tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23599174506889785812024-03-18T21:06:01.947-05:00strange and random happenstanceMiss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.comBlogger2664125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-51976232561201710092024-03-18T00:00:00.178-05:002024-03-18T00:00:00.136-05:00Tuesday Tomorrow<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmfgkGSxEj-l71TN6X6usfTEDC8KMvy6h-byFPhyjJHxn35w11pyy0w4DKbZREKd1M5cG_RAj0n51VV-v_cxuLJJ3UUZHUSqI17nz42N3HIU38hXFAgGj0y_Dyr6ZPyKMj1rBOtpyLb33Jf1ksRTBgD-aDgdiknC5XSheS-6z5kx1LVCxoMqVrI3iVQA/s1600/3-19%201%20Where.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>Where Sleeping Girls Lie </i></b>by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé <br />
Published by: Feiwel and Friends <br />
Publication Date: March 19th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/where-sleeping-girls-lie-faridah-abike-iyimide/18675031?ean=9781250800848" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"In <i>Where Sleeping Girls Lie </i>-<i> </i>a YA contemporary mystery by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, the <i>New York Times</i>-bestselling author of <i>Ace of Spades</i> - a girl new to boarding school discovers dark secrets and coverups after her roommate disappears.<br /><br />
It's like I keep stumbling into a dark room, searching for the switch to make things bright again...<br /><br />
Sade Hussein is starting her third year of high school, this time at the prestigious Alfred Nobel Academy boarding school after being home-schooled all her life. Misfortune has been a constant companion all her life, but even Sade doesn't expect her new roommate, Elizabeth, to disappear after Sade's first night. Or for people to think she had something to do with it.<br /><br />
With rumors swirling around her, Sade catches the attention of the girls collectively known as the 'Unholy Trinity' and they bring her into their fold. Between learning more about them - especially Persephone, who Sade is inexplicably drawn to - and playing catchup in class, Sade already has so much on her plate. But when it seems people don't care enough about what happened to Elizabeth to really investigate, it's up to she and Elizabeth's best friend to solve it.<br /><br />
And then a student is found dead.<br /><br />
As they keep trying to figure out what's going on, Sade realizes there's more to Alfred Nobel Academy and its students than she thought. Secrets lurk around every corner and beneath every surface...secrets that rival even her own."<br /><br />Technically not dark academia, but technically yes...<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3qsKwS7HUcA_h3un95P3Sp6WPdIeOcz8czbUykcLJ5YRMEjfLtszxAfp-5iEKWtk1_7lwMCDGhcJ8cy8MY-b0Am118lWFpaXbyv6qELU3mlq4mxspPKZXejqh7eiNxQ1iAZ_AD4CzwLr2RobvbenLrLa8c5FWtPyt-f4lPnx1g8azghmu8aeaBwgbhs/s1600/3-19%202%20Writer.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>The Mystery Writer </i></b>by Sulari Gentill<br />
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press <br />
Publication Date: March 19th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-mystery-writer-sulari-gentill/20084729?ean=9781728285184" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"From 2023 Edgar Award nominee and bestselling author Sulari Gentill comes a literary thriller about an aspiring writer who meets and falls in love with her literary idol - only to find him murdered the day after she gave him her manuscript to read.<br /><br /><i>
There's nothing easier to dismiss than a conspiracy theory - until it turns out to be true.</i><br /><br />
When Theodosia Benton abandons her career path as an attorney and shows up on her brother's doorstep with two suitcases and an unfinished novel, she expects to face a few challenges. Will her brother support her ambition or send her back to finish her degree? What will her parents say when they learn of her decision? Does she even have what it takes to be a successful writer?<br /><br />
What Theo never expects is to be drawn into a hidden literary world in which identity is something that can be lost and remade for the sake of an audience. When her mentor, a highly successful author, is brutally murdered, Theo wants the killer to be found and justice to be served. Then the police begin looking at her brother, Gus, as their prime suspect, and Theo does the unthinkable in order to protect him. But the writer has left a trail, a thread out of the labyrinth in the form of a story. Gus finds that thread and follows it, and in his attempt to save his sister he inadvertently threatens the foundations of the labyrinth itself. To protect the carefully constructed narrative, Theo Benton, and everyone looking for her, will have to die."<br /><br />The dark world of the literati! <br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUuEoxxwcyvSBpE1VGkeJyPUzlJL0BclU_WgKbsDQb7_VH0xcuPpTEWXE-LTSAJUpP7lNbx2FzwSBTGrl1nccZmIdA5oHL608xEQdEVz0gEVgssxmHCczjj8T07Q-DPq15EH982vUpBMehg0GAsIPZYwps5kMeSoWst6yV3zCsyacR4MRHqpjzpgpEyE/s1600/3-19%203%20How.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 243px;" /><b><i>The Stranger at Black Lake </i></b>by Christina McDonald<br />
Published by: Intrigue Ink Publishing <br />
Publication Date: March 19th, 2024<br />
Format: Kindle, 125 Pages<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stranger-At-Black-Lake-Lambert-ebook/dp/B0CT5GTCM8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3QDRPOWX128RY&keywords=the+stranger+at+black+lake&qid=1707268119&sprefix=the+stranger+at+black%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-1" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Secrets, murder and revenge converge in this gripping prequel to Amazon charts bestselling thriller, <i>These Still Black Waters</i>, about a young Jess Lambert drawn into a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Because old ghosts often have old scores to settle.<br /><br />
Jess Lambert and her husband, Mac, have just moved to Black Lake, looking for a quieter, more peaceful life. Until one morning Jess befriends a stranger - beautiful and glamorous Annie Parker - who's also just moved to town.<br /><br />
Only a few hours later, Jess finds Annie wandering naked and in shock along the lake. And at Annie's house she encounters a gruesome scene that shows a violent attack. But then Annie disappears.<br /><br />
As Jess is pulled deeper into the mystery of what happened to Annie, she learns about the house's chilling past. And she begins to wonder: who was Annie really? Is she a witness, murderer, victim?<br /><br />
But it's dangerous hunting down old ghosts. And Jess becomes increasingly unsure if she's the hunter, or the prey. Who is the stranger at Black Lake?"<br /><br />Can't wait to read, but I think the cover needs a redo. Hint, don't use the same stock photography associated with another book. It's <i><a href="https://strange-and-random-happenstance.blogspot.com/2023/01/tuesday-tomorrow_0365814081.html" target="_blank">How to Sell a Haunted House</a></i> by Grady Hendrix if you were wondering.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGS1UVYGDahbN2SJOHifmtkQt2hesQf1NqPpvEfKNMMJZHy-5fYELGohdbeL20WBp8Uc3OBdYJH_fgyc5D9fVPUvfaWmJzMtFu0cgXv94HdAsDIkaIYhL5Xs21mrTbLlyJ5MyE_7QeeY_bsI-tfJAj8wSipAeyswNKcDVIpjOih498d1dLlc8dyZG5vwc/s1600/3-19%204%20Gigi.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>A Midnight Puzzle </i></b>by Gigi Pandian<br />
Published by: Minotaur Books <br />
Publication Date: March 19th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-midnight-puzzle-a-secret-staircase-mystery-gigi-pandian/19995479?ean=9781250880208" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"In heroine Tempest Raj, modern-day queen of the locked room mystery Gigi Pandian has created a brilliant homage to the greats of classic detective fiction.<br /><br />
Secret Staircase Construction is under attack, and Tempest Raj feels helpless. After former client Julian Rhodes tried to kill his wife, he blamed her "accident" on the home renovation company's craftsmanship. Now the family business - known for bringing magic into homes through hidden doors, floating staircases, and architectural puzzle walls - is at a breaking point. No amount of Scottish and Indian meals from her grandfather can distract Tempest from the truth: they're being framed.<br /><br />
When Tempest receives an urgent midnight phone call from Julian, she decides to meet him at the historic Whispering Creek Theater - only to find his dead body, a sword through his chest. After a blade appears from thin air to claim another victim, Tempest is certain they're dealing with a booby trap... something Secret Staircase Construction could easily build. Tempest refuses to wait for the investigation to turn to her or her loved ones. She knows the pieces of the puzzle are right in front of her, she just has to put them together correctly before more disaster strikes.<br /><br />
Multiple award-winning author Gigi Pandian and her sleuth Tempest Raj return in<i> A Midnight Puzzle</i>, where an old theater reveals a deadly booby trap, secrets, and one puzzle of a mystery."<br /><br />THIS is the series that true mystery aficionados love.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwVoGKr0InLWggxTu8t5wcihlZrvqz0dLPIWJ2LO71aCaF1J7pewBoHw3uqKPoIOixHIT8lFHuVAuTAqUP_5D6fJRkNk5bZy9YnD15hT0ynOoWxLBO8jJ81KRVF9G0uu8rLIv1WtoF-GQtA4Xhr2sNnhxHjor8MmIW6JV4kXGL8fohfaKlcNNp54ShLiw/s1600/3-19%205%20Murder.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 252px;" /><b><i>Murder in Moscow </i></b>by Kelly Oliver<br />
Published by: Boldwood Books <br />
Publication Date: March 19th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 243 Pages<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Moscow-page-turning-historical-mystery-ebook/dp/B0CNN89VR4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1G2P71SY1GXGI&keywords=murder+in+moscow&qid=1707268184&sprefix=murder+in+moscow%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-1" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Journey into the heart of 20th Century Russia in this fun and funny historical mystery, perfect for fans of Verity Bright and Helena Dixon.<br /><br />
1918 Moscow<br /><br />
Will following her heart mean losing her head? It could mean losing her job.<br /><br />
Fiona Figg trails her nemesis Fredrick Fredricks to Moscow. But when she arrives at the grand Metropol Hotel, the bounder has vanished.<br /><br />
After Fiona doesn't show up for work at the War Office, Kitty Lane raises a red flag and tracks her to Russia. Seeking haven at the British Embassy, Kitty and Fiona become embroiled in a plot to overthrow the Bolshevik government.<br /><br />
But the plot turns deadly when Fiona goes undercover as a governess in the household of Iron Viktor, the Bolsheviks' Head of Secret Police. And when Viktor turns up dead in his study, Fiona finds herself wanted for murder and on the lam.<br /><br />
Can Fiona and Kitty find the real killer and escape the Kremlin before it's too late? Or will this dangerous game of Russian roulette be their last?"<br /><br />Don't mess with the Secret Police!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbP5UeGLfFhD2z2jT3UyHYYzb1pggdhSRZw4ZWMkpQzOqD43-5U2oS-xyqQNE4HcBfRW0UjnwLKIGQ2TjLbrD5yHB0a4sRNoUb5nYclvXcPPMsaePTLALZ4vODh2pIujx-KhxaR6ihC8cBSYGRsdrMmrxgZvdGHo7LXhTOCYl29oXfaNZIoYuxK3XhhU/s1600/3-19%206%20Woods.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 252px;" /><b><i>The Woods All Black </i></b>by Lee Mandelo<br />
Published by: Tordotcom <br />
Publication Date: March 19th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 160 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-woods-all-black-lee-mandelo/20000025?ean=9781250790316" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"<i>The Woods All Black </i>is equal parts historical horror, trans romance, and blood-soaked revenge, all set in 1920s Appalachia.<br /><br />
Leslie Bruin is assigned to the backwoods township of Spar Creek by the Frontier Nursing Service, under its usual mandate: vaccinate the flock, birth babies, and weather the judgements of churchy locals who look at him and see a failed woman. Forged in the fires of the Western Front and reborn in the cafes of Paris, Leslie believes he can handle whatever is thrown at him - but Spar Creek holds a darkness beyond his nightmares.<br /><br />
Something ugly festers within the local congregation, and its malice has focused on a young person they insist is an unruly tomboy who must be brought to heel. Violence is bubbling when Leslie arrives, ready to spill over, and he'll have to act fast if he intends to be of use. But the hills enfolding Spar Creek have a mind of their own, and the woods are haunted in ways Leslie does not understand.<br /><br /><i>
The Woods All Black</i> is a story of passion, prejudice, and power - an Appalachian period piece that explores reproductive justice and bodily autonomy, the terrors of small-town religiosity, and the necessity of fighting tooth and claw to live as who you truly are."<br /><br />Our battles have been fought before and will be fought again.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn3jNQJGg344dACe20PqSyH9eKRcwaR22ZsY1-skAlowWNlYEPxykODWYhFmrVfhuopKRgt13T0T-v3ztwEQHGvNOVzK5j6KVqPkZ82T12oLF9cS2k3fwTmSTDYO5POv8JGKHIhxLb-UX3juP_p9YdQrjtCUs7_Cfh4GTmW6i0mJTNB0assAEeuZEDf0/s1600/3-19%207%20Fuller.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 254px;" /><b><i>Finding Margaret Fuller </i></b>by Allison Pataki<br />
Published by: Ballantine Books <br />
Publication Date: March 19th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/finding-margaret-fuller-allison-pataki/20143991?ean=9780593600238" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Young, brazen, beautiful, and unapologetically brilliant, Margaret Fuller accepts an invitation from Ralph Waldo Emerson, the celebrated Sage of Concord, to meet his coterie of enlightened friends. There she becomes "the radiant genius and fiery heart" of the Transcendentalists, a role model to a young Louisa May Alcott, an inspiration for Nathaniel Hawthorne's Hester Prynne and the scandalous Scarlet Letter, a friend to Henry David Thoreau as he ventures out to Walden Pond...and a muse to Emerson. But Margaret craves more than poetry and interpersonal drama, and her restless soul needs new challenges and adventures.<br /><br />
And so she charts a singular course against a backdrop of dizzying historical drama: From Boston, where she hosts a salon for students like Elizabeth Cady Stanton; to the editorial meetings of <i>The Dial</i> magazine, where she hones her pen as its co-founder; to Harvard's library, where she is the first woman permitted entry; to the gritty New York streets where she spars with Edgar Allan Poe and reports on Frederick Douglass. Margaret defies conventions time and again as an activist for women and an advocate for humanity, earning admirers and critics alike.<br /><br />
When the legendary editor Horace Greeley offers her an assignment in Europe, Margaret again makes history as the first female foreign news correspondent, mingling with luminaries like Frédéric Chopin, William Wordsworth, George Sand and more. But it is in Rome that she finds a world of passion, romance, and revolution, taking a Roman count as a lover - and sparking an international scandal. Evolving yet again into the roles of mother and countess, Margaret enters the fight for Italy's unification.<br /><br />
With a star-studded cast and sweeping, epic historical events, this is a story of an inspiring trailblazer, a woman who loved big and lived even bigger - a fierce adventurer who transcended the rigid roles ascribed to women and changed history, all on her own terms."<br /><br />The day I spent in Concord was magical. I want to go back. Luckily I can go back there and back in time with this book.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbBf5rRnmJyQPoTtV5CddwjsWKnrlxd02NXpIviUO_OyALG7mtJcFPWR8BaYBRLRLuW36NYATzPx9LSmmoSCP0q2CyEAlmrAkSuLBcC1bhPuP_2tBTiy1ekwapL7-Ix_bQseml4fFyMOPQjvwKTLDEXzwJO5k_e6AgE5EB88t-wH7sbOK_x2t4H_7rDQ/s1600/3-19%208%20Barbie.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 281px;" /><b><i>Barbie: The World Tour </i></b>by Margot Robbie and Andrew Mukamal<br />
Published by: Rizzoli International Publications <br />
Publication Date: March 19th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 160 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/barbie-tm-the-world-tour-margot-robbie/21003052?ean=9780789345578" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"For the press tour following the record-breaking release of Greta Gerwig's award-winning, acclaimed <i>Barbie</i> movie, producer and star Margot Robbie and her stylist Andrew Mukamal immersed themselves in some of Barbie's most iconic outfits and curated vintage pieces, then approached designers, from Giorgio Armani to Donatella Versace, to create looks inspired by the doll-size originals. Many of these looks were not seen as the official<i> Barbie</i> press tour was cut short - so Margot and Andrew worked with renowned fashion photographer Craig McDean to shoot her in the looks exactly as they were curated: Schiaparelli in Los Angeles, Vivienne Westwood in London, vintage Chanel with matching Streamline luggage at the airport, and beyond.<br /><br />
Accompanying McDean's sumptuous photography are original Barbie dolls from the period, a treasure trove of rare materials from Mattel's Barbie fashion archives, and the designers' sketches and Polaroids from fittings, layered into evocative collage by art director Fabien Baron. With text by Margot Robbie and Andrew Mukamal, as well as handwritten contributions from the designers behind the looks (from Olivier Rousteing and Michelle Ochs to Manolo Blahnik and Jeremy Scott), this unique book blends the serious chic of high fashion with the serious fun of Barbie world - the dolls, the history, and the style that have captured imaginations for 65 years."<br /><br />Just Margot Robbie's dedication is so inspiring.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBZi3cNYVUZrkXZqUbfA69ysZrqOqPcRVR5-vsm5hEt4gfkSrZWJz7nKNtP2poZfXDwpNoiTOOC4QPE4lwjHZphrPmOxpP6HwZkWSBku8d0027Eu6PTz0acJRYrjhFK2Gm6Tr-HB7tCdY4vtHRpD4NdtRoxikDL4mB1ZQ8Bys2n00ZcE-79XlvI2v_vns/s1600/3-19%209%20Mars.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 254px;" /><b><i>The Mars House </i></b>by Natasha Pulley<br />
Published by: Bloomsbury Publishing <br />
Publication Date: March 19th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 480 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-mars-house-natasha-pulley/20069607?ean=9781639732333" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A compulsively readable queer sci-fi novel about a marriage of convenience between a Mars politician and an Earth refugee.<br /><br />
In the wake of an environmental catastrophe, January, once a principal in London's Royal Ballet, has become a refugee in Tharsis, the terraformed colony on Mars. There, January's life is dictated by his status as an Earthstronger-a person whose body is not adjusted to lower gravity and so poses a danger to those born on, or naturalized to, Mars. January's job choices, housing, and even transportation are dictated by this second-class status, and now a xenophobic politician named Aubrey Gale is running on a platform that would make it all worse: Gale wants all Earthstrongers to naturalize, a process that is always disabling and sometimes deadly.<br /><br />
When Gale chooses January for an on-the-spot press junket interview that goes horribly awry, January's life is thrown into chaos, but Gale's political fortunes are damaged, too. Gale proposes a solution to both their problems: a five year made-for-the-press marriage that would secure January's future without naturalization and ensure Gale's political success. But when January accepts the offer, he discovers that Gale is not at all like they appear in the press. They're kind, compassionate, and much more difficult to hate than January would prefer. As their romantic relationship develops, the political situation worsens, and January discovers Gale has an enemy, someone willing to destroy all of Tharsis to make them pay-and January may be the only person standing in the way.<br /><br />
Un-put-downably immersive and utterly timely, Natasha Pulley's new novel is a gripping story about privilege, strength, and life across class divisions, perfect for readers of Sarah Gailey and Tamsyn Muir."<br /><br />It's also perfect for readers of Natasha Pulley. Seriously, everyone should be a fan of hers.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBiappwWvdIN68QmHZPeOTuXR2UZSrneE3ITSfg4UOTLbWlyyXWuokesdSZ-TXl7gaJbB_z-U-KjFinjFXRLi9DK0LmiF73iGH-xhFChbkfE9ly36G8yBsCQRpjG2L96bGvuT6HubQlkf6w6BV9LA5NPx16dmhs6-KRzbQN6iN3T7ORYEuoQLoPAPNFWQ/s1600/3-19%2010%20Tove.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>Tove Jansson: Life, Art, Words </i></b>by Boel Westin<br />
Published by: University of Minnesota Press <br />
Publication Date: March 19th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 576 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/tove-jansson-life-art-words-boel-westin/20801776?ean=9781517917296" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"An in-depth, perceptive account of the unconventional life of the Moomins' beloved creator, now available in the United States.<br /><br />
Tove Jansson achieved fame as the creator of the Moomins, beloved by generations of readers around the world. Remarkably, the Moomins were only part of the prodigious creative output of this Finnish-Swedish writer and artist. Jansson's work also includes short stories and five novels for adults, as well as paintings, murals, and book illustrations. In this acclaimed biography, Boel Westin relies on numerous conversations with Jansson and unprecedented access to her journals, letters, and personal archives to present an engrossing and comprehensive review of the life and world of Scandinavia's best-loved author.<br /><br />
As Westin's meticulous research makes clear, Jansson's artistic and literary works reflected what was most important to her: the love of family and nature and the desire to pursue her art. Guided by her personal motto, "Love and work," Jansson seized both with uncompromising joy. And while her romantic relationships with men proved unfulfilling, she found those with women--especially with her longtime partner, the artist Tuulikki Pietilä--both grounding and inspiring.<br /><br />
Westin weaves together the many threads of Jansson's rich, complex life: an education interrupted to help her family; the bleak war years and her emergence as a painter; the decades of Moominmania across books, newspaper comic strips, merchandise, and adaptations; her later fictions, including her popular <i>The Summer Book</i>; and her time with Pietilä on the solitary island of Klovharu. <i>Tove Jansson: Life, Art, Words</i> offers fans and admirers around the world the most complete portrait of the writer Philip Pullman described as "a genius, a woman of profound wisdom and great artistry.""<br /><br />Moomins! Oddly enough my book club just read a book that referenced the Moomins. Moomins are life.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-89370921944902956142024-03-15T00:00:00.166-05:002024-03-15T00:00:00.143-05:00Book Review - Tamsyn Muir's Gideon the Ninth<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nyXzup4eFC0/X-_GJQcz6mI/AAAAAAAAQ2I/FYJuBVsfT7UuVriMv-kOtiM8GISDyJjawCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Gideon.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 252px;" /><b><i>Gideon the Ninth </i></b>by Tamsyn Muir<br />
Published by: Tor.com <br />
Publication Date: September 9th, 2019<br />
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages<br />Rating: ★★★★★<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/gideon-the-ninth-tamsyn-muir/6986580?ean=9781250313195" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a>
<br /><br />Gideon wants nothing to do with the Ninth. The house is nothing more than a creepy death cult guarding a locked tomb that is quickly dying out. She wants off the planet and out of the life she's begrudgingly lived. But her countless escape plans have never worked and this newest one is no different, even if it's the closest she's ever come. She is once again stopped by her nemesis, Harrowhark Nonagesimus. Harrowhark is the scion of the Ninth. A wickedly powerful necromancer who has been puppeteering her parents corpses for years in an effort to make it look like the Ninth is still functional and not on it's last legs. This appearance is more important than ever as the Emperor has called all nine houses to his abandoned palace, Canaan House, to compete for the honor to become Lyctors, eternals who serve at his side. The problem is that each house has to have a cavalier, a warrior, indefatigable and unbeatable, who protects the necromancer. And Harrowhark's actual cavalier is more interested in poetry. Therefore the only real contender for Harrowhark's cavalier is Gideon. The problem is Gideon wasn't trained for this role and more importantly she'd rather see Harrowhark dead than be the one having to save her. So Harrowhark makes a deal. They go to Canaan House, they put on the show of a lifetime, Harrowhark wins and becomes a Lyctor and Gideon gets to ride off into the sunset. Gideon doesn't like this plan. Gideon doesn't think it will work. I mean, how can she pass herself off with frilly fencing when she fights with a two-hander? Gideon better be a fast learner because Gideon doesn't have a choice. When they arrive at Canaan House Gideon is quickly abandoned by Harrowhark who plays up the mystique of the the Ninth House by being wreathed in shrouds and totally unavailable to Gideon. Gideon sees quite quickly that the reputation of the Ninth makes all the other houses wary of her, and yet, slowly, she starts to befriend them. That's when they start dying. This Lyctor test was set up in a way that makes the suspicious houses unable to win, but amply able to die. Will Gideon even live to cash in on Harrowhark's promise or will she die screaming in agony on a distant planet? At least she won't die near the benighted locked tomb...<br /><br />
Me and much lauded books rarely get along. My tastes are rarely the tastes of the masses. Yet again and again I feel drawn to read them. That's how I picked up <i>Gideon the Ninth</i>. I mean, lesbian necromancers in space sounds awesome, but there was that voice saying, but is it for you? Turns out it was. But it wasn't love at first sight. This is a book that improves on reread because, just like <i>Jane Eyre</i>, there's all this dark exposition that takes place before the book actually gets good. But thankfully, just like <i>Jane Eyre</i>, the second time you read it you fly through the dark bits knowing the good stuff is coming soon. And that good stuff? Well, it's the Gothic space thriller of my dreams! Teams of two pitted against each other in order to find keys to literally unlock secrets in the biggest most haunted space palace you could imagine. There were elements of <i>The Haunting of Hill House</i> and <i>The Hunger Games</i> and <i>Rose Red!</i> But the joy in a reread is that knowing the twists and turns to come I was watching the magnificent setup that Tamsyn Muir was orchestrating with awe. I wasn't furiously reading to figure out what was going on, I was luxuriating in the twists and turns. Though what I found interesting this time is that I was reading this book with friends, so all those theories I had about the book being the victim of hype to it just being very polarizing came into play in another way, in that it really divided my book club. And the thing is, I can see where they're coming from because for awhile that's where I was when I first read it. Opinions ranged from complete love to those who wanted to love it but just didn't to those who claimed it ruined their holidays. So, the complete gamut of emotions and responses on display. The one thing I found fascinating though is apparently this book is just crammed with meme references and cultural jokes deriving mainly from <i>The Office</i>. There are literally websites and Reddit forums dedicated to this. Personally I only caught a few so I thought it was like a funny Easter Egg, there so that if you know you know but not infringing on the text. But the thing is I've never really watched the US version of <i>The Office</i>, and two members of my book club said there were so many jokes just from that show they couldn't take the book seriously and it sullied it. So my advice is don't watch <i>The Office</i>? Seriously, I never "got" the US version anyway.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-39788412871632023322024-03-13T00:00:00.096-05:002024-03-13T00:00:00.129-05:00Book Review - Hiron Ennes's Leech<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6aUcO2DCAfITlEiqN5FfcE1MgVERl9UwBL5GtVPnlpB6faR22XCbBoDctHMGtfurfK8kF_NzlzNCLaVxvvyR5AG5W3eKbVQJhJE3NUoTZn3Rh3_cUTWTloz0Y_ItdSiRhzfTrY-0f0yK0px5jPyXTNhHk6jbkvOB_yYTLeWSHwe6Vbn6zmkrJ9Ec/s1600/Leech.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 252px;" /><b><i>Leech </i></b>by Hiron Ennes<br />
Published by: Tordotcom <br />
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022<br />
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages<br />
Rating: ★★★<br />
<a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780593183199" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br /><br />Before the inhabitants of the chateau can send word to Inultus and the Institute that the Baron's doctor has died a new doctor has arrived, unexpectedly stepping down from the train in Verdira. The mystery though isn't how the Institute knew to send a new doctor the mystery is how the previous doctor died. The Institute's body is one, spread out all over the world. Their knowledge is shared, their knowledge is sole, therefore to not know something that happened to one of their own is truly a mystery. And they do not know how the doctor died at the chateau in the far north. They should have remembered the cause of death not just the death. The new doctor arrives and immediately starts to investigate. Trying to fill in the gaps in their memory. What could have killed this host? And there it is. The answer, waiting in their corpse for discovery; a competitor. Another parasite trying to take root. A parasite capable of killing. Because the Institute keeps their secrets to themselves the residents of the chateau do not realize they are dealing with someone who has walked their corridors for years. The Baron's son Didier, Didier's pregnant wife Helene, excluding their twins all believe that the doctor is a new entity and therefore are spending needless time introducing them to how life works at the chateau. While the doctor views this all as an inconvenience. The competition must be found, examined, studied, and then eliminated. Luckily dinner is the only time when the household assembles and no one has ever made it to dessert under the Baron's gimlet glare therefore there is plenty of time for hunting the parasite. But where could the previous body have encountered it? In a flash it comes to them, the mine. The chateau gets it's money from a wheatrock mine and there was a collapse. Something in the dark. They must return to the mine. They get the houseboy Émile to help, risking the wintry weather to find their enemy. But what if that is exactly what the enemy wants? What if returning to the mine brings the parasite back to the chateau? What if it is all happening again and there's no stopping another death and another? The Institute has bodies to spare, but does the Baron's doctor?<br /><br />
