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Starred Review: WHAT A NIGHTMARE by Rebekah Faubion

Sep 162026
 

Book cover for WHAT A NIGHTMARE by Rebekah Faubion. Cover features a young woman standing in front of a background of flames. The image is rendered in a style somewhat similar to a Sunday comic like Archie.Library Journal: Haven has been shutting down all strong emotions and blending into the scenery for years. When she lets herself feel anger at her boss, he turns up dead, and she knows she caused it. News of her dying father drags her back to her hometown and the family she left behind. Only being perfect is acceptable there, and Haven breaks the rules just by existing. As her emotions get stronger while the town celebrates the harvest festival, she worries that those around her might not survive it. Faubion’s (The Sun and the Moon) deftly paced horror is a slow drip of information that urges readers forward. The tying of deadly power to strong feelings is a genius way to hold back context until the emotional stakes are high enough to warrant using it. The abuse of power, both interpersonally and institutionally, fuels the storyline, and the reactions to it are naturally messy and personal. Side characters are complicated, and morality is deeply gray. VERDICT: A brutally drawn and chilling examination of misogyny, power, abuse, and what happens when the powerless suddenly aren’t. Recommended for every horror collection.

 September 16, 2026  Tagged with: ,

Review: WRITE A NOVEL IN 100 DAYS by Kim Purcell

Sep 142026
 

Cover for the book WRITE A NOVEL IN 100 DAYS: THE BUSY WRITER'S GUIDE TO FINISHING YOUR BOOK FAST by Kim Purcell. The cover features a typewriter with a scroll of paper emerging from the top, upon which has been typed the title of the book.Library Journal: YA novelist Purcell’s (Trafficked) first foray into nonfiction is a dependable road map for all those who want to take the ultimate leap and write a novel. She doesn’t shy away from the fact that the act of writing a novel can be tied up in so many real-life obstacles. Purcell outlines the process by breaking the steps down into a tangible timeline and manageable exercises. Purcell uses bestselling books, such as Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing and Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, to showcase examples of planning out a novel from start to finish. Purcell’s method is extremely detailed and relatable overall, and she explores what to do if would-be authors only have 15 minutes a day to write. She calls them “Fifteen Magic Minutes” and offers some thought-provoking prompts to get the writing flowing, such as laying out every aspect of the world and characters so that at the end of each exercise there are no doubts about the characters or the story. VERDICT: A great book for writers who are at the beginning of their journey and don’t know where to start.

 September 14, 2026  Tagged with: ,

Starred Review: COLD EMPTY ROOMS by Andy Marino

Sep 102026
 

Cover for the book COLD EMPTY ROOMS by Andy Marino. The cover features the title, with the word "Empty" appearing as if behind a thin layer of fog. The cover also shows a house made of mostly wood. It appears as if it may be small like a doll house, sitting on the floor and in front of a dull green wallpaper. Yet the house itself is in the style of a real house, not the cartoonish or cute aesthetic of a typical dollhouse. It is faded, weather-beaten wood. The interior lights shine through the windows of the house.Publishers Weekly: Impossible shadows visible even in darkness, a Friends rerun that diverges creepily from the episode that originally aired, and reflections in a mirror that lag behind reality—these are just some of the unsettling phenomena that Marino (The Swarm) lobs at lovers Mara and Soren after they move into an old house in the Catskills in this masterful work of subtle horror. The couple connected instantly during their first meeting at a bar, especially bonding over their mutual conception of a mysterious “higher power” unattached to any church. Now they intend to set up their new home as an informal commune, advertising to “Dreamers, Seekers, Charlatans, Theorists, Dropouts, Lovers, Runaways, Fiends, Misfits, and everyone in between (but please, no poets, we have to draw the line somewhere): You are cordially invited to a new evolution. Live how you want to live with room to grow wild and free in all directions.” Gradually, the house fills up with a motley group of strangers, even as Soren’s efforts to connect with the Great Other, the entity he credits with inspiring his social experiment, yield more than the desired transcendence. Marino’s prose is striking and evocative, elevating haunted house tropes and creating an undeniable sense of creeping dread. This is a stunner.

