After a comet strikes the continent of Yohme, it's left in shambles. Nations lay in rubble, magic has been corrupted, and a plague has turned most of the inhabitants into flesh-eating, undead, ghouls.
Traveling this apocalyptic landscape is Evan, a bounty hunter taking missions to survive. However, his latest quest to capture a thief leads to more than he bargained for. After uncovering an ancient map, he forms a party to hunt the sacred treasure inside the most formidable dungeon.
Once inside, they'll have to overcome the trials of a god to reach it, and they're not the only ones searching.
"I really enjoy books that include trial-like elements and I was not disappointed here."
-KINDIG "The world is very well built and makes me wonder if Asher would do another story set in the same realm."
-Sly Fox Reviews
Bryan Asher is a native Washingtonian and lifelong fan of fiction in all its forms. He started out like many kids from the '90s, being enthralled by all the superhero comics and cartoons crossing his vision. His love of literary fiction came when he was handed a copy of John Bellairs, “The Chessmen of Doom” by his local librarian. Bryan still credits John Bellairs as his greatest literary influence, with his books featuring multiple illustrations and stand-alone adventures, just like Bellairs.
After years of dedication and planning, he debuted his first novel in 2020, “The Assassin of Malcoze.” The following year he released his second novel, “The Treasure of Lor-Rev,” which went on to win multiple awards.
Bryan still lives in Renton Washington with his loving wife and two awesome children. He also still has the first comic book he ever purchased (which cost a quarter in 1990).
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One murder mystery weekend. Two rival sleuths.
They’re looking for answers. But will they find love?
Kate Brannon is delighted to be attending her first murder mystery weekend in a movie-worthy Victorian manor house. Still getting over being dumped, cracking the case would be a welcome boost to her flagging confidence. And the prize money wouldn’t hurt either.
But Kate’s dreams of victory become a nightmare with the arrival of Max Ravenscroft. Smart, enigmatic and annoyingly handsome, Max is Kate’s sleuthing nemesis.
When she and Max are forced to work together, Kate despairs. But, as the investigation brings them closer, she finds being his partner in solving crime isn’t all bad.
With growing suspicions that the game is rigged against them, can Kate and Max beat the odds to find the killer? And, as their partnership deepens, can they find romance too?
A sweet romantic comedy with a cosy mystery at its heart. Perfect for fans of Kathryn Freeman, Laura Jane Williams and Katie Fforde.
This rivals-to-lovers romance is a standalone romcom and part of the Love in the Comptons collection.
" It’s a story about friendship, personal growth, self-esteem, and trust — all wrapped up like a gift in a light romance. "
-Gina Rae Mitchell "This was a fast paced read throughout, and there wasn’t a single dull moment."
-Worlds Unlike Our Own "All the stars for this incredible read which mixes a perfect blend of cosy mystery and romance."
-Karla_Bookishlife
[BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists (16 in 2024) and one overall winner.
If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.]
Claire Huston lives in Warwickshire, UK, with her husband and children. She writes uplifting modern love stories about characters who are meant for each other but need a little help to realise it.
A keen amateur baker, she enjoys making cakes, biscuits and brownies almost as much as eating them. You can find recipes for all the cakes mentioned in Art and Soul, her first novel, at clairehuston.co.uk along with over 150 other recipes. This is also where she talks about and reviews books.
You can also find Claire on various social media platforms. Find your favourite here:
https://linktr.ee/clairehuston_author
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Maria's Shadow by D.L. Cary is a gripping thriller that follows Maria Hernández, a young Salvadoran woman ensnared by the sinister Saffron Veil after chasing a Hollywood dream. Trapped in a California mansion, she escapes with a dangerous secret, pursued by the powerful Senator Edward Grayson. As Detective John Jefferson uncovers a web of corruption in North Carolina, their paths converge in a high-stakes battle against a shadowy cabal. Packed with suspense, betrayal, and relentless pursuit, this novel explores courage and sacrifice against overwhelming odds.
