Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

What Feeds Below by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne: A lush, terrifying descent into the Void

Tatiana Schlote-Bonne’s What Feeds Below is an immersive fantasy horror novel filled with lush worldbuilding, gruesome monsters, claustrophobic environments, and enough heart-pounding action to make you feel as though you’re trapped alongside its characters in the depths of the earth.

At the edge of the City of the Void lies a massive chasm that stretches miles underground. Known simply as the Void, its layers are filled with monsters, carnivorous plants, and dangers that become increasingly difficult to understand—and survive—as travelers descend. For Petra and Jade, two orphaned best friends living in the city’s slums, the Void is also a way out. They make money by guiding tourists who are willing to risk their lives in search of whatever treasures might be waiting below.

Continue reading “What Feeds Below by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne: A lush, terrifying descent into the Void” →
Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

The Sisters of Crimson House by Melissa Anderson Sweazy: A Southern Gothic about family secrets and inherited expectations

Melissa Anderson Sweazy’s The Sisters of Crimson House is a Southern Gothic horror novel about a family of psychics, a haunted Memphis mansion, and the secrets that can shape a person’s entire understanding of who they are. I have to admit that I approached this book with some skepticism. Lately, just about every book I’ve read that has been compared to Practical Magic has turned out to be a dud for me, so when I opened the description of The Sisters of Crimson House and saw that comparison, I groaned. Out loud. But I had already received the ARC, so I figured I might as well give it a chance.

Fortunately, The Sisters of Crimson House turned out to be better than the recent Practical Magic comps that have disappointed me. It isn’t a book I would put in the same category as one of my favorites, but there was enough going on to keep me reading, and that’s something. At least I didn’t DNF this one.

Continue reading “The Sisters of Crimson House by Melissa Anderson Sweazy: A Southern Gothic about family secrets and inherited expectations” →
Find Your Next Read, Poetry by Mandy Webster

How Do You Spell That Sound? My new picture book is here!

I’m excited to announce the release of my new picture book, How Do You Spell That Sound?—a playful celebration of language, imagination, and all the wonderfully strange sounds that don’t always fit neatly into words.

Have you ever heard a sound and thought, “How do you even spell that?”

A sneeze. A crash. A buzzing bee. The sound of something squishing, popping, rattling, or roaring. We have plenty of words for sounds, but sometimes the best way to capture a sound is to invent one of our own.

Continue reading “How Do You Spell That Sound? My new picture book is here!” →