We Love You Bunny by Mona Awad (ARC Review)

January 30, 2026

In the cult classic novel Bunny, Samantha Heather Mackey, a lonely outsider student at a highly selective MFA program in New England, was first ostracized and then seduced by a clique of creepy-sweet rich girls who call themselves “Bunny.” An invitation to the Bunnies’ Smut Salon leads Samantha down a dark rabbit hole (pun intended) into the violently surreal world of their off-campus workshops…… Read More We Love You Bunny by Mona Awad (ARC Review)

— Adult, book review —

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie (Review)

January 29, 2026

Brother Diaz has been summoned to the Sacred City, where he is certain a commendation and grand holy assignment awaits him. But his new flock is made up of unrepentant murderers, practitioners of ghastly magic, and outright monsters, and the mission he is tasked with will require bloody measures from them all in order to achieve its righteous ends. Elves lurk at our borders and hunger for our flesh…… Read More The Devils by Joe Abercrombie (Review)

— Adult, book review —

The Second Death of Locke by V.L. Bovalino (Review)

January 29, 2026

Grey Flynn has dedicated her life to her mage, Kier. She will be his blade on the battlefield, his healer and protector. The deep well of raw power inside her is Kier’s to use. Grey would do anything for Kier – be anything for him – if he would only ask. When a quest to protect the child of an enemy kingdom pulls them into the dangerous heart of their nation’s war, Grey and Kier will need to decide what they…… Read More The Second Death of Locke by V.L. Bovalino (Review)

— Adult, ARC review, book review —

Spellcaster by Jaymin Eve (ARC Review)

January 29, 2026

When my magic bloomed at twenty-two, the last thing I expected was to receive an acceptance letter to the most prestigious witch college in the world. It’s not that I don’t have magic. It’s just…unpredictable. But with Weatherstone a part of my family legacy, I’m determined to live up to their expectations. A task that’s almost derailed on my very first day when I come face-to-face with…… Read More Spellcaster by Jaymin Eve (ARC Review)

— book review, children's —

The Invisible Parade by Leigh Bardugo & John Picacio (Review)

January 28, 2026

There’s a party tonight, but Cala doesn’t want to go. While her family prepares for the celebration, Cala grieves her grandfather and tries to pretend she’s not afraid. But when she is separated from her family at the cemetery, Cala encounters four mysterious riders who will show her she is actually quite brave after all. Brimming with magic and humor, The Invisible Parade is the first picture-book…… Read More The Invisible Parade by Leigh Bardugo & John Picacio (Review)

— Adult, book review —

Collide by Bal Khabra (Review)

January 28, 2026

An ultimatum from Summer Preston’s thesis advisor thrusts her into an unexpected collision with the hockey team’s captain, Aiden Crawford. She’s caught between conflicting desires of fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming a sport psychologist and staying as far away as possible from the god-awful sport. And once she meets Aiden—well, let’s just say he confirms all her worst assumptions…… Read More Collide by Bal Khabra (Review)

— ARC review, book review, nonfiction —

NMLCT: Poems by Paul Vermeersch (ARC Review)

January 19, 2026

Fables and fairytales collide with virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and monstrous myths in a world where no one knows what to believe. In his eighth book of poems, Paul Vermeersch responds to the increasing difficulty of knowing what is real and what isn’t, what is our genuine experience and what is constructed for us by The Algorithm. In a “post-truth” society rife with simulations…… Read More NMLCT: Poems by Paul Vermeersch (ARC Review)

— ARC review, book review, nonfiction —

It Can’t Rain All the Time: The Crow by Alisha Mughal (ARC Review)

December 25, 2025

Released in 1994, The Crow first drew in audiences thanks to the well-publicized tragedy that loomed over the film: lead actor Brandon Lee had died on set due to a mishandled prop gun. But it soon became clear that The Crow was more than just an accumulation of its tragic parts. The celebrated critic Roger Ebert wrote that Lee’s performance was “more of a screen achievement than any of the films of his father, Bruce Lee.”

In It Can’t Rain All the Time, Alisha Mughal argues that The Crow has transcended Brandon Lee’s death by exposing the most challenging human emotions in all their dark, dramatic, and visceral glory, so much so that it has spawned three sequels, a remake, and an intense fandom. Eric, our back-from-the-dead, grieving protagonist, shows us that there is no solution to depression or loss, there is only our own internal, messy work. By the end of the movie, we realize that Eric has presented us with a vast range of emotions and that masculinity doesn’t need to be hard and impenetrable.

Through her memories of seeking solace in the film during her own grieving period, Alisha brilliantly shows that, for all its gothic sadness, The Crow is, surprisingly and touchingly, a movie about redemption and hope… Read More It Can’t Rain All the Time: The Crow by Alisha Mughal (ARC Review)

— ARC review, book review, nonfiction —

Ugh! As If!: Clueless by Veronica Litt (ARC Review)

December 25, 2025

Ugh As If! uncovers the complex layers beneath the glossy surface of the 1995 classic film Clueless. Litt investigates not just the Austen satire but the film’s deeper ethical questions about femininity, innocence, bias, and inequity.

A sweet and sly exploration of the Jane Austen–inspired teen movie and its evergreen imperative to be kind, do better, and find the activist within

We are totally butt-crazy in love with Clueless. Since the movie’s premiere in 1995, pop culture has mined Amy Heckerling’s high school comedy for inspiration, from Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX’s “Fancy” music video to Cher’s iconic yellow plaid suit appearing at every Halloween party.

In Ugh As If!, Veronica Litt argues that this seemingly fluffy teen romp is the quintessential thinking woman’s movie, one in which the audience is asked to seriously consider the beauty and power of naïveté. Cher Horowitz’s gradual pivot from oblivious it girl to burgeoning activist is a powerful reminder that even the most unlikely people can change for the better and contribute to their communities. In this bright, shiny film, pursuing a more just society isn’t just possible — it’s enjoyable. This fun, feminine, feel-good movie is a counter-narrative to nihilism, a refusal to give into cynicism, hopelessness, and passivity. Almost without viewers noticing, Clueless teaches Cher, and us, how to become better. Like the film it examines, Ugh As If! nudges even the most jaded viewer into feeling hopeful about the future… Read More Ugh! As If!: Clueless by Veronica Litt (ARC Review)

— Adult, ARC review, audiobook, book review —

All Superheroes Need PR by Elizabeth Stephens (ARC Review)

November 28, 2025

Over two decades ago, forty-eight young, gifted superheroes fell to Earth and were eventually marketed as opposing heroes and villains. Now, one exceptionally gruff bad guy is looking to hop teams. Hello, PR director Vanessa Theriot.

His real name is Roland Casteel a.k.a. the Pyro. First, swap that with the less incinerating the Wyvern. Next, put him in spandex to highlight that near-godlike body. Finally, give that hero in training a heroine—if Vanessa will play the part in a pretend romance guaranteed to make the city swoon. She’s game. As shy as Vanessa is, it’s her job to be Roland’s very own Lois Lane. Who knew that fake dating would change their worlds?

But falling head over heels for real makes for a dangerous shift in the narrative. A monstrous supervillain is bringing out Roland’s bad side again. This time, it’s to save a woman who, against all the odds, is becoming the human love of his superhero life… Read More All Superheroes Need PR by Elizabeth Stephens (ARC Review)