Review: Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

  

Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

Hanover Square Press

Publication date: April 14th, 2026

Hardcover. 352 pages.

About Japanese Gothic:

"In this lyrical, wildly inventive horror novel interwoven with Japanese mythology, two people living centuries apart discover a door between their worlds.

October, 2026: Lee Turner doesn’t remember how or why he killed his college roommate. The details are blurred and bloody. All he knows is he has to flee New York and go to the one place that might offer refuge—his father’s new home in Japan, a house hidden by sword ferns and wild ginger. But something is terribly wrong with the house: no animals will come near it, the bedroom window isn't always a window, and a woman with a sword appears in the yard when night falls.

October, 1877: Sen is a young samurai in exile, hiding from the imperial soldiers in a house behind the sword ferns. A monster came home from war wearing her father’s face, but Sen would do anything to please him, even turn her sword on her own mother. She knows the soldiers will soon slaughter her whole family when she sees a terrible omen: a young foreign man who appears outside her window.

One of these people is a ghost, and one of these stories is a lie.

Something is hiding beneath the house of sword ferns, and Lee and Sen will soon wish they never unburied it."

I loved Kylie Lee Baker’s previous book, Bat Eater, so I was very much looking forward to Japanese Gothic and had pretty high expectations. While I think Japanese Gothic does a lot of things really well and I generally find it to be a really well-written story, I ended up having some mixed feelings about this one.

The story follows two characters, Sen and Lee, who are separated by centuries but end up connected due to one mildly haunted (of sorts) house. I thought the setup was really interesting and unique, and this premise combined with the oppressive atmosphere that Baker developed provided a lot of potential for something incredibly layered and intense--which Japanese Gothic definitely did deliver on.

If there’s one thing that Baker does just as well in this book as she did in Bat Eater, it’s her ability to create an atmosphere that feels alive and almost overwhelming in its heaviness. Baker’s writing style is incredibly thoughtful and works incredibly well to create some genuinely creepy elements in this book, which contributes to an overall tone that feels haunted and claustrophobic. I felt like I was caught in Lee’s dark mental struggles, as well as the tense currents that were present within Sen’s experiences.

All this being said, I struggled a bit more with the plot and story itself. There were some aspects that just felt a bit disjointed, and for much of the book I found myself unsure of what was really going on plot-wise. And I don’t mean that I genuinely was unsure what was happening, but just that it felt like there was a lot of constant building toward something, but it just felt like I was always waiting for it to really come together, and by the time it did it just lacked something that really felt satisfying. I kept reading largely because of Baker’s writing, which really captivates me, and because I kept expecting something to hit at some point.

I did find Sen’s storyline interesting, particularly her dynamic with her father and family, which added some intriguing depth and layers to the overall plot. I think her sections had a bit more to really follow and get into, whereas Lee’s felt much more static and lacking in things to make me feel more connected to his story. I think Lee’s sections almost leaned too much in flashbacks and time spent within his mind and imagination to where I almost felt like I never really knew who Lee was in the present--and perhaps that was part of the point of the story? But it just didn’t fully work for me, I don’t think.

I really liked how Baker connected the two timelines and thought it was a very interesting liminal-like almost gap in time that caused this interaction, and I was intrigued by that aspect. I found the actual connection between the two characters initially well-done, but it started losing some of its groundedness as the story progressed, which made it harder for me to feel like I could really get behind it.

There are some strong twists and turns throughout the book, and while some felt a bit expected, others held weight that added some truly fascinating developments and were woven well into the story. I think some of those, especially ones closer to the end of the book, were some of the strong aspects of the story. And what I’ve noticed from Baker with this book is that I think she really hits on those intense, emotional, more terrifying moments incredibly well, and this is what really makes her write creeping, haunting horror so well. It just feels so raw and devastating and messy, all of which are excellent for the story.

Overall, Japanese Gothic is one of those books where the writing and the vibes really carried the story for me, and the plot itself was lacking ever so slightly. My review is probably a little all over the place because I've struggled with what to say about this story, but hopefully I've been able to share some somewhat helpful thoughts. It was just missing a little something that would have made it feel that much more compelling and cohesive for me, but was still a strong story that I don’t regret reading at all. I will absolutely continue to read more from Kylie Lee Baker, and I’d recommend this for any fans of her previous work or for those who enjoy a thoughtful, slow-build, atmospheric horror.

*I received a copy of Japanese Gothic courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating or enjoyment.*

Buy the book: Bookshop.org | Amazon

Review: The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer

 

The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer

Atria Books

Publication date: April 21st, 2026

Hardcoover. 320 pages.

About The Caretaker:

"From Marcus Kliewer, a new “titan of the macabre and unsettling” (Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author), comes a supernatural horror about a young woman who accepts a caretaking job from Craigslist, only to discover the position has consequences far greater—and more dangerous—than she ever could have imagined.

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY: Caretaker urgently needed. Three days of work. Competitive pay. Serious applicants ONLY.

Macy Mullins can’t say why the job posting grabbed her attention—it had the pull of a fisherman’s lure, barbed hook and all—vaguely ominous. But after an endless string of failed job interviews, she's not exactly in the position to be picky. She has rent to pay, groceries to buy, and a younger sister to provide for.

Besides, it’s only three days’ work…

Three days, cooped up in a stranger’s house, surrounded by Oregon Coast wilderness.

What starts as a peculiar side gig soon becomes a waking nightmare. An incomprehensible evil may dwell on this property—and Macy Mullins might just be the only thing standing between it, and the rest of humanity.

Follow the Rites...

Follow the Rites...

Follow the Rites...

..--- / ..... / ---.."

The Caretaker has easily been one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and I’m very happy to report that I loved it.

I really loved Kliewer’s previous book, We Used to Live Here--it was exactly what I wanted from a psychological horror story. It completely threw my mind for a loop and I couldn’t stop thinking about it, so naturally I was extremely excited when The Caretaker was announced. It’s definitely a very different story, but it still very much has some similar vibes and style to it, and I think he did an excellent job with this follow-up release.

This is a fantastic psychological horror. We follow a young woman named Macy who takes a job--albeit a bit of an odd one in disguise--from a Craigslist ad, which is probably always a risky thing to do, but here we are (I mean, it’s always likely a Craigslist ad will lead to an interesting story, right?). She’s asked to be the caretaker of a house for one weekend, which seems easy enough. But then she learns the strange tasks she has to complete to honor the wishes of the owner’s rather eccentric-seeming late husband. She’s a bit skeptical going in, but the pay is more than she can pass up, so she accepts, and this is where our story takes off.

I liked that Macy is generally pretty smart, but also stubborn enough that she still made choices that left me so unbelievably annoyed. But that’s the best part, because every person has a very different approach to how they handle things and their anxiety levels, and therefore the decisions made are always different and we get to see how different scenarios play out.

This is one of those stories where you feel like you know everything that’s going to happen, but you also don’t because you just have a feeling things will be different. It feels simple, but also not. As things start unfolding, there’s a very strong sense of losing control that really hit hards, and that’s what made this such a compelling read for me. You never really know where things are going or if they’re ever going to stop, and the way everything escalates is so captivating and doesn’t make any sense at all (in the best way possible). The Caretaker really just keeps you guessing the entire time, but it does so in a way where you feel like you know the next outcome, but somehow you still don’t quite know it. It’s wonderful and something I really love in books like these.

I’m actually finding it a little difficult to say too much more about this book because this really feels like the type of story you need to go into knowing as little as possible, and almost anything I say will feel like a spoiler, so I’m doing my best to keep it vague but still give you some good feedback.

Kliewer’s writing is thoughtful, accessible, and conveys everything it needs to without being too verbose--or without saying too little. He manages to create an incredible creeping unease in ways that just make the pages fly by. It doesn’t feel like a traditional haunted horror story or anything clearly defined, but it still crafts the delightful feeling of things being off in a really effective, psychological manner. You know something is wrong the entire time, but you don’t know what it is. There’s a monster, but where? Is it supernatural in nature? Is it something else entirely? It doesn’t neatly fit into a box, and I love that about The Caretaker (and also what I loved about We Used to Live Here!). They just feel different in the best way.

I will say that the ending was one of my favorite parts of this book, and it really is what made this book such a winner for me. I really appreciate what Kliewer chose to do. I know a lot of people didn’t love the ending of We Used to Live Here, but I think in some ways this one is a bit stronger and will still be polarizing, but for different reasons. It felt utterly fitting to the story, and it honestly just made me even more sure about reading everything Kliewer chooses to write.

If you liked The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay, I think you should give this one a read. If you didn’t like it, I still think you should try this--it’s different enough, but there are some vibes and ideas that overlap that I feel like makes it an interesting and somewhat relevant reference point.

It’s probably obvious, but I really loved this one. I can’t recommend it enough, and I can’t stop thinking about it. I think for the right reader, this will be a huge hit--and I’m very glad I’m the right person for it.

*I received a copy of The Caretaker courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating or enjoyment.*

Buy the book: Bookshop.org | Amazon

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Dorians by Nick Cutter, Under a Carnivore Sky by Brianna Jett, & The Library After Dark by Ande Pliego

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! 

The Dorians by Nick Cutter

Publication: May 19th, 2026

Gallery Books

Hardcover. 400 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"On a remote island in the Canadian wilderness, five elderly volunteers from different walks of life are given a tantalizing offer: to stall their biological clocks or even reverse them, restoring their lost youth. The chance to put death on pause—forever, perhaps. The remarkable secret lies in the high-tech harnessing of an ancient and extraordinary biological agent…one with no conscience, yet possessed with a single-minded purpose that has helped it persist for eons: the will to survive. The dark heart of unbridled human ambition finds its apex in an unholy experiment that now tests the limits of both creator and subject, eclipsing all bounds of morality and sanity…."

This sounds like it could get pretty weird, and knowing Nick Cutter... it will be. 

Under a Carnivore Sky by Brianna Jett

Publication: May 12th, 2026

Page Street YA

Hardcover. 304 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"I’m the only one left hunting the monster, the only one left with a chance of saving us all.

Raised in a town surrounded by a labyrinthian, man-eating swamp, Lili craves nothing more than to track down the monster lurking in its depths and kill it.

The monster’s curse claims the flesh and bone of every adult in town, stealing them away, piece by piece. For generations, people have tried to kill it or escape the town altogether, but every path out of town leads them right back in.

Caleb, a bookish boy with dreams of freedom, is hungry to escape. He thinks that with Lili’s help and knowledge of the swamp, he can make a map to freedom. And Lili hopes that with a better sense of its territory, she might finally find and kill the monster.

Together, they chart the swamp’s shifting terrain. Sharing in the danger and the beauty of the landscape sparks a friendship between them―and then something more. However, what they discover disrupts everything Lili thought she knew about the town, her father, the monster―even herself. The truth at the root of the curse could devour them all. And Lili must decide if risking her life to be the town’s savior is worth sacrificing her own chance of escape."

I know I don't really read YA anymore, but I'm a little bit of a sucker for a premise like this, so.. I'd definitely check it out!

The Library After Dark by Ande Pliego

Publication: May 5th, 2026

Bantam

Hardcover. 368 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"'Irresistible—bright and sharp and rife with danger, like a shard of mirror.'—A. J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

Not all fairytales were meant for children.

Aria Stokes is finally feeling settled—she lives in a tiny New York apartment, works as a bookseller at a local shop, and has even taken a leap of faith in love by indulging her attraction to bookstore regular Jasper. And he seems to already know her so well.

As a Valentine’s Day surprise, Jasper gets the two of them tickets to an exclusive, after-dark tour of the Daedalus Library—the grandiose establishment famed for its immersive genre-based reading rooms and, more notoriously, its rumored hauntings. While Aria normally loves all things ghastly, this place holds more dark secrets than she’d prefer Jasper to know. Like that the last time she was here, she left a body behind.

But when the automatic-door entry malfunctions and Aria, Jasper, and the five other people in their tour group become trapped in the library, they are forced to venture through the storied rooms and hidden passageways of the Daedalus in search of escape . . . and Aria quite literally has nowhere to hide from the shadows of her past. Then the group learns there’s a murderer in their midst.

Now, as she tries to break out of the library’s intricate reading rooms, Aria has to decide who she can trust—and what secrets are best kept buried—if she wants to make it out alive."

I just got an ARC of this, so I'm excited to check it out--this sounds like a fun little mystery in the perfect setting! I'm always up for a locked room premise. 

Review: West of Wicked by Nikki St. Crowe

West of Wicked by Nikki St. Crowe

Bramble

Publication date: April 14th, 2026

Hardcover. 320 pages.

About West of Wicked:

"Dorothy Gale doesn’t know where she came from. She has only the vaguest memory of her life before landing in the dull, gray world of the vast Kansas prairie.

Then a cyclone rips through the night and carries her, her dog, and the farmhouse somewhere a lot farther than Dorothy imagined. She’s in a strange land that’s apparently cursed, shrouded in shadow. And to get home, Dorothy needs to seek out a wizard, following a treacherous path and watch out for a never-ending list of forest beasts, witches, a cursed mercenary, and perhaps most dangerous of all, the wizard himself.

Nikki St. Crowe vividly reimagines the world of the Wizard of Oz, where the villain gets the girl...and the girl gets the power."

West of Wicked wasn’t a book that I was specifically planning to pick up, but when I received a copy from the publisher I was excited to give it a read since I found Nikki St. Crowe’s Never King series so fun. I’m glad I decided to give this one a read because it was very different from her other series in a lot of ways, but still stayed true to really reinventing a classic story.

The story follows the general Wizard of Oz background and the general story beats we are all familiar with, such as Dorothy living with her aunt and uncle, the house being swept away and landing in Oz, and of course, Toto’s delightful presence, and I found all of these great aspects of the story to revisit and to help it feel grounded. What I most enjoyed was how the author chose to subvert the story using some classic elements from the original to be transformed into something different and entirely unique. That’s one of my favorite things in any retelling or story inspired by a classic: seeing how they choose to incorporate recognizable elements from said classic and all the ways they choose to change things while retaining some minor details that make it feel respectful of the original material.

Even with characters like the Scarecrow and the Tin Man, it was such a delight to see how she took the core ideas for those characters--being heartless, lacking a brain, etc.--and played with them in ways that were really imaginative and interesting, and I think that’s the strongest aspect of this entire book for me.

The plot itself is interesting and fun to follow and has some compelling layers to it. That being said, this also feels like the type of book that isn’t meant to be “overthought.” It’s not overly dense or complicated, but rather feels like something you’re meant to experience in the moment where you can enjoy the drama, intrigue, and all the twists and turns as they unfold.

Dorothy herself is a really great character to follow-we do always love a strong woman who knows how to stand up for herself. I appreciated seeing her internal conflicts over figuring out what she truly wants for herself in her life, and whether she can make those choices for herself--without feeling selfish, which is her biggest struggle--or if she wants to continue making choices just to make other people happy. She’s also very resourceful, determined… and very aware of the attractive men she meets.

The supporting characters were also very interesting and well-crafted. There are more than you might expect in this book, and we get multiple points of view, which I enjoyed. It added a lot of much-needed background and perspective from different sides, and I think it helped build out the world in a more well-rounded way, as well, which helped it feel more solid. This is something that I think Crowe consistently does: building a strong cast and giving each one their own thread and development, which adds a lot to the story overall.

I don’t have many negative things to say about this book, but I will say that there were definitely a few moments throughout where I found myself pausing and thinking to myself, “Really? That’s how you’d react to that?”, but not necessarily in a way that detracted from my experience. It was more in a way where I was just aware that it felt a little odd or silly, but I could shrug and keep going. It’s more the type of story where you know what you’re getting into and you’re just here for the ride.

I think questioning every little detail would actually take away from what is special about this story, and what is special is following a bold, confident protagonist who is ready to put herself into complicated, dangerous situations to reach her goals. This book works best when you let yourself stay in the moment with her on her journey. And I absolutely do not mean that there’s no substance in this book, because there absolutely is, it’s just not a story that demands deep analysis on every page.

I think romance readers will definitely like the romance aspects of this story, and although I am not personally a huge romance reader myself so therefore wasn’t all that invested in that part of the story, I do think the author balanced the romance within the greater plot really well. There’s a bit of a budding romance, but it never felt overwhelming or took over the story. If you don’t like romance, I think there’s still plenty in this book for you to enjoy, and if you do like romance, then there’s some nice romance in there as well for you.

And for those who may be wondering, especially if you’re familiar with Nikki St. Crowe’s other work--there were only two main sex scenes in this book, but they’re not especially long or intense. If that’s not your thing, I think they are very easy to skip, and if they are your thing, then they are there waiting for you. If you’re specifically hoping for as much smut as the Never King series, then that’s not quite present in this book [at least not in this first book!].

