Rosh's Reviews

AUTHOR: Maria Tureaud GENRE: Historical Horror PUBLICATION DATE: January 27, 2026 RATING: 2.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A historical Gothic paranormal mystery set during the Irish potato famine. A lead character who’s compelling as well as naïve. Slow-paced plot. More horrifying in its historical content than in its supernatural inclusions. Fantastical content based slightly in Irish mythology, which might get confusing to outsiders. Some details left vague till the end. Recommended but with caution. Plot Preview: 1848. Ireland. Twenty-two-year-old Maggie once had a large happy family, but she is now all alone in the world, having lost all her loved ones to the potato famine. So when an eccentric wealthy lady approaches her with a strange proposal - to pose as her daughter Wilhelmina and convince solicitors to release her inheritance in exchange for a house and land after the completion of the task, Maggie sees it as the best chance of defeating her destiny and honouring the memory of her...

AUTHOR: Annalee Newitz GENRE: Dystopian Fantasy PUBLICATION DATE: August 5, 2025 RATING: 2.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A sci-fi dystopian novella set in the near future. Quirky robot characters. A whimsical storyline that is dark and cosy in turn. Goes overboard on the preachy themes and agenda. Lopsided in its allegory. Contains a subtle equivalence between robots and immigrants/enslaved people – weird. Suspension of disbelief and doubts necessary to enjoy the book better. Plot Preview: 2064. San Francisco, Independent California. A group of food service robots find themselves abandoned in a ghost kitchen. With no human around and with a desperate need to keep things going, they decide to take over their delivery app account, rebrand their food service, and serve the best authentic hand-pulled noodles in town. Just when it seems like they will be successful in their endeavour, someone starts review-bombing them, and worse, not all the one-star reviews are exactly false. Can the robots s...

AUTHOR: Russell Kane ILLUSTRATOR: Erica Salcedo GENRE: Children's Picture Book PUBLICATION DATE: May 5, 2026 RATING: 2.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A picture book about a cat whose cosy life is upturned with the arrival of a new pet. Great comic potential with a cute dog and a nefarious cat. Too many scatological inclusions for my taste. More focus on the problem than on the solution, which is a major negative. This plot doesn’t capitalise fully on its potential, but it might work better for kids. Plot Preview: Terry is a Burmese cat who lives the purrfect life with his three human servants: Minna and her parents. Terry loves being worshipped (his words, not mine), and as the other cat in the house is asleep almost the whole time, Terry gets his way with his humans. Everything changes when they bring home a chihuahua pup named Brian, who is Terry’s opposite in every way. He immediately captivates everyone with his laser-love heart eyes. But Terry is immune to the pup’s devious attempt...

AUTHOR: Tiffany Crum NARRATORS: Sean Patrick Hopkins & Julia Whelan GENRE: Domestic Thriller PUBLICATION DATE: March 10, 2026 RATING: 2.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A domestic mystery-thriller involving a missing couple, one of whom is a famous podcaster. A mostly typical book for its genre, with plenty of twists, miscommunications, secrets, and about-turns in stance. Too many subtopics. One character has narcolepsy – an interesting addition that could have been utilised better. The first half is stronger than the second. Suspension of disbelief mandatory. Fans of the thriller genre might enjoy this more but I again stand as an outlier. The audio version is outstanding. Plot Preview: Benny and Joy, best friends since ages, are the hosts of a successful comedy podcast titled ‘This Story Might Save Your Life’, which focusses on one wild survival story each week. Thanks to the financial expertise of Joy’s husband Xander, their podcast business has been quite lucrative. But in the recent p...

AUTHOR: J.S. Helms GENRE: Contemporary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: May 5, 2026 RATING: 2.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A Christian novella about the power of faith and forgiveness. A contemporary retelling of the Book of Jonah from the Bible. I liked most of the story but the writing didn’t work for me. The ending was a disappointment. Not a light read. I wish I could have liked this better because it has a powerful message. Recommended, but not to everyone. Triggers for human and animal deaths. Plot Preview: Even after a family tragedy, Jonas continues in his pastoral work, ensuring the spiritual health of the locals as the Pastoral Care Coordinator at Grace Street Ministry. But while he has grace and forgiveness for those he serves in the community, he hasn’t found it in his heart to forgive certain people from his past. When he is asked to minister to death row inmates – one of whom is a man whose crime mirrors the tragedy that devastated Jonas – he refuses and runs. But God works in myst...

AUTHOR: Jennifer Killick GENRE: Middle-grade Horror PUBLICATION DATE: June 4, 2026 RATING: 2.75 stars. In a Nutshell: An illustrated middle-grade horror novel about two boys facing a nightmarish reality. Interesting story and illustrations, but needs work on the execution. I adore the cover art, and like the inside illustrations. The concept had great potential, but certain writing choices didn’t work well for me. It might go decently for the target age group. Plot Preview: Caiden’s dad runs a house-clearing business, and during the vacations, Caiden and his best friend Sam often help him out. Their latest assignment seems like a challenge for all the wrong reasons. The house is filled with bizarre wall displays, deadly weapons, and a strange vibe. It is clear that something went drastically wrong for its owner, though there is no visible evidence of any struggle. When the boys are alone in the family business warehouse that night planning to sort through some of the things from the cr...

