Concept to Console: Exploring Life is Strange and Assassin's Creed

by MK French

Are you a gamer? These two art books would make a great addition to your collection of game-related memorabilia. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were used for an honest review.

4 New and Notable Fantasy Novels

by MK French

There are some great fantasy novels coming out today. Whether you are looking for a romatasy, young adult supernatural mystery, or a fantastical adventure, you will find something here. At the end, I've added a review of a fantasy novel that came out a few months ago in case you missed it.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

The Hive by Ronald Malfi ~ a Review

by MK French

Following a violent storm, the residents of Mariner's Cover are changing. There's a collective obsession developing, with random items calling out to them to be collected. The residents hide these precious trinkets, and will do anything to keep them safe from each other.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Makoto Murders by Richard Jerram ~ a Review

by MK French

Ken Kato is half British, half Japanese, and works as a photojournalist. He grew famous after publishing a photo of a drowning boy in the 2011 tsunami, and hasn't repeated that success since. His option to return to fame is to generate attention-grabbing bodies to photograph, increasing sales for the magazine he works for. Hoping to impress a colleague's estranged wife Makoto that he's obsessed with, he seeks out to murder people named Makoto. Though suspicion rises, he sees no reason to stop when sales are booming.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Spindlewood by Freddie Kölsch ~ a Review

by MK French

Lilac Black pretended to talk to a ghost at a séance to help her uncle, and is now involved in the world of seers and spirits at Spindlewood School of Seeing. She's the only Unseeing student at the school, and must bluff her way through classes and make friends. But something is very wrong at the school, and all of the ghosts are sending messages warning students of danger. Something that adults won't talk about is in the library basement, so it's up to Lilac and her friend to save the school.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Killer Vibes by Jack Friday ~ a Review

by MK French

Peter Key never apologized for being a lazy bisexual stoner. He inherits a dilapidated house in Austin from an uncle he barely knew, and everyone is pressuring him to sell. He's contrary by nature, but when he finds a bag of cash, he's sure his uncle didn't die of natural causes. People aren't playing by the rules, but he doesn't either.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Red Sacrament by Sara Hinkley ~ a Review

by MK French

In 1869 Paris, only a select few ever received invitations to the Théâtre Saint-Siméon. Actors on stage are mesmerizing, and never seen in daylight; Arnault and his vampires are very careful to feed as little as possible on the audience and survive in the city by being unseen. The peace is upset by the arrival of Béatrice,  a witch who forms a connection with Arnault, then vampire siblings Victor and Françoise de Rouvray. Vampires bicker, the theater needs are time-consuming, and there are premonitions of blood, death, and starvation. Change is coming for everyone. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Rewrite the Stars by Lindsay Hameroff ~ a Review

by MK French

Marissa Morgan has mostly given up on her acting career to keep life normal for her two children. When her ex-husband announces his high-profile engagement and a media storm ensues, Marissa and her kids flee Los Angeles for a summer at her recently inherited Poconos lake house. It needs renovation, and Marissa end up sharing space with the crew, including handsome foreman Jesse. Attracted, Marissa wonders if their fling could become something more.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance by Chiara Bullen ~ a Review

by MK French

Ainsworth is an ambitious research fellow, and his supervisor hears about the rumored Misnich Inn at the foot of Mount Vengeance. Ainsworth must document the adventurers, and he gradually warms to its rustic charm and its innkeeper, Honey. Ainsworth can’t find evidence that anyone has ever climbed the mountain. His reputation is on the line, so he starts to push the adventurers up the mountain himself.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Not Your Typical Beach Read Romance Novels

by MK French

I thought we should end the month with a couple of romances, seeing as it is the most popular "beach read" genre. However, these are your ordinary romance novels. One is a fantasy romance, and the other is a post-apocalyptic romance. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

4 Fantasy Novels for Your Beach Bag

by MK French

Are you looking for some great fantasy novels to throw in your beach bag this summer? This roundup features cozy fantasy, romantic fantasy, a fairy tale, and young adult fantasy. So whatever you preference, there is something you will love.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

A Morbid Passion by Robert Holtom ~ a Review

by MK French

Selby Bigge and his aristocratic friend Theodora Smythe dine with the upper-class Fortescue family and later that evening attend the Servants' Ball. Theodora becomes Theo there, and queer people are present. Some of the above-stairs members of society attend as well. Unfortunately, Selby and Theo soon have a murder to solve, and unearth secrets while dodging police. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Dhampira by Amy Pennza ~ a Review

by MK French

Corinthe has a human mother and vampire father, and lives in a small village as if she is only human. When she accidentally exposes her gifts, she's captured and sold to Vander. He is a vampire knight, fighting for the cruel and deranged King Rasimir, who wants to extend his empire beyond the Feyline and into the human holdings. The king intends to marry her off to Prince Lorcan and use her daywalking abilities to his benefit. Corinthe yearns to be free, and both Vander and Prince Lorcan offer to help her. The problem is, she isn't sure if she can trust them.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Murder at the Spirit Lounge by Jess Kidd ~ a Review

by MK French

Nora Breen is back and determined to investigate what happened when famous Dolores Chimes dies after a reading goes horribly wrong. One by one, the six people with her die as well. Can Nora find the ghostly serial killer before Detective Inspector Rideout dies as well?

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Three Hitmen and a Baby by Rob Hart ~ a Review

by MK French

Valencia's brother goes missing, and she can't bring her toddler with her to investigate. The other members of Assassins Anonymous offer to watch over the girl. Mark, Astrid, and Booker figure they can keep the girl safe, but of course, everything goes wrong. Mark is summoned to the Russian mob boss Zmeya's lair and is tasked with killing his protege, Astrid. If he doesn't, Zmeya will kill Mark's ex-girlfriend and son. In the meantime, Booker and Astrid have to take the toddler to urgent care when he gets a fever, and their lack of names inspires the medical staff to call the NYPD. On the run from everyone, how will they keep safe and refrain from killing anyone?

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Sourdough Compendium by A. G. Slatter ~ a Review

by MK French

This book is made up of three collections taking place within the Sourdough world: Sourdough and Other Stories, The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings, and The Tallow Wife and Other Tales. These stories are the foundation of the universe A. G. Slatter wrote about in novels like The Briar Book of the Dead. The stories here involve magic and supernatural creatures that play a role in the Sourdough universe. We recognize cities like Lodellan and the fact that it's a vaguely medieval land that burns witches if they can, with a high death count. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden ~ a Review

by MK French

Anne of Brittany was a child when France drove her father to his death, leaving her the last duchess. The French crown means to marry her to her enemies, but she plans to marry France's rival to secure her safety. To do so is difficult when spies abound, and the only safe place is the forest of Broceliande. Merlin the Enchanter had once been there, but its only remaining magic is the occasional unicorn sighting and the fact that it cannot be scried on. Pretending compliance with France, Anne plans a unicorn hunt in Broceliande as a diversion so she can wed in secret. Things don't always go according to plan.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Jellyfish Problem by Tessa Yang ~ a Review

by MK French

Dr. Jo Ness spends her days hidden away at an underfunded aquarium with her specimens and a draft of the jellyfish guide she and her best friend Aldo had been working on before he died seven months ago. Nadia is a friend she hadn't heard from in years contacts her with a grainy video of a giant jellyfish terrorizing a tiny island off the coast of Maine. Though it looks fake, Jo immediately flies across the country to help Nadia. When Jo arrives on Shattering Point, Nadia is nowhere to be found. The islanders have different stories about the jellyfish, and it's up to Jo to figure out what happened.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Disaster Gay Detective Agency by Lev AC Rosen ~ a Review

by MK French

Brandon meets a cute guy named Jon, but witnesses a murder when trying to return his phone, and sees said cute guy fleeing the scene. Brandon had hit it off with Jon and is afraid that he might be a murderer. His friends Ollie, Nicole, and Ian agree to help him identify the victim, track down Jon, and figure out the truth. The "lovesick puppy" investigation soon snowballs from there, and the four friends are in over their heads.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Tuxedo Society by Paul Rudnick ~ a Review

by MK French

Andrew Birnbaum is a struggling actor working in a candle shop when he's invited to dinner with the exclusive Tuxedo Society. The wealthy socialites are actually involved in espionage, and Andrew is invited to join a covert mission to protect national security. Working with Navy SEAL Reggie O’Malley, Andrew gets amazing gear and gadgets to track spies, thwart assassinations, and address threats. It becomes even more dangerous when Andrew and his comrades are sent on a mission to uncover the truth about an ancient artifact. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.