The Reading Wife

The Shapeshifter’s Gambit

The Reading Wife — Fri, 01 May 2026 23:04:01 +0000

The Shapeshifter’s Gambit

The Shapeshifter’s Gambit is the latest novel to be checked off my to be read list. This is Grant Pierce’s debut novel, and is the first in a six part series called The Faceless Chronicles. I will be reviewing all six books, so if this one sparks your interest, keep an eye out for the rest.

I discovered Grant Pierce in a group on social media, and the blurb about The Shapeshifter’s Gambit captured my attention. I am not normally a fantasy genre fan. That is for my husband, in what I call Nathan’s Corner.

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Many times in social media groups, authors will either put themselves at the top of my want to read list, or straight into my do not read list. Authors who support AI writing, or who request readers skip leaving a less than four star review are at the top of my do not read list. Especially when they try to justify this by blaming the Amazon algorithm. I think both diminish the whole point of reviews and take away the voice of a reader, and I will never support anyone who does this. Which is part of why I started this specific blog. I wanted my freedom of speech, and I didn’t mind paying for it.

Authors who value honesty and take the time to connect with their readers are the ones who make it onto my want to read list. This is how I connected with Grant Pierce. He values honest reviews, no matter what the star rating is. If I left a one star review of his book, he would be just as grateful as the next person who left a glowing five star review. Which is something I have huge respect for.

Periodically I also like to challenge myself to read something new, or something I wouldn’t normally read. Because it pushes me outside my comfort zone, and I’m always looking for that diamond I would otherwise overlook just based on the genre of the book. Ryan Hyatt changed my mind about science fiction. Stoney Brooks did it with horror. Can Grant Pierce do it with fantasy? I had to find out!

Normally I find fantasy books to be insanely long and tedious. I have a short attention span and I lack patience. Which means I need books to keep moving at a fast pace to keep me interested. Not to mention they usually have too many characters to keep track of. I tried reading Game of Thrones, for example, and just couldn’t do it because of everything I just mentioned. I refuse to even try the Wheel of Time series.

Prior to this, the only real fantasy book I’ve enjoyed was Lord of the Rings and only because I listened to it as an audiobook narrated by Andy Serkis. Plus that was a bonding thing with my husband because it is his favorite series. I also think Andy Serkis should narrate every audiobook from now until the end of time. But I digress and we’ll return to talking about The Shapeshifter’s Gambit.

Have you read The Shapeshifter’s Gambit? Come on in and let me tell you about it!

The Shapeshifter’s Gambit

About The Shapeshifter’s Gambit

Book One of The Faceless Chronicles.

A dark epic fantasy of prophecy, loyalty, and demons.

The strangers foretold the world would end in fire—and Logan would strike the match.

Kalen and Logan grew up as brothers in all but blood. But when a secretive order recruits Kalen, he learns a devastating truth: Logan is destined to summon the dread fiend Astaroth and unmake the world.

The order wants Kalen to kill him before the prophecy comes to pass.

Driven by memories of their youth and visions of a burning future, Kalen refuses to believe Logan is lost. The path ahead is paved with betrayal and death. Reapers and a murderous shapeshifter trail Logan, guarding him with a devotion carved from fear.

As fate tightens its grip, Kalen must face the truth he dreads most. Logan may be the world’s last hope… or its final curse.

When fate is written in fire and blood, only the damned can bend destiny to their will.

Expect:

Prophecy, impossible choices, and epic stakes
Reapers, assassins, and a lethal shapeshifter
Demons, dark magic, and brutal consequences

The Shapeshifter’s Gambit

Thoughts on The Shapeshifter’s Gambit

The Shapeshifter’s Gambit is book one in a six part series called The Faceless Chronicles. Grant Pierce is releasing them in rapid succession over a seven month period. Which sounds insane. Mostly because it is completely insane. The question that it begs is, did he write all of them prior to releasing the first one, or did he use AI to write them all that quickly? Many readers are asking these questions, which he was kind enough to answer. Let’s address that before we move into more about the book.

“Yes, I’m probably a little off my rocker. I did this because I frequently complain about authors who never finish their series due to burnout, change in interest, death, etc. The backlash George RR Martin gets for not finishing Game of Thrones forced me not to be a hypocrite. Also, it helps with the Amazon algorithm to rapid release, so it was partly a marketing decision. I understood the risks I was taking.”

Did Grant use AI to write his novels?

“The answer is emphatically no. I don’t support the use of AI for writing any of my work. My words are 100% my own.”

Now that we’ve addressed the elephant in the room in regards to this series, let’s talk about my thoughts on it.

I researched Grant Pierce before I actually started reading The Shapeshifter’s Gambit, and I found that his background is in psychology. Specifically working in prisons. Knowing he spends his working time studying and talking to the absolute worst humans that exist, I fully expected some amazing character development. I went into this with high expectations. Because if anyone should be able to write the best villains in a story, it is Grant Pierce.

I wasn’t disappointed in my unusually high expectations of the characters in this book. They were all different and well-written. My personal favorite was Valko. I don’t know if this means I need Jesus or a damn good therapist. But for a villain in the story, he was amazing. It made for an interesting dynamic in the story, that is for sure. It reminded me a bit of Butcher and Blackbird in the whole turning murder victims into an art project. But this felt so much more real and brutal.

It took me longer than usual to read this book, but that is simply because there is a lot going on. It wasn’t a book I could read in just two days. I actually appreciated that part. Normally I read a book in two days, and then spend about the same amount of time putting everything together for a review. I often check the page count as one of my criteria for reading, because longer books take away from the volume I can review. The Shapeshifter’s Gambit forced me to slow down and enjoy it like a good wine.

The Shapeshifter’s Gambit is a very character-driven story, and I think is the perfect introduction for people like me who may not love fantasy novels, or haven’t read many. This read more like a thriller for me with fantasy elements in it, where it kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was coming next. If Lord of the Rings were turned into a thriller, this would be it.

It is extremely hard not to sit here and tell you everything about the book, because that would spoil the entire plot, and I can’t do that. But trust me when I say that I want to. I want to talk about every character and the entire plot, and so much more. But that is hard without telling you everything about the book, and then there is no point in reading it. So I’ll skip ruining The Shapeshifter’s Gambit for you.

I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t see the twists coming, and yet I look back and wonder how I didn’t see it hiding in plain sight. They were not ridiculous or over the top twists either. They fit the story perfectly. Too many times these days authors try to write twists for the shock value. But these were perfect and made complete sense.

There is a definite Lord of the Rings feel and vibe to The Shapeshifter’s Gambit. A couple of people set off on an adventure to find their friend, and potentially save the world from certain disaster. They need help, which is where the group comes in.

The Shapeshifter’s Gambit

Final Thoughts on The Shapeshifter’s Gambit

I am calling The Shapeshifter’s Gambit a five star read. Because this is a book that had me hooked from the start, I will absolutely buy a physical copy when it is released, and buy it for others as a gift. It exceeded my expectations.

I will be perfectly honest and say that I debated handing this off to my husband to read and let him write the review. I thought about it through the first fifteen percent of the book. It took me a little bit to really get into it, and I was worried that everything I talked about at the beginning of this review would be why I disliked The Shapeshifter’s Gambit.

But none of that happened. The more I read, the more I was hooked and had to keep reading. I think the fact it took me a bit to get into it was just that I was busy overthinking and worrying about not liking this book. Sometimes I have to just put blinders on and read instead of overthinking everything.

I am beyond glad that I gave The Shapeshifter’s Gambit a chance. Because I am now invested in the series. I found myself actively mad when the book was done. I didn’t want it to end. I actually needed so much more. This was quickly satiated by starting book two, The Demon’s Reckoning. Which is a testament to Grant Pierce’s writing, in my opinion. It is rare that I feel emotions about a book ending. Normally I’m happy or indifferent. But that is about the extent of my emotions when it comes to finishing a book.

If you haven’t heard of Grant Pierce or his books, trust me when I say that you are missing out, and you definitely want to be reading them. Don’t let the genre of the book keep you away from reading it. The fast pace and brilliant character development make for a great book.

I would also note that if you are like me in that you don’t normally enjoy fantasy novels but like thrillers, The Shapeshifter’s Gambit is the perfect introduction to fantasy in a way that is approachable to more readers.

The Shapeshifter’s Gambit

Discussion

Have you read The Shapeshifter’s Gambit or any other books in this series? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

About the Author

Writer. Reading. Gamer.

That’s the core of my world. Most days, I’m trying to juggle those passions around kids, pets, and the general battlefield of family life. Fortunately, I’m married to a woman who makes the chaos survivable.

My work is firmly planted in spic fantasy. I build expansive worlds, ancient powers, rising darkness, and apocalyptic stakes that force heroes into impossible choices. Magic isn’t a backdrop in my stories – it’s the engine that drives the plot, shapes the past, and drags characters into the unknown.

I write with a simple mission: keep readers guessing. No telegraphed twists. No easy predictions. Once a book becomes predictible, it loses its pulse. Storytelling should keep you alert, curious, and hungry for the next page.

I came to writing from a career in psychology, which turned out to be ideal for crafting villains who genuinely believe they’re the heroes of their own sagas. Real people seldom think they’re monsters. My cat, however, knows exactly who he is. He just leans into being the god of mischief and evil.

The Shapeshifter’s Gambit author Grant Pierce

Purchasing The Shapeshifter’s Gambit

If you are interested in buying the paperback version of The Shapeshifter’s Gambit, click here.
Click here for the Kindle version.
Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

Author Interview

I had the amazing opportunity to sit down and chat with Grant Pierce about his writing and life in general. I’m always grateful when authors are willing to talk to me, because it is such a fun opportunity to connect more to their writing, learn about them, and find out what is coming next for them.

What inspired you to start writing?

My daughter. I wrote The Shapeshifter’s Gambit when I was in college. It was just an exercise in creativity to procrastinate. I only showed the unpolished, unedited version to one other person. She thought it was amazing, but I wasn’t convinced. I saved the document to my computer. Every time I upgraded computers, I transferred the contents of my hard drive and unknowingly kept it alive for decades as I kept transferring data to a new computer every 5-7 years.

Fast forward 25 years, I have a wife and children. My youngest daughter and I were having a conversation about The Lord of the Rings and I did a “Dad Flex” and told her that I wrote a book when I was a little older than her. She asked to read it. I said “no” because I was too embarrassed at how unpolished it was, much less if I could even find it.

She persuaded me over the course of a week, and finally I dug it up from WordPerfect, transferred it to Microsoft Word, printed it for her, and figured I’d never hear about it again. That version was literally a thousand pages. Three days later, she burst into my room telling me she read the whole thing and wanted to know “What happened next?” I had some vague ideas, but never fleshed them out. At her encouragement, I wrote the entire six book series. By about Book 4, that’s when I decided I was going to publish my work.

What made you choose the fantasy genre to write in?

I read The Hobbit when I was about six. I read The Lord of the Rings about a year or two later. I have always been steeped in classic fantasy books (Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, the Shannara series, The Wheel of Time, and more). Each of these authors who write in their respective universes open a portal to another world.

