Currently reading! I read the short story, The Small Hands of Chokedamp, that introduced this world and characters last night, and I thought it was so fun!

I haven’t been super invested in a story since the beginning of October, so I’m hoping this is the book I need right now.

GREENLIGHT. GATEKEEP. GHOSTHUNT.

The sequel to fantasy mystery The Undetectables (about three witches and a ghost in a cat costume who start a PI agency to stop a serial killer stalking their small magical town) lands this September and it’s 25% off in the Barnes and Noble preorder sale with code PREORDER25 from today until April 19th!

Here’s the official blurb:

Five months after the events of The Undetectables, business is booming – but finding cases that call for magical forensic investigators is not. So when Diana’s ex, Taylor, asks them to solve a murder – her own – Diana, Mallory and Cornelia can’t say no.

Called to investigate the set of Undead Complex, Diana re-enters the world of TV-show prop making – even in death, the show must go on. Even the appearance of a genuine-article Francine Leon dollhouse can't make up for the fact she's being pulled down a path of crime-solving she maybe doesn't want to walk forever.

Meanwhile, Theodore's coming apart at the seams – literally – in the aftermath of their last case, and Mallory is running out of ways to help him. Especially as he seems to be keeping secrets from her.

As the clues – and the bodies – keep piling up, each one making less and less sense, The Undetectables find themselves in a new race against the clock to find out what, exactly, the killer is up to – before they strike again...

Get your copy HERE

✩🚂❤️‍🔥Special Edition Collection:

To no one’s surprise, Fairyloot has knocked another exclusive edition out of the park!

As a huge Chloe Gong fan, I’m thrilled to display this Fairyloot rendition of “Last Violent Call” on my shelf. The foil on the hardcover and the stencil sprayed edge done by @blanca.design are beyond stunning. I refuse to cover it up with the dust jacket, which is a good thing too because I want to frame the reverse dust jacket artwork by @imedmi. They beautifully captured my two favorite couples. Seeing them all grown up and in love gets me in my feels 🥺

If you haven’t read this novella bind-up set in the same world as “Foul Lady Fortune,” what are you doing?!? Get to it before the final novel in the Secret Shanghai series (“Foul Heart Huntsman”) comes out this fall. I promise you won’t regret it 😏…just power through the tears and heartache. 

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

@chloegong

Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk

What a stylish treat.

Think Constantine, with angels and demons and the battle for people's souls, mixed with 1940s Chicago and detective noir.

This is the magical world that C.L. Polk has built, as we join Helen Brandt, a paranormal detective on the hunt for the mysterious White City Vampire. Not only does Helen have to figure out and catch the Vampire, she's in a race against time to do it, with her own soul at stake.

She partners up with her girlfriend Edith, an awkward angel named Haraniel (I loved them so much) and her estranged brother Ted, who is part of a magical brotherhood.

It took me awhile to get the hang of this particular world, but once I was in, I was in. A gorgeously immersive urban fantasy, mixed with historical fiction mystery, and a sapphic romance that was utterly swoon-worthy. I thought I might know the end, but I didn't. :)

Today our judges review Morgan Stang's Murder at Spindle Manor for this year's Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO) finals! 🐉

EDIT: And Murder at Spindle Manor is now officially this year's winner! 🥳

"The fantastical, the monstrous, and the spiritual side to the story are also well written and Stang fits that into the murder mystery quite seamlessly."

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

3.5 out of 5 stars.

The Invisible Library 1

Irene is a Librarian, working undercover across alternate worlds to steal unique books of fiction. All the books and artifacts collected are placed into the Library which is out of time and space. She's barely returned from her latest solo mission when she's assigned a new mission and a recruit to mentor and train. Kai is more than ready to leave the Library after five years of study. The two couldn't be more different. Irene was born to two Librarians and essentially raised in the Library. Kai was a book thief whose curiosity about a mysterious client ended with a "work for us or else" situation.

