The Book Grind
  • Home
  • Book Reviews
    • By Title
    • By Author
    • By Year Read
    • By Series
    • Advanced Reader Copy Reviews
    • Archive (sortable)
  • Blog
  • Contact Me
    • Review Policy

Genre: Speculative Fiction

  • Book ReviewsLGBTQ+Science FictionThriller

    Chuck Tingle: Bury Your Gays

    by Jefferz August 15, 2024
    August 15, 2024

    Bury Your Gays’ title alone is one way to get someone’s attention followed by an earnest bit of social commentary on media culture wrapped up in a comedically ridiculous premise. Sub 300 pages complimented by a casual and functional prose, Chuck Tingle’s Bury Your Gays is a light campy horror novel that is easy to like and has a lot of things going on. With bits of body violence/gore, homophobia, and child neglect, it’s not always a rosy read, but it’s still quick and generally light-hearted. Despite appreciating its aspirations and blend of different elements, I personally found it to be a bit dry to read and disjointed in content. It’s certainly ambitious with its themes and plot, but it feels like it was trying to do too much without excelling at any one area. An established screenwriter known for campy horror movies/tv-shows with underlying queer elements, the narrative switches back and forth between the present day in LA vs Misha’s memories of his upbringing. Without giving away too many spoilers, these flashbacks are told out of chronological order and are meant to give the reader insight into how Misha’s interest in storytelling was shaped by a tumultuous childhood where…

    Read more
    0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTumblrRedditWhatsappEmail
  • Book ReviewsScience Fiction

    Simon Stephenson: Set My Heart To Five

    by Jefferz July 10, 2024
    July 10, 2024

    Easily one of the most creative and whimsical novels I’ve read in many years. Simon Stephenson’s Set My Heart to Five is a thoughtful (and occasionally edgy) commentary on human behavior and societal culture wrapped up in a seemingly light-hearted, meandering AI bot adventure. Despite being compared to Vonnegut’s ideologies and writing, the book’s content reminded me a lot of Daniel Keye’s Flowers for Algernon (which is one of my all-time favorite novels) in which both stories feature an innocuous narrator who does not understand the complexities of human behavior and terrible people around them. Set My Heart to Five’s premise of an AI bot developing feelings admittedly isn’t new territory, but the style of delivery and humorously dry character voice puts it in an entirely new area. First and foremost, Set My Heart to Five is not going to be for everyone, nor does Stephenson make an attempt to be mass-appealing. Jared’s character voice is somehow both frank and dry, yet also entirely comical in a witty, dark humor kind of way; you know that one friend who always talks about the unspoken elephant in the room that’s not socially acceptable, yeah that’s Jared. Full of fun wordplays and…

    Read more
    0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTumblrRedditWhatsappEmail
  • Book ReviewsScience FictionThriller

    Stuart Turton: The Last Murder at the End of the World

    by Jefferz June 17, 2024
    June 17, 2024

    The Last Murder at the End of the World feels like it should’ve been something directly catered to my taste which is a murder mystery investigation wrapped up in a post-apocalyptic, science fiction (borderline dystopian) dressing. This one is hard to talk without giving away crucial spoilers that would heavily affect the reading experience. The novel had all the right elements and pieces to work with and Stuart Turton had a lot of creative and intriguing concepts included. In an alternate universe with some tweaking, this could’ve been a knockout hit. Unfortunately for me, the novel’s science fiction flavor gets a bit out of hand and is frankly a mess. Numerous unexplained apocalyptic elements weaken what should’ve been a well-done murder investigation story. Set on a protected island where the last survivors of an apocalyptic fog inhabit, the setup for the plot was good. There’s a clear timeline of events dictated by a countdown to extinction that separates each section of the book. The first 40% of the story focused on introducing various villagers on the island, their relationship with three revered scientists, and the dynamics of the island. The book has a long-running metaphor of equating the villagers to…

    Read more
    0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTumblrRedditWhatsappEmail
  • Book ReviewsHistorical FictionRomanceScience Fiction