I decided in college it would be fun to build my own door for others to step through. After I finished the first draft of The Shapeshifter’s Gambit, I was too embarrassed to think about sharing it with the world. I suffered Imposter Syndrome badly. I think that is likely normal for someone barely out of their teenage years.

Who is your favorite author?

This question probably changes based on my mood, what I’m reading, and what year it is. However, J. R.R. Tolkien probably takes the crown more often than most of the other authors by a slim margin. While fantasy existed long before he wrote The Hobbit, he is the author who made fantasy mainstream. Everyone owes him a debt of gratitude for that. Without him, I don’t think Dungeons & Dragons would even exist.

Do Kalen and Jadica ever get their happy ever after marriage and ride off into the sunset to live a more mundane life together?

Without giving away too much, their story is not complete. In fact, things get more complicated between them. Kalen would say there is always room for redemption for anyone. Jadica would probably say they belong together. Remember, I never take a story where the reader expects it to go… and the path to get there is never direct.

Who is your favorite character in your books?

Valko is certainly my favorite in this book. He is extremely difficult, but very fulfilling to write. Climbing into his head sometimes leaves me a little shook. One of my friends described him as the love child of the liquid-metal Terminator, the Joker (from the Batman mythos), and Leonardo da Vinci. I suppose that fits.

What are your hobbies outside of working and writing?

I have a house full of animals (mostly rescues). I also volunteer for the Humane Society and foster kittens and puppies until a good home can be found for them. I am currently the unwilling employee of a villainous cat. While he may be evil, I would never give him up for the world. I also enjoy playing video games (when my cat gives me permission). I like action games that test my reflexes and I like Role Playing Games (like the Baldur’s Gate series).

What is your favorite food?

The easy answer is to say something spicy, since I am of Indian descent. However, I actually don’t like spicy food (my ancestors are probably rolling over in their graves over that). I am more of a meat and potatoes kind of guy. A burger on the grill, medium-well, with cheese, ketchup, mustard, and bacon is my favorite food. This month.

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The Shapeshifter’s Gambit

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The Reading Wife — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 17:01:37 +0000

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is the latest novel to be checked off my to be read list. Lately I’ve been making it a point to read more from my favorite authors and check all of their books off my to be read list.

I recently finished all of Riley Sager’s novels, and it made perfect sense to put the effort into Taylor Jenkins Reid books next. I recently read Daisy Jones and The Six, and it still sticks in my mind. Needless to say, I had very high expectations going into The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

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This is a book that I had previously tried to read a couple of times and couldn’t quite get into, so I never made it past the first chapter and then had to start over. I don’t know why this happened in the past. Maybe I just needed to be in the right space to read it? It totally happens. Sometimes a book just isn’t ready to be read by me at any given time. Other times, it’s just waiting for me to realize it is the perfect time to read it.

Books are interesting that way. I’ve been reading We Were the Mulvaneys over the years, and it speaks to me differently as I get older. Even though that book is a favorite, there are times I don’t enjoy it the way I know I should be, and I put it down and wait for the right time. Apparently The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was the same way, I just needed to wait for the right time to read it.

“When you’re given an opportunity to change your life, be ready to do whatever it takes to make it happen. The world doesn’t give things, you take things.”
Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

I’ve also been noticing on social media that there have been more people talking about this book and asking if they are the only person who hated it. This obviously made me curious about it, because I didn’t have an opinion on it yet. It made me want to read it more so that I could join in on the discussion and talk about it with other readers.

It is always fascinating to me how the worst reviews can make someone want to read a book. I’m the type of person who needs to find out if my opinion is similar or completely opposite. Not to mention the old saying of, any publicity is good publicity.

Have you read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo? Come on in and let me tell you about it!

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

About The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ’80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

“Heartbreaking, yet beautiful” (Jamie Blynn, Us Weekly), The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is “Tinseltown drama at its finest” (Redbook): a mesmerizing journey through the splendor of old Hollywood into the harsh realities of the present day as two women struggle with what it means—and what it costs—to face the truth.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Thoughts on The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

“People think that intimacy is about sex. But intimacy is about truth. When you realize you can tell someone your truth, when you can show yourself to them, when you stand in front of them bare and their response is, ‘you’re safe with me’ – that’s intimacy.”
Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

In The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo we meet Evelyn Hugo and Monique Grant. Monique is the one taking Evelyn’s story to write a biography once Evelyn has passed. It was a bit slow going at first. I wondered who Monique was and why Evelyn would only tell her story to Monique. Monique really was a nobody in the world, so why her? Why was Evelyn so set on it only being Monique? I had to find out.

I was enjoying the book and would have called it a four star read and then, boom. That moment when I had to continue reading and I was hooked by the quote below. It had me at that point. Which was brilliant writing, in my opinion. Because I wasn’t expecting a twist in this story. Not a shocking one, anyway.

“I have no idea that in less than a week, Evelyn Hugo will finish her story, and I’ll find out what this has all been about, and I will hate her so much that I’ll be truly afraid I might kill her.”
Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

At this point, I was fully invested. There was obviously some sort of twist coming, and I desperately needed to know what it was. That was the big push that kept me reading. This isn’t normal for Taylor Jenkins Reid books. There is always something that ties everything together, but never a shocking plot twist.

This book reminded me so much of Daisy Jones and The Six. I realize Daisy Jones came after Evelyn Hugo. But that’s the order I read them in. What I mean when I say that is Evelyn Hugo was a brilliantly written character. So much so that she felt real to me, and I felt the same way reading Daisy Jones.

Evelyn evoked a lot of emotions. She was devious and manipulative, and cold-hearted in so many ways. There were moments I wanted to bitch slap her into next Tuesday for being so calculating, and other moments where I wanted to give her a hug. She also has depth and an incredible capacity to love. She was a beautifully flawed human and well-written.

Monique seemed like an under-developed character, but a big part of that was Evelyn took all of the attention and didn’t leave room for Monique. The few moments of character development that we did get to see were absolutely amazing though. Where you could see the mark Evelyn left on Monique.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo had so many layers, and it was brilliant. Everything was thought out and beautifully written. There were no plot holes, nothing left unexplained, nothing meaningless to fill pages in it. Every single word counted and had an impact in this story. That takes a very talented author to accomplish, and I would expect nothing less from Taylor Jenkins Reid.

I rarely say this because I can nitpick even the best books, but this one was perfectly written. It was complete, nothing was missing, and it was exactly what it should have been.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Final Thoughts on The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

“Sometimes reality comes crashing down on you. Other times reality simply waits, patiently, for you to run out of the energy it takes to deny it.”
Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

I’m calling The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a five star read. It is one that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, bought for others in my family, and will absolutely read again a second time in the future.

I was honestly worried that it would be boring, and this would be the one story that ruined my opinion of Taylor Jenkins Reid and her writing. Which may be one of the reasons I held off on reading it for so long. Because how can one woman marry seven men and keep the story interesting? I fully expected it would be a bore by number four at the most. But it wasn’t. I was fully invested in the entire story all the way through.

I will say that after reading it, I’m a bit shocked that people disliked the book. I know reading is subjective, and I’ve hated my fair share of books that everyone else raved about. But this one surprised me in that I have a hard time seeing how others disliked it. In this case, I agree with the majority of readers who rave about this book and say it is amazing. Because it is exactly that.

After reading Daisy Jones and now The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I am amazed at the brilliant way Taylor Jenkins Reid tackles darker or problematic subjects such as sexuality, race, driving while intoxicated, and even abortion. It was so positive, and even sensible.

I personally don’t think you can go wrong with any of the novels from Taylor Jenkins Reid, and Daisy Jones will likely always be my favorite. But The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a very close second on my favorites list. This is another book that will stick with me long after I’ve moved on and read other books.

After reading both of those books, I’m even more motivated to read all of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novels and check them off my to be read list. Because books like this are what keeps me reading and not falling into a reading slump. I need books that are going to make a mark on my soul.

My only concern now is wondering if Taylor Jenkins Reid can create comparatively amazing books to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones. I’m always waiting for the one book that I’ll hate with every fiber of my being. Will it happen? I need to read more of her books and find out. I’m hoping my opinion will continue with, you can’t go wrong with any of her books.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Discussion

Have you read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo or any other writing from bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Discussion Questions

Each husband’s section opens with an illustrative moniker (“Poor Ernie Diaz,” “Goddamn Don Adler,” “Agreeable Robert Jamison”). Discuss the meaning and significance of some of these descriptions. How do they set the tone for the section that follows? Did you read these characterizations as coming from Evelyn, Monique, an omniscient narrator, or someone else?
Of the seven husbands, who was your favorite and why? Who surprised you the most?
Monique notes that hearing Evelyn Hugo’s life story has inspired her to carry herself differently than she would have before. In what ways does Monique grow over the course of the novel? Discuss whether Evelyn also changes by the end of her time with Monique, and if so, what spurs the evolution?
On page 147, Monique says, “I have to ‘Evelyn Hugo’ Evelyn Hugo.” What does it mean to “Evelyn Hugo”? Can you think of a time when you might be tempted to “Evelyn Hugo”?
Did you trust Evelyn to be a reliable narrator as you were reading? Why, or why not? Did your opinion on this change at all by the conclusion, and if so, why?
What role do the news, tabloid, and blog articles interspersed throughout the book serve in the narrative? What, if anything, do we learn about Evelyn’s relationship to the outside world from them?
At several points in the novel, such as pages 82-83 and 175-182, Evelyn tells her story through the second person, “you.” How does this kind of narration affect the reading experience? Why do you think she chooses these memories to recount in this way?
How do you think Evelyn’s understanding and awareness of sexuality were shaped by her relationship with Billy – the boy who worked at the five and dime store? How does her sensibility evolve from this initial encounter? As she grows older, to what extent is Evelyn’s attitude toward sex influenced by those around her?
On page 54, Evelyn uses the saying “all’s well that ends well” as part of her explanation for not regretting her actions. Do you think Evelyn truly believes this? Using examples from later in her life, discuss why or why not. How do you think the idea relates to the similar but more negatively associated phrase “the ends justify the means”?
Evelyn offers some firm words of wisdom throughout her recounting of her life, such as “Be wary of men with something to prove” on page 77, “Never let anyone make you feel ordinary” on page 208, and “It is OK to grovel for something you really want” on page 192. What is your favorite piece of advice from Evelyn? Were there any assertions you strongly disagreed with?
Several times, Evelyn mentions having cosmetic surgery. What was your reaction to this? How do these decisions jibe with the value system and ethical code that she seems to live by? Why do you think Evelyn continues to dye her hair at the end of her life?
Review the scenes on pages 199 and 348, in which Evelyn relays memories of conversing in Spanish after years without speaking it. Discuss the role language plays in her understanding of who she is. In what ways does her relationship to her Cuban identity parallel her experiences with her sexuality, and in what ways does it differ?
If you could meet and interview one celebrity at the end of their life, who would it be? What would you ask them?