To have a gestalt entity be your narrator is a ballsy move. But Hiron Ennes makes it work because they have such a strong authorial voice. I often found myself questioning if someone capable of such confident worldbuilding was truly a first time author and then, when the book completely fell apart at the end, I found myself no longer asking that question. The problem is this book is dealing with big issues from bodily autonomy to class warfare to climate change on a more intimate scale. Yes we see the macro, but only filtered through the eyes of one part of the whole. And it's the continual narrowing of the vision which in the end is <i>Leech</i>'s downfall. When the gestalt entity loses connection to the greater whole at first it's interesting. How can someone used to being something more thrive? The answer is they can't. Of course what's really happening is that the original personality is coming through. The parasitic infection is losing it's hold. And the original personality coming through is where everything falls apart. That and the fact that there really is no ending. But more on that later. Once the original personality is back in control there's a disconnect. You have forged such a connection to the gestalt entity that even though you are revolted by everything they stand for you're also somehow rooting for them. And the hints and flashes of the original personality coming through actually doesn't connect you to that character but seems to be used more to understand the world they are living in and how this entity got a foothold. The original personality should be who we are rooting for, but instead they are flat and lifeless. And that's why the last quarter of this book is such a disappointment. This world and the characters that people it are so interesting and unnerving. You feel restless and ill at ease reading <i>Leech</i> but at the same time you don't want to leave the Swiss Chateaux with all it's Gothic goodness and Frankensteinian vibes. But Hiron Ennes's "burn it all down" vibe that takes over the last quarter of the book while logical in the Mary Shelley sense just feels rushed. And our two protagonists riding a train off into the sunset? It somehow discounts all that came before. What is the message? That escaping from trauma is a victory even if your continued survival is questionable? And while that might be true in life this is fiction. There could have been more solidity and less ambiguity and it's only subpar Gothic literature that doesn't understand this imperative.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-35581645029539408192024-03-11T00:00:00.234-05:002024-03-11T00:00:00.355-05:00Tuesday Tomorrow<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJeIXQHwr8jLXpDf7B_yqX0Y5LbXV9vUy6YLqL0uJkNbmwq7Wi3cG88hPXzgl7q8q5Oz7Y1A4_QMc4aFTRzS4qoZgI9w62txACIhoFdSH9CieBn3Jy0xBp5KacWBh23WrAy9Q6LILKLLjjM_GiZ5-AL3PjlVTXzSUl8iTHTTiQaXLCYsLNNFJF1q7v1o/s1600/3-12%201%20Blessed.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 258px;" /><b><i>Blessed Water </i></b>by Margot Douaihy<br />
Published by: Gillian Flynn Books <br />
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/blessed-water-a-sister-holiday-mystery/20280982?ean=9781638930266" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Sister Holiday is back with a newly minted PI apprentice certificate, a twisty mystery to solve, and something to prove in this fast-paced, blistering follow-up to <i>Scorched Grace</i>.<br /><br />
Tattooed from her neck to her toes and sporting a gold tooth as sharp as her wisecracks, Sister Holiday struggles to stay on the righteous path. Never one to make things easy for herself, she's committed to taking her permanent vows with the Sisters of the Sublime Blood <i>and</i> joining former fire inspector Magnolia Riveaux's latest venture, Redemption Detective Agency - both in service of satisfying her eternal quest for answers.<br /><br />
When Sister Holiday and Riveaux set out to bust a philandering husband, they instead find the body of a priest floating in the swollen Mississippi River, and with it, Redemption's next case. It's significantly more gruesome than their original mission, but Sister Holiday feels called on by God to hunt down the murderer and keep her community safe.<br /><br />
As a torrential rainstorm drowns New Orleans for three harrowing days over Easter weekend, Sister Holiday and Riveaux follow the clues. With the stakes rising alongside the relentless floodwaters, our favorite punk nun-sleuth throws herself into the deep end yet again.<br /><br />
A lacerating and lyrical plunge into obsession, deception, and the questions that hold us captive, <i>Blessed Water </i>is a lights-out mystery that will leave you breathless."<br /><br />Called by God to hunt down the murderer! Preach it!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJlUo0s-IRI0URzaylfrrRHZhKB48wbu9ZnXsbB2HPGSRAG4BCyMUEZmkmegJsUKAt-5cA5CXNbor1gcFanMgyS7WORXbEPMdaqM01nlpZKsKkj8UHQXYDN9rK3vmEnC2r1SNAdIPAU8CfQex8j5ddqN7p24vhIfqhaIKMBPs2OnYcCPnFNbXu-i0Ww0/s1600/3-12%202%20Mermaid.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>The Mermaid Murder </i></b>by Maggie Shayne<br />
Published by: Oliver Heber books <br />
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024<br />
Format: Kindle, 248 Pages<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mermaid-Murder-Brown-Novel-Return-ebook/dp/B0CPYVR7N2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=D5F9YYZIQJNB&keywords=the+mermaid+murder&qid=1706666650&sprefix=the+mermaid+murder%2Caps%2C194&sr=8-1" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Hey, I'm Rachel de Luca, a self-help guru with a potty mouth and a penchant for crime-solving. My partner, soon to be husband if I can get over my paralyzing fear, is Mason Brown, a detective with the Binghamton PD.<br /><br />
Ten years ago, professional mermaid Eva Quaid disappeared without a trace from The Sapphire Club. Now, my niece Misty is working at the same club, doing the same job. Coincidentally, (not) Misty's college roommate is in the thick of her self-produced true crime podcast about the same cold case. Misty has kept every bit of this from our way-too-close-for-privacy family.<br /><br />
None of this would be a big deal, except that I've been having nightmares. It's my wedding day, and I look from my adoring groom to my twin nieces, face down in the shallows of the reservoir behind the altar.<br /><br />
I dreamt, too, of a dying mermaid who's been trying to get my attention ever since.<br /><br />
When my sister Sandra says she's worried about her twin daughters, Mason and I agree to do a little snooping - only to find Misty has been keeping some big secrets, and is not where she's supposed to be. Nobody knows where she is.<br /><br />
I'm pretty sure that Misty's gone off the grid with her podcasting partner Zig to surveil their favorite suspects in the ten-year-old case of the missing mermaid.<br /><br />
I'm even more sure the mermaid is dead, and that her killer is determined to keep their oldest, deadliest secret, even if it means taking another young woman's life.<br /><br />
I have to find my beloved niece before my visions come true - the way they always do."<br /><br />There's something seedy and mysterious about people who make their living as a mermaid. It's a whole world riff with dark possibilities. <br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhafWAlYQklCOfyg8m9YSl_C8QwTNVFvQiPH_6NeAO-3GTsezI8zFDXRhwhBCzF-f-SlWv_RFXRG_M0CMd1qmkPjAFhD-OBsmzGlUcqOjYNRtIXaYYFKdNJ872UZrGWVIp9plu6qiLp5F6yzTKPZVmdChX2eYe_h6r_JRutSrtQyIZ5xW3RnK-seLOm-kk/s1600/3-12%203%20Deanna.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>A Grave Robbery </i></b>by Deanna Raybourn<br />
Published by: Berkley Books <br />
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-grave-robbery-deanna-raybourn/20159685?ean=9780593545959" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Veronica and Stoker discover that not all fairy tales have happy endings, and some end in murder, in this latest historical mystery from <i>New York Times</i> bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.<br /><br />
Lord Rosemorran has purchased a wax figure of a beautiful reclining woman and asks Stoker to incorporate a clockwork mechanism to give the Rosemorran Collection its own Sleeping Beauty in the style of Madame Tussaud's. But when Stoker goes to cut the mannequin open to insert the mechanism, he makes a gruesome discovery: this is no wax figure. The mannequin is the beautifully preserved body of a young woman who was once very much alive. But who would do such a dreadful thing, and why?<br /><br />
Sleuthing out the answer to this question sets Veronica and Stoker on their wildest adventure yet. From the underground laboratories of scientists experimenting with electricity to resurrect the dead in the vein of Frankenstein to the traveling show where Stoker once toured as an attraction, the gaslit atmosphere of London in October is the perfect setting for this investigation into the unknown. Through it all, the intrepid pair is always one step behind the latest villain - a man who has killed once and will stop at nothing to recover the body of the woman he loved. Will they unmask him in time to save his next victim? Or will they become the latest figures to be immortalized in his collection of horrors?"<br /><br />I mean, the killer is Vincent Price right?<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhtxVYN-aBPzcxbjhGywGBRXsuX8XOL8zLCh0erEg0x6B0hyPOZe1tJqeghucCaNMu9DRFyWZUBaVIafbYCJONsBhDXg-iEX7dk_Ht-W5DaAYtHYW-up9YjKkhH8pV9TFQdxctCiyWKYxa2Z2ot-ts6tOkEwXMzow20T91aWj7krMHlFWZII3D1CmVBU/s1600/3-12%204%20Hedge.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>The Hedgewitch of Foxgall </i></b>by Anna Bright<br />
Published by: Harperteen <br />
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-hedgewitch-of-foxhall-anna-bright/20196392?ean=9780063083578" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"In this gorgeous stand-alone fantasy romance perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson and Allison Saft, a rebellious witch undertakes a last-ditch quest to restore magic to medieval Wales - as two princes vie for her heart.<br /><br />
Magic is fading from Wales - choked off by King Offa's Dyke, the enemy earthworks that spans the entire border. Even the dragons have disappeared. And now an attack is imminent.<br /><br />
Prince Taliesin would love to watch magic die. Prince Dafydd fears it, and the throne. But when their father promises the crown to whichever son can destroy the dyke and restore magic to Wales, the brothers are forced into an uneasy rivalry.<br /><br />
Ffion works hedgewitch magic for poor folk, not princes. Unlike the power-hungry Foxhall coven, she uses only what nature can spare. But when the coven's greed costs Ffion everything, she will need power beyond her wildest dreams to get back what she's lost.<br /><br />
So when Prince Taliesin arrives, begrudgingly seeking a witch's aid, Ffion agrees to help him - even if it means walking from one end of Wales to the other with the most useless peacock she's ever clapped eyes on. Even if it means striking a bargain with Dafydd behind Tal's back. The fate of Wales depends on their quest...and so might the fate of Ffion's heart."<br /><br />Love me a good hedgewitch.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXkpKyeDAsm7er8HmLxMjqyDeFpqbdMeStWeUgzBUoILDAfHZ0mkeruugMF-QfJyUp5nyT0_guLi2ZGANLoaQ88bTpwsZztNw6E2jeV17qh3_NfmiZ_aORHvE-gzG3hKmAj_N3YXHPKjAiuLBSZH8S-i7quQulngS2HWxHOUtJCa7g2_T8c9P5TvkEvY/s1600/3-12%205%20Bride.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>The Phoenix Bride </i></b>by Natasha Siegel<br />
Published by: Dell <br />
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-phoenix-bride-natasha-siegel/20198411?ean=9780593597873" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A passionate tale of plague, fire, and forbidden love in seventeenth-century London from the acclaimed author of <i>Solomon's Crown</i>.<br /><br />
It is 1666, one year after plague has devastated England. Young widow Cecilia Thorowgood is a prisoner, trapped and isolated within her older sister's cavernous London townhouse. At the mercy of a legion of doctors trying to cure her grief with their impatient scalpels, Cecilia shows no sign of improvement. Soon, her sister makes a decision born of desperation: She hires a new physician, someone known for more unusual methods. But he is a foreigner. A Jew. And despite his attempts to save Cecilia, he knows he cannot quell the storm of sorrow that rages inside her. There is no easy cure for melancholy.<br /><br />
David Mendes fled Portugal to seek a new life in London, where he could practice his faith openly and leave the past behind. Still reeling from the loss of his beloved friend and struggling with his religion and his past, David is free and safe in this foreign land but incapable of happiness. The security he has found in London threatens to disappear when he meets Cecilia, and he finds himself torn between his duty to medicine and the beating of his own heart. He is the only one who can see her pain; the glimmers of light she emits, even in her gloom, are enough to make him believe once more in love.<br /><br />
Facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, David and Cecilia must endure prejudice, heartbreak, and calamity before they can be together. The Great Fire is coming - and with the city in flames around them, love has never felt so impossible."<br /><br />And not to spoil anything, but history shows us that England isn't that religiously tolerant as one might hope...<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxluPTLCuFzgQeit05Ah_QkBMNty1dwUNqw7KB178p6kDTu9NuP-bZGfEsLzYgCXknFfcF06sQJKvzYeiqqOoEylt3xFIFs2chRYk59BvkzpP5JrfMUS3z03NrIvuMDBhxL743ar-kWf9VStoeGCREtJpwL4ryh2oUwGFO7K3H5V4pEPazssIPa6UtW0M/s1600/3-12%206%20Swan.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>The Swan's Nest </i></b>by Laura McNeal<br />
Published by: Algonquin Books <br />
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-swan-s-nest-laura-mcneal/20230490?ean=9781643753201" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A tender and engrossing historical novel about the unlikely love affair between two great 19th-century poets, Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett.<br /><br />
On a bleak January day in 1845, a poet who had been confined to her room for four years by recurrent illness received a letter from a writer she secretly idolized but had never seen. "I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett," Robert Browning wrote, "and I love you too."<br /><br />
Elizabeth Barrett was ecstatic. She was famous for her poetry but completely cut off from the kind of international travel that Browning used to fuel his obscure, unsuccessful, innovative poems, one of which was written from a murderer's point of view. They began an affectionate correspondence, but Elizabeth kept delaying a visit. What would happen when he saw her in person? What was Robert really like? Could she persuade her father and brothers that he was honorable, even though she had never met his family? And what would happen if she gave in to Robert's wild proposal that they go to Italy and see if the sun could cure her?<br /><br />
McNeal brilliantly tells the story of how Robert and Elizabeth fell in love with each other's words and shocked her conservative, close-knit family and the literary world. Sensitively and lyrically written, as rich as the lovers' own poetry, <i>The Swan's Nest </i>will sweep up readers in the triumphant story of two people forced to choose between a safe, stable life and the love they felt for each other."<br /><br />When I was clearing off my shelves I had a set of poetry books, the only ones I decided to keep where Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett's.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcegMfEDN7zN4AdApUmTiPiiIJ-4gj2JYULJUh_Q3N5jko4cg-U0N7PEEE9f0rAUi14g6IBpwEoMdUo9da7uR-0XKv-okkj_0X_KbHRXilt9qCZXYMQvQo6VWH_yPeo5LDMBbU5ag5Lnu9sni4Ej0da-fMDxrC9yvDcLLkeb1sgjdrf4l42XEIC52QKxA/s1600/3-12%207%20Midnight.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 252px;" /><b><i>At the Stroke of Midnight </i></b>by Jenni Keer<br />
Published by: Boldwood Books <br />
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024<br />
Format: Kindle, 352 Pages<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/At-Stroke-Midnight-Jenni-Keer-ebook/dp/B0CN2J8RKB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1J0GDJQB8P6LV&keywords=at+the+stroke+of+midnight+keer&qid=1706666732&sprefix=at+the+stroke+of+midnight+keer%2Caps%2C375&sr=8-1" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"It's 1923 and in a decade that promises excitement and liberation, Pearl Glenham and her father are invited to a mysterious country house party on the Dorset coast, by a total stranger.<br /><br />
Her father claims not to have any prior association with Highcliffe House, but upon arrival, it is apparent that he has a shared history with several of the guests, although he won't admit it. Belatedly discovering that her father was blackmailed into attending, Pearl's worries are compounded when their host fails to arrive...<br /><br />
Intimidated by everyone at the party, she escapes to the nearby cove and stumbles upon a mysterious mercury clock hidden in a cave. This strange encounter sets in motion a series of events that will culminate in an horrific house fire, claiming the lives of all the guests, including Pearl herself.<br /><br />
But then Pearl wakes up back in the cave, seemingly destined never to live past midnight. She can repeat the day. But can she change its outcome?"<br /><br />Time loop at a country house party? My catnip!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJB5AC24V8YdB3jUvVnPAHoDcseM7EdDtuDSzlw__yJEfLY7xS2JrsnqkVQ-3lD7KMpiZtMKtNpf0QpQI6p845sMVdv6wbDwBRJ0D6m5GjSnkkfdPMs4IjoZh7EBYAKQx3a8FJNzGHUOLBvXgfQFK7qfjX534Y8NulNewoD7Gm_s4gckUhA-7IokmyNE/s1600/3-12%208%20Shadow.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>In the Shadow of the Greenbrier </i></b>by Emily Matchar<br />
Published by: G. P. Putnam's Sons <br />
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/in-the-shadow-of-the-greenbrier-emily-matchar/20453435?ean=9780593713969" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Four generations. One remarkable hotel. Countless secrets.<br /><br />
Nestled in the hills of West Virginia lies White Sulphur Springs, home to the Greenbrier Resort. Long a playground for presidents and film stars, the Greenbrier has its own gravitational pull. Over ten decades, four generations of the Zelner family must grapple with their place in its shadow...and within their own family.<br /><br />
In 1942, young mother Sylvia is desperate to escape her stifling marriage, especially when it means co-running Zelner's general store with her husband. When the Greenbrier is commandeered for use as a luxury prison, Sylvia finds her fidelity strained and her heart on the line.<br /><br />
Seventeen years later, Sylvia's daughter, Doree, struggles to fit in, eagerly awaiting the day she'll leave for college and meet a nice Jewish boy. But when a handsome stranger comes to town and her brother Alan's curiosity puts him and Sylvia at risk, Doree is torn between loyalty and desire.<br /><br />
An immersive family saga rich with historical detail, <i>In the Shadow of the Greenbrier</i> explores the inevitable clash between past and future and the extraordinary moments in ordinary lives."<br /><br />I want to stay at Greenbrier.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9no-Az7njNGk7fCiyusLVQcBt5osQAW-qKQsXWxVxyuXf61wVnBlcp2ChhYIlpRDsULq-P_emxkleBi7VA1XdK0QSmj8zNBARqVewXZmks1MGypq6HzHAk01H2usIO7Xdg7rkHZn2WYSvgJ_DcbhhHsTE1K-9NpzHJcwi6OHXEMkFnEJw3CY8z__YaMs/s1600/3-12%209%20Ladies.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County </i></b>by Claire Swinarski<br />
Published by: Avon Books <br />
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-funeral-ladies-of-ellerie-county-claire-swinarski/20165275?ean=9780063319875" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Armed with a Crock-Pot and a pile of recipes, a grandmother, her granddaughter, and a mysterious young man work to bring a community together in this uplifting novel for readers of <i>The Chicken Sisters</i>.<br /><br />
Esther Larson has been cooking for funerals in the Northwoods of Wisconsin for seventy years. Known locally as the "funeral ladies," she and her cohort have worked hard to keep the mourners of Ellerie County fed - it is her firm belief that there is very little a warm casserole and a piece of cherry pie can't fix. But, after falling for an internet scam that puts her home at risk, the proud Larson family matriarch is the one in need of help these days.<br /><br />
Iris, Esther's whip-smart Gen Z granddaughter, would do anything for her family and her community. As she watches her friends and family move out of their lakeside town onto bigger and better things, Iris wonders why she feels so left behind in the place she is desperate to make her home. But when Cooper Welsh shows up, she finally starts to feel like she's found the missing piece of her puzzle.<br /><br />
Cooper is dealing with becoming a legal guardian to his younger half-sister after his beloved stepmother dies. While their celebrity-chef father is focused on his booming career and top-ranked television show, Cooper is still hurting from a public tragedy he witnessed last year as a paramedic and finding it hard to cope. With Iris in the gorgeous Ellerie County, though, he hopes he might finally find the home he's been looking for.<br /><br />
It doesn't seem like a community cookbook could possibly solve their problems, especially one where casseroles have their own section and cream of chicken soup mix is the most frequently used ingredient. But when you mix the can-do spirit of Midwestern grandmothers with the stubborn hope of a boy raised by food plus a dash of long-awaited forgiveness - things might just turn out okay."<br /><br />I will read anything set in Wisconsin. Anything.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZEiM4E2ZdpCK8T2yxSyK7En59VHdCPAucZYuA0oqGW1V5_BFVvT019evGmAaNNde-AXa0IfIeVjvTSOPJGg55fnM3CRVnEwjh05qjAcKhXaVLnVJ4sF_vtK1JEiiMeW6HH2ORYzzDA9LSjVTq_GGHj2rQuuvjoyM8FxtBpewVpufpC2gPBV4t7YUYkY/s1600/3-12%2010%20Lola.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 250px;" /><b><i>The Other Lola </i></b>by Ripley Jones<br />
Published by: Wednesday Books <br />
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-other-lola-ripley-jones/19987628?ean=9781250801982" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"The sequel to Ripley Jones's unforgettable YA thriller <i>Missing Clarissa</i>, <i>The Other Lola</i> is about what happens when the people you love the most are the people you can trust the least.<br /><br />
In the months after Cam and Blair broke their small hometown's legendary missing-girl story and catapulted to accidental fame, they vowed never to do it again. No more mysteries, no more podcasts, and no more sticking their heads where they don't belong.<br /><br />
Until Mattie Brosillard, a freshman at their high school, shows up on their doorstep, begging Cam and Blair for help. Mattie's sister Lola disappeared mysteriously five years ago. No trace of her was ever found. Now, she's back - but Mattie is convinced the girl who returned is an impostor. Nobody believes Mattie's wild story - not Mattie's brother, not Mattie's mother, and not even Cam and Blair. But something is definitely wrong in the Brosillard family. And Blair has her own reasons for wanting to know what really happened to Lola while she was gone.<br /><br />
With Cam and Blair still struggling with the aftermath of their first mystery - and with new secrets swirling between them - the stakes are higher than ever in this can't-miss sequel to <i>Missing Clarissa</i>."<br /><br />I'm always fascinated by stories where people might not be who they say they are...<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5ewZj_x7o69sssBrd7wZQOPAn0DWeJgeajSw1cS-DGNbyoJr4qjPaLdPb7bzRMTbzl9nO_ITFdxMjBMjO022aF9tqStvnjDEABL59r1EcQ_9OpGcGx7J-Z536MdbozekImvLG_flKWif0EaQ3DjEMFqY5m8mEyd-LDFQagsAR8vBWLXj41cPH6Cb37U/s1600/3-12%2011%20Death.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>Chrysalis and Requiem </i></b>by Quinton Li<br />
Published by: Quinton Li Editorial <br />
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 310 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/chrysalis-and-requiem-quinton-li/20860777?ean=9780645681581" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"At Adraredon Academy, fervent passion, contemporary companionship, and forbidden desires intertwine with tall gothic spires, ancient halls, and centuries of history. Veaer Rosell can't imagine a better place to satiate her craving for beauty, knowledge, and art.<br /><br />
Yet senior year shatters her illusion of tranquillity and civil intellect when she witnesses the headmaster's daughter murder another student and is confronted by an unthinkable choice: avenging her fallen peer or taking this secret to the grave, one way or another.<br /><br />
But fate laughs at Veaer's expense when the headmaster's daughter requests her aid. Driven by an all-consuming thirst for answers, Veaer becomes an untimely partner in solving a murder they both know the answer to, unaware of the intricacies that come with learning the bigger picture and playing with death.<br /><br /><i>
Chrysalis & Requiem</i> is a haunting thriller of tragic obsession and relentless grief, weaving two young, queer women in a spiral of clandestine violence and illicit love."<br /><br />What would you do if a killer asked you to solve a murder they committed?<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepyPjJ6AcddYWG0ZvvGHfQufpizOve1Uk82_SMx6vUbAE4QumxbT7ibrQ9vhHqbQVT867WH1sym_IA2mKH7ClxIWdpomSfwOGW45-foJqDoYmEFkFXjxzclTTugWtxZbofNpMmh4RATrxrBxJr50bkbrywFbLizEuXe8pkcnBaLzyhQrUWLYqQZ-VL1k/s1600/3-12%2012%20Moon.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 243px;" /><b><i>Moon Soul </i></b>by Nathaniel Luscombe<br />
Published by: Dragon Bone Publishing <br />
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 184 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/moon-soul-a-science-fantasy-novella-nathaniel-luscombe/20815076?ean=9781962337014" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
""I don't think I can justify it any longer. I'm going to quit my job."<br /><br />
August has never been good with change and isn't sure who she is beyond her job of reading memories in the sand. When she comes to the conclusion that she has to quit her job, she's left with an overwhelming sense of emptiness. What follows is the quiet chaos of a girl regaining control over her life on a small desert moon.<br /><br />
Deciding to take a job in the hanging gardens of the Spire, August discovers more to life as she meets new friends, forms a different connection with her home, and faces an unexpected visitor from her past.<br /><br />
Rich in relatable emotions and experiences, inspiring in message, and written in prose that will hook you from page one, <i>Moon Soul</i> is a science fantasy novella unlike any you've read before. It will leave you feeling seen and understood."<br /><br />Strong Little Prince vibes.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZmU_V-EkcGrA60T3BQLuwsp9IsNkZG7MVKXpu8EI9c64_vRVCLnhsOzPHTZ5F0Qn60yOBnfHtBp-k-FKWFGbsGmJWDwxeCaxAq1VBy9IXLa34I-sFUcKe1HZ0B_Y5lrV1NVdxX7turJcodS8kePS8W7wyb_LLsFFKSFYp6bbmlhKDRQU5heblqyl6qk/s1600/3-12%2013%20Sun.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>Sunbringer </i></b>by Hannah Kaner<br />
Published by: Harper Voyager <br />
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/sunbringer-hannah-kaner/20297610?ean=9780063350106" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Return to the world of <i>Godkiller</i> in this thrilling sequel to the #1 internationally bestselling fantasy debut.<br /><br /><i>
When Middren falls to the gods, your kind will be the first to die.</i><br /><br />
Gods are forbidden in the kingdom of Middren - but now they are stirring, whispering of war. Godkiller Kissen sacrificed herself to vanquish the fire god Hseth, who murdered her family and endangered her friends. But gods cannot be destroyed so easily, and Hseth's power threatens to reform with even greater strength and a thirst for vengeance. As tensions rise throughout the land, the kingdom needs its Godkiller more than ever.<br /><br />
Still reeling from the loss of Kissen, young noble Inara and her little god of white lies, Skedi, have set out to discover more about the true nature of their bond. As the divide between gods and humans widens, Inara and Skedi will uncover secrets that could determine the fate of the war to come.<br /><br />
Meanwhile, Elogast, no longer a loyal knight of King Arren, has been tasked with killing the man he once called friend. The king vowed to eradicate all gods throughout the land, but has now entered into an unholy pact with the most dangerous of them all. And where his heart once beat, a god now burns..."<br /><br />Seriously, I have such cover lust for this series.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsuaT7JdijBFT_rLY6HGQPPokPSt9NlhPzEf58f0e3rNMTpkj5pn2T_M3aoeQjodo0Y8ymqru1Gzs0GbVFIe_SBq6JjOLFToj9Ktpp8WAOybVTx6gT4CNuX1sqQfOg8oHdYSzcs9bi2EmWnppR42CyD-vq68BfT7pOGByKKahZgtPbLsIUXLCopawotg/s1600/3-12%2014%20Funny.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>Funny Boy: The Richard Hunt Biography </i></b>by Jessica Max Stein<br />
Published by: Rutgers University Press <br />
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 346 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/funny-boy-the-richard-hunt-biography-jessica-max-stein/20282160?ean=9781978836716" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"<i>Funny Boy: The Richard Hunt Biography</i> tells the life story of a gifted performer whose gleeful irreverence, sharp wit and generous spirit inspired millions. Richard Hunt was one of the original main five performers in the Muppet troupe. He brought to life an impressive range of characters on <i>The Muppet Show</i>, <i>Sesame Street</i>, <i>Fraggle Rock</i> and various Muppet movies, everyone from eager gofer Scooter to elderly heckler Statler, groovy girl Janice to freaked-out lab helper Beaker, even early versions of Miss Piggy and Elmo. Hunt also acted, directed and mentored the next generation of performers. His accomplishments are all the more remarkable in that he crammed them all into only 40 years.<br /><br />
Richard Hunt was just 18 years old when he joined Jim Henson's company, where his edgy humor quickly helped launch the Muppets into international stardom. Hunt lived large, savoring life's delights, amassing a vivid, disparate community of friends. Even when the AIDS epidemic wrought its devastation, claiming the love of Hunt's life and threatening his own life, he showed an extraordinary sense of resilience, openness and joy. Hunt's story exemplifies how to follow your passion, foster your talents, adapt to life's surprises, genuinely connect with everyone from glitzy celebrities to gruff cab drivers - and have a hell of a lot of fun along the way."<br /><br />It's hard for me to pick a favorite Muppeteer, but Richard Hunt is definitely the one who died the youngest and that breaks my heart.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-54343460519445895682024-03-08T00:00:00.158-06:002024-03-08T00:00:00.139-06:00Book Review - George MacDonald's Phantastes<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6JOW_yMZTgiHBY11OapcTk9WLVKL5xUCzh-pLx4x6H06RiZeP8cEtGaSSp7Qz2xGq_Lwhit5zrHwKHvq6eDJ9wdxsDlMC1CNDsfKsF9B0HUYW0P6DVln8J0-J7aZOjPZEJFLcg1_I14lvHfKs90fQNPF3bfYtID0Cw5VgSz_nYeRxQV2NgLv7iU4XN6I/s1600/Phatastes.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Men and Women </i></b>by George MacDonald<br />
Published by: A Public Domain Book<br />
Publication Date: 1858<br />
Format: Kindle, 165 Pages<br />
Rating: ★★★<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UJKS18/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">To Buy</a><br /><br />Anodos's father has died. When going through his late father's desk he finds a compartment containing an old female fairy. She describes to him the land of Fairy and he dreams of it as he falls to sleep that night. When he awakes his room is transformed. There are recognizable objects, but the forest is encroaching on them. As he alights from bed he realizes that he is in the land of Fairy and that his adventure has begun. He soon learns that the land of Fairy isn't all wonder, there is both good and evil in this magical realm. The evil of the Ash and Alder Tree are notorious, and he has a frightful enounter with the Ash, being saved and protected by the Beech Tree. The Beech turns him to thoughts of love and he falls for a beautiful marble statue, but is tricked by the Ash once more. But soon the Ash isn't the only evil pursuing Anodos, his own shadow becomes antagonistic, and this evil presence weighs on him night and day. When he finds a palace he finally finds respite from the shadow. The library of the palace contains many books. But the magic of the realm of Fairy is that reading one of these books isn't like reading other books, you actually live the story. The adventure is your own. With this magic he lives many lifetimes, but his heart still belongs to the marble lady. He believes he sees her in one of the lives he reads but finds out the truth, she loves another, someone whom he has met. Yet still Adnodos searchs for her. He becomes obsessed that in the long checkered hall of the palace that the statues dance when he is not looking. And he believes that she is there. He is not wrong, but by now he should have realized you need to be careful what you wish for because pursuing the woman means leaving the palace and his shadow returns. The weight and despair plunge him into the depths of his psyche. He has been travelling for he doesn't know how long, always in one direction, towards the rising sun. But what little adventures he has had meeting with people begin to weary and tire him. Is he headed towards a goal? Will he be able to find redemption for the shadow he carries with him? An old woman holds some answers behind four doors. But will reliving his past trauma heal him? He remembers the death of his brother and it's two brothers that will help him to find purpose. They seek to slay tyrannical giants and it's Anodos's songs of his journeys and adventures through Fairy that give them strength in their preparations. But who will give Anodos strength to find his way home?
