Book Review: The Shattering Peace by John Scalzi
Posted on October 13, 2025 7 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Shattering Peace by John Scalzi
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 7 of Old Man’s War
Publisher: Tor Books (September 16, 2025)
Length: 288 pages
Author Information: Website
I confess, my relationship with John Scali’s work has been a bit strained as of late. Books like Starter Villain or When the Moon Hits Your Eye have sometimes felt too breezy or even downright too silly for my tastes, and so it was with some relief when I heard he was returning to the Old Man’s War universe a decade after the sixth book, The End of All Things. After all, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for that series, with its sharp humor and humanistic themes. At last, The Shattering Peace felt like the welcome course correction I’d been waiting for.
Long time fans will remember Zoe Perry, the adopted daughter of the series’ protagonist John Perry and his wife Jane Sagan, whose story was told from her perspective in the novel Zoe’s Tale. Admittedly, fewer readers would probably remember Zoe’s best friend, the perky and quick-witted Gretchen Trujillo, who now features as the lead in her own book. Roughly a decade has passed since the fragile ceasefire between the Earth, the Colonial Union, and the Conclave, which has kept the galaxy relatively at peace. But now a new enemy has reared its ugly head, threatening the status quo. A highly intelligent and technologically advanced alien species called the Consu have ignited a heated civil war between their factions, and they’ve unfortunately dragged everyone else into their conflict.
Gretchen, now a diplomat for the Colonial Union, has successfully kept her head down for much of her career. But now her star is about to rise when she is assigned to a covert mission to investigate a missing colony, one with significant historical ties to the development of human-alien relations, and what they find there may have far-reaching repercussions for the precarious peace that’s been holding the galaxy together. The assignment also thrusts Gretchen into the path of the Consu, whose cryptic philosophy and volatile ways would prove to be an unpredictable catalyst—one that could unravel everything the Colonial Union is trying to do.
Returning to the series that first put his name on the map, Scalzi also returns to form, bringing back his brand of interstellar politics that made Old Man’s War such a hit in the first place. There’s arguably more substance and thoughtfulness here in The Shattering Peace, though the book still reads on the lighter side overall. That said, newcomers might want to think twice before jumping in here. While the book technically works as a standalone, much of its content relies on the reader’s knowledge of the wider universe and its tangled history. Without that context, a lot of the references won’t make sense, and it will also be harder to appreciate the deeper stakes and emotional payoffs.
From here though, Scalzi proceeds to build a mystery that as much about the whys and hows of the missing colony as it is about maintaining the delicate balance required to keep a galaxy from tearing itself apart. Along the way, we get the usual healthy dose of witty banter and quirky side characters which will be no surprise to anyone familiar with the author’s style. Everyone gets a snappy line or two, etc. They’re certainly fun to spend time with, but at the end of the day, it’s also very surface-level and you won’t get much depth beyond their immediate roles in the story.
Despite that, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’ve long referred to the Old Man’s War books as gateway reads into heavier science fiction—accessible space opera filled with amazing stories and characters that give readers a taste of larger and more complex ideas without being bogged down in dense world-building and incomprehensible technobabble. And as a bonus, there are plenty of laughs. I’m happy to report The Shattering Peace fits that mold perfectly, delivering an easy-to-follow and fast-moving plot. Throw in some humor and clever dialogue, and what you get is a very readable and entertaining novel. Still, there’s no denying that the story feels smaller in scope for it, or that the premise is not quite as galaxy-shaking as the title suggests.
Ultimately, I enjoyed The Shattering Peace and consider it a successful return to the Old Man’s War series—lighter than I’d hoped, but still more substantial than I expected. I’m also happy to see John Scalzi back to writing thoughtful and engaging space opera, and in some ways reading this was a nostalgic reminder of everything that made me fall in love with this universe.
Book Review: How to Fake a Haunting by Christa Carmen
Posted on October 9, 2025 9 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
How to Fake a Haunting by Christa Carmen
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (October 7, 2025)
Length: 349 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
You ever read a horror novel with a premise that sounds totally ridiculous, but then somehow turns out to be genuinely creepy? That was How to Fake a Haunting for me. Christa Carmen takes the tongue-in-cheek setup of a woman staging a fake haunting to scare her awful, alcoholic husband into leaving their family home, and spins it into something far darker than expected. The result is part domestic suspense, part psychological ghost story, with just enough hints of the supernatural to keep you guessing.
From the outside looking in, Lainey appears to have the perfect life: a loving husband named Callum, their sweet little girl named Beatrix, and the big, beautiful house they all live in. But appearances are deceiving. In reality, Callum has had a drinking problem for years, an addiction that has turned their marriage into a nightmare. After a particularly harrowing night out at a party, a drunken Callum behind the wheel nearly kills them all in a car accident, and Lainey finally decides she’s had enough.