About the Author

Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, as well as One True Loves, Maybe in Another Life, After I Do, and Forever, Interrupted. Her newest novel, Malibu Rising, is out now. She lives in Los Angeles.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo author Taylor Jenkins Reid

Purchasing The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

If you are interested in buying the paperback version of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, click here.
For the hardcover version, click here.
Click here for the Kindle version.
Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Beautiful Graves

The Reading Wife — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 19:34:48 +0000

Beautiful Graves

Beautiful Graves is the latest novel to be checked off my to be read list. This is one that has been on my list for a while, and it was time to give it a read. I love the cover, which is what drew me into it in the first place. Has anyone else ever chosen to read a book just based on the cover? I’m looking at you, Butcher and Blackbird.

This book has also been mentioned a lot on social media, and raved about. I’ll be the first to say that I should probably stop paying attention to social media when it comes to reading just because my to be read list grows like I am immortal.

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I picked this book at this point specifically because it was available via Kindle Unlimited to both read and listen to for free. I have been sick this last week and unable to be in my office working. I needed an audiobook so that I could listen to something while I took the sick days and just played video games. This was a nice way to listen to a new book without using up all of my Audible credits.

Have you read Beautiful Graves? Come on in and let me tell you about it!

Beautiful Graves

About Beautiful Graves

From USA Today bestselling author L.J. Shen comes a passion- and angst-charged story about a woman caught between a secure relationship and a once-in-a-lifetime spark with her muse.

They say first loves are oftentimes the end of one’s innocence.

Those words couldn’t ring truer for Everlynne Lawson, whose first brush with romance came with a heartbreak…and the thing that seems to follow her everywhere she goes. Death.

After a great tragedy, Everlynne loses all she cares about—her dreams, her family, and her soulmate, Joe.

Guilt-ridden, Everlynne decides to isolate herself in Salem, Massachusetts. A shell of the woman she once was, she takes her days one at a time, careful not to allow herself the joy she believes others in her life were robbed of. But when the mysterious, handsome Dominic storms into her life, it becomes more difficult to stay in solitude. Dominic is different: adventurous, joyous, with lust for life and a passion to make her his.

Everlynne is on the cusp of reinventing herself once again when the old wounds of her past are resurrected, rawer than ever. There is nothing worse than being in love with two men.

Especially when one of them hates you.

Beautiful Graves

Beautiful Graves Playlist

“Save a Prayer” by Duran Duran
“Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis
“No More I Love You’s” by Annie Lennox
“Stars” by Dubstar
“The Air That I Breathe” by The Hollies
“Put the Knife Away” by Goldfinger

Thoughts on Beautiful Graves

“Be thankful for those who helped you when you were down, and be thankful to those who didn’t. The former are worth keeping, and the latter helped you realize it.”
L.J. Shen, Beautiful Graves

In Beautiful Graves we meet Everlynne, who has experienced a bit of trauma in her life. Instead of facing it head on, she runs, she runs far and fast. She leaves her family, and moves to the east coast. She then cuts contact with her family, despite them asking and begging her to come back and maintain a relationship with them.

She spent three hundred and seventy one of the three hundred seventy three pages being indecisive and unable to make up her mind and just running back and forth. It is literally in the last couple pages that she finally gets it together, and by then I’m just over it all.

This book was bland, boring, and bordering on depressing. This wasn’t a romance novel, and definitely not a dark romance novel. I wanted so much more character development in Everlynne. So much more. She had the capability. Instead the author focused on Everlynne punishing herself to the point of being depressing.

There was a point where I was thinking, it’s been seven years. You can only punish yourself and run for so long. Either get over it and start healing, or just shoot yourself and put an end to this for the readers. You can only be a victim and run for so long. You can’t run forever.

Which is a new thought for me as a reader. I’ve never thought this while reading a book in my life. But if Everlynne had died by suicide, somehow it would have made more sense. Because how long can someone live in a bubble without any kind of change or emotional growth? I needed her to have a breakthrough long before she did in the book.

This is a book that had potential. But it wasn’t realized. I kept waiting for the magical turning point in the book that would make the boring parts totally worthwhile. But no, they never came. Had I known that, it would have been a do not finish for me.

I wasn’t connecting with any of the characters. Which is the big part of what makes a story memorable for me. I needed to either love or hate them, and I felt nothing in this story.

It is really hard for me to explain anything else about the book without spoiling the entire thing, and I don’t want to do that for my readers. I generally dislike spoiling books. But explaining anything further that has to do with the plot would definitely create spoilers.

I think the only saving grace for me is that Everlynne did reunite with her family and start rebuilding those relationships. It shouldn’t have taken seven years of destroying them, but at least she started to make the effort.

Beautiful Graves

Final Thoughts on Beautiful Graves

But see, forgiving people who hurt us is not about those people at all. It is about choosing to move on with our lives. Letting go of grudges. Healing without depending on someone else’s journey.”
L.J. Shen, Beautiful Graves

I’m calling Beautiful Graves a three star read. Because by the time I’m done with this review and have moved on to another book, I will have already forgotten this one. Which is one of the reasons I’m grateful for my own blog. It reminds me of what I have read at times.

There is nothing egregiously wrong with Beautiful Graves, which is why I’m not rating it any lower than three stars. I didn’t hate it and it didn’t make me angry as a reader. But I didn’t enjoy it and it wasn’t memorable, which is why I can’t rate it any higher than three stars. Three stars is basically my middle of the road rating, and it really isn’t fabulous enough to remember.

This was my first book from author L.J. Shen, and it will not likely be my last. But it will be a while before I pick up another one of her books. I need something that is far faster paced and keeps me wanting to read at the moment.

When I was done, I went to look up reviews for it to see if my thoughts were along the same lines as other readers, and the answer is no. I was bored and deemed it a very middle of the road book. While many others seemed to have polarizing opinions on it. They either loved or hated it, with very little in between.

Beautiful Graves

Discussion

Have you read Beautiful Graves or any other writing from author L.J. Shen? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

About the Author

L.J. Shen is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, and number 1 Amazon bestselling author of contemporary and NA romance. Best known for her angsty, dark books and barely redeemable alpha heroes, she writes fairytales with teeth and claws.

She lives on the east coast with her family, pets, inner demons, and enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, and spending time with her grumpy cat.

Beautiful Graves author L.J. Shen

Purchasing Beautiful Graves

If you are interested in buying the paperback version of Beautiful Graves, click here.
Click here for the Kindle version.
Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

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Beautiful Graves

Woman Down

The Reading Wife — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 19:16:22 +0000

Woman Down

Woman Down is the latest novel to be checked off my to be read list. I’ve only read one other Colleen Hoover book prior to this, and decided to mix my reading up a little bit by giving it a try.

I decided to listen to the audiobook version of Woman Down, and it worked perfectly for me. Sometimes I like audiobooks when I want to multitask and do other things.

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At the time of publishing this review, Woman Down is available to borrow via Kindle Unlimited, with the audiobook version being included with it. This is an excellent way to utilize my subscription. I will be looking for more “read and listen for free” books in the future.

Have you read Woman Down? Come on in and let me tell you about it!

Woman Down

About Woman Down

In this twisty thriller from New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a frustrated author looks for her muse in a remote hideaway, but what she finds defies all expectations…and reality.

Her words used to set the page on fire. But a viral backlash over her latest film adaptation forced Petra Rose to take a hiatus, resulting in missed deadlines and an overdue mortgage. Branded a fraud and fame-hungry opportunist, she learned the hard way what happens when the internet turns on you. And she’s been uninspired to write ever since.

Now, with her next suspense novel outlined and savings nearly gone, she retreats to a secluded lakeside cabin, hoping to find inspiration. It’s Petra’s last-ditch attempt to save her career—and herself.

Then he shows up.

Detective Nathaniel Saint arrives with disturbing news, his presence igniting a creativity in her she thought long since burned out. Petra’s words return in a rush, and her fictional cop character begins to mirror the very real cop who’s becoming her muse.

Their “research” sessions blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Each glance, every touch pulls Petra deeper into a world she thought she’d never lose herself in again. She’s never felt more alive. But inspiration this powerful comes at a cost.

When Saint starts taking his role in her career a little too seriously, Petra’s forced to confront the chaos she created. But doing so could cost her more than the reputation she’s been trying to salvage. The reputation the world wrote for her—the reputation only she can reclaim.

Woman Down

Author’s Note

Dear readers, some of you might remember the short story “Saint” from the One More Step anthology years ago. For those who don’t, you’re about to meet it in a much bigger way.

That anthology has since been unpublished, but some of you guys never stopped asking for more of the story. You have somehow managed to keep a little story alive in your hearts, even when it wasn’t officially available. There’s nothing more inspiring for me as a writer than when a reader tells me they want more from characters I created.

I wanted to give these characters the space they deserved, and truly build out the world I’d only briefly touched upon when this short story was called “Saint.”

I took the short story some of you read and poured my heart and soul into expanding it. It has taken me three years to release a book since It Starts with Us. Not because I’ve been rewriting “Saint” for those three years, but because I’ve been trying out new things outside writing. And frankly, I needed some space from a career I was beginning to find more stressful than normal.

But that changed when I dove back into this story. Working on this book gave me back the same joy I felt while writing the original short story. I’ve changed the title and some character names and locations, added scenes, added and changed characters, and even written in new little twists here and there that had no room in the short version.

I wanted those of you who have already read it to get what felt like an entirely new and different book with the same underlying story and tones as the short story. I genuinely enjoyed every single second of bringing it to life in this new, complete form.

Just please keep in mind that while writers do take from their own lives, and some themes may mirror those of my own life in ways, this is in no way a replica of my journey or my morals, nor is it a reflection of how I feel about my peers or this industry. This is simply a fun journey the characters took me on and nothing more.

Please, I beg of you, do not try to make ties between my personal life and this story, as there are none. I’m just a writer writing about a writer. I am in no way advocating for or defending the character’s behavior or thoughts.

It was a joy to put a new spin on “Saint.” I hope you’re ready to get dizzy and enjoy this fun, sexy, sometimes creepy thrill of a ride!

With so much love,

Colleen Hoover

Thoughts on Woman Down

In Woman Down we meet Petra Rose, an author who is struggling after taking a break from writing and a huge backlash over a movie adaptation of her book. She goes on a retreat to start a new book, determined to get out of her own funk and her own way.

The first half of this book was a bit tedious to get through. It was slow paced. But it picked up, and when it did, it really picked up. Then Petra meets Nathaniel Saint.

Petra is annoying at times, but also relatable. She reads all the negative reviews of her novels, and takes them to heart, like they are the gospel truth. In my head I’m thinking, stop doing that. Not everyone will like your books. Ever. It’s art, and art is subjective. We all know this, it is common sense. But oftentimes that is far easier said than done, so I understood it.

She makes some really questionable choices along the way. But if she didn’t, there wouldn’t be much of a story here.

The suspense building in this novel was really good. It became a binge-read in the second half. I listened to this book as I was just coming out of a nasty cold. Being sick sucks, and about all I could do was play video games for a few days. I needed something fairly simple to read and listen to during this time.

My favorite part was the “book about a book” trope because of the reflections on writing, creativity, and inner life of an author. It added another layer of depth to the story, and connection, making it more interesting.

This book kept me entertained, but it didn’t require a lot of thought as I was reading it. Sometimes that is exactly what we all need. I appreciate the fact it was exactly what I needed to read at that time.

Woman Down

Final Thoughts on Woman Down

I’m calling Woman Down a four star read. It was something that kept me entertained and still technically reading when I was sick, and it was memorable. It didn’t knock my socks off and I wouldn’t read it again, which is why I’m not calling it a five star read. But it was memorable enough to surpass the three star rating from me.

My husband listened to part of this with me, and noticed that the narrator did an excellent job of reading. He mentioned the tone of the dialog, and how easy it was to feel the suspense built based on how it was read. Which I agree with, and I was surprised he had noticed it. He normally doesn’t pay much attention to the books I listen to. But this caught his attention, and I can’t ignore that fact.

I’m not sure if I had simply read this book via Kindle Unlimited that I would have enjoyed it as much as I did listening to the audiobook version. Narrators can make or break a book, and I think this one really made the book even better.

Reading reviews after I finished the book, there were some pretty hardcore opinions on both ends of the spectrum. Readers either loved or hated it. Many have read everything Colleen Hoover has written, and are something of an expert on it. I’m not that. This is only my second Colleen Hoover book, so I am judging it just based on what I read, and not her overall style or writing comparisons.

It is interesting how divided the opinions of her writing are. So many either love or hate her, with no real in-between. I may be the odd duck in that I am in the middle.

Although I do understand comparing this novel with others. I have noticed I do it with other authors that I’ve read more of. It is honestly hard not to compare them. I always encourage you to read books and form your own opinions on it.

I love the fact that the audiobook version of the book is free in addition to the Kindle version through Kindle Unlimited. If you are a fan of audiobooks but looking for those that are free to listen to, this is a great one. I will be looking for more books via Kindle Unlimited that have the audiobook version included in the future.

Woman Down

Discussion

Have you read Woman Down or any other writing from bestselling author Colleen Hoover? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Discussion Questions

The book talks a lot about the pressures authors face. Do you agree with any of Petra’s complaints about book reviews and the expectations readers put on authors?
What did you think of Petra as a character? Did you empathize with her feelings and decisions, or did they frustrate you?
Who was your favorite side character?
What did you think of the pacing of the novel?
There are a few twists and reveals throughout this novel. Which surprised you the most?
Let’s talk about the ending. Had you predicted it?
Would you characterize this book as a thriller? Why or why not?
The author’s note states that the novel is not based on her own life, but many readers have pointed out similarities to the controversy around Colleen Hoover’s book “It Ends with Us” and the movie adaptation. Do you think it inspired Woman Down? Does it matter?
Have you read other books by Colleen Hoover? If so, how did Woman Down compare?

About the Author

Colleen Hoover is the number one New York Times and International bestselling author of multiple novels and novellas. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. She is the founder of The Bookworm Box, a non-profit book subscription service and bookstore in Sulphur Springs, Texas.

Woman Down author Colleen Hoover

Purchasing Woman Down

If you are interested in buying the paperback version of Woman Down, click here.
For the hardcover version, click here.
Click here for the Kindle version.
Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

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Woman Down

Spiritual Songs IV

The Reading Wife — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 20:06:42 +0000

Spiritual Songs IV

Spiritual Songs IV is the latest book from internationally bestselling author Ann Marie Ruby to be checked off my to be read list. I have been reading her books since 2019, and I have been a fan.

Prior to reading her books, I had never been one to read spiritual books in any way. But hers speak to me, and when they do, I pay attention. Opening any of her books is like receiving a hug and pep talk from my best friend. I’ve always appreciated that about her books.

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Ann Marie’s books are always within reach for me in my office, and have been for a number of years. I find that when I am struggling, I’ll pick up one of the books in the Spiritual Songs collection, open it up, and let it speak to me.

Her books are the kind that can be read over and over again, making it the gift that keeps on giving. I really do just open them up to a random page and let it speak to me. They are perfect for that.

Have you read Spiritual Songs IV? Come on in and let me tell you about it!

Spiritual Songs IV

About Spiritual Songs IV

One hundred and one nights seeking the floating gondola of divine intervention

After one hundred and one nights trying to find a floating staircase to cross the river of obstacles, the sacred pen became the oars, the paper became the gondola, and the words became the floating staircase of divine intervention.

The floating gondola sails across the world calling all to board. Remove all doubt and believe in divine intervention when you join hands and pray with the fragile, the broken, the weak, the sick, the lonely, and the helpless. Sing and erase all physical, emotional, and financial worries through one hundred and one prayers, spiritual songs of the heart.

Row your gondola and carry all humans who seek guidance, protection, healing, financial sustenance, peace, harmony, love, and forgiveness. Through divine intervention, you now have refuge within the floating gondola, a prayer book, with one hundred and one nights of spiritual songs.

This book is religiously unaffiliated and is written for people of all race, color, and religion.

Spiritual Songs IV

Thoughts on Spiritual Songs IV

Spiritual Songs IV is a collection of prayers from internationally bestselling author Ann Marie Ruby. I’ve read almost all of her books, and they are amazing. Seriously, amazing. They’ve always been exactly what I needed to read, even when I didn’t realize I needed to read them.

That is probably one of my favorite aspects of her books. They find the reader at exactly the right time and the benefit from reading them is exponentially higher. I always hope that every book finds their readers at exactly the right time and they can take something away from what they’ve read.

Given that these are prayers, the book can be read from cover to cover, or just opening it up to a random page and picking a prayer to read. The first time I read any of her books, it is always from cover to cover. From there I started to pick it up at night and read one or two of the prayers before bedtime.

Reading her prayers before going to bed at night has become my new habit. It becomes almost like a short meditation time before going to sleep. It puts me in a better mindset, helps me relax, and slows my mind down. I have no idea why I didn’t start this habit long ago.

If you need a quick prayer to read each day, a positive note in your day, or just a little emotional support, Spiritual Songs IV is perfect to help you with that. I highly recommend giving it a try.

Her books are spiritual, and not religious, making them accessible to everyone, no matter who you are.

Spiritual Songs IV

Final Thoughts on Spiritual Songs IV

I’m calling Spiritual Songs IV a five star read, as I always expect Ann Marie Ruby’s books to be. One of my biggest criteria for a five star read is if I will read it again. I also always have high expectations when I pick up one of her books, and I’m never disappointed.

Books also need to stick with me for a five star read, or help me, teach me, be memorable. Hers are all of that. I’ve also bought and given her books as gifts for friends and family.

You can’t go wrong with any of Ann Marie Ruby’s books, and Spiritual Songs IV is no exception.

Ann Marie’s Spiritual Songs series also makes for amazing gifts around the holidays. I’ve said this for years, that the holidays are meant to be a happy time. But many people struggle during the holidays, despite the fact it is supposed to be a happy time. These books can offer a little light and comfort in an otherwise dark time. I’ve given multiple copies of her books away during the holidays for this exact reason, I want them to help others the way they have me.

Spiritual Songs IV

Discussion

Have you read Spiritual Songs IV or any other writing from bestselling author Ann Marie Ruby? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Spiritual Songs IV

About the Author

Ann Marie Ruby is an international number-one bestselling author of twenty-one books. Alongside being a full time author, she is also a blogger.

Ann Marie is an American who was born into a diplomatic family traveling the globe and grew up in Brisbane, Australia as her father was a student at The University of Queensland.

She lived in the Washington DC area, but later settled in Seattle, Washington where she currently resides. In her spare time, when not writing books, she loves to meditate, pray, listen to music, cook, and write blogs.

Her books have also placed on top 100 bestselling charts in various countries including the Netherlands, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany.

She revealed why many of her books revolve around the Netherlands, sharing that as a dream psychic, she had seen the historical past of the country in her dreams and was later able to place a name to the country.

This is described in detail in Spiritual Lighthouse: The Dream Diaries Of Ann Marie Ruby and The Netherlands: Land Of My Dreams where she also wrote about her plans to eventually move to the Netherlands. Her Kasteel Vrederic book series is also based in the Netherlands.

Ann Marie is acclaimed globally as one of the top voices in the spiritual space, however, she is recognized for her writing abilities published across many genres namely spirituality, lifestyle, inspirational quotations, poetry, fiction, romance, history, travel, social awareness, and more. Her writing style is hailed by critics and readers alike as making readers feel as though they have made a friend.

Spiritual Songs IV author Ann Marie Ruby

Purchasing Spiritual Songs IV

If you are interested in buying the paperback version of Spiritual Songs IV, click here.
For the hardcover version, click here.
Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

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Spiritual Songs IV

What Digs Itself Free

The Reading Wife — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 19:46:17 +0000

What Digs Itself Free

What Digs Itself Free is the latest novel to be checked off my to be read list. I have been waiting impatiently for this one, and I must admit that I am excited to finally have the book in my hands. I had previously read Angry Hornet Nest, which was Stoney Brooks’ debut novel, and really enjoyed it.

Which meant that I was excited for something new from him, and it has arrived. I’m not much of a horror novel fan. If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you likely already know that. When an author can get me to like a genre I’m normally not a fan of, I’m impressed, and it deserves me reading more from them.

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I feel the same way about Ryan Hyatt’s stories. I dislike science fiction, and he has made me like it. Or at least his version of it. Stoney Brooks is the same way with horror novels. I can honestly say that I’ve never looked forward to a horror novel until now. There really is a first time for everything.

“His body was a factory of fluids. Sweat rolled from his forehead. Blood drenched him from the hips down. His eyes were misty with tears of his own. His nose a leaking faucet as snot pooled at the corners of his mouth.”
Stoney Brooks, What Digs Itself Free

Have you found any authors who have helped you to enjoy a specific genre you previously didn’t like? If so, let me know about it in the comments! I would love to hear about your experiences like that.

This year I’ve made it one of my goals to read more from my favorite authors, because I think life is too short to read bad books. This means you’ll be seeing more from multiple of my favorite authors, including both Stoney Brooks and Ryan Hyatt, among others. I want to keep checking my favorites off my to be read list and making those a priority. What are your reading goals for this year?

Have you read What Digs Itself Free? Come on in and let me tell you about it!

What Digs Itself Free

About What Digs Itself Free

Zap Rogers has made a career out of exploiting others, most of whom are dead. With one of the most successful, longest running ghost hunting shows on the market, he and his team have raked in the cash. But with market trends shifting, Zap and his crew are no longer relevant, and are losing market share to younger, more hip trends.

Scrambling to remain in the spotlight, Zap and his crew order new gear in an attempt to give the show a facelift. But when a mysterious package arrives from a secret admirer, things begin to take a sour turn. Investigations are seemingly sabotaged, weird sightings around the house have everyone on edge, Zap’s plagued with nightmares of a mysterious old hag, and the manifestations are not only haunting, but starting to get physical.

With the help of an old colleague Zap begins investigating the occurrences, following the trail right back to his own selfish behavior. Now Zap must do everything in his power to stop the malevolent entity before this investigation turns into his last.

Thoughts on What Digs Itself Free

“I will dine on your flesh, Zap Rogers. I will suck the marrow from your bones. Will crunch your teeth like bits of hard candy. Your soul is mine. Mine! My betrothed!”
Stoney Brooks, What Digs Itself Free

In What Digs Itself Free we meet Zap Rogers, a ghost hunter. He runs a very successful television show, and then slowly but surely his ratings drop and he’s in danger of the show being dropped and him being forgotten.

He is not the greatest person in the world. In fact, he is generally a terrible person, a womanizer who thinks with the wrong head. It is hard to like him. We’ve all known someone exactly like this, unfortunately. So Zap was a hateable character, but also someone who felt real at the same time. The question I wanted answered was, does he evolve as a character as the story goes on?

Can Zap and his team give the show enough of a facelift to save himself? Or does it even matter? Zap really does have bigger problems to handle than his failing show.

Because once things with Zap’s own haunting start to heat up, the show begins to seem irrelevant. His real life problems are far bigger, time consuming, and certainly interesting. My first question is, who did you piss off enough to start haunting you? I had to keep reading to find out.

My biggest complaint is that the prologue and the actual story put together don’t tell the full story of the supernatural entity that is haunting Zap and what a Dybbuk Box actually is. I wanted to know more. I also wanted to know if at the end, Zap’s haunting was actually over, and the box had actively been destroyed. This didn’t detract from the story, which is important to keep in mind. But it certainly would have been nice to know more as I went, and maybe helped to have a deeper connection into it all.

“It’s all your fault, Zap. All of it. And it all could have been avoided. Now come give us a hug and let’s ride the midnight train together. I hear it whining already, don’t you?”
Stoney Brooks, What Digs Itself Free

The backstory of how things got started could have been far better developed, in my opinion. I think that is what would have made it a five star read. I wanted more, and Stoney Brooks had room to write it. The book was only two hundred and fifty six pages. It wouldn’t have been too long with adding in more to develop the entire story and make it feel more well-rounded.

What Digs Itself Free is still a good story, but I found myself wanting more. I am going to skip telling you much more because I’m worried about spoiling it all. But this was a fun book to read. It was fast paced with short chapters, and had a good flow to the story that kept me reading. Sometimes the descriptions were hilarious, and others were gross.

I was impressed by the flow of the story, and the fact I wanted to keep reading it to find out all the answers. I still need more answers, but honestly, my complaints are minimal. They aren’t enough to detract from the fact this is still a good story that I enjoyed reading.

This book was a journey. It starts out goofy, goes in a dark direction, and then comes back to complete the circle in a complete and redemptive way.

What Digs Itself Free

Final Thoughts on What Digs Itself Free

“She was right. This thing was right. They did belong together. They were meant to be together. Forever. All he needed to do was take a few steps forward, grip the knob on that box, and swing the hinges outward. That’s it. That’s all it would take. Just a few simple steps. A few small actions and they could be together forever. Together as one. As they were meant to be.”
Stoney Brooks, What Digs Itself Free

I’m calling What Digs Itself Free a solid four star read. It was fun, interesting, dark, and kept me on the edge of my seat because I had no idea what was coming next. One of my personal criteria for a five star read is that I’ll read it again. I can’t call it a five star here because I know what happens. Which means the twists are spoiled, so to speak, and I can’t see reading it again knowing how everything happens.

I’m so glad that I’ve given Stoney Brooks’ books a chance. As I’ve said before, I’m not normally a horror genre fan, but he’s managed to write some good stuff that I can enjoy. I really appreciate it when authors can change my mind about specific genres. I’m now looking forward to his third book and reading it.

I love when I get to read an author from the very beginning, and watch their writing grow and evolve as time goes on. Continue reading for the author interview that Stoney grants me about What Digs Itself Free farther down.

I went to read reviews of this when I was finished. I’m always curious how my thoughts on a book compare to others. Sometimes they are similar, sometimes I am the odd duck in the bunch. It all depends on the day and the book. Many reviewers mentioned this being about a specific ghost hunter on television. Or at least mocking that person.

I’ll be honest and tell you that I kind of went into this book blind. I’ve never watched a ghost story or television show in my life. I remember watching the Blair Witch Project when I was young and thought it was stupid. Which is probably why I don’t watch ghost hunting shows.

This means I don’t know much about the concept, and I think that helped me with reading this story. If I was an avid watcher, I am not sure how I would feel about the story. I always say to read the story and form your own opinions on it. I went in with absolutely no expectations, and it helped me to get into the book and enjoy it more.

I hope you enjoy What Digs Itself Free as much as I did. It was very much a journey to read it, and I’m glad I was along for the ride. Stoney Brooks has an excellent future in writing ahead of him, I can assure you of that. We’ll see great things from him in the near future.

What Digs Itself Free

Discussion

Have you read What Digs Itself Free or any other writing from author Stoney Brooks? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

About the Author

Stoney Brooks is a good old fashioned SoCal boy, with a healthy touch of Gypsy blood. After multiple moves, he’s landed back in his childhood stomping grounds of San Bernardino County, dragging along his wife, two kids, and smattering of barnyard critters.

A finance professional by day, he holds multiple distinguishing titles. By night, he crafts dark stories tinged with just a touch of humor to cut the tension. Stoney is an active member of the Horror Writers Association and the Horror Authors Guild.

Stoney Brooks, author of What Digs Itself Free

Purchasing What Digs Itself Free

If you are interested in buying the paperback version of What Digs Itself Free, click here.
Click here for the Kindle version.
Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

Author Interview

I had the amazing opportunity to sit down with Stoney Brooks again and chat about What Digs Itself Free. It is so much fun for me when authors are willing to talk about their books. I’m always grateful for this, because it gives everyone a chance to get to know more about an author, learn, have a laugh or two, and just enjoy it all. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

What was the inspiration behind What Digs Itself Free?

The inspiration for this novel very much came from watching too many trashy ghost hunting shows. The more outrageous the better. If it’s got night vision cams or EMF detectors, you can bet I’ll be hooked.

I wanted to take that concept and dive more into the behind-the-scenes process. We all know what the finished product for one of these shows looks like, but what happens when a show goes downhill? Do the on-screen personas they create really match their off-screen behavior? And what would happen if one of these “professionals” got in over their head?

If What Digs Itself Free were turned into a movie, who would be your ideal cast?

Oh gosh, I’m terrible with names. He’s nowhere near what I’m picturing in my head, but I feel like Nick Cage has the perfect energy for Zap. A little bit goofy, a flair for the dramatic, and a once bright star that’s now fizzled out. Maybe Mia Goth or Jenna Ortega for Rose. The age isn’t quite right but they both have a similar look to what I was envisioning. And one of the Skarsgard brothers for Noah. All of them are top tier creepy with the perfect amount of unhinged potential. It’s something in the eyes!

Did you feel connected to any of the characters in this book when you wrote them?

I definitely felt a strong connection to Zap in this story. I had this perfect picture in my mind of a total douchebag with a secret heat of gold. It was tons of fun to watch his antics play out on the page, going from an almost greedy need to be the center of attention, to realizing his friends and family are what truly makes him special.

The last time we chatted after Angry Hornet Nest, you mentioned having written seven novels. When can we see a third published? Will you give any hints on what this one will be about?

Absolutely! Book # 3 is currently in the editing phase and is loosely scheduled for release between Oct-Dec 2026. This one is a survival story set in a remote northern Arizona wilderness. Think Scott Smith’s The Ruins mixed with Jenny Kiefer’s This Wretched Valley. More details to come as it nears final production.

I know Stephen King is your favorite author, but do you have a guilty pleasure book, author, or genre that you read?

This one pains me to admit, but Colleen Hoover. Specifically, her thriller novels since the romancy stuff is above my paygrade. My wife coerced me into reading one of her books a while back and I was actually surprised to find that I liked it. Her and I have a mini book club going whenever we find one that suits both of our tastes.

Which character would you want with you during a zombie apocalypse?

In my own universe, I’d say Muata from Angry Hornet Nest. Can’t beat a shape shifting shaman, though he might as well just abandon me the first chance he got. In the greater book universe, Smaug from J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. A giant fire-breathing dragon would do wonders to clean up legions of the undead. But then again, he might just eat me if he needed a little snack.

What Digs Itself Free

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Middle of the Night

The Reading Wife — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 20:01:31 +0000

Middle of the Night

Middle of the Night is the latest novel from bestselling author Riley Sager to be checked off my to be read list. I am impatiently waiting for the release of his newest novel, The Unknown, and while waiting I decided it was time to check all of his other novels off my to be read list.

This year I’ve decided that life is too short to read bad books. Which is why I’ve decided to really put in the effort to check several of my favorites completely off my to be read list until they release more novels.

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For me, Riley Sager is pretty high on the list of my favorites. I never know where his stories will take me, because they are anything but predictable. Every time I think I have it all figured out, I’m dead wrong. This makes reading his novels a really fun and interesting adventure.

Do you have any favorite authors that you have read all of their books? If so, please tell me about them in the comments. I would love to hear who is at the top of your lists.

Have you read Middle of the Night? Come on in and let me tell you about it!

Middle of the Night

About Middle of the Night

In the latest jaw-dropping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager, a man must contend with the long-ago disappearance of his childhood best friend—and the dark secrets lurking just beyond the safe confines of his picture-perfect neighborhood.

The worst thing to ever happen on Hemlock Circle occurred in Ethan Marsh’s backyard. One July night, ten-year-old Ethan and his best friend and neighbor, Billy, fell asleep in a tent set up on a manicured lawn in a quiet, quaint New Jersey cul-de-sac. In the morning, Ethan woke up alone. During the night, someone had sliced the tent open with a knife and taken Billy. He was never seen again.

Thirty years later, Ethan has reluctantly returned to his childhood home. Plagued by bad dreams and insomnia, he begins to notice strange things happening in the middle of the night. Someone seems to be roaming the cul-de-sac at odd hours, and signs of Billy’s presence keep appearing in Ethan’s backyard. Is someone playing a cruel prank? Or has Billy, long thought to be dead, somehow returned to Hemlock Circle?

The mysterious occurrences prompt Ethan to investigate what really happened that night, a quest that reunites him with former friends and neighbors and leads him into the woods that surround Hemlock Circle. Woods where Billy claimed ghosts roamed and where a mysterious institute does clandestine research on a crumbling estate.

The closer Ethan gets to the truth, the more he realizes that no place—be it quiet forest or suburban street—is completely safe. And that the past has a way of haunting the present.

Middle of the Night

Thoughts on Middle of the Night

“Something most people don’t realize until they’re older. But everyone is a little weird. Some people hide it more than others, but it’s true. Everyone is weird.”
Riley Sager, Middle of the Night

In Middle of the Night we meet Ethan Marsh. Ethan moves back into his childhood home after running away for some thirty years after his friend was kidnapped and supposedly murdered. Missing for that length of time almost always means death, so it is hard to have any hope for a happy ending.

This brings up a million questions. Is Billy alive and at ten years old decided to walk away from his life? Was he kidnapped and murdered? Is he a prisoner somewhere? If you’ve watched any amount of true crime shows, it is all possible. Which makes the mind go wandering throughout the book.

What I love about this story is the way Riley Sager builds atmosphere and suspense. There was a whole vibe that was brilliantly built here. The vibe and the way it was built here reminded me of Mexican Gothic and the way Silvia Moreno-Garcia built her atmosphere based around a house. Riley Sager built his around a neighborhood cul-de-sac here. But that takes talent, and something not every author can do. But Sager does it well in this story.

We’ve all experienced something traumatic in our lives that completely changed who we are, and likely still carry that with us many years later. In this case it was the disappearance of Billy for Ethan. This is something we can all relate to. Obviously the circumstances are different for everyone, but we’ve all experienced that kind of trauma at least once in our lives. This made it easy to relate to Ethan throughout the book.

Why wasn’t Ethan taken as well? How was he special in that he’s still alive and well? Was he the intended target? There are a million questions that as the book progressed, I found myself needing to find out all the answers. Which is what kept me reading and wanting to know more.

Middle of the Night was a brilliantly built story that had me captivated from the beginning to the end. I found I was especially happy with this in comparison to reading Final Girls as my last Riley Sager novel.

Middle of the Night

Final Thoughts on Middle of the Night

“In my experience, men who say they want the truth end up wishing they had settled for the lie.”
Riley Sager, Middle of the Night

I’m calling Middle of the Night a five star read. This is one that is going to stick with me for quite some time. It also makes me really stop and look around at the people around me, my neighbors, my friends, and family.

There are no villains in this story, and no heroes either. Just a neighborhood group of flawed people. Some are obviously more flawed than others. But they felt real, because we’ve all known people exactly like the characters in this story.

I may be comparing here, but I’m noticing more and more how characters feel real instead of made up. This is especially true after reading Daisy Jones and The Six. I had the same feelings when I finished Middle of the Night.

I think so often these days that as a reader, I expect shock value at the end, and some authors cater to that by giving us almost stupid level endings that wouldn’t happen in a million years. But Riley Sager doesn’t do that. He gives something far more real and relatable in this story, and I appreciate that fact.

It is an emotional and gripping mystery about grief, letting go, and healing after trauma by facing their fears, secrets, and the past.

I was saddened when I found out what happened to Billy. I was also somewhat healed by Ethan’s character development along the way, and especially at the end. This is a story that will break and heal the reader in a span of just a few chapters at the end.

This is my second to last Riley Sager novel to be checked off my to be read list until he releases The Unknown, and I’m so glad I picked this one to read. Next on my list is The Only One Left. If you are a Riley Sager fan, keep an eye out here in my blog for that review coming next.

Middle of the Night

Discussion

Have you read Middle of the Night or any other Riley Sager novels? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Middle of the Night Discussion Questions

How does the setting of a suburban cul-de-sac contribute to the atmosphere and themes of the novel? What does it symbolize?
Discuss the dual timeline structure of the novel. How does shifting between past and present enhance the storytelling and build suspense?
In addition to the dual timeline, the novel is told from the point of view of multiple people in the neighborhood. Did you enjoy hearing from multiple perspectives? Whose voice did you most enjoy inhabiting?
Ethan is haunted by Billy’s disappearance for 30 years. How has this trauma shaped his life and relationships? Do you think his reactions and struggles are realistic?
Several characters from Ethan’s childhood have returned to or remained in Hemlock Circle as adults. What might this suggest about the impact of Billy’s disappearance on the community?
The novel touches on themes of childhood friendship, growing up, and nostalgia. How does Sager portray the complexities of these experiences?
Discuss the supernatural elements in the story. How do they contribute to the overall mystery and atmosphere?
What role does grief play in the novel? How do different characters cope with loss and unanswered questions?
This book has been described as both a thriller and an emotional exploration of trauma. How does Sager balance these elements?
Without spoiling the ending, were you surprised by the final revelations? How did they impact your understanding of the story and characters?
Compare this book to other Riley Sager novels you may have read. How does it fit into his body of work? What makes it unique?

About the Author

Middle of the Night author Riley Sager

Riley Sager is the New York Times bestselling author of six novels, most recently Home Before Dark and Survive the Night. His first novel, Final Girls, has been published in 30 countries and won the ITW Thriller Award for Best Hardcover Novel. His latest book, The House Across the Lake, will be published in 2022 by Dutton Books.

A native of Pennsylvania, he now lives in Princeton, New Jersey. When he’s not writing, he enjoys reading, cooking and going to the movies as much as possible. His favorite film is “Rear Window.” Or maybe “Jaws.” But probably, if he’s being honest, “Mary Poppins.”

Riley Sager, author of Middle of the Night

Purchasing Middle of the Night

If you are interested in buying the paperback version of Middle of the Night, click here.
For the hardcover version, click here.
Click here for the Kindle version.
Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

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Middle of the Night

Terrafide

The Reading Wife — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 21:39:43 +0000

Terrafide

Terrafide is the latest collection of eight short stories from author Ryan Hyatt. I’m thrilled to be checking this book off my to be read list because Ryan is my favorite science fiction author. It generally isn’t my favorite genre, but he has written in such a way that I really do enjoy it.

Ryan Hyatt’s books are just far enough out into left field that they aren’t totally crazy. It is easy to see his ideas and scenarios actually happening, and that makes it fun for me.

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Some of the stories in Terrafide are ones that I’ve already read and some are brand new. Not only do I have the chance to revisit favorites, I can read brand new stories as well, all in the same book. This is a win-win for me.

This year it has become my goal to primarily read my favorite authors, and that definitely includes Ryan Hyatt. I think life is too short to read bad books, so why not read my favorites? Having just finished reading The Frenzy from Joyce Carol Oates, Terrafide seemed like the next perfect short story collection to read.

Have you read Terrafide? Come on in and let me tell you about it!

Terrafide

About Terrafide

Reality is already strange. Terrafide pushes it over the edge.

In Terrafide: Tales from the Edge of Sci-Fi, Horror, & Humor, everyday lives collide with the bizarre, the terrifying, and the absurd. This genre-bending collection explores a universe that looks unsettlingly like our own—until it doesn’t.

A burned-out checkout clerk caring for her senile mother rethinks retail hell. A haunted police officer confronts an alien invasion he can’t outrun. A scientist fighting to save her marriage may also be humanity’s last hope. A washed-up punk band reunites in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. A tourist app matches two strangers with a murder to solve. An exterminator plots to restore his hometown’s radioactive “glory days.” A humanlike machine balances a headache with control of the solar system. And a used car dealership’s cutthroat sales tactics turn lethally real.

Part Black Mirror, part Stranger Things, part Saturday Night Live, Hyatt delivers sharp, darkly funny stories that thrill, unsettle, and linger—proving why Fanbase Press calls him “one of the greatest new authors of dystopian fiction.”

Thoughts on Terrafide

The Manager

“Mom’s death by dementia is good reason to move on, but where? How? What else could I do? I have no real employable skills. I man a bullet proof bubble for a living.”
Ryan Hyatt, Terrafide

This is one of those stories that I can totally see actually happening. One of my pet peeves in life is stores that replace cashiers with self-checkout. I think I should get a discount if I’m doing all the work and not being paid. I also boycott stores that only have self-checkout. I understand old people now who are set in their ways, because I’m totally one of those now. But I digress.

This seems like it will be the future in a few years, with a cashless society buying everything either online or through machines. I can see it coming. The problem here is a growing population, and dwindling job opportunities. At some point this is going to cause some kind of chaos and/or mental break for many, as we’ve witnessed in The Manager.

I loved the ending of this story, because it was a middle finger to all of it. To choose to leave and seek a happy life elsewhere. More people should do exactly that.

Psycho Therapy

“Thompson and McCabe watch three huge, canine-like creatures crack open the man’s chest with their claws. They slurp up his guts. The alpha tears off the head with a single snapping bite, swallowing it whole, and gazes at the officers with a cluster of reddish eyes. One of the pupils lingers on McCabe.”
Ryan Hyatt, Terrafide

Psycho Therapy was originally my introduction to Ryan Hyatt’s writing. It’s been a while, so I had to go read my own review to see if I liked it or not. I also decided to read the story again and see if it hit differently for me after several years have passed.

I have to admit that I enjoyed reading this even more the second time, and I love that fact. Sometimes books hit differently at different points in our lives. I’ve been reading We Were the Mulvaneys many times over the years, and it really does resonate differently as I get older.

When the Fireworks Fade

“If we’re serious about solving our planet’s problems… for ourselves… for our children… we need to start treating our situation like the crisis it is. The honeymoon for life on Earth is over.”
Ryan Hyatt, Terrafide

When the Fireworks Fade was an interesting story, because it had a more personal feel to it than most of Ryan’s other stories. As I get older, I often look back on my younger years and see things I would change if I could. I felt something of a connection to Dee in this story.

Punk Ain’t Undead

“As the virus filters into Bill’s brain, he shares his final thoughts as a human.”
Ryan Hyatt, Terrafide

I read a review of this story that called it “Airheads meets The Walking Dead” and it makes sense. I found it to be a hilarious story the second time around because it is hard to keep a straight face reading it. It feels like a comedy show about Covid and people who are stuck up and just talk to hear themselves make noise. Not to mention the realization that we’re all like that at times.

I will say that I definitely appreciate this one more the second time around of reading it, and I’m glad I can revisit it through the Terrafide collection.

Enhanced

“Darkness descends over the six-lane corridor, and Dave sees the pixelated apparition of a Latina woman appear.”
Ryan Hyatt, Terrafide

I vaguely remember reading this one previously. This was the first writing that I read after I had Covid, and it was a legit struggle. I remember the brain fog being the absolute worst thing about it all. Which meant that I needed to read this one again and form a more current opinion on it.

In this story we meet Dave, who is on a mission to find out the truth about a murder. Who does he have to help him? Marilyn Monroe and Easy E, from behind a screen.

My favorite part about Enhanced is that it is a short story, and a complete one. But it still felt like it could easily be turned into a full novel and become a huge hit. I really enjoyed this story.

Bob’s Pest Control

“Luckily my computer is intact. I plop into the office chair and brush chunks of puke and bloody, coagulating paperwork off my desk.”
Ryan Hyatt, Terrafide

American Psycho meets Ghostbusters.

Meet Bob the exterminator. Bob will rid you of both your cockroaches, and for an extra charge, your annoying neighbors, mean boss, and anyone else who happens to make life even moderately unbearable for you. It will cost you, but morality is certainly not an issue for Exterminator Bob.

I have an autographed copy of Bob’s Pest Control in my book collection, and it is still a favorite of mine. I love when authors send me autographed books, it always makes me smile.

Bob wants to return Los Angeles back to the good ole days of the 1980s and has grand plans on exactly how to do so. What could possibly go wrong? Just everything. It is like a comedy of errors and is hilarious. Ryan Hyatt manages to cram so much information, character development, and descriptions into a mere fifty-five pages that I’m still blown away by it.

