Category: Reviews

☆☆ARC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

It’s 1918, Laura Iven has been honorably discharged from the Medical Corps as a highly decorated field nurse. Wounded while on the field, Laura returns to Canada where she receives word of her brother Freddie’s presumed death in combat. A box is delivered to her with his personal effects, Freddy is presumed to be dead because his body was never recovered. How then, have his belongings made it to her doorstep? Laura decides she must go back to active duty in Belgium if only to be closer to the front lines and get answers/certain proof of Freddie’s demise. What she isn’t anticipating is to be met with an alternate possibility. A man who has deserted the battlefield and is caught is then executed by the military. Did Freddy leave the battlefield? or could he still be alive? and is his fate worse than if he had been killed in the field?

Told in dual point of view and past/present timelines between 1917 and 1918, we get Freddy’s account as he is trapped in a ditch created by one of the many explosives dropped. In this ditch is also a German soldier who has been severely wounded. Hans Winter should be his enemy but in these presumed final hours, he is a comfort. Together they help each other get out of that hole but are unsure of which way to go once out. They both can’t fathom the thought of returning to their respective front lines. In the chaos of raining shells and gunfire they meet a mysterious man who owns a hotel and has a penchant for creating music. The type of tunes that can make you forget the misery that surrounds you. An escape from the violence and senseless killings they’ve witnessed. For some soldiers the escapism being offered was too good to pass up.

This was not the book I thought we’d get next from one of my favorite authors and yet this story will remain with me for years to come. Full transparency, I am never the one to pick up books set during WWI or WWII. That being said, it’s Katherine Arden! she can write the hell of a story and creates characters who leave their mark. If you love books with a speculative touch then this one is for you! it is slow paced within reason, every time I opened this book I felt instantly transported to the front lines and it terrified me. Heavily researched (notes and photos included in the Barnes & Noble special edition) and delivered by a skilled pen, it is haunting and feels like a story that needed to be told. In her author’s note Arden speaks of the juxtaposition of nurses in corsets while wearing gas masks while cavalry charged at tanks. It really doesn’t get any more real than that. It was the author’s note and photos of the graves she visited that hit hard and make for a powerful read. It’s a story about times of war but also hope where there’s none to be found. Grief and trauma as well as remembrance. There are feelings of repressed rage we see play out in characters like the mysterious hotel owner. The same rage Arden says can be felt to this day while walking alongside the final resting place of many French and German. A powerful read for fans of Arden who were patiently waiting for her next spellbinding tale.

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Spoiler Free Review: Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan

Title: Do Your Worst

Author: Rosie Danan

Pub. Date: November 14th 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: eARC

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 317

☆☆ARC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

Two strangers meet at a Scottish bar and share a drink, their attraction is instantaneous. They each go their separate ways not thinking their paths would cross again. Riley has traveled from New Jersey to Scotland in hopes of continuing the family business of curse breaking. There’s an infamous Scottish castle with a three hundred year old curse no one has been able to break, enter Riley. “Text Book Capricorn” Clark is an archaeologist trying to bounce back and clean up his reputation from a previous project that resulted in a scandal. The last thing he’s expecting is to have to have to work with a believer of the paranormal/curse breaker. When his attempt to have her removed from the project goes left and Riley learns of his attempts, she decides to get even.

What I Loved? the interactions between curmudgeonly Clark and optimistic/determined Riley provided comedic relief and grade A banter. The little ways Riley executed her pay back and had Clark wondering if she had some type of magic made me giggle on a few occasions. There’s a ton of steam between them that Clark tries his hardest to tamper down. Riley on the other hand embraces her undeniable attraction to Clark and what we get treated to dear readers is hot as hell. From sweet tender moments of hair braiding to the not explored enough if you ask me….edging. Mhm you get a little of everything between these two, Clark being the right amount of confident I like to see in a main love interest.

