King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars 

Pages: 352 pages
Published: June 2025

I love everything I've read by S.A. Cosby, but third time was not a charm after completing his latest work, King of Ashes. My experience with this highly-anticipated book did not live up to my expectations. I pre-ordered the novel, expecting a gritty yet redemptive story, but it didn't deliver what I hoped for. Here's a brief summary before I explain further.  

The protagonist, Roman, is called back home to Virginia after his father suffers critical injuries under suspicious circumstances. Upon his return, he learns that his brother Dante is in debt to a very dangerous drug-running gang. One thing leads to another, and Roman, Dante, and their sister are all involved, intentionally and unintentionally, in a perilous situation. 

Having previously read and enjoyed Razorblade Tears and All the Sinners Bleed, I was excited for this new release. Cosby's signature writing style is provocative and captivating, often infused with themes of redemption. While I found King of Ashes to be an intricately crafted story with multiple plot layers and a compelling mystery woven throughout to keep the reader hooked, I found no redeeming qualities in any of the characters. The absence of hope and excessive violence were off-putting. At certain points in the story, I had to physically put the book down and take breaks due to its graphic nature.

Recommendation: While Cosby is a talented storytelling who creates vivid imagery, this particular novel did not resonate with me. I still intend to read his future works, but I will approach them with more caution! 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean

Rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Pages: 299 pages
Published: May 2024

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean had been sitting on my physical TBR (to be read) pile for several months, and for no other pressing reason than I needed a new book to read, I decided to crack open one of my last purchased books from Book of the Month in late January. 

This suspense-filled novel is about a young teenaged girl - the titular character - who disappeared from a party, and she mysteriously returns, seemingly from the dead, two years later throwing everyone in her community into a tailspin. Detective Chelsey Calhoun was the lead detective when Ellie Black first went missing, and, naturally, she is put back on the case upon her return. Not only has this unsolved case haunted her but also the unsolved case of Calhoun's adoptive sister more than 20 years ago. Upon the return of the victim in the latter case, Chelsey is thrown right back into the midst of the Black family and trying to glean information from them to resolve the case. Like a dog with a bone, the detective is tenacious in trying to figure out where Ellie has been, what happened to her during those two years, and why she has shown up after such a long time. 

I enjoyed this debut thriller novel that was relatively short and moved quickly. The mysterious nature of the plot propels the reader to continue turning pages until a resolution is presented. Like most of the books I've read so far in 2025, this one featured strong female characters at the forefront and provided entertaining value. 

Recommendation: A dark and twisty thriller, fans of TV shows like Law & Order: SVU and Found are sure to enjoy this page-turner! 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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The Accomplice by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson with Aaron Philip Clark

Rating: 3.75 of 5 stars 

Pages: 272 pages
Published: September 2024

I'm not sure where I first heard about The Accomplice by rapper 50 Cent, but curiosity got the best of me and I picked up a copy from my local bookstore. I enjoy action-packed movies, and this one was set in Texas making it familiar. I thought this book might have a little bit of action and a lot of the Lone Star State, and I was not mistaken. I also know the author has built a bit of an empire with his TV shows on the Starz network, so I had high hopes of the entertainment value this book might provide. 

This gritty, graphic, thriller follows a cast of nefarious characters that are all intertwined in a world of crime. The main antagonist, Desmond Bell, is a bank robber of a different kind. He doesn't steal money but rather items and secrets that would, if exposed, damage the reputation of his victims. Nia Adams, who is the first Black female Texas Ranger serves as the protagonist and the two play a fast-paced game of cat and mouse to the bitter end in this story. 

I found the writing to be rather engaging as I could definitely envision what was being described; however, it was a little too graphic for my liking. I do wonder how much of the book Jackson wrote because I think the lion's share of the story lay with his co-author, Aaron Philip Clark. Having said that, I did enjoy the story, and the ending wasn't so much a conclusion as it left the door open for a second book. I also have heard the book will become a TV series starring Taraji P. Henson. And I think this is where we'll see Jackson shine. 

Recommendation: This was a short, fast-paced crime fiction novel that served its purpose. I don't know that I'll continue reading the series if more books follow, but I can appreciate what the author was trying to do. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars 

Pages: 438 pages
Published: February 2023

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai is a fictional mystery story with protagonist Bodie Kane. A successful podcaster, she returns to her boarding school to teach a class in podcasting. Her students are tasked with creating a three-episode podcast surrounding a specific topic. Two of the students choose to work together on the criminal case that involved the murder of Bodie's roommate while she attended the school several decades prior. From there, the reader is taken on this detailed journey narrated by the main character in an attempt to find out if justice had really been served all those years ago when a school staff member was arrested, tried, and convicted of the crime back in the 90s. 

Mysteries used to be my favorite genre, but they are quickly giving way to literary fiction as I am enjoying stylistic writing rather than a catchy plot with an unbelievable twist. In this book, I think the author was trying to do too much and make too many statements. There was a lot of clutter that wasn't fully fleshed out. I also found the main character's narration where she was speaking to her former teacher to be unreliable and confusing. I understan, in mysteries, an element of confusion is often used to keep the reader guessing, engaged, and invested in the story, but this just frustrated me. I was also disappointed in the racial aspects of the story, and I don't think they were really needed. 

This book was just too much with little payoff in the end. I had a hard time staying engaged and put it down often. I've heard great things about Makkai's earlier work, The Great Believers, and I think I might pick that up and give her storytelling another try. 

Recommendation: My overall take on this book: meh. I can take it or leave it. It was a hefty book with many characters to wade through that ended with an unsatisfying conclusions. If I knew then what I know now, I would have invested my time reading something else. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

Read More