Review: Abyss by Nicholas Binge

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AbyssAbyss by Nicholas Binge
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Setting eyes on this cover for the first time, I judged and I wanted. Then I read the synopsis. I don’t watch a lot of shows, so have never watched Severance, but I know Lovecraft, and I certainly know corporate horror and existential dread.

Just check in with me any Sunday evening…

This novella follows Joe, who post-pandemic finds himself not living up to his potential. He’s been out of work, but he’s close to dire straights and it’s high time he found something.

Just when he’s thinking it’s hopeless he ends up securing an admin position with a company called Ponos. He’s not expecting much, the most he’s hoping for is a reliable paycheck every week.

Even though he’s filled with a nervous energy, on his 1st-day Joe successfully makes his way to the Ponos building and enters. Expecting the normal 1st-day at a new job song and dance. What he gets is anything but. What he gets is horrifying to think about.

If you ever wanted a book that feels like a post-apocalyptic version of The Office meets H.P. Lovecraft, this one is definitely for you. I did feel at times like it was quite heavy-handed on the commentary, but valid nonetheless and I wouldn’t say it impeded my enjoyment that much.

Personally, I enjoy when commentary is there, but allows the Reader to think more for themselves. With this personal preference aside, I see you, Nicholas Binge and I hear you.

Thinking about other Horror novellas, this was actually what I wanted Coup de Grâce to be as far as the creepy, claustrophobic vibes. I was given the want to escape; a need to flee. I was confused about what was happening and I walked away thinking, what the hell did I just read.

Spoiler alert: that’s a good thing.

I would recommend this to Horror Readers looking for something strange and oddly compelling with a solid nod to Lovecraft. Bonus if you love stark, desperate landscapes, whether inside or out.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This is the first I’ve read from Binge, but I’m definitely going to be picking up more!

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Review: I’ll Find You Where the Timeline Ends by Kylie Lee Baker

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I'll Find You Where the Timeline EndsI’ll Find You Where the Timeline Ends by Kylie Lee Baker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

In I’ll Find You Where the Timeline Ends, descendants of a Japanese Dragon God are gifted with the power to travel through time. Our MC, Mina, is one of these descendants.

Though just a teen, Mina has been preparing her entire life to take her place in the Descendants, a secret organization tasked with protecting the timeline from rogue travelers.

Since this ability is based on your lineage, the rest of Mina’s family has also been involved with this organization, including her sister who went missing while on a mission.

Mina is currently placed in Seoul and has been attending a local high school where she deals with regular teenage issues. It just so happens that on the side she’s trying to find out what happened to her sister and protect the world from deviations in the timeline. No biggie.

After discovering that the organization may be corrupt, and that her sister may have been purposefully erased, Mina decides to team up with a charming rogue agent, Yejun, who she’s come to know in her time in Seoul.

He has a plan to free the Descendants from their corrupt influence, and Mina is hoping through that perhaps her sister’s existence can be restored. As the two join forces, Mina finds herself falling for Yejun.

The closer she gets to him though, the closer she is to discovering the truth. Hopefully, the truth will set her free, and not destroy her very existence instead.

Well, I guess there really isn’t anything that Kylie Lee Baker can’t do. I’ll Find You Where the Timeline Ends is fun, unique and well-executed. It’s also like nothing I’ve ever read from her before. She has to have one of the most active imaginations on Earth and I love that for her, and us!

I’ll admit I was distracted by the NFL Draft whilst reading this, otherwise I may have enjoyed it even more. I had one eye on the screen, seeing who was going where, but nevertheless, the audiobook kept me quite engaged.

This has some super fun concepts, great action and very endearing characters. Mina is by all appearances such a normal girl, but yeah, with the power of time travel at her fingertips. How amazing would that be?

I thought the romance was beautifully done as well. The build and the development of the relationship had me on tenterhooks. Yejun was certainly a compelling love interest.

It actually surprised me the level of emotion I was feeling towards the end. KLB is first class when it comes to pulling a Reader in. Her stories are all-consuming. I am transported and this one was no exception. I’m surprised this one didn’t receive a bit more buzz upon release.

I would definitely recommend this to any Romance Reader who enjoys stories that play with time. While this is a YA novel, I would recommend it for all ages. There’s nothing ‘too YA’ about it, IMO.

Thank you to the publisher, Feiwel & Friends and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review. My biggest regret with this book is that it took me so long to pick it up.

Kylie Lee Baker is one of my go-to authors. She has never done me dirty. Her wildly-imaginative stories are an absolute gift to us all. That’s no exaggeration.