Their romance isn’t without its challenges, Riley is very aware of his disregard for her profession. This is very triggering to Riley who spent her younger years as an outcast for following in her grandmother’s footsteps studying the occult. It almost seems impossible these two could ever make it work with their opposing beliefs. While it was fun seeing them make their way to a HEA, the emotional connection fell a bit short for my liking. They had the physical chemistry/opposites attract down packed but it all seemed to stay surface level. In part I believe it’s because Clark’s character was so well developed with a backstory that drives the story, he’s seeking redemption. Riley’s character got some back story with her childhood years but it wasn’t as fleshed out as Clarks. Still, I had fun reading Riley and Clark’s story. Any time spent in a Scottish castle in the mix there’s a HIGH likelihood of time well spent 😉

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Spoiler Free Review: Full Moon Over Freedom by Angelina M. Lopez

Title: Full Moon Over Freedom (Milagro Street #2)

Author: Angelina M. Lopez

Pub. Date: September 5th 2023

Genre: Romance/Latinx

Format: eARC

Publisher: Harlequin Feature

Pages: 400

☆☆ARC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

Full Moon Over Freedom is the second book in the Milagro Street series following a Mexican-American family trying to breathe life back into a Kansas city street, home to many hard working class immigrants. This time we’re following Gillian Armstead-Bancroft, one of the Torres sisters who is returning to Freedom Kansas with her two children and in the middle of an ugly divorce/custody battle. To friends and family, Gillian has always been a do-gooder who did everything “right” and more than ever, wants to be good at being bad. Running into her childhood bestfriend Nicky Mendoza poses an opportunity to let go and go with the flow. Nicky was the one she entrusted to help her lose her virginity the summer before leaving for college, he represents home and safety. For Nicky, the return of the girl he loves comes with a ton of mixed emotions including abandonment. Nevertheless, they throw caution to the wind and ignite what they’ve never been able to forget.

What I didn’t love? I struggled warming up to Gillian, but that may just be my preference for lead characters who go against the grain and are a bit more bold in life choices. Gillian is trying to find her footing after having her idea of success and happiness completely changed and her life turned upside down. We get a healthy dose both Gillian and Nicky independently however, their romance in present time felt a bit unbalanced. As in, Nicky was definitely pouring into Gillian’s cup but she was wrapped up in a lot of unresolved issues. The friends to lovers trope set the foundation for this connection but its also what carried this story arc.

What I loved? returning to Freedom Kansas, seeing familiar faces, and the progress being made to open business in this long forgotten street. There’s discussion of opportunities and business plans being drawn up to help women of color gain financial independence through ownership. We also see our MC’s dig through historical documents that paint a better picture of how women of color contributed to this street in decades past. One a more personal level, Gillian is navigating being a new single mom to her kids. One of which has autism; Gillian’s very real concerns and fears of being in a toxic co-parenting situation and how it affects her child. There are heavy themes explored such as drug addiction, emotional abuse, and death of a loved one. This series also has a touch of magical realism, we come across La Llorona who is a ghost from Mexican Folklore as well as a wolf entity that follow our main characters down their paths independently. I love when my romance books are meaty and complex like the Milagro Street books are, my interest in reading about the youngest Torres sister next is definitely piqued!

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Spoiler Free Review: The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Title: The Tainted Cup (Shadow Of The Leviathan #1)

