Suzanne Collins’ Sunrise on the Reaping marks the fifth entry in The Hunger Games series and the second prequel after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. This latest installment returns us to the brutal and dystopian world of Panem, unveiling the origins of Haymitch Abernathy—one of the series’ most enigmatic and tragic characters. Taking place […]
Category: Book Reviews
T.J. Klune’s The Bones Beneath My Skin is a novel that effortlessly intertwines science fiction, family drama, and queer identity into an emotional and immersive reading experience. The story follows Nate Cartwright, a man on the brink of self-destruction, who stumbles upon Alex and Artemis—a man with a dark past and a child with an […]
The Antidote by Karen Russell
Karen Russell, a literary powerhouse known for Swamplandia, Vampires in the Lemon Grove, and Orange World, returns with The Antidote—a sweeping historical novel infused with magical realism, folklore, and a biting critique of settler amnesia. The story, set in the Dust Bowl era, blends surrealist storytelling with raw historical truths, spinning a multi-perspective narrative about […]
We Never Took a Bad Picture by Ashley N. Roth Genre: Literary Fiction / Family Life ISBN: 9781953932334 Print Length: 284 pages Publisher: April Gloaming Publishing Amazon Bookshop Reviewed by Peggy Kurkowski | Content warnings: death of a teenage child Infidelity, broken promises, and unspeakable tragedy—a fifty-fifth anniversary party is the catalyst of one family’s […]
She Is a Haunting marks Trang Thanh Tran’s debut novel—an ambitious blend of gothic horror, coming-of-age narrative, and post-colonial commentary that creeps under your skin with the persistence of the parasites that inhabit its pages. Set against the misty backdrop of Đà Lạt, Vietnam, this novel follows Jade Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American teenager visiting her estranged […]
In the crowded landscape of contemporary romance, Charlotte Stein’s “My Big Fat Fake Marriage” delivers a delightful twist on the beloved fake relationship trope. This novel serves up the perfect blend of heart-melting sweetness and scorching heat that Stein’s fans have come to expect from her work. Following her success with “When Grumpy Met Sunshine,” […]
Kills Well with Others picks up the threads left dangling in Raybourn’s breakout hit Killers of a Certain Age, reuniting readers with our favorite group of sixty-something assassins who can’t seem to stay retired. In this sequel, Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie are summoned back from their brief respite to face a new threat—one […]
I Leave It Up to You by Jinwoo Chong
In his sophomore novel, Jinwoo Chong delivers a narrative as meticulously crafted as a perfect piece of nigiri – deceptively simple in appearance but requiring immense skill to execute properly. I Leave It Up to You follows Jack Jr., a Korean American man who wakes from a two-year coma to find his advertising career, Manhattan […]
Attack From Within by James Bultema Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense ISBN: 9798988075196 Print Length: 242 pages Amazon Bookshop Reviewed by Peggy Kurkowski A thrilling sequel where the symbol of American freedom is the target for a ruthless cabal of Iran-backed Hezbollah operatives inside the U.S.. Navy pilots Sarah “Danger” Freeman and her boyfriend Jessie […]
Book Review: The Hatter’s Daughter
The Hatter’s Daughter by W.A. Simpson Genre: Fantasy / Classics ISBN: 9781787589117 Print Length: 272 pages Publisher: Flame Tree Press Amazon Bookshop Reviewed by Andrea Marks-Joseph A dynamic coming-of-age adventure in Wonderland Two young royals must leave their home—what we know as Wonderland, and they call Brigantia—to find someone who can rescue their homeland from […]