Touched by Tom Jolly

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This book started out so promising, with the concept of a perpetual afterlife where one can go anywhere, literally, even to the moon, but without being able to touch anything or anyone. Then it morphed into a 50s sci-fi movie, which is okay, but a little jolting from what I expected from the opening chapters. Other than that, it’s a super fun read, with lots of humor and interesting characters, including aggressive, greedy Martian ghosts. I was fortunate to receive a digital copy through NetGalley.

Second Revolution: Another Year of Flash Fiction by Jamie Lackey

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This collection of stories veered from a little girl finding out that unicorns can be evil murderers to a young husband learning that his mother-in-law is a goddess. Some were barely holding together as a story, and others just completely unraveled, such as the Guided Meditation, which was maddening to read. All in all, the writing style is generally interesting, and the good stories are really good. I was fortunate to receive a digital copy from the publisher Jamie Lackey through NetGalley.

Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March

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In this Agatha Christie-esque cozy mystery, two young women’s deaths set an unofficial investigation by the family into motion. Captain Jim wishes to help his friend, and maybe get closer to his sister, who demands to aid in finding out who killed her sisters-in-law. Though the romance feels a bit forced, and unrealistic (even Captain Jim knows it), the story is entertaining. I was fortunate to receive a digital copy from the publisher Minotaur Books through NetGalley.

The Haunting of Beatrix Greene Episode 1 by Rachel Hawkins

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Beatrix Greene discovers her powers are real, yet the man who hired her continues to fight her, but he must believe her to defeat the evil spirit in his home. Hawkins et al have done a fabulous job of storytelling. The characters are humorous and exasperating, all of them coming to terms with their status in life and their relationships to others. I highly recommend this tale, the beginning of a series about a delightful character. I was fortunate to receive a digital copy from the publisher Serial Box through NetGalley.

We Could Be Heroes by Mike Chen

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Jamie and Zoe meet in a memory loss group. They discover each other’s special powers and secret identities, which Jamie uses for self-gain and Zoe uses to fight crime. They must learn to trust each other to defeat a bigger villain. This is a very human superhero story about expectations, friendship, and what lurks right in front of us unseen. Chen is a talented storyteller and draws the reader into tension-filled scenes. I highly recommend anything by Mike Chen. I was fortunate to receive a digital copy of this great sci-fi tale from the publisher Mira Books through NetGalley.

The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson

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DI Henley believes the serial killer she helped put in prison might help her with the copycat killings. His way of helping her was not what she intended. The background information was a bit forced, but the action in this thriller was enough to keep it moving. It’s a bit gruesome, so if you like crime shows that are pretty graphic, this may be to your taste. I found it a bit cliched that the criminal was trying to get the detective’s attention, but then, I wonder how often that happens IRL. I was fortunate to receive a digital copy from the publisher Hanover Square Press through NetGalley.

Her Dark Lies by JT Ellison

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Claire is marrying into money and finding out even before the wedding exactly how far his family will go to maintain their reputation . At the family villa, isolated off the coast of Italy, with a storm killing power, Claire doesn’t know who to trust as those around her are killed. This is an excellent thriller and I highly recommend anything by J.T. Ellison. I was fortunate to receive a digital copy from the publisher MIRA through NetGalley.

After Elias by Eddy Boudel Tan

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Coen decides to turn the wedding ceremony into a memorial for his groom when Elias dies in a plane crash the week they are to be celebrating. The cryptic last words of Elias haunt Coen, and he delves into Elias’ past to find out why he never spoke of his family. Tan’s tale of a past too hurtful to recall is heartwrenching as Coen learns more about Elias than Elias would ever have told him. I was fortunate to receive a digital copy of this wonderful story of a struggle to love from the publisher Dundurn through NetGalley.

How to Walk on Water and Other Stories by Rachel Swearingen

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In this short story collection of tales that verge almost into the supernatural, my favorite is about a woman who transforms her apartment into art that’s mysterious, macabre, and sometimes just plain weird. Told from the perspective of her boring boyfriend, he makes her seem otherworldly, when she is probably mentally ill or neurodivergent, or maybe merely tired of this world. There’s so much going on in these stories. Swearingen is a fantastic short story artist. I was fortunate to receive a digital copy of this collection from the publisher New American Press through NetGalley.

The Silvered Serpents (The Guilded Wolves # 2) by Roshani Chokshi

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NetGalley doesn’t state if a book is part of a series, and perhaps this book would have made more sense after reading the first one,. Having said that, this author does a spectacular job of bringing supernatural beings to life in an ice castle in Russia no less. The heroes are just a bit beyond human, which makes them infinitely more interesting, but all are deeply flawed with very human emotions. I recommend this series based on the author’s storytelling and descriptive talent, but maybe start from the beginning! I received a digital copy from the publisher Wednesday Books through NetGalley.