"This is a fast ride jammed packed full of crime, secrets, and power players that I would never trust. And lot’s and lot’s of action."
-Sarah Reads "No gratuitous gore, no over-the-top language—just tight, edge-of-your-seat suspense, fully realized characters, and plot twists that kept me flipping pages like a caffeine-fueled binge. "
-Nikki
D.L. Cary is a Christian suspense and clean-thriller author who loves delivering pulse-pounding intrigue without the profanity or graphic violence.
His debut series, The Veil Chronicles, drops you into covert conspiracies and spiritual warfare while championing themes of redemption, justice, and hope. If you enjoy inspirational fiction, redemptive suspense, or spiritual thrillers you can share with the whole family, you’re in the right place.
He calls Alabama home, where he lives with my best friend (and wife), Heile. Before that, they lived in North Carolina. Finishing up their crew is a rambunctious group of dogs and cats, with Alex, an orange tabby, being the newest addition.
Every page he writes is fueled by faith and by readers who crave values-driven stories where hope endures, and justice prevails.
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For fans of The Ministry of Time and The Midnight Library, a sweeping, unforgettable novel moving from pre-WWII Germany to Cold War-era America to the mysterious time space, a library filled with books containing the memories of those who bore witness to history.
Nuremberg, 1938: On the night of Kristallnacht, eleven-year-old Lisavet Levy is hidden by her father from approaching forces in a mysterious place called the time space, a library where all the memories of the past are stored inside of books. When her father doesn’t return for her, she becomes trapped, spending her adolescence walking through the memories of those who lived before. When she discovers that living timekeepers are entering the time space to destroy memories and maintain their preferred version of history, Lisavet sets about trying to salvage the past, creating her own book of lost memories. Until one day in 1949, when she meets an American timekeeper named Ernest Duquesne, who is intent on keeping her from her task. What ensues sets her on a course to change history and the time space itself forever.
Boston, 1965: Amelia Duquesne is mourning the death of her uncle and guardian, Ernest, when she’s approached by Moira, the enigmatic head of the CIA’s highly secretive Temporal Reconnaissance Program. Moira tells her about the existence of the time space—accessed only by specially designed watches whose intricate mechanisms have been lost to time—and enlists her help in recovering a strange book her uncle had once sought. But Amelia quickly realizes that the past—and the truth—are not as straightforward as Moira would like her to believe.
A sweeping, cinematic love story, this feat of imagination explores memory, time, and the lengths we will go to in order to protect the existence of those we love.
From the moment I saw the cover, I felt summoned. Some books whisper. This one beckons.
Hayley Gelfuso crafts a haunting, poetic timespace where memory is both sanctuary and battleground. Unlike typical multiverse narratives, this story unfolds in a library of lost hours—a purgatory of recollection, where time doesn’t bend but bruises. Azrael’s description of this realm lingers: it’s not a portal, it’s a reckoning.
The premise alone is a marvel. But it’s Gelfuso’s lyrical voice that elevates the experience. Despite the dual timelines and shifting perspectives, her prose remains fluid and evocative, never losing its emotional cadence.
Lisavet and Amelia are compelling, but it was Ernest Duquesne who pierced me most deeply. A man who loves through ruin, who chooses tenderness even when time itself conspires against him. His love story with Lisavet doesn’t just endure—it defies chronology.
Gelfuso also knows how to sculpt a villain. The antagonist is despicable in the most effective way, a force that makes the stakes feel real and raw.
"Time is the beast that makes mortals of all, one way or another. It takes everything heedless of wealth or status."
I read this slowly. I didn’t want it to end. I left marginalias in the edges—my own memory etched into the pages. And while I won’t spoil the final chapters, I will say this: even in death, Time can still take everything. But love, when chosen again and again, leaves a trace.
