Humour

 The Mayor's Race by Travis Casey

Genre: Humour, political satire

                             Rating:  ★ ★ ★1/2 (3.5 stars)

Travis Casey’s The Mayor's Race is a fun, fast-paced read that brings together an unlikely pair with a lot to prove. Cory Logan is a retired boxer with deep pockets and a desperate need for a legacy, while Yvette Tyson is just trying to climb out of a post-divorce rut working the graveyard shift. When their paths cross, teaming up for a mayoral race in Hilton Head seems like a win-win, especially with local identity politics standing in Cory's way.

Casey does a great job weaving themes of ambition, reinvention, and race into a compelling storyline. While some of the political maneuvers feel a bit rushed, the character dynamics keep you hooked. Yvette's journey from supermarket clerk to political contender is particularly satisfying. Overall, it’s an entertaining, thought-provoking novel that’s definitely worth adding to your reading list.

Fantasy

 The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Genre: Fantasy, fiction

                                     Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★1/2 (4.5 stars)

If you’re craving a fresh take on the classic detective story, The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett is an absolute must-read. Imagine a classic Holmes and Watson dynamic dropped straight into a wildly inventive, high-stakes fantasy world. Bennett does an incredible job blending gritty murder mystery tropes with jaw-dropping world-building, featuring genetically modified prodigies, grotesque mutating fauna, and colossal kaiju-sized monsters lurking at the edges of society.

While the sheer volume of lore can feel a bit overwhelming in the first few chapters, the payoff is more than worth it. The central mystery is clever, the pacing is a relentless whirlwind, and the character chemistry totally steals the show. It’s inventive, darkly atmospheric, and keeps you guessing until the very end. Highly recommended for fantasy and mystery fans alike!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~