Review: Fabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle

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Fabulous BodiesFabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fabulous Bodies follows Poppy Stringer, a fashion influencer, who also happens to peddle in dead bodies at night. Hey, it’s hard to make a living in this economy. Don’t judge.

Poppy receives a call one night that prompts her to retrieve the body of one of her heroes, recently deceased rockstar and queer icon, Eddie Michaels.

She heads to the Medical Examiner’s office, where she’ll finagle access to his corpse, and then get him out of there. It’s all routine for Poppy. That is, until Eddie wakes up.

What follows is a Supernatural Adventure romp through one bloody night in Palm Springs. Poppy is along for the ride, whether she wants to be or not, and Eddie certainly has some surprises for her.

Fabulous Bodies was fabulously-creative, as I’ve come to expect all Chuck Tingle books to be. It’s an odd story, a bit chaotic and surprisingly thoughtful in its character work. I loved the journey Poppy had emotionally.

She was forced to come to a lot of important realizations about her life and relationships. We love that for her. Personal growth, yayee! All with the backdrop of trying to defeat a murderous and undead former idol of hers; NBD.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Mara Wilson, and I felt like Mara’s voice was perfect as Poppy. It truly felt like I was just listening to her tell this crazy story about one f*ed up night. I would highly recommend that format.

I also liked how wacky and graphic Tingle made this. It’s campy and unhinged, but also written very well. It reminded me in some ways of books such as Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison, and My Ex, the Antichrist by Craig DiLouie, both of which I enjoyed.

The commentary that Tingle included on fame and influence, were also well done. It’s light, but there, apt social commentary for our times. I appreciate Tingle allowing Readers the space to think for themselves, and in a story this wild, there’s plenty of food for thought.

At this same time though, you can just have fun with. I had a lot of fun listening to it. It’s certainly unpredictable. While I’m not sure how long the details will stick with me, in the moment it was pure entertainment.

Thank you to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio for providing me with copies to read and review. I always look forward to Tingle’s newest releases as you never really know what you’re going to get. We love a surprise!

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Review: The Only One Who Knows by Lisa M. Matlin

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The Only One Who KnowsThe Only One Who Knows by Lisa M. Matlin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Only One Who Knows follows Minnow Greenwood after she quits her job as a TV News Reporter, and breaks up with her fiance all in one go.

Feeling like there’s nothing left for her in Melbourne, Minnow returns to her small hometown of Kangaroo Bay, a place she thought she’d never live again.

She reunites with her estranged brother and even starts to assist with the family business. Her family has a rough history, with both her mother and then their father having disappeared on them. But that’s Kangaroo Bay for you. Everything about it is rough.

When bodies start washing ashore, apparently victims of shark attacks, Minnow isn’t buying the story being told by the police. Minnow starts to do a little investigating of her own into the town she knows is riddled with dark secrets.

This was interesting. I liked some aspects of it, mainly the setting and Minnow herself, and then others I didn’t care as much about. Because of this, the overall experience was a bit of a mixed bag for me.

The bits about sharks, abalone, and the fishing community in general, I could have done without. Of course that’s just personal preference. I would have preferred just the missing person bits, and maybe a little town history.

However, I did like the way it was wrapped up and I also like how Minnow was forced to face past. I do tend to love stories where the MC returns to their hometown, after a long period away, and end up looking into past mysteries, etc. This definitely checked off that box.

For the most part though, I was fairly bored. The tone is also quite morose, and the mystery lacked a certain intensity for me. I think 3-stars based on my experience is quite gracious, but I know there are a lot of Readers who will be able to connect with this one more than I did.

Thank you to the publisher, Bantam, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Even though I found this one to be underwhelming, I still plan to pick up Lisa M. Matlin’s future releases.

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Review: The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston

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The Someday GardenThe Someday Garden by Ashley Poston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Someday Garden follows Sophie Drear, who gets hired for the Summer to be the new Head Gardner at the captivating Lilymoor House. This enchanting property on the coast of Maine is one Sophie has been familiar with for years.

When Sophie’s job at the New York Botanical Garden starts to feel stale, and she’s offered the chance to work at Lilymoor for the Summer, she feels compelled to accept.

Lilymoor is just as lush and enchanting as she remembered, but the grounds are also in need of some TLC. It’s not just her staying at the property either, there’s a couple other staff members and the vibrant older woman who owns it.

As Sophie settles in, she feels renewed by the magical property. She can breath again, and she starts to really care about the future of Lilymoor and all who reside there.

The most fascinating aspect for Sophie is the door that appears, seemingly at random, allowing her to enter a secret garden. Within the secret garden is a handsome and mysterious man, seemingly trapped within its walls.

I don’t feel like I’m doing a great job summarizing what you’ll find within these pages, but honestly, it’s a difficult one to try and describe. What I can tell you is how magical and emotional this story is. Poston certainly knows how to squeeze your heart to within an inch of its life.

Poston is the only author who consistently makes me cry, and I love her for it. The way she examines different kinds of love, not just romantic love, feels so special to me.

This is such a gorgeous novel. I was swept away to the Coast of Maine, an area I’m very familiar with, and absolutely came to adore everything about Lilymoor House and its quirky group of residents.

The Someday Garden has many different aspects to enjoy, but for me the emotional progression Sophie experiences during her time at Lilymoor truly stands out.

Prior to her arrival, she’s suffered a terrible personal loss, and I feel like we got to see all aspects of her grief and self-discovery. The way Poston explored such a sensitive and relatable experience as grief, I cannot praise it enough. There’s such care and grace in the way she tackles these types of topics. No one does it better.

I also feel like Poston has such a unique and magical sense of Contemporary storytelling. The tone she sets and the ability to pull a Reader in, it gets me every time. On the surface, this might not seem like my kind of book, but it certainly turned out to be. This now lives in my heart rent free.

I would definitely recommend this to Contemporary Romance Readers, particularly those who enjoy Magical Realism within their stories, or anyone who has enjoyed Ashley Poston’s work in the past. This is right up there with The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip for me.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with copy to read and review. I cannot wait to see what Poston comes up with next. Her creativity knows no bounds!

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Review: Without a Clue by Melissa Ferguson

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Without a ClueWithout a Clue by Melissa Ferguson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up **

Without a Clue is a light and funny Romantic Cozy Mystery from Melissa Ferguson. I’ve never read from Ferguson before, so I didn’t know what to expect going in.

I was initially drawn to this because of the cover, and then was hooked by the fact that it’s set on a Book Cruise, like what do you mean? A Book Cruise!? I needed to know more.

This story follows Pip Dupont, a Personal Assistant for a very famous Mystery author, Hugh Griffin. Hugh and six of his author friends, each from a different genre, make up a writing group known as The Fabulous Seven.

Pip organizes a Book Cruise, where the Fabulous Seven will be the guests of honor, a bit of a writing retreat for them, and then the rest of the cruise guests are fans, who want an opportunity to meet these beloved authors.

Hence, the Book Cruise is born.

Pip plays the role of frazzled assistant well, because that’s exactly what she is. With hundreds of devoted Readers, and seven headstrong authors to keep track of, it’s a lot.

Pip never expected the disaster that occurs on the second-day though, when Hugh is found murdered.

Cruising in the midst of the Atlantic ocean, with no help close at hand, and a cruise security force that’s clearly inept, it’s up to Pip to figure out who the culprit is. Their Book Cruise has suddenly turned into a Murder Mystery cruise.

Aided by her friend, and crush, Nash, a successful author of Western novels, Pip digs in deep, questioning the others and trying to navigate the complex relationships and sensitive egos of the authors, all with a killer on board.

This is a really cute Cozy Mystery. It went in a direction I hadn’t expected, and I did really enjoy the Book Cruise setting and the cast of characters. The various authors brought humor and fun, and Pip was a great MC to follow.

