Mindy's Book Journey

  Title: The Darkest Night: 22 Winter Horror Stories Editor: Lindy Ryan Authors: Gwendolyn Kiste, Tim Waggoner, Josh Malerman, Hailey Piper, Stephanie M. Wytovich, Clay McLeod Chapman, Lindy Ryan, Christopher Brooks, Eric LaRocca, M. Rickert, Lee Murray, Cynthia Pelayo, Christopher Golden, Tim Lebbon, Kelsea Lu, Jessica McHugh, Nat Cassidy, Rachel Harrison, Thomas Hutson, Kristi deMeester, Sara Tantlinger, Darcy Coates, Jeff Strand, Mercedes M. Yardley, Jamie Flanagan Genre: Horror Published: 9/24/24 by Crooked Lane Books I received a copy for review through NetGalley.   This anthology is the perfect read for the holiday season. The 22 stories are all winter themed with chilly snowy settings. A handful are specifically holiday themed and so much fun.  The Mouthless Body in the Lake by Gwendolyn Kiste: A spooky and haunting start, but I wish it was not in 2nd person. (3 stars) Cold as Ice by Tim Waggoner: Another 2nd person story with a creepy creature. (3 stars) Chil...

  Title: Alien Clay Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky Genre: Science Fiction Published: 9/17/24 by Orbit Books I received a copy for review through NetGalley.   Discover the planet Kiln with Professor Arton Daghdev.  Imprisoned at an alien work camp by the tyrannical group The Mandate, he uses is skills as a xeno-ecologist to uncover the secrets that make the hostile planet tick. Can Daghdev and the rest of the prisoners survive Kiln and the Mandate? This novel is a politically charged survival tale with a good bit of fascinating biology to discover about a very dangerous planet.  It is a wonderful underdog story about fighting against tyranny and unfamiliar nature. If you love political stories, survival stories, and science fiction stories this one will definitely appeal to you. I highly recommend it for fans of science fiction.   My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Title: The Bloodless Princes Series: The Dragonborne Blade #2 Author: Charlotte Bond Genre: Fantasy Published: Oct. 29, 2024 by Tor/Macmillan I received a copy for review through NetGalley.    Sir Madilleh and High Mage Saralene take on a very dangerous quest to go into the afterlife world to get a favor from the leaders of land of the dead. This is a fantasy series full of adventure with a page count under 200 pages. The main characters are amazing strong women with a bit of a romance between them. There is an amazing adventure full quest at the center of each book. I would recommend this to fantasy fans with sapphic elements and looking for a shorter read. My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars