Tue, 11 Nov 2025 01:54:32 -0700WeeblySun, 09 Nov 2025 20:39:14 GMThttp://bookwormishme.com/reviews/with-friends-like-theseBy Alissa Lee 
** Publication Date 4 November 2025 **
​4 stars




College is a great time in a young person’s life. First time for moving away from home. Making new friends, sometimes lifelong friends. Freedom away from parents. So many changes and choices that affect the rest of your life moving forward 


Sara attended Harvard, along with her former roommates Dina, Allie, Wesley, and Bee. While they are now in their forties, they have continued the tradition of playing Circus. Circus was their residence hall’s annual game of assassin, where you drew a name randomly, and it was your job to hunt that person down and ‘assassinate’ them with a water gun. Pretty much a last man standing game.


The women’s former roommate Claudine was a master of the game, and they continue to play the game in her memory. Only this year, Sara does not want to participate. Allie and Bee are also hesitant. But when the rest of the group urges them on, all agree to one last round. And this time there are monetary rewards to the game.


What a crazy fun novel about grown women trying to hunt down and assassinate one another in their adult lives. Each one of them has a solid reason to want to win, mostly monetary. But what these women will do turns into quite the battle. 


As with most mystery/suspense novels, this one kept me guessing. At times the finger pointed to several of the combatants. Sara is the one telling the story, so it’s pretty clear that she’s not responsible for the things that go wrong along the way. Someone is trying to sabotage the game, and that person has inside info that only the players would know. Who could it be?


Super fast read. So well plotted to keep you guessing. These women are diverse in their characteristics and mannerisms. Really well written and planned. Definitely recommend for a fun read. 
]]>Thu, 06 Nov 2025 15:34:29 GMThttp://bookwormishme.com/reviews/final-cutBy Olivia Worley
** Publication Date 28 October 2025 **
​4 stars




Cajun folklore has some interesting characters. La Bête Verte is the one we meet in Final Cut. The Green Beast is said to live in the swamps near the town of Pine Springs, feeding on children who don’t behave. In this novel, seems like even the ones who do behave might be subject to being eaten.


Haze Lejeune is an aspiring actress. When her first big role, in a teen slasher film, comes along, there is no way to say no. After all, she’s a huge fan of horror movies. Also, nothing better than going ‘home’ to the town where you were born but have almost no memories of.


Only the first day filming, strange things start to happen. A dead rabbit in the hallway of the high school. A light falling from a standard. A secret note in the desk drawer specifically referencing Haze. And then a murder on the set. 


As teens will be teens, these kids start to want to investigate the strange happenings themselves. They’re not only wrapped up in a horror film, but the horrors surrounding the production of this film. It’s definitely all too much. 


This was a very fun read - if you can call slasher horror ‘fun.’ Haze is a tough little cookie who is determined to shed the demons of her own past by taking this role. Cameron is the hot male lead with his own past. Autumn and Wren, the director and AD. And assorted other cast members to fill out the perfect assortment of people. 


I was left wondering which specific person could seriously be committing these crimes. The finger points to several of them throughout the novel, with the exception of Haze, our leading lady and final girl. Worley does a fine job of putting suspicion on a bunch of them. But as the characters get picked off, you’re left wondering. 


Very fun. Quick read. 
]]>Fri, 31 Oct 2025 21:45:29 GMThttp://bookwormishme.com/reviews/best-wishes-from-the-full-moon-coffee-shopBy Mai Mochizuki
** Publication Date 28 October 2025 **
4 stars



The first book about the Full Moon Coffee Shop was so heartwarming. The uniqueness of the concept makes this a fun read. Everything about this novel is endearing.


The Full Moon Coffee Shop only appears when needed for those who need it the most. The Master is a human sized tortoiseshell cat who is in charge of the pop-up food truck. The Master is also responsible for providing the customer with the exact drink and food needed at that time. Mystical and magical, the entire staff of the coffee shop might appear at times as human or cat, but are neither. They are merely embodying those beings. 