I ended up speeding through this book pretty quickly, which was a very pleasant surprise, as I found it very readable and easy to get into with plenty of exciting twists and plot developments. If this sounds like a fun read to you or if you like the Wizard of Oz and want to try out a version that does some new and subversive things with the story, then I think you’ll really enjoy this one and I encourage you to give it a read!

*I received a copy of West of Wicked courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating or enjoyment.*

Buy the book: Bookshop.org | Amazon

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Accumulation by Aimee Pokwatka, Homebound by Portia Elan, That Which Feeds Us by Keala Kendall

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released!

Accumulation by Aimee Pokwatka

Publication: May 5th, 2026

G.P. Putnam's Sons

Hardcover. 336 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"A twisty, searing, conversation-starting novel about a filmmaker-turned-housewife who moves into her dream house and is forced to consider whether it's the house or herself that is haunted.

When documentary filmmaker turned stay-at-home mom Tennessee Cherish moves into the the dream house her husband bought for her, a brighter future seems to be on the horizon. Even if her husband is frustratingly absent due to his new high-paying job. Even if their two young children begin acting out in strange ways. Even if she feels lonelier than ever.

Distracted by the endless details that come with moving into a new town, a new house, and new schools, Tenn doesn’t notice when odd things begin happening at home. The faucet that runs at all hours. The creepy doll that seems to show up in every room. The human tooth they found in the floorboards.

As the kids’ outbursts and the strange events start to escalate, the family finds themselves increasingly caught in loops, repeating everyday actions with dangerous—and then devastating—effects. Tenn realizes she must find the source of what is haunting her family, before it kills them all.

Taut and twisty, scary and searing, Aimee Pokwatka’s Accumulation lays bare the high price women pay for the promises of domesticity and motherhood, and the many ways in which families can be haunted."

A woman having to figure out if she or her house is haunted... sounds like something I want to find out, haha. 

Homebound by Portia Elan

Publication: May 5th, 2026

Scribner

Hardcover. 304 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"Five interlocking lives. One beloved story. A dazzling adventure across centuries and continents in search of the things that hold us together.

“A joy—at once a gripping mystery that confidently spans centuries, and a hauntingly beautiful exploration of what makes us human...It kept me up all night!” —Madeline Miller, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Circe and Song of Achilles

It’s 1983 and Becks can’t wait to get the hell out of Cincinnati. She’s nineteen, blasting her Walkman, and hiding from the fact that her beloved uncle, the only person who understood her, is dead. But she has work to do: he left her a half-finished game to complete—one last collaboration to find her way out of loneliness.

Little does she know, what Becks is making will echo far into the future and shape the lives of a scientist, a sentient automaton, and a flinty sea captain in ways she cannot imagine. All are bound together by their search for connection—and by a futuristic traveler on a mysterious mission through space.

A novel about our deep interconnectedness, Homebound is a clear-eyed, hopeful adventure into humanity’s future and capacity for love."

I'm not really sure what to expect from this one, but it sounds really intriguing and I can't wait to find out more about it.

That Which Feeds Us by Keala Kendall

Publication: May 5th, 2026

Random House

Hardcover. 352 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"A native Hawaiian teen travels to a luxury island resort in search of her missing twin and uncovers the dark side of paradise, in this YA supernatural thriller that's Mexican Gothic meets She is a Haunting.

"This astounding book is both a finger pointed directly at the rotting heart of colonial greed and a truly heart-pounding mystery." — Andrew Joseph White, New York Times bestselling author of Compound Fracture

For the world’s wealthiest, Kōpaʻa Island Resort is more than a destination. It’s the ultimate escape. With no cell service or Wi-Fi, the Hawaiian island is a coveted wellness retreat renowned for its persimmon orchard and promises of rejuvenation.

But their dream vacation is Lehua’s nightmare. When her twin sister, Ohia, goes missing, Lehua follows her trail to Kōpaʻa to find her. Instead, Lehua is cut off from civilization—and help—after the island’s boat leaves without her, stranding her with the resort’s lavish guests and enigmatic staff.