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Review: Dead Weight by Hildur Knútsdóttir

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Dead WeightDead Weight by Hildur Knútsdóttir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dead Weight follows Unnur, who lives a rather solitary life until the day the black cat shows up at her door. Not wanting to let the poor little thing wander the streets alone, and possibly come to harm, Unnur takes in the cat and begins a desperate search for it’s owner.

As luck would have it, the owner’s identity is discovered and Unnur thinks this will be the end of it. Boy, was she wrong. Ásta, the cat’s owner, is a force unto herself. Unnur is oddly charmed by this mysterious young woman with such a vibrant energy.

When Ásta explains her situation to Unnur and asks if the cat can stay with her on a more permanent basis, until Ásta can properly take her back again, Unnur ultimately agrees. This agreement comes with regular contact with Ásta, as she comes for visits and to bring supplies.

The two women open up to one another over the course of these visits, learning more and more about each other’s lives. It seems to be a bit of a balm for them both.

Unnur comes to understand that Ásta’s life may not be as perfect as it first appears. In fact, she has a dangerous problem on her hands, and Unnur ends up being the only one there when Ásta’s life takes a violent turn. Unnur will do anything to help her friend, and the day she does is the day that both women’s lives change.

Dead Weight is a great novella; solid start to finish. I liked the writing a lot and the way the story unfolded kept me intrigued. It’s quiet in it’s delivery, but I found many ways to connect to Unnur’s perspective. She felt so very real to me.

I loved the fated-feel for the relationship between these two women, brought together by a cat of all things, and I appreciated the depth explored in such a short number of pages. I feel like this is a story that could be even more appreciated upon reread, and I wouldn’t be against it.

It reminded me of a German novella from the late-1950s that I read earlier this year, Killing Stella. That was a very subtle Domestic Horror story, following a housewife who is deeply impacted by a young woman’s presence in her life. The general vibes of that novella were the same ones that I felt here and I’m not mad about it.

I would recommend this to any Reader who enjoys Domestic or Psychological Horror that is more subdued in it’s approach, but ultimately packs a punch.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. The narration by Mary Robinette Kowal was an excellent match for Unnur’s character and had me hooked!

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Review: Aviary by Maria Dong

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AviaryAviary by Maria Dong
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Aviary begins with 19-year old Hee-Jin huddled down on the floor of her dingy Seoul apartment. She’s tense and nervous. We quickly understand that life hasn’t been an easy road for Hee-Jin. A knock on the door startles her. Is it the police, coming to ship her off to North Korea?

As an undocumented immigrant, this is a constant concern for her. Opening the door, she discovers not the judgemental glares of the police, but the disfigured, bird-like corpse of her younger sister, Hee-Young.

Hee-Jin is shocked. She can’t make sense of it. The last she knew Hee-Young was in America, enrolled in an exclusive and cutting-edge Art Program. Hee-Young was succeeding in pursuing her dreams. What is she doing back in Seoul, dead from an apparent bizarre overdose?

Searching her pockets, Hee-Jin discovers Hee-Young’s passport and a return ticket to America. Seeing her chance for freedom, Hee-Jin assumes her sister’s identity, takes the passport, the ticket, and hopefully Hee-Young’s place within this mysterious program. She’s determined to figure out what happened to her sister.

Before you come at me for spoilers, please note, all the above information can be found within the Publisher’s synopsis and it sold me. This sounded suspenseful and I wanted to know what happened to Hee-Young.

I was quite invested in the beginning. Hee-Jin ends up getting to America quickly. This all takes place by 11% into the novel. I really enjoyed the entire opening section.

By 17%, however, the pace slows down and a new perspective is introduced, Callie. She’s a woman with a connection to the Arts Program that Hee-Young was attending. I found her perspective extremely tedious and boring. That fact didn’t change throughout.

I had anticipated that Hee-Jin getting to America and immersing herself within Hee-Young’s life would increase the tension. I was expecting a steady build throughout, but it didn’t feel that way to me. Hee-Jin felt like such a passive character. I was expecting her to be digging around with haste, trying to figure out what happened to Hee-Young, but I didn’t feel like that developed as it could have.

Additionally, it took forever to get anywhere and even when things did start to kick off, I didn’t find them particularly earth-shattering, or even compelling. Callie’s sections really slowed down the pace for me since I had zero interest in her.

I would have much preferred to either just follow Hee-Jin, or perhaps to have had Hee-Jin more actively pursuing the truth in the present timeline, and then having a past perspective following Hee-Young, where we actually discover what happened to her at the Art Program.

