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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Pride and Premeditation
Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price My rating: 1 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Pride and Premeditation in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Format: Advanced Listening Copy – Audiobook Edition The Gist I was intrigued by Pride and Premeditation, a YA murder mystery retelling of Pride and Prejudice. The story follows Lizzie Bennet as an aspiring solicitor trying to solve a murder case. Mr. Darcy appears as her legal rival. This genre mix has a lot of potential, especially for Austen fans who enjoy fresh twists on classic characters. The Details However, my…
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The Haunting
The Haunting by Natasha Preston My rating: 1 of 5 stars The Gist Let’s be honest: The Haunting by Natasha Preston is anything but haunting. The title promises chills and suspense. What we get instead? Teen angst, repetitive characters, and a plot that leads nowhere. If there was a ghost in here, I must’ve blinked and missed it. The Details Preston recycles the same protagonist in every book. Boring, naive, and completely forgettable. This one stumbles through the story with zero awareness, no real growth, and even less personality. It’s like watching a cardboard cutout try to solve a mystery. The pacing drags. The tension fizzles. Every time something interesting…
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Wake the Bones
Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne My rating: 2 of 5 stars The Gist Wake the Bones promises a haunting, Southern Gothic tale steeped in magic and decay. In some ways, it delivers. The rural Kentucky setting is rich and eerie. The prose is lyrical and strange—sometimes beautiful, sometimes overwhelming. But despite all that promise, the story never fully came together for me. The Details Laurel Early has always been different. She can read bones. She senses things in the soil. After dropping out of college, she returns to her family’s farm. There, strange things begin to stir. Bones move on their own. The woods seem to breathe. Something old…
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The Lake of Lost Girls
The Lake of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene My rating: 5 of 5 stars The Gist The Lake of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene is a tense, emotional thriller that blends sisterhood, secrets, and suspense. Lindsey Fadley returns to Southern State University, where her younger sister Jessica disappeared during freshman year in 1998. Decades later, a new clue pulls Lindsey back, and she’s ready to uncover what really happened. The Details The story moves between two timelines: Lindsey’s present-day search and Jessica’s final days on campus. The suspense builds steadily. Greene nails the eerie tone—empty dorms, foggy walks, hushed conversations. Lindsey’s grief and guilt feel raw and real. Her need…
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Together We Rot
Together We Rot by Skyla Arndt My rating: 3 of 5 stars The Gist Together We Rot is a moody, intense YA horror novel. It digs deep into themes of grief, neglect, and abandonment. The story follows Wil, a lonely and furious teen. Her mother has vanished, and no one offers answers. The adults in her life remain distant and silent. Wil is left to face the darkness alone, fueled by questions and betrayal. The Details Arndt builds a strong atmosphere. The setting feels heavy and decayed—swampy, dark, and full of tension. The horror blends well with Wil’s emotional state. Her anger and distrust feel real. Arndt doesn’t soften Wil’s…
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Gone Too Far
Gone too Far by Natalie D. Richards My rating: 3 of 5 stars The Gist Gone Too Far opens with an intriguing idea. Piper, a high school senior, finds out someone is using her photos to expose cruel classmates. She gets pulled into a dangerous game of vigilante justice. The setup feels fresh and full of potential. But the story never quite takes off. The Details Piper is meant to be relatable. She’s quiet, thoughtful, and trying to do the right thing. But she often comes across as naive and indecisive. Her thoughts loop in circles, and she hesitates too long before taking action. In a thriller, that hurts the…