<br /><br />George MacDonald is probably best known for <i>At the Back of the North Wind</i> and <i>The Princess and the Goblin</i>, children's classics of the highest order. But his book <i>Phantastes</i> is probably the most influential. Within the first few pages you can see why C.S. Lewis referred to him as his <i>"master."</i> And yes, that's because there is a rather prominent wardrobe in the wilderness. You can just picture the Inklings bending over a table at The Eagle and Child and dissecting this tome page by page. Therefore it's hard to discuss this book on it's own. Because Anodos's journey through Fairy is rather prosaic. Nothing much happens and yet the vignettes showcased lit a fire in the minds of other authors. It's not hyperbole to say that <i>Phantastes</i> created the fantasy genre. It's a solid adventure on it's own and competently written, but my true enjoyment from reading it was every time it blew my mind because it connected to another piece of literature or film that I saw in a new light. C.S. Lewis and the wardrobe that took root started here, Lewis Carroll and his humorous turn of phrase to describe the surreal can be read in these pages, but don't forget L. Frank Baum and Dorothy! Though the two examples that most struck me happen in the palace that Anodos discovers. There there is a long hall with a checkerboard floor and music and mirrors and statues and red curtains. Two filmmakers took this as inspiration in their work. The first was Ridley Scott in <i>Legend</i>. When Lili dances with her shadow self and eventually becomes the darker version we then see in the mirror at the end, that was inspired by this! But then again <i>Legend</i> is heavily influenced by fantasy literature, as Terry Gilliam has said <i>Legend </i>is the only film that successfully captured the way he viewed the kitchens in his unrealized production of Mervyn Peake's <i>Gormenghast</i>. But the other auteur might surprise you because it's David Lynch. The antechambers of the Fairy palace's hall <i>are</i> the Black Lodge. The checkerboard floor, the statues, the red curtains, and there's always music in the air? Check, check, check, and check. Mind utterly blown. I'm sure if there was ever an annotated copy of this slim volume it would bulk it out to encyclopedic levels. One day I'd like to read that encyclopedia, as well as rereading <i>Phantastes</i> for itself. Though I have a feeling I'd still find the ending too preachy about <i>"what we call evil."</i> But MacDonald was a minister after all when he wasn't creating entire literary genres.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-1523027112944098182024-03-06T00:00:00.101-06:002024-03-06T00:00:00.138-06:00Book Review - Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mkX2-ZugRcqDCx50rjLNK2R89-ADUv_7oMkC6oiYPOhpYvakBpcXXdaCvITCjy-A9McSzhGU4TFu5NL25lts3oYFPcN3_FxFod6LLRmz3mcLWf0laszZH-l8xCYnRv6VWIDY5fqBzVXOBQLG6BqFWqMrNKQbbjwN84h3fcVdBv_gwyr619GahT_3484/s1600/Androids.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 242px;" /><b><i>Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? </i></b>by Philip K. Dick<br />
Published by: Library of America<br />
Publication Date: 1968<br />
Format: Hardcover, 900 Pages<br />
Rating: ★★★<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/philip-k-dick-four-novels-of-the-1960s-loa-173-the-man-in-the-high-castle-the-three-stigmata-of-palmer-eldritch-do-androids-dream-of-electri-philip-k-/11264031?ean=9781598530094" target="_blank">To Buy</a><br /><br />Earth is a radioactive wasteland. There are cities where you can eek out a life but those that can have emigrated off planet, where they've been given an android servant to help with their new life. Every once in a while an andy escapes Mars and it's indentured servitude and comes to Earth and needs to be hunted down. This is where Rick Deckard comes in. He is a bounty hunter who tracks down the androids and retires them. He gets a sizable bounty for each andy he puts down and all he wants to do with that money is replace his electric sheep. At one time he had a live one and it was everything to him, his status in society secured. But it tragically died and he secretly replaced it with a replica. With the bounties from the six escaped Nexus-6 androids he could replace his sheep or maybe even get a goat. The problem is the Nexus-6 is next to impossible to distinguish from humans, and an andy already got the drop on his senior officer. Therefore his boss thinks it's wise that he visit Rosen Associates, the creators of the Nexus-6, to make sure the test capable of determining if an android is an android short of checking their bone marrow, the Voigt-Kampff test, still works. There he meets Rachael Rosen, the heir to the company, and, surprisingly, an android. Her ability to almost pass the test and his stirring of emotions for her confuse him. Could the line between human and android be thinner than he's ever thought? At least he's able to retire his first target without a problem. The second target once again makes him question his job. Luba Luft is a famous opera singer, and an android. A clever one who turns the tables on him and gets him arrested. At the police station he starts to question everything. Who is in power? Are androids secretly among us? Is that their master plan? Could even he be an android with implanted memories? After Luba Luft is taken care of Deckard administers the Voigt-Kampff test on himself. He is human, but has empathy for the androids. But what does that matter now that he has the money to buy a goat? But will the goat satisfy Deckard and his wife? Or will he still think of Rachael. There are also three more androids to account for...<br /><br />
If you are not a reader of science fiction you most likely know <i>Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?</i> as the book that became the film <i>Blade Runner</i>. That's why I picked it up to read over twenty years ago. I read it straight through without sleep on an overnight train to New York City and it confused the hell out of me because it was nothing like the film. And I'm including all the versions of it out there. It's best to take the book on it's own terms. Because if you read it through the lens of the film you will be disappointed and confused. They are akin to each other but feel like distant cousins. In fact this is a weird instance in which both the book and the film have amazing cultural impact on their respective fields but are two disparate stories. Yet both stories can be boiled down to the question, what is it to be human? And Dick posits that what makes us human is empathy. But how do you quantify empathy and success in Dick's world? That's through the owning of an animal. If you are poor you can only afford a cheap electric imitation animal, but if you have a real animal you are not just showing that you have money, you are showing that you are a more successful human. The fact that characters painstakingly poor over the pages of <i>Sidney's Animal and Fowl Catalogue</i> like gambling addicts at a horse race is both amusing and tragic. They are junkies looking for their next hit of upward mobility. To prove that they are worth something. Which is why the revenge of the android Rachael is so perfect, she emasculates Deckard by taking the one thing he truly loves, his goat. Proving that it's the androids who understand what it is to be human more than the humans. Deckard wanted the goat to prove something, whereas the androids don't want anything other than to experience what it is to live. Luba Luft is the prime example of this. She's an opera singer who goes to a museum to take in the Edvard Munch exhibit. She is part of and an enthusiast of culture. If art is the purest form of the human condition Luba Luft is just as human if not more than Deckard who only wants a goat. And as for the religion? Mercerism? I'm not sure how even Dick himself felt about that. He was drawn deeply into religion and in the book it's a way to connect to other humans. It's really the one thing that the androids can't experience. And yet it is a lie. So will people willingly believe a lie to feel connected? I think as we see with Deckard and his toad that people will believe anything if they are desperate enough.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-60098938102233052962024-03-04T00:00:00.424-06:002024-03-04T00:00:00.344-06:00Tuesday Tomorrow<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95tNc1pDybS_t0IYkAZhuPyZw9KDoHy7XRtt5ME3Y2zSJW2Jwo2eUoaNm0hTvNk9gfAe_Gcx448h-27N_-RnYKoPZ0LCOGz8lfCxmz63zJAnTBOtFd8Y9AyzqNRvo9zi_9XQRznWzeYRKh_GtzHZp6OeMpjF9m4e9VUHojMhFtz1xi8NhZO-zqK1Pn-E/s1600/3-5%201%20Mona.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>Mona of the Manor </i></b>by Armistead Maupin<br />
Published by: Harper <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/mona-of-the-manor-armistead-maupin/20295058?ean=9780062973597" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Set in the early 1990s, the long-awaited tenth novel in Armistead Maupin's beloved and enduring Tales of the City series follows the adventures of Mona Ramsey, now the widowed Lady of a glorious old manor in Britain's golden Cotswolds, and her fabulous adopted son Wilfred, as they come to the aid of an American visitor with a troubling secret.<br /><br />
When Mona Ramsey married Lord Teddy Roughton to secure his visa - allowing him to remain in San Francisco to fulfill his wildest dreams - she never imagined she would, by age 48, be the sole owner of Easley House, Teddy's grand, romantic country manor in the UK. She also didn't imagine that she'd need to open the manor's doors to paying guests to afford the electric bill and repair the leaking roof. Yet somehow she and her young friend Wilfred - whom guests assume is serving as Easley's charming-but-clumsy butler - and the loopy old gardener Mr. Hargis, are making it work.<br /><br />
This delicate equilibrium is upended when Americans Rhonda and Ernie Blaylock arrive for a weekend vacation at Easley, and Wilfred stumbles onto their terrible secret. Now, instead of being able to focus on the imminent arrival of her old friend Michael Tolliver and beloved parent Anna Madrigal, Mona will need to focus all of her considerable charm, willpower, and wiles - and the help of Wilfred and Mona's girlfriend Poppy, the town's postmistress and local calligraphy whiz - to set things right before the Midsummer ceremony when the whole town will descend on Easley's historic grounds"<br /><br />I knew that Mona was <i>too </i>iconic a character to just die of Breast Cancer offstage. Here she finally takes center stage in a book I've longed!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3fLv8ZIR9ecVeXqph1RIM59UL9pAZbaA5mDW2BAFURahFnYUNHiOgSR1S8MjwDv5rgMqHwV61SX8OmzTnaqYvd99UkYO1BXw5x0b35nPZwK4e3l-9yhhz7gQwoNJ-G0DEU1gPWKaI3-HfKyiy2YDitgdBGecbPy0v8HapNc5I3Nrhj_vYJEtyG8pNL8/s1600/3-5%202%20Anita.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 255px;" /><b><i>Anita de Monte Laughs Last </i></b>by Xochitl Gonzalez<br />
Published by: Flatiron Books <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/anita-de-monte-laughs-last-xochitl-gonzalez/19987600?ean=9781250786210" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"<i>New York Times </i>bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez delivers a mesmerizing novel about a first-generation Ivy League student who uncovers the genius work of a female artist decades after her suspicious death.
<br /><br /><i>
Who gets to leave a legacy?</i><br /><br />
1985. Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City; her tragic death is the talk of the town. Until it isn't. By 1998 Anita's name has been all but forgotten - certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. On College Hill, surrounded by privileged students whose futures are already paved out for them, Raquel feels like an outsider. Students of color, like her, are the minority there, and the pressure to work twice as hard for the same opportunities is no secret.<br /><br />
But when Raquel becomes romantically involved with a well-connected older art student, she finds herself unexpectedly rising up the social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita's story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist.<br /><br />
Moving back and forth through time and told from the perspectives of both women, <i>Anita de Monte Laughs Last</i> is a propulsive, witty examination of power, love, and art, daring to ask who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the rarefied world of the elite."<br /><br />Having been a bit in this world I'm fascinated to get a different and real point of view.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYxua1MnVbCx5WwIrMBedrk8VnlFZG6n7uH_07s3nmqxx8DNl6B02CLRy9WfkM3nN_i-oBTus0I_dfzQ8XYKPLkQs49EhHK8-oSijEm9IF5yjGFLObQGUEngBDIfZvEtBiY7RlGYLv5vwV1LWvorbz2jb5HBHO7Ub21KklvxX2aC0yj2qnDjreovEQgM/s1600/3-5%203%20Death.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>Death and Fromage </i></b>by Ian Moore<br />
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/death-and-fromage-ian-moore/20084621?ean=9781728270586" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A laugh-out-loud mystery perfect for fans of <i>The Thursday Murder Club</i>.<br /><br />
Richard is a middle-aged Englishman who runs a B and B in the Val de Follet. Nothing ever happens to Richard, and really that's the way he likes it. Until scandal erupts in the nearby town of Saint-Sauver, when its famous restaurant is downgraded from three Michelin stars to two. The restaurant is shamed, the town is in shock, and the leading goat cheese supplier drowns himself in one of his own pasteurization tanks. Or does he?<br /><br />
Valérie d'Orçay, who is staying at the B and B while house-hunting in the area, isn't convinced that it's a suicide. Despite his misgivings, Richard is drawn into Valérie's investigation, and finds himself becoming a major player in solving the crime. After all, the French do take their cheese quite seriously and it's quite clear there's nothing gouda happening in the close-knit, small village that Richard calls home."<br /><br />Was it that the number one thing I took away from looking up this author is that he likes to make chutney? This isn't a slight, I think we need more author blurbs like this.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOdFQLIGqtvhycYf62gZNjayCIzYAGc4w_J5fDIigdClWH5JN9aq2zY93Xu7QPZrs9Satkljom8jZ8eVU1ZVUq0EEovXWtVmWfxLCFz1YcqdVT1zgXMdBTPWLR5n6S9N-Pm_hcphD9ki76hlhCMf3RQiuzXmY6YoYEHbSKTUTh1qbtuckKMXlvPSak3Q/s1600/3-5%204%20Murder.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>Murder Road </i></b>by Simone St. James<br />
Published by: Berkley Books <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/murder-road-simone-st-james/20147033?ean=9780593200384" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A young couple find themselves haunted by a string of gruesome murders committed along an old deserted road in this terrifying new novel from the <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Book of Cold Cases</i>.<br /><br /><i>
July 1995</i>. April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn. They're looking for the small resort town where they plan to spend their honeymoon. When they spot what appears to a lone hitchhiker along the deserted road, they stop to help. But not long after the hitchhiker gets into their car, they see the blood seeping from her jacket and a truck barreling down Atticus Line after them.<br /><br />
When the hitchhiker dies at the local hospital, April and Eddie find themselves in the crosshairs of the Coldlake Falls police. Unexplained murders have been happening along Atticus Line for years and the cops finally have two witnesses who easily become their only suspects. As April and Eddie start to dig into the history of the town and that horrible stretch of road to clear their names, they soon learn that there is something supernatural at work, something that could not only tear the town and its dark secrets apart, but take April and Eddie down with it all."<br /><br />First, just never pick up hitchhikers, second, avoid the supernatural.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsBaODE8adbQLuOO8qVDtw8LsNuGmE5whVXEDy58tPdJq7Y2QhyphenhyphenGsA1QKiMDkpFlGXPOGXgRdgck_ZCBGSOU014j09R8kHwDMqwMa42nUUrFF-etmMfP_cDuVeiUOMZoBTDmGqVLWa3khjnFZS1JP0DrHQ9s9rV534Z2k7G_dd9c5rFojNWVCbgHCPzw/s1600/3-5%205%20Summer.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>The Summer She Went Missing </i></b>by Chelsea Ichaso<br />
Published by: Sourcebooks Fire <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-summer-she-went-missing-chelsea-ichaso/20084532?ean=9781728251097" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"From the author of <i>Dead Girls Can't Tell Secrets</i> and <i>They're Watching You</i>, a compelling new thriller!<br /><br />
Last summer, they searched for Audrey Covington.<br /><br />
This summer, they'll search for the truth.<br /><br />
Paige Redmond has always felt lucky to spend her summers in Clearwater Ridge, with lazy days sunning at the waterfalls and nights partying at the sprawling houses of the rich families who vacation there. The Covingtons are one of these families, and beautiful, brilliant Audrey Covington is Paige's best friend. And last year, when Audrey's crush-worthy brother Dylan finally started noticing Paige, she was sure it would be the best summer ever.<br /><br />
Except Audrey didn't seem quite like herself. Then one night, she didn't come home. Though Audrey wasn't the first girl to disappear in Clearwater Ridge, she left behind more lies than clues. Now, one summer later, her case has gone cold, and nobody, least of all Paige, can make sense of what happened.<br /><br />
When Paige stumbles across a secret hidden in Audrey's room, however, it changes everything she thought she knew about last summer. She and Dylan set out on their own investigation, discovering things even the police don't know about the people of Clearwater Ridge. But tracking down missing girls - girls who might be beyond saving by now - means entering a world far darker than Paige has ever imagined. And if she isn't careful, she'll become the next girl to vanish."<br /><br />I love the Lolitaness of the cover.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Cvmo8yKhSaOuYirQOVBuiV8ksfghDcngUBKUVrhf4UJl8gp0woxbQZ7TbklOTZ9Ev3ne28v9QCHxiePdJqv_gRgD5flU7RCbrp7v-HETB3jR5l51V-qcVxrQBGNTr2BXJlqykr6MbX4-SRIHZPmq2WZPT_QuptJAYBT1SWpaL4tm5_Cdw7xeaA9-0rc/s1600/3-5%206%20Hunt.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>The Hunter </i></b>by Tana French<br />
Published by: Viking <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 480 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-hunter-tana-french/20155404?ean=9780593493434" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"From the <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Searcher</i> and "one of the greatest crime novelists writing today" (<i>Vox</i>), a spellbinding new novel set in the Irish countryside.<br /><br />
It's a blazing summer when two men arrive in a small village in the West of Ireland. One of them is coming home. Both of them are coming to get rich. One of them is coming to die.<br /><br />
Cal Hooper took early retirement from Chicago PD and moved to rural Ireland looking for peace. He's found it, more or less: he's built a relationship with a local woman, Lena, and he's gradually turning Trey Reddy from a half-feral teenager into a good kid going good places. But then Trey's long-absent father reappears, bringing along an English millionaire and a scheme to find gold in the townland, and suddenly everything the three of them have been building is under threat. Cal and Lena are both ready to do whatever it takes to protect Trey, but Trey doesn't want protecting. What she wants is revenge.<br /><br />
From the writer who is "in a class by herself," (<i>The New York Times</i>), a nuanced, atmospheric tale that explores what we'll do for our loved ones, what we'll do for revenge, and what we sacrifice when the two collide."<br /><br />It's a good day where there's a new Tana French, which are too few and far between.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ26HT6a_HtNtyl15vQzj8FY8oyUuUCtmnxZItRexC9mgcrqDF5jRaRm7L3DuPQkC1-Vt7SNYNJETJg_MVH31CNKGsFfkLE3VWDe-0mqLeLyPUNbFuSn72rjy63YFEou4Z0_KbWNTH1NRGZ8IDskkVNLR_Yxs-gKmkWLzFnLUK1aK1gcXfD1kjLrJ3D4A/s1600/3-5%207%20Lie.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>Listen for the Lie </i></b>by Amy Tintera<br />
Published by: Celadon Books <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/listen-for-the-lie-amy-tintera/19995481?ean=9781250880314" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn't matter?<br /><br />
After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy's blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, and if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. It's been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can't remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life.<br /><br />
But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast "Listen for the Lie," and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy's murder for the show's second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend's murder, even if she is the one that did it.<br /><br />
The truth is out there, if we just listen."<br /><br />I love how the True Crime aspect works in the plot.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApMJqmgwDVME7DcXlblVkz_Li0QRNoSM6NYWMZ60G86lQEAoR4mGW7fJUBSTPDjJRfqP5l0dFbFtMbq-Mpmw-ZgjBY2tgBURMCNX4IOAgkNHp2SSw80ginpbppgsXue_NFt2CvW2UkzqW6GO0996OoCuMeWXg9wrE4WgN5mZ8g_kgGTGClmLMhdmi4bM/s1600/3-5%208%20Couple.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 259px;" /><b><i>The New Couple in 5B </i></b>by Lisa Unger<br />
Published by: Park Row <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-new-couple-in-5b-original-lisa-unger/20013363?ean=9780778333340" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A couple inherits an apartment with a spine-tingling past in this unputdownable thriller from the <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six</i>.<br /><br />
Rosie and Chad Lowan are barely making ends meet in New York City when they receive life-changing news: Chad's late uncle has left them his luxury apartment at the historic Windermere in glamorous Murray Hill. With its prewar elegance and impeccably uniformed doorman, the building is the epitome of old New York charm. One would almost never suspect the dark history lurking behind its perfectly maintained facade.<br /><br />
At first, the building and its eclectic tenants couldn't feel more welcoming. But as the Lowans settle into their new home, Rosie starts to suspect that there's more to the Windermere than meets the eye. Why is the doorman ever-present? Why are there cameras everywhere? And why have so many gruesome crimes occurred there throughout the years? When one of the neighbors turns up dead, Rosie must get to the truth about the Windermere before she, too, falls under its dangerous spell."<br /><br />Any book with Dakota vives is a must read for me.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VbHBBPi0dPxz9S3-_stIBDDvzKQsgGxiC12pw8r9EcPJWzjq-OA6vyRwsrF4cIw0jenV7yVapAk8Z_Ch458L0ZsomeHLKEOFUHRyY_fO8P6NIOCNEWSGBwGi6eHiDBYJat2nvEnl4Abqt98yPwSY0VqOQUCjkWSRsDMgujhUXcsHkB1exokH2aR8lE8/s1600/3-5%209%20Mrs.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>The Devil and Mrs. Davenport </i></b>by Paulette Kennedy<br />
Published by: Lake Union Publishing <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 351 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-devil-and-mrs-davenport-paulette-kennedy/20129972?ean=9781662514883" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"The bestselling author of <i>The Witch of Tin Mountain</i> and <i>Parting the Veil</i> mines the subtle horrors of 1950s America in a gripping novel about a woman under pressure - from the living and the dead.<br /><br /><i>
The first day of autumn brought the fever, and with the fever came the voices.</i><br /><br />
