Readcommendations

Sarah, 22, bookworm and skyentist in training. Author of STARSTRUCK and ALIENATION (S.E. Anderson | Bolide Publishing). Lover of books and reader of words. Good books welcome. 

[readcommendations]

Ghosts, Family Secrets, and One Surprisingly Spicy Historical Mystery: City of Liars by Emily Colin

I’ve read and loved several of Emily Colin’s books, but City of Liars might be her best yet. At the very least, it is absolutely my favorite of hers. It has everything I love: dual timelines, family secrets, ghostly whispers from the past, complicated class dynamics, a mystery that unfolds piece by piece, and a romance with enough heat to make you check whether someone left the oven…

View On WordPress

[readcommendations]

The Moors Are Haunted, but So Is This Family: We Are Monsters by M.J. Dyer

She lost her sister. Then she lost herself. We Are Monsters by M.J. Dyer is one of those books that creeps up on you. At first, I thought I knew what kind of story I was stepping into: dark academia, dead sister, suspicious family, probably some secrets buried out on the moors. You know. The usual healthy reading choices. But this book is not quite so simple. It’s twisty, claustrophobic, deeply…

View On WordPress

[readcommendations]

Dark romantasy with enough steam to power public transit: Revenge and Ruin by Emily Colin

I was so happy to be back in this world! Emily Colin is one of my favorite authors, and her Bone Moon series absolutely delivered on the romantasy front when I read it last year. And now the long-awaited sequel is here, and everything has been turned up more than a few notches. And I mean everything. Blurb Keep me like your darkest secrets… Katerina Ivanova has done the unthinkable. She’s…

View On WordPress

[readcommendations]

Why Hollywood Hookup Is the Cozy Romance You Need Right Now

Last year, I absolutely fell in love with Celebrity Crush. It was one of those romances that felt like pure joy in book form. So when Christy Swift hinted that we might return to that world and those characters, I was thrilled. And now, almost exactly one year later… here we are. Back in the glittery, chaotic, surprisingly heartfelt world of Hollywood romance, and I could not be happier about…

View On WordPress

[readcommendations]

Knives Out Meets The Secret Garden: Hazelthorn by C.G. Drews

I’m officially obsessed with C.G. Drews’s brand of environmental/forest horror. There’s just something intoxicating about the way she blends lush, lyrical writing with creeping dread and botanical menace. Hazelthorn feels like it’s set in the same eerie world as Don’t Let the Forest In (or maybe dreamed up by Andrew and Thomas), but it never feels like a repeat. Instead, it’s as though Drews…

View On WordPress

[readcommendations]

I love you, bro — The Broposal by Sonora Reyes

I’ve been in a bit of a writing slump lately thanks to (imagine me gesturing wildly around) life. I actually read this book over a month ago, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. And with the current U.S. leadership making it abundantly clear that foreigners are not welcome on their soil, this story feels more timely—and more necessary—than ever. I missed the book’s publishing date…

View On WordPress

[readcommendations]

Cursed in Love by Emily Colin — and Sweet Purple Ponies, has it been that long?

Heya, dear readers. Did you miss me? I hopped on the blog to write up this review and… when I saw the date of my last post… well, I cringed. Or did a bit more than cringe. Because when it’s been a whole YEAR since I promised a new post, well, I don’t particularly know what to think. Suffice to say that 2024 was a YEAR. 2025 is promising to be one too, but hey, there are some great books coming…

Cursed in Love by Emily Colin — and Sweet Purple Ponies, has it been that long?

[readcommendations]

Happy Birthday, Starstruck: Celebrating my debut novel turning seven!

