Monthly Archives: June 2026

books, Ghost Story, Reviews, Romantasy, Urban fantasy

The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J. R. Dawson

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Stars: 2 out of 5

This started so strongly, then puttered out somewhere around the midway point.

Mostly because the author didn’t quite know what story she wanted to tell. Was this a romance? A coming-of-age story? A story about grief and how different people deal with it? About the afterlife? Love and betrayal, and courage in the face of adversity?

I think the author wanted to include all of these themes, but didn’t manage to cover any of them in a meaningful manner in the end. It feels half-backed, with a meandering plot and underdeveloped characters.

I loved Nera, though. If this were her coming-of-age story, I would have been all for it. She is bright and alive, and I enjoyed discovering the world of the living with her, as well as getting to know the other souls at the station.

However, I couldn’t stand Charlie, so their romance was a lot harder to stomach. Yes, I know she is suffering, and has PTSD, and her family is all together shitty to her, but she still comes across as selfish and rather cruel.

And, I’m sorry, but her choice near the end of the book was so out of character even for her selfish self that it felt ridiculous. It happened only because the author needed to bring Harosen and his demon face-to-face again somehow. I would argue that there were better ways. He could have put Nera in danger while she was out in the city, and Harosen would have had to conquer his fear and step out into the world to save her. That would have been a great redemption arc for him, instead of whatever pathetic ending was written.

And while I love magical dogs and the idea of them being guides for the souls of the dead, the way they were written was… jarring, I guess? Their interactions with each other are surprisingly petty. I was more annoyed than endeared with them for most of the book.

And the ending was… underwhelming, to say the least. I also don’t particularly agree with the end of the Station. It served a purpose – it let some souls heal and rest before they were ready to cross over. Or to wait for their loved ones so that they didn’t cross alone. What happens to those souls now? Do they just get forcibly escorted to the veil, or are they stuck in a loop in Chicago until their time comes? Also, what about other cities? Do they have Veils like that as well?

There is a good story in there somewhere, but I think it would have benefited from a tighter plot and less purple prose. It’s also very heavy on feelings, often to the detriment of the story, especially when Charlie is concerned.

PS: My thanks to Netgalley for my review copy.

books, Horror, Reviews, science fiction

The Iron Garden Sutra by A.D. Sui

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Stars: 4 out of 5

I didn’t quite know what to expect when I picked up this book. I was surprised to find a “murder ship” story with a strong element of cosmic horror. I also didn’t expect to enjoy Iris and his AI companion as much as I did.

Iris and his AI companion are definitely the highlight of the book. They are a fascinating duo—two separate consciousnesses sharing a single mind. They bicker and can even hurt each other at times, but they also genuinely care about one another’s well-being. As you learn more about their relationship, it becomes increasingly compelling and easy to appreciate.

The deeper I learned about Iris’s trauma, the more I empathized with him. He constantly strives to be useful, to do the right thing, yet he feels he is never quite enough—that he is falling short of what it means to be a Vessel. I was glad to see him eventually find some measure of peace, even though it comes after a series of difficult and painful events.

I wasn’t as engaged with the other characters, as they are less developed and often feel like expendable background figures. I found it difficult to distinguish between the students for much of the book. They are mostly portrayed as frightened and helpless, with others trying to protect them, but they lack distinct identities.

In terms of the story, it’s a strong example of cosmic horror combined with claustrophobic suspense. A group of people explores a derelict generation ship, only to discover that the ship is not as lifeless as it appears—and that it poses a deadly threat.

The book also explores interesting ideas about what it means to be alive versus simply aware, along with a thoughtful perspective on the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and am looking forward to the next installment, especially since the ending leaves things on a cliffhanger.

PS: My thanks to NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

books, Horror, Native American, Reviews

Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina

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Stars: 5 out of 5

This was a hard book to read, not only because it is a horror novel, but also because of the dark themes it covers. But it is also a darn good book.

As a first-generation immigrant, I don’t know a lot about the different Native American nations and their cultures, so this book was a fascinating window into that world. And I would have loved it for that little glimpse of a different culture alone, but it accomplishes so much more.

Yes, it’s a horror story, but strangely enough, even though there is a supernatural element behind all the deaths and horrifying things happening on the reservation, it’s not the main focus of this book.

The main horror is the bleakness of the lives of everyone on the reservation. The author manages to paint an oppressive picture with just a few words – the oppressive heat and humidity, the rundown trailer homes parked on overgrown lots, dirt roads with no street signs on them, and the lack of hope in everyone who lives there. The children are the only ones who are still smiling; everyone else has been beaten down by life into resigned apathy, fueled by drugs and alcohol. No prospects, no way out, no future… My skin is crawling just remembering this.

As far as the story itself goes, it’s broken into two narratives – the present-day story where Noemi is trying to understand why her boyfriend seemingly jumped in front of a car and died, and the past story when her uncle Louie faced something horrifying and won.

I admit that I was a lot more involved in Louie’s story than Noemi’s. The reason for that is that there is a progression and resolution to his story. He witnesses some horrible events, but he discovers what caused it and he defeats the evil spirit (at least within himself). Yes, it leaves him scared both physically and mentally, and he decides to run away from those memories, but at least his story has a conclusion. With Noemi, we still don’t know whether it was an accident or if her boyfriend had killed himself. Plus, I wasn’t as invested in her story, to tell the truth.

All in all, this was a wonderfully creepy story about human desperation and the darkness that lurks within all of us. About balance and what happens when we disrupt it. And about hard choices. I will definitely read other books by this author.

books, Dark fantasy, Fantasy, Reviews

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying (Dark Lord Davi 1) by Django Wexler

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Stars: 4 out of 5

I must admit that I wasn’t particularly enamoured with this novel in the beginning, because I couldn’t figure out the direction the author was taking it. Was it supposed to be satire or humor like Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series? It had too many dark vibes for that. It was creating a weird dissonance in my brain. But once I got past the first few chapters and decided to go with the flow and see where the story took me, I enjoyed the journey quite a lot.

I think the biggest reason why it took me a while to warm up towards this book is Davi herself. She has a rather cavalier attitude towards life and death, especially her own. But she is also very quick to kill and maim others because she believes that once she dies and resets to the beginning, everyone will reset with her, so none of this is real.

I understand where this attitude is coming from. If you spent a thousand years dying horribly over and over again, and watching people you get attached to die no matter what you do, you either go insane or stop taking anything seriously. And I think that Davi is a bit insane by this point. Thinking that this is all just like a video game, where she can just reset to the beginning if it doesn’t work out, is her way of coping with the horrors of the situation.

And I love the fact that the further she progresses in her attempt to become the Dark Lord, the more she gets invested in the lives and well-being of her companions. And that when a certain event happens that causes a reset, she comes to the realization that her actions have consequences. That everyone who died until now will stay dead, and it’s her fault. The sheer moment of panic she had after that was very relatable.

I also loved most of the supporting characters, and even some of the villains are pretty interesting and multidimensional. The world is also fascinating. I really want to know who built the ruins where the Convocation takes place. They look a lot more advanced than anything either the humans or the wilders of this world would be capable of now.

I am not a fan of cliffhanger endings, but I can accept it in this case. After all, Davi accomplished the objective she set for herself at the beginning of the book. I am willing to wait until the next book to find out where the story takes her afterwards.

PS: My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a review copy.