Hayley Gelfuso is an author and poet who works in the environmental nonprofit sector. As a writer, she is drawn to stories of the wild and wonderful that are rooted in real world history and science. Her poetry about her experiences working in the conservation field has been published in the Plumwood Mountain Journal. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband. Photograph by Angelo Gelfuso, Gelfocus Photography
*Simon & Schuster CA provided the ARC
in exchange for this unbiased review.
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Impossible Creatures Series, Vol. 1
BY KATHERINE RUNDELL
ART BY ASHLEY MACKENZIE | PUBLICATION: SEPTEMBER 10, 2024
KNOPF | GENRE: YA FANTASY
RATING: ★★★★★
"It’s a rallying cry for every soul who still believes in wonder, in courage, and in the quiet power of kindness."
The day Christopher saved a drowning baby griffin from a hidden lake would change his life forever. It's the day he learned about the Archipelago, a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures of every kind have thrived for thousands of years—until now. And it's the day he met Mal, a girl on the run who desperately needs his help.
Mal and Christopher embark on a wild adventure, racing from island to island, searching for someone who can explain why the magic is fading and why magical creatures are suddenly dying. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the closer they get to the dark truth of what's happening, the clearer it becomes: no one else can fix this. If the Archipelago is to be saved, Mal and Christopher will have to do it themselves.
Katherine Rundell’s story crackles and roars with energy and delight. It is brought vividly to life with more than 60 illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures. -PRH
There are books that entertain. There are books that comfort. And then there are books like IMPOSSIBLE CREATURES—books that summon. Katherine Rundell’s tale of Christopher and Mal isn’t just a fantasy adventure—it’s a rallying cry for every soul who still believes in wonder, in courage, and in the quiet power of kindness.
Set between the Scottish Highlands and the Archipelago—a hidden world where mythical creatures still breathe—the story begins with a baby griffin, a boy who dares to save it, and a girl named Mal who can fly and is running from something far darker than monsters. Together, they race across islands, consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the real battle? It’s against despair. Against the fading of magic. Against the kind of apathy that lets beauty die without protest.
The Archipelago feels like the kind of place that’s been waiting in the collective imagination—just out of reach, until someone like Katherine Rundell gave it form. The part that makes the Archipelago feel truly alive—not just the creatures, but the people who live alongside them. Rundell hints at entire civilizations tucked into the folds of the islands, each with their own stories, rituals, languages, and ways of understanding the impossible. Rundell doesn’t over-explain. She trusts us to feel the weight of what’s not said. That there are people we haven’t met yet, and when we do, they’ll change everything.
The Archipelago feels like a sanctuary—not just from danger, but from the noise and cruelty that seem to echo louder in our world lately. It’s a place where wonder is protected, where kindness is woven into the fabric of life, and where the impossible thrives because people believe in it together. It’s comforting to imagine that somewhere out there, tucked behind the veil of reality, there’s a place untouched by division. Where cultures coexist not in spite of their differences, but because of them. Where every creature, every person, has a place and a purpose. A world stitched together from myth and memory, where griffins soar and nereid slip through the waves, and where the impossible isn’t just possible—it’s home.
Rundell didn’t just build a world—she remembered it for us. Like she cracked open a secret door in the back of the wardrobe and said, “Here. You knew this place existed. You just forgot.”
Mal and Christopher are the archetypes of what we need more of: kids who ask hard questions, who risk safety for truth, who understand that saving the world means doing the work. And Rundell doesn’t flinch from the cost. There’s danger. There’s loss. But there’s also hope—and it’s earned, not gifted.
Christopher is the quiet heartbeat of Impossible Creatures. His magic isn’t mythical—it’s moral. And he’s the one who chooses to show up, again and again, even when the path is terrifying, even when he doesn’t fully understand what he’s stepping into. That kind of courage—the kind that’s rooted in loyalty, empathy, and instinct—is rare. And it’s beautiful.