My reading experience was definitely enhanced by the fabulous narration of Karissa Vacker, one of my all-time favorite narrators. I would definitely recommend the audiobook if you’re going to pick this up.

I would say even for a Cozy Mystery, this is very low stakes, so it’s perfect for weekend or vacation reading, when your mind just wants something light.

I liked having the romantic tension between Pip and Nash as well. I don’t tend to mix Romance with my Cozies, but it worked here. Nash was a fun love interest and I felt like the relationship felt very natural, as they’d known each other for a while due to the Fabulous Seven.

While this won’t standout as a long-term favorite, I didn’t need it to be. It gave me exactly what I was looking for when I picked it up, and I can only praise it for that.

Thank you to the publisher, Thomas Nelson Fiction, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was very enjoyable and I would be interested in picking up more from Melissa Ferguson!

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Review: You Won’t Forget Me by Mazey Eddings

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You Won't Forget Me: A NovelYou Won’t Forget Me: A Novel by Mazey Eddings
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

You Won’t Forget Me follows Cubby Clark and her band as they start to breakout on the world stage.

Part of the buzz around the band, and Cubby in particular, is driven by the success of their ex-bandmate, Connor, who has recently began his own solo career.

Cubby and Connor were in a relationship for years, and after they broke up and he left to do his own thing, he sort of threw her under the bus, using their private moments for lyric inspiration and worse.

The things he’s said haven’t painted Cubby in the best light, and she finds all of the scrutiny and speculation super embarrassing. Nevertheless, he’s getting attention from it, and seemingly to Connor, that’s all that matters.

Cubby and the rest of the band try their best to just ignore Connor and do their own thing. They have a unique sound and they eventually are able to gain some traction.

We follow the band after they get the opportunity to travel to the U.S. to perform on a Summer Tour. In the midst of that, Cubby and BFF, Darcy’s relationship starts to heat up. The close proximity and emotions of the road have left them both with unavoidable feelings.

Will they be able to overcome the obstacles in their way, or would walking away be the easier path?

Y’all, I’m bummed out that this only ended up being a 2-star read for me. I really like Mazey Eddings, and reading the Author’s Note, you can tell that this was a personal and challenging story for Eddings to write. I have to be honest though, and I really didn’t enjoy it.

I was bored, annoyed, and I just wanted it to be over. The only part that worked for me was the bands Tour. Even then though, some of the interactions amongst them felt cringey.

I’ve enjoyed many of Eddings books in the past, but this one just didn’t work for my tastes. I was looking for fun banter and swoony romance, and that’s not what I got, unfortunately. IMO, there’s nothing cute or fun about this, as the cover would suggest.

Additionally, to me the romance between Cubby and Darcy felt forced and desperate. I feel like both girls need to do a lot of work on themselves before they can possibly be in a healthy relationship.

With all of this being said, this is just my opinion and as far as the content goes, breaks down to personal taste. If you think it sounds interesting, absolutely give it a go. It could end up working for you.

Even though this one didn’t work out for me, I still plan to pick up whatever Eddings releases next. I’ve read four of her other novels and really enjoyed them all, so I’m guessing this is just a one off for me.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Griffin and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copies to read and review. The audiobook was well narrated, and if you’re going to pick it up, I would recommend that format.

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Review: The Hive by Ronald Malfi

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The HiveThe Hive by Ronald Malfi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Towers, and dragons, and wheels, oh my!

A town collectively losing their mind, mentally telepathy and more. This novel felt like an ode to all things King, but also felt like quintessential Ronald Malfi.

This novel is a monster, coming in at over 600-pages, it fully classifies as a tome. We’re following basically the entire town of Mariner’s Cove in the aftermath of a terrible storm.

Residents of the town begin acting strangely, becoming obsessed with seemingly random objects. There seems to be a different item for each person, and each person becomes fixated on finding and collecting their particular object.

There’s also a young boy in town who has a certain, let’s call it, extrasensory power, that helps him to see all these events a little differently than everyone else, but it also draws the others attentions to him.

