Villa E by Jane Alison My rating: 1 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Villa E in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist I picked up Villa E expecting an atmospheric, emotionally rich novel. Jane Alison is known for her lyrical prose and experimental style, and the premise sounded promising: an architecturally stunning villa, layered timelines, and complicated relationships. On paper, it had everything I like—intellectual intrigue, sensual undertones, and an artful setting. In practice, it felt like wandering through a museum where nothing is labeled and the staff refuses to speak to…
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Deeper Than the Dead
Deeper Than the Dead by Debra Webb My rating: 3 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Deeper Than the Dead in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Deeper Than the Dead by Debra Webb starts off strong. A young girl discovers a body in a graveyard, and just like that, a quiet town in Tennessee becomes the center of a chilling murder investigation. The setup grips immediately, pulling readers into a story where nothing stays buried for long. The Details Dr. Rowan Dupont, a forensic psychologist with a tragic history, takes center stage.…
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Life’s a Witch
Life’s a Witch by Amelia Ash and Kim M. Watt My rating: 1 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Life’s a Witch in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist It’s 2025, yet Amelia Ash and Kim M. Watt still hand readers a heroine who feels obligated to mop up every man’s mess. Grown men toss their emotional garbage at her feet, and—surprise—she shoulders the blame. I kept waiting for one of these dudes to pick up a broom or, better yet, grow a conscience. No such luck. The Details Our protagonist flees her…
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One Smart Witch
One Smart Witch by Amelia Ash and Kim M. Watt My rating: 2 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of One Smart Witch in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist One Smart Witch had the perfect chance to grow the story—maybe by exploring more of the magical world or shifting the focus to fresh character dynamics. Instead, it treads the same tired path as book one. The plot sticks to the exact same structure, centering—yet again—on the brother. It’s like no one else in this universe is considered worthy of a storyline. The Details…
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Witch Slap
Witch Slap by Amelia Ash and Kim M. Watt My rating: 2 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Witch Slap in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Witch Slap started with a premise that held a lot of potential—a mix of magic, mystery, and dark humor that could have made for an entertaining read. Unfortunately, the book struggled to keep me engaged throughout. From early on, the pacing felt uneven and dragged in many places, which made the story hard to follow and ultimately frustrating. The Details One major issue for me was…
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The Soulmate
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth My rating: 1 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Soulmate in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Sally Hepworth’s The Soulmate promises a suspenseful domestic thriller with emotional depth, but it struggles to deliver on both fronts. The premise is intriguing: Pippa and Gabe, a married couple, live in a house perched near a cliff where people often come to end their lives. Gabe has a reputation for talking people down—until one night, a woman falls. The mystery of her death drives the plot, but unfortunately, the…
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Rules of Arrangement
Rules of Arranagement by Maren Mackenzie My rating: 4 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Rules of Arrangement in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Rules of Arrangement by Maren Mackenzie is an addictively readable debut that blends romance and emotional tension with a twist of mystery. The story follows Adelaide Wright, a college senior juggling coursework, grief, and financial pressure. Her secret side hustle—writing papers for classmates—keeps her afloat, until Declan, a former flame and her art history TA, discovers the scheme. Instead of reporting her, he ropes her into a high-stakes…
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Nothing Ever Happens Here
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…
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Ghosts
Ghosts by Edith Wharton My rating: 5 of 5 stars Edith Wharton’s Ghosts is an absolute gem that beautifully combines her literary brilliance with the timeless allure of ghost stories. Wharton’s collection of supernatural tales is not just haunting but also exquisitely crafted, balancing spine-tingling suspense with her signature wit and elegance. Wharton uses the ghostly theme to explore deeper emotions like regret, longing, and the unseen forces that shape people’s lives. Her ghost stories are not about cheap thrills; they are about the eerie undercurrents of human experience. The haunting is subtle, making it all the more unsettling. Each story in the collection is distinct, but they all share…