While Irene is suspicious about the urgency of the situation, she has a job to do. Her suspicions appear to be true when they discover that the book they're after has already been stolen by someone else and the alternate world they are sent to is quarantined due to chaos infection. Irene and Kai, who has his own secrets, are running blind in their quest for a previously unknown collection of Grimm fairytales.

Starts off with a bang and continues the adventure/quest/heist vibe throughout. The worldbuilding is well layered, only occasionally confusing or overwhelming. The characters are relatively fleshed out despite there appearing to be a bit removed from the reader, or at least this reader. Irene, our POV, has a lot of potential, but I connected with her more in the first chapter than I did again in the book. Kai is probably my favorite character, although he could use some more fleshing out, so to speak.

I'm not a huge fan of the multiverse concept (thanks a lot, Marvel!), but Cogman has done her best to overcome that dislike for me. Frankly, in my personal opinion, it wasn't actually needed in this story. Yes, it can make for a greater scope in future installments, but still could've had one world and the Library is a spatial otherworld.

As to the plot itself? It was interesting, weak in some aspects, intriguing in others. Because this is the start of a series, I'm inclined to give it the "pilot" exception. I've watched few pilots in television series that didn't have weaknesses that weren't smoothed over or made more sense in later episodes.

One final observation. The Library gives me the creeps, especially how the Librarians are acquired and treated. Branding? Forcing unattached people who get know too much about it to work with them? No, nope, not a chance, no way.

My experience was good, although I'm not entirely certain that I will pick up future books in the series as this worked just as well as a standalone read. Would I recommend this book? Yes, to those readers who like the adventure/quest/heist idea, I would. Not to those who prefer a bit more connection with the main and secondary characters.

certified coolkid moment: finding the rotting corpse of your classmate in the woods

Strangers in Lively Town

Took me half a year to complete 🤪

Huge L for Helio this episode I gotta say. Something about meeting that guy makes people want to go worship a dead lesbian

The cover for THE UNDETECTABLES, my debut fantasy murder mystery, was just revealed on Tor.com today – along with an excerpt so you can find out what kinda thing you’re in for when the book comes out in September!

Be gay, solve crimes, take naps. Welcome to Wrackton.

EMOTIONAL WIN ! ! the bug lets his emotions make decisions for once !

✩🪦🕯Review:

Bardugo’s adult fantasy debut is masterfully written. 

I thoroughly enjoyed how the novel alternates between both Alex and Darlington’s perspectives. The longer I occupied their minds and uncovered their flaws, motivations, and fears, the more I grew attached to them as a result.

Additionally, I appreciated how Bardugo organizes “Ninth House”’s timeline by idea instead of by chronological order of events, which was a breath of fresh air. I was constantly on my toes as each chapter haphazardly moved backward and forward in time, caught off guard by the clever plot twists and shocking reveals in connection with the fantastical murder mystery storyline. 

What made Bardugo’s novel even more enjoyable was her world-building. Much of the novel takes place in the New Haven area, specifically on Yale’s campus. Bardugo does a fantastic job immersing the reader in Yale’s atmosphere by providing detailed descriptions of the campus architecture, drawing the reader’s attention to defining landmarks, and weaving in the institution’s history. Her magic system is entirely unique and revolves around Yale’s many secret societies. Built on Nexus’ of power, the fictional Lethe House is meant to regulate their activities. Different abilities are attributed to each of the nine houses (illusions, elemental magic, shapeshifting, necromancy, portal magic, divination by use of reading entrails, etc.) and I loved trying to figure out what role each house played in the murder plot. 

This book easily made my favorites list! I cannot wait to get my hands on “Hell Bent” and get my Darlington fix!

➤ 5 stars

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

@flatironbooks-blog​

I’m just saying that if two teenagers being crowned king and queen at a high school prom counted as a “king and queen being crowned anew in Solace” for an ancient curse on a giant dragon man, then a girl doing everything in her power to become Student Body President probably counts as a holy conquest worthy of her corrupted god.

I had a vision of this in my head, the process of painting it was quite natural and easy, it's nice when it's smooth like this lol