 September 10, 2026  Tagged with: ,

Review: HELP, I’M BEING EATEN BY A BEAR! by Neil Sharpson

Sep 092026
 

Cover of the book: HELP! I'M BEING EATEN BY A BEAR! by Neil Sharpson. Cover image features a cartoon man with a scared expression looking out from inside the mouth of a bear.School Library Journal: Collaborators Sharpson and Santat take on another suspicious species in this follow-up to their 2025 picture book Don’t Trust Fish. Here, a pair of fancy traveling pants leads a man from his Ireland home to the Alaskan wilderness. Upon arrival, the man receives an important—but unfortunately unhelpful—pamphlet explaining what to do if he encounters a bear. The bear arrives, seemingly while the man is still in the airport; misunderstandings and ill-advised survival attempts ensue, ultimately changing the course of man and bear’s futures forever. This unpredictable, entertaining story is outlandish and poignant. The somewhat anthropomorphic bear and man’s misguided attempts to coexist will amuse children and adult readers alike. Their story is a delight to read aloud, but the lengthy narrative and nuanced storytelling make this a story best suited for sharing with elementary-age readers. Award-winning Santat’s iconic, energetic art style is well matched with Sharpson’s sarcastic adventure; each image provides plenty of visual details and jokes for readers to giggle over. With a resolution that is as surprising as the rest of this offbeat story, this laugh-out-loud book will leave a positive mark on readers’ minds once it concludes. VERDICT Unexpected turns and irreverent humor mark this entertaining man vs. nature story; hand this to fans of picture books with advanced storytelling and dry wit.

 September 9, 2026  Tagged with: ,

Review: DROP DEAD HANDSOME by Matthew Hubbard

Sep 022026
 

School Library Journal: Parker feels hemmed in by his conservative Tennessee hometown, where his bisexuality and unapologetic ­LGBTQIA+ activism garner derision from his peers. When he discovers that there is no rule against males competing in the Miss Spirit beauty pageant, he enters to get material for his college admissions essay. Realizing that Parker’s in over his head, student council president and pageant liaison Dean comes to the rescue. Nerdy, cute Dean promises to coach Parker if Parker helps him with a fundraiser for a local LGBTQIA+ charity. Danger stalks the pageant as Parker receives anonymous threats and escalating attempts at sabotage. The boys team up to uncover the culprit while their romance blossoms. The interactions between Dean and Parker are sweet and sincere, and the payoff of their first kiss is well-earned. ­Despite his reputation as an attention seeker, Parker’s bluster is a facade, and he struggles to gain the confidence to express himself authentically. He receives support from others, including his sister Marley and a handful of his fellow pageant contestants. The dialogue becomes repetitive at times, and some characters come across as two-dimensional. The mystery element is entertaining, however, the perpetrator may be obvious to seasoned readers. References to the film Miss Congeniality tie the narrative together. Principal characters read white; pageant contestants are from ethnically diverse backgrounds. VERDICT A sweet story of queer love in the South, with elements of mystery and plenty of pageant shenanigans.

 September 2, 2026  Tagged with: ,

Starred Review: TALES FROM CABIN 23: THE SINKING HOUSE by Darcie Little Badger

Aug 282026
 

Kirkus: Unhappy about being at summer camp instead of getting to stay home with his desperately ill brother, a 12-year-old boy follows a mysterious fog and meets the infamous witch of Cabin 23. Vernon’s brother had told him about the witch, but he’s surprised by how much the witch knows about him. Reluctant to talk about his own life, he settles in instead to hear “the scariest story ever told.” In it, a sixth grade Lipan Apache boy named Sean leaves Texas to stay with his cousin, Zeke, in Massachusetts after his mother’s cancer treatment led to bankruptcy. One day, Sean and Zeke find a missing cat and her kittens in an abandoned cliffside house. A girl named Jenny appears, warning of danger—just before the ground collapses, plunging the house to the shoreline below. Trapped by rising tides on an upper floor, the kids encounter a lurking monster. The ocean creature, angry over humans’ destructive, wasteful ways, offers them a deal: If they can guess one of its names, it will return them safely to land, and Sean is reminded of the monster in the Rio Grande from one of his mother’s stories. The cousins’ heritage is integral to this stand-alone series entry that weaves environmental themes into a layered, high-stakes survival story. The characters are caringly developed, adding emotional depth, and genuine tension and scares propel the story. Expertly crafted chills and thrills in a rich tale that’s so much more than the sum of its parts.

