These books feature characters and content for adults.
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Hell Bent (Book 2): More fantasy than horror
Alex and Dawes begin a perilous hunt for a way into Hell to retrieve their friend, Darlington, who has now taken on a demonic form.
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Lessons in Chemistry: Thoughtful and entertaining
Set in the 1960s, this story follows scientist Elizabeth Zott through the trials and tribulations that eventually push her – reluctantly – into a role as the host of a cooking show.
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Long Live Evil (Book 1): Fun and campy
Rae, who’s dying of cancer, is teleported into the world of her favorite fantasy series for a chance to find a cure. There’s just one problem: she’s woken up as the villain who’s supposed to get executed early on. Now she has to scheme her way into survival.
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The Poisonwood Bible: A confronting read
In the 1950s, the Price family moves to the Congo as Baptist missionaries, but they’re unprepared for the reality of life in the remote village of Kilanga. Told from the perspectives of the mother and four daughters, we follow the Prices through the year of their mission and the aftermath in the decades to come.
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Tress of the Emerald Sea: Fun and whimsical
When the boy she loves disappears, Tress sets sail to find him – except on her planet, the seas are made of deadly spores.
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The Familiar: Instant 5-stars
In Inquisition-era Spain, servant Luzia Cotado fights for a position at the King’s side for her ability to perform “small miracles” – but first she has to prove it’s not devil’s magic, all while hiding her Jewish lineage.
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Evocation (Book 1): A slow simmer
David, a hotshot lawyer and medium, finds himself psychically sick and potentially possessed by a demon of family folklore. Only two people can help him: 1) ex-boyfriend and rival, Rhys, and 2) Rhys’ wife, Moira, an astrologist and fellow medium.
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Bride: Perfect for the inner Twihard
Misery Lark, the daughter of the vampyre leader, is forced into an arranged marriage to the Alpha of the Werewolves as a show of peace between their people. But she has an ulterior motive.
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What Moves the Dead: An expert Poe retelling
Alex Easton arrives at the House of Usher to visit a pair of sickly friends, only to discover something sinister lurking on the property.
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The Hemlock Queen (Book 2): Tense and subtly gory
After the events of the eclipse, things begin changing very fast for Lore, Bastian, and Gabe. Now they’re wrapped up in politics and scheming Gods while war looms on the horizon.
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Dreadful: A delightful tale
Gav wakes up with no eyebrows and no memories, and soon realizes he is actually the Dark Wizard who owns this castle, complete with moat squid, goblin servants, and a kidnapped princess in the dungeon. Now he has to bluff his way through his supposed evil plans without anyone catching on…while he also experiments with…
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Ordinary Monsters (Book 1): For the adults who loved Miss Peregrine’s
In 1880s Scotland, there is an Institute for children with special magical talents. An evil entity wants to eat these children, and only a select few can stand in its way.
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House of Flame and Shadow: The finale
This is the conclusion to the Crescent City series (barring any spinoffs we’ll get in the future). Bryce and co. must face extreme odds in their battle to defeat the Asteri.
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The Book of Essie: Compelling and interesting
Essie, the youngest daughter in an evangelical family with a reality TV show called Six for Hicks, is pregnant. Now she must orchestrate her freedom.
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The Maidens: Entertaining enough
After a murderer strikes the college her niece attends, psychotherapist Mariana feels determined to discover the killer.
These books target an audience in the 18-23 age range. New Adult tends to straddle the line, featuring tropes or plot points beloved in Young Adult, but with Adult characters and content.
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Long Live Evil (Book 1): Fun and campy
Rae, who’s dying of cancer, is teleported into the world of her favorite fantasy series for a chance to find a cure. There’s just one problem: she’s woken up as the villain who’s supposed to get executed early on. Now she has to scheme her way into survival.
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The Hemlock Queen (Book 2): Tense and subtly gory
After the events of the eclipse, things begin changing very fast for Lore, Bastian, and Gabe. Now they’re wrapped up in politics and scheming Gods while war looms on the horizon.
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Throne of Glass: Full series review
This series follows a young assassin with a mysterious past who was raised by an infamous Assassin’s Guild leader. Everyone wants to use her unique skills for themselves – or otherwise eradicate the threat she poses. As she struggles for freedom, she is also forced to confront her deepest secrets.
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Iron Flame: A mid sequel
Book 2 in the Fourth Wing series by Rebecca Yarros.
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Divine Rivals: Sweet and well-written
Two competing young journalists navigate life, love, and the front line in the midst of war between gods.
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August 2023 DNF Roundup
In lieu of a review this week, I’m covering a quick list of some recent DNFs (books I gave up on). Come sip the tea.
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House of Hunger: An addicting sapphic gothic tale
In a world where blood is a valuable commodity, a young woman named Marion agrees to become an indentured bloodmaid for a noblewoman – but not everything in the mansion is as it seems.
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Ninth House (Book 1): Gripping and creepy
Alex Stern, who has lived a hard life of drugs and petty crime, is offered a place in Yale’s secret dark magic societies because of her unique ability to see ghosts. One semester in, a woman turns up dead – and Alex thinks the societies are involved.
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Fourth Wing (Book 1): The best of 2023 so far
Despite being untrained, dealing with chronic pain, and having a target on her back, 20-year-old Violet Sorrengail’s mother forces her to enroll in a dragon-riding military college – where the mortality rate for first-years is something like 50% or more. Now Violet has to survive not just the deadly training but the other ruthless students…
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Zodiac Academy (Book 4): Shadow Princess – DNF review
Book 4 in the Zodiac Academy series.
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The Foxglove King: Fun and thought-provoking
Lore, a necromancer who can wield death magic, must spy on the crown prince in a world where such magic is a highly-priced illicit commodity. Here the church and the monarchy are dangerously interwoven, and Lore must find a way to navigate the obscenely opulent royal court.
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Zodiac Academy (Book 3): The Reckoning – More of the same
Book 3 of the Zodiac Academy series.
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Zodiac Academy: Ruthless Fae (Book 2) – The revenge story
Book 2 of the Zodiac Academy series.
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Zodiac Academy: The Awakening (Book 1) – A mixed bag
A pair of twins who’ve just aged out of the foster system learn that they’re not just Fae changelings, but apparently heirs to a Fae throne when they are whisked away to Zodiac Academy in a parallel world.
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A Court of Silver Flames (Book 4): A new favorite
Book 4 in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series.
These books have characters and content for teenagers.
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My Lady Jane: Funny and charming
In an alternate history where some humans can shift into animals, Lady Jane Grey’s history is completely rewritten. In this version of events, King Edward, her cousin and dearest friend, marries her off to Gifford – who’s a horse. Not only that, but in the process, she’s unwittingly swept up in a plot to steal…
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Tress of the Emerald Sea: Fun and whimsical
When the boy she loves disappears, Tress sets sail to find him – except on her planet, the seas are made of deadly spores.
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The Isles of the Gods (Book 1): Surprisingly enjoyable
In a world where slumbering gods are awakening, a young sailor, a prince, and a scholar must survive both the ocean and their enemies if they’re going to prevent a war.
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Lies We Sing to the Sea: A decent YA debut
Leto’s story begins with her death. After she is sacrificed to the sea god, she finds herself transformed – and saddled with a mission to kill the prince.
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The Book of Essie: Compelling and interesting
Essie, the youngest daughter in an evangelical family with a reality TV show called Six for Hicks, is pregnant. Now she must orchestrate her freedom.
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Ruthless Vows (Book 2): An okay sequel
Iris and Roman deal with the fallout as the war front heads toward Oath.
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Throne of Glass: Full series review
This series follows a young assassin with a mysterious past who was raised by an infamous Assassin’s Guild leader. Everyone wants to use her unique skills for themselves – or otherwise eradicate the threat she poses. As she struggles for freedom, she is also forced to confront her deepest secrets.
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A Study in Drowning: Entertaining but predictable
Effy, a freshman and the only girl in her college, is accepted to take on the daunting task of redesigning a mansion that pays homage to her favorite author – but things at Hiraeth Manor are stranger than she realized.
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Little Women: Sweet as a toothache
Little Women follows the four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, as they grow up in the American Civil War era.
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Divine Rivals: Sweet and well-written
Two competing young journalists navigate life, love, and the front line in the midst of war between gods.
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August 2023 DNF Roundup
In lieu of a review this week, I’m covering a quick list of some recent DNFs (books I gave up on). Come sip the tea.
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A Deadly Education: Perfect for teen readers
At the Scholomance, half the students won’t survive to graduation. El is doing well enough – except her magic is powerful and inconveniently primed for evildoing, so she has to be careful not to raze the whole place down.
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The Ocean at the End of the Lane: Whimsical and creepy
A middle-aged man suddenly remembers the strange, magical happenings he experienced as a child when he returns to visit the house at the end of the lane from his childhood home.
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The Hawthorne Legacy (Book 2): Entertaining but not mind-blowing
The plot thickens as Avery tries to find the one man who may know why a stranger left his billions to her instead of his own family.
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Mary Jane: A delightful, cozy read
In 1975 Baltimore, 14-year-old sheltered Mary Jane takes a summer nannying job in a home where the psychologist father is treating a drug-addicted rock star and his movie star wife.