However, leaving Callum isn’t going to be as simple as filing for divorce. His wealthy family’s connections within local law enforcement and the courts allow them to make problems disappear, and his overbearing mother has never hesitated to use that power to cover up her son’s messes. Fearing that she could lose Beatrix in a custody battle, Lainey decides to hatch a plan to force Callum to leave them instead. After confiding in her best friend Adelaide, the two women come up with a wild plan to fake a haunting so terrifying that it will drive an already substance impaired and paranoid Callum out of the house for good.
What starts off as a bonkers revenge scheme verging on silliness quickly spirals into something far creepier. At first, Lainey and Adelaide’s “haunting” feels almost playful and maybe even a bit flippant, considering the gravity of the situation. After all, Callum’s uncontrolled alcoholism certainly makes him dangerous. Should this really be the two women’s priority? But then, bit by bit, the tone shifts. Their juvenile, how-could-anyone-believe-this-would-ever-work tricks start to take on real menace, and the situation becomes truly terrifying, with the satisfaction of watching Lainey’s asshole husband get what’s coming to him giving way to unease as both the characters and readers lose track of where the fake scares end and the real ones begin.
Before long, you can’t help but wonder—are Lainey and Adelaid still in control of the haunting, or has something else taken over entirely? One of the greatest strengths of How to Fake a Haunting is the way it walks that thin line between the psychological and the supernatural. The author keeps you constantly second-guessing what’s real, and whether the increasingly strange occurrences are all part of the women’s plan or signs that they’ve actually stirred up something much darker. The story plays with that ambiguity brilliantly and beautifully, keeping the answers just out of reach while letting the tensions build. There came a point in the book where I literally felt chills run down my spine.
I feel the only real stumble came in the final stretch. After so much uncertainty, the author had the option of delivering a sudden, powerful ending, but instead chose to stretch the reveals a bit longer than necessary. The mystery that had been building ultimately lost a lot of its punch, resulting in an ending that felt strangely muted. It’s a minor gripe, considering how tightly paced and engaging the plot was otherwise, but it did leave the book ending on a weaker note.
But overall, How to Fake a Haunting is a fast, clever, and thoroughly entertaining read, delivering equal parts creepy and quirky. For a novel that initially came across as messy and tonally all over the place, I was pleasantly surprised and impressed at how well it all came together. This spooky season, if you’re looking for a “haunted house” story that takes a fresh spin on the genre, this one may be worth checking out.
Book Review: The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre by Philip Fracassi
Posted on October 4, 2025 14 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre by Philip Fracassi
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Tor Nightfire (September 30, 2025)
Length: 416 pages
Author Information: Website
Slashers aren’t generally my go-to when it comes to scary movies, as I tend to prefer atmosphere over gore. But when it comes to books, all horror genres are fair game! I’m also no stranger to Philip Fracassi, whose Boys in the Valley nailed exactly the kind of vibes I’m always looking for. So when I heard his next novel would be a bloody thriller about a serial killer loose in a retirement community, I was curious to see how he’d handle the genre.
On the surface, The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre shares many characteristics with the classic slasher. But here, our unlikely final girl is seventy-something-year-old senior community resident Rose Dubois who spends her days gossiping with friends, participating in social events, and trying to keep the health problems of aging at bay—all the while wishing her daughter would come around more often with her grandson. But when mysterious deaths begin happening at Autumn Springs, Rose begins to suspect a killer stalking its halls. Along with her friend and would-be suitor Miller, she sets out to see if her suspicions might have any truth to them.
What they discover turns out to be far more sinister than either of them bargained for. As the body count keeps climbing, even the most dismissive staff can no longer keep brushing them off as bad falls, natural causes, or the inevitabilities of old age. When the police are finally brought in and more residents begin to realize that something is terribly wrong, it’s only a matter of time before everything explodes as fear and suspicions spread through Autumn Springs like wildfire.
Unconventional protagonists—especially unconventional final girls—are my catnip, so it’s no surprise that I felt the greatest strength of this novel was its cast of characters. The residents of Autumn Springs are an interesting, memorable bunch, each carrying a mix of highlights, tragedies, and quirks that come with long, full lives. I may not have remembered every name, but I never forgot their personalities or backstories. The retirement home setting worked just as beautifully, presenting a tightknit and almost claustrophobic environment where everyone knows each other and deaths are sadly an all-too-common occurrence. For some residents, this is also the only place they can call home, and when danger hits, there’s nowhere else they can go.
But where the novel stumbles is its handling of the horror and suspense elements. At times, The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre reads like a psychological thriller, complete with crazy twists and creative kills and moments that genuinely make you raise your eyebrows and think “WTF?” Yet at times the book also slingshots back hard the other way, lingering on the minutiae of retirement community life and slowing the momentum down. The pace is either crawling or cranked up so far that it flies into over-the-top absurdity.
I was also left with burning questions about the vague hints of the supernatural teased throughout the story, especially with the presence of some of Autumn Springs’ more eccentric, “witchy” residents. I kept waiting for something to happen there, but I can’t say for sure if anything truly materialized, leaving that aspect hanging and unsolved. And finally, there was the underwhelming reveal of the killer. Given the direction the plot was trending, I expected a lot more. Heck, even an over-the-top, unrealistic ending would have been welcome, instead of the flat and unclimactic conclusion that we got.
With all that said, the ride itself was genuinely entertaining, making for an overall quick and engaging read. The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre not only flips the script on the usual genre expectations, but centering on elderly characters also adds a facet that’s rarely explored in horror. Ultimately though, the novel probably works better as a character-driven, darkly fun concept than as a fully satisfying slasher. It’s violent and witty, yet still misses some of its marks. Still, it’s worth checking out if the story’s premise piques your interest.
Book Review: Boudicca’s Daughter by Elodie Harper
Posted on October 1, 2025 9 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Boudicca’s Daughter by Elodie Harper
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Union Square Co. (September 2, 2025)
Length: 438 pages
Author Information: Website
I became a huge fan of Elodie Harper after her Wolf Den trilogy, so you can imagine my excitement when I heard about Boudicca’s Daughter. While Boudicca herself was a legendary warrior queen, not nearly as much attention has been paid to her children. That leaves a lot of space for imagination, and this novel seeks to tell the saga of the Iceni’s famous rebellion against Rome and its aftermath through not only the eyes of Boudicca (called Catia here), but her daughter Solina’s as well.
Fans of Harper’s historical fiction will find themselves back in comfortable territory as the book opens with an introduction to Catia—wife to a powerful druid, and mother to two independent, strong-willed young women. The early chapters portray her as a natural leader and a formidable fighter, unwilling to bow to Roman oppression. While her open revolt ultimately failed and led to her death, her fierce spirit and defiance continued living on in the heart of her youngest daughter, Solina.
This sets up the next part of the story, which shifts predominantly to Solina’s perspective, and this is where creative magic starts happening. While the details surrounding her mother’s uprising is a matter of record, at least in outline—there’s only so much room for reinterpretation of those events—what became of Solina is a space ripe for speculation. Taken captive by the Roman general Paulinus and later whisked away to the heart of the empire itself, our protagonist soon faces the ultimate test of learning just how far she is willing to go to survive. Forced together with the man who crushed her people and destroyed her way of life, she finds herself caught between hostility and a reluctant attraction to his complicated nature. As their relationship grows, Solina must reconcile her proud past with the brutal reality of her future.
All this results in a novel that is as much about legacy as it is about survival. Solina is a fascinating mix of strength and vulnerability—someone who is painfully naïve at times, and who certainly makes her fair share of mistakes. But she is also someone who never gives up. Growing up in the shadow of her mother’s legend while also facing the cruelty of Rome, it’s easy to forgive her misguidedness and accept that she will make some questionable choices along the way. Solina’s journey is really one of finding herself, showing how sometimes staying alive just means putting one foot in front of the other, even when emotions are running high.
If you’ve read The Wolf Den, the writing style and the themes here will also feel familiar. Harper’s prose is vivid, and she has a knack for making environments come alive on the page. That said, nothing is ever perfect. The pacing is a little wobbly in places, especially in the early sections. For such a famous historical figure, Boudicca and her rebellion only got what felt like perfunctory treatment. Events were glossed over in broad, dry strokes. Almost like the story was eager to get Catia’s part over with, so that it can move on to Solina’s instead. Indeed, the latter’s chapters feel a lot more fleshed out, as in far richer in detail and emotionally engaging. Still, I get it—the novel is called Boudicca’s Daughter, after all. I only wish its sections felt more even in terms of balance.
In the end though, Elodie Harper’s storytelling is irresistible. The women in history that she features are all forces to be reckoned with—but they are also very flawed and very human. While Boudicca’s Daughter might not have reached the heights of the Wolf Den trilogy, it still packed a punch that more than made up for its stumbles. If you enjoy richly drawn characters in deeply immersive historical fiction, this will prove a worthwhile read. I look forward to more of the author’s work to see how she will next reimagine the past.