And the way he never says no? That’s not just bravery—it’s deeply rooted love. For Gelifen, for Mal, for the Archipelago. He steps into the unknown not because he’s fearless, but because he cares. It captures something deep and ancient—like the Archipelago itself was waiting for Christopher, whispering his name through feathers and fur and wind. He didn’t stumble into destiny; he was claimed by it. Before he understood, before he agreed, before he even believed—the creatures knew. They saw the quiet strength, the kindness, the willingness to leap without asking why. That’s the kind of hero who stays with you long after the last page.
It’s rare in stories to see characters chosen not for power or prophecy, but for heart. And that’s why Mal and Christopher stays with us. They gave up their childhood innocence for something worth fighting for, accepted the quest, and they refused to be helpless. They are the kind of people the world needs more of—the kind who says yes, even when the cost is high, even when the path is unclear.
Rundell’s stories shimmer with strangeness—griffins, flying girls, impossible islands—but it’s the kindness that anchors them. Not just fleeting gestures, but the kind that demands courage, persistence, and sacrifice. She has this rare gift—she writes for young readers without ever condescending to them. Her language is lyrical, her ideas are layered, and her emotional truths are unflinching. She trusts her readers, no matter their age, to grapple with beauty and grief, with wonder and loss.
For the kind people: If you’ve ever felt the world growing colder, more cynical, more cruel—read this. Let it remind you that kindness must be taught, modeled, and fought for. That protecting innocence doesn’t mean shielding children from truth, but arming them with empathy and courage.
This book is a seed. Let’s plant it in every heart that still believes in impossible things.
KATHERINE RUNDELL is the internationally bestselling author of Impossible Creatures. Her other books for children include Rooftoppers, Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms, The Wolf Wilder, The Explorer, and The Good Thieves. She grew up in Zimbabwe, Brussels, and London, and is currently a Fellow of St. Catherine’s College, Oxford. For adult readers, Rundell has written Vanishing Treasures: A Bestiary of Extraordinary Endangered Creatures and Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne, which won the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction. She was the recipient of the British Book Award for Book of the Year and Author of the Year.
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There is a heatwave across Europe, and four siblings have gathered at their family’s lake house to seek answers about their father, a famous artist, who recently remarried a much younger woman and decamped to Italy to finish his long-awaited masterpiece.
Now he is dead. And there is no sign of his final painting.
As the siblings try to piece together what happened, they spend the summer in a state of lawlessness: living under the same roof for the first time in decades, forced to confront the buried wounds they incurred as his children, and waiting for answers. Though they have always been close, the things they learn that summer—about themselves—and their father—will drive them apart before they can truly understand his legacy. Meanwhile, their stepmother’s enigmatic presence looms over the house. Is she the force that will finally destroy the family for good?
Wonderfully atmospheric, at heart this is a novel about the bonds of siblinghood—what happens when they splinter, and what it might take to reconnect them. -PRH
"The Quiet Resurrection of a Goose: A Masterpiece"
In THE HOMEMADE GOD, Rachel Joyce once again proves that the heart of a story doesn’t need to be loud to be unforgettable. While the novel opens with the death of Vic Kemp—the flamboyant artist and flawed patriarch—it’s his son Goose who quietly steals the narrative. Often overlooked, Goose becomes the emotional compass of the novel.
Rachel Joyce is a genius at crafting fractured, complex characters who feel heartbreakingly real. Here, she places four siblings—Netta, Susan, Goose, and Iris—inside the sweltering heat of an Italian summer, in a lakeside villa that holds more ghosts than memories. What begins as a mystery surrounding their father Vic’s death and missing masterpiece soon reveals itself to be something deeper: a portrait of a family in quiet collapse.
The first part of the novel is deceptively warm. The siblings, despite their differences, share a bond forged in childhood and shaped by their adoration for their father. But Joyce, as always, knows how to shift the light. The second part dives into the undercurrent—the unspoken wounds, the buried resentments, the truths too painful to name. It’s here the novel breaks open. And it’s here that Goose, the third in the pack, begins to rise.
