Sascha Darlington's Blog

Review of The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong

Happy Book Birthday: The Haunting of Paynes Hollow!

Do you need a little horror reading (supernatural or not . . . ) for your Halloween? The Haunting of Paynes Hollow has you covered!

#TheHauntingOfPaynesHollow #KelleyArmstrong @stmartinspress #ARCReview #BookReview #BookBlogger #Bookstagram #Books #Horror #Supernatural #Folklore #Halloween #HeadlessHorseman #LakeOntario

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley ArmstrongPublisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin’s PressPublication da...

Review of What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher

Convoluted! Not T. Kingfisher’s novella, but my journey to reading it. Read on!

#WhatStalksTheDeep #T.Kingfisher #MacmillanAudio #BookReview #Audiobook #Novella #BookBlogger #Bookstagram #Lovecraft #Caves #Books #Horror #TorNightfire

What Stalks the Deep by T. KingfisherPublisher ‏ : ‎ Tor NightfirePublication date ‏ : ‎ September 30, 2025Language ‏ : ‎ EnglishPrint length ‏ : ‎ 192 pagesISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250354927ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250354921

Blurb: Alex Ea...

Review of Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane

Happy Book Birthday, Cover Story!

The always witty Mhairi McFarlane writes about a fake relationship, not one but two women done wrong but sleazy men, and so many current British colloquialisms, slang, and cultural references that you’ll need to keep an open Google tab to understand what’s going on in Cover Story.

#CoverStory #MhairiMcFarlane #Avon #ARCReview #Bookstagram #ManchesterEngland #podcaster #journalist #Books #BookReview #Romance #Contemporary #FakeDatingTrope #Rom-Com...

Review of Audiobook The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell

Despite the fact that so many are having a love affair with anything Austen these days (years?), I am not (gasp) one of them. In fact, I have not even seen the Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice! (Although I have heathen-ly devoured the version with Keira Knightley and Matthew McFadden. Alas, there may be no hope for me! ) Regardless, I do like twisty takes, as you may well know if you read my mystery/thriller reviews, and adore when someone goes off in a novel direction (the punster). Such is...

Review of The Accidental Rewrite by Milly Johnson

What happens when steadfast, loyal, smart Polly loses her memory in an accident and becomes the dynamic character, Sabrina Anderson, from the novel she’s been writing? A once in a lifetime chance to live life on her own terms in Milly Johnson funny and heart-felt, The Accidental Rewrite.

#TheAccidentalRewrite #MillyJohnson @harpermusebooks @themillyjohnson #BookReview #BookBlogger #ARCReview #WomensFiction #Yorkshire #ContemporaryRomance #Fiction #Books #Bookstagram #RomanticComedy...

On Kindness — Kindness Rocks! #kindness

Scout, October 6, 2009. One month into our fostering him.

#kindness #EnglishShepherd #lemonstolemonade #love #beingkind #kindnessrocks

For several days now I’ve been thinking about kindness. What does the word kindness mean? Is my society, the American society, kind, or has it lost its ability to be kind? Am I kind–still?

Kindness was a trait that I took for granted. Most people when I was growing up, and indeed, for most of my life were kind. There were some who seemed more barbari...

Review of The Literati by Susan Coll @harpermusebooks

Happy Book Birthday to The Literati!!

How is it possible that it’s been three years since I read a Susan Coll novel when it feels like it was recently? Oh, for the halcyon glory days of early August 2022!

#TheLiterati @susan_keselenko_coll #theliterati #harpermuse @harpermusebooks #BookReview #BookBlogger #ARCReview #Bookstagram #Books #IGBooks #LiteraryFiction #Satire #Slapstick #Clowns #Writer #SaschaDarlington

The Literati by Susan CollPublisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Muse...

Review of The Belles by Lacey N. Dunham @atriabooks

This is the second book this year with an ending that I expected but wasn’t certain I liked. Let’s just invoke: Karma rules.

#TheBelles @atriabooks @lndhop #SouthernGothic #Virginia #BookReview #ARCReview #1950s #BookBlogger #Thriller #Supernatural #Murder #DarkAcademia #Bookstagram #Booksta #Books #SaschaDarlingtonReviews #FishOutOfWater #literaryfiction

The Belles by Lacey N. DunhamPublisher ‏ : ‎ Atria BooksPublication date ‏ : ‎ September 9, 2025Language ‏ : ‎ Engl...

Season to Season #poetry #dVerse #Cinquain #poem

A second day with a poem! Recently unheard of. Will there be a day 3?

Many thanks to Bjorn at dVerse for giving us the opportunity to write a cinquain. I don’t remember if I’ve ever written one before. It’s a form I can imagine having a lot of fun with.

In the past week the tree canopy has been filled with music from goldfinches. If this has been a yearly occurrence, I’m sorry to say that I haven’t noticed. This year I have noticed and am entranced!

#cinquain #dVerse #poem #poetr...

Gratefully #dVerse #Poem

So, yeah, no idea of when I last tried to write anything. I remain hopeful. Always. Mostly.

Many thanks to dVerse for giving me the opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade.

#poetry #poem #creativewriting #grateful #sunnyday #dogs #EnglishShepherd #birds #dVerse #LemonsToLemonade

GratefullySomedays sunny days refuse
joy opposing songs & poems
professing sadness with thunder, rain
happiness with golden embracing warmth.
But the sun’s starkness sometimes highlights
the wrong: it’s ...