What happens when Nigerian culture meets Harry Potter influence? I introduce you to Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor! Young Sunny is an albino twelve year old living in Nigeria, after moving from America. She befriends a classmate and his neighbor, and discovers that she has strong magical abilities. It's up to her and her friends to defeat a man that kidnaps and murders children around the neighborhood. What's the challenge? He knows how to use juju and is a powerful man. Will Sunny and company succeed or be murdered?

Throw in dismembered bodies, several sprinkles of gore, and a pinch of PTSD...mix it all together and you get Nadine Matheson's The Jigsaw Man!

This is the way the world ends... for the last time. The Fifth Season by Hugo Award winner N. K. Jemisin is the first volume in the Broken Earth series. Following three different perspectives and experiences, Jemisin plops us into her created world full of seismic energy and other traumatic moments. If this sounds dark and a little eerie, that's because it is! Check it out and give it a chance!

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom is a story about Eddie who brutally and tragically died on his birthday. He's in Heaven and crosses paths with five people (surprise surprise). With a little dark humor and life lessons along the way, you should definitely check out this episode and read the book!

Some thoughts after reading His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie: 1. Evelyn could be my new best friend! 2. Afi has more patience than I could ever have. 3. Everything Eli and his family said were lies. 4. I just wanted Afi to live her best life! 

Haunted House. Ghosts. Voices. Murder. These are just some of the ingredients that make up Silvia Moreno-Garcia's hit horror novel, Mexican Gothic. Check it out and give it a read!

Imagine going to your high school reunion minding your business, when all of a sudden someone anonymously sends you flowers and calls you a murderer... Check out The Class Reunion by N. L. Hinkens to see how Heather Nelson deals with this exact problem!

This week's episode is The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. When the death of her cat becomes the last straw, Nora Seed decides to end it all. In doing so, she finds herself in the Midnight Library, where she can review and undo her life's regrets.

This episode review is American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Listen, I came for Pablo Schreiber (a.k.a the 7 ft tall leprechaun, Mad Sweeney), but I ended up staying for this epic, immersive story. Check it out!

How do you think you'd fare against zombies after the Civil War? Justina Ireland's Dread Nation explores what happens when slavery is abolished in a post-apocalyptic world.