In this tale we have Satomi, a workaholic who can’t make a commitment to her personal life. Koyuki, Satomi’s coworker who feels like she hasn’t had a home since her mom remarried. Junko, Satomi’s sister-in-law, who has been estranged from her father since her late teens. Each of these women is seeking something in their lives that is missing. Each will visit the Full Moon Coffee Shop to be given not only an astrological reading, but also something to soothe their souls. 


As this novel takes place during Christmastime, it has an even more special element of the season. 


The writing is beautiful. So much wisdom and thought has gone into the astrological readings that the “cats” provide. I love how the cats explain sun and moon signs. But truly what makes it so magical is the lyrical prose. The characters have those “light bulb” moments when they grasp what they are being told at the cafe. Such a lovely story.
​]]>Wed, 22 Oct 2025 00:03:34 GMThttp://bookwormishme.com/reviews/the-midnight-knockBy John Fram
** Publication Date 21 October 2025 **
​4 stars


I love books that take you on an unexpected journey. Where concepts of time and space are just blown away. Where nothing is as it seems and even the format of the book is simply crazy. The Midnight Knock is one of these.


Ethan and Hunter are traveling from Ethan’s home in Ellersby, West Texas, when they stop at a diner. Ethan has an encounter with a really strange man in a gabardine suit that has seen better days. The man tells Ethan things that are odd and frightening. 


Fernanda and Kyla are also traveling down the same road. They pass the diner where Ethan and Hunter left shortly before them. They do not stop. They continue down the road.


Somewhere along this road Ethan and Hunter run out of gas. They stop on the side of the road underneath a sign that tells them a motel is 5 miles ahead with gas and food. They begin to walk. Fernanda and Kyla pass them, but do not stop for them. Eventually they will all reach the motel.


This is no ordinary motel. And the things that will happen there will make little to no sense at all. The four travelers will be joined by others - the twins who run the motel, Stanley and his granddaughter Penelope, Sarah the physicist, Ryan Phan, and of course, the man in the gabardine suit. It is in this motel that time will bend, creatures will appear, and death will come. Again and again. 


Wild and weird and terrifying and haunting. This is a book like no other. I’m sometimes blown away by the creativity that some writers have. The way that they can catch you in a novel and trap you there. Your mind cannot let it go. This is one of those. The format of the novel will throw you at first, but then you’ll catch on. There are so many surprises throughout the story. The people you least expect to be your heroes, somehow will be. 


A little bit of fantasy, a little bit of horror, a little bit of suspense, and a lot of brilliant writing. Absolutely recommend. 
]]>Sun, 12 Oct 2025 19:25:49 GMThttp://bookwormishme.com/reviews/the-night-that-finds-us-allBy John Hornor Jacobs
** Publication Date 7 October 2025 **
​4 stars


I finished this book in record time for me. Like literally the same day. That’s how crazy good I thought it was. What a page turner. Couldn’t wait to see what happened next. 


Samantha Vineyard is a sailor. Owner of her own boat, she runs charters. At least she did. Until the boat was forced into dry dock for major repairs. Which Samantha currently can’t afford. Samantha is also an alcoholic when she’s on land. Or she is now with her boat in dry dock.


So when her old sailing pal Loick contacts her to be the chief engineer on a boat destined for the UK, she can’t turn down the pay. Loick stoically announces that the boat is haunted. He also says that is just to drum up interest in the boat. Samantha laughs it off. And then she meets the Blackwatch. 


This boat has a history, and the longer that “Vines” is on the boat, the more she starts to believe the haunted aspect. Strange things start happening. Voices are heard. Strange shadows appear. Maybe the boat isn’t so innocent after all.


Great novel. Perfect for spooky season. Jacobs definitely catches the attention of the reader and keeps you wondering what’s next through the novel. I spent the entire day glued to it. Blew my mind the kind of absolute craziness going on. It wasn’t a terribly long novel which suited me just fine. Sometimes it’s better to get to the good stuff and see what happens, than drag the book out for extra pages. 


For the horror, suspense crowd, I think it’s a must read. 
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