Review: The Lost Ones

The Lost Ones by Chris DiLeo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Lost Ones by Chris DiLeo is a fantastic mystery-thriller with a touch of the supernatural. 

In this story, John Bare recalls the events of the summer of 2009: the year he was laid off from his teaching position and took a job at a local medical supply company, the year he turned 28, and the year he became obsessed with the tragic disappearance 4 years earlier of a 6 year old boy. It was also the year he found an unexpected connection with The Lost Ones, and finally began to come to terms with a tragedy from his own childhood.

DiLeo builds the story carefully, allowing us to get to know Bare and understand his frame of mind as he tries to adjust to the sudden loss of his job and find his way forward. Don't be disappointed or fooled by this initial world building -  it sets the stage perfectly for the story that follows. There is action here and suspense, disappointment and hope, grief and humor. There are victims of life's curve balls and of petty tyrants, as well as victims of horrific monsters of the human variety. All woven skillfully together in a riveting tale of loss, pain, unexpected strength and redemption. 

I was hooked by The Lost Ones from the very first page, and kept captivated throughout, reluctant to put it down at night and eager to pick back up the next day.

Thanks to Sobelo Books for providing an eARC for review.

Recommended. 

Review: You Only Need One Kidney

You Only Need One Kidney, so I Removed One of Mine and Made It Into My Butler; Also, My House Is Haunted by the Ghost of Blockbuster Video by Douglas Hackle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The story went that if ya repeated the words ‘Blockbuster Video’ in front of a mirror a certain number of times, the ghost of Blockbuster Video would appear and murder you!

-- Douglas Hackle, You Only Need One Kidney,...

You Only Need One Kidney,... by Douglas Hackle is...

Strange. Ridiculous. Absurd. Odd. Funny. Gross. Weird. Profane. Bonkers. 
But I kept reading. 

This is NOT your typical horror story. Or your typical ghost story. Or your typical... well, anything.  It's not normal by any stretch of the imagination.  The main character, Tim Carmichael-Wellingtonshire, wants nothing more in life than to recreate himself in the likeness and talent of the banjo playing hillbilly boy from the 1972 movie, Deliverance. Believe it or not, that could well be the least bizarre aspect of this story. 

It's satiric. It's insane. It's puzzling. And that's just the first two chapters...

You can't open this book saying to yourself, "It sounds like horror so I'm gonna give it a go." But if you're looking to read something that will make you laugh... and cringe... and shake your head hard enough to scramble your brains... AND cause you to say, "what the $&*&$ did I just read?", then this just might be for you. 

Strange. Ridiculous. Absurd. Odd. Funny. Gross. Weird. Profane. Bonkers.
But I kept reading. 

Review: The I Scream Truck

The I Scream Truck by I.M. Eerie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

John is the only one who thinks something is "off" with the new neighborhood ice cream truck and its driver, Mr. Twisty. His suspicions increase when he notices the truck making late night deliveries... but he soon finds out that by asking too many questions he may learn more than he bargained for.

The I Scream Truck by I.M. Eerie is "horror" with a small-h, written specifically for younger/middle-grade readers (ages 8-12). Even though it isn't aimed at adults, as long as they understand who the target reader is, older readers will also enjoy it. I know that I did. 

This is a fantastic, spooky children's book. It's suspenseful, with unexpected villains and allies, and full of surprising revelations and twists - and I'm not talking about just the ice scream cones. The action moves along at just the right pace to keep readers interested and wanting to know what happens next.

One of the elements that I loved most about this book is that the relationship between siblings John and Kat feels very real. They argue. They're competitive. They get on each other's nerves... but when things get hairy, the two of them stand together and help each other. 

If a child in your life likes spooky books, or is curious, The I Scream Truck should be on their "to be read" pile. It shouldn't come as a surprise that there are some (mildly) scary moments, but the author keeps the creepiness-factor age appropriate. If you're at all concerned I'd recommend reading the book yourself first, or, better yet, read it together with them.  

The I Scream Truck by I.M. Eerie publishes on August 25, 2026.

Thanks to the author, and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Aladdin, for providing an ARC of the book for my review. 

Review: The Talisman

The Talisman by Stephen King & Peter Straub
My rating: 5 of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“It occurred to him dimly that you could only express your ownership of a thing in terms of how freely you could give it up”

― Stephen King & Peter Straub, The Talisman

In the Fall of 1981, 12 year old Jack Sawyer sets out on a cross-country, and cross-world, quest. His goal: to save the lives of his mother and her Twinner, the Queen of The Territories - a parallel world that a much younger Jack knew as his "Daydreams". His quest isn't just to save their lives - it's also crucial to save all the worlds. But evil and unscrupulous people, led by Morgan Sloat, the business partner of Jack's deceased father, will do anything in their power to stop Jack, recognizing that his success means their failure, and possible destruction. 