Yeah, I don’t know what else to say about the plot. I feel like that’s all you really need to know. The scope is large, the concepts are larger and it takes some wild turns.

To me, this was giving heavy The Tommyknockers meets Needful Things and I was into it. There’s so much to keep track of, but even if you miss some finer details, the larger picture is still fairly easy to track, so don’t be scared.

The audiobook is great, so I would recommend that format as a way to help you make it through this epic story. I read both my e-copy and the audio over the course of a week, and I actually feel like I felt more connected to it when I was listening to the audio version.

While this isn’t my favorite of Malfi’s stories, I still really enjoyed it and am so impressed that he pulled this off. There’s so much content here and I’d love to hear him speak to what his inspirations were for writing this.

I’m a huge Ronald Malfi fan. IMO, he’s one of the best voices writing in Horror Fiction today. I’ve had so much fun with so many of his books and will continue to pick them up as long as he keeps writing them.

If you’ve never read from Ronald Malfi before, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend starting here, but for regular Malfi Readers, it’s a must. With this being said though, this is definitely worth reading, especially if you want something a little out of the box.

Thank you to the publisher, Titan Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I can’t wait to see what Malfi comes up with next!

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Review: Be Right Back (Let’s Split Up #2) by Bill Wood

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Be Right Back (Let's Split Up, #2)Be Right Back by Bill Wood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Be Right Back is the sequel to Bill Wood’s 2025-release, Let’s Split Up. These are YA Horror books that follow a group of friends in the small town of Sanera, California.

These novels are multi-perspective and channel all the fun spooky vibes of 80s and 90s Horror Fiction. There’s something about these books that feels nostalgic to me. I think it’s Bill Wood’s set-up and delivery. They’re very fun.

This sequel is set a year after the events of Let’s Split Up. Our friends, Amber, Buffy, Jonesy and Cam, have all now graduated high school, and moved on to their next steps as young adults. They’ve all left town, attending different colleges, except for Cam, who has stuck around and is currently an assistant coach at their old high school.

The start of this novel finds Amber, Buffy and Jonesy all returning home to attend the Sanera Halloween Festival. It’s the first time they’ve reunited, and it feels so good.

That is until the murders start. The gang, now known as the Sanera Four, is thrust into a grisly mystery as the Halloween Festival descends into chaos. It seems someone is using local legends as inspirations to commit their heinous crimes.

It’s clear the killer wants to get the attention of the Sanera Four, as the legends they’re choosing seem to specifically target the myths they once debunked. With the gang drawing unwanted attention, they must solve the mystery and catch the killer before they have a chance to strike again.

It didn’t take me long to remember why I liked Let’s Split Up so much. I was so happy and excited to be back with this great cast of characters that Wood has created. The Sanera Four are all well-developed, and I love getting each of their perspectives over the course of the book.

Another aspect I adore is the heavy Scooby-Doo vibes, which if you’ve read the Author’s Note of the 1st-book, you realize is intentional. But it’s not just Scooby-Doo. They’re pretty trope heavy, so feel nostaglic in that way, which I enjoy.

For example, this one was giving me sort of combined I Still Know What You Did Last Summer with Urban Legends; both popular Teen Screams of 1998. When I’m reminded of Horror media of the past that I’ve loved through a story, without it feeling copy-catty, I’m happy.

Bill Wood makes me happy.

I also respect how these books don’t take themselves too seriously. They’re pure entertainment, so if you’re looking for an entertaining and nostalgic feeling YA Horror series, I would absolutely recommend these books.

There’s already been a 3rd-book announced, One Last Scare, which is slated to release in October of 2026. I’m planning to be first in line for that. I cannot wait.

Thank you to the publisher, Scholastic, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m not sure how many books are going to end up being in this series, but either way, I have a feeling Bill Wood and I are going to have a long and beautiful friendship!