 August 28, 2026  Tagged with: ,

Review: PLATFORM DECAY by Martha Wells

Aug 212026
 

Wall Street Journal: “As always, Murderbot is snarky and deadly but unsure of where it stands in the world of humans when it isn’t the one holding the gun. For some foul-mouthed and lethal summer fun, this is a perfect escape.”

 August 21, 2026  Tagged with: ,

Review: THE UNHAUNTING by Michaiah Johnson

Aug 202026
 

Booklist: Avery and Shantell have been friends for decades, while the two fear Tobias, Avery’s older brother, who has uncontrolled anger. Avery takes care of and protects Shantell, who struggles with agoraphobia. They move from the city to a house in Mississippi that has been in Avery’s family for some time. The plan is that over the course of the summer, Shantell, Avery, and Avery’s girlfriend Emily will stay there and work on the house with the help of Tobias, who is a contractor. Once in the house, Shantell and Avery see a figure in the hallway. It doesn’t seem to want to hurt them, but certainly freaks them out. Horror fans will love the method of storytelling employed in this book as the reader is routinely invited into the mind of the haunting, which nearly takes over the narration. It becomes a voyeuristic experience as both side of events are clear. This is a unique and fascinating way to tell a haunted house story that will appeal to fans of this trope and genre.”

 August 20, 2026  Tagged with: ,

Starred Review: GOBLIN MARKET by A.J. Hackwith

Aug 192026
 

Publishers Weekly: Inspired by Christina Rossetti’s “Goblin Market,” this delightful fantasy from Hackwith (Toto) plunges readers into a memorable and wonderfully off-kilter magical world. A decade after goblin changeling Toast was retrieved from the mortal world, where she spent her childhood believing herself to be human, she’s reluctantly made a life in the Goblin Market, helping human visitors find the right merchant or perfect deal. Everything’s for sale in the Goblin Market, which is ruled by “the cosmic concept of fair trade.” Then Sam, the human Toast was raised alongside, shows up seeking her long-lost sister and setting off a series of calamitous events, starting with the Market’s guardian, an ancient bear spirit, reincarnating as a cub. With the Market’s magic failing and an ambitious fey prince plotting a ruthless political move, it’s up to Toast, Sam, and a ragtag band of allies—including flirtatious fey knight Valora d’Vespertine—to restore the balance of power. As Toast and her companions face the Market’s many perils, she’s forced to reexamine her approach to family, relationships, and the idea of fair trade. Toast’s emotional journey serves as the heart of this sweet yet nerve-jangling tale of belonging and companionship. With a feral undertone, a swoony queer romance, and a captivating lead, this is sure to charm.

 August 19, 2026  Tagged with: ,

Review: I AM THE MONSTER UNDER THE BED by Emily Zinnikas

Aug 052026
 

Booklist: Willa is the center of Zinnikas’ debut, and readers will enjoy getting to know all three versions of her. As a child, Willa made friends with a presence under her bed. It—or he—likes to be read to and doesn’t like it when Willa’s mom vacuums under the bed, but Willa doesn’t seem afraid. Teenage Willa is known as the sole survivor of the Rapture Mystery Slayings. In her hometown of Rapture, seven teens went into the woods but only Willa came out. The last Willa is adult, reclusive artist Willa. She has hidden from her past, sort of, but is found by reporters and the memories start coming back to her. This leads her to start asking questions about the mystery slayings. Whether readers like Willa or not, she is a very interesting character to meet in compelling circumstances. Fans of the TV series Yellowjackets and the novels of Riley Sager will enjoy this suspenseful horror story.

 August 5, 2026  Tagged with: ,
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