By 65% in, I was mentally checked out. I just wanted it to be over. Oofh, I’m sorry. I know this sounds salty, but I have to be honest about my experience. I’m sure this author is a lovely human, because of the care spent on these characters, but this book felt like it would never end for me.

While the novel comes in at 321-pages, I felt like I was plodding through a 721-page tome. I’m sure many will value the important topics touched upon and social commentary, but I needed it to be a lot punchier than it is.

Thank you to the publisher, Severn House, for providing me a copy to read and review.

While this didn’t appeal to my particular tastes, I’m sure many Readers are going to be able to connect with it more than I did.

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Review: Accumulation by Aimee Pokwatka

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AccumulationAccumulation by Aimee Pokwatka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Accumulation follows Tennessee Cherish, who goes by Tenn, and her family; husband, Ward and their two children, Anders and Aisling. They also have an adorable dog, Gogo, who makes frequent appearances throughout the book.

Though she had some early success as a documentary filmmaker, by the time we meet her, Tenn is a stay-at-home Mom, a role shift she continually grapples with over the course of the story.

The family has just moved from North Carolina to New York state after Ward buys Tenn her dream home. The historic home is larger than anywhere they’ve ever lived, and the large property provides plenty of room for the active family to spread out.

It’s a huge move though, and both children begin acting strangely. Tenn assumes it’s the move throwing them off, but with Ward working around the clock, she feels very unsupported trying to deal with it all.

Other very bizarre things are taking place within the home, but Tenn’s so distracted just trying to get them all on track after the move that she hardly notices. That is until the disturbing occurrences turn dangerous. Soon Tenn feels like she’s fighting for her life and that of her family.

She needs to figure out what’s haunting this house, what’s haunting her, if she wants to stand a chance of protecting her sanity, and keeping her family together.

Accumulation had me gripped for the vast majority of the book. I found everything happening in the house to be fascinating. Additionally, I enjoyed Tenn’s perspective. I found it refreshing that she wasn’t your stereotypical, cookie-cutter, fictional Mom.

The set-up was giving me Amityville Horror vibes, the 2005 movie remake, starring Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George, specifically. I certainly wasn’t mad about that.

The young couple and their beautiful children moving into a historic home in New York. The unsettling little things kicking off pretty quickly. There’s a creepy doll, a babysitter scene, and a lot involving the attic. It was all so well done.

The vibes were solid, and I’m nothing if not an atmosphere girlie. I anticipated rating this very highly. I was completely invested, even getting angry at Ward’s behavior and her overall circumstances on Tenn’s behalf. Who was moving that doll around?

Unfortunately, the last 10% sucked that enthusiasm down a couple notches, and though I was sad about it initially, I know it’s just a personal taste issue.

If I had my way, the concluding scenes wouldn’t have wrapped up quite so quickly, or easily, after that nail-biting build. Nevertheless, for the majority of the book I was at the edge of my seat and loving the exploration of domesticity and motherhood.

Nevertheless, I would absolutely recommend this to Horror Readers who are atmosphere and vibes Readers like myself. Also, if you want a slightly different take on a haunted house, I feel like this would scratch that itch.

Thank you to the publisher, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I really enjoyed Pokwatka’s character work and concepts. I’m looking forward to reading more from her in the future!

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Review: The Killer Question by Janet Hallett

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The Killer QuestionThe Killer Question by Janice Hallett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Janice Hallett has made quite a name for herself as the Queen of the Unconventional Narrative. Her books are always a journey. They’re truly a unique reading experience and I always walk away amazed.

The way she’s able to weave a complete story together using only human interactions is unmatched. The use of mixed media is exceptional, making for highly-entertaining audiobooks. In The Killer Question, the mystery centers around pub quiz nights in one small village.

The mystery and corresponding story are revealed through a cycling array of quiz categories, phone messages, and email correspondence. The full cast audio pulled me in and never let go. I was swept away, feeling like a patron of the pub.

If you’ve enjoyed Hallett’s work in the past, you should absolutely read this one as well, and if you’ve never read Hallett before, I think this could be a fun one to start with. It’s certainly a great example of her style!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Janice Hallett is one of my go-to authors and she hasn’t let me down yet.

I always look forward to her latest releases. Even though her style is very distinctive, and carries over throughout her books, you never really know what you’re going to get. She certainly keeps her Readers on their toes!

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Review: The Late-Night Witches by Auralee Wallace

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The Late-Night WitchesThe Late-Night Witches by Auralee Wallace
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

The Late-Night Witches is a Cozy Paranormal story from Auralee Wallace. I really enjoyed Wallace’s Evenfall Witches B&B series and have been excited to read more from her.