Audiobook Review: Widow’s Point by Richard Chizmar and W.H. Chizmar
Posted on September 20, 2025 11 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Widow’s Point by Richard Chizmar and W.H. Chizmar
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (September 30, 2025)
Length: 12 hrs and 15 mins
Author Information: Richard Chizmar | W.H. Chizmar
Narrators: Mia Barron, Tristan Morris
If you’re a fan of epistolary or “found footage” horror like me, you’ll understand why I find the genre appealing. When it works, the style can really add to the atmosphere of immediacy and turn even the most played out of ideas into something that feels new and refreshing. It was why I was drawn to Widow’s Point, as well as the fact that it is a collab between an author I already follow, Richard Chizmar, and his son W.H. Chizmar.
Told though a collection of video transcripts, news clippings, emails, and journal entries, the story transports readers to Nova Scotia, where the Widow’s Point Lighthouse has loomed over the rugged shoreline for nearly two centuries. Since then, the building has been the site of many tragedies, from workers falling to their deaths during its construction to the slaughter of an entire family by one of its later residents in the late twentieth century. By 1988, Widow’s Point was shuttered for good. But naturally, those with a predilection for the supernatural or uncanny just can’t seem to stay away. Reputed to be haunted, the lighthouse has drawn no shortage of ghost hunters, paranormal investigators, and thrill-seekers, all eager to tell its story and uncover its secrets.
In 2017, one of these investigators, a paranormal researcher hoping to document definitive proof of the haunting, arranged to spend an entire weekend locked inside the lighthouse. What followed next has never been fully explained, for he vanished without a trace, leaving behind only his recordings and written notes. Undeterred, a well-known online influencer decides to reopen the site years later in 2025, bringing along his own crew in an attempt to succeed where so many before him have failed. Armed with cameras and no small amount of bravado, the team intends to capitalize on the macabre history of the lighthouse but soon discover that some stories are far more dangerous to chase than they are to tell. Needless to say, thing don’t go according to plan.
Widow’s Point is told entirely through a multimedia lens, using a variety of documents to piece the story together. Admittedly, this isn’t the easiest format for audio, and I wish there had been added touches like sound effects or other audible cues to make the narrative flow smoother and more immersive—something I’ve seen other audiobooks to to great effect when it comes to this genre. Not surprisingly, the reading did feel a little flat at the beginning, while I tried to adjust to the Blair Witch docu-style presentation, but things eventually settled into rhythm.
What stood out for me was the lighthouse itself. Widow’s Point, from atop its isolated location looking over storm-battered cliffs, is the perfect horror novel setting. I especially enjoyed the snippets we got of its dark and sordid past, which were scattered throughout the text—brief but chilling accounts of murders, suicides, accidents, and unexplained disappearances that have plagued the lighthouse since it was built. They also do a great job of filling out the lore, reminding the reader that this is a cursed place steeped in blood and misfortune.
But there were other elements that didn’t work quite as well. Maybe it was the format, but the characters never truly came alive for me, as the epistolary style has a way of holding them at arm’s length. I was also disappointed that the audiobook narration didn’t do a lot to bridge that gap. The reading felt flat at times, which only reinforced the sense that the cast was made up of stock figures rather than real people. The middle section also dragged, offering little in the way of plot development. No big surprises or huge twists either, as events and the ending unfolded more or less exactly as expected.
In the end, Widow’s Point probably worked better for me as a spooky concept and setting rather than as a fully realized novel. That is, it makes for a decent enough ghost story, with some extra appeal for readers who enjoy haunted buildings, epistolary formats, or those found-footage vibes in prose. Quick and readable with its fair share of eerie and atmospheric moments, it’s enjoyable but ultimately struggles to rise above being just average.
Audiobook Review: Fiend by Alma Katsu
Posted on September 17, 2025 11 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Fiend by Alma Katsu
Mogsy’s Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Penguin Audio (September 16, 2025)
Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I went into Fiend by Alma Katsu with high hopes. The author has given me some memorable reads in the past with The Hunger and The Deep, so I liked her idea of her taking on a contemporary gothic horror. However, while the premise held a lot of promise, the execution didn’t quite stick the landing for me.
At the center of this novel are the members of Berisha family who have taken their business empire from their native Albania to expand their wealth in the United States. But the successes of their company had not been built on hard work alone. There are plenty of whispers about the dealings that happen behind the scenes, like how often the family’s business rivals and enemies conveniently seem to fall into misfortune, suffering untimely accidents or even mysteriously disappearing.
At the head of the household is Zef Berisha, who expects his three children to pledge their undying loyalty to him and the company—to put blood above all else. Dardan is the eldest son, and as the only boy, he is also expected to take over from his father one day. That said, it is middle child Maris who is the ambitious one, who believes herself to be more ruthless and hence better suited to the job. And then there is Nora, the youngest child who is fully aware of Zev’s disdain for her for being a second daughter and wants nothing to do with running the business besides enjoying her share of the money. Still, no matter how firmly Zef insists their family is blessed, their luck can’t last forever. Not when the true price of their success is revealed to be something far more sinister.