Missouri, 1955. Loretta Davenport has led an isolated life as a young mother and a wife to Pete, an ambitious assistant professor at a Bible college. They're the picture of domestic tranquility - until a local girl is murdered and Loretta begins receiving messages from beyond. Pete dismisses them as delusions of a fevered female imagination. Loretta knows they're real - and frightening.<br /><br />
Defying Pete's demands, Loretta finds an encouraging supporter in parapsychologist Dr. Curtis Hansen. He sees a woman with a rare gift, more blessing than curse. With Dr. Hansen's help, Loretta's life opens up to an empowering new purpose. But for Pete, the God-fearing image he's worked so hard to cultivate is under threat. No longer in control of his dutiful wife, he sees the Devil at work.<br /><br />
As Loretta's powers grow stronger and the pleading spirits beckon, Pete is determined to deliver his wife from evil. To solve the mysteries of the dead, Loretta must first save herself."<br /><br />Parapsychologists are my catnip.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchRvtNcd-AeLnGi6MenRthmIGMdVNXo7nvyB-l0vhGEkV6dVQ03re9tXV0JG9w5zfLhYsaf6ojOZ-EHFOe_w5ZED_fmgSkH0Nml6LCgvnGlMcXezGZrIDvNTYCXzjzu_4_lac0iYVBl5ZMnjWigQqisrNyfjcmopuaNWh-TIfkwzm1cnE2AEz2BroGqo/s1600/3-5%2010%20Velk.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 254px;" /><b><i>The Haunting of Velkwood </i></b>by Gwendolyn Kiste<br />
Published by: S and s/Saga Press <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-haunting-of-velkwood-gwendolyn-kiste/20202377?ean=9781982172374" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"From Bram Stoker Award-winning author Gwendolyn Kiste comes a chilling novel about three childhood friends who miraculously survive the night everyone in their suburban hometown turned into ghosts - perfect for fans of <i>Yellowjackets</i>.<br /><br />
The Velkwood Vicinity was the topic of occult theorists, tabloid one-hour documentaries, and even some pseudo-scientific investigations as the block of homes disappeared behind a near-impenetrable veil that only three survivors could enter - and only one has in the past twenty years, until now.<br /><br />
Talitha Velkwood has avoided anything to do with the tragedy that took her mother and eight-year-old sister, drifting from one job to another, never settling anywhere or with anyone, feeling as trapped by her past as if she was still there in the small town she so desperately wanted to escape from. When a new researcher tracks her down and offers to pay her to come back to enter the vicinity, Talitha claims she's just doing it for the money. <br /><br />Of all the crackpot theories over the years, no one has discovered what happened the night Talitha, her estranged, former best friend Brett, and Grace, escaped their homes twenty years ago. Will she finally get the answers she's been looking for all these years, or is this just another dead end?<br /><br />
Award-winning author Gwendolyn Kiste has created a suburban ghost story about a small town that trapped three young women who must confront the past if they're going to have a future."<br /><br />Yeah, so really it's own unique thing and not <i>Yellowjackets </i>at all...<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05NnVVzJifk8OM0cWP4sqsWpUs-_cCkYWwt-Z-W5mWuNQ9jecTiSJIos1UKPG-QmNvbwNEcVQdQEgYIaqzVRq_lNOKRivfB2d_vFBcjGF-GkVFd7g0OMhveC0texgYhqfiir74bvzzFN1Bf_N1KOWRx2pQgZvl-crj3jdl-eKcPnoTGY8gWPpjvl8Mlc/s1600/3-5%2011%20Song.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 255px;" /><b><i>Song of Carcosa </i></b>by Josh Reynolds<br />
Published by: Aconyte <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/song-of-carcosa-an-arkham-horror-novel-josh-reynolds/20400654?ean=9781839082863" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"An occult thief takes on a sinister society threatening to tear the fabric of this world apart, in this daring noir-thriller from the bestselling world of <i>Arkham Horror</i>.<br /><br />
Countess Alessandra Zorzi, reformed thief and acquirer of occult artifacts, faces her greatest challenge yet as she searches for an elusive artist in possession of the powerful Zanthu Tablet; the only thing that can stop the strange psychic malaise afflicting Alessandra's assistant, Pepper.<br /><br />
The countess's quest takes her to the crooked heart of Venice, where an eerie organization is planning a grand performance that will engulf the city in chaos. As Pepper slips into an inescapable alien world, Alessandra must defeat powerful forces to save her friend. One wrong move could bring the curtain down on them all."<br /><br />I just love the ever expanding worlds of Arkham Horror.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0zDmIKrUUMHO96kiniOQ1vZxjEo5fkoB3DlFKoxE5iQveaKC70NYJXUm2GdRzKo5AVjKHYRiEtOM7Jj_9_NjNdj4A57XbUEqHdwkyQLpYKEz-w2g4T3TiuWLf8-O2f4CGRhKEgDNqAlEwZTYGV0gd-7zTWCJsu540-KEzJXQDasBy0qE21h35tz_g50/s1600/3-5%2012%20Hounds%20%28a%29.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles </i></b>by Elizabeth Crowens<br />
Published by: Level Best Books <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Kindle, 299 Pages<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hounds-Hollywood-Baskervilles-Norman-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CNSM3WY3/ref=sr_1_3?crid=LCM334N9JEQM&keywords=hounds+of+the+hollywood+baskervilles&qid=1705976371&sprefix=hounds+of+the+hollywood+baskervilles%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-3" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Asta, the dog from the popular <i>Thin Man</i> series, has vanished, and production for his next film is pending. MGM Studios offers a huge reward, and that's exactly what young private detectives Babs Norman and Guy Brandt need for their struggling business to survive. Celebrity dognapping now a growing trend, when the police and city pound ridicule Basil Rathbone and ask, "Sherlock Holmes has lost his dog?" Basil also hires the B. Norman Agency to find his missing Cocker Spaniel.<br /><br />
The three concoct a plan for Basil to assume his on-screen persona and round up possible suspects, including Myrna Loy and William Powell; Dashiell Hammett, creator of <i>The Thin Man</i>; Nigel Bruce, Basil's on-screen Doctor Watson; Hollywood-newcomer, German philanthropist and film financier Countess Velma von Rache, and the top animal trainers in Tinseltown. Yet everyone will be in for a shock when the real reason behind the canine disappearances is even more sinister than imagined.<br /><br />
Jump into <i>Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles</i>, Book One of the Babs Norman Golden Age of Hollywood Mystery series. Finalist in the Killer Nashville Claymore Awards for Comedy and First Prize winner in the Chanticleer Review's Mark Twain Awards for Comedy and Satire. Get ready for its sequel, <i>Bye, Bye, Blackbird</i>, featuring Humphrey Bogart and the cast of <i>The Maltese Falcon</i>."<br /><br />I love this new twist on classic Hollywood, especially because Asta is here.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwOMehyOn3vJ6fj2Mq1gS9ys4a4hV8NWYjRMtr_SSa5RWdAGgTpjhyQ8SnK6lYqRsAmgr_bsOU7QFCPCj7Y7RpofM1usE4M63ZiiPRI1TybjmyrJygQpihiLPpuDrp_OvmMV3QahPtB5obhGed11BQln4iXG6yYLWiw3LOn8iiKZ17CbVuAf5bsjvaU4/s1600/3-5%2013%20Trouble.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 252px;" /><b><i>Trouble </i></b>by Lex Croucher<br />
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 3536 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/trouble-lex-croucher/19987496?ean=9781250323965" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A Regency-era romantic comedy with a deliciously feminist and queer twist, from the author of <i>Reputation</i> and <i>Infamous</i>.<br /><br /><i>
There's a new governess at Fairmont House, and she's going to be nothing but trouble.</i><br /><br />
Emily Laurence is a liar. She is not polite, she's not polished, and she has never taught a child in her life. This position was meant to be her sister's - brilliant, kind Amy, who isn't perpetually angry, dangerously reckless, and who does (inexplicably) like children.<br /><br />
But Amy is unwell and needs a doctor, and their father is gone and their mother is useless, so here Emily is, pretending to be something she's not.<br /><br />
If she can get away with her deception for long enough to earn a few month's wages and slip some expensive trinkets into her pockets along the way, perhaps they'll be all right.<br /><br />
That is, as long as she doesn't get involved with the Edwards family's dramas. Emily refuses to care about her charges - Grace, who talks too much and loves too hard, and Aster, who is frankly terrifying but might just be the wittiest sixteen-year-old Emily has ever met - or the servants, who insist on acting as if they're each other's family. And she certainly hasn't noticed her employer, the brooding, taciturn Captain Edwards, no matter how good he might look without a shirt on...<br /><br />
As Fairmont House draws her in, Emily's lies start to come undone. Can she fix her mistakes before it's too late?"<br /><br />Oh, you KNOW you need to read this Regency Romp!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2tWc7Rl91Ww9qXxYyfbKC7l4JoXPaWZHLWU8AyWMZYgmOf-5QEDFgQUsmcTs37JPVW9s4LCm3bq_6SOrhJPGGD-W6jlDxdfFI1YuQNgh_IYrtbJK7yYE1ZenURzVndd3-uJux7i8q_dk1Dix7b8xsw-X7SI_D78I9oNljy5Zynhbm-s1Riqpq0Z9IZw/s1600/3-5%2014%20Unlikely.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>An Unlikely Proposition </i></b>by Rosalyn Eves<br />
Published by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr) <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/an-unlikely-proposition-rosalyn-eves/19745570?ean=9780374390273" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A standalone companion to An Improbable Season, this Regency romance - perfect for fans of Bridgerton - is about following your heart, pursuing your dreams, and falling head over heels in love.<br /><br /><i>
Eleanor</i> did not come to London to be proper and boring. After the death of her husband and a year of mourning, the seventeen year old wants nothing more than her independence and to have a little fun. She's hardly looking to remarry, despite pressures from her late husband's nephew, who is keen on obtaining her inheritance. Eleanor quickly devises a plan that includes a fake engagement. What's not a part of the plan? Falling for a dashing, quiet man outside of her social circle - a man who is not her betrothed. Can she survive the Season with her heart and her fortune intact?<br /><br /><i>
Thalia</i> is determined to begin afresh after a disastrous first Season in London. No romantic distractions, but only her work as a poet and newfound companion to Eleanor. Determined to get her poems published, she struggles to be taken seriously as a female writer. As the spring progresses, Thalia does not expect to take interest in a man from her past (a man who is engaged to her employer, no less!), but some feelings demand to be felt even if the timing isn't<i> quite </i>right.<br /><br />
Rosalyn Eves's <i>An Unlikely Proposition</i> is a transportive Regency drama that captures the sparkle of London, thrill of friendship, and swoon of new love."<br /><br />So... Um... Eleanor was married at sixteen? Bit Lydia Bennet that...<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkwbrHLvhGAahV0YmMOoTCFIyAKEHTy0kgpOahguqPLT5WcmV2oNomRfpY9G4_EiY7IDZtojOR33yPNOFPcDS8sVe2XQyRyYERhyphenhyphenhsVybxn51vdyoqS5m9Mfod2nS0U00X0ynLGcBNhabVoyo-dicxmrgFYWvMbtKzMHw9yAMTu4dit7XdHBQiNncc60/s1600/3-5%2015%20Letter.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>An Inconvenient Letter </i></b>by Julie Wright<br />
Published by: Shadow Mountain <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/an-inconvenient-letter-julie-wright/20254115?ean=9781639932306" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Complications arise when Marietta's secret love letters are accidentally found by the wrong man.<br /><br /><i>
1828, the London countryside.</i><br /><br />
For years, Marietta Stone has harbored a secret infatuation for the handsome Frederick Finch and has poured out her deepest feelings in a series of passionate love letters that she keeps in a locked drawer. But when Marietta's private letters are accidentally delivered to Frederick's house, she must retrieve them immediately before they fall into the wrong hands. If the letters were read by anyone else, the resulting scandal could jeopardize her reputation.<br /><br />
Gerard Hartwell has no time for infatuations, courtship, or even love. He must find a wife with a substantial inheritance if he wishes to save his late father's bankrupt estate. When he accidentally discovers Marietta's love letters at his cousin Frederick's estate, he strikes a bargain with her. If she helps him court her older sister, Anne, he will return the letters and help Marietta win Frederick's heart.<br /><br />
Marietta agrees, and the two quickly pretend to be courting in order to spend time with their individual love interests. Yet, what appeared to be a straightforward bargain becomes complicated when Gerard realizes that the more time he spends with Marietta, the more he wishes he could court her for real. But can he persuade Marietta to give him a chance when her heart might belong to another man?"<br /><br />Aww.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfOuOoXUawgRVibvXZlnrMEOfysGtivk59vwitGObu1nCCon4A5OvBbi1dKdIYjxxs9U2xYqpoJCgeUNpDEclRncoMiXT_iMCiG6HxwUEVCzIWORKNBNiDyVytamu8638kLFwp01LdCzBkBbSHUS1Dyvgehzno69KzFlfaUjNqRc0O88gLWe-bDdWKpE/s1600/3-5%2016%20Witch.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 255px;" /><b><i>The Witch of New York </i></b>by Alex Hortis<br />
Published by: Pegasus Crime <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-witch-of-new-york-the-trials-of-polly-bodine-and-the-cursed-birth-of-tabloid-justice/18940024?ean=9781639363919" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Before the sensational cases of Amanda Knox and Casey Anthony - before even Lizzie Borden - there was Polly Bodine, the first American woman put on trial for capital murder in our nation's debut media circus.<br /><br />
On Christmas night, December 25, 1843, in a serene village on Staten Island, shocked neighbors discovered the burnt remains of twenty-four-year-old mother Emeline Houseman and her infant daughter, Ann Eliza. In a perverse nativity, someone bludgeoned to death a mother and child in their home - and then covered up the crime with hellfire.<br /><br />
When an ambitious district attorney charges Polly Bodine (Emelin's sister-in-law) with a double homicide, the new "penny press" explodes. Polly is a perfect media villain: she's a separated wife who drinks gin, commits adultery, and has had multiple abortions. Between June 1844 and April 1846, the nation was enthralled by her three trials - in Staten Island, Manhattan, and Newburgh - for the "Christmas murders."<br /><br />
After Polly's legal dream team entered the fray, the press and the public debated not only her guilt, but her character and fate as a fallen woman in society. Public opinion split into different camps over her case. Edgar Allen Poe and Walt Whitman covered her case as young newsmen. P. T. Barnum made a circus out of it. James Fenimore Cooper's last novel was inspired by her trials.<br /><br /><i>
The Witch of New York</i> is the first narrative history about the dueling trial lawyers, ruthless newsmen, and shameless hucksters who turned the Polly Bodine case into America's formative tabloid trial. An origin story of how America became addicted to sensationalized reporting of criminal trials, <i>The Witch of New York</i> vividly reconstructs an epic mystery from Old New York - and uses the Bodine case to challenge our system of tabloid justice of today."<br /><br />I mean, let's just admit, we have <i>always</i> had an insatiable need for true crime...<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNvs-jIhx7yqKfayFoSdTUZY8_xh5KvWijJwuPC50euuy4a-zPX1ji-rP9izOtDifL9Fh7ecIU9VTIpliuIfGd2GzzR_rgJ0K3rkFW41lI2T1RyODH6PXpHnJGRnGTcr1xiHuZ-7IzYLt94EGebq6zGbpVePADSnCyQPODwlnK_SabWxfzyniTGciUQM/s1600/3-5%2017%20Eliza%20%28a%29.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 242px;" /><b><i>Eliza Mace </i></b>by Sarah Burton and Jem Poster<br />
Published by: Duckworth <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Kindle, 352 Pages<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Eliza-Mace-thrilling-Victorian-detective-ebook/dp/B0CJQ549X6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=E3NY78MYBNAB&keywords=eliza+mace&qid=1705976250&sprefix=elisa+mace%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-1" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"<i>Enola Holmes</i> meets the novels of Laura Purcell in this Victorian mystery featuring quick-witted would-be detective Eliza Mace.<br /><br /><i>
The Welsh borders, 1870s</i>: on the cusp of adulthood, Eliza Mace is battling for her independence. Stuck in a crumbling manor house on the fringe of a small town, she is thwarted by powers that conspire to protect, control and deceive her. But when her father goes missing in mysterious circumstances, Eliza's determination to uncover the truth is unstoppable.<br /><br />
Joining forces with the charismatic new police constable, Dafydd Pritchard, she sets out to solve the case, but that's no easy task. Her father has run up debts in town and beyond, and there are many who bear him a grudge. As she searches for evidence, Eliza exposes dark secrets that threaten to tear her world apart..."<br /><br />Oh yes, I need something to fill the void left by Enola Holmes!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55AvwnF3xn6K92M4ZbgGQq5QKlcDI0abOLaaqbWnxoqahDNbzJ0aEswu_MszhWgoP3wU6z9h70OEqEuIdc-_-fC0j93TyhChuxsNiAk4oZO1x_FHmTL0kd5B8vWQvIxtlKYxYxSxPTPcEr-QJU_Y4drehj_JKxviWlpVfGU72a3T8ksx2CO42YjLnPkc/s1600/3-5%2018%20Queen.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 248px;" /><b><i>The Queen of Thieves </i></b>by Johan Rundberg<br />
Published by: Amazon Crossing Kids<br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 207 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-queen-of-thieves-johan-rundberg/19627922?ean=9781662509629" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Mika will do what it takes to uncover a string of thefts in the city - and keep her fellow orphans safe.<br /><br />
After a merciless winter, spring has sprung in 1880 Stockholm, and the city awaits the arrival of the <i>SS Vega</i>, the first ship to have sailed the Northeast Passage. Life is busy at the orphanage, but twelve-year-old Mika quickly notices that the older orphans are up to something - and it doesn't look good.<br /><br />
When Constable Hoff approaches her with information about thefts around the city, Mika becomes even more concerned about what the other kids are up to - and what they might be planning for the <i>Vega</i> celebration. The police will have no sympathy for orphans, and she'd hate to see her friends condemned to life in jail.<br /><br />
But Mika soon finds herself in a bind she can't get out of - one that could condemn her own life. Can Mika uncover who is really behind the thefts in the city and keep her friends safe, without getting caught? Find out in this breathless sequel to <i>The Night Raven</i>."<br /><br />Personally I'm all for pickpocket orphans getting away with it...<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNcg0ZsU8k1wSg7yAir-63pTQBZrS8UDPSkFBrYEg6fpd0xebft1So2bufkdj8QzpaVPh8-6K5Iul9s-GkK6XxvfRfqz0jktLHgX28eJpWsAbJBfJISs8j9yWmx5JIuI-F7_1zLRswNQQzFD9NbQ9qFn_4ktEVwvydGAduPmwHYSMQ2-mKv-Ht90tJWzo/s1600/3-5%2019%20Bone.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>The Silver Bone </i></b>by Andrey Kurkov<br />
Published by: Harpervia <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-silver-bone-andrey-kurkov/20297615?ean=9780063352285" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"From Ukraine's most celebrated novelist, a perplexing mystery that introduces rookie detective Samson Kolechko in Kyiv as he is tackling his first case, set against real life details of the tumultuous early twentieth century.<br /><br /><i>
Kyiv, 1919</i>. World War I has ended in Western Europe, but to the East, six factions continue to vie for control of Ukraine. Amidst the political turmoil, young Samson Kolechko is forced to place his engineering career on hold. But in the city of Kyiv everything remains up for grabs and new opportunity lurks just around the corner...<br /><br />
When two Red Army soldiers commandeer his home, Samson's life is completely upended. But as Samson juggles his personal life - including a budding romance with the ingenious Nadezhda, a statistician helping run the city's census - with the soldiers' intrusion, he winds up overhearing their secret plans. Deciding to report them, Samson instead finds himself unwittingly recruited as an investigator for the city's new police force.<br /><br />
His first case involves two murders, a long bone made of pure silver, and a suit of decidedly unusual proportions tailored from fine English cloth. The odds stacked against him, Samson turns to Nadezhda, who proves to be more than his match. Inflected with Kurkov's signature humor and off kilter universe, <i>The Silver Bone</i> takes its inspiration from the archives of Kyiv's secret police, crafting a propulsive narrative bursting to life with rich historical detail."<br /><br />We should all be learning and reading more about Ukraine, and that includes supporting it's authors who write wonderful mysteries.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OJ6QizN1lnu-_8JN7vtpPhDcXr8OhMsuhrzspoQV0ZdLCo8r8ubwB-_MouZMNWf3zT1CwzIbV5X7HdEyJI4qYWvEtyF_tN9FYhaA3ju6PgBFwDQK5lWsfvNNXZ-Gauu5xWRIeVM5oQEnE8DgWHB0-iMpfyCpODyLbXkRt4CVlAOxrc3L1a_rB66lJoI/s1600/3-5%2020%20Black.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>The Black Crescent </i></b>by Jane Johnson<br />
Published by: Simon and Schuster <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-black-crescent-jane-johnson/20165294?ean=9781668017500" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A captivating historical novel set in post-war Casablanca about a young man marked by djinns who must decide where his loyalties lie as the fight for Moroccan independence erupts.<br /><br />
Hamou Badi is born in a village in the Anti-Atlas Mountains with the markings of the zouhry on his hands. In Morocco, the zouhry is a figure of legend, a child of both humans and djinns, capable of finding treasure, lost objects, and even water in the worst of droughts. But when young Hamou finds the body of a murdered woman, his life is forever changed.<br /><br />
Haunted by this unsolved murder and driven by the desire to do good in the world, Hamou leaves his village for Casablanca to become an officer of the law under the French Protectorate.<br /><br />
But Casablanca is not the shining beacon of modernity he was expecting. The forcible exile of Morocco's sultan by the French sparks a nationalist uprising led by violent dissident groups, none so fearsome as the Black Crescent. Torn between his heritage and his employers, Hamou will be caught in the crossfire.<br /><br />
The lines between right and wrong, past and future, the old world and the new, are not as clear as the magical lines on his palms. And as the danger grows, Hamou is forced to choose between all he knows and all he loves."<br /><br />You had me at djinns.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28l3ri2-IOh1jwWlzBMo1N4eb_hru1WvHRPga0MqPrwaqEy4Hn4pg0O_zdaYy68_AGS52GvPghxC0_5ZlPv_Fo5ELm3LDBwIb1HzwBZQ4ibASQ0HZqzjjEs9AVfMDjUO7MXhVAB2j17zAuLP_GktmuoXXtDX6zEWiWC6_d5eet_W6iNYTznrX2VgXD44/s1600/3-5%2021%20Gods.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>What Monstrous Gods </i></b>by Rosamund Hodge<br />
Published by: Balzer and Bray/Harperteen <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/what-monstrous-gods-rosamund-hodge/20164477?ean=9780062869135" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A rich and romantic new standalone fantasy loosely inspired by the classic Sleeping Beauty fairy tale, from the <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>Cruel Beauty</i>! Perfect for fans of <i>These Violent Delights</i> and <i>The Shadow Queen</i>.