When I saw this cover, I knew I’d have to read it. It’s absolutely adorable and I had no doubt that the story would fit the Halloweeny cover art. Spoiler alert: it definitely did!

This story, which is set on the atmospheric Prince Edward Island off the Eastern Coast of Canada, follows Cassie, her younger sister, Eliza, and the rest of their family, during the spookiest month of the year, October.

Oh yeah, and also, vampires have invaded the island and legacy dictates that they need to be the ones to defeat them. The set-up of this was a lot of fun and gave me heavy Practical Magic vibes, but not in a copy cat way, more in a comforting way if that makes sense.

I loved Cassie as a MC. She’s a typical older sister, but also a Mom to 3-kids, parenting by herself as her husband works overseas. Eliza is also a typical younger sister, and as a younger sister myself, I found it easy to connect with her.

The interactions among the family brought the cozy for me. They have an estranged Aunt, Dorcas, who due to the whole vampire thing, they end up reaching out to and unsurprisingly they a learn a lot from her about their family, and the special powers they may hold.

I also liked Cassie’s kids. I normally find children rather annoying in books, but I thought here the scenes with them ended up being more fun than trying, and I loved the banter.

The vampire bits were also fun, and I was laughing out loud in quite a few places. I would definitely recommend this to fans of Auralee Wallace’s other books, as well as fans of Lindy Ryan’s Bless Your Heart series. The humor and cozy level is fairly similar to that series, IMO.

Thank you to the publisher, Ace, for providing me a copy to read and review. It sounds like there could be a sequel to this, and I would absolutely pick it up!

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Review: The Swamps by Seraphina Nova Glass

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The SwampsThe Swamps by Seraphina Nova Glass
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Swamps is a Thriller Horror novella from one of my go-to authors, Seraphina Nova Glass. I very rarely read Thrillers in novella form, but since it was SNG, I absolutely needed to.

Unsurprisingly, I wasn’t disappointed by this one for a moment. Coming in at 200-pages, and rife with unsettling tension, I had no problem completing this in 1-sitting.

In this story we follow Ethan and Macy, husband and wife, who have a quickly-growing YouTube channel, Ghost Patrol. They’re paranormal investigators known for their batter, with him being the believer, and Macy playing the skeptic.

They’ve grown so fast, and had such positive buzz that Netflix is heavily considering them for their own show. Looking for something big to give them an edge with the popular global streaming service, Ethan and Macy assemble a small team and head to the bayou of Louisiana to investigate the disappearances of two local women.

Tasha and Max, another couple, who have worked with Ethan and Macy before, are the crew along on the shoot. They do behind the scenes stuff, such as filming and sound. Max’s brother, Robert, also ends up tagging along.

They rent a small cabin at the edge of the swamps that turns out to not be as advertised. That added with the stress of the bizarre landlady and her disturbing handyman, the excursion is not off to a strong start. Unfortunately, things only get worse from the shocking initial impression.

I was surprised by the direction this ended up going in. It dipped a toe into Horror territory much more aggressively than I had been expecting, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it. I love Seraphina Nova Glass, so seeing her explore that space is a real delight for me.

I thought she did a great job of setting the scene and building the tension in such a short number of pages. I was gripped, just thoroughly entertained. I’m sure it won’t be winning any Literary prizes, but I don’t need it to do that. That wasn’t what I was here for.

The e-book also has great illustrations at the start of the chapters. I thought that was a nice touch. It helped bring the story to life in my imagination.

I would definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a quick, thrilling read. It doesn’t require big brain energy, but is sure to keep you engaged the whole way through.

Thank you to the publisher, Podium Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I thought this was a smashing good time!

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Review: For Better or Murder (The Holy Terrors #4) by Simon R. Green

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For Better or Murder (A Holy Terrors Mystery Book 4)For Better or Murder by Simon R. Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For Better or Murder is the 4th-book in the Holy Terror Mysteries series by veteran author, Simon R. Green. I would argue this is a straight-up Cozy Mystery series, though the assigned genres for the books in the series seem to disagree.

I read a lot of Cozies, and this is a Cozy, but with slight paranormal vibes. This one is my favorite one yet, and I’m not sure if it’s because I’m more attached to these characters than ever, or if it’s because maybe the author is more comfortable writing this type of story at this point.

Either way, I found this one highly-enjoyable. It’s the most Scooby-Doo feeling one yet, which def added to my enjoyment. The setting, at a secluded Cornish hotel, set amongst the Moors, definitely added to that vibe.

