Isaiah Roby's Blog: MI Book Reviews, page 4

The Salt Grows Heavy

Short and brutal novella (novelette?) with lots of horror and a fairytale vibe to it.

You may think you know how the fairytale goes: a mermaid comes to shore and weds the prince. But what the fables forget is that mermaids have teeth. And now, her daughters have devoured the kingdom and burned it to ashes.
On the run, the mermaid is joined by a mysterious plague doctor with a darkness of their own. Deep in the eerie, snow-crusted forest, the pair stumble upon a village of ageless children who...

Fire Spells Between Friends

I greatly enjoyed Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms, and I immediately jumped into the (loosely connected) sequel.
This one had a completely different setup, and I adored it.

Whoever wins the heart of the most eligible gentleman in London will need to be an extraordinary catch indeed.

London, 1813—fae and humans alike are abuzz whenever Torquil’s Tribune drops a juicy new tidbit. At the center of the gossip is handsome fae, Emrys Wrenwhistle, heir to his family’s fortune. As speculation over his p...

All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey

“Evelyn was raised to see field hockey as war.

Before she could write her own name, her family’s legacy on the field was already spelled out. Every step Evelyn takes toward glory is within a footprint her mother left behind. And no step matters more than this next one, with Evelyn about to lead her varsity team into their final battle season. Evelyn is beyond ready to score the Nationals title and win the critical scholarship to her mom’s alma mater that comes with it.

This year, she’s out...

Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms

Cute historical romantasy with some high society propriety an gossip talk, in front of a magic background.

Roger not only had to prove himself to the Council, he also had to prove himself to Wyndham Wrenwhistle.
Fae and humans alike are returning to London for the Season, but the excitement is marred by the growing poverty rate among humans with low magical scores.
Tenacious Roger Barnes proposes a new rubric for testing magic to the Council, hoping to resolve the predicament for his fellow hu...

Heartbeat and Other Tales of the Weird and Macabre

“Migraine body horror. A cursed doll that makes men rot. A psychopathic cannibal who consumes young women for their collagen. An imaginative dark fantasy tale featuring cults, trolls, and a young warrior. Zombie pirates who emerge from the depths of the Gulf of Mexico.

Stephanie E. Jensen’s first short story collection proves she’s one of the most versatile horror authors, telling her harrowing tales with a mix of blood, gore, demons, killers, and dark magic. This collection ends with Heartbe...

The Office Bet

I’m always down for an antagonism-to-love romance, and I always adore connecting stories, so I was super excited for the second installment in the King Sports series, which connects back with the Fake Boyfriend and Puckboys series.

Fox
There are only three things in life I’m passionate about: my family, sports, and hating Archer Holloway.
He’s the most prolific associate at the firm and out earns everyone at our level. Plus, he’s annoyingly good-looking and is somehow able to charm everyone. E...

A Bone in His Teeth

I am in the mood for trans romantasy right now, so I was absolutely thrilled to stumble over a mermaid one featuring a disabled trans man protagonist in my search, and this did not disappoint!

When a fall from the mast leaves Alba Marsh unable to sail, he finally has the chance to run away from his family debts in search of a better life. He hopes to reunite with his mother, Edythe, where they always promised to meet if things went awry, but finding the small, secluded, secretive town of Moo...

The Story of My Anger

“Yulieta Lopez is angry. Angry at her racist drama teacher who refuses to cast Black students in lead roles. Angry at the school board threatening her favorite teacher for teaching works of literature that they deem “controversial.” Angry that she has to keep quiet until she can head to college and leave Texas forever.

Yuli is accustomed to playing various the diligent daughter, the honorable hija, the good girl who serves everyone else before serving herself. But as the fire of Yuli’s rage s...

Bed and Breakup

“Two exes reunite to fix up and sell the vacant bed and breakfast that destroyed their marriage. Can they find a way to give the antique inn—and themselves—a better future?

As newlyweds, Molly and Robin made the Hummingbird Inn into a trendy destination for queer travelers in the quirky mountain town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas. But when their career ambitions drove them apart, the young couple separated, handed over the property’s upkeep to a management firm, and never looked back.

Seven ...

The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook

“Welcome to the Gun Show!

The top ten list is populated. The sponsorship program is open. The difficulty is ramping up. The first three floors were nothing compared to what Carl and Donut now face.

The Iron Tangle. An impossibly-complicated subway system built out of the world’s subterranean railway systems, all combined and then tied together into a knot. Up is down. Down is up. Close is far. The cars are filled with monsters, the railway stations are less than safe, and the exit is alway...