Genre: Adult

This review is based on a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy provided by St. Martin’s Press. Like a fluffy sweater on a breezy Fall day or a sugar-spiked pumpkin spice latte, take your pick of equally appropriate autumn metaphor, the Invisible Roommate by Timothy Janovsky is a warm-hearted and sweet M/M contemporary romance / queer literature book. Inspired by The Invisible Man genre-swapped, this book crosses boyband pop star music with scientific inquiry and the charm of the rural New England bay islands. A story about self-worth, values, family, and what it means to be seen, the Invisible Roommate is a wonderfully pleasant book that’s the perfect weekend kind of read. “…life was not about having everyone notice you; it was about finding the one person who would see you and love you even when you were at your most invisible.” Pitched as the Invisible Man meets Love is Blind, the book follows Gerard Well, a popstar boyband member who has flown to rural Iping Island in the Chesapeake Bay to get away from the mental pressure and stress associated with stardom. Following the lyrics of a childhood favorite song Island State of Mind by a folk duo Hallowitz & Hart, Gerard…

There are many ways one could describe Matt Dinniman’s scifi novel Operation Bounce House, but what I’ve settled on is “refreshingly brilliant”. A self-contained standalone satirical epic that mixes Dinniman’s signature over-the-top absurdity with a lot heart, this book is what Dungeon Crawler Carl was to the LitRPG swapped for Apex Legends with parallel metaphors encompassing the political tension of the last several years. Despite having a premise that sounds like a fever dream on paper, Operation Bounce House is an excellent scifi book with a lot of depth and substance, easily one of my favorite reads of the last few years. At a first glance, Operation Bounce House is a book of seemingly endless contradictions that somehow works through sheer audacity and confidence. While its synopsis and book blurb has a lot going on, when stripped of its flashy styling and scifi jargon, the story is essentially one of government sanctioned genocide. If that is a turnoff, bear with me for a sec before throwing in the towel. Taking place on the distant planet of New Sonora, Oliver Lewis is one of many humble agricultural farmers whose ancestors several generations ago were sent as settlers to colonize the planet…

This review is based on a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy provided by Atria Books. Mixing existential discussions and human feelings with dystopian AI themes and fears, Glenn Dixon’s the Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances is a thoughtful and compact speculative fiction novel that is as charming as it is bleak. Initially cozy before transitioning to its more cautionary back-half, this book is a highly accessible and quick read that carries the spirit of Thomas M. Disch’s the Brave Little Toaster aged up and modernized. Inspired by yet very much its own creation and story, this is a cute novel for those looking for a concise speculative fiction read. Presented through multiple POV’s that include multiple humans and a smart vacuum cleaner named Scout, the Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances introduces the reader to the elderly couple Harold and Edie Winters who have an unassuming house in a residential suburb. The early chapters follow Scout and her fellow smart appliances and devices in the house observing an ailing Edie slowly succumb to her illness as Harold continues his best efforts to comfort her. Despite the somber circumstances of Edie’s declining health, the first half of the book has a distinctly cozy and…

Cozy fantasy, comforting romance, zany humor all wrapped up in cottagecore whimsy, Sangu Mandanna’s A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is a light-hearted and feel-good fantasy romance book that’s easy to enjoy. A perfect example of the cozy fantasy genre, this book is incredibly charming and like its US cover, paints the world and in a lovely rose-tinted hue. Featuring a mix of great themes and a predictable yet pleasant plot, this is a great pick for cozy-seeking readers, with the potential to be a bit underwhelming and dry for those that prefer more intense narratives. Set at the charmingly rough around the edges cottage tucked away in the Lancashire countryside, the story follows Sera Swan’s never boring days maintaining and running the enchanted inn. Cloaked in a spell, the Batty Hole Inn is a magical place that can only be found by those in need of help or a safe place to call home. After casting a powerful spell to save her beloved Aunt Jasmine, Sera has lost her powers, is banished to exile from the Witch’s Guild, and has been making do with faint whispers of her original magic for the last fifteen years. With the help of…

Set in a gothic and snowy city where its citizens put their trust in the church to protect them from dark forces held at bay, their faith is put to the test when a series of mysterious murders occurs. As the holy wards and seal appear to weaken, murder victims are found, and unrest within the city grows, the head inquisitor, a blessed izir, and a selfless church caregiver without a soul work to discover who is to blame for these seemingly unrelated disturbances. The first book of a planned duology also serving as Cate Baumer’s full length traditional published novel debut, the Faithful Dark is a tense and atmospheric dark fantasy book that features highly relevant themes that touch on faith, heresy, testing one’s loyalties, and what it really means to be blessed. Two of the most important elements when it comes to dark fantasy stories for me are the book’s sense of tone and sufficient world-building to ensure the stakes are set high. When it comes to ambiance and style, the Faithful Dark is a beast of a novel. Baumer’s fictional walled city of Silgard appears to be loosely inspired by a more urbanized version of the Vatican…