Many reviewers have been describing Fiend as “Succession but with demons,” and on paper, that is exactly what the set up is like. But what should have been awesome story instead fails to reach its potential, mainly because it never seems to rise beyond being yet another family drama full of bickering relatives. Attempting to see the positive side is also an uphill battle, because make no mistake, the Berishas are awful people. Zev with his old-fashioned bigoted and sexist ideals is someone you just want to punch hard in the face. His children are little better—selfish, entitled, and morally corrupt. The only one to have any redeeming qualities at all is probably Dardan, but even he doesn’t make the best first impression, given that in the flashback chapters he’s introduced as a bit of a brat.
Which brings me to the book’s format. The shifting perspectives are tough to navigate, making the narrative jumps between POVs as well as back and forth from past to present feel disjointed. Perhaps that is also why I felt so detached from the characters, as those constant breaks in the tension kept stalling the momentum and made it difficult to fully invest in anyone’s arc.
But the horror element was perhaps the biggest letdown. For one, it doesn’t really creep in until much later in the book, and even then it’s only in dribs and drabs. Curses and demonic entities don’t fully come into play until the final stretch, and by then the story is practically over. The ending was particularly frustrating for me, stopping so abruptly it felt as if the book was cut off mid-stride, leaving too many threads dangling without the payoff I was hoping for. I can’t help but think another chapter or two are sorely needed to bring things full circle. After spending so much time with the Berishas and their twisted legacy, I wanted more, except the horror never reaches the level I know Katsu is capable of. I kept waiting for that big moment, the one that ties everything together, but it’s as though the story pulled back just when it should have charged head on into the darker and more unsettling places the premise promised.
In the end, Fiend didn’t quite work for me the way I’d hoped it would. The setup had so much potential, and while some of the good ideas came through, the execution never fully captured the atmosphere or a real sense of dread. That said, I still appreciate Alma Katsu’s willingness to try something different with a contemporary gothic, and even though this one felt a little flat, I’d still be interested in whatever she writes next. Ultimately, I’d call this one a mixed bag: it’s not without its moments, but not likely to leave much of a lasting impression.
Audiobook Review: Play Nice by Rachel Harrison
Posted on September 12, 2025 9 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Berkley (September 9, 2025)
Length: 336 pages
Author Information: Website
Rachel Harrison writes what I like to call “chick lit horror,” which has earned a special place in my heart. Think stories that are sharp and biting, but also never shies away from exploring the darker corners of womanhood in the context of themes like family, romantic relationships, and female friendships. Play Nice is no exception.
The story follows Clio, a young woman living out the Zoomer dream of being a hot, stylish influencer in New York. But when news breaks of her estranged mother Alexandra’s sudden death, a wrench is thrown into her perfect life. Suddenly, Clio finds herself back in the suburbs with her family, each of them processing the loss in their own way. Her older sisters, Daphne and Leda, almost seem relieved. Alexandra had always been disturbed, they insist, and that Clio may have been too young to fully remember the time after the divorce when their mother moved the three girls into a house she later claimed was possessed by a demon. Alexandra’s unhinged obsession with the supposed haunting even led her to write a book about it, which only deepened the rift with her daughters and led to them not wanting anything to do with her.
But Clio isn’t satisfied with that. Sure, she might not remember the worst of it, but she is appalled by her sisters’ attitudes. No matter what, Alexandra was still their mother, and against her family’s wishes, Clio decides to attend the funeral. There, she learns something shocking: the infamous house she always just assumed had been sold had in fact been kept by Alexandra—and now, it belongs to her children. With Leda and Daphne uninterested, Clio sees an opportunity to flip it for profit and also to prove to her family that she is capable of being independent and responsible. Naturally though, things don’t go to plan. Soon after Clio moves in, she discovers a copy of her mother’s memoir, which had served as the basis of the book she published about her time in the “demon house.” Strangely, the pages are filled with notes that appear to be directed specifically at Clio. As disturbing incidents begin piling up, many of which mirror the experiences described in Alexandra’s writings, one has to wonder if it’s all coincidence or if Clio might be succumbing to the same delusions that cost her mother everything.
On the surface, Play Nice appears to be just another spin on the good old haunted house trope, but Harrison makes it her own by including messy family ties and painful buried memories. It’s as much a sister drama as it is a horror story. Leda, the oldest, is the responsible one always ready with a rebuke; Daphne is the middle child, the mediator; and our protagonist Clio is the baby of the family—trying to forge her own path in her own chaotic way, but never quite manages to shake her family’s veiled doubts and disapproval. Anyone with a sibling will probably see something familiar in this dynamic. There’s certainly conflict and bickering, but lots of love and loyalty too.
