The Midnight Train

By Matt Haig The second book in the Midnight World series If you liked The Midnight Library, you will like The Midnight Train. Eighty-one-year-old Wilber Budd has just finished his piano lesson when he receives a phone call from his past. Maggie, the love of his life, his ex-wife, whom he hasn’t spoken to in…

John of John

by Douglas Stuart John of John is the third book of Stuart’s I’ve read, and it’s just as poignant, just as beautifully written as the first two. Our protagonist, John Callum (Cal), is a young gay man struggling in life, moving from couch to couch, sneaking food, and having one-night stands. During their weekly phone…

Marion

written by Leah Rowan. Narrated by Natalie Noudas and Tawny Platis I both read and listened to this novel, and I quite liked both experiences. Remember the black and white movie, Psycho? Noman Bates being the quintessential creepy mass murderer with huge mommy issues? Remember the shower scene? The visuals, along with the music sound…

Sibylline

by Melissa De La Cruz Sibylline is an “Ivy League” school of magic, yes, think Hogwarts, except instead of getting a letter in the mail granting admission, potential students must apply, and if they aren’t children of alumni, their chances of admittance are minuscule. Raven, Atticus, and Dorian are close friends who all share the…

Angel Down

by Daniel Kraus I read Daniel Kraus’s Whale Fall years ago and absolutely loved the story, writing style, and themes, so when I learned of Angel Fall, I immediately bought it. Well, I had to order it because no bookstore near me carried it. But it sat on my bookshelf for months, and when I…

Gifted and Talented

by Olivie Blake I admire Olive Blake’s writing tremendously. In this novel, she convincingly narrates the story from an omniscient point of view; in fact, her name is Death. So is she really dead? That is the question I kept asking myself as I read until….the other characters began to refer to her, then I…

The Tumbling Girl a Variety Palace Mystery #1

I love a good Victorian mystery. Minnie Ward and Albert Easterbrook are the protagonists. Minnie is a writer at the Palace, a circus-like playhouse featuring magic, acrobats, songs, and animal acts. One day, Rose, a “tumbling girl” and headline performer, disappears. Soon, it becomes clear she was brutally murdered, yet the police insist it is…

Sunburn

by Chole Michelle Howarth I love any novel set in Ireland. I often thought of myself as part Irish, but according to Ancestry, I’m only 2% Irish…give or take 10%. Nevertheless, I have a love for the people, the country and the culture. That said, I naturally gravitated to Sunburn when a copy became available.…

House of Splinters

by Laura Purcell Laura Purcell is one of my favourite authors when it comes to Gothic Victorian literature. I am always riveted by her storytelling; it is incredibly atmospheric with regard to the creep factor. House of Splinters is a prequel to her acclaimed “The Silent Companions”. Truth be told, I enjoyed House of Splinters…

Blood Over Bright Haven

by M.L. Wang I really liked this novel, so much so that I had to bust out my mini sticky notes. The novel begins with the character Thomil and his people, the Kwen, attempting to escape a violent culling by “Blight” (a magical energy that strikes any and every living thing it senses ), an…