    Kaliane Bradley: The Ministry of Time

    by Jefferz May 28, 2024
    May 28, 2024

    The Ministry of Time is an ambitious, creative, and wonderful blend of different genres that could’ve easily ended up as a convoluted misfire if not for Kaliane Bradley’s thoughtful and carefully executed prowess with the various elements involved. Despite the obvious science fiction time-traveling elements, when you strip the story of its otherworldly themes, The Ministry of Time feels like a straight contemporary fiction drama novel that heavily explores the immigrant experience and assimilating into the Western English lifestyle. The five individuals pulled into the 21st century across time is a clear metaphor for the immigrant experience. TLDR, you do not have to be a fan of science fiction to enjoy this book. On a more basic level, The Ministry of Time was a homerun for me with a tone and sophistication I’ve been severely missing in most recent trending booktok novels (not that I would consider this one booktok’s norm). Right from its synopsis, the summary highlights its genre-bending elements well. The Ministry of Time is 100% part historical Fiction due to Commander Graham Gore being a real-life figure who was deemed lost as part of John Franklin’s Lost and tragic 1845 expedition to the arctic. Familiarity with the…

    Read more
    0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTumblrRedditWhatsappEmail
  • Book ReviewsScience Fiction

    Robert Charles Wilson: Spin

    by Jefferz April 28, 2024
    April 28, 2024

    Picked up on a blind Goodreads algorithm suggestion (dangerous choice, I know), I had no expectations or experience going into Robert Charles Wilson’s Spin. Obviously I assumed it would be at least competently plotted with a high-concept as the coveted 2006 Hugo Award winner for best novel. What I did not expect and was pleasantly surprised by was the highly restrained, nuanced, yet incredibly character work that carried me all through Spin. This is notable particularly when some of the science-fiction elements, pardon the bad pun, occasionally spun a bit out of control. A 4.5 rounded up, this rating is not necessarily a rating for a fun or entertaining time, but for a rating that respects the quality of the writing and the execution of the story. Some of my 5-star reads are entertaining or a thrill ride to read; Spin is slower and smart one that I know will stick with me for a while. The main plot of Spin asks the age-old question, what happens when a potentially catastrophic, maybe even apocalyptic event occurs? When faced with possibility that the end of the world is ending, how do people react and grapple with their impending death? (a possibility…

    Read more
    0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTumblrRedditWhatsappEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts

☕ About Me

Reader & Coffee Connoisseur

Reader & Coffee Connoisseur


I am a reading enthusiast and book reviewer who enjoys reading with a warm latte in-hand, breaking down what I read in detail. Although my favorite genres are sci-fi, noir mystery, urban fantasy, and a sprinkle of contemporary romance, I consider myself a variety reader.


With a coffee (or favorite beverage) of choice, join me on The Book Grind as we read and sip our way through some great novels.

Professional Reader10 Book ReviewsFeatured Book Reviewer

☕ Currently Reading

Robert Jackson Bennett: The Tainted Cup ReviewVenessa Vida Kelley: When the Tides Held the Moon Review

☕ Recent Reviews

  • Beth Cato: Cheddar Luck Next Time Review

    June 3, 2025
  • Holly Jackson: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Review

    June 1, 2025
  • John Scalzi: The Kaiju Preservation Society

    May 27, 2025
  • B.K. Borison: First-Time Caller Review

    May 25, 2025
  • Alex Howard: The Ghost Cat Review

    May 22, 2025
  • Sara Raasch & Beth Revis: The Crimson Throne Review

    May 19, 2025
  • Sienna Sharpe: A Killer Getaway Review

    May 16, 2025
  • Timothy Janovsky: A Mannequin for Christmas Review

    May 13, 2025
  • Martha Wells: Exit Strategy Review

    May 9, 2025
  • Emily Henry: Great Big Beautiful Life Review

    May 6, 2025
  • Olivie Blake: Gifted & Talented Review

    April 28, 2025
  • Sara Raasch: Go Luck Yourself Review

    April 19, 2025

☕ Recent Blog Posts

  • 2024 Most Disappointing Reads

    February 24, 2025
  • Kindle Unlimited Reading Marathon Picks

    February 9, 2025
  • 2024 Most Pleasantly Surprising Reads

    January 31, 2025
  • 2024 Reading Wrap Up’s

    January 9, 2025
  • Goodreads
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Email
Footer Logo

@2025 - All Right Reserved.


Back To Top
The Book Grind
  • Home
  • Book Reviews
    • By Title
    • By Author
    • By Year Read
    • By Series
    • Advanced Reader Copy Reviews
    • Archive (sortable)
  • Blog
  • Contact Me
    • Review Policy