AUTHOR: Kate Quinn GENRE: Urban Fantasy PUBLICATION DATE: February 26, 2026 RATING: 2.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A contemporary magical realism novel featuring a magical library. Starts fabulous, but after a point, turns tedious. Annoying lead character. Great world-building, poor character development, decent plot development. Too many coincidences. Too much social commentary, even though it’s for a worthy cause. Feels like YA at times, though it is an adult book with dark themes. I love this author, but I might stick to her historical fiction works now onwards. Recommended to NA readers. Plot Preview: Twenty-six-year-old Alix, once a foster child and now juggling three dead-end jobs to barely eke out a living, usually takes refuge in her favourite place, the Boston Public Library, and dives into a fantasy novel to help her escape, at least in her thoughts. But today when she visits the library, she stumbles through a hidden door into a section she had never seen before. In this magical...

AUTHOR: Núria Figueras ILLUSTRATOR: Anna Font TRANSLATOR: Lawrence Schimel GENRE: Children's Picture Book PUBLICATION DATE: April 14, 2026 RATING: 2.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A picture book about a very special visit. I am so torn about my feelings for this! I loved certain things but I hated certain other things. 😬 The illustrations are cute but the story can go either way. I do love the allegory, though it might be a bit too complex for kids to understand. Better with adult discussion. Plot Preview: Just before Mother Fox leaves her den, she warns Little Fox not to open the door to anyone. Just as Little Fox prepares herself to spend some hours alone, she hears a knock at the door. After some deliberation and questioning, Little Fox is curious and opens the door to the big and strange being who calls itself “Silence”. The initial interaction is hesitant, but Little Fox soon realises that Silence can be her friend. This book was originally published in Catalan as ‘La visita’ in 2...

AUTHOR: A.E. Chandler NARRATOR: Joel Benedict GENRE: Historical Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: April 21, 2021 RATING: 2.75 stars. In a Nutshell: The legendary story of Robinhood and his band in the Scarlet forest. True to the original ballads. Don’t expect a Hollywood experience full of swashbuckling flamboyance and charm. I liked the story (not a surprise as it’s about Robinhood), but found the writing style somewhat dry. The use of old English was also a little hurdle for me on audio, though I appreciate the authenticity of the language. With a little more literary flourish, this would have been a more memorable experience for me. But it might work better for those Robinhood fans who prefer authentic, frill-free narratives. This is an outlier review. If you are looking for a genuine story of Robinhood, not the one that you see in Hollywood but more faithful to the original legend and ballads, and if you aren’t fussy about anything other than the storyline, then this book does well. Sadly...

AUTHOR: Caitlin Rozakis NARRATOR: Megan Tusing GENRE: Dark Fantasy PUBLICATION DATE: May 27, 2025 RATING: 2.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A cozy fantasy garnishing a parent-school drama with cryptids and competitions and prophecies. Great concept, average execution, annoying adult characters. Think ‘Big Little Lies’ (PTA politics) plus ‘Gilmore Girls’ (mother-child drama) plus ‘Wednesday’ (cryptid magic), but without the charm. Might work better if you expect a parenting drama with mild fantastical vibes than a cozy fantasy featuring parents. Plot Preview: When five-year-old Aria was bitten by a werewolf, her parents Vivian and Daniel had no choice but to move to a hidden magical community in New England that has a special school for such children. Living in a new neighbourhood filled with mages and cryptids isn't easy, especially when you are a mere human. But Vivian is determined that she will do whatever it takes to ensure that Aria gets the future she deserves, even if it means lear...

AUTHOR: Laura Amy Schlitz GENRE: Middle-Grade Fantasy PUBLICATION DATE: September 2, 2025 RATING: 2.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A middle-grade fantasy about a girl and a doll, with the narration in both their perspectives. Quite a few subplots, which makes the book seem disjointed at times. The non-human characters are interesting; the humans are more mixed in behaviour. Some good life lessons on what to do as well as what not to do. Minor ‘Toy Story’ vibes. Recommended, though not with much enthusiasm. Plot Preview: (The actual storyline is quite tricky. This is a barebones version.) One day, eleven-year-old Tiph saves an old lady named Szilvia from falling and assists her back home. After a chat, Tiph realises that she can help Néni (Aunt) Szilvia with certain chores, and in turn, Szilvia could help her fulfil a long-awaited wish. Will her parents be happy with the new arrangement? From a nearby shop window, a little antique doll named Gretel sees Tiph helping the old woman and immediat...

AUTHOR: Lauren Fischer GENRE: Teen Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: November 12, 2025 RATING: 2.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A contemporary upper-middle-grade mystery about a group of orphans and a bunch of secrets. Nice characters but not all sound their age. A good small-town setting but it could have been used better. Interesting themes but too many of them clutter the plot. Inclusive but preachy. Basically, a mixed experience for me, but I admire the heart behind this debut attempt. Plot Preview: 2019. Ohio, USA. Eleven-year-old Willa has been a resident of the Southern Ohio Children’s Home for four years, ever since her mom died from a drug overdose. Opioid abuse is a common problem in the community, and the Home is a haven for several “drug orphans” as well as other children in need. Willa hopes to always be at the Home, even though she gets in trouble at times. She loves the place, her teacher, her companions, and most of all, Mercy (the director of the Home). The newest resident of the H...