, regret—and lands at the weathered Sycamore Motel, nestled along the quiet Texas coast. Her plan is to disappear. But when she learns that a woman vanished from Room…
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Starling House
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow My rating: 1 of 5 stars The Gist Starling House lured me in with its promise of Southern Gothic atmosphere, mysterious magic, and a heroine haunted by both grief and ghosts. I was ready for lyrical storytelling and a deeply unsettling house with a mind of its own. What I got instead was a meandering non-story drowning in its own metaphors—and a narrator whose dreamy tone nearly lulled me into a coma. The Details A Plot as Hollow as the House I’m not even sure how to describe the plot. The setup takes forever, the stakes feel imaginary, and the so-called climax arrives so…
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The Frozen River
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon My rating: 1 of 5 stars The Gist Let’s be honest: historical fiction often walks a fine line between reverence and reinvention. In The Frozen River, that line isn’t just crossed—it’s erased. Ariel Lawhon dramatizes the life of Martha Ballard, an 18th-century midwife whose actual diary inspired the Pulitzer Prize-winning A Midwife’s Tale by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. But instead of adding something new, this version repackages history into fiction that feels simplified, flattened, and uncomfortably polished. The Details Martha Ballard wasn’t a fictional construct. She lived, worked, and recorded the world around her with honesty and grit. Her diary opened a rare window into…
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The Lake
The Lake by Natasha Preston My rating: 2 of 5 stars The Gist I finished The Lake and realized something unsettling: I couldn’t remember a single meaningful detail. That says more than any plot summary ever could. This YA thriller sets out to build suspense around a group of friends returning to the summer camp where something terrible once happened. But instead of delivering chills, it barely made a ripple. The Details The premise had promise. A secluded lake, a haunting secret, and old trauma resurfacing—classic ingredients for a solid thriller. Unfortunately, none of it stuck. The plot meandered, then rushed, then meandered again. Twists landed with a thud because…
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Anatomy: A Love Story
Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz My rating: 1 of 5 stars The Gist Dana Schwartz’s Anatomy: A Love Story is a historical romance with elements of gothic horror and medical intrigue. Unfortunately, it falls short of delivering on its ambitious premise. Set in 19th-century Edinburgh, the novel follows Hazel Sinnett, a young woman determined to become a surgeon in a world where such aspirations are nearly impossible for women. While this setup holds promise, the novel struggles to balance its many themes, resulting in a disjointed and underwhelming read. The Details One of the most noticeable issues with Anatomy is the pacing. The novel often feels sluggish, with…
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Finding Grace
Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild My rating: 1 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Finding Grace in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist The longer I think about Finding Grace, the angrier I get. Seriously, this book wasted my time like no other. From start to finish, it felt like a huge, sloppy joke disguised as a novel. I can’t believe I fell for it. First off, the characters. Or should I say, the empty shells pretending to be people. None of them had any depth. None of them felt real. The protagonist,…
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Tell Me What Really Happened
Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Gist Every now and then, a murder mystery reminds you just how inventive the genre can be. Chelsea Sedoti’s Tell Me What Really Happened doesn’t follow a straight line. Instead, it builds suspense through fractured memories, clashing perspectives, and unreliable narrators—all teenagers, all under pressure. The Details The novel is structured as a series of police interviews after a camping trip goes horribly wrong. Five teens went into the woods. Only four returned. Now, each one is giving their side of the story—and none of them quite agree. There’s paranoia, miscommunication, drama, and plenty of…
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A Song to Drown Rivers
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang My rating: 4 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of A Song to Drown Rivers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang is a novel that pulls you in with soft hands and doesn’t let go. It’s the kind of book you read slowly, letting each sentence settle before turning the page. Liang blends magical realism, family secrets, and raw emotion into a deeply atmospheric young adult fantasy that stays with you. The Details The story follows a…
