Book Review: DIAVOLA by Jennifer Thorne

Cover of Diavola, by Jennifer Thorne. Features a woman with a distorted, misty face, blonde hair, and an off-the-shoulder red dress, reading a book. Tagline: "Welcome to Villa Taccola. She's been waiting for you."

Diavola is interesting as a gothic horror through the inclusion of modern-day family vacation chaos and emotion. But it also follows a unique path from the setup and haunting and predictable responses to an original take on consequences and after-effects.

Book Review: Immortal Pleasures, by V. Castro

I was pleased to sink my teeth into Immortal Pleasures by V. Castro, about an ancient Nahua (from what’s now Mexico) vampire roaming the modern world. Some elements of the book weren’t to my taste, but it was fairly interesting and entertaining.

Book Review: Green Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris

Cover of Green Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris

In Green Fuse Burning, Morris takes Dylan Thomas’ theme of the intertwined nature of life and death in an endless cycle of time and applies it through a spectrum of ecosystems from the grandiose to the individual to explore the psychology of grief and guilt both personal and collective.

Book Reviews: Ill Met and Well Met

Cover, Saber & Shadow, by S.M. Stirling and Shirley Meier

I have to give Leiber a pass on the fridging in Ill Met in Lankhmar. But I don’t have to enjoy it. 

One of the many reasons I still love Saber & Shadow is that its women don’t get fridged, because they are the protagonists. Their lovers don’t get fridged, either, because these women are into each other. It’s a joyful romp, albeit with a lot of tense moments, and a few traumatic memories for one character.

Book Review: Silver Nitrate, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Cover of Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Red background, with a woman's wide eyes looking straight ahead.

Moreno does a great job with the execution of this concept, with the slow build, the worldbuilding and atmosphere, the revelations, and most of all for me, the imperfect yet compelling characters. I loved it!