<br /><br />
Centuries ago, the heretic sorcerer Ruven raised a deadly briar around Runakhia's palace, casting the royal family into an enchanted sleep - and silencing the kingdom's gods.<br /><br />
Born with a miraculous gift, Lia's destiny is to kill Ruven and wake the royals. But when she succeeds, she finds her duty is not yet complete, for now she must marry into the royal family and forge a pact with a god - or die.<br /><br />
To make matters even worse, Ruven's spirit is haunting her.<br /><br />
As discord grows between the old and new guards, the queen sends Lia and Prince Araunn, her betrothed, on a pilgrimage to awaken the gods. But the old gods are more dangerous than Lia ever knew - and Ruven may offer her only hope of survival.<br /><br />
As the two work together, Lia learns that they're more alike than she expected. And with tensions rising, Lia must choose between what she was raised to believe and what she knows is right - and between the prince she is bound to by duty...and the boy she killed."<br /><br />The fairy tale Sleeping Beauty was one of my first obsessions.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUAp_E0FlMA9Wg326IUl-l-I-nOWe-m52qRpQ7i8FZOK22dEIvPDOPFLVVeHDDAcnwPuhFji6vY0skahlzPYjDPm6umazyLMZC0t9dL6WQ4Bbqri_UeAsmqiPbxenBH5jDBfrkvMpYCahZzmeXxU6N-zaMpMZQqzeApN1mQx6tF-gpWOsRCOO4hmuEy4/s1600/3-5%2022%20Holly.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>The Prisoner's Throne </i></b>by Holly Black<br />
Published by: Little Brown and Company <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-prisoner-s-throne-holly-black/19638668?ean=9780316592710" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"<i>An imprisoned prince. A vengeful queen. And a battle that will determine the future of Elfhame.</i><br /><br />
Prince Oak is paying for his betrayal. Imprisoned in the icy north and bound to the will of a monstrous new queen, he must rely on charm and calculation to survive. With High King Cardan and High Queen Jude willing to use any means necessary to retrieve their stolen heir, Oak will have to decide whether to attempt regaining the trust of the girl he's always loved or to remain loyal to Elfhame and hand over the means to end her reign - even if it means ending Wren, too.<br /><br />
With a new war looming on the horizon and treachery lurking in every corner, neither Oak's guile nor his wit will be enough to keep everyone he loves alive. It's just a question of whom he will doom.
From the #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author Holly Black comes the stunning blood-soaked conclusion to the Stolen Heir duology."<br /><br />I love Holly Black. I love duologies.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIt1NFXezqpQDvePA3fD7pYQOHQe2dqDKjETzauXo70vYklhbs_-2GopRAKnRExl0wagZUqMomEW1ruHIu6N5WqTH4oAIUa84xiUZ_6NqM_kNbPVepyiTZ9GIWANQ1TTClMFwJc_rWyIZ3fNwUgaYdRqcXFPuf5cfSv8LrEzbZcW-_OEa2QzKDYq82tc/s1600/3-5%2023%20Seanan.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>Aftermarket Afterlife </i></b>by Seanan McGuire<br />
Published by: Daw Books <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/aftermarket-afterlife-seanan-mcguire/20545252?ean=9780756418618" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Seanan McGuire's <i>New York Times</i>-bestselling and Hugo Award-nominated urban fantasy InCryptid series continues with the thirteenth book following the Price family, cryptozoologists who study and protect the creatures living in secret all around us.<br /><br />
Mary Dunlavy didn't intend to become a professional babysitter. Of course, she didn't intend to die, either, or to become a crossroads ghost. As a babysitting ghost, she's been caring for the Price family for four generations, and she's planning to keep doing the job for the better part of forever.<br /><br />
With her first charge finally back from her decades-long cross-dimensional field trip, with a long-lost husband and adopted daughter in tow, it's time for Mary to oversee the world's most chaotic family reunion. And that's before the Covenant of St. George launches a full scale strike against the cryptids of Manhattan, followed quickly by an attack on the Campbell Family Carnival.<br /><br />
It's going to take every advantage and every ally they have for the Prices to survive what's coming--and for Mary, to avoid finding out the answer to a question she's never wanted to know: what happens to a babysitting ghost if she loses the people she's promised to protect?"<br /><br />It's March so this should easily be her third book of the year... How is she so productive without sacrificing quality?<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX677rV9f9EhmYmo8dw2mKCUdNcDEm6k9OhAHl5OaVCKEt3RDDehH-JeJEpSPywGfTZGEQ2d0pD5epsfFsYDRnexIJLfHcqxlPiHGTrjk-M4TQOfOW6WZRHcr7k8fD98aVyjIEeY7kKNeGwSbBeoMBcg9c-7iWJb5h5MeNf3pZjtUCcJJMytivlZX68i0/s1600/3-5%2024%20Time.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human </i></b>by Kimberly Lemming<br />
Published by: Orbit <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/that-time-i-got-drunk-and-saved-a-human-kimberly-lemming/20523093?ean=9780316570350" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"When a spirited young woman with a penchant for adventure finds herself locked away in a dragon's tower, she realizes that fate has a peculiar sense of humor when it comes to her romantic prospects, in this laugh-out-loud fantasy rom-com.<br /><br />
All children are told fairytales. Some are epic adventures with high stakes and exciting twists, while others are tales of pitiful princesses trapped in boring towers pining for their Prince Charmings to come and rescue them. Growing up, Cherry always hated those stories. Why didn't the princesses just get up and rescue themselves? Little did she know that her own fate would take an ironically similar turn. Because now, here she is. Stuck. In a tower. Turns out, when a dragon holds you hostage, he doesn't just let you get up and leave.<br /><br />
Who knew?<br /><br />
And just when Cherry thinks she sees hope on the horizon, that hope is smashed to bits by - you guessed it - another damn dragon."<br /><br />I just love the whole vibe of this series, it brings a smile to my face.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KP2Eelr0wIIuBstGbjEny3wMuZChzw6WYLHlILjOtjLG5j3uXClFX0XsYKmnsfkA_y3kohnlGlO-oJYNi6HjTobDSJBp0VsfN3oJGw4KjIMHHLKUwBV8eIGAszMQP_PONFsLGKJFT5U6NrxzY3GJ3JpufjsZjQW6W0F1nGet8EydtVg3ocJx5kswfGo/s1600/3-5%2025%20Rome.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 254px;" /><b><i>I Am Rome </i></b>by Santiago Posteguillo<br />
Published by: Ballantine Books <br />
Publication Date: March 5th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 624 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/i-am-rome-a-novel-of-julius-caesar-santiago-posteguillo/20143980?ean=9780593598047" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Discover the runaway #1 international bestseller that has captured readers the world over - and reminds us all why we remember the name <i>Julius Caesar.
</i><br /><br />
Every legend has a beginning...<br /><br />
Rome, 77 B.C. The corrupt Senator Dolabella is about to go on trial for his crimes.<br /><br />
But Dolabella owns the jury. He's hired the best lawyers in the city. And he's very willing to use violence against those who oppose him.<br /><br />
In all of Rome, no man dares accept the role of prosecutor - until, against all odds, an unknown twenty-three-year-old steps out to lead the case, defend the people of the city, and defy the power of the ruling elite.
That lawyer's name is Gaius Julius Caesar.<br /><br />
So begins Santiago Posteguillo's acclaimed masterpiece of historical fiction - a tale as epic as Caesar's life itself. An irresistible page-turning novel of politics and betrayal, grand battles and impossible odds, shocking villainy and even greater acts of courage, <i>I Am Rome</i> brilliantly animates the moments that shaped this extraordinary young man's fate - and in so doing, changed the course of history itself."<br /><br />After watching all of <i>I, Claudius</i>, I'm now obsessed with all things Roman.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-86670381024001839192024-03-01T00:00:00.000-06:002024-03-01T00:00:00.149-06:00Book Review - Malinda Lo's Last Night at the Telegraph Club<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghVZ0il1aGLF13jqHMhUx49DujgS762z6lNQyrqlgl8i5rxa5nTnqTH--80SmEA43VEe6yCEdFk5iIRVDWCPB6_0nbns2hX4PVUL0ZIt5aE3b_p81u7NilAtxX5afPeSxAqfUnyYv7TjpIuoM5GZu-VE-lHbNCT3u8_YCqqneDic054GJzIu9OwjH8" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 255px;" /><b><i>Last Night at the Telegraph Club </i></b>by Malinda Lo<br />
Published by: Dutton Books for Young Readers <br />
Publication Date: January 19th, 2021<br />
Format: Kindle, 415 Pages<br />
Rating: ★★★★<br />
<a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780525555278" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a> (different edition than one reviewed)<br />
<br />Lily Hu knows she's different than other girls. It's not just that she's smarter and likes math it's that, unlike her best friend Shirley, she really doesn't have any interest in boys. Lily can use her parents' strictures as the reason why she doesn't date, but the real reason is she doesn't want to. Boys don't stir anything in her like they do Shirley. But then, one day helping out at Shirley's parents restaurant, Lily sees an ad in the paper that stirs something in her. It's for Tommy Andrews, a male impersonator at the Telegraph Club. She furtively rips the ad out and it becomes a talisman for her. A dangerous talisman. One day it slips out of it's hiding spot and her fellow classmate Kathleen Miller picks it up. Kathleen and Lily are the only two girls in the advanced math class, both with dreams in the heavens, and it turns out they have more in common than Lily thought as Kathleen says that she has been to see Tommy at the Telegraph Club. Her friend Jean took her and Kath will take Lily if she wishes. It is Lily's greatest wish to go, but the experience is more unnerving than she thought it would be. It's not lying to her parents and risking their safety, or even being in a bar with so many women free to be themselves, it's the fact that the Tommy of her imagination was a matinee idol yet the real Tommy is flesh and blood and female. How she's feeling inside is no longer hypothetical, it has shape and form, and that form is looking more and more like Kath. But there are consequences to Lily's actions, Shirley has warned her about Kathleen and in particular Kathleen's friend Jean who was thrown out of school when she was found with another girl in the band room. When she first heard the story Lily couldn't understand what could drive someone to do something so risky. Now she's endangering herself every minute with her thoughts and actions. But love, true love, is worth all the consequences.
<br /><br />When <i>Last Night at the Telegraph Club</i> was released to such acclaim, topping best of lists left and right, I thought it sounded like a rich historical fiction novel about the LGBTQ experience in 1950s San Francisco. And it is that, don't get me wrong, I just didn't think it would be <i>so</i> YA. And<i> Last Night at the Telegraph Club</i> is epicly YA in all the good and bad ways. YA, even YA done right, has a certain cringe factor, you're looking back at your teen years and you feel all the feels all over again. The sweats breaking out when you see your crush, the itch on your skin as they draw near, the horrible replay of how your tongue fumbled to form coherent words around them. It's all here. Even the horrible betrayal of a former best friend. Everyone's teenage years seem to distill down to the same level of hormonal tension and Malinda Lo has captured that universality for good and for ill. But she has also captured the deeper identity struggle that happens when you realize you're not like everyone else. I was also forcefully reminded of a situation I was in in college. One of my friends started dating a guy. She was Vietnamese and he was white. She knew her parents wouldn't approve so one day when they were on a date she told her mother she was with me. I was not informed that I was her alibi and called her house. Her cover was blown and thereafter she created a fake girl who she was hanging out with when she was really with her boyfriend. I commented that it was lucky she wasn't gay because otherwise her mom would be suspicious of this new girl friend. Her response was that <i>"that wouldn't happen."</i> Reading Lily's mom say there <i>"are no homosexuals in this family"</i> brought that moment back to me after twenty years. To have someone who you love so much deny who you are, I just don't get how anyone could be so cruel. Love is love. I'm just lucky enough to have been raised in a family that believes this.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-40889380754894081382024-02-28T00:00:00.002-06:002024-02-28T00:00:00.146-06:00Book Review - Kate Atkinson's Shrines of Gaiety<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgM5HGkIx8eRIvQ-mjrEFC6vUCA-QBvryH2pjuKeVtMoMCTAfxExscJMpxQ-W_uJNXuMiCXTxftZuvWTCvQlPpS_hqN7YIEbtBm-xtF2JD_IOh4XgORF4YhDTKyHoGOXAESINsHPAUP-cNAEZfUouQ6LoHja2hjxxt5YtNP0CaAfXvKngMZ55aJeKY/s1600/9-27%208%20Shrines.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 252px;" /><b><i>Shrines of Gaiety </i></b>by Kate Atkinson<br />
Published by: Doubleday <br />
Publication Date: September 27th, 2022<br />
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages<br />
Rating: ★<br />
<a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780385547970" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />Ma Coker is being released from prison. Detective Inspector John Frobisher sits in his car watching the spectacle of her release. Her children crowd around her for the camera. The notorious Queen of Clubs got locked up for a minor infraction, but Frobisher knows that she is rotten and he will make it his life's work to see her back behind bars for good. His job is to root out corruption and catch the bad guys, even if they're coppers. Because to have avoided prison for so long Ma Coker has to have someone on the inside and Frobisher is seconded to the Bow Street police station to find out just who that is. Which is how he met Gwendolyn Kelling. Miss Kelling is a mild mannered librarian from York. After the death of her mother she has surprisingly come into quite a bit of money. Two girls from York have gone missing; Freda Murgatroyd and Florence Ingram. Miss Kelling is friends with Freda's half-sister Cissy and Gwendolyn agrees to go to London to look for them. Freda is a silly girl with dreams of being an actress and she obviously just dragged Florence along for company. But these kind of girls can get chewed up and spit out by London and they often end up working in Ma Coker's clubs. So when Miss Kelling shows up at the police station asking for help Frobisher is entranced by the young woman. She's so forthright, so put together, unlike his wife, that he will think up any reason to see more of her. Therefore he says he'll get his men looking into the girls disappearance, but that she might want to check out the clubs, and if she's going to go there she could help him. Miss Kelling is up for the challenge. She walks into the Amethyst, the crown jewel of Ma Coker's clubs, on the arm of an undercover cop, and ends up helping out a gang member who's been shot. This brings Miss Kelling to the attention of Ma Coker. She could use someone like Gwendolyn. Someone able to stand her ground and have a cool head in a crisis. Therefore she asks the librarian from York if she wouldn't mind running a night club. It even comes with it's own apartment. Miss Kelling jumps at the opportunity. She claims for DI Frobisher it's so she can help him from the inside, but maybe, just maybe, it's because she's drawn to Ma's oldest son, Niven. There's something about him that is intriguing. With all the clubs and all the people and the seething vast metropolis, anything is possible, but one thing is certain, at this moment in time London revolves around Ma Coker. But with an enemy list as long as hers how long will this last?<br /><br />Over the past few years historical fiction set during the roaring twenties has undergone a seismic shift. Books about the "bright young things" are no longer the rage, instead the focus has shifted to those of a lower economic class. The shift started by first embracing an <i>Upstairs, Downstairs</i> vibe, the we're all in this together and together we can get through this. But the world has changed, a pandemic, poverty, and political upheaval has worn us all down. The best example to hand is <i>Downton Abbey</i>. When the first movie arrived on screens in 2019 I adored it, the cast of characters pulling together for King and Country. When <i>Downton Abbey: A New Era</i> arrived in 2022 with the characters flaunting their wealth and vacationing on the Riviera, I couldn't help thinking, perhaps Julian Fellowes should have read the room. This wasn't the escape I was personally looking for after two years of hell. In fact it made me hate all the Crawley family for their excesses. How dare they behave this way? And I wasn't the only one who felt this way, the fact the film made $100 million less kind of speaks for itself. Which is why readers are right pointing out that this is the book that speaks to us now, there's pain and suffering after the end of the first world war and we're focusing on the lower classes who are fleecing the parasitic bright young things. Criminals are the new heroes, I mean just look how many books have been written about Alice Diamond in the past few years and you can see the trend that Julian Fellowes was blind to. And Kate Atkinson has a way with creating memorable characters. This book might be said to have a somewhat bloated cast, one of my friends thinks there were twenty-six "main" characters, but when I started to add it up I think it was higher. Because there is no such thing as a minor character in this book. Everyone gets a backstory, everyone has their lives lovingly told in beautiful language right up until the moment Kate Atkinson got bored with them all. That is the only way I can explain how this book ended. She wrote these complex, if very self-centered characters and then just stopped. Did she hit her allotted word count? Because she kills off DI Frobisher in a death that is almost stupider than Dan Stevens's on <i>Downton Abbey</i> and it opened up of the floodgates; jumping all the over twentieth century clinically listing when and how the characters died, but stoutly refusing to solve Florence's disappearance or Vivian Quinn's murder. Though what made me furious with this book, beyond all the unresolved plotlines, is that Gwendolyn and Niven's future and romantic fate is <i>"suspended between coming and going forever."</i> That is where she left the main narrative? Now that is a hanging offense.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-20814795914566231002024-02-26T00:00:00.209-06:002024-02-26T00:00:00.137-06:00Tuesday Tomorrow<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3ZoLn6W4K8UdfsGHKIb2kEDD4tNkbB8mjG8W_OkgeMhma9onBZ2DvDb4o3vhxSvrvhuUoW8LEkfNaVAnYsBt5-imWF7-X8M6pGLYdjHhhNJZEQXjTWrWIg4iBFXQXgcIf0OZTmfWO_VZ5RD8jkRhd_1aV_3edT_TzeV6LZbVFXlcvpmINPv-Zx6KMTU/s1600/2-27%201%20Miss.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>Miss Austen Investigates: The Hapless Milliner </i></b>by Jessica Bull<br />
Published by: Union Square and Co. <br />
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/miss-austen-investigates-the-hapless-milliner-jessica-bull/20277477?ean=9781454951803" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A witty, engaging murder mystery featuring Jane Austen as an intrepid amateur sleuth - the first in a series.<br /><br />
Jane Austen - sparkling, spirited, and incredibly clever - is suddenly thrust into a mystery when a milliner's dead body is found locked inside a cupboard in the middle of a ball. When Jane's brother Georgy is found with some jewelry belonging to the deceased, the local officials see it as an open-and-shut case: one which is likely to end with his death. Jane is certain that he is innocent, and there is more to the murder than meets the eye. Her investigations send her on a journey through local society, as Jane's suspect list keeps on growing - and her keen observational skills of people will be put to the test to solve the crime and save her brother."<br /><br />I mean, I'm here for all the Jane Austen, but if you want a complete series that has been lauded over the years Stephanie Barron's series about Jane Austen just ended this past fall...<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUcHt8wgpIhNKnL-LXRWZOyvDowHOyB_qgiE12fLCU5BodIbf72J3WpnnWVu7aGQ3oq8ojAf0uZMSVf-TPkv_qnKL8M4L5__0og7T0d1OlLNPDwav13BQ8gkdwl24q-ZZlwko1hGRHy7_7V88IrVM4Furoh3nuRG8BJb-aDysQkacgYGM4ZUhJZn1AIMQ/s1600/2-27%202%20Lady.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventures </i></b>by Angela Bell<br />
Published by: Bethany House Publishers <br />
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-lady-s-guide-to-marvels-and-misadventure-angela-bell/20204061?ean=9780764242137" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"When Clara Marie Stanton's ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all Clara can do to protect them from his desperate schemes and society's prejudice. Her family may be eccentric, yes, but they certainly aren't insane. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.<br /><br />
Theodore Kingsley, a shame-chased vagabond skilled in repairing clocks, wants a fresh start far from Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who declared him dead. Upon returning to England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. When Drosselmeyer spontaneously disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves behind a note for Clara, beseeching her to make her dreams of adventure a reality by joining him on a merry scavenger hunt. Together, Clara and Theodore set off to follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they will have to stay one step ahead of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself - at any cost."<br /><br />So we're going Steampunk Nutcracker now?<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO77mb05O-zI8vqGS0L5Gw5F2dyO7E9Fw9R476cAcLvnbeIkp8f_8Hh7NWaiJNiQC1A9BySFLwbonXMJL6Af6m6OvjZkypm-7VctQXaBfavx5BzJeh0295HZeYUwceUv7kPhh59mIqgDaJq516DGaPiNoRSb8QVIZC4oF_Ws-dRovfpycqzDoSDE19MjM/s1600/2-27%203%20%28a%29%20%20Highgate.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 255px;" /><b><i>The Highgate Cemetery Murder </i></b>by Irina Shapiro<br />
Published by: Storm Publishing <br />
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024<br />
Format: Kindle, 383 Pages<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Highgate-Cemetery-Murder-completely-historical-ebook/dp/B0CP1951XC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3093A8HTWHFSP&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fEHV6e1tQpL8o1NDxHEWHM0ieN3HubCHBbH_0X-3kvad0I1-oaiW49p4WXzUDN1yjlY5U8ckKvkzpYW-PmGD-HQb5Sgk2wst_d5MDy9feNA37n7yA4ygWH8O_zoc3naxEZPTDTnDlj-Jhl_GxAAZtEpqkn9uWLEoBWssSCxSi0CdHM50Y1LqZvLv8tctd1nhlFOuXKiRdIf-Gs1nwMkVqi3doP8POg_-EK_8jsNuhew.QMz_x_89SMmSKfXdeQ80-h9S_NRVL-aPxYr9h_CYr_s&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+highgate+cemetery+murder&qid=1705452753&sprefix=the+highgate+cemetery+murder%2Caps%2C261&sr=8-1" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"His heart pounding, the man scribbles the words in his notebook as fast as he can: <i>"Woman dead in Highgate. Man in caped coat. Milky way and red streaks. I'm being followed."</i><br /><br />
Hours later, the man's cold body lies in the city mortuary, alongside the woman he couldn't save. And his sister, unconventional nurse Gemma Tate, tracks down troubled police inspector Sebastian Bell to unravel the truth.<br /><br />
Sebastian has enough pressure to solve the murder of an aristocratic heiress without Gemma meddling in his case. But the cryptic sentences she brings him from her brother's notebook could be a crucial lead. If only they knew what "milky way" meant. But as the trail of clues takes them away from the gilded drawing rooms of the nobility and into the dangerous slums of London, how far will their partnership be tested on the quest for justice, and will they both emerge unscathed?"<br /><br />Oh, cryptic last messages? Yes please!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZ_NTGpoq2foPOkktaMSkwcLyZ3coYIZcPToP9oNUrcUE-U8j1SJ0wb-8ylic50bjP86-aaUdvcsmysNpTDaVh2DohcqTmIFJweO4R1IzSoAnZOqlLOrt_UtoimNkXpMoWAwuyXb676-ocZpgzxJm1RXNWZqfzhltEMtmWW5FGcRlNAkJX4QNqoqyH2g/s1600/2-27%204%20Normal.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>Normal Women </i></b>by Philippa Gregory<br />
Published by: HarperOne <br />
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 688 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/normal-women-nine-hundred-years-of-making-history-philippa-gregory/20124268?ean=9780063304321" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"The #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestselling historical novelist delivers her magnum opus - a landmark work of feminist nonfiction that radically redefines our understanding of the extraordinary roles ordinary women played throughout British history.<br /><br />
Most histories have been written by men, about men, relegating women - with the exception of a few queens - to the shadows of time. Now, bestselling author Philippa Gregory reveals the importance of ordinary women, providing a more balanced and truer chronicle that expands and adds rich detail to the story of Great Britain.<br /><br />
In <i>Normal Women</i>, Gregory draws on an enormous archive of primary and secondary sources to rewrite British history, focusing on the agency, persistence, and effectiveness of everyday women throughout periods of social and cultural transition. She sweeps from the making of the Bayeux tapestry in the eleventh century to the Black Death in 1348 - after which women were briefly paid the same wages as men, the last time for seven centuries - to the 1992 ordination of women by the Church of England, when the church accepted, for the first time, that a woman could perform the miracle of the mass.<br /><br />
Through the stories of the female soldiers of the civil war, the guild widows who founded the prosperity of the City of London, highwaywomen and pirates, miners, ship owners, international traders, the women who ran London theaters and commissioned plays from Shakespeare, and the "female husbands" who married each other legally in church and lived as husband and wife, Gregory redefines "normal" female behavior to include heroism, rebellion, crime, treason, money-making, and sainthood. As she makes clear, normal women make history.<br /><br /><i>
Normal Women</i> will include black-and-white illustrations throughout and a full-color insert."<br /><br />I will literally read anything Philippa Gregory writes but that cover is so so horrible. I know it's like lots of little pictures of women to make a big tapestry, but it looks like they uploaded the wrong resolution image to the file for the printers. At first I actually thought it was an error. I wish I had been right.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LpVExsAD3Wx6NtrpcFKqq_tb86VdFm8pm7US2QXiqN9NR3bZKJsHF_tmeWuvEo-slYjRg2o3ZWCMOLoqe6cnnoc1vN-HARhvl7EUELDnLWNe08dTTwKJK2mKeMqEqPcJFyt2OJneKb7Wwsa97OgmJIpMxXSPRmBC3BrO9nCeZFr89oeNNlXL395unNE/s1600/2-27%205%20Nyx.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>King Nyx </i></b>by Kirsten Bakis<br />
Published by: Liveright Publishing Corporation <br />
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/king-nyx-kirsten-bakis/20071327?ean=9781324093534" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Anna Fort wants to be a supportive wife, even if that means accompanying her husband for the winter of 1918 to a remote, frozen island estate so he can finish his book as the guest of an eccentric millionaire. When she learns three girls are missing from a school run by their host, Anna realizes finding them is up to her - even if that means risking her husband's career, and possibly her life.<br /><br />
Her husband's masterpiece-in-progress features strange meteorological anomalies along with wild speculations about "facts" he believes scientists hide from the public. Most people think Charles Fort is a crackpot. That's about to change now that wealthy Claude Arkel is his patron.<br /><br />
Yet Anna is sure something's not right on Prosper Island, though the alarming return of her "troubles" makes her question her own sanity. Is the figure in the woods really the ghost of her long-lost friend Mary, or a product of her disturbed imagination? Accompanied reluctantly by a fellow guest, the elegant and troubled Stella Bixby, Anna embarks on a dangerous quest to find the missing girls before Arkel finds her - or her own mind unravels.<br /><br />
A contemporary feminist tale with a dreamlike, Gothic setting, <i>King Nyx </i>reintroduces readers, twenty-five years after her acclaimed debut, to one of our most astonishingly imaginative storytellers."<br /><br />Gothic dreamlin setting with "troubles!?!" Yes!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1PhZGYn4-AvMphgfExfBNrcZ_9R3fSGHHA2W5fZcDA8pWE6gFagY6yMBqX7MM1VE9Cc8rBn3K48O9VfCPN9yNmEeRFw1BLFix4-OTYiHmN0oad5TiuIiI1MnzuIGCs4nBJe97KrByQZyQNO3hslP8MWlZ0KxTb0e5GVqoGMd-hWUK1EeaVUbXLdmmgw/s1600/2-27%206%20Butcher.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 243px;" /><b><i>The Butcher of the Forest </i></b>by Premee Mohamed<br />
Published by: Tordotcom <br />
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 160 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-butcher-of-the-forest-premee-mohamed/20001584?ean=9781250881786" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A world-weary woman races against the clock to survive a deadly forest in this dark, otherworldly fairytale from Nebula and World Fantasy Award-winning author Premee Mohamed.<br /><br />
At the northern edge of a land ruled by a merciless foreign tyrant lies a wild, forbidden forest ruled by powerful magic.<br /><br />
Veris Thorn - the only one to ever enter the forest and survive - is forced to go back inside to retrieve the tyrant's missing children. Inside await traps and trickery, ancient monsters, and hauntings of the past.
