“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

★★★★½ Mira | 2023 Filed Under: Throw the whole man away. Well, well, well, how the turntables… I don’t know, I just wanted to quote Michael Scott, it’s not really relevant other than I’m high and The Office is on. What I wanted to say is well, well, well, I think this may be my favourite standalone that J.T. Ellison has put out. Like ever. I mean, of all time. Maybe that’s saying a lot? I don’t know. I don’t want to give myself too much importance here, but I’ve been around for a while and she’s always an auto-read author for me. I’ve been reading Ellison for like fifteen years. And that’s ug ..read more

Oh hey, it’s me. It’s been a while. Traditionally, I would have posted this list way back in January with a Happy New Year message, but it feels kind of awkward now since I’m so late and have essentially been MIA for the last six months. All I can say is, shit on a cracker, what a fucking year 2023 has been so far, book friends! I won’t get into it deeply, but there was a death in my family and I just wasn’t able to find the motivation to read, let alone write about reading. But I think I’m coming around and getting my shit together. And also, fuck cancer! Anyway, hi!… What can I say about 2 ..read more

★★★★ Minotaur Books | 2022 Filed Under: Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger! A snowy fucked up mystery? Don’t mind if I do! This is the second novel in a series, but it can totally be read as a standalone (definitely over Christmas if you want the full vibes,) because the town of Black Harbor is really what’s tying everything together. You say “harbour” and it will immediately make me wistful for living by the water with a chilled lake breeze, wearing chunky sweaters on the beach and maybe solving a cozy local mystery like I’m Jessica Fucking Fletcher. Someone bring around my pink c ..read more

“It turns out the real you is a quilt, made up of the light and the dark. The life you’ve lived in sunshine and your shadow life, stretching underneath the surface of your mind like a deep underwater world, exerting invisible power. You are a living, breathing story made up of the moments in time you cherish, all strung together, and those you hide. The moments that seem lost. Until the day they’re not.” ★★★★★ Sourcebooks Landmark | 2021 Filed Under: What fucking knife?! Were you kind of a loser in school who now sometimes daydreams about going to a class reunion and showing all your stupid ..read more