January 26, 2021
By Paul Goat Allen
As a genre fiction book reviewer for almost the last three decades, I’ve seen firsthand the slow but persistent evolution of all genre categories—science fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery, horror, etc.—and it has been a glorious growth to witness. There is no question about it: today’s genre fiction is much different […]
December 9, 2020
By Paul Goat Allen
The pseudonymous N.L. Holmes burst onto the literary scene in 2020 with not one but two stellar sagas: the Lord Hani series, a historical mystery saga set in pharaonic Egypt during the reign of Akhenaten; and the Empire at Twilight, a historical fiction series which takes place in the last […]
October 21, 2020
Growing up and now living back in Upstate New York, I’ve always loved Halloween. The temperatures drop, the leaves on the trees turn kaleidoscopic colors, and the air smells like ripe apples and cinnamon sticks. Yeah, there’s the trick-or-treating and the gluttonous consumption of candy afterwards but seeking out and […]
August 11, 2020
I’ve reviewed a lot of books over the last 25+ years and many of those have featured formulaic, rehashed, and predictable storylines, premises, and ideas. When it comes to traditionally published titles, I get it—publishers need to make money and they only publish what books that they think are going […]
July 30, 2020
Yeah, 2020 has been a nightmare thus far—and the pandemic is just one burning bag of garbage in this blazing dumpster fire of a year. Every day seems to introduce some new horror, and—to no one’s surprise—people are turning to novels to temporarily escape all of the stress and existential […]
July 6, 2020
Fiction, at its very best, elicits a powerful emotional response—be it fear, sadness, joy, or sexual arousal. Achieving the latter, however, may be the most difficult challenge to writers. Decades ago, when I first started editing and reviewing for B&N, one of my very first interviews was with the legendary […]
June 8, 2020
Some people enjoy gardening in their free time. Or watching movies. I like to examine weekly bestselling lists—and watch the various mainstream fiction and genre fiction categories rise and fall in popularity. I’ve been doing it for decades—and it’s quite fascinating to try to connect the popularity of genre categories […]
February 10, 2016
By Irene Sanders Celebrate the month of love with BlueInk Review! From fiction to self-help, these titles offering both sweetness and spice are guaranteed to make your February a memorable one.
Molly Takes the Cake by the Taylor Sisters: This delightfully charming romance revolves around bakery-owner Molly, who has been waiting patiently for long-distance […]
October 20, 2015
Looking for a collection of books to chill your spine, curdle your blood, and get you ready for Halloween? Look no further! Fall is in the air and the holiday is nearly upon us. Check out our collection of books to get you into the “spirit”.
Ethics of the Undead, by Loren Schechter. Here’s a surprising […]
August 13, 2015
By Irene Sanders
That inevitable time of year has come again: school bells begin to ring and students start their classes. Between making sure your kids have their new folders and freshly shined shoes, take the time to crack the binding on a fantastic self-published book! BlueInk Review has uncovered several titles that can be […]