As Lehua investigates Ohia’s disappearance, she discovers her missing sister isn’t the island’s only mystery. Kōpaʻa’s rich exterior and sweet persimmons hide its dark plantation past. And Lehua can’t ignore the dreams haunting her each night—nor the warning telling her to leave the island at once. To uncover what happened to Ohia, Lehua will have to unearth the island’s bloody history and face the horrors that lurk within its sugarcane fields—or risk being consumed by them.

Sharply observed and gorgeously written, That Which Feeds Us explores the true cost of paradise as Lehua must fight to reclaim the land, the stories, and the very souls of her people."

A Hawaiian gothic thriller... I'm totally down for that. I don't read much YA, but I can't say no to this premise!

Review: The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances by Glenn Dixon

 

The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances by Glenn Dixon

Atria Books

Publication date: April 7th, 2026

Paperback. 224 pages.

About The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances:

"In a near future, where even the smallest of appliances are sentient, a young Roomba vacuum sets out to save the humans of her house from a rising technological power in this compelling, original novel.

In a self-running, smart house, a young and sentient Roomba listens as her owner, Harold, reads aloud to his dying wife, Edie. Mesmerized by To Kill a Mockingbird and craving the human connection she witnesses in Harold’s stories, the little vacuum renames herself Scout and embarks on a journey of self-discovery.

But when Edie passes away, Scout and her fellow sentient appliances discover that there are sinister forces in their midst. The omnipresent Grid, which monitors every household in the City, seeks to remove Harold from his home, a place he’s lived in for fifty years.

With the help of Adrian, a neighborhood boy who grows close to Scout and Harold, as well as Kate, Harold and Edie’s formerly estranged daughter, the humans and the appliances must come together to outwit the all-controlling Grid lest they risk losing everything they hold dear."

As a Brave Little Toaster enthusiast, when I first heard about this book I knew without a doubt that I would have to read it. It was made for me (and I was especially pleased when I saw the author mention that influence in his acknowledgments sections--I’m glad I wasn’t crazy for thinking it!).

This is a story about appliances and humans, but at its core is our protagonist: a Roomba vacuum who has named herself Scout. Scout is an advanced model of vacuum and is deeply curious about the world around her. I loved her innocent curiosity and her commitment to doing everything in her power (whether it’s allowed or not) to help the humans she’s tasked with caring for.

In this world, everything is controlled by something called the Grid. All appliances, including those inside the home outside of it, such as cars (“Autos"), operate under the Grid’s directions. In Scout’s household, their leader is Watch, a device worn on the wrist of a human named Harold. Watch keeps everything in order, ensuring all appliances under his purview follow their routines automatically, allow for updates, and function exactly as they are expected. The most important rule that must be followed above all else, however, is simple: prevent humans from experiencing pain.

I really loved how Dixon chose to explore what that rule really means. Humans are meant to avoid pain, but what is pain? On the surface, the appliances interpret this to mean physical pain, something that is clear and measurable and able to be avoided. But as Scout begins to learn more about the humans around her, she begins to question this and wonders if those definitions aren’t quite right. Are there other types of pain--some that might not be physically seen, but instead felt within a human’s mind? Is something called ‘sadness’ also causing pain? And what exactly is the idea of beauty? Can appliances or machines of any type sense beauty? Feel sad? Experience those same emotions humans can? Can they experience some form of it in their own right? These questions are explored in such thoughtful and gentle ways throughout the book, and I really enjoying thinking about them alongside Scout. 

I had such a great time getting to know Scout and learn about her duties over the course of this story, and I really loved seeing her development and curiosity grow. In addition, I enjoyed meeting all of the other appliances, such as Fridge and Clock, and I appreciated how they all had very unique and distinct personalities. I feel like it could be difficult to develop the personalities of machines that work in a household, but somehow Dixon did this really well. I also found the plot aspect of following Harold in the aftermath of losing his life partner really compelling and realistic in a very quiet way. It was interesting to see the ripples of the loss throughout the household, and I especially loved the introduction of Aidan's character, as well as seeing how Harold's daughter fit into everything (and her own complicated history).

This is a rather bittersweet story at times, as might be expected given the premise. There are moments that are very sweet and heartfelt, and there's a quiet sense of hopefulness that runs throughout this story. There is also, as you might expect from the title, a bit of sadness and melancholy that is also present throughout the book. It's not an overly dramatic book, but it becomes more and more affecting emotionally as you progress in the story.