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Review: Death on the Lanai (Golden Girls Cozy Mystery #2) by Rachel Ekstrom Courage

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Death on the Lanai: A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery (Golden Girls Cozy Mystery Series)Death on the Lanai: A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery by Rachel Ekstrom Courage
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Death on the Lanai is the latest installment to the Golden Girls Cozy Mystery series from Rachel Ekstrom Courage.

I had a lot of fun reading the 1st-book, Murder by Cheesecake, so had been highly anticipating this release. I’m happy to report, I enjoyed this one even more!

In this installment, REC brings a classic murder mystery set-up to the page for our GGs. The ladies receive a mysterious invitation to attend a dinner party at a remote island estate. Even though they have no clue who the invitation is from, there could be single men there, so they’re definitely going to attend.

Dressed to the nines, the ladies climb aboard a water taxi to be ferried out to the island prepared for a glamorous night. The possibilities are endless of what the evening could hold, but they couldn’t imagine what would actually go down.

Once they’ve arrived, the ladies are introduced to their mystery host and owner of the estate, Declan, a famous artist known as El Toro. Quickly, memories of her time as a NYC Rockette come flooding back to Blanche.

Declan was Blanche’s beau during her short time in NYC, before she was swept back to Georgia by her family. She’s had no contact with him for years. How did he possibly find her, and what is the intent of this unexpected reunion?

The dinner guest list is small, and as the evening progresses the ladies get to know each of the other attendees and their basic connection to Declan. The majority of them are closely tied to his career as an artist, and as it turns out, even Blanche has a connection she never knew about.

As is expected in situations like this, a ferocious storm ends up battering the island, knocking out the power and stranding the guests there overnight.

The next morning, Declan is found dead in his studio and all eyes are on Blanche. The ladies know that Blanche is innocent, meaning someone else on that island is a killer, and they’re trapped there with them. It’s up to the ladies to suss out the real killer before they’re able to kill again.

This was so cute. I loved the classic set-up for the mystery and laughed so many times as the ladies tried to solve the whodunit. I love them all so much.

I feel like Rachel Ekstrom Courage is really settling into writing their personalities and bringing them to life. She’s honed in on their dynamic so well and it definitely translated better onto the page this time. Their vibe felt much more natural than it did in the 1st-book.

The mystery was also more intriguing to me, and I loved having this set cast of possible killers. There were red herrings, and at times, it was a real head-scratcher.

I’m so in love with this series at this point. I’m really hoping we get more. Miami is a busy place, and our girls are good at getting themselves into, and then out of, sticky situations.

As I said with the 1st-book, I would recommend it to any Golden Girls fan. The GGs were handled with grace, and I think it’s quite nostalgic for any long-term fan of the television show.

Personally, I don’t think it would hit quite the same for people who haven’t watched the show, but I could be wrong. As a Cozy Mystery, it’s still solid, regardless of who the characters are.

Thank you to the publisher, Hyperion Avenue, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m so invested in this series now, I’m already anxious to hear news of what’s next!

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Review: Night Shoot by David Sodergren

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Night ShootNight Shoot by David Sodergren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Night Shoot was independently published back in 2019, and I’ve owned a paperback copy ever since. For some reason unknown to man, I’ve yet to pick it up though.

When I saw that Tantor, aka. RB Media, was releasing an audio copy, it’s first time in audiobook format, I was elated. It was finally time to pick up this stunning Horror novel that’s been haunting my shelves for almost a decade.

In this story, we follow a group of student filmmakers trying to complete a project for Uni. The setting of the film will be the remote Crawford Manor estate, which is owned by the Uncle of one of the students.

They’re given rules at the start. Certain places within the home that are off limits and a strict directive to depart by 8 p.m., but after their lead actress quits, throwing off their schedule, they feel like they’ve accomplished nothing by the time they’re supposed to be wrapping up. Nevertheless, they do leave the premises; for now.

After leaving, the group has a deep chat and decides an impromptu night shoot is a must if they’re to have any hope of completing the project. Thus, they proceed to break back into the property to continue filming. Who in the crowd thinks that’s a smart decision?

As one would imagine, things start going to pot pretty quickly. It’s clear they’re not alone within the Manor, but they could never imagine how brutal and twisted their night would become.

Y’all, this was so fun. It’s like the ghastly Horror movies of my youth. I loved how Sodergren channeled all those f*ed up vibes here. This felt like a film brought to life on the page. I could picture everything, it had all the classic stereotypical characters and compelling set-up.

I thought the audiobook was great as well. The narrator successfully brought great energy to the characters as the intensity continued to build. It got fairly disgusting towards the end, NGL. My toes are still curling. I had a blast!

This is not for the weak-stomached, anyone unaccustomed to gore, or anyone wanting to try Horror for the first time. Maybe you want to dip your toes into that Horror pool, but trust me, Sodergren is looking to shove you in the deep end.

For anyone who loves Horror films though, particularly those released in the 70s and 80s, this is a must read. You’ll feel like you’ve been transported back to your younger days. The days of copious blood, guts and final girls.

Thank you so much to the publisher of the new audiobook, Tantor Media, for providing me with a copy to listen to. This was great and I can’t wait to read more from D. Sodergren!

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Review: The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts by Kim Fu

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The Valley of Vengeful GhostsThe Valley of Vengeful Ghosts by Kim Fu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts is a Contemporary Literary Fiction novel with light Grief Horror elements. We’re following Eleanor, who is feeling lost and unmoored after the death of her mother.

For years, her Mom assisted her with every aspect of her adult life. Tasks like laundry, meals and finances, were much easier to manage with her mother’s constant oversight.

Now left to survive on her own for the first time, Eleanor is struggling. She’s barely holding onto her job as an online therapist and has no real friends, or support system. In spite of that though, she’s determined to buy her own home.

It was her mom’s last directive to her, and she does have a small inheritance with which to make a down payment. The housing market is tough though, and Eleanor has no experience or knowledge in that area.

She ends up impulsively buying a model home in a valley, where the development was never completed, yet the Realtor assures her more homes, and thus people, will come. For now, Eleanor seems okay with the solitude. She’s just happy to have a place of her own.

Then the rains begin. The weather, matching her mood, is a prominent figure in this story. It exposes the issues with Eleanor’s new home, and opens up a whole range of new problems for her to try to navigate on her own.

She also learns of the shadowy history of the developer, and that knowledge is never far from her mind. As Eleanor succumbs deeper to that which haunts her, the line between what’s real and what’s not begins to blur.

Out of money and options, Eleanor needs to get hold of her emotions, and push herself through the grief process, or risk losing herself to her ghosts forever.

Saying I enjoyed this feels strange, because for me, there’s nothing particularly uplifting or enjoyable about Eleanor’s story. It gets bleak, y’all. I can’t lie about that.

However, as a Literary Fiction examination of grief, I feel like this beautifully captured the experience of a person trapped in that grief cycle, and unable to free themselves from it. Eleanor, though not overly likable, is extremely relatable I feel, in a lot of ways.

I liked her narrative voice and felt like it fit really well with the overall message Fu was trying to get across. I also felt like the audiobook narration of Eunice Wong was the perfect voice for Eleanor.

Additionally, I did like how the things haunting Eleanor were presented, and the use of the weather to set the tone of the story. I could picture it all perfectly and I did begin to really feel for Eleanor and her predicament.

The ending as well, I felt was well-constructed by Fu. You aren’t necessarily going to get a happily ever after with this kind of story, are you? That wouldn’t make sense. Life doesn’t always tie issues up with a pretty ribbon, but what you do get here I think is perhaps a little hope.

This novel is not going to be for everyone, and I get that. I do. I think if you’re the kind of Reader though, who doesn’t mind going somewhere dark emotionally and poking around in there, this could work for you.

Thank you to the publisher, Tin House, for providing me a copy to read and review. While this didn’t lift my spirits, it did capture my attention and held it. That’s quite a feat these days.

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