Starlight Save Us

“Life, he realizes, is a kaleidoscope of ever shifting arrays of beauty and tragedy.”
Ryan Hyatt, Terrafide

Starlight Save Us is another new story for me. What happens when humans become extinct and robots take over the world? Do humans still have a lasting impact on history or the future?

This story reminded me a bit of the book Hazards of Time Travel in that the world looks totally different. But in this case, the captain of Starlight is trying to save the world and rewrite history. Can he do it?

This story could easily become a full novel, with this being the prologue to the beginning. I enjoyed it, but I wasn’t connected to it either. It certainly made my imagination go running wild though. What would the world look like without humans in the future?

Lot Lizards

“A bare-chested, bare-footed Caucasian male… in boxer shorts and a sombrero… walked into this car dealership showroom… and threatened you… with a syringe?”
Ryan Hyatt, Terrafide

Welcome to Rick’s Discount Auto!

Lot Lizards had me laughing out loud more than once, because I can see these things Ryan Hyatt writes actually happening, and I love it. This is a story that starts funny and interesting, takes a hard left turn into weird, and then comes back around full circle to make complete sense in the end. This is a fun and strange adventure that is totally worth the ride.

This was another short story that was even better than I remember it being the first time that I read it.

Final Thoughts on Terrafide

I’m calling Terrafide a five star read. I will be buying a physical copy for my book collection when it is released, which is one part of my five star criteria. I really appreciate this collection because it gave me the opportunity to read several stories a second time and experience them all over again. That is like visiting an old friend I haven’t seen in a few years.

I have been reading Ryan Hyatt’s writing since 2022, and it is always a fun rollercoaster ride when I open one of his stories. If you aren’t familiar with his writing, you really should be. I’ve never been a science fiction fan, but I am a fan of Ryan’s version of science fiction.

Terrafide also introduced me to some new stories. I’m always impatiently waiting on Ryan Hyatt to write more stories, and I keep hoping for another full novel to be in the foreseeable future as well. Needless to say, I’m always happy for any opportunities to read his latest and greatest stories.

I’m grateful when I have the opportunity to read Ryan Hyatt’s writing, and I go into them all with high expectations, and I wasn’t disappointed. My expectations were exceeded here. His stories are certainly off in left field, because that’s what dystopian fiction is all about. But they are just far enough out there that I can easily see them actually happening in the only semi-distant future. I often wonder if I’ll see his ideas become an actual reality in my lifetime.

If you enjoy short stories, funny stories, dystopian fiction, or science fiction, you will enjoy Terrafide and all the stories in it.

Terrafide

Discussion

Have you read Terrafide or any other writing from author Ryan Hyatt? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

About the Author

Terrafide author Ryan Hyatt

Ryan Hyatt attributes his passion for writing to an adventurous upbringing and active imagination. He was born in Tucson in 1976. Ryan and his two younger sisters spent childhood living in communities throughout Arizona and California.

He returned to his hometown to earn a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona in 1999. Working as an editor for a defunct horse trade magazine, and then as an auto liability investigator, Ryan sold his car to move to Barcelona, Spain in October 2002, fed up with corporate life.

His experiences culminated in “Friends of the Night,” an unpublished memoir written at age 25. Failing to find a job in Spain, he returned to the United States four months later destitute and despondent because his foreign conquest didn’t last.

Ryan spent the remainder of his twenties moving back and forth between Phoenix and Los Angeles working as a journalist. It was in the throes of his love/hate relationship with conservatism and liberalism, the United States and Europe, Arizona and California, music and monotony, his friends and himself, that Ryan wrote his debut novel. This second edition was reprinted in 2016.

Ryan Hyatt tells stories about your future. He is a former news reporter, columnist, and author of the Terrafide sci-fi series. He edits the satirical sci-fi news site, The La-La Lander, as well as Not Your Father’s Bedtime Stories, kids lit he creates with his daughter, author Sage Hyatt. Find him at the beach and his stories across the internet.

Ryan holds a master’s degree in education from California State University Northridge and develops and manages literacy programs for Los Angeles schools.

Terrafide author Ryan Hyatt

Purchasing Terrafide

If you are interested in buying the paperback version of Terrafide, click here.
Click here for the Kindle version.
Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

Author Interview

I had the amazing opportunity to visit with Ryan Hyatt about Terrafide, his writing in general, and more. I am always grateful when an author will chat with me about their books, writing, and anything else. It is so much for me, like talking to my bestie about football or anything else that lets me nerd out about something I absolutely love.

Do you have a favorite short story in this collection?

Hi, Erica. Thanks for giving me a chance to answer these questions!

This first one is tough to answer. Each of the stories in this collection comes from a special place: inspired by an experience, an injustice, a vision, something I noticed and felt. As such, as ridiculous as many of these tales may be, they are each in some way personal.

With that said, two that are especially special or ‘favorites’ of mine are Psycho Therapy and Bob’s Pest Control.

Psycho Therapy centers on a world turned upside down by an alien invasion, and a cop who has become a stranger to his world as a result. In some ways, the premise of the story is a mirror that reflects how I feel about our own world, and yes, in some ways I feel like that stranger-cop.

Bob’s Pest Control centers on a blundering, well-wishing exterminator determined to restore his hometown to the ‘rad’ place it was in the 1980s when he was growing up. The mad scientist’s plan goes awry, but Bob’s simplistic worldview impressed on him as a youth is one I can relate to, and in this story, had fun nostalgically sentimentalizing. For better or worse, I am a proud product of the 1980s and a member of Generation X.

What makes a great short story?

Word choice. In the span of a few pages. a writer needs to create a world in which a reader sees through a character’s eyes and is compelled to solve a problem with that character within that world.

A great short story is driven by a reader’s curiosity about what’s happening, so it must be interesting enough to keep the reader vested and turning pages, but it also must be emotionally satisfying enough to resonate with the reader after the story ends. That’s not an easy feat, so in every great story, every word counts.

What inspires you to write science fiction and dystopian stories?

Some people see the glass as being half full. Others see it as being half empty. While I think there is truth in both perspectives, writing dystopian stories allows me to explore how much worse life could be, which makes me feel better about how unpleasant life already often is.

Do you ever feel a connection to the characters you’ve created?

Definitely. A lot of them are spin-offs of people I know, love, and despise in real life.

If any of your books or stories were turned into a movie, which book would you want it to be? Who would be your ideal cast for this movie?

I think a lot of my stories would make great adaptations for TV, film, comics, and video games.

The people I often imagine playing them, however, are stars of yesteryear and much older now. I’m thinking of Keanu Reeves in The Matrix or Johnny Depp as Hunter S. Thompson in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

With age, a lot of the actors I grew up with have lost their edge, and therefore, their appeal to a younger, wider audience.

All of which makes me—as a guy approaching fifty—glad I’m not an actor, to be so summarily judged. As I get older, there’s a chance my writing can improve and still be seen as in touch with the times. I don’t necessarily have the limited shelf-life actors, musicians, and other entertainment-types often face (a sad reality and part of the inspiration, by the way, for my novel, Stay Younger Longer).

So, I would need to get back out into the L.A. entertainment scene and meet some new young blood muckraking actors to star in my stories, which are often intended for a mature but not necessarily ‘old’ audience.

Which character from any of your stories would you want with you during a zombie apocalypse?

Truth Canal, the band that reunites for a concert in Punk Ain’t Undead, my story about the zombie apocalypse, were inspired by musician-friends of mine in real life.

While I can definitely think of more skillful prepper-types that it would be smarter for me to team up with during a zombie apocalypse, I’m not sure it would be as fun as driving around with Truth Canal in a taco truck slaying human monsters. Those guys know how to have a good time, even in the worst of times. They kick ass, in their own special way, even if their music kinda stinks.

Thanks again, Erica! I hope your readers enjoyed this interview.

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Final Girls

The Reading Wife — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:50:40 +0000

Final Girls

Final Girls is the latest novel to be checked off my to be read list. This is the debut novel from bestselling author Riley Sager. I have been reading his books for a couple of years now, and have become quite a fan.

He is easily high on my auto-buy list, meaning I always automatically buy every new book he publishes, and I own all of them in hardcover editions. Hardcovers are always my personal favorite. What about you? Are you a hardcover or paperback fan? I much prefer hardcovers because they last so much longer, and the spines aren’t destroyed even when purchased used and not brand new.

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This year I have decided to read more from my favorite authors. Riley Sager also has a brand new novel coming out soon, called The Unknown. Which is part of what prompted me to start reading more of his books. I want to have read them all before the new one is released.

The next question is, which of his books should I read after this one? I am thinking about Middle of the Night, so if you want to read about that, keep an eye on my reviews for that one coming up soon.

I’ve come to the conclusion that life is too short to read bad books, and I want to read so much more from my favorite authors. Which is my big focus this year. How about you? What kind of reading goals do you have for the new year? Tell me about them in the comments!

Have you read Final Girls? Come on in and let me tell you about it!

Final Girls

About Final Girls

Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie–scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to—a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls:

Lisa, who lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout’s knife; Sam, who went up against the Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and now Quincy, who ran bleeding through the woods to escape Pine Cottage and the man she refers to only as Him. The three girls are all attempting to put their nightmares behind them and, with that, one another. Despite the media’s attempts, they never meet.

Now, Quincy is doing well—maybe even great, thanks to her Xanax prescription. She has a caring almost-fiancé, Jeff; a popular baking blog; a beautiful apartment; and a therapeutic presence in Coop, the police officer who saved her life all those years ago. Her memory won’t even allow her to recall the events of that night; the past is in the past.

That is until Lisa, the first Final Girl, is found dead in her bathtub, wrists slit; and Sam, the second Final Girl, appears on Quincy’s doorstep. Blowing through Quincy’s life like a whirlwind, Sam seems intent on making Quincy relive the past, with increasingly dire consequences, all of which makes Quincy question why Sam is really seeking her out.

And when new details about Lisa’s death come to light, Quincy’s life becomes a race against time as she tries to unravel Sam’s truths from her lies, evade the police and hungry reporters, and, most crucially, remember what really happened at Pine Cottage, before what was started ten years ago is finished.

Final Girls

Thoughts on Final Girls

“Sam’s in the kitchen, apron on, pretending to be Betty Fucking Crocker. Pretending to be anything other than a devious bitch. When I enter, she’s hovering over a mixing bowl, whisking eggs into a snowy pile of sugar and flour.”
Riley Sager, Final Girls

In Final Girls we meet Quincy, who is a survivor of a mass murder. She is trying to find a life outside of being a victim or survivor of a horrible tragedy. There are two other women that the media have dubbed Final Girls as well.

Quincy has always suppressed her memories of that fateful night, and the police think she was the killer. Because why else would she survive a mass murder when no one else did? But she pretends everything is great. Usually with the help of Xanax and cheap wine.

She’s then built a great life off the money from surviving that ordeal. She bought a home, has a baking blog, and a lawyer for a boyfriend. Looks like a great life, right? Then she meets Sam, another Final Girl, and her world is turned upside down.

With Sam’s help, along with Xanax and alcohol, Quincy makes some really questionable choices through the book, and I have to wonder why. What is Sam’s goal with pushing Quincy to do the things she does? Is it to trigger memories? A blackmail technique? Is she going to murder Quincy?

