Annnnnnd I’m back with another batch — or dump, as it were — of NetGalley reviews. My ratio is seriously suffering, and I’m starting to feel guilty, so please bear with me while I try to cleanse my book nerd soul. Reviews in this post: Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead by Jenny Hollander A Killer’s Game (Daniela Vega, #1) by Isabella Maldonado Find Me (Inland Empire, #1) by Anne Frasier Unmissing by Minka Kent The Resting Place by Camilla Sten Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead JENNY HOLLANDER ★★½ Minotaur Books | 2024 Filed Under: Black(ing Out) Christmas It’s disappointing to find ou ..read more

It’s really quite hilarious, and also rude, how many NetGalley arcs I’ve read and not reviewed. Or not read at all. But we’re not going to talk about those ones right now… Reviews in this post: The Nightmare Man by J.H. Markert Dark House (Detective Lucy Harwin, #1) by Helen Phifer The Summer We Buried by Jody Gehrman Off the Air by Christina Estes The Redemption of Morgan Bright by Chris Panatier The Nightmare Man J.H. MARKERT ★★★ Crooked Lane Books | 2023 Filed Under: More is more. In some ways, this has some Basic Instinct vibes, but without any of the things that make Basic Instinct ..read more

Happy Pride! Usually, for this most colourful and joyous time of the year, I would put up a list of queer-centred books or queer authors curated to help us all expand our TBRs just a bit more… But this year I thought, let’s hear it straight (no pun intended) from the gay horse’s mouth (you know what I mean.) So I put out some totally nonsexual feelers to my bookish friends celebrating Pride to get their can’t-fail book recs, and they totally came through in spades. The queerest of spades! So if you’re looking to add some rainbow colours to your June reading, this is the list for you! Check the ..read more

★★★★½ Doubleday | 2022 Filed Under: Make Racists Afraid Again I loved this instalment in the Alive Vega series. LOVED. I may be one of only a few giving this such a high rating, but I stand by it. It was sealed for me by the time Vega grabbed a bat and went on a Lemonade-esque rampage against white nationalists. But it didn’t start out in a way that convinced me I was going to love this. When the novel opens with a college football scene and then Vega taking on the case of a footballer missing for 30 years, I thought, ugh not sports! But the football angle really is just the catalyst for disc ..read more

“That was the way of the world: if you were a woman, then you had a job to do, and that was to pretend to love everyone else walking all over your body, leaving imprints on your face. You were supposed to crave it, to beg for more.” ★★★★ Atria | 2023 Filed Under: “V is for this very surprising turn of events.” Honestly, what the fuck was this? But still – 4 stars. This is one of the most ridiculous thriller novels I’ve ever read. It’s completely over-the-top, just off it’s fucking rocker. The plot read a dozen mainstream thrillers like a double agent and said, “Hold my beer.” And you just h ..read more

“She is obsessed, she is compelled, she is called. She is a selkie, and Ash has her skin. It’s infuriating and delicious and easy and challenging and tumultuous and she is hungry for more.” ★★★★ Titan Books | 2023 Filed Under: The cottagecore has rotted. This is a sapphic horror novel – two women, both equally giving off bad vibes in very different ways – fall in love after meeting at a farmer’s market. It sounds just precious, doesn’t it? Side note: My husband was going to propose to me at a farmer’s market. And then, not knowing his plan, I managed to say something about public proposals ..read more

★★★★½ Sandycove | 2023 Filed Under: I want to be where the people aren’t… I don’t know, man, if my dad was like, “When I die, put me in the garbage,” and I really thought those were his genuine final wishes… maybe I would. I hope he doesn’t ask. But, that is exactly how this novel opens, and from there the plot was nothing like I expected it to be… but that’s not a bad thing. It’s an odd novel, but it’s also familiar. Sometimes it’s emotional, sometimes it’s very dark, sometimes it’s mysterious. It even made me laugh a handful of times. It’s just so charming and weird and blunt, much like the ..read more

Look, I know I just posted about my Owned Books Challenge and how my physical TBR is out of control, and I should really just focus on reading books I already have instead of buying or borrowing more… but you know what? If I buy these books and then read them within the same year (LOL please) then what’s the problem? Right? RIGHT? Get your “add to cart” finger ready! Here are my top picks for new releases for the first half of 2024! The Fury ALEX MICHAELIDES Genre: Thriller Pub Month: January What the Fuck It’s About: This is a tale of murder. Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, i ..read more

Happy New Fears Year, everybody! I hope ringing in 2024 was everything you wanted it to be. I’m not really into partying anymore in my old age. That was 20-something Krystin’s vibe. Mid-to-late-early-late 30’s Krystin has a stay-at-home with her dog and husband vibe. We watched Die Hard 3 and 4, ate junk food, smoked weed and played Scrabble (I won, and it’s important to me that you know that.) My husband was asleep by 12:05AM, while I was up well passed 5AM dealing with my diarrhea-stricken doggo. That is the circle of life, friends! One day you’re a youth drinking and partying for New Year ..read more

*heaves a deep, existential sigh before I start writing* Oh, hi, yes it’s me. Yes, I am still alive. But, shit, what a year. I can hardly believe it’s almost over. I mean, I can believe it because I’ve been alive long enough to understand how time works, but after the year I’ve had I’m not feeling so merry and bright. More like wary and ready to fight. (You have no idea how long it took me to come up with that rhyme.) Anyway, I’m working on my attitude. We’ll see where it ends up by the time I finish writing this post. I really don’t want to use my time here to complain like the Grinch, but ..read more