MIRRORED HEAVENS – Rebecca Roanhorse

“And I am happy to see your language is still more drunken sailor than Teek queen.” “Love me.  And let fate do its damnedest to get around that.” Rebecca Roanhorse’s epic trilogy, Between Earth & Sky, has come to a close with Mirrored Heavens (SAGA PRESS 2024), and it is one of the more satisfyingContinue reading “MIRRORED HEAVENS – Rebecca Roanhorse”

THE RETURN OF ELLIE BLACK – Emiko Jean

Reading more like a fast-paced, bingeworthy Netflix special than a novel, Emiko Jean’s The Return of Ellie Black (Simon & Schuster 2024) is a quick read that scratches an itch and serves as a good cleanser between reads.  I never know what to say (or not say) about books like this because I don’t wantContinue reading “THE RETURN OF ELLIE BLACK – Emiko Jean”

JAMES – Percival Everett

“Folks be funny lak dat. Dey takes the lies dey want and throws away the truths dat scares ‘em.” “With my pencil, I wrote myself into being. I wrote myself to here.” Confession: I’ve never read Adventures of Huckleberry Finn OR Adventures Tom Sawyer.  (I was very dedicated in charting my path towards a MastersContinue reading “JAMES – Percival Everett”

JUST FOR THE SUMMER – Abby Jimenez

“The love stories sold us the wrong thing. The best kind of love doesn’t happen on moonlit walks and romantic vacations. It happens in between the folds of everyday life.” I know I sound like a broken record, but Abby Jimenez is a bit special.   Surface level, one would be tempted to say it’s formulaicContinue reading “JUST FOR THE SUMMER – Abby Jimenez”

NEVER LEAVE THE DOGS BEHIND – Brianna Madia

A little over two years ago, I wrote the following about Brianna Madia’s first novel, Nowhere for Very Long: “It tastes like sunbaked earth that leads to a hidden spring that no one knows about but you. It smells like flowers growing wild and untamed. It sounds like howling at the moon.”  I was hopingContinue reading “NEVER LEAVE THE DOGS BEHIND – Brianna Madia”

JADED – Ela Lee

Ela Lee’s debut novel, Jaded, (Simon & Schuster 3/19/2024) is a sharp and raw depiction of the complete mind fuckery a sexual assault does on a person. Before getting into the review/reaction, I must stress that this novel is not for everyone, and it’s okay if you are not in the headspace to read itContinue reading “JADED – Ela Lee”

A FEATHER SO BLACK – Lyra Selene

Lyra Selene’s A Feather so Black (Orbit March 12, 2024 – thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy!) is a lush romantasy full of fae, magic, curses, and morally grey characters.  Using Irish folklore, this Swan Princess retelling set in Tír na nÓg  had a lot of potential but ultimately fell short due to,Continue reading “A FEATHER SO BLACK – Lyra Selene”

THE BULLET SWALLOWER – Elizabeth Gonzalez James

“I think a person knows when their parents are gone for good, when the people that brought them into existence have gone out.  I think the air gets heavier or the light changes, something like that.  I haven’t seen the sun get dimmer yet.” One of my highly anticipated 2024 releases was an early releaseContinue reading “THE BULLET SWALLOWER – Elizabeth Gonzalez James”