Clio herself is an interesting character study because in a way she’s caught between identities as a young adult who still has plenty of growing up to do. While she fancies herself a capable and mature woman, there are a lot of examples in the story that point to the contrary. But on that note, her flaws also make her feel relatable, and considering she is a social media influencer, I liked how the book highlights that what you see online might not always be as picture-perfect as it seems. Clio unfiltered is impulsive, stubborn, and a lot of times self-absorbed, but it doesn’t really feel like it is coming from a bad place, as it’s more likely that she’s just naïve and inexperienced.
Quite honestly, this makes the horror that comes all the more disturbing. Because when strange things start happening in the house, it’s hard to tell whether Clio is truly in danger or if her immaturity is coloring her perceptions and making her unreliable. That her spiraling so closely resembles what happened to her mother also makes you question what might be real and what might just be in her head. It’s this constant uncertainty that keeps the tension high.
Overall, Play Nice is a clever and emotionally charged novel that once again shows off Rachel Harrison’s knack for writing fun female-led horror. It might not work for every reader, since I can see Clio’s personality being a polarizing actor, but for me it was a hit. That said, it wasn’t my favorite of the author’s books, but having read all her novels to date, there’s a lot to compare, and a few of the plot points here felt slightly less impactful and satisfying. Still, I enjoyed myself immensely, especially the audiobook and the narration by Alex Finke and Natasha Soudek, taking on the roles of Clio and Alexandra, whose perspective we get through her memoir. If you like haunted houses with a side of family dysfunction, definitely give it a look.
Audiobook Review: Too Old for This by Samantha Downing
Posted on September 9, 2025 11 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Too Old for This by Samantha Downing
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Thriller, Suspense
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Penguin Audio (August 12, 2025)
Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
Author Information: Website
Narrator: Elizabeth Wiley
I’ve never made it a secret how much fun I have with Samantha Downing’s books. Her thrillers are twisty, fast-paced, and just a little bit outrageous—and I mean that in the best possible way. That’s why I was immediately on board with Too Old for This, her latest novel about a retired grandmother with a rather inconvenient past as a serial murderer. I mean, how can you resist a premise like that?
The story follows 75-year-old Lottie Jones, our protagonist who looks every bit the part of a sweet little old lady. She blends into her small-town community, where she can be seen puttering about town with her walker, attending bingo nights at her church, and serving her visitors tea whenever they come around. But what people don’t realize is that Lottie has a secret past. In fact, she wasn’t even known as Lottie back then. Under a different name, she lived a far more violent life as a prolific killer, leaving a trail of bodies behind her. And she’s never been caught. Oh, there were times when the police came close, but they were never able to pin anything on her.
But now, many years later, just when Lottie thought she’d successfully buried her old identity, a young and determined investigative journalist named Plum Dixon shows up on her doorstep threatening to dig it all back up. Plum is researching a string of unsolved cases from decades ago and wants to feature them in a new series she is making—one that, unfortunately for Lottie, will require her direct involvement. Somehow, Plum has uncovered her old name and its ties to those long-ago crimes. Suddenly, the quiet requirement Lottie has worked so hard to build doesn’t seem too safe anymore, not with someone like Plum eagerly sniffing around. But while times have certainly changed, making it much harder to get away with murder these days, Lottie fortunately hasn’t forgotten all her old tricks. Of course, it’s not something she ever expected to have to do again, but as she has learned over the years, some things simply must be done.
What follows is a little different from the previous books I’ve read by Samantha Downing. Her novels are usually packed with twists and shocking reveals that are way out there, keeping you glued to the pages, but Too Old for This takes a slightly different approach. For one, the pace is steadier, the surprises not as in-your-face, yet the story is still every bit as batshit insane as you’d expect—it just creeps up on you in a more subtle way. Much of the fun comes from the slow-building tensions as Lottie tries to navigate her carefully maintained image of a frail innocent old woman while dodging pesky reminders of her past that keep cropping up. However, the harder she tries to cover her tracks, the more mistakes and other unforeseen complications begin to pile up, and eventually her efforts snowball into a chaos that almost borders on comedic.
Then there is Lottie herself, who provides no shortage of entertainment. She’s a fantastic protagonist, full of dry wit and biting observations that make it hard not to root for her, even when she’s doing something morally questionable—and she usually is. There’s also something deliciously twisted about following an innocuous looking septuagenarian as she waxes poetic about the best way to dispose of a body in the same breath that she worries about what birthday presents to send to her grandbabies. Far from harmless, Lottie is sharp and calculating, and clearly age hasn’t dulled her instincts one bit. In fact, she uses her elderly appearance to her advantage, and it’s that constant contrast between the mundane concerns of everyday life and the casual brutality of her murderous actions that gives the book so much of its dark humor.
All in all, Too Old for This was another wild ride from Samantha Downing, even if it features more dark humor and character work than on the big, over-the-top twists she’s known for. Personally, I loved the change of pace, and Lottie has easily become one of my favorites of her characters. Speaking of which, I also loved the audiobook, whose narrator does the novel’s unique protagonist justice. Elizabeth Wiley’s voicework was incredible, perfectly nailing the sly humor and sharp edges lurking beneath Lottie’s sweet-little-old-lady façade. If you’re in the mood for a thriller that’s both darkly twisted and fun, I highly recommend picking it up.
Book Review: The Faerie Morgana by Louisa Morgan
Posted on September 5, 2025 8 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Faerie Morgana by Louisa Morgan
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Redhook (September 16, 2025)
Length: 528 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I’ve always loved Louisa Morgan for the way she writes novels that weave together magic and historical fiction. Her stories often feature witchy themes even when they are grounded in real-world settings, which makes perfect sense for her to tackle the Arthurian legend in her latest book, The Faerie Morgana.
Our eponymous protagonist’s tale begins in the Lady’s Temple, where she had been sent as a young girl after the birth of her half-brother, Arthur. There, she comes under the tutelage of the Blackbird, a Merlin-like figure, and quickly develops a reputation for her extraordinary powers to heal and scry. Though many expect her to become one of the priestesses of the Nine, rumors fly that her uncanny abilities are the result of magic, or that she may even carry the blood of the Fae. That speculation earns her as much suspicion and envy as it does admiration, leaving Morgana with few friends. One exception is Braithe, a younger girl who arrives later as an acolyte and grows to see Morgana as her mentor and role model.
Eventually, Morgana’s role expands to Camelot. In the years since she last saw him, her younger half-brother Arthur has become a man and succeeded his father Uther Pendragon as king. When the time comes for him to marry, he calls upon Morgana, now a full-fledged priestess herself, to officiate the wedding. But when she arrives at the palace, with her loyal assistant Braithe by her side, both of them find themselves unsettled by the bride. Guinevere, a strikingly beautiful young noblewoman, seems to hold the entire court in a kind of spell, Arthur included. Morgana can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong, that there might be a more sinister edge to Guinevere’s captivating charm. But prophecy demands Arthur be protected, and if that means staying in Camelot to guard him from harm, Morgana and Braithe will do whatever it takes—even if the greatest threat comes from his own queen.
Most people familiar with the Arthurian legend will also know of Morgana, though her role has always been one of the murkiest. In countless interpretations over the centuries, she’s been cast as faerie, sorceress, and even a goddess. Sometimes she’s a benevolent force, other times she’s a villain. But for all her potential to be either good or evil, more often than not she’s sidelined while Arthur and his knights dominate the narrative. What I found so refreshing in The Faerie Morgana is how Louisa Morgan recenters and reimagines this mythological figure, giving off strong The Mists of Avalon vibes. The Morgana in this story is a fully fleshed out character whose strengths and flaws make her equally compelling. She’s obviously powerful, but that doesn’t shield her from very human faults like pride and arrogance. Neither is she immune to the effects of her ostracization by the other suspicious or envious women at the temple, making her deeply lonely, driving her to retreat behind a shell of aloofness out of self-preservation.
That’s why I loved her relationship with Braithe. Another outsider, Braithe could have easily secured her own acceptance into the social folds at the temple by also turning against Morgana, but of course she would have none of that. Remembering the kindness the older woman showed her when she first arrived, Braithe responds with fierce loyalty, and in turn Morgana makes her a trusted confidante. Their alliance eventually grows into a friendship and partnership, becoming one of the most enduring and memorable elements in the story.
As for the writing itself, Louisa Morgan’s prose is fantastic. This is my fifth novel by her, and there’s a reason why I keep coming back. Her style is artful but never pretentious, elegant but easy to read. Even the quieter moments feel purposeful, as everyday actions and conversations are still filled with meaning that deepen our understanding of the characters’ backstories, motivations, and connections. The atmosphere that she builds feels alive and immersive, giving genuine life to the Lady’s Temple on Avalon, gleaned from the many affectionate mentions of apples that grow on the island. Like I said, this is not a action-heavy story, with much of it unfolding through reflection and politicking, both at the temple and in the court of Camelot. However, the slower pacing was not a negative to me, as it gives readers a chance to settle into the characters. Only then could the tensions tighten around them gradually and naturally.
On the world-building front, I think Morgan assumes that Arthur’s story is so ingrained in our culture that readers will be able to fill in any blanks, because rather than weighing the book down with dense detail, she paints the setting with broad impressions, relying heavily on mood creation. There’s just enough to anchor readers to the world, an example being the glimpses we get into the superstitions surrounding the Fae. Ordinary people sought out the magic and ritual of the priestesses for all kinds of complicated reasons—protection, prophecy, or healing—and what I appreciated most was how these background tidbits never came in the form of lore dumps. Instead, history and myth came together seamlessly, allowing Morgan room to add her own interpretations and flourish.
All in all, The Faerie Morgana is a beautiful and thoughtfully written reimagining of the character. That said, I can also understand how it might not be to everyone’s tastes, especially since it does run kind of slow. But for those who enjoy mythic retellings with a historical touch, or character-driven fantasies entered on witchery and enchantresses, this could prove a rewarding read. Or, if you are new to Louisa Morgan’s work, you may wish to check out her books in general, for all of them tend to go hand-in-hand with this novel’s themes of history, magic, and strong unforgettable women.
Book Review: The Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford
Posted on August 29, 2025 10 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Rakada
Publisher: Orbit (August 12, 2025)
Length: 477 pages
Author Information: Website
Jackson Ford is one of those authors I expect to bring a certain wild and irreverent energy to whatever he writes. I’ve only read one of his books before (The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t with Her Mind), but even so, I went into The Bone Raiders anticipating something at least a little cheeky, if the Billy Joel lyric splashed on the cover was anything to go by. On the whole, I would say I got what I wanted—a fun book whenever it leans into fantasy adventure and dynamic action—though not without a few bumps along the way.
The story takes place across the vast grasslands of the Tapestry, where the rise of a new Khan is reshaping its landscape. With the tribal clans who live there being forced into the empire or outright destroyed, caught in the middle are the Rakada, better known as the Bone Raiders. A notorious band of fierce female fighters, they eke out a brutal existence on the plains by raiding, stealing, and terrorizing the villages along the countryside, and needless to say, the expansion of the Khan’s influence is putting a damper on their activities.
Enter Sayana, who is one of our POV characters, a young member of the Rakada who finds herself thrown into a dangerous situation after a scouting mission goes sideways. Things only get worse when a giant fire-breathing lizard-like creature called an araatan crashes onto the scene. However, witnessing its fearsome power gives Sayana an idea so crazy that it might just work. What if the Bone Raiders could somehow tame the araatan and ride them into battle against the Khan’s encroaching forces? Surely no one would be able to stand against them then. But pushing her plan forward will mean first convincing the rest of the Rakada, and with morale already so low, not all of them are willing to put themselves at even more risk. Still, everyone agrees that something must be done. Because if they don’t fight back, Sayana and her people will be wiped out for good.
What really sold me on this book were the characters. They can’t be called heroes by any stretch (these are women who plunder, murder, and take pride in that reputation) but they make for fascinating protagonists. Call them what you like, but boring isn’t one of them. The group has a messy found-family energy, full of interesting rivalries and loyalties that feel authentic and lived-in. Sayana, for example, works well as the eager but painfully naïve youngest member, constantly challenging the hierarchy and butting heads with her elders in an effort to prove herself. On top of that, these relationships aren’t just playing out within the Bone Raiders but also on the other side of the conflict, making the entire story feel dynamic and alive, which stands out as one of the book’s greatest strengths.
But I would say the world-building is a mixed bag. On one hand, the Tapestry is an appealing setting, and Ford clearly drew inspiration from nomadic plains cultures to shape his clans and characters. But on the other hand, there’s not much beyond the surface dressing, and at times the world feels lightly sketched in rather than fully fleshed out. Here and there, we catch a glimpse of the wider empire outside, but these fleeting moments come without much depth, and the novel’s cultural details strike me as overly simplistic. So, if you’re looking for deep lore or richly layered world-building, you may find the background here a bit lacking.
Hence if I sound torn, it’s because I kind of am. I loved the araatan, possibly the book’s most creative element. In fact, I wish we’d gotten to see more of them. The final act is also excellent, delivering high-octane action, but this was only after a slower and repetitive middle section. Still, as this appears to be the first volume of a new series, I am curious to see where the story will take us next.
In the end, The Bone Raiders is a fun but uneven series opener. The characters and humor stood out, the giant fire-breathing lizards totally stole the show, but the world-building is noticeably sparse and some patience is definitely required to push through slower sections. I can’t say I loved it from start to finish, but I had enough fun that I’ll be keeping an eye out for the sequel.
The BiblioSanctum 