I absolutely LOVED The Talisman - it has some of the most vile (Morgan, Osmond), and most heroic (Jack, Wolf), characters ever conceived by the minds of these two giants of the horror world. It's a coming-of-age tale that highlights the importance of belief, persistence, love and friendships in the battle of Good versus Evil without becoming maudlin. It's also a reminder about being willing to let go of the people and things you love so they can do what they are meant to do. 

Review: Akarnae

Akarnae by Lynette Noni (Book 1 of The Medoran Chronicles)
My rating: 5 of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Akarnae by Lynette Noni is a young adult, coming-of-age, fantasy. Although there aren't any wizards or witches, the story reminds me in many ways of the Harry Potter books, with a touch of Magic Kingdom For Sale...Sold! by Terry Brooks tossed in for good measure.

16 year old Alexandra Jennings, Alex to her friends, steps through a door and finds herself stranded in Medora, and quickly enrolled in Akarnae Academy, a school for gifted students. With no way to return home, she settles in with her friends' help, and becomes more comfortable in most of her ... unusual ... classes. She also uncovers some of the school's mysteries, and, perhaps most surprising, she learns she may have a larger role than just being a student.. a role that may be crucial in preserving the Medoran people against an ancient threat that has reappeared. 

Akarnae is terrific tale of found family, full of adventure, secrets, surprises, hidden places and unexpected danger. The story is an intriguing, fun, fast-paced read, and I was reluctant to put it down at night. I'm really looking forward to reading Noni's second book in the series, Raelia. 

Recommended especially for tweens and teens, and anyone who enjoys a fun fantasy full of adventure and intrigue!

Thanks to Astra Publishing House for providing an eARC to review via #NetGalley 

The US edition of Akarnae releases on Sept 22, 2026.

#MedoranTeamUS #MedoranABFYR

Review: Night Soldiers

Night Soldiers by Paul Michael Kane
My rating: 5 of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

   Under the bed is where the 

darkness lives.

   Now, adults think darkness is 

simply the absence of light. That is a 

charming theory.

   Unfortunately, it is completely 

wrong.

   Darkness is a place.

I recently read Night Soldiers by Paul Michael Kane. It's a short story, in chapbook form, about the battle that occurs every night as children drift off to sleep and the night soldiers awaken to keep the monsters under the bed at bay. I LOVED IT, and can't wait to share this story with my grandchildren. 

Stan is a stuffed sloth who wakes each night as his boy, Parker, falls asleep. His goal: protect Parker from the monsters that emerge from the darkness under the bed. I won't spoil anything here, but will just say that poor Stan has his work cut out for him as wave after wave of different types of monsters try to get past his defenses and reach the sleeping Parker.

The design of this book is fantastic! It has a very cool cover, pairing a "Starry Night" blanket with a stuffed sloth under the bed, ready for battle against the approach of shadowy tendrils. And the two-column layout practically pulled my eyes down the page! 

I also loved the imagery - describing fear as a living thing that "grows best when it has time" and the sound one monster makes as something that "creeps into dreams." 

I also enjoyed the few nods to Stephen King's IT story.

Night Soldiers can be purchased directly from Paul Michael Kane's online store here: Night Soldiers purchase link

Review: Ender's Tribe

Ender's Tribe by Orson Scott Card
My rating: 4 of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ender's Tribe is a collection of 8 stories set in the Ender Universe. Those who are familiar with Ender's Game - the novel, NOT the mediocre film adaptation from 2013 - will feel right at home diving into this collection which includes, among others, the original Ender's Game short story.

Each of these stories involves at least one character from the Ender Universe, and reading them is like visiting with an old friend, and hearing tales of their adventures since the last time we got together. 

What this collection is missing is something new. The 8 stories included here have all been published elsewhere, but collecting them as they are in this book provides a nice overview of the events that occur before, during, and after the final battle with the Formics.  All in all, this is a solid, enjoyable collection, but I recommend reading the Ender's Game novel first, to avoid spoilers and gain some familiarity with many of the characters featured here. 

Some of my favorites from this collection are: 

Ender’s Game - 

The original short story that was the basis for the longer Ender's Game novel and the series of stories that followed. I read this when it was first published in Analog magazine many years ago and it is as compelling a tale today as it was back then. 

Ender’s Stocking - 

Focuses on the Wiggins family, mainly older brother Peter and his mother, as Christmas approaches and they each deal with their reactions to Andrew (Ender) being away at Battle School. Ever ambitious, and jealous, Peter tries to find ways to gain influence and recognition, while his mother mourns the absence of her youngest and the impact that the Formic Wars have had on her family.

The Gold Bug - 

A story set on one of the Formic colony worlds which has been occupied by humans since the total destruction of the "Buggers." In this story a pair of colonists head out on an expedition to explore more of the planet and find some unusual, and dangerous, remnants of the Formic colonization. 

Renegat - 

This story stood out for me in large part because it reminded me of the original Speaker For The Dead novel. Andrew Wiggin, and his sister Valentine, arrive on a planet "speak the death" of a brilliant xenobiologist, and to learn whether his death was connected to his study of possible intelligence within local creatures. 

Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for providing an eARC to review via NetGalley!

Ender's Tribe releases on Oct 20, 2026