Overall, I absolutely recommend this one to readers who want a book that feels slow paced and low stakes, but also isn't that at all--and if that doesn't make any sense to you, it doesn't make a lot of sense to me, either, but it fits, so be sure to check it out to find out for yourself. 

*I received a copy of The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating or enjoyment.*

Buy the book: Bookshop.org | Amazon

Review: The Tricky Business of Faerie Bargains by Reena McCarty

The Tricky Business of Faerie Bargains by Reena McCarty

Orbit

Publication date: April 7th, 2026

Paperback. 416 pages.

About The Tricky Business fo Faerie Bargains:

"Discover a world of enchanted contracts, faerie intrigue and French toast, in this delightful debut packed full of wit, charm, adventure and heart, with a dash of magical bureaucracy and a sprinkling of romance.

When Poppy Hill was a child, she was stolen from her family's Montana homestead and taken 'Otherside' to the land of the fae, where she spent more than a century as a cook in the Wild King's castle. Now back in the human world, she works for a company that brokers faerie bargains, checking for loopholes in their contracts.

But when a bargain that Poppy is negotiating goes disastrously wrong, she must return to the world she grew up in to try to rectify her mistake, facing danger, intrigue and a pesky ex-boyfriend along the way."

The Tricky Business of Faerie Bargains has a captivating start that pulled me in right away. I was immediately taken in by this concept of having what is essentially a law firm that handles bargains between the Fae and humans. Humans can make requests, such as for things like fame, beauty, or other desires, in exchange for time spent in the Fae world. For example, someone might agree to spend five years in the Fae realm, which could equate to only a single weekend in the human world--as long as everything is carefully agreed upon beforehand. Of course, as notoriously tricky as the Fae are, any and all bargains must be meticulously and carefully worded to avoid any sneaky loopholes or tricks from the Fae.  This is where our protagonist, Poppy Hill, comes in. She spent more than a century in the Fae world before returning to the hill world, which of course comes with many of its own challenges, but also makes her uniquely suited to succeeding at a job such as this.

Our story really begins, however, when Poppy negotiates a particularly difficult bargain that ends up going horribly wrong, and as a result she is forced back into the Fae world to try and fix what happened. Poppy was a really interesting character, and I loved seeing how all of her time spent in the Fae world shaped her decisions and actions in both the human and Fae world, and especially how it made her so incredibly aware and capable of the many dangers that existed around her. It’s always nice to have a capable protagonist!

As soon as we entered the Fae world, I was hooked. I really enjoyed exploring McCarty’s version of the Fae and how this world was crafted. There are a lot of small details that make it feel vibrant, strange, and entirely intriguing, and I liked how much thought clearly went into shaping it. It feels classic, yet also still new and exciting. It’s also a version of the Fae that I love that comes with very real and often intense consequences for all actions, which is something that I always appreciate in any story with the Fae.

I also really liked the overall tone and atmosphere of this story. I feel like it hit a nice balance between whimsical and more serious with a hint of danger, which fits really well faerie stories. There’s an enjoyable sense of wonder throughout that I always love, as it’s what makes me really feel excited about exploring a new land, but there’s a strong sense that this is not something to underestimate, and you must always have your wits about you.

Everything worked really well for me in the beginning of this book, and I was genuinely invested in where the story was going. However, once we got a bit deeper into the Fae world, I found my attention starting to drift a bit more than I expected at different moments. I found that the pacing slowed down quite a lot in the middle of the book, and as a result that made it harder for me to remain fully engaged. It ended up feeling like a bit of a slog at times, even though I still liked the overall concept and direction of the story. I wouldn’t say the pacing was egregiously off or anything, but it did feel like it could have used a bit of tightening up.

In some ways, I really enjoyed this one, and in others I feel as though I don’t have all that much to say. It’s a solid, interesting Fae story that does what it sets out to do, but it didn't particularly stick with me. That being said, I could actually see myself revisiting this as an audiobook, as I would like to revisit this world and try to connect with it better. I think there are some elements here that my click better for me in a different format, and I’d be curious to see if that changes my overall experience with it. 

Overall, this is a great choice for fans of the Faerie world and those who love exploring an interesting premise.

*I received a copy of The Tricky Business of Faerie Bargains courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating or enjoyment.*

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