V. S. Holmes

broken, bloody, and brilliant

9/24/2021

I just finished--just as in, this very morning--Even If We Break, by Marieke Nijkamp. It's an incredible YA horror/thriller, set against the backdrop of a stormy, haunted mountain in the southwestern U.S. Five semi-estranged friends convene at one of their family's luxury cabins for their last tabletop gaming night before college, internships, and adult jobs sink their teeth in. As their RPG characters unearth a fictional murder mystery, the teens--each hiding their own terrible secrets--begin to uncover a bloody plot that is entirely too real.

This is my first foray into one of Nijkamp's grusome, clever worlds, and boy did I enjoy it! Her characterization perfectly captures the heartache of new adulthood, and the pain of realizing you have outgrown dear friendships--or they have outgrown you. The confines of a hunted mountain, the game that binds the group together, and the secrets that drive them apart, all add a great modern gothic feel. I was thrilled to find two trans characters--nonbinary and a trans guy--plus an autistic character, and two others with physical disabilities, all of whom were thoughtfully written. While decidedly creepy, the real fear throughout the novel was whether each of the friends could remember to trust one another in time--or if they would be picked off when their time came.

For fans looking for a creepy, nerdy, yearning read! 5 stars!

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strap in for the ride

9/15/2021

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Aurealis Magazine is back with this glowing review of Nel's second adventure!

"...After the absorbing, dig-based, science-y plot of the first book in the series
(Travelers), the story in Drifters departs along different parabolas. Nel adopts survivalist mode as a fugitive from justice, somehow staying alive through freezing conditions, starvation rations, and random injuries. Ex-lovers appear when she needs them, only to put themselves in danger, and it’s hard to distinguish the good pursuers from the evil ones.

It’s also hard to resist the breathless pace of this adventure, even in its unlikeliest moments. I Shouldn’t Be Alive meets the X-Files—strap in for the ride and follow Nel through privation and exhaustion as she seeks the meeting place with her backers. After all, her extraterrestrial lover is out there somewhere, and the thrilling expanse of outer space beckons.

Read this, and get your hands on book three as soon as you can."

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Coming to headphones near you!

9/12/2021

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Got some exciting news in the wake of the Lightning and Flames audiobook production--book one, Smoke and Rain, will be getting a brand-new audiobook remastering! Jake Ruddle, the incredible narrator of the Blood of Titans series, will be producing a newly narrated and finalized version of the first book, to be released with its sequel. If you haven't already stepped into this dark, slow-burner of a story, this is the perfect time to hear Alea, Arman, and Bren's stories brought to vivid life through your headphones!

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broken, bloody, and brilliant

strap in for the ride

Coming to headphones near you!

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broken, bloody, and brilliant

strap in for the ride

Coming to headphones near you!

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Archives

Categories

Contact
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media
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SOCIALS