Book Review: "Train Dreams" by Denis Johnson

What’s this? Two backlist books in a matter of a few days? What about all the shiny new ones, lol?

Robert Grainer is an ordinary man living in the American West in the early days of the 20th century. He’s not particularly smart or ambitious; he just wants to provide a good life for his young wife and infant daughter.

He has always been fascinated by trains. While he doesn’t know exactly what happened to his birth parents, he knows he was put on a train and sent to live with his aunt and uncle. But he has little recollection beyond that. Still, from time to time, he makes a living clearing trees and doing other manual labor so that railroad tracks can be built out west.

Grainer remembers being part of an attempt to kill a Chinese man accused (rightly or wrongly) of stealing. The Chinese man curses those who try to kill him. When tragedy strikes Grainer’s life, he wonders if it is the manifestation of the curse, or perhaps it’s punishment for not helping an injured man he found in the woods when he was a teenager.

This is a bleak story punctuated by moments of levity. I’ve never read Denis Johnson before, but his prose—particularly his imagery—is luminous. I don’t know if I enjoyed this per se, but it definitely made an impression on me.

Book Review: "Cursed Daughters" by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Oyinkan Braithwaite’s debut novel, My Sister, the Serial Killer, caught me by complete surprise when I read it in 2018. I couldn’t wait to see what she wrote next—although she made me wait until the end of 2025! This book is very different from her first but it is more evidence that she is a writer to be reckoned with.

On the day that they bury her cousin Monife, Ebun gives birth to a baby girl. This baby, named Eniiyi, resembles Monife so much, the family is convinced she is the reincarnation of her late aunt. They believe Eniiyi will follow the same path Monife did in life, right down to her tragic end.

In addition to the belief that Eniiyi is fated to meet the same end as Monife, there’s also the family curse: “No man will call your house his home. And if they try, they will not have peace...” This curse has left several generations of Falodun women brokenhearted.

When Eniiyi reaches womanhood, she saves a man from drowning and promptly falls in love with him. She then realizes the curse is hanging over her head. Her only recourse is to search for answers in the older parts of Lagos, to find a way out of her fated predicament. Can she break the curse and have the chance at happiness? Can she free the other women in her family?

There is such a vibrancy to the way Braithwaite writes. The city of Lagos is as much a character as Eniiyi and her family. The book follows each generation’s confrontation with the curse and the tragedy that befell Monife. It gets a little repetitive at times, but it was just so moving.

Book Review: "Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts" by Adam Sass

This book was so sweet and emotional. It definitely hit close to home for me and felt like a gigantic hug.

Vero Roseto Garden Inn & Vineyard has been in Grant’s family for decades. He and his siblings spent summers there when they were growing up. When he was 13, Grant made a wish on the family’s famous Wishing Rose, and since then, all of his relationships have fallen apart quickly. Grant believes he’s been cursed by the Wishing Rose.

"But I don't count. I'm a beast, not a bunny. A beast with baggage and a curse on my head where no relationship lasts longer than a month."

Five years later, after what he thought was the perfect relationship imploded, he returns to Vero Roseto, which his aunt and uncle have been struggling to keep afloat. This will be their last summer to try, otherwise they’ll have to sell.

Given the state of disrepair of the inn, Aunt Ro has hired a gardener to help. Much to Grant’s surprise, it’s Ben, his first real love and childhood best friend, whom he hasn’t seen since the curse afflicted him five years ago. There’s still animosity between them, but there’s also a strong connection that hasn’t faded.

Grant vows to stay for the summer to help restore the inn and prepare for the famous Rose Festival. If it succeeds, they may save the inn. But it’ll require Grant and Ben to work together and put the past behind them. Can Grant break the curse and finally find happiness?

This was such a beautiful book. It’s a story of family, friendship, and love, and the many ways queer people—particularly teenagers—can be made to feel small and unworthy of love. It’s a look at how depression can rob you of joy and passion. But it’s also a love story. I really love the way Adam Sass writes.

Book Review: "A Curse of Scales and Flame" by Max Walker

It’s been a while since I’ve read a fantasy (and even longer since I’ve read an M/M one), but when a guy I thirst follow on Instagram (whatever) raved about this, I thought I’d give it a try. I was totally hooked!

There is a curse all over the world that seems to be killing dragons or, more specifically, humans who turn into dragons. No one understands who is responsible or how it can be reversed.

Damien is the oldest son in a family of dragons. He’s had to watch, powerless, as his mother died, and now his youngest brother is sick. Will the curse get each of them, one by one?

At his best friend’s magic store, Damien meets Robby, a friendly and somewhat klutzy guy. Damien rescues Robby from vampires twice, and then they find out that Robby is being hunted. Damien and his family want to protect Robby, and when they discover that somehow he has a link to those involved in the curse, they all want to find answers.

Of course, it’s not long before Damien and Robby’s intense attraction to one another brings them together in some very steamy ways. Can Damien protect Robby and find out how to reverse the curse before it’s too late for his brother? Can the two ever have a chance at happiness together?

I really enjoyed this and was so impressed with Max Walters’ creativity, his world-building, and the fascinating characters he created. This was an emotional, sexy, and completely entertaining, and I’ll be reading the second book in the series for sure!!

Book Review: "Happy Medium" by Sarah Adler

Sarah Adler made me a fan with her spectacular debut, Mrs. Nash’s Ashes, and her new novel was equally fun and romantic.

Gretchen Acorn (not her real name) is a medium, helping people communicate with their dead loved ones. The truth is, her abilities are about as genuine as her name, and she comes from a long line of con artists. But Gretchen prides herself on not taking real advantage of her clients—she only helps those who truly would benefit from her “services.” (And if that helps pay her bills, so be it.)

When one of her clients asks Gretchen to help her bridge partner by investigating the phenomena that seem to interfere with his selling his family farm, she’s a tiny bit apprehensive. However, her client is going to pay her handsomely, so how can she pass up helping an old man?

She makes some quick discoveries when she arrives at the farm. First of all, her client’s bridge partner isn’t a little old man—Charlie is young, hunky, and doesn’t want anything to do with a fraud like Gretchen. And much to her surprise, Gretchen meets Everett, a distant family member of Charlie’s, who happens to be the ghost that’s been causing all the trouble on the farm. (So maybe there’s some truth to this whole medium thing after all?)

Everett, who has been haunting the farm since the 1920s, is a little annoying and quite a bit of a flirt. He asks Gretchen to convince Charlie not to sell the farm or he’ll face the same curse that killed Everett. But Charlie doesn’t believe Gretchen, so she vows to stay on the farm to make sure she wins him over. Of course, that entails actually working on the farm (physical labor is not her strong suit), and the more time she spends with Charlie, the more she realizes she needs to be honest—with him and with herself.

Everett is one of the best characters I’ve encountered in some time. The banter between him and Gretchen cracked me up. This was a sweet, steamy, and enjoyable romp that made me smile.