My biggest complaint about this story was it moved at the pace of a handicapped turtle who was lost. I had to take breaks and move to other stories, and then come back to this one. There were more than a couple times where I had to talk myself into picking up the book because I wanted to finish it.

It didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat. The first fifty percent of this book was a chore to read. Riley Sager built a great story, don’t get me wrong, especially for this being his debut novel. But I wanted it to move much faster. I may be impatient in that regard.

It really picked up around the seventy five to eighty percent mark, and once it did, it was fantastic. Although it still wasn’t as great as other stories that I’ve read from him. I kind of suspected one person as being a bad guy, and it felt a bit predictable in that regard, because I was right.

But there were other parts of the story where I was dead wrong, and didn’t guess the answer correctly. Which is one of the things I really enjoy about all of Riley Sager’s novels. Usually when I think I know the answer, I’m way off base. So to be right about one of them was almost a shock to me, and a letdown.

Final Girls was a test of my patience, in that I wanted the story to move faster, and it was almost a do no not finish for me. I’m so glad that I decided to stick with it because it was worth my time. But I was wondering about the first part of it. If this wasn’t a Riley Sager book, it may very well have ended up in the do not finish pile, but he is one of my favorite authors and my expectations were high going into this.

My personal favorite is The Last Time I Lied, because it kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing wrong the entire time. Final Girls didn’t meet that same expectation of what I wanted from a Riley Sager novel.

Final Girls

Final Thoughts on Final Girls

“I’m his creation, forged from blood and pain and the cold steel of a blade. I’m a fucking Final Girl.”
Riley Sager, Final Girls

I’m calling Final Girls a four star read. It was good, but I really wanted something great. Although for being Riley Sager’s debut novel, it was good. I’ve read a number of debut novels from authors that were not half this good. My opinion is primarily based on the pace of the book.

I had to remind myself that this was Sager’s first novel, and I’m thrilled to say that his writing has done nothing but improve from here. I love the fact I’m a fan and can see how much he has grown as an author from this book moving forward. I will definitely continue to be a fan for life.

What I really wish Riley Sager had done with this book is weave more of the past and present together. He did this to an extent, but it was every few chapters. I think if he had done it every other chapter and we saw more of the Pine Cottage memories, it would have moved much faster. I really like stories that go back and forth with every chapter, because it sets an excellent pace, and that was exactly what was missing here.

I still enjoyed reading the story of Final Girls, and I am glad I did. But I’m also excited to move on to another Riley Sager novel and read those. I have two more to go before I’ve checked them all off the list, and I’m thinking that I’ll read Middle of the Night next. Have you read that one?

Final Girls

Discussion

Have you read Final Girls or any other writing from bestselling author Riley Sager? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Final Girls

About the Author

Final Girls author Riley Sager

Riley Sager, author of Final Girls

Purchasing Final Girls

If you are interested in buying the paperback version of Final Girls, click here.
For the hardcover version, click here.
Click here for the Kindle version.
Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

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Final Girls

Beautiful Ugly

The Reading Wife — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 20:25:05 +0000

Beautiful Ugly

Beautiful Ugly is the latest novel to be checked off my to be read list. I own all of Alice Feeney’s novels in hardcover, and yet Rock Paper Scissors is the only one I’ve read prior to this. I figured it was time to start reading more of her writing and checking her books off my to be read list.

This year it is my goal to read more books from my favorite authors to share with you here. My new motto is life is too short, so read the best books. Usually I am more of a mood reader, and also do a lot of advanced reader reading. But I’m taking a break and reading the things I want to read instead of what a deadline dictates I read.

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Sometimes you have to prioritize your own wants and choices, and that is exactly what I’ve decided to do this year. You can expect a number of my favorite authors this year, and repeat authors being highlighted here in my blog. Alice Feeney is definitely high on that list for me.

I’ve heard a number of people rave about this book, and I had high expectations of it going in, and I am excited about it. Checking books off my to be read list is always exciting. But I find it even more enjoyable when it is a book I picked instead of what a deadline or schedule tells me I have to read.

If I were ever going to buy a book based on the cover, it would be this one. It is so beautiful and makes me want to dive right in and read. This would only be if I wasn’t already an Alice Feeney fan. But that cover really is so beautiful. If you judge books based on the covers, or choose to read them based on the cover, this would be a great one. Whoever Alice Feeney hired to design the cover outdid themselves in my opinion.

At the time of publishing this review, this book is available via Kindle Unlimited. If you’re paying for this subscription, you can easily utilize it to enjoy this book. There is a link down below for purchasing, and it will take you directly to the Kindle link. I am a big fan of books that are available on Kindle Unlimited because it makes them more easily accessible to readers without breaking the bank. In this day and age when everything is overpriced, books being accessible is super important to me, and I appreciate authors who use Kindle Unlimited.

Have you read Beautiful Ugly? Come on in and let me tell you about it!

Beautiful Ugly

About Beautiful Ugly

Author Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life.

Grady calls his wife to share some exciting news as she is driving home. He hears Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car, then nothing. When he eventually finds her car by the cliff edge the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there. . . but his wife has disappeared.

A year later, Grady is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track. Then he sees the impossible – a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.

Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t.

Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do.

Beautiful Ugly

Thoughts on Beautiful Ugly

“Marriage is made of a million beautiful and ugly moments stitched together into a shared tapestry of memories, all of which are viewed and remembered slightly differently, like two people staring at the same painting from opposite ends of a room.”
Alice Feeney, Beautiful Ugly

In Beautiful Ugly we meet Grady and his wife Abby. Grady is a bestselling author who is also grieving the disappearance of his wife. These things simultaneously happened in the span of an hour. The best and worst day of his life were on the same day. Life really is fragile in that regard.

Grady has lost everything since Abby disappeared. He can’t write, he’s had to sell their home, he isn’t making any money, he’s bordering on a full blown alcoholic, and possibly has some mental health issues exacerbated by the alcohol consumption.

Abby is an investigative journalist, and her stories may very well be putting her in danger. She certainly wouldn’t be the first journalist to go missing in the world. This has been the subject of more than one true crime documentary.

I will say that I did not like her articles that were included in the book. Because it would be hard to take her seriously as a journalist if the articles in the book were actually published in real life. They were emotional and meant to stir up feelings of anger, outrage, and disgust. It wasn’t remotely close to unbiased journalism. But it would also make sense that if she wrote those kinds of things, someone would be more than happy to make her disappear.

This book started off really strong, and then slowed way down. It turned predictable, and I thought I had it all figured out. Right up until I didn’t. The middle of it was important to the overall plot of the story, but it felt boring as hell when I was reading it. Yes, it was worth it. If you’re struggling to get through it, just keep going. The end of the road really makes the journey worthwhile. I just wish the journey was a little more fast paced.

At the same time as I’m busy complaining about the pace of the book, Alice Feeney was building an entire vibe and atmosphere within the book. I’m not entirely sure I think she could have achieved that if the pace had moved faster.

The idea of moving to a remote Scottish island to go off the grid and just focus on writing a bestselling novel is romantic though. I have been to Scotland myself, and this idea appeals to me because it is such a beautiful country. I would love to go and spend far more time there than I was allotted the first time. To take a trip there through this novel was wonderful and it made me want to return to Scotland again soon.

I had to wonder throughout the book if Grady was losing his mind like Jack Nicolson in The Shining. If the residents of the Scottish island he was on was a cult, or if they were actually stalking him. The full-time residents of the island were certainly eccentric and quirky, to say the least.

Did Abby disappear intentionally? Is she alive? Does Grady really see her on the island? Is this woman really his missing wife? Is she a look-alike? Is she a ghost and Grady is just imagining the whole thing? I had a lot of questions.Which is really what drove me to keep reading Beautiful Ugly. I needed to know all the answers.

When I got to the end, I was really surprised. The twists the book took me on were really unexpected. They were not shocking or super outrageous. Sometimes an author will put an ending in a book that is just too stupid to believe, just for the shock value. This was a little out in left field, but not so far as I couldn’t see it happening. Which is exactly how I like my twists and turns in a book.

Beautiful Ugly

Final Thoughts on Beautiful Ugly

“People rarely know what they have until they lose it. They spend their lives searching for a better one, wanting more, needing more, blind to the fact that they already had it all. I think sometimes it’s only when something gets taken from a person that they appreciate what they had.”
Alice Feeney, Beautiful Ugly

I’m calling Beautiful Ugly a four star read. It was a slow burn, but it took some twists and turns that I was not expecting and that certainly kept things interesting. I can’t call it a five star because it is unlikely I’ll read it again, and it isn’t a three star because it was still enjoyable and memorable. Which is why I’ve settled on a four star rating for it.

Looking at reviews after I finished writing this, the reviews and ratings are surprisingly low. This surprised me because I enjoyed the book. I often wonder when my ratings don’t match up with others if we’ve read the same book. But that is the beauty of books, it is just like any other art in that it is subjective.

I highly recommend that you read the book and form your own opinions on it, as mine don’t seem to match the majority of other readers.

This is the second Alice Feeney book I’ve read, but it definitely will not be the last. I’m glad she is high on my to be read list, as she deserves to be there.

Beautiful Ugly

Discussion

Have you read Beautiful Ugly or any other writing from bestselling author Alice Feeney? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Beautiful Ugly Discussion Questions

How does Alice Feeney build a growing sense of unease in Beautiful Ugly?
Have you ever been to Scotland? Could you picture the Isle of Amberly? Do you imagine it as similar to anywhere else you’ve traveled?
Did you enjoy all the twists and turns of the plot? Or did they feel convoluted to you?
Which twist was the most jaw-dropping for you?
Oh boy that ending! Did you expect it? Did it make sense to you? Did you feel it did a good job of tying up loose ends from earlier in the novel?
Beautiful Ugly is told from both Grady’s and Abby’s perspective. What does the reader gain by experiencing both points of view? From the way that the novel also jumps back and forth in time?
Did you grow to care about Grady or Abby as characters? What about any of the many eccentric side characters on the island? Why or why not?
Spoiler alert: Beautiful Ugly features a very unreliable narrator. How do you feel about this authorial choice in novels, especially thrillers?
Did you read this or listen to the audio? If you listened to the audiobook version of Beautiful Ugly, what did you think of the narration by Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton?
Have you read any of Alice Feeney’s other thrillers? If yes, how did Beautiful Ugly compare? If not, will you be picking any of them up after reading this book?

About the Author

Alice Feeney, author of Beautiful Ugly

Alice Feeney is a New York Times million-copy bestselling author. Her books have been translated into over twenty-five languages, and have been optioned for major screen adaptations. Including Rock Paper Scissors, which is being made into a TV series by the producer of The Crown. Alice was a BBC journalist for fifteen years, and now lives in Devon with her family. Daisy Darker is her fifth novel.

Beautiful Ugly author Alice Feeney

Purchasing Beautiful Ugly

If you are interested in buying the paperback version of Beautiful Ugly, click here.
For the hardcover version, click here.
Click here for the Kindle version.
Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

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Beautiful Ugly

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