Long time, no see, friends! I’ve been fighting an uphill battle since January to wrestle back control of my website, but it’s all good now. Sometimes it feels like my problems are like a Whack-a-Mole: as soon as I knock one down, another one rears its ugly head. So, I may have the website back, but I’ve lost my newsletter. One day at a time… Which is why I’m also a day late posting here about a…

View On WordPress

[readcommendations]

An Island Strange and Wild: The Secret Garden of your deepest dreams

Hello, dear readers! I’m so excited about today’s review, as this is a book I’ve had the privilege of watching come together over the past few years. Lisa Amowitz has crafted a Secret Garden retelling that speaks to the deepest part of me, weaving science and magic into a beautiful work of art, like slipping into a Monet painting and watching every plant come to life. Blurb Devastated by the…

View On WordPress

[readcommendations]

Detective Work in Jupiter's Orbit: The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles

Have you ever longed for a journey that combines the intellectual rigor of a scholarly puzzle with the thrill of space opera? Look no further! The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles by Malka Older landed on my reading list like an unexpected comet, whisking me away on an interstellar adventure filled with intrigue and wonder. Join me as I reunite with Investigator Mossa and Scholar Pleiti,…

View On WordPress

[readcommendations]

Ai Weiwei's Zodiac: A Graphic Memoir of Myth, Memory, and Meaning

I didn’t know what to expect from this graphic novel. I’m a huge fan of the artist and was extremely lucky to see his expo made for Marseille, so I was really excited. I was expecting it to read like a memoir, but it feels more like stepping into a contemplative journey through time, art, and personal struggle. This graphic novel, far from being a conventional memoir, is an intricate tapestry…

View On WordPress

[readcommendations]

The Truth of the Aleke: A Journey Back to the Forever Desert

Happy new year, readers! I'm back with a review of The Truth of the Aleke, the upcoming sequel to The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi!

Welcome back, fellow readers, and happy new year! I know I haven’t been posting reviews regularly, and I have a good excuse – it turns out my burn out? Yeah, it wasn’t a burn out, there was something way more serious going on in my insides! Now that that’s settled, I’m feeling my energy return by leaps and bounds, and I’m so ready to tell you about all the great books coming out in this 2024.…

View On WordPress

[readcommendations]

The Ultimate Guide to Gifting S.E. Anderson books: Enchanting Reads for Every Book Lover This Holiday Season!

Ho ho ho, book lovers! The holiday season is upon us! It’s so hard to believe that the year is already coming to an end. 2023 has been an extremely erratic year for me, with some of the highest highs (I got married!) and the lowest lows (which aren’t worth sharing.) I seriously can’t wait for everything 2024 has in store for us. If you’re anything like me, you know that there’s no better gift…

View On WordPress

[readcommendations]

Booktober: Surprise Starstruck launch, Being Ace, and a pocket novella

BOO! Did I get ya? Don’t worry; it’s just me, here with some spine-tingling news! A whole new starstruck novel… out TODAY! As the nights grow longer and a crisp chill winds through the air, I’ve been brewing up something special in the witching hours of my writer’s cauldron. Something to add a dash of spectral spice to your Halloween season: Into the Sallyverse! Starstruck… 7.5! Now, I know, I…

View On WordPress

[readcommendations]

Blasting Off into the Unknown: The Launch of WANDERER!

Hello, Starstruck fans and all you beautiful people who stumbled upon my little corner of the internet! Today is a day I’ve been dreaming about for months… Today, I get to share with you the thrilling continuation of a journey we’ve been on together since the day I first introduced you to Sally, Zander, and the quirky, chaotic universe they inhabit. WANDERER the ninth book in the Starstruck…

View On WordPress

[readcommendations]

The Stars Align: Countdown to Wanderer Launch, Starstruck Sale & More

We’re standing at the precipice of yet another cosmic journey, and I can barely contain my excitement! As we count down the days to our next interstellar adventure, I wanted to share some exhilarating news and updates with you. 🚀 ‘Wanderer’ Launch Countdown! 🚀 The time is almost upon us! In just one week, ‘Wanderer’, the ninth installment in our beloved Starstruck Saga, will officially launch.…

View On WordPress

[readcommendations]

Blast Off into Adventure: Over the Moon's Audiobook is Out of This World!

Exciting news! Yes, I know I said I was going to be taking time off, but then the highly anticipated audiobook for OVER THE MOON dropped out of nowhere on Audible and I just had to tell you all about it. It is an absolute treat for the ears. The audiobook features the incredibly talented Ali Dane, who brings the characters to life with her amazing performance. Her narration is so engaging that…

View On WordPress