What struck me most was how Joyce, as she always does, finds her center (which I'd like to discuss in detail on a different post). It’s never the loudest character or the most dramatic twist—it’s the quiet truth that lingers. Goose reminded me so much of Benji from Fredrik Backman’s books. Both are beautiful, broken men who carry their pain with grace. Goose, despite his damage and breakdowns, remains open. Joyce paints him with aching tenderness: a failed artist, a wounded child, a man searching for something that doesn’t hurt to hold. And when Billy enters the story—a miracle in human form—everything changes. Billy is the kind of person everyone needs: gentle, firm, enveloping. His love doesn’t fix Goose; it allows him to heal. Goose's journey back to art, and into the arms of Billy, is not just a subplot—it’s a resurrection. In a family fractured by ego and grief, Goose chooses creation over destruction. His love story is gentle, his healing slow, but every step feels earned.
This book is slow. It takes its time. It cries out all its tears. And then, with quiet courage, it opens its palms to love again. Goose’s return to art, and his acceptance of love, is the novel’s heartbeat. In a story filled with grief and legacy, he chooses creation. He chooses peace.
In the final chapter, Bella-Mae’s masterpiece reminds us that art isn’t made from what’s pristine—it’s made from what’s lived. Broken things, forgotten things, everyday things. Together, they form something divine. And in that image, the Kemp family finds not just closure, but grace.
This novel doesn’t offer easy redemption. It offers something better: the possibility of peace. And Goose, with his paintbrush and his quiet heart, shows us how to get there. The Homemade God is a book of hope, of healing, and of art—the art of loving and being loved.
Rachel Joyce is the author of the Sunday Times and international bestsellers The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy, and Perfect. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry was short-listed for the Commonwealth Book Prize and long-listed for the Man Booker Prize and has been translated into thirty-six languages. Joyce was awarded the Specsavers National Book Awards New Writer of the Year in 2012. She is also the author of the digital short story A Faraway Smell of Lemon and is the award-winning writer of more than thirty original afternoon plays and classic adaptations for BBC Radio 4. Rachel Joyce lives with her family in Gloucestershire.
Photo by Justin Sutcliffe
*Penguin Random House provided the eARC
in exchange for this unbiased review.
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Aurora’s greatest entrepreneur has been murdered, and only the truth will save Alchemist Ortez from the gallows.
Facing a heated courtroom of strangers, he must now recall the events that brought him here as a fellow alchemist probes his memory. Such is the job of alchemists: administering elixirs in order to see into the minds of men. Their dreams. Their nightmares. Their secrets.
But while everyone believes him guilty, Alchemist Ortez knows what they do not.
He was hired by the victim for a job unlike any they could imagine. Nor would they ever guess what other mysteries lie buried beneath the mountain metropolis of Aurora, a cave-enclosed city where countless gas lamps illuminate the endless night.
The Night Circus meets Inception in this mind-bending fantasy mystery. Ranked one of the 20 Best Completed stories on Royal Road and both a SPFBO and BBNYA semi-finalist, Trial of the Alchemist is "a beautifully written tale of memory and murder... that will keep readers glued to the pages until the final twist is revealed." (Before We Go Blog)
"I really enjoyed this story and am left with many questions I am going to enjoy thinking about for a while yet. Just as you should be by stories."
-Beth | Beth's Bookcase "From the opening paragraphs to the closing pages, I was held enthralled as the mystery of who killed Everett Day was unraveled. "
-Melissa | Never enough books…
[BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists (16 in 2024) and one overall winner.
If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.]
Trevor Melanson is the author of four novels, including Trial of the Alchemist, a semi-finalist of both the SPFBO and BBNYA competitions and previously one of the twenty best-rated completed stories on Royal Road. A former journalist, Trevor now spends his workdays running communications at a think tank and advancing the transition to clean energy. He lives on the scenic Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, Canada, with his wife and two cats, having gleefully abandoned the big city life that once beckoned him as a younger man.
*Content sent by @TheWriteReads for this blog's publication. This is a free ad.
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