Writing with Heart

Guest Post By Sathya Achia When we were kids, my brother and I would sit for hours, side-by-side, at the fold-out desk our parents had constructed. A bucket of broken crayons and a heap of gently used paper sat in the middle of desk, just within reach of our tiny hands.  We gave that paper...

aerial view of buildings on mountain near body of water

A Lockdown Cozy to Love

‘The Locked Room’ is timely, atmospheric gem 5/5 Stars I’m breaking my somewhat unwritten rule about not reviewing big name books. But I make exceptions occasionally, and the ending of the new Ruth Galloway installment left me wanting more, so much that it had to go on the list. We’ve had some doozies with the...

Myths come alive in gritty, urban fantasy

Everything from family drama to Greek gods 5/5 stars If you like fantasy that makes you question the world around you, Mark Johnathan Runte’s “Ash,” the start of his Mythos series, is just the book for you. His slightly gritty, urban fantasy is a fantastic read. With everything from family drama and romance to shapeshifters...

close up photography of concrete tombstones

Fear “The Keeper of Night”

Exciting Tale Explores Japanese Myths, Racism My rating: 3 of 5 stars Sometimes you really want to enjoy something, and you keep trying and trying. The beginning of this tale had me sitting in my car, having to peel myself out to go on with my errands (I listened to the audiobook). However, as it...

grey steel grill

An Ode to the Multiverse

“Jailbreak” epic end to Tattler Series One sign of a good book is it leaves you wanting more, even when you know it’s the end. You’ve become so invested in the characters and the world that you’re not quite ready to let go. And that’s exactly what Chad Descoteaux delivered in the last installment of...

Don’t Go Banning My Books

You Should Not Even Try When I was pretty young, a freshman in high school, I had to find something to write a speech on for a class. Around this time, I also learned about Banned Books Week which ends October 2. I was a huge, nerdy, Harry Potter fan way before it was cool....

cold melting snow winter

Take a journey with “The Crystalline Chronicles”

With Apologies for my Nerdiness 5 of 5 stars If lock down has you jonesing for a good D&D session, then picking up “The Crystalline Chronicles” by Blake R. Wolfe might just be what the doctor ordered. I haven’t been able to sort out playing since my daughter was born almost four years ago, and...

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The Meaning of Words

The Tattler: Cancelled, Not Dead 5 out of 5 stars Sometimes, you read a word and think you know what it means, but are sorely mistaken. Read is an excellent example. We spell it the same way in present and past tense, and you have to examine the surrounding words when you’re reading to understand...

Lake City Way’s Ninja Girl Will Fight Her Way Right Into Your Heart

4 out of 5 stars The thing I enjoyed most about this story is that the principal character, Gaby, is a strong, unapologetic lead. She is not a giggly, girly-girl, nor is she by any stretch of the imagination perfect. It is always great to see more of that in literature, especially that targeted at...

Can’t Take Just One Sip of “The Devil Drinks Coffee”

A Thrilling, Quirky Mystery with a Strong Female Lead 5 starts out of 5 If you’re looking for a cute, sweet romantic mystery with a strong, sassy heroine this is it. My Kindle kept showing me ads for this one, and the title was enough to draw me in. Catchy titles for the win! This...