Swan Light by Phoebe Rowe

The strength of this book is in its writing. It is evocative, and both timelines have an oppressive atmosphere of something that hovers throughout the tale. I think I expected more from the ending than I ultimately got, which is the reason for my final rating.I think most people will better appreciate this book than…

The Dog of The North by Elizabeth Mckenzie

This book is still available to request on NetGalley Chaos reigns supreme in this book. We have missing parents, a deranged grandparent, a strange supporter and a van that becomes a home. This is just a small fraction of all the things that happen in this book.The advantage here is that the readers are plunged…

No Life for a Lady by Hannah Dolby

This book did not work the way that I anticipated. It was a completely different tone than the cover (and the title) led me to believe. If I had paid more attention to the blurb, I would have been more accurate in my expectations.That said, it is a fun story, even with the sorrow that…

The Faraway World by Patricia Engel

I continue with my short stories' reviews. Only when I finally tally the year's scores can I be sure how many there have been, it just feels like a lot at this point. Mostly, I grumble because it is harder and takes longer to review these type of books. Aida- This was a strong and…

This Book Kills by Ravena Guron

I am not sure what exactly had me reaching for this book. I am not always a fan of young adult thrillers, and at the time of picking this up, it had been a long while since I had done so.This is a simple setup. You have a scholarship girl in a fancy school, and…

Someone in Time edited by Jonathan Strahan

I got a little delayed in my regular schedule as I sat to put together this review. As I have mentioned earlier, I am trying to stick to reviewing individual stories of collections in order to provide myself with a way to look back appropriately on my reactions to the book. Roadside Attraction by Alix…

When We Were Friends by Nancy Yeager

This book straddles a fine line between being a serious approach to trauma and being a book with a growth arc for the characters that leads it to happily-ever-afters.It felt hard to put it in any particular box. We have two estranged best friends who are back in the same city under duress - at…

Magnetic North by Jenna Butler

Narrated by Marysia Bucholc I must preface my review with a crucial point, I am not a fan of poetry or written verse. I am a little slow in getting to the point in that format, and for someone who reads at the speed that I do, it is a bad combination. This review reflects…