Alastair and Diana are set to be married, and in order to escape the prying eyes of the paparazzi, who have been plaguing them since their status as the Holy Terrors became public interest, have booked the remote hotel in order to maintain some privacy on their wedding day.

Their guest list is also extremely small. Diana’s parents, of course, as well as her oldest friend, Eliza, have been invited for her side. Alastair has invited his college friend, Giles, as well as his mentor, Crispin, who will perform the ceremony.

Besides that, it’s just Edward and Alice, the proprietors of the hotel. The rest of the staff having been sent home in order to ensure privacy.

So, when one of the guests is found murdered on their very first night at the hotel, their suspect list is small. However, a local legend throws a kink in their investigation.

Could the Pale Rider, feared by locals, and seemingly even the hotel owners themselves, possibly be responsible for the mysterious death? They did hear unexplained hoof beats shortly before, didn’t they?

Well, it was certainly hard to tell over the pounding rain of the extreme storm rattling the hotel. At this point, we know Alastair and Diana won’t be able to rest until the truth is discovered. Let the amateur sleuthing begin!

I had a lot of fun with this one. From the start I was hooked into the setting. I thought Green set the stage beautifully. I could picture it all in my head, and it made me want to be there with this small group of wedding guests.

I also liked the inclusion of the local lore and felt like the way it was weaved into our mystery left a lot of room for doubt, as far as whether or not a human was responsible for the tragedies that take place. Additionally, just being with Alastair and Diana again, seeing how far their relationship has come, that was also really comforting.

I’ll be honest, my initial impression with this series wasn’t the best. I felt like I had been marketed a Horror novel, which it certainly is not, but now that I’ve settled into it being a Cozy Mystery, I’ve really enjoyed them all. I’m glad I continued on and gave it another chance.

I’m not sure what the future for this series holds, but if there are further installments, I’ll definitely be picking them up. The series as a whole keeps getting stronger, IMO, and I would love more.

Thank you to the publisher, Severn House, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would recommend this series to Cozy Mystery Readers who enjoy a darker touch; something a bit more macabre. This series has turned into a lot of fun for me!

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Review: A Voice in the Dark (Benedict Hoffman & Helen Belle #1) by Barbara Nickless

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A Voice in the Dark (Benedict Hoffman and Helen Belle Book 1)A Voice in the Dark by Barbara Nickless
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

A Voice in the Dark is the 1st-book in the Benedict Hoffman and Helen Belle series from Barbara Nickless. This is an Adult Crime Mystery series that follows FBI Profilers.

Where my brain goes when I hear Criminal Profiler:

This book kicks off when a father, mother and son are killed in their Boulder, Colorado home. That same night, the family’s teenage twins disappear. Helen Belle is intrigued by the case as it mirrors one she worked on 5-year ago, where a boy killed his whole family and then went mute.

That case led Helen to a mysterious online figure known as the Midnight Man. That this figure may have played a role in that case, perhaps urging the boy to commit his terrible crimes, has never left Helen’s mind, but she and her partner on the case, Benedict, weren’t able to prove anything.

With this new case, and the clues that come along with it, Helen can’t shake the feeling that this confirms what she and Benedict were saying before. There is someone out there influencing these kids to commit horrific crimes, and this person needs to be flushed out and stopped.

Even though she and Benedict didn’t part under the best of terms, Helen reaches out to him with the details of the new case, to see if he’ll help her try to stop the Midnight Man once and for all.

Honestly, I had my ups-and-downs with this one. In the beginning, I saw it as a solid 3-star read, but the 2nd-half did pick up considerably for me and I loved the direction the author ultimately went with it. It felt very modern.

One thing I felt, particularly towards the beginning, was that I wished we were just getting Helen’s perspective, as opposed to getting both Helen and Benedict. I didn’t really care for Benedict. His personality just wasn’t appealing to me in the slightest.

However, by the end, he has started to grow on me. I’m still not completely sold on him yet, but we’ll see how we get on in the future installments.

I did appreciate how gruesome Nickless went with her details. She didn’t really hold much back, and I like that. I want to be uncomfortable. I want to be gripped, and the case in this story definitely had my attention. The twins that disappeared, particularly, Katelynn, I was worried for them and wanted them to be okay.

Overall, while I did feel like Benedict’s sections did slow down the pace of this one for me, it ended up being a fairly solid story. I will definitely be continuing with the series. I feel like it’ll only get stronger as it goes, and as I become more attached to the characters.

Even you, Benedict.

Thank you to the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

A Voice in the Dark will be available on July 1, 2026.

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