botm Archives

Hazelthorn

“Pain is meant to take up space or else we wouldn’t know how to scream." Author: CG Drews Evander’s past sticks in him like broken shards: half formed and half seen memories of unthinkable violence. A young blond boy, a playmate, a shovel, so much blood and viscera spilling out. And now, forever an invalid, Evander is nearly grown, secreted away in his room turned prison in the Hazelthorn estate, hidden by his billionaire guardian, Byron Lennox-Hall. He is also hidden from Hall’s beautiful, deadly grandson – Laurie – the playmate who took adventure and transformed it into attempted murder. Laurie, [...]

Frances Carden2026-10-05T19:35:25-07:00October 5th, 2026|Tags: book of the month, book review, botm, CG Drews, fantasy, Hazelthorn, horror, read, reading, ya|

Among Friends

Friends or Foes? Author: Hal Ebbott Have you ever trusted someone, only to have that trust violently upended? Have years of your friendship ever been met with secret hate and scorn? Have you ever thought that you’d do anything to undo the knowing, to go back to the way that things were? Among Friends is a surprisingly poignant and vicious look at toxic relationships and the resounding effects they have on our lives and families. It starts slowly and, frankly, pretentiously. Amos and Emerson have been friends for 20+ years, since they met over a game in college. Their bond goes [...]

Frances Carden2026-08-16T12:06:02-07:00August 16th, 2026|Tags: Among Friends, botm, literary fiction|

Cartographers, The

“Maps are love letters written to times and places their makers had explored.” Author: Peng Shepherd To us, maps may just be a means to an end, a way to navigate from point A to point B. But what are maps, actually? They are visual storytellers, magical doors that go beyond mere navigation to reveal the heart and beauty of a place, even its secrets. This is how Nell Young felt her whole life, learning from her esteemed father, Dr. Daniel Young, who is a legend in the field of cartography and high-up in the map-lovers academic paradise, the New York [...]

Frances Carden2026-05-06T11:23:03-07:00May 6th, 2026|Tags: book of the month, book review, botm, cartographers, fantasy, magical realism, Peng Shepherd, read, reading|