Book Review: Death on the Caldera
I liked how grounded this book felt. The details of train service, survivors trying to recover after the wreck, the squabbling among various factions of train passengers, the differences between types of magic — all of these felt thoughtfully explored.
Book Review: The River Has Roots, by Amal El-Mohtar
The novella is a retelling of a reasonably well-known fairytale murder ballad, so alert readers may anticipate some of the story beats. There are two sisters, and a suitor, and a warning from beyond via music. But even if a reader has an idea of where the story is going, there are bends in this river of a plot.
Paperbacks from Hell #2: WHEN DARKNESS LOVES US by Elizabeth Engstrom
Two very different types of horror stories, the novellas are linked by female protagonists who struggle to survive the difficult situations of their lives and maintain control and choice in directing their futures.
Book Review: Fathomfolk, by Eliza Chan
I really enjoy the worldbuilding and the emotional journeys of the (third-person) viewpoint characters, and how well the various elements were woven together. This is Chan’s first novel, and it’s wonderful!
Book review: Smothermoss by Alisa Alering
Smothermoss is entrancingly immersive, with entirely evocative language, fascinating fantastic elements, exciting action, and two very vividly drawn protagonists, sisters who have little in common and feel a lot of friction but eventually come together, with a bit of supernatural succor, to face a fearsome foe.
Double review: What Grows in the Dark, by Jaq Evans, and Terror at Tierra de Cobre, by Michael Merriam
I’ve been in a mood for reading horror lately, and a fair number of interesting stories in that field have been crossing my path, so I’m combining reviews here of two debuts from this week. Although they’re both pretty brisk reads that include LGBTQ+ protagonists and diverse casts, they’re quite different in focus and tone.