Author: Robert Jackson Bennett

Pub. Date: February 6th 2024

Genre: Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Mystery/Queer

Format: DRC

Publisher: Del Rey

Pages: 351

☆☆ARC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

I couldn’t figure out what I was in the mood to read and kick off my February line-up, I found myself leaning towards Fantasy but also craving mystery. What I didn’t know was just how much The Tainted Cup would satisfy both of these cravings. It gives Sherlock and Watson Vibes paired with Knives Out, two things I absolutely love! We meet Dinios Kol, and Engraver who is magically altered to have perfect memory at the start of his assignment. Din is to work for the eccentric investigator Ana Dolabra. As her assistant, Din would go out to crime scenes and act as her seer. This is because Ana wears a blindfold and never leaves her quarters, but is considered to be the best in her field of work. When an Imperial officer is killed by a tree spontaneously sprouting from his body, Ana and Din are called to investigate. This WHODUNNIT had me invested! Din is so loyal to Ana even when some of her practices really pushed the limits. Although it’s not outright stated on the page (not likely to have a name in this fantastical setting), it appears Din struggles with Dyslexia. Despite his challenges with letters, Din is determined to graduate in rank as an Engraver. The eccentricities paired with her bold and direct way of speaking made Ana and instant fave. Ana and Din could not be more hilariously paired up but despite that, Ana was good for Din. In many ways she saw him for who he really is better than those walking around him not blindfolded. Lastly, the world-building left no stone unturned. Part Fantasy mixed with some elements of Sci-Fi and a healthy dose of mystery, The Tainted Cup is unlike any book I’ve read before. I was hooked on trying to figure out the villain(s) all the while feeling a sense if urgency for the people in this land who were gearing up t protect their walls from a Leviathan (giant sea creatures) attack. Extinction is a daily threat looming over the land building the climax while the mystery surrounding the spontaneous deaths unravels. Listed as the first book in the Shadow Of The Leviathan series on Goodreads, this is one that I’ll be eagerly anticipating!

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Spoiler Free Review: Wreck The Halls by Tessa Bailey

Title: Wreck The Halls

Author: Tessa Bailey

Pub. Date: October 3rd 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: DRC

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 351

☆☆ARC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

Melody Ballard and Beat Dawkins are the adult children of former world famous diva rock stars. They’ve come together to try and get their iconic duo moms to reunite for one more show, the odds of that happening though are slim to none. Melody and Beat met as teens while traveling in the same circles and had the potential to be really great friends but the rupture of their mother’s band made it so their lives took different paths. With Christmas Eve fast approaching, Beat and Melody are made an offer by a television network to livestream their efforts to reunite the Steel Birds one last time. This means 24 hour live coverage of Melody and Beat’s daily lives. For Mel, this means stepping back into the limelight where she’s experienced nothing but harsh criticism from a very young age. Melody prefers the quiet life of restoring old books but the promise of a large sum of money if she can successfully reunite the Steel Birds is too good to pass up. It means financial independence from a mother who she’s quite disconnected from. Mel’s mother is described as possibly being a cult leader in the sense that her home is open to all that love her and detest Beat’s mom. What I loved about Melody: She’s truly a funny character, her quips always had me giggling. Tessa bailey gave us a female who comes across as unaware of her charm and I absolutely loved falling in love with her at the same time as everyone else watching the livestream.

Beat on the other hand is quite charming, comfortable in his attractiveness, and in the limelight. He also has a need for the money the network is offering if he can get his iconic and elegant mother to participate in her former rock bands reunion. No one knows why the band broke up but strong rumors have always circulated that it was caused by a man their mothers were both involved with. They have their secrets and so does Beat, his attraction to Melody is just one of them. What I loved about Beat: How humble and down to earth he is, the wealth his family has accrued keeps him grounded in giving back. We see him run an organization focused on giving youth grants to further their education in music. Beat is also super protective of Melody so if you dig the type, he def checks off the bodyguard box.

This was admittedly my first Tessa Bailey read and it won’t be my last, holiday romance is always hit or miss no matter the author. This story picks up and takes a turn for a hilarious good time at the 50% mark, I’m talking Santa’s brawling on the lawn type funny 😂 which had me not wanting to put it down. I just wish I hadn’t struggled getting invested in this story for the first half, otherwise this could’ve been a five star read. The livestream was a nice addition with fans of Melody creating fun silly hashtags shipping her with Beat! There were a couple of scenes towards the end that were movie ready making it a certifiable rom-com in every sense of the word. On another note, I’ve long heard about the spice Tessa Bailey brings to her books can now say…not one lie was told! I’m intrigued to see what the Tessa Bailey back-list is packing so I guess it’s a good thing I have a couple on my shelves 😉

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Spoiler Free Review: The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

Title: The Seven Year Slip

Author: Ashley Poston

Pub. Date: June 27th 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Time Travel

Format: DRC

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 352

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☆☆ARC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

