Jefferz

“If the world was ending you’d come over, right? You’d come over and you’d stay the night…” because you broke your leg in a bear trap- Never has my heart felt so warmed by a post-apocalyptic survival road trip adventure, but Erik J. Brown’s debut novel All That’s Left In the World did that and so much more. A YA survival story of two lonely teenage boys finding a home in each other after most of the world died all around them, the book’s characters, tone, pacing and plotting feels pitch-perfect and is an incredibly well-crafted novel. A lot of other reviewers had previously mentioned how wholesome and cute it is, which had me raising an eyebrow given the genre and premise (I sometimes find post-apocalyptic stories slow and repetitive), but it really is such a hopeful and heartfelt book that far surpassed all of my expectations. Providing much needed queer representation is a sub-genre of science fiction that lacked clear standouts while avoiding being too graphic, harsh or scary, All That’s Left In the World is an outstanding and well-rounded book that’s sure to satisfy a wide variety of readers, even adults as well despite its YA classification and…

Combining internet creepypasta x reddit culture with conspiracy theory discussions invoking the Mandela effect, while wrapped up with a premise involving former child stars reuniting under devious circumstances, Mister Magic’s ideas and concepts are nothing short of ingenious. A unique, suspenseful thriller with dashes of horror and paranormal activity, Mister Magic is wildly creative while simultaneously feeling like a personal literary work. Heavily hinged around the theme of lost childhood and the misdirection of parental guidance, there are moments where Kiersten White hits hard with relatable and edgy personal jabs at adulthood that are impressive. Unfortunately for me, those sporadic bursts of genius and excitement are surrounded by a slow and messy narrative that is never quite able to deliver on its hook and ideas on paper. Its ending also devolves into a rushed and convoluted mess. Working at a camping retreat with no cell phone and largely removed from society for the last 30 yrs, former child star Val is unexpectedly reunited with her former co-stars following the death of her father who once grounded and rescued her from a traumatic childhood she cannot remember. Encompassing elements of many popular kids tv shows, Mister Magic’s concept and mysterious disappearance…

Book no.3 in Isabel Murray’s Not That series, Not That Ridiculous delivers more or less the same light-heart and fun blend of comedic romance, spicy scenes, and a nice dose of character development and drama. I don’t know why, but I was not expecting a 3rd entry in the series considering it had been almost two years since Not That Impossible was published which felt like a perfect ending and companion novel to Not That Complicated. Yet Murray is able to somehow work a 3rd romantic couple out of the past books’ already limited side characters and base this novel around one of the most prominent Cotswolds locations previously featured. While I read and reviewed both Not That Complicated and Not That Impossible, each having their own specific strengths and weaknesses, Not That Ridiculous is definitely the most balanced of the three and will certainly satisfy fans of the previous novels (especially those that preferred the first over the second). Featuring an entertaining story and narration courtesy of Chipping Fairford’s resident caffeinated “grouch” Charlie Galloway paired off with Kevin Wallis, the famed general handyman that discovered the original dead bodies in Ray’s house, Not That Ridiculous is funny, silly, spicy…

Normally I start reviews with a brief recap and overall impressions before getting into my general thoughts and impressions, but you have to be living under a rock to be unfamiliar with Rebecca Yarros’s Empyrean series’ first novel Fourth Wing. Also, quite a few of my book friends have been dying for me to read this series and to hear my thoughts on it. Having heard very mixed receptions and reviews for the series (Iron Flame in particular being the most polarizing) and being a fairly inexperienced romantasy reader, I went in preparing myself to be disappointed. While I did find myself agreeing with many of the common criticisms highlighted in other far more detailed reviews for the book, I was actually pleasantly surprised by the ambition and generally great plotting of the story (apart from when the story goes a bit astray at the two thirds mark). If there’s one thing that’s consistent in Fourth Wing, its the entertainment value and accessibility of the story for all sorts of readers, romance and fantasy alike. An early note I had written down said “Sure I can critique and nitpick the book and call out its lack of details and world-building,…