Blog Archives
Lies, Lust, and Larceny
Lies, Lust, and Larceny, by Lisa Marie Shankles, is a satirical novella about twin sisters, Lilah and Laylah Larceny, whose retirement plans spiral into jealousy, identity theft, petty crime, Norwegian prison fantasies, and an unexpectedly strange adventure involving aliens, a mysterious cat named Dyngus, and a trip to Scandinavia. At its heart, this is a comic crime adventure with satirical and light sci-fi elements, built around sibling rivalry and the wild places envy can take a person.
What stood out to me first was the book’s sheer willingness to be odd. It doesn’t ease into its weirdness. It jumps. One moment I was reading about Dyngus Day in Buffalo, family tension, retirement, and salon life, and the next I was following a plan to use Norway’s humane prison system as a retirement strategy. That’s a bold premise, and I appreciated how fully Shankles commits to it. The humor is broad and often deliberately ridiculous, but there is an energy to it that keeps the story moving. It feels like the kind of tale someone might tell over coffee after saying, “You will not believe where this goes.”
I also found the contrast between Lilah and Laylah to be the book’s strongest engine. Lilah is more open, curious, and impulsive, while Laylah is driven by resentment and the ache of always feeling second-best. That emotional thread gives the absurd plot something real to stand on. The writing can be uneven at times, with long explanations and some jokes that land harder than others. It’s going for chaos, color, and momentum. The author’s choices are playful and unafraid, especially in the way she blends crime comedy, travel fantasy, paranormal touches, and alien strangeness into one offbeat package.
Lies, Lust, and Larceny is a light, eccentric satire for readers who enjoy strange premises, flawed characters, and humor that leans into the outrageous. I would recommend it most to fans of quirky novellas, comic crime stories, and anyone who likes their fiction a little unhinged, a little mischievous, and not too concerned with staying inside the lines.
Pages: 182 | ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C9S88LGB
Bondwitch: Hybrid
Hybrid, book two in Chelsey M. Ortega’s Bondwitch series, is a paranormal fantasy romance about two sisters, Marianna and Annamaria Lyons, trying to find safety, family, and a place in a magical world that keeps redefining them. The book brings together witches, vampires, shifters, familiars, coven politics, arranged betrothals, old grief, and new romance, all while centering the sisters’ bond as they arrive in Concordia and face the consequences of Marianna’s transformation into a vampire and Annamaria’s role in the Lyons succession.
I liked how Ortega cares about the emotional cost of belonging. Marianna’s story, especially, has that ache of wanting to be accepted while knowing the room has already decided what you are. The early scenes in Concordia make that clear right away. She is welcomed, inspected, pitied, and judged almost in the same breath. I also liked how the book uses its genre elements without letting them sit there as decoration. Vampirism isn’t just cool teeth and night air. Witch politics are not just pretty spells. Shifters are not just muscle and mystery. The supernatural pieces carry real social weight, and that gives the paranormal fantasy side of the novel a stronger pulse.
There is a lot happening: family secrets, romantic tension, coven leadership, vampire ethics, magical law, trauma recovery, and threats still waiting in the shadows. Sometimes that abundance is fun, like opening a drawer full of strange, glittering objects. Still, Ortega’s choices kept me curious. I appreciated that Annamaria is allowed to be angry, messy, and blunt, while Marianna often moves through the story with a softer kind of fear and hope. Their differences make the sister relationship feel lived-in. I also found Libby frustrating in a productive way. She isn’t simply a villain, but she is absolutely someone whose love comes wrapped in control, tradition, and prejudice. That tension gives the book some of its best bite.
Bondwitch: Hybrid will work best for readers who enjoy character-driven paranormal fantasy romance with family drama at its center. I would recommend it to someone who likes witches, vampires, shifters, complicated sister bonds, magical communities, and romance threaded through larger questions about choice and identity. It’s dramatic, emotional, and busy in a way that suits its world. Readers who enjoy supernatural stories with heart, tension, and a strong “found and fought-for belonging” theme will probably have the best time with it.
Pages: 350 | ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GP23FLMY
For My Sister
For My Sister by Puja Shah is a novel that follows two sisters, Asya and Amla, and how a sequence of events impacted their lives, shaping who they become. The first major life event they remember was when their mother became ill, how the suddenness of this tragic situation cements a bond between the sisters and during later events in their lives.
This coming-of-age story shares the lives of two individuals who, despite their close relationship, are vastly different in many ways. The author narrates from a profoundly personal but unique perspective that captures the reader’s attention, so they want to learn more. The significance of the girls’ early years quickly sets the foundation for many other changes and events later in life, which is well emphasized and woven into the story.
For My Sister by Puja Shah is a beautifully written and intriguing tale that delves deep into the struggles of women from around the world. For this reason, I really enjoyed the appreciation of the theme of this book, which is enhanced by exceptional storytelling. I would highly recommend reading this book, and sharing it, as it provides an important message of resilience, with rich characters and their experiences.
Pages: 284 | ASIN : 1646637968
The Music We Make
The Music We Make tells the story of Santiago DeAngelo, who discovers he is the sole survivor of a car crash where his mother died at the scene of the accident. When Santiago wakes in a hospital to this devasting news, he soon learns that his emotionally distant father blames him for the incident. Santiago struggles with grief and shame, which complicates his relationship with family and friends.
The author does a great job of portraying the complexities of grief and how loss can profoundly impact the people involved and those closest to them. As Santiago tries to cope with his grief, he instead unravels and goes down a path of self-destruction, looking for an escape. Only when the unexpected inspiration comes to him does he realize his new journey is to pursue a life creating music. As Santiago embraces his new life, he must first face his past, battling his fears and inner demons, before he can find success. This emotionally-resonant story is well written and touches on many aspects of how loss can impact a person’s life and decisions. Santiago feels inspired when he believes his mother sends him to write a song in her honor.
Author Michelle Rene DeBellis delivers a heartfelt story that is conversational and straightforward and dives into Santiago’s psyche so that the reader has a clear idea of his emotions and reasoning from one scene to the next. It’s a tale that carefully captures the dynamics of grief and how inspiration can prevail over the darkest moments in one’s life. I enjoyed this compelling story, but I would have it enjoyed it more if the author described Santiago’s challenges in greater detail. The overall story was narrated well and touched on many aspects of the character’s experience, including how he was able to make a significant turnaround in his life. I recommend The Music We Make as I feel this book is a great read and an excellent inspiration for anyone struggling with grief and loss.
Pages: 393 | ASIN: B0B6XJJXP1