*•.¸♡ “𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎, 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚗’𝚝 𝚒𝚝? 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚗’𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚌𝚔 𝚍𝚛𝚘𝚙 — 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗, 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚗’𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛.” ♡¸.•*

When I say there isn’t a book Ashley Poston could write that I wouldn’t read, I truly mean it Book Lovers! I thought The Dead Romantics held the prize for breaking me into a million little pieces and then piecing me back together again UNTIL I read The Seven Year Slip. This story is about grief, healing, the passing of time, acceptance, and falling in love with your person at each phase of their life. Our MC Clementine has just experienced the loss of her aunt, the woman who was bigger than life itself and got her to fall in love with travel. She works long hours climbing the ladder at a publishing house as a publicist where her hard work is paying off. Gone are the days of travel and seeing the world, this is how Clementine copes with the passing of her aunt. She ends her days in the apartment her aunt has passed down to her. Located in Manhattan with a doorman whose been there since her childhood, this apartment holds many of Clementine’s most cherished memories with her aunt. There is where she tries to protect her heart from anymore heartbreak, but that all changes when she comes home one day and there’s a stranger sitting in her kitchen. Iwan with the southern drawl and a talent for making the most memorable lemon pies had rented the apartment from Clementine’s aunt for the summer. Clementine is caught off guard and thinks it’s some type of cruel joke since her aunt is no longer living. That is until she remembers those conversations with her late aunt who told her stories about the magic the apartment holds, time travel. Seven years to be exact, Iwan isn’t the one in the wrong timeline or the wrong place.

This is just one of those books that have stayed with me way beyond the final pages, I felt it all while getting wrapped up in “Lemon” and Iwan’s story. Clementine can for some be seen as either the grump or an unlikeable character but for me, she was experiencing some major heartbreak and loss. I found her super relatable as someone who will fully submerge myself in work when grieving the loss of someone whose passed or just exited my life. The overall theme of falling in love over and over again with your person at the very many different phases of their life was beautifully written. Food was used to trigger memories and emotions while Clementine jumped between past and present, I could practically smell and taste the lemon pies in the kitchen and tacos from the food truck. If you enjoy Magical Realism, time travel, serendipitous love stories, and great food scenes this one hits the mark!

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Spoiler Free Review: The Nanny by Lana Ferguson

Title: The Nanny

Author: Lana Ferguson

Pub. Date: April 11th 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: DRC/Audiobook

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 432

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A fun time was had in this single dad romance, I don’t remember laughing out loud so hard reading a Contemporary Romance! Our female lead Cassie Evans has fallen on some tough times and in the past she had her Only Fans account to rely on but for REASONS, she can’t go back to that. Instead she applies for a live- in nanny position not really thinking she’d actually land the job. Single dad/Chef Aiden Reid reaches out to Cassie, she turns out to be the most qualified for the job and he insists she take the job. Cassie is excited and accepts on the spot but also can’t help but notice that her soon to be employer is SUPER hot! We live in Cassie’s head as she tries to reign in her attraction to Aiden. What I loved about Cassie? She’s genuinely great with kids! Aiden’s daughter Sophie wasn’t easily sold on the idea of a live-in nanny and it took some persistence and trust building efforts on Cassie’s behalf. Once the hit it off and Sophie stole Cassie’s heart, it becomes clear to Cassie how much Aiden’s presence at home is felt. She acknowledges how hard it must be to be a single dad to a young girl while also having a full blown career as a Chef but she also doesn’t let him off the hook. We see Cassie win over Sophie and also take on the challenge of Sophie’s aunt who doesn’t believe Aiden has the time in his busy schedule to truly be there for Sophie.

Audiobook Rating: 5 Stars (Samantha Summers narrated and made this one a fun time to listen to, HIGHLY recommend the audiobook)

The interactions between Cassie and the side characters were quality enjoyable scenes. The interactions between Cassie and Aiden (when they do interact) were also top tier steamy and hot. Especially when Cassie realizes Aiden is not the stranger she thought he was, he’s actually a client from her Only Fans account! and instead of disclosing this bit of admittedly awkward information, she decides to keep it to herself. Readers, the ANGST! it is delivered in hefty servings I thoroughly enjoyed. My only “want” was more time to build up the connection between Cassie and Aiden in person. We do see their history through chats in their Only Fans interactions but I just wanted more page time with them instead of feeling the weight of Aiden’s schedule myself. I still had a good time, Cassie has such a fun personality that makes her easy to love. There’s also Wanda, her older ex-roomate who still checks in on Cassie to make sure she hasn’t been kidnapped and thrown in a basement by her new employer. Wanda is a good time! Seriously, her dating life is thriving and I would read her story ARC any time! The Nanny has a cast full of characters you won’t forget 😉

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Spoiler Free Review: House Of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

Title: House Of Hunger

Author: Alexis Henderson

Pub. Date: September 22nd 2022

Genre: Gothic Horror/LGBTQIA+

Format: DRC

Publisher: ACE

Pages: 304

╰☆☆ 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐭. ☆☆╮

Marion Shaw is tired of the life she’s living in the slums scrubbing floors while being degraded on a daily basis. Home doesn’t provide much of a refuge for Marion who lives with her brother who is addicted to drugs and physically abusive. It is inferred that Marion’s brother is living with a terminal disease but it’s not spelled out on the page. His tight hold on Marion makes it impossible for her to build up a nest egg to get them out of the slums, what she makes in coin he finds. She knows very little of the North where wealthy nobles live in great houses consuming the blood of bloodmaids, when she comes across an ad in the paper calling for a new bloodmaid at the House Of Hunger. Countess Lisavet is mysterious and charismatic character, her doors always open to the noble elite with proclivities towards hedonistic activities. Marion’s blood has captured the interest of a traveling taster, one known to find bloodmaids with desirable blood and bring them North to the great houses. Lisavet is instantly drawn to Marion after tasting her blood and so begins their toxic love affair. Marion becomes obsessed with pleasing her Mistress all the while girls begin to go missing at night. She often wakes in the middle of the night to find Lisavet has left their bed but with no idea where she has gone. Questions begin to form with an unsettling feeling that things aren’t what they seem at the House Of Hunger. Things may actually be much darker than the vampiric tendencies of their Mistress. The House Of Hunger has its secrets and a history of violence that turns out to be a lot more than what Marion bargained for.

Whenever I sat down with this book, I found myself fully invested in our main character Marion. She’s gritty, a fighter, and as tough as the slums she comes from. She’s self aware and sees she’s become dependent on Lisavet’s validation just like the other girls in the house. Marion KNOWS she’s in a toxic relationship of sorts with Lisavet, and yet she still feels special and chosen when Lisavet removes Cecilia (previous First Bloodmaid) from her position to give to her. She is literally being bled dry by Lisavet and is willing to give her more, until she starts to see the parts of Lisavet reserved for the First Bloodmaid. The last 30% of this book really amped up the horror, I was cringing at some scenes and reaching for the lights during others! The ending however, was wrapped up a little too neatly for my liking. That being said, I’m probably in the minority group of readers that still found the House Of Hunger to be quite atmospheric even though the only setting we have is in the house itself. Alexis Henderson painted some vivid scenes of debauchery with nobles playing cat & mouse games into all hours of the night. There are also underlying themes to consider with the exploitation of young women of color that come from the poorer parts of the North. The power imbalance created by the socioeconomic disparities between the nobles from far North vs. the young women from Marion’s region. The gross abuse of power exercised by Lisavet and her ancestors is also lightly touched upon. That being said, at its core House Of Hunger is a gothic horror that delivers a good dose of mystery paired with a sense of urgency that’ll have you wanting answers for our MC. House Of Hunger was Nominated as a Goodreads Choice Award in the Horror category in 2022.

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Spoiler Free Review: Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

Title: Hello Stranger

Author: Katherine Center

Pub. Date: July 18th 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: DRC

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Pages: 323

☆☆ARC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

It’s been some time since I finished Hello Stranger, my first read by Katherine Center which has for a long time been on my radar under authors I had to check out. I started the audiobook sometime in the morning and didn’t realize I had basically finished it by the end of my work day, that’s a sign of a good time. Our Protagonist Sadie is funny and what seems to be accidentally charming, everything seems to be going well when we meet her until it’s not. Living in her bestfriends parents studio space that really was never intended to be lived in, Sadie is trying to accomplish some goals and if that proves her dad wrong along the way then so be it. She’s a Portrait Painter finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition and is on task to produce the painting that will get her a win. It seems attainable until she develops Prosop

Fast forward to Sadie needing to take her dog Peanut to the Veterinarian where she meets Dr. Addison who we really don’t know much of but hey, he’s a Doctor so that checks off Sadie’s box. This is where I started feeling a way about our MC even while still fully enjoying seeing her navigate through all of the things being thrown at her all at once. The one moment I was able to connect with Sadie and feel empathy for her character was when she was experiencing a cold front from her father. She doesn’t have a good relationship with her step mother or step sister which leaves her isolated from family. She has this one in a million best friend who has become found family but otherwise she’s alone. Since that aspect of the book really landed with me, I was not left satisfied with how quickly and neatly the family issues were squared away. I wanted more for Sadie even though she wasn’t my favorite Contemporary Romance protagonist. That being said, there’s no denying how hilariously entertaining this was or how compulsively readable it is. I’d be down to give this author another go, I’ve heard great things about The Bodyguard which is on my TBR.

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Spoiler Free Review: Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: Silver Nitrate

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pub. Date: July 18th 2023

Genre: Horror/Historical Fiction

Format: DRC

Publisher: Del Rey

Pages: 323

☆☆ARC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

I’ll be the first to admit I was unsure I’d be reading Silver Nitrate when we got wind of the premise. SMG is and will always be one of my top favorite authors and if there’s anyone who can get me to read a book based on horror films, it could only be Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Character driven and slower paced than some of her other books, Silver Nitrate is a blend of Horror and Historical Fiction set in Mexico City during the 90’s with references to the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. Our main characters Montserrat is a sound editor who is stuck at a bad paying job where all the projects worth having are given to the owners favorites. Montserrat stays for the love of what she does but doesn’t do so silently, she’s tough and isn’t one to keep quiet at the inequality of it all. Her best friend Tristán who she’s been in love with since childhood, is a soap opera actor whose career is rapidly fading. After a break-up Tristán packs up and moves into a building and discovers his upstairs neighbor is the legendary cult horror director Abel Urueta. Montserrat and Urueta hit it off when he senses her real passion for horror films and so he tells them of the curse he believes is responsible for ending his career overnight. Urueta tells them of his involvement in a cult led by a Nazi occultist and how silver nitrate stock was being used in an effort to dispel magic through the screen. This of course backfired and cast a spell on all those working on the film, Urueta is one of the very few to have made it out alive.

We really get to know Montserrat & Tristán once they decide to get involved with helping Urueta and start living through the repercussions. For Tristán it’s the ghost of his dead girlfriend and for Montserrat its the feeling that she’s being followed by a dark presence. It was around the 60% mark that I started feeling as if I couldn’t put the book down, I was engrossed in the paranormal happenings at this point. Our MC’s who are an odd pairing to say the least are also deeply connected to one another, there’s real care and concern coming off the page. Tristán is freaked out and would much rather close the door on all of this while Montserrat can’t turn away, it’s just not in her nature. She’s always had to play the tough role as someone who’s disabled and was bullied at a young age but never backed down. The contrast of personalities worked really well in getting me to care for these characters which in turn got me to get invested in the horror/historical elements that play center stage. SMG is a phenomenal writer! it was easy to reimagine Mexico City in the 90’s through her pen similar to the magic of Velvet Was The Night. Whether the muse behind this book was my jam or not doesn’t take away from the fact that this author continues to deliver quality story telling. Silvia Moreno-Garcia continues to prove that she cannot be boxed into any one genre and I’m here to read anything she writes!

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