One day is all Veris is afforded. One misstep will cost everything."<br /><br />If this book hasn't been on your radar I think it's time to get it checked.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_MP3LzpzERdmTcdv2ioORjZEBnwGP6wTYJ9c4hoae8HPvHvIWNaPEMVI5Zd4Y-xm5NbvUtIYA5DW_CqfH6gMHWY3gliRKQQXOz7qJS7y0Pfd9XrNuD6yTQ1EuV0-3ePtVyPjzte9L9rbSVFrV4GEGXHm5zXP3-C55u0zC45zA0lI1U9yaAmwqWmV1Uw/s1600/2-27%207%20%28a%29%20Lore.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 255px;" /><b><i>Lore of the Wilds </i></b>by Analeigh Sbrana<br />
Published by: Harper Voyager <br />
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lore-Wilds-Novel-Analeigh-Sbrana/dp/0063380595/ref=sr_1_1?crid=365C3ST4IF67U&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.X8h_ukglo7GZuZqKPX4K6wDklArUHyOKh4E2h4RrBbBV7tdEjH0X8eLNVPyeeLMlZ69dgV0B3CvxB91vaBN-_kruHEtIp3v6YL6jhxHMdThHsPF9gUEbZzf_c9uCz6YRXoKgf2-q-8gjrRNQL33NxG_OTe4A3-LNenn69eoDTYMs1bwyCcZnhrxE6KgVJI0Mij6GTJvCkDKsLfyrA9p0_ikYkN6jNiItWPWI6NfPGOw.NJDoGlQnGLRo2oO683qKai8z6qq3zwOFYqoZ8pnf3GE&dib_tag=se&keywords=lore+of+the+wilds&qid=1705452835&sprefix=lore+of+the+wilds%2Caps%2C113&sr=8-1" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A stunning Romantasy debut about an enchanted library, two handsome Fae, and one human who brings them all together. <br /><br />
A library with a deadly enchantment. <br /><br />
A Fae lord who wants in.<br /><br />
A human woman willing to risk it all for a taste of power.<br /><br />
In a land ruled by ruthless Fae, twenty-one-year-old Lore Alemeyu's village is trapped in a forested prison. Lore knows that any escape attempt is futile - her scars are a testament to her past failures. But when her village is threatened, Lore makes a desperate deal with a Fae lord. She will leave her home to catalog/organize an enchanted library that hasn't been touched in a thousand years. No Fae may enter the library, but there is a chance a human might be able to breach the cursed doors.<br /><br />
She convinces him that she will risk her life for wealth, but really she's after the one thing the Fae covet above all: magic of her own.<br /><br />
As Lore navigates the hostile world outside, she's forced to rely on two Fae males to survive. Two very different, very dangerous, very attractive Fae males. When undeniable chemistry ignites, she's not just in danger of losing her life, but her heart to the very creatures she can never trust."<br /><br />Most people would be here for the Romantasy, I'm here for the library.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2H04eyxc2QUyJy14Suiy6Fhw_W6MYem3uhD-ZXtXzoKFidEkxWy86GLqjPbR8RmHL2y1Pqm2HTU3gMnopxL-FW15Ru_UGijr7zkO4eIzxgATuTVgR1rGrfOysvjrBVRtIYTZHRTxBHD_cGAdzkbEXiWHYwtoe5BzB_5_vH8LRCtHlhhEUG9bi7QcU114/s1600/2-27%208%20Tender.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>Tender Beasts </i></b>by Liselle Sambury<br />
Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books <br />
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/tender-beasts-liselle-sambury/20164414?ean=9781665903523" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"After her private school is rocked by a gruesome murder, a teen tries to find the real killer and clear her brother's name in this psychological thriller perfect for fans of <i>The Taking of Jake Livingston</i> and <i>Ace of Spades</i>.<br /><br /><i>
Sunny Behre has four siblings, but only one is a murderer.</i><br /><br />
With the death of Sunny's mother, matriarch of the wealthy Behre family, Sunny's once picture-perfect life is thrown into turmoil. Her mother had groomed her to be the family's next leader, so Sunny is confused when the only instructions her mother leaves is a mysterious note: "Take care of Dom."<br /><br />
The problem is, her youngest brother, Dom, has always been a near-stranger to Sunny...and seemingly a dangerous one, if found guilty of his second-degree murder charge. Still, Sunny is determined to fulfill her mother's dying wish. But when a classmate is gruesomely murdered, and Sunny finds her brother with blood on his hands, her mother's simple request becomes a lot more complicated. Dom swears he's innocent, and although Sunny isn't sure she believes him, she takes it upon herself to look into the murder - made all the more urgent by the discovery of another body. And <i>another</i>.<br /><br />
As Sunny and Dom work together to track down the culprit, Sunny realizes her other siblings have their own dark secrets. Soon she may have to choose: preserve the family she's always loved or protect the brother she barely knows - and risk losing everything her mother worked so hard to build."<br /><br />Choices, choices, when you might be harboring a killer...<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMO80oWk92R1rspGX5sJU7SsV0-e3umsgV1S2NOvplX7ce5we_RdxnNTeIPaNpeiC7R3tkHCFNnNkVlh9cvXI7BUL_lQu1NrJiZqt4SLEuCMSXWbNmuVYVHYDJsL9Eb6gWWPX5dCS5aHZtv6pv5k2MVQ7bM-McERuP6c55_1T9kwMQZ9IJT-WmOwyHD0/s1600/2-27%209%20Remedial.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 252px;" /><b><i>Remedial Magic </i></b>by Melissa Marr<br />
Published by: Bramble <br />
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/remedial-magic-melissa-marr/20111104?ean=9781250884138" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"<i>The Magicians</i> meets <i>One Last Stop </i>in this brand-new fantasy romance <i>Remedial Magic</i>, about an unassuming librarian who 1) has fallen in love with a powerful witch; 2) has discovered that she is a witch; and 3) must attend magical community college to learn how to save her new world from complete destruction by <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author Melissa Marr!<br /><br />
Ellie loves working in her local library in the small town of Ligonier. She loves baking scones and investigating the mysterious and captivating in her spare time. And there is nothing more mysterious and captivating than the intriguingly beautiful, too properly dressed woman sipping tea in her library who has appeared as if out of nowhere. The pull between them is undeniable, and Ellie is not sure that she wants to resist.<br /><br />
Prospero, a powerful witch from the magical land of Crenshaw, is often accused of being... ruthless in her goals and ambitions. But she is driven to save her dying homeland, and a prophecy tells her that Ellie is the key. Unbeknownst to Ellie, her powers have not yet awakened. But all of that is about to change."<br /><br />Melissa Marr bringing a Magicians vibe to Tor's new imprint Bramble? Pinch me now!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2f4RrYrzlJUHAj309SW4jPdN6KGdjuBGqjM7nuEDkQtTBR9Re0ftwq6vRVAHcMz1rBFfClz1h6PlGkFKAbMYtyE9przDH7KWb0o1dTH5Py1_4RP2f1RolISj_Y4Daj1E0dtoi2_Le8v2NGPA3cIfb-sVlz34UJkI9SlMwlW3fJWI2AncgSjD_1b8UJnE/s1600/2-27%2010%20Wells.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>The Book of Ile-Rien </i></b>by Martha Wells<br />
Published by: Tordotcom <br />
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 752 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-book-of-ile-rien-the-element-of-fire-the-death-of-the-necromancer-martha-wells/20001555?ean=9781250873132" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Collecting Martha Wells' <i>Element of Fire</i> and <i>Death of the Necromancer</i> for the first time in one place, in a new and revised edition!<br /><br />
From the author of <i>Witch King</i> and the Murderbot Diaries:<br /><br /><i>
Both novels included in this volume have been revised and updated. These are the author's preferred texts.</i><br /><br /><i>
The Element of Fire</i><br />
The kingdom of Ile-Rien lies in peril, menaced by sorcerous threats and devious intrigue, when Kade, bastard sister of King Roland, appears unexpectedly at court. The illegitimate daughter of the old king and the Queen of Air and Darkness herself, Kade's true desires are cloaked in mystery.<br /><br />
It falls to Thomas Boniface, Captain of the Queen's Guard, to keep the kingdom from harm. But is one man's steel enough to counter all the magic of fayre?<br /><br /><i>
The Death of the Necromancer</i><br />
Nicholas Valiarde is a passionate, embittered nobleman and the greatest thief in all of Ile-Rien. On the gaslit streets of the city, Nicholas assumes the guise of a master criminal, stealing jewels from wealthy nobles to finance his quest for a long-pursued vengeance.<br /><br />
But Nicholas's murderous mission is being interrupted by a series of eerie, unexplainable, and fatal events. A dark magic opposes him, and traces of a necromantic power that hasn't been used for centuries abound. Nicholas and his compatriots find themselves battling an ancient evil.<br /><br />
And if they lose? Death would be preferable to the fate that awaits them...."<br /><br />Because we've all become addicts of Martha Wells and have to wait out the time until the next Murderbot book somehow...<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmu4geeDRxcHOSTuwP8x5eshjTmkkepU2f1ei5V4IB0HskHCWlCFHivNIjZyrqt9f05BRojy_R7Q6a0oWWvEx0KYKRSPX2a7HsLp2-lamQsUOzzkpjT2y1YECYQohh1vx-UDvtHICrmxNCaHdAIU6FbBGz6Q1lo0w0_HwtgJyTUKN3Q6vlWgDzE4k3YM/s1600/2-27%2011%20Moon.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>Moon of the Turning Leaves </i></b>by Waubgeshig Rice<br />
Published by: William Morrow and Company <br />
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/moon-of-the-turning-leaves-waubgeshig-rice/20128909?ean=9780358673255" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"In this gripping stand-alone literary thriller set in the world of the award-winning post-apocalyptic novel <i>Moon of the Crusted Snow</i>, a scouting party led by Evan Whitesky ventures into unknown and dangerous territory to find a new home for their close-knit Northern Ontario Indigenous community more than a decade after a world-ending blackout.<br /><br />
For the past twelve years, a community of Anishinaabe people have made the Northern Ontario bush their home in the wake of the power failure that brought about societal collapse. Since then they have survived and thrived the way their ancestors once did, but their natural food resources are dwindling, and the time has come to find a new home.<br /><br />
Evan Whitesky volunteers to lead a mission south to explore the possibility of moving back to their original homeland, the "land where the birch trees grow by the big water" in the Great Lakes region. Accompanied by five others, including his daughter Nangohns, an expert archer, Evan begins a journey that will take him to where the Anishinaabe were once settled, near the devastated city of Gibson, a land now being reclaimed by nature.<br /><br />
But it isn't just the wilderness that poses a threat: they encounter other survivors. Those who, like the Anishinaabe, live in harmony with the land, and those who use violence."<br /><br />Northern Exposure meest Escape from L.A.? Sold.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL2LO5WcL3XxZi9r3KMafPjTvQdVaAifr0aZQdSR8e7TPjED8yXif1YdjOvqNOzcLl5wxN08kBUv5xEg7CeBdOyewWvE6F8SyBETWDCj2oUkqGt38tS5745oSWYQ7WNcZxngLit68ip0Lg56uZ6ldeVb3WgGovAfGEAjCjb5smJOQKuzo4fhUzQpzMXRo/s1600/2-27%2012%20Tomorrow.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 243px;" /><b><i>Tomorrow's Children </i></b>by Daniel Polansky<br />
Published by: Angry Robot <br />
Publication Date: February 27th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/tomorrow-s-children-daniel-polansky/20261360?ean=9781915202857" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"From Hugo Award nominated author comes a high-octane post-apocalyptic romp set in the ruins of Manhattan.<br /><br />
Tomorrow, the funk descends on Manhattan, a noxious cloud which separates the island from the rest of the world and mutates the population. Some generations on, the surviving population exists amid the rubble of modernity, wearing our cast-off clothing, worshipping celebrities as dim gods and using emojis in place or written language. The Island exists in a state of uneasy peace, with each neighborhood an independent fiefdom, protecting itself with scrap metal spears and Molotov cocktails.<br /><br />
But something new has come to the Island, the first tourist in centuries, and this uneasy equilibrium is about to shatter..."<br /><br />Apocalypse tourism. Yeah, that seems about right. Look at Pompeii... Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-31755373468910856292024-02-23T00:00:00.001-06:002024-02-23T00:00:00.137-06:00Book Review - Chana Porter's The Seep<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOTJqZBVRDhXUsGZbTfKSw6pbmVkIBTYS5_hzrnUzprjp92JrGFZPZgMB3mdekdpGs2flgtCXk9CJ7iiSrH8D4L5WhaPmMmWNkHGMi9_h6oLDQMiwaFnITcTUK30yALQY7euLjKV9VLKboUEPLUfCx6GbNjXEfR5rAhIIitSy66ED-HUuylbEnaas/s1600/Seep.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 243px;" /><b><i>The Seep </i></b>by Chana Porter<br />
Published by: Soho Press <br />
Publication Date: January 21st, 2020<br />
Format: Kindle, 216 Pages<br />
Rating: ★★<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-seep-chana-porter/10947497?ean=9781641292153" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a> (different edition than one reviewed)<br />
<br />No one knows what will happen when the aliens invade. Is it the end of the world? Or the beginning of a strange new one? Trina and her partner Deeba were hosting one of their epic dinner parties to usher in whatever the future would bring. They loved to find just the perfect pairings of guests to inspire new friendships that would last a lifetime. But this time was different because the very water they were drinking would change the definition of what a lifetime is. The water was making them one with the aliens. They were creating a symbiotic relationship that would make the world a better place. No more war or poverty or death. Those who killed themselves would never know the utopia The Seep had brought. With their new lives Trina becomes an artist and then a performer, any and all of her dream careers become a reality resulting in her becoming a doctor. While her wife Deeba makes magnificent films. Their lives are perfect, The Seep has made it so. Only Deeba sees the truth, Trina isn't happy, she hasn't been happy for some time. There's only so many times you can make love and watch TV and eat ice cream before it becomes stagnant. The Seep has given them the gift of long life and change and Deeba wants to change. She wants to shed the life she has built and start again. She wants to be reborn as a baby with Trina as her mother. Trina is destroyed by this revelation. They made a commitment to each other, to be there, to love each other forever in different permutations when they married. Trina never thought her love for Deeba would last, but it hasn't just lasted, it's grown stronger. She cannot live in a world without Deeba. But now Deeba is gone, being raised by a kind family in the south of France and Trina is an alcoholic. She doesn't go to work, she doesn't pull her weight, she is a blight on The Seep's perfect world. A chance encounter will send her on a journey. She must accept that things change or she must do what she's thought of many, many times before, and end her long life. <br /><br />
<i>The Seep</i> has pretensions to be something it's not. It wants to be a different kind of alien invasion story but ends up being nothing more than basic. A basic science fiction trope; aliens arrive and want to make us happy and perfect but they can't grasp that suffering is what makes us human. But Chana Porter could have taken it in a different direction. There are characters, like Deeba, who see that they could have a life without trauma and jump at the chance, even if her request of Trina is unconscionable. This could have sparked a conversation about humans and their belief that suffering is somehow part of the journey when it doesn't have to be. Instead we suffer through the misery of Trina's journey. We're trapped with a depressive suicidal alcoholic who can not come to grips with the fact that change is part of life. When Trina asks another character to never change they rightly respond that that's <i>"a very cruel thing to ask of anyone."</i> That line had a sort of <i>Alice's Adventures in Wonderland </i>vibe, a truth spoken to the ignorant in a moment of revelation on her journey. And that is why I didn't outright hate this book, there are moments that have brilliance and such depth that I want to explore them because the author didn't seem to understand where her focus should be in this short narrative. I'm thinking in particular when her friend and fellow performer Horizon says that his face isn't his face but that of his dead lover who was a person of color while he himself is really white. That revelation again goes back to what makes us human, what makes us who we are, and while exposing him is part of Trina's journey, there seems to be so much left unsaid about appropriation. I wanted the deeper parts of Alice's journey not the visuals of a hookah smoking caterpillar. And there are so many visuals of the utopia that allows grass to be carpet and people to have horns that the human message is lost. And I can't help feeling that these characters are just so insufferably entitled that I would have gladly read about anyone else. You don't care about them. They are loosely drawn and while the opening and closing dinner parties are assuredly written, I kept thinking, but I would never want to be there. I do not like these people and never will. They are too precious for words.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-37744310976484358072024-02-21T00:00:00.001-06:002024-02-21T00:00:00.144-06:00Book Review - Katherine Rundell's Super-Infinite<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8tLHX2ASvwTh5XOdKq0xaX31HFJeFOrwfTZs_2lmaQWsB6ky7LEHsOu1J9y-3DrH88JjunPXJUDTExcYfhSsLKp_h_HQb8mfzNJrABaYajjkBPSZsPBwH5kx8eeTrlalAOg3G6Fc6_o-UgCxiL2IXBo6DttqDVbCWZ_KwUn7pmvEEiMRYIaaD_AvXIGE/s1600/Super.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 252px;" /><b><i>Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne </i></b>by Katherine Rundell <br />
Published by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux <br />
Publication Date: September 6th, 2022<br />
Format: Kindle, 348 Pages<br />
Rating: ★★★★<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/super-infinite-the-transformations-of-john-donne-katherine-rundell/18591225?ean=9780374607401" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a> (different edition than one reviewed)<br />
<br />John Donne was born a Catholic at a time when it was very dangerous to be a Catholic. Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne, but Mary's reign left a bitter aftertaste in everyone's mouth, resulting in Catholics being in danger primarily because the crown was living in constant fear of a Catholic conspiracy. This was brought home to Donne, not just by family tales of the death of his great-great-uncle Thomas More, but by constantly being punished for his religion. He was unable to take his degree at Oxford because he was unwilling to take the Oath of Supremacy. But the bitterest pill to swallow was when he and his younger brother returned to London where they were both accepted into the Inns of Court. His brother was caught harboring a Catholic priest, a foolish act, that resulted in him going to Newgate Prison where he died of the plague. Donne abandoned his career and perhaps started to abandon his faith. He left the life he knew at Lincoln's Inn where he was the wit forever writing poetry to amuse his friends and took to the high seas. He became a pirate. Though technically he was a privateer, because that's what you call a pirate in the pay of the crown. He served under both Sir Waler Raleigh and the Earl of Essex, two of Queen Elizabeth's favorites. Though she wasn't best pleased about what happened at Cadiz. When Donne returned to London he was well placed to start a diplomatic career and twice in his life he'd serve in Parliament, but it was his work for Sir Thomas Egerton that would change his life. Egerton was the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal and while living at York House Donne would be present for many an historical occasion, including the house arrest of the Earl of Essex. But it was also where he met his wife, Anne. They corresponded and then wed in secret. When it was discovered Donne was arrested and his career was destroyed. Once his father-in-law accepted that the were legally married they were still shunned by society and took up residence with one of Anne's cousins, who was an inveterate gambler. Many, many children followed. Many, many children died. The Queen died, James I ascended the throne. The king though didn't wish Donne's return to court, he wished him to take holy orders. An order that would prove historic and lucrative. Donne was a born preacher as well as a poet. He died during the reign of Charles I, beloved by the public, he would be remembered, forever. <br /><br />There's a theatricality about Elizabethan England. One could say it's because of Shakespeare, but that would be presumptive and looking back on that time with our modern lens. But it can't be denied that everyone was performative and strived to be larger than life, which is why I am fascinated with the era. Just look to the events surrounding the Earl of Essex which are presented in this book. The Earl of Essex was the stepson of the Queen's supposed "one true love" Robert Dudley, who became her favorite over his stepfather and repaid the Queen by being a petulant shit and staging an insurrection resulting in him being executed for treason, which is something I fully support. The execution, not the treason. This is the world to which John Donne aspired to be a part of. And he was. He served under the Earl of Essex and later was in the household that was responsible for keeping the Earl under house arrest. It's actually quite astonishing that someone remembered for his poetry was a seminal figure of his day. Of course, there are poets that through their lives have became cultural icons, just look to Byron and Shelley. Sure Shelley ran off with his bride, but did it land him in prison? Well, it might have had he come back to England and not died. Were any of them pirates? Or priests? Did a single one of them annoy a king so much that their life might have been in the balance? And that is just a small fraction of Donne's life. It is mind-blowing just how often this man reinvented himself. His life, completely omitting his output as a writer, is worthy of a lavish period drama. Obviously a miniseries which each episode capturing a different side of him. Add in that he is one of the most famous poets ever, in fact Jane Austen's favorite, and his life is kind of inconceivable. And I do know what that word means. As <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5726750286" target="_blank">one of my friends pointed out, he's kind of the Lando Calrissian of his day</a> and I can not find fault with this argument. Especially once he brings in the capes. But what makes this book on Donne truly memorable is Katherine Rundell's own wit. She has a snarky way of writing and doesn't hesitate to call Donne out on his bullshit. She makes you feel the astonishment that all this happened in the span of one man's lifetime. A lifetime that didn't even last sixty years. Though what makes her an epic writer is leaving his most famous quote until the very end. You've read about Donne, you know he's famous, but did you know he's "no man is an island" famous?Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-32270640590236491362024-02-19T00:00:00.222-06:002024-02-19T00:00:00.172-06:00Tuesday Tomorrow<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg300nn6Q5yBpDALk-GoiNmnrFNfzznDq1eGEI58NbeO8KqMP2aDusBno0EPgU5C1Qid5b1-hLIY_h2sjZ0AmLb7VRphUbMZVEAzndMs2l4C-Hb0AXJqHaQBInxo_cCNu05k6-YK8UQDalE0ynVEQUs5lnsSn6cLJ9w25DSQleRT1F999OkdezVWKtXxQA/s1600/2-20%201%20End.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>End of Story </i></b>by A.J. Finn<br />
Published by: William Morrow and Company <br />
Publication Date: February 20th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/end-of-story-a-j-finn/20283838?ean=9780062678454" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"For fans of <i>Knives Out</i> comes a spellbinding thriller from the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller <i>The Woman in the Window</i>.<br /><br /><i>
"I'll be dead in three months. Come tell my story."</i><br /><br />
So writes Sebastian Trapp, reclusive mystery novelist, to his longtime correspondent Nicky Hunter, an expert in detective fiction. With mere months to live, Trapp invites Nicky to his spectacular San Francisco mansion to help draft his life story...while living alongside his beautiful second wife, Diana; his wayward nephew, Freddy; and his protective daughter, Madeleine. Soon Nicky finds herself caught in an irresistible case of real-life "detective fever."<br /><br /><i>
"You and I might even solve an old mystery or two."</i><br /><br />
Twenty years earlier - on New Year's Eve 1999 - Sebastian's first wife and teenaged son vanished from different locations, never to be seen again. Did the perfect crime writer commit the perfect crime? And why has he emerged from seclusion, two decades later, to allow a stranger to dig into his past?<br /><br /><i>
"Life is hard. After all, it kills you."</i><br /><br />
As Nicky attempts to weave together the strands of Sebastian's life, she becomes obsessed with discovering the truth...while Madeleine begins to question what her beloved father might actually know about that long-ago night. And when a corpse appears in the family's koi pond, both women are shocked to find that the past isn't gone - it's just waiting."<br /><br />I am so here for reclusive writers being probably killers.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmWFJgq43FZbwfX5Habr0mKg1WJ670mCoqCFVfortOh-mGOsPuyehgO98aYb6tDjAn4X0BbYagLwuJi-MoPvYiuaeJ5n5scwEfWRKTN5R-SdMNVsgWK6SqN5k0FW4FHD2b0RSCbORzsTcGfliRiQnnjqWu81mwGbdxRretq7AU4drWvDK7BQQRLwct5Y/s1600/2-20%202%20Hilo.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 261px;" /><b><i>Death in Hilo </i></b>by Eric Redman<br />
Published by: Crooked Lane Books <br />
Publication Date: February 20th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/untitled-title-2-eric-redman/20067626?ean=9781639102860" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"ITW Finalist Eric Redman is back in this thrilling second installment of his Hawaiian murder mystery series, perfect for fans of Anne Hillerman.<br /><br />
When bodies start piling up and the list of suspects growing long, Detective Kawika Wong must dig into his own past to solve a Big Island murder.<br /><br />
It's been twelve long years since Detective Kawika Wong was tasked with solving the brutal murder of the infamous real-estate developer Ralph Fortunato - a case that led to more bodies than answers and a slew of complicated and ancient secrets, a case that made his career. Now, the once rookie detective is next in line to be Honolulu's next Chief of Police. But all is not well on O'ahu or the Big Island.<br /><br />
For weeks, Kawika and his team have failed to catch an elusive serial killer known as the "Slasher." He strikes quickly and efficiently, and he doesn't make mistakes. But when a freshly decapitated body is found at a previous dump site, Kawika's gut tells him something isn't quite right. Who is this victim, and why does Kawika feel that this one doesn't belong to the Slasher?<br /><br />
To make matters worse, a hungry young journalist, Zoë Akona, is investigating the questionable outcome Kawika and his then-superior Terry Tanaka produced in the Fortunato case, and her snooping leads to an official review that jeopardizes everything Kawika's worked so hard for.<br /><br />
But Detective Wong knows that, no matter what, he must find a second murderer even while the "Slasher" continues to strike. The investigation takes him back to the Big Island - and to the long-dormant case the reporter Zoë Akona won't leave alone. Kawika is about to discover what happens when the secrets of the past catch up with the promises of his future."<br /><br />To get that Magnum P.I. fix in your life. But you know, the darker episodes with the Phil Collins music.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8LqDOTguglTtVPhD0nuCvAj_lL56-__TbykVQ4utPo_zoPkHFo2NFwyWCHJgozPAzlWOyVypxCbWjq0vZI6bNC22NXg9teGpKfAc6k-dyEwQrXSOzUcm1u5oWUVhsK6RE8kFNUJSVxAVJiP72a7iHc3gwTDjYsvG_za5D71ZPOfuTro8GW7kKxFZR6Z0/s1600/2-20%203%20Past.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 255px;" /><b><i>A Step Past Darkness </i></b>by Vera Kurian<br />
Published by: Park Row <br />
Publication Date: February 20th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-step-past-darkness-original-vera-kurian/20155061?ean=9780778310761" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"SIX CLASSMATES. ONE TERRIFYING NIGHT. A MURDER TWENTY YEARS IN THE MAKING...<br /><br />
There's something sinister under the surface of the idyllic, suburban town of Wesley Falls, and it's not just the abandoned coal mine that lies beneath it. The summer of 1995 kicks off with a party in the mine where six high school students witness a horrifying crime that changes the course of their lives.<br /><br />
The six couldn't be more different.<br />
-Maddy, a devout member of the local megachurch<br />
-Kelly, the bookworm next door<br />
-James, a cynical burnout<br />
-Casey, a loveable football player<br />
-Padma, the shy straight-A student<br />
-Jia, who's starting to see visions she can't explain<br /><br />
When they realize that they can't trust anyone but each other, they begin to investigate what happened on their own. As tensions escalate in town to a breaking point, the six make a vow of silence, bury all their evidence, and promise to never contact each other again. Their plan works - almost.<br /><br />
Twenty years later, Jia calls them all back to Wesley Falls - Maddy has been murdered, and they are the only ones who can uncover why. But to end things, they have to return to the mine one last time."<br /><br />I know it's a little weird that I'm obsessed with crimes that happened to high schoolers set when I was in high school, but there is a nostalgia factor... I'm not admitting to being a killer OK?<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBPHv_DpfNOWu8_Vdu6Ksh9ZyTZtANlLjRDLpsslGPq2SFOGhnZbCa_CN4t0Mux8DfhvGWnxxUoqgVRgOct6HKle_CScohfueHr37PzKpksNmZJ1s_fJ9CszuwM6N_ItFmhLDaqrmF95svGzX6bl9VQCiEJtPenb93v_QpnXvN10_4KiTc7DKz859pYc/s1600/2-20%204%20Hampton.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 237px;" /><b><i>The Hampton House Mystery </i></b>by Ellen Alexander<br />
Published by: BHC Press <br />
Publication Date: February 20th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 210 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-hampton-house-mystery-ellen-alexander/20716071?ean=9781643973791" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Just because the gangs away on summer vacation, doesn't mean the mystery solving stops...<br /><br />
It's the end of Emma's sophomore year at Dinswood Academy, and that means only one thing: summer vacation! "Glamping" sounds exciting and Emma can't wait to join Martha and Sebastian's families at a local campground, especially when she learns that Doug will be joining them.<br /><br />
When Emma and the gang hear about a local legend, they are intrigued. According to the story, a family mysteriously disappeared twelve years ago and rumor has it that the abandoned house is haunted. When the teens learn that Hampton House is near their campsite, they decide to investigate-unaware that danger lies ahead.<br /><br />
Join Emma and the gang as they search for answers, racing against time itself. If you enjoy The Crime-Solving Cousins Mysteries, Nancy Drew, or <i>The Goonies</i>, then you're sure to love (or the readers aged ten to fourteen in your life) the exciting action-adventure mystery series The Dinswood Chronicles by Ellen Alexander."<br /><br />To fill that large Nancy Drew void.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yEzkvTAuAkyC5eqkzjYb0H1pZ6Hm1-SraKGATw_BO4Muf4ert0Cw5C11qodvZskX0aZeNB2Mchs0kDXTFncJAPfz8YC8gD99wO9iAYmoSsdXCs6pP9B5VrfgQXaFy4QNCJkI5wB6FLy0MfS9Ijc8CEy78HL_4U35aOJ_AnYkB1oy4reVmzdBwjp7iRM/s1600/2-20%205%20Murder.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>Murder in Masquerade </i></b>by Mary Winters<br />
Published by: Berkley Books <br />
Publication Date: February 20th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/murder-in-masquerade-mary-winters/20098940?ean=9780593548783" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Extra, extra, read all about it! Countess turned advice columnist Amelia Amesbury finds herself playing the role of sleuth when a night at the theatre turns deadly.<br /><br />
Victorian Countess Amelia Amesbury's secret hobby, writing an advice column for a London penny paper, has gotten her into hot water before. After all, Amelia will do whatever it takes to help a reader in need. But now, handsome marquis Simon Bainbridge desperately requires her assistance. His beloved younger sister, Marielle, has written Amelia's Lady Agony column seeking advice on her plans to elope with a man her family does not approve of. Determined to save his sister from a scoundrel and the family from scandal, Simon asks Amelia to dissuade Marielle from the ill-advised gambit.<br /><br />
But when the scoundrel makes an untimely exit after a performance of Verdi's Rigoletto, Amelia realizes there's much more at stake than saving a young woman's reputation from ruin. It's going to take more than her letter-writing skills to help the dashing marquis, mend the familial bond, and find the murderer. Luckily, solving problems is her specialty!"<br /><br />I'm actually surprised more murders don't happen at the theatre...<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGczMh10U6Hfl1mhj8wkgzRu__50gNukTsycQrG1vgLIucPUnx7xtd1DC13nSumBYgXuC3eCL98IqvR0bURB_pmCFRS0esnuFahpCzyixhtjvvPx2_ENyQymFF8_bFD7RlnaJHi6ST7C3hGgHfwOkD_IWLmaFmBCvYpdh_OVyfTbVAGMyJJsui6UJLFt4/s1600/2-20%206%20Fortune.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 238px;" /><b><i>Ill-Fated Fortune </i></b>by Jennifer J. Chow<br />
Published by: Minotaur Books <br />
Publication Date: February 20th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/ill-fated-fortune-jennifer-chow/19995703?ean=9781250323033" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"The first in the heart-warming and deliciously mysterious Magical Fortune Cookie series from Lefty Award-nominee Jennifer J. Chow.<br /><br />
Felicity Jin grew up literally hanging onto Mom's apron strings in their magical bakery in the quaint town of Pixie, California. Her mother's enchanted baked goods, including puffy pineapple buns and creamy egg tarts, bring instant joy to all who consume them. Felicity has always been hesitant in the kitchen herself after many failed attempts, but a takeout meal gone wrong inspires her to craft some
handmade fortune cookies.<br /><br />
They become so popular that Felicity runs out of generic fortunes and starts making her own personalized predictions. When one customer's ill-fated fortune results in his murder, Felicity's suspiciously specific fortune has the police focusing on her as the main culprit. Now Felicity must find a way to turn her luck around and get cleared from suspicion."<br /><br />I want to go to there! I guess reading about it is just as good... Possibly. Anyone have some delicious and enchanted baked treats for me to nom on while I read?<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6F3lDayNJlCgHwRUPAI21HpiMXj79g-DeGC5d5cEP4jyF3BSnDATgyCAiKGwcfL8zk0w4sDExbuhOlSKXK72_hDT-EoiOZXR1vodUGjb7V1Llr2gJbsgHazmQrBKeeuQRh5ay3OTL6M81JtEubX0nPRe665q1yHxYid1aDvhD-ewZguISpMsTJqxDN1o/s1600/2-20%207%20Tea.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>A Tempest of Tea </i></b>by Hafsah Faizal<br />
Published by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr)<br />
Publication Date: February 20th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-tempest-of-tea-hafsah-faizal/17517212?ean=9780374389406" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"From the <i>New York Times</i>-bestselling author of <i>We Hunt the Flame</i> comes the first book in a hotly-anticipated fantasy duology teeming with romance and revenge, led by an orphan girl willing to do whatever it takes to save her self-made kingdom.<br /><br />
On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by night, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it--she can't do the job alone.<br /><br />
Calling on some of the city's most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the sinister, glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it. Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever."<br /><br />THE BOOK I've literally been hearing about everywhere.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sM8AqyyKfOBVW7TgzdoUJKIwFE4FifX-KJ0hAkP_iI2eiYtlsDzXNamRN3lseJ5l0ot970PUouc-2DgoBXzCR2eGH0qqil1Hf3X_M3v7GXDQH3zHzLBw7KiZL0EfKBjsOIuFsnegqAh-mbf2WnhrpzNFalTkgVkf2JaBBs4jIWtumQyuEnLZZb8hzbU/s1600/2-20%208%20Mumma.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>River Mumma </i></b>by Zalika Reid-Benta<br />
Published by: Erewhon Books <br />
Publication Date: February 20th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/river-mumma-zalika-reid-benta/20107329?ean=9781645661351" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Issa Rae's<i> Insecure</i> with a magical realist spin: <i>River Mumma</i> is an exhilarating contemporary fantasy novel about a young Black woman who navigates her quarter-life-crisis while embarking on a mythical quest through the streets of Toronto.<br /><br />
Alicia has been out of grad school for months. She has no career prospects and lives with her mom, who won't stop texting her macabre news stories and reminders to pick up items from the grocery store.<br /><br />
Then, one evening, the Jamaican water deity, River Mumma, appears to Alicia, telling her that she has twenty-four hours to scour the city for her missing comb.<br /><br />
Alicia doesn't understand why River Mumma would choose her. She can't remember all the legends her relatives told her, unlike her retail co-worker Heaven, who can reel off Jamaican folklore by heart. She doesn't know if her childhood visions have returned, or why she feels a strange connection to her other co-worker Mars. But when the trio are chased down by malevolent spirits called duppies, they realize their tenuous bonds to each other may be their only lifelines. With the clock ticking, Alicia's quest through the city broadens into a journey through time - to find herself and what the river carries.<br /><br />
Energetic and invigorating, <i>River Mumma</i> is a vibrant exploration of diasporic community and ancestral ties, and a homage to Jamaican storytelling by one of the most invigorating voices in today's literature."<br /><br />The setting and magical realism give me a big Scott Pilgrim vibe, but from there it's all its own magical adventure.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5L-pe-I0H-CBnlRD0HYpyfZRQ57um3tUHayvnVxLE9rMgaOrAuwjF1xilHt-9GuXvO9AbSTV23b3xmiac79YkXwLbApJMkoPZtDajS-3oWJSFJt0n8vRoxFYp2TTl_VufB9MBGnuF-a_GrfTR4z2J1O-9Vx1lz5ZydfFhSQHcVc7Gw6YaG4iK6IvAMA/s1600/2-20%209%20My.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 264px;" /><b><i>My Throat an Open Grave </i></b>by Tori Bovalino<br />
Published by: Page Street YA <br />
Publication Date: February 20th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/my-throat-an-open-grave-tori-bovalino/19986323?ean=9781645679301" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"<i>Labyrinth</i> meets folk horror in this darkly romantic tale of a girl who wishes her baby brother away to the Lord of the Wood.<br /><br />
Growing up in the small town of Winston, Pennsylvania feels like drowning. Leah goes to church every Sunday, works when she isn't at school, and takes care of her baby brother, Owen. Like every girl in Winston, she tries to be right and good and holy. If she isn't the Lord of the Wood will take her, and she'll disappear like so many other girls before her.<br /><br />
But living up to the rigorous standards of the town takes its toll. One night, when Owen won't stop screaming, Leah wishes him away, and the Lord listens. The screaming stops, and all that's left in the crib is a small bundle of sticks tied with a ribbon.<br /><br />
Filled with shame and the weight of the town's judgment, Leah is forced to cross the river into the Lord of the Wood's domain to bring Owen back. But the devilish figure who has haunted Winston for generations isn't what she expects. He tells her she can have her brother back--for the price of a song. A song that Leah will have one month to write.<br /><br />
It's a bargain that will uncover secrets her hometown has tried to keep buried for decades. And what she unearths will have her questioning everything she's been taught to fear."<br /><br />What was that about <i>Labyrinth</i>?<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPYGkcYpZOuVH7M63Uqbg34GsVYVYz8Vx1r9XVXkjt5sXqTlgwmTcT7JcgrrdyQhCDgF9rV93kEapo51iPdEF6POTPDDjjUA52TUW7bSKqo_7rU2bEkbNncdB-W4ZcSh431Mq19aA12ELDPLcevkuHBlflqbByxKEgw7ZJJ9BTW-Kq-6nQ7liaDEYW9k/s1600/2-20%2011%20Witch.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>Island Witch </i></b>by Amanda Jayatissa<br />
Published by: Berkley Books <br />
Publication Date: February 20th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/island-witch-amanda-jayatissa/20098941?ean=9780593549261" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Set in 19th century Sri Lanka and inspired by local folklore, the daughter of a traditional demon-priest--relentlessly bullied by peers and accused of witchcraft herself - tries to solve the mysterious attacks that have been terrorizing her coastal village.<br /><br />
Being the daughter of the village Capuwa, or demon-priest, Amara is used to keeping mostly to herself. Influenced by the new religious practices brought in by the British Colonizers, the villagers who once respected her father's craft have turned on the family. Yet, they all still seem to call on him whenever supernatural disturbances arise.<br /><br />
Now someone - or <i>something</i> -<i> </i>is viciously seizing upon men in the jungle. But instead of enlisting Amara's father's help, the villages have accused him of carrying out the attacks himself.<br /><br />
As she tries to clear her father's name, Amara finds herself haunted by dreams that eerily predict the dark forces on her island. And she can't shake the feeling that it's all connected to the night she was recovering from a strange illness, and woke up, scared and confused, to hear her mother's frantic cries: <i>No one can find out what happened</i>."<br /><br />Astounding historical fantasy!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNU3nQckY8JzQdDAAeW-upzuGEZBp2ilEhkHDdgGHlBs6tQGghupn2n9ms14aWBBeWiFi5TFIw-gYyEtE_cycJujQ_7u_xubgTJkhJ2aZZCKBg4q7VQbyR66vdu4B56TIhBXtT7iAW0HWzYFfs8w0aE9cqYTAU4GjZntc-TSFf3sk5VTT_u4ytV0U-LE/s1600/2-20%2012%20Duke.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 238px;" /><b><i>The Diamond and the Duke </i></b>by Christi Caldwell<br />
Published by: Berkley Books <br />
Publication Date: February 20th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-diamond-and-the-duke-christi-caldwell/19598286?ean=9780593334959" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"When a wounded soldier and self-proclaimed "beast" finds unlikely friendship with a headstrong and unconventional beauty, they quickly find themselves weaving a tale as old as time...<br /><br />
Despite a hero's return to England from the Napoleonic Wars, Wesley Audley isolates from the <i>ton</i>. Deep wounds from the horrors of combat - and the despair of a broken heart--left him scarred. As he struggles to cope and resume his place in Polite Society, Wesley is quick to cut himself off from everyone...except for Ellie Balfour.<br /><br />
Independent and strong-willed, Ellie has dreams of captaining her own husband-free life and a penchant for meddling in other's business. She knows befriending Wesley is a risk but Ellie can't bear to see his heartache. Nor can she seem to silence all the temptingly intimate thoughts his nearness provokes.<br /><br />
But Ellie is yet to face a battle she can't win--and Wesley's heart is worth the fight. If only her campaigns ever went to plan..."<br /><br />Yes, totally here because of the nod to Disney's <i>Beauty and the Beast</i>.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizX5QcHdUbEO4rVxKE5mghSX7c-6u2KudxUhY7-nesp3R_D-3ZF4UANUJm6H9AFHzghCuQGSdJXyfHhxHlnCkDY9t8EJgo9Qa9un3UFrq-theIMCsjmAZHDn3_7ci18c3hTRAyUDYUdfPP2CPivzbqByEw5I9zqonmVt9xxcqrMHSNO6FZgp5qRi9QCCU/s1600/2-20%2013%20Heartless.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>Heartless Hunter </i></b>by Kristen Ciccarelli<br />
Published by: Wednesday Books <br />
Publication Date: February 20th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/heartless-hunter-kristen-ciccarelli/19995376?ean=9781250866905" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Enemies-to-lovers doesn't get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling in love in bestselling author Kristen Ciccarelli's latest romantic fantasy.<br /><br />
On the night Rune's life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.<br /><br />
Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe - a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution - who she can't help but find herself falling for.<br /><br />
Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune's merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she's the very villain he's been hunting?<br /><br />
Kristen Ciccarelli's Heartless Hunter is the thrilling start to The Crimson Moth duology, a romantic fantasy series where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch...is falling in love."<br /><br />That cover is sheer perfection.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHoxROHKvpcehTHiwZl5LgwQ5qAcFZSZ4sd-IJJTRg4WzI0Hmjfhmrrf1a-DJBcjwG5TiNmT4ZpBLIwglsbfZTK_YWRd6imp0A8CBUOUJrRowxQkBT_bt6t3t7zBL9AiVUURgC-vm0zarDz-tdQ88JcsK_CbIHRz6ti_ozAv6-mm0Q4gYjrWcOXMzTPU/s1600/2-20%2014%20Reap.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>Reaping Demons </i></b>by Eve Langlais<br />
Published by: Eve Langlais <br />
Publication Date: February 20th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 294 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/reaping-demons-eve-langlais/20680299?ean=9781773844619" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"<i>Turns out there are monsters in the world.</i><br /><br />
Why couldn't my midlife crisis involve a new hairstyle? I went from ordinary working gal to demon killer. Sounds exciting? Not really, seeing as how I got fired from my job, my apartment was trashed, and the cops think I'm involved in something shady.<br /><br />
Especially that cute detective who keeps questioning me...<br /><br />
Pity there's no time to flirt, what with all the demons that keep emerging from sewer grates and subway tunnels. Something has to be done before they overrun the city. If only that something didn't involve me!<br /><br />
I never asked to be a heroine, but apparently, I've been chosen and now I must reap what fate has bestowed before chaos is sown."<br /><br />Never judge a book by it's cover, because the wonderful snarky voice is where it's at here.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_uI_xCJGu_PN-wkDkLt5BTdXTQ4Ner4vUwDx3QqfzDvN7naNM4kv29J5KngxgUi-hGG7rN_8NcwxZlmIQxI1UCcdjepsYHbfghoY3ikOgY4fHSE0G3H09PPNq-5qNwYctGej7qas_tJiexUEc0KssijtoE5MFP2OhIhiwJDGDbqKxKvtaphpCWclUv0s/s1600/2-20%2015%20Welcome.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop </i></b>by Hwang Bo-Reum<br />
Published by: Bloomsbury Publishing <br />
Publication Date: February 20th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 3520 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/welcome-to-the-hyunam-dong-bookshop-hwang-bo-reum/20000336?ean=9781639732425" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"The Korean smash hit available for the first time in English, a slice-of-life novel for readers of Matt Haig's <i>The Midnight Library</i> and Gabrielle Zevin's <i>The Storied Life of AJ Fikry</i>.<br /><br />
Yeongju is burned out. With her high--flying career, demanding marriage, and busy life in Seoul, she knows she should feel successful, but all she feels is drained. Yet an abandoned dream nags at her, and in a leap of faith, she leaves her old life behind. Quitting her job and divorcing her husband, Yeongju moves to a small residential neighborhood outside the city, where she opens the Hyunam-dong Bookshop.<br /><br />
For the first few months, all Yeongju does is cry, deterring visitors. But the long hours in the shop give her time to mull over what makes a good bookseller and store, and as she starts to read hungrily, host author events, and develop her own bookselling philosophy, she begins to ease into her new setting. Surrounded by friends, writers, and the books that connect them all, she finds her new story as the Hyunam-dong Bookshop transforms into an inviting space for lost souls to rest, heal, and remember that it's never too late to scrap the plot and start again."<br /><br />Seriously, not everything has to be compared to <i>The Midnight Library </i>or <i>The Storied Life of AJ Fikry</i>! This is it's own awesome thing and I want to curl up in the pages of this book.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-55918535277649452182024-02-16T00:00:00.140-06:002024-02-16T00:00:00.133-06:00Book Review - Cecily Walters's The Ghosts of Nothing<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqU2UD36DLQx3UmCn9cMiK-mEeISoJVbtca_3-6gQ4hPqAy7uEfsopeKRMJl5Xr82HqCGkubnCAUmOcEilMsaR0thyQCrCj0c8LJ9Ee-yAxaS_c_gK2ilwC0bXSrho12K_Rv-6C_T2dkxcC2MnIaDIeKqWi9PYYLd4HQ4-TiPpjxCwvdhS7n0v77IbkNI/s1600/Ghosts.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>The Ghosts of Nothing </i></b>by Cecily Walters<br />
Published by: Cecily Walters <br />
Publication Date: July 18th, 2023<br />
Format: Kindle, 380 Pages<br />
Rating: ★★★★<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-ghosts-of-nothing-cecily-walters/20216878?ean=9781738852437" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a> (different edition than one reviewed)<br /><br />If your last name is Morrighan you're going to have a tough time of it in Nothing, a town typically topping "most haunted" lists. Nelly Morrighan knows this all too well. She has been bullied and ostracized her entire life because the town believes all their woes can be laid at the feet of the Morrighans. All her sixteen years have been spent holding in the pain, keeping her head down, not thinking about her missing mother and her institutionalized father. Because the one time she lashed out at her bullies a kid ended up in the hospital. Her one reprieve is school, far away from Nothing, even if she's saddled with a roommate from home. Until her strict grandmother changes her mind and Nelly ends up boarding at the local school which is run by the mother of the boy she hospitalized. But these changes are nothing compared to the bigger changes ahead when she uncovers a secret. A secret that has been kept from her her entire life and revealed by two otherworldly figures she encounters on the Morrighan Farm late one night, Jack and Fig. Who just happen to be fairies. And Nelly's a half-fairy. And unlike almost all offspring of these forbidden interspecies liaisons she has power. And for someone who has spent their entire life cowering, you know when you are given power you must wield it responsibly. Which is why Nelly's off to the land of fairies. It was her powers that hospitalized her bully, and it was Fig's powers that has done the same to Nelly's grandmother. They can put things right by travelling to the other realm. Which is dangerous for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which is what Nelly is and the fact that Fig is a wanted criminal and that the government assumes that she is dead, which is what she will be if she is found back in fairy. But Nelly's eyes are opened there and she feels free for the first time ever, the food tastes different, she feels powerful, and no longer haunted by her name. Will she be able to hold onto this feeling when she returns to Nothing or will the past come back to haunt her?<br /><br />
As one of my friends said about <i>The Ghosts of Nothing</i> it's cinematic. He put into one word what I was struggling to say with way too many. This book reminds me of epic eighties fantasy movies, you know, cinematic. <i>The Neverending Story</i>, <i>Labyrinth</i>, <i>Return to Oz</i>, <i>The Secret of Nimh</i>, movies that are part of my DNA. These films showed us wonders as well as horrors. Sure, they might have traumatized an entire generation, but I wouldn't have had my childhood any other way. Because these films made me believe in magic.<i> The Ghosts of Nothing</i> connected me to memories I had long since forgotten. Growing up I had a huge sugar maple in my front yard and I would spend hours under it and near it, carefully prying open the propellers while watching a very specific section of sky which, thanks to the eighties <i>Serendipity</i> books series, I was convinced was the only place where a pegasus could come through to our world. I saw a unicorn at the circus, so surely a pegasus would visit me! I mean, I now know that that wasn't a unicorn I saw, but there was still the magic of nature under that maple. And reading about the maple keys, the distinct turn of phrase the inhabitants of Nothing use for maple propellers, brought all these memories flooding back. It also made me wonder how the inhabitants of this town use such a fairy turn of phrase. I'm wondering if there's a lot more cross-pollination between the worlds that we will learn about in the coming books. And that again feeds into the fairy tale origins of it all. The way stories are passed down through the generations and are used to teach us lessons and morals. And the thing is, these lessons can be terrifying, and those morals, they might just mean you life. This book doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of life. The politics in particular in the fairy realm will feel eerily prescient to anyone following today's news. Which is what fairy tales are all about, telling us a story but reflecting the world around us. Dark and light. I can't wait to see how Nelly embraces her powers, but I think the real lesson she needs to take to heart is to not be too hard on herself. The world is dark and full of monsters, be the light even if other people can't see it.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-43858989371942693422024-02-14T00:00:00.006-06:002024-02-14T00:00:00.142-06:00Book Review - Taylor Adams's The Last Word
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZkysZuKl7lO51OyFiKfhCDieoCLVYG6PLxy4K0EUr7Rvp2cod1Ot1DtgIIZXKGdSs8LMCYWj5Aq79b7wsRiAYdR2DjCmSMMEVnDhOedi1_tM0GAg3Wir_NXwB9gVqtiLp7_RrMKZZwGOT-qIuK5Y9o3YwrMZYNSxcaR4GGJXRlNiF0LzZ6kP2Oqjg2U0/s1600/Last.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>The Last Word </i></b>by Taylor Adams<br />
Published by: William Morrow <br />
Publication Date: April 25th, 2023<br />
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages<br />
Rating: ★★<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-last-word-taylor-adams/19021730?ean=9780063222892" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a> (different edition than one reviewed)<br /><br />In December the Strand is deserted. Which is exactly how Emma likes it. After what happened she needed a clean break. A place to forget what came before and see if she can face what happens next. Which is a big if. The backpack by the door filled with rocks is a reminder of how it might all end. She often finds herself standing in the ocean wondering how she got there and if next time might be the point of no return. She took a job house sitting for a local, Jules, in order to escape her life and humanity. Which has worked out quite well. Only Jules has her phone number and her nearest neighbor Deek is thankfully willing to keep their relationship strictly relegated to games of hangman on white boards placed in their windows. Emma spends her days walking her beloved dog Laika and devouring bargain priced murder mysteries on her Kindle. The quality of the story doesn't even matter, she just needs it to be different from her life, her pain. Then one day Deek recommends a book, <i>Murder Mountain</i> by H.G. Kane. The book has an interesting conceit in that it's told through the eyes of the killer but other than that it might just be the worst book that Emma has ever read. Which leads her to write a review. A vicious one star ode to a book that should be avoided at all costs. She almost doesn't post it. It would have been better for her if she hadn't. Because the author asks her to take it down. Then demands it. She writes him an email and his response is unhinged, but also worrying. Could he know who she is? But that would be more ludicrous than the plot of his book. But what if his books aren't fiction? What if he writes from the perspective of the killer because he is a killer? Sounds in the house start to put Emma on edge. And there are odd smells too. The figure watching her sleep had to be a dream. Then Laika finds some food on the beach with fishhooks in it. Thankfully Emma gets it away from Laika without any damage. Then a masked individual appears on the doorbell camera. Jules is worried for Emma's safety and tells her she'll send her a stun gun. Emma thinks this is blowing things way out of proportion. But Emma will soon learn that nothing is being blown out of proportion. Her life is on the line. The question is, will she fight for it?<br /><br />
Perhaps I gave this book an extra star due to its conceit and possible consequences. The clever conceit of <i>The Last Word</i>, almost a reverse <i>Misery</i>,<i> </i>should make any online reviewer question what they're putting out in the world. But a clever conceit sadly isn't not enough to save it from feeling bloated. This book overstays its welcome. It would have made a great novella. Because the way successful horror is structured you usually get an initial introduction to the killer and their first victim and move on to the final girl and her story. Taylor Adams doesn't realize that Emma Carpenter isn't the final girl. She's the girl who's supposed to be murdered in the first few pages. She is the Drew Barrymore of this tale and nothing more. So trying to make her something more is painful. And speaking of <i>Scream</i>, this book could have done with a lot more knowing humor, a little camp. It's written so formally that a conceit that could have been camp comes across as forced. Taylor Adams is forcing us to accept the absurdity of the situation without fully embracing it himself with a few exceptions. This is painfully obvious with the parallel narration about H.G. Kane. Kane is a creepy incel. Having to read about his self-perceived "genius" is like being forced to listen to someone spouting Trumpisms. <i>"This is the best book in the world, this book has more words than any book ever, can you believe I wrote that many words? 110,00 to be precise! I'm a creator while all Emma does is destroy and denigrate with her hurtful words, could she write that many words? No she could not."</i> This writing style while obviously a parody of all the Trumpers out there after the initial laugh just enraged me. I don't want to spend a minute with this character let alone an entire book. Thinking on it now I'm reminded of when <i>The Late Show with Stephen Colbert</i> released the book <i>Whose Boat Is This Boat?: Comments That Don't Help in the Aftermath of a Hurricane</i> composed entirely of things our previous President said. It was supposedly satire for charity, but it was painful to read such stupidity. I just can't with people like Trump and H.G. Kane. Which is why this book needed more camp, more social commentary on this horrible human. H.G. Kane doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Michael Myers. He just needs to go away or be mercilessly sqwered. Because the balance as it exists in this book now just doesn't work. There's no one I liked other than the dog, and all the twists were so obvious. I mean like, hit my head against the wall obvious. If people couldn't get what was going on perhaps you need to go take that <i>"man, woman, person, TV, camera"</i> mental cognitive assessment.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-91041009291287342622024-02-12T00:00:00.354-06:002024-02-12T00:00:00.161-06:00Tuesday Tomorrow<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMp2fuPUpuRwYvM60E90nccGClyKXmhY3iYjOCCRuxJIFbuWLOruYvmxNK-wEVQcFtQT8ii4t0XLtDkXwnzVAdnmCoa0C-l7tQPTsYr1TrUA3SQrPyN3RoD_5zoQfsLXdy3kC6RKLPV7ebsn2_YEMDVItEpz312PJK75eT4LEE9ji8_qRrIqzeIpvo6yo/s1600/2-13%201%20Ghosts.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 254px;" /><b><i>The Warm Hands of Ghosts </i></b>by Katherine Arden<br />
Published by: Del Rey Books <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-warm-hands-of-ghosts-katherine-arden/20095341?ean=9780593128251" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"During the Great War, a combat nurse searches for her brother, believed dead in the trenches despite eerie signs that suggest otherwise, in this hauntingly beautiful historical novel with a speculative twist, from the <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Bear and the Nightingale</i>.
"<br /><br /><i>
January 1918</i>. Laura Iven was a revered field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax, Canada, Laura receives word of Freddie's death in combat, along with his personal effects - but something doesn't make sense. Determined to uncover the truth, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital, where she soon hears whispers about haunted trenches and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could Freddie have escaped the battlefield, only to fall prey to something - or someone - else?<br /><br /><i>
November 1917</i>. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German by the name of Hans Winter. Against all odds, the two form an alliance and succeed in clawing their way out. Unable to bear the thought of returning to the killing fields, especially on opposite sides, they take refuge with a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear.<br /><br />
As shells rain down on Flanders and ghosts move among those yet living, Laura's and Freddie's deepest traumas are reawakened. Now they must decide whether their world is worth salvaging - or better left behind entirely."<br /><br />I mean, an otherworldly war is what I should be saying draws me to this book, but I really want to make a joke about someone doing anything, even going back to war, in order to avoid staying in Halifax.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnlkqiqO8srmUxCIBBKl0K_-QGK7Q2wBnOZUXbPcbI7kMHpg03jZO50_8QLxr8JUbXFlxAPDBZOLIrUTAjasX5jP_UHdmjCWYXnNUXhm4ISd3hsdMk12QUWMM0HtSstPO-6u58yBvZLl0pyAZE2Pb1qWuHs7AWg_CPRHqOxbPGA18agdCzuukVJXj3TgQ/s1600/2-13%202%20Crown.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>The Phoenix Crown </i></b>by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang<br />
Published by: William Morrow and Company <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-phoenix-crown-janie-chang/19879569?ean=9780063304734" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"From bestselling authors Janie Chang and Kate Quinn, a thrilling and unforgettable narrative about the intertwined lives of two wronged women, spanning from the chaos of the San Francisco earthquake to the glittering palaces of Versailles.<br /><br />
San Francisco, 1906. In a city bustling with newly minted millionaires and scheming upstarts, two very different women hope to change their fortunes: Gemma, a golden-haired, silver-voiced soprano whose career desperately needs rekindling, and Suling, a petite and resolute Chinatown embroideress who is determined to escape an arranged marriage. Their paths cross when they are drawn into the orbit of Henry Thornton, a charming railroad magnate whose extraordinary collection of Chinese antiques includes the fabled Phoenix Crown, a legendary relic of Beijing's fallen Summer Palace.<br /><br />
His patronage offers Gemma and Suling the chance of a lifetime, but their lives are thrown into turmoil when a devastating earthquake rips San Francisco apart and Thornton disappears, leaving behind a mystery reaching further than anyone could have imagined...until the Phoenix Crown reappears five years later at a sumptuous Paris costume ball, drawing Gemma and Suling together in one last desperate quest for justice."<br /><br />I mean, a mystery that starts during the San Francisco earthquake? Yes please!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4MvyFvQ6v9rt_d9_l7X35vppM0KToMpRZC_B8hb0xOrum3Y5ohVSfFokHvlBGFrGGm6EbHRCzxupnLYsX0C160O0laMDzPCgn2GGM67O3HxqO7wuI1UatvcsDUOcbUn8tFaTc-0pTbigMJvKR3Vxbl8cISXkNXTNF-5xIj5Ctie4PsjJPmt6Sva8vqk/s1600/2-13%203%20Fortune.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 254px;" /><b><i>The Fortune Seller </i></b>by Rachel Kapelke-Dale<br />
Published by: St. Martin's Press <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-fortune-seller-rachel-kapelke-dale/19995508?ean=9781250286130" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"<i>Yellowjackets</i> meets <i>The Cloisters</i> in this beguiling coming-of-age story about class, reinvention, and destiny, set against the backdrop of two mysterious deaths.<br /><br />
Middle-class Rosie Macalister has worked for years to fit in with her wealthy friends on the Yale equestrian team. But when she comes back from her junior year abroad with newfound confidence, she finds that the group has been infiltrated by a mysterious intruder: Annelise Tattinger.<br /><br />
A talented tarot reader and a brilliant rider, the enigmatic Annelise is unlike anyone Rosie has ever met. But when one of their friends notices money disappearing from her bank account, Annelise's place in the circle is thrown into question. As the girls turn against each other, the group's unspoken tensions and assumptions lead to devastating consequences.<br /><br />
It's only after graduation, when Rosie begins a job at a Manhattan hedge fund, that she uncovers Annelise's true identity - and how her place in their elite Yale set was no accident. Is it too late for Rosie to put right what went wrong, or does everyone's luck run out at some point? Set in the heady days of the early aughts, <i>The Fortune Seller</i> is a haunting examination of class, ambition, and the desires that shape our lives."<br /><br />I mean, Annelise HAS to be up to no good, grifters tend towards the tarot.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06dQ6SB8OD5qOH6UMKShqeZ-o7WZZ-vf6OU_IrnV3cr-u-ZTTB_jfiMKL4XyvqOgLtjxCGT7d9reDpV_QHDILmnPysU_E1WXyAjhY6c2DQynKqwazMPwl8YgZ1KtYRqTlBo5R2NppyhsQMaiI33sSqZmsGQ8wJ4qmmU23QUNBJuU1OVzdwpXQLhKO5r4/s1600/2-13%204%20Dark.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 250px;" /><b><i>An Education in Malice </i></b>by S.T. Gibson<br />
Published by: Redhook <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/an-education-in-malice-s-t-gibson/20145338?ean=9780316501453" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Sumptuous and addictive, <i>An Education in Malice</i> is a dark academia tale of blood, secrets and insatiable hungers from S.T. Gibson, author of the cult hit <i>A Dowry of Blood</i>.<br /><br />
Deep in the forgotten hills of Massachusetts stands Saint Perpetua's College. Isolated and ancient, it is not a place for timid girls. Here, secrets are currency, ambition is lifeblood, and strange ceremonies welcome students into the fold.<br /><br />
On her first day of class, Laura Sheridan is thrust into an intense academic rivalry with the beautiful and enigmatic Carmilla. Together, they are drawn into the confidence of their demanding poetry professor, De Lafontaine, who holds her own dark obsession with Carmilla.<br /><br />
But as their rivalry blossoms into something far more delicious, Laura must confront her own strange hungers. Tangled in a sinister game of politics, bloodthirsty professors and magic, Laura and Carmilla must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice in their ruthless pursuit of knowledge."<br /><br />I am ALL about dark academia right now... Perhaps the reason shall appear on my blog soon enough...<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtj7I0Xjhav5aUBp8E7CMNMwVoZrDZcnqlRzhG_I-nVtMTNlqs5nt-esgWkmifC5Ts-0-lL9Tq2KniB1A5JTj3giTnFywm09k_RPFeJCeZabS8ge9pMhjLBJFBqQrHlzB8DY1iCXpQD-p3_hcUn2_x8oslBcpDu_UmmuukeEKOOCmRK2VcrcyAxB4zXwI/s1600/2-13%205%20Dead.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 254px;" /><b><i>The Briar Book of the Dead </i></b>by A.G. Slatter<br />
Published by: Titan Books (UK) <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-briar-book-of-the-dead-a-g-slatter/20093003?ean=9781803364544" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Set in the same universe as the acclaimed <i>All the Murmuring Bones</i> and <i>The Path of Thorns</i>, this beautifully told Gothic fairy tale of ghosts, witches, deadly secrets and past sins, will be perfect for fans of Hannah Whitten and Ava Reid.<br /><br />
Ellie Briar is the first non-witch to be born into her family for generations. The Briar family of witches run the town of Silverton, caring for its inhabitants with their skills and magic. In the usual scheme of things, they would be burnt for their sorcery, but the church has given them dispensation in return for their protection of the borders of the Darklands, where the much-feared Leech Lords hold sway.<br /><br />
Ellie is being trained as a steward, administering for the town, and warding off the insistent interest of the church. When her grandmother dies suddenly, Ellie's cousin Audra rises to the position of Briar Witch, propelling Ellie into her new role. As she navigates fresh challenges, an unexpected new ability to see and speak to the dead leads her to uncover sinister family secrets, stories of burnings, lost grimoires and evil spells. Reeling from one revelation to the next, she seeks answers from the long dead and is forced to decide who to trust, as a devastating plot threatens to destroy everything the Briar witches have sacrificed so much to build.<br /><br />
Told in the award-winning author's trademark gorgeous, addictive prose, this is an intricately woven tale of a family of witches struggling against the bonds of past sins and persecution."<br /><br />I am here for all witches!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0CVsXS7TCe3Vc9De_G4jaGWOFUnbwey_4t1nxUgQgJ0_0hahYEZVhHT8_CQYgvLDO2tTDJt4Z565VPExe8Nrfi9lpWOquEqJQbg01dvX3um0Xk-rImnTSVoliKn7wQ10OvuL3H26dah6wdQKQ2OVs2FX6UXDGN5UsbB_MOFGttT94ijHzorM6Njo988/s1600/2-13%206%20Feast.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 243px;" /><b><i>What Feasts at Night </i></b>by T. Kingfisher<br />
Published by: Nightfire Tor Publishing Group <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 160 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/what-feasts-at-night-t-kingfisher/20000089?ean=9781250830852" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"The follow-up to T. Kingfisher's bestselling gothic novella, <i>What Moves the Dead</i>.<br /><br />
Retired soldier, Alex Easton, returns in a horrifying new adventure.<br /><br />
After their terrifying ordeal at the Usher manor, Alex Easton feels as if they just survived another war. All they crave is rest, routine, and sunshine, but instead, as a favor to Angus and Miss Potter, they find themself heading to their family hunting lodge, deep in the cold, damp forests of their home country, Gallacia.<br /><br />
In theory, one can find relaxation in even the coldest and dampest of Gallacian autumns, but when Easton arrives, they find the caretaker dead, the lodge in disarray, and the grounds troubled by a strange, uncanny silence. The villagers whisper that a breath-stealing monster from folklore has taken up residence in Easton's home. Easton knows better than to put too much stock in local superstitions, but they can tell that something is not quite right in their home. . . or in their dreams."<br /><br />All at once everyone I know read <i>What Moves the Dead</i> and now I am among them clamoring for this book.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHqWz4aPEBBs-DThUj9z34xF-NcBe0iR0MTxCPpHz49tCPFowU6uiFj3jqG6JV3g_JJmLim4tqOFiC-q7th_jYIVYML7jZFE2xAAsmweQvPh0I7fVXkeOFMOvjIux6SxUviOkyFo2ddNudgXc4_q5K1cd7sdd8zRlWvR5mVAZj4fnBriBeIQ1wRnOdoI/s1600/2-13%207%20Project.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>Projections </i></b>by S.E. Porter<br />
Published by: Tor Books <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/projections-s-e-porter/20013119?ean=9780765396778" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"S.E. Porter, critically-acclaimed YA author of <i>Vassa in the Night</i>, bursts onto the adult fantasy scene with her adult novel that is sure to appeal to fans of Jeff VanderMeer and China Mieville.<br /><br />
Love may last a lifetime, but in this dark historical fantasy, the bitterness of rejection endures for centuries.<br /><br />
As a young woman seeks vengeance on the obsessed sorcerer who murdered her because he could not have her, her murderer sends projections of himself out into the world to seek out and seduce women who will return the love she denied - or suffer mortal consequence. A lush, Gothic journey across worlds full of strange characters and even stranger magic.<br /><br />
Sarah Porter's adult debut explores misogyny and the soul-corrupting power of unrequited love through an enchanted lens of violence and revenge."<br /><br />I mean, we all want to read about endless rejection right?<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYUjKexZ2PgD0pUNZTsZgwod3jaoQWqOWfyxHSLUMxU2STUyeFQGKvVJ97P5mKhGLlUFOBxtmChyphenhyphen9qsdboJsLRvputUnm_dk2QhVct509pEZTxfDE9o9EqKSKXOltgVXzcMd0T2lUcLtf9-1bXcCJvyC0yBa_BQhT-Y8T3sn5OjkbmBeJiBrcMJWHb6Q/s1600/2-13%208%20Among.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 254px;" /><b><i>Among the Living </i></b>by Tim Lebbon<br />
Published by: Titan Books (UK) <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/among-the-living-tim-lebbon/20072325?ean=9781803365947" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"From the <i>New York Times</i> bestseller and author of Netflix's <i>The Silence </i>comes a terrifying horror novel set in a melting Arctic landscape. Something deadly has lain dormant for thousands of years, but now the permafrost is giving up its secrets...<br /><br />
Estranged friends Dean and Bethan meet after five years apart when they are drawn to a network of caves on a remote Arctic island. Bethan and her friends are environmental activists, determined to protect the land. But Dean's group's exploitation of rare earth minerals deep in the caves unleashes an horrific contagion that has rested frozen and undisturbed for many millennia. Fleeing the terrors emerging from the caves, Dean and Bethan and their rival teams undertake a perilous journey on foot across an unpredictable and volatile landscape. The ex-friends must learn to work together again if they're to survive...and more importantly, stop the horror from spreading to the wider world.<br /><br />
A propulsive horror thriller - fast-moving, frightening, and shockingly relevant - this adventure will grip you until the final terrifying page."<br /><br />Very Michael Crichton meets <i>Fortitude</i>, and I am here for that!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_Zvv7iSP0T7u2Ke0w7l5TeDXTb1yXl135CCMBqAJKrzAUenFMN0LMfrhZ46XgcWGbt_S6yoy8TuCrsUsMiZv42mgJFQGYCMbqoHW1pnWYtzjVnN6nmW1MLJlswFkyxPBmRr_ye9dmjLIRRx0Z4JDMVoslrVtJeBv8DAZx2ldw0TAVlkt0v_k1tJ4gYk/s1600/2-13%209%20Hollow.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>The Hollow Dead </i></b>by Darcy Coates<br />
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-hollow-dead-darcy-coates/20008477?ean=9781728239248" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"When Keira first woke alone in a strange forest, she remembered only two things: that she could speak with the dead, helping them move on from the mortal world, and that sinister mask-wearing men were hunting her. She had no idea what she'd done to earn their hatred or what dangerous secrets she may have uncovered.<br /><br />
Until now.<br /><br />
Peeling back layer upon layer of the mystery surrounding her origins, Keira has finally learned that the strange masked men work for Artec, an organization profiting off spectral energy produced by hundreds of chained, tormented souls. Their goal is to spread their macabre cemeteries across the world, using the agony of the dead to extend their power and reach - and only Keira and her loyal group of friends can stop them. But there are still mysteries to uncover in Keira's foggy memories, and as she prepares to fight for the souls of the tormented dead, what she doesn't know about her own past may come back to haunt her."<br /><br />Darcy Coates is always must read.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-WgPPNKKWNNbF4mjL4QvkuE5Q2Nc2Zu7jSsdsRoPqPZemjJcJKUjGRmsB6kLVvHYUSYxstgeb_pgJRhJXdSZAHUbY6XxcU6Qw5YA-oMIk55samcmYTppXVtsGMUAe1E0KI-X5iMzyqNq-ZVCDpv4vZCximV44t2xHHRla_f40ALTTY8ryx44SN9HMc6Q/s1600/2-13%2010%20Doors.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 255px;" /><b><i>The Book of Doors </i></b>by Gareth Brown<br />
Published by: William Morrow and Company <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-book-of-doors-gareth-brown/20297550?ean=9780063323988" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A debut novel full of magic, adventure, and romance, <i>The Book of Doors </i>opens up a thrilling world of contemporary fantasy for readers of <i>The Midnight Library</i>, <i>The Invisible Life of Addie Larue</i>, <i>The Night Circus</i>, and any modern story that mixes the wonder of the unknown with just a tinge of darkness.<br /><br />
Cassie Andrews works in a New York City bookshop, shelving books, making coffee for customers, and living an unassuming, ordinary life. Until the day one of her favorite customers - a lonely yet charming old man - dies right in front of her. Cassie is devastated. She always loved his stories, and now she has nothing to remember him by. Nothing but the last book he was reading.<br /><br />
But this is no ordinary book...<br /><br />
It is the Book of Doors.<br /><br />
Inscribed with enigmatic words and mysterious drawings, it promises Cassie that <i>any door is every door</i>. You just need to know how to open them.<br /><br />
Then she's approached by a gaunt stranger in a rumpled black suit with a Scottish brogue who calls himself Drummond Fox. He's a librarian who keeps watch over a unique set of rare volumes. The tome now in Cassie's possession is not the only book with great power, but it is the one most coveted by those who collect them.<br /><br />
Now Cassie is being hunted by those few who know of the Special Books. With only her roommate Izzy to confide in, she has to decide if she will help the mysterious and haunted Drummond protect the Book of Doors - and the other books in his secret library's care - from those who will do evil. Because only Drummond knows where the unique library is and only Cassie's book can get them there.<br /><br />
But there are those willing to kill to obtain those secrets. And a dark force - in the form of a shadowy, sadistic woman - is at the very top of that list."<br /><br />Here's the thing, comparing books to <i>The Midnight Library</i> isn't the best thing for all of us who disliked that book. This book is more <i>The Starless Sea</i> meets Laini Taylor with some Carlos Ruiz Zafon thrown in. Now THAT is a book comparison that grabs my attention.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcflVkRVhJjSR5zaN8npeyJKs7Iz7M1s2RyEU6vMEQg7VuhjkTZU0QxjAFtaw8t13j44wsr1xNmcAp6h-XxZIBo2siq9u1aqkxy0PG4VPGjyj0o-0CHXWjV_63mLYVBrNCplL1M9KBXs6EHN1Iw8hPkspJOFbA_qrJf4NjRcYg-Szf9ziZsusNTMBTwY/s1600/2-13%2011%20Love.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>The Book of Love </i></b>by Kelly Link<br />
Published by: Random House <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 640 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-book-of-love-kelly-link/20099222?ean=9780812996586" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"In the long-awaited debut novel from bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize finalist Kelly Link, three teenagers become pawns in a supernatural power struggle.
<br /><br /><i>
The Book of Love</i> showcases Kelly Link at the height of her powers, channeling potent magic and attuned to all varieties of love--from friendship to romance to abiding family ties - with her trademark compassion, wit, and literary derring-do. Readers will find joy (and a little terror) and an affirmation that love goes on, even when we cannot.<br /><br />
Late one night, Laura, Daniel, and Mo find themselves beneath the fluorescent lights of a high school classroom, almost a year after disappearing from their hometown, the small seaside community of Lovesend, Massachusetts, having long been presumed dead. Which, in fact, they are.<br /><br />
With them in the room is their previously unremarkable high school music teacher, who seems to know something about their disappearance - and what has brought them back again. Desperate to reclaim their lives, the three agree to the terms of the bargain their music teacher proposes. They will be given a series of magical tasks; while they undertake them, they may return to their families and friends, but they can tell no one where they've been. In the end, there will be winners and there will be losers.<br /><br />
But their resurrection has attracted the notice of other supernatural figures, all with their own agendas. As Laura, Daniel, and Mo grapple with the pieces of the lives they left behind, and Laura's sister, Susannah, attempts to reconcile what she remembers with what she fears, these mysterious others begin to arrive, engulfing their community in danger and chaos, and it becomes imperative that the teens solve the mystery of their deaths to avert a looming disaster.<br /><br />
Welcome to Kelly Link's incomparable Lovesend, where you'll encounter love and loss, laughter and dread, magic and karaoke, and some really good pizza."<br /><br />I mean Pulitzers and pizza right?<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHE0rrki7OLrdfM6ZVhXUc-3vO_pN4BNHHoNBc374YcYzD4BBiwjSBLdpvJeN3Mne7Z5frsLYMxFnqeQfOWSH4pdAcFBLymAz1pPGEF7yreWrQlHgyzoW3BnGZa4Vjqos9gFS5KvT5FNMHv4oRDf2hdVggIporK33CR8LFFuCeyYswfVgaYf2KKw1W_y0/s1600/2-13%2012%20Luck.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 265px;" /><b><i>With a Little Luck </i></b>by Marissa Meyer<br />
Published by: Feiwel and Friends <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/with-a-little-luck-marissa-meyer/19135459?ean=9781250618931" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"After being magically gifted with incredible luck, a boy discovers this gift just may be a curse when it comes to love, in this sweet romantic comedy by #1 <i>New York Times</i>-bestselling author Marissa Meyer.<br /><br />
Jude is determined to fly under the radar. He just wants to draw comics, host D and D night with his friends, work at his parents' vinyl record store, and escape high school as unscathed as possible. That is, until the night he finds himself inexplicably gifted with a bout of supernatural good luck.<br /><br />
Suddenly, everything Jude has ever wanted is within reach. His art is being published. He helps his friend's song become a finalist in a songwriting competition. And he wins a pair of coveted concert tickets, which he can use to ask out the popular girl he's been crushing on since elementary school.<br /><br />
But how long can Jude's good fortune last? And why does he find himself thinking about Ari, his best friend since forever? If Jude has been dreaming of the wrong girl this whole time, does that mean he's doomed to be unlucky in love forever?<br /><br />
With a sprinkle of magic, this sweet beachside romance is perfect for fans of <i>To All the Boys I've Loved Before</i> and <i>Love and Gelato</i>, as well as anyone who has ever swooned over Marissa Meyer's beloved characters."<br /><br />Here for whatever Marissa Meyer writes. Always.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpDRjWyIoInZuNOc9Qw6qbW_91ufvq5GypItDy4siGWq_pTXLqY-V26Fukda8aFrvjFbfHMboBIS_PJzM65g67rBS7uVuqapgk2X6RXG-c93DA2ZwerCxutvxz2A69LliGog3kc6fE98HuHfdCDKJVb6sodVQKcTbzH67RcNlTJD52e0fqOnKrJUJv1Y/s1600/2-13%2013%20Framed.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 255px;" /><b><i>The Framed Women of Ardemore House </i></b>by Brandy Schillace<br />
Published by: Hanover Square Press <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-framed-women-of-ardemore-house-a-netherleigh-mystery-original-brandy-schillace/20016470?ean=9781335014030" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"An abandoned English manor. A peculiar missing portrait. A cozy, deviously clever murder mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Anthony Horowitz.<br /><br />
Jo Jones has always had a little trouble fitting in. As a neurodivergent, hyperlexic book editor and divorced New Yorker transplanted into the English countryside, Jo doesn't know what stands out more: her Americanisms or her autism.<br /><br />
After losing her job, her mother, and her marriage all in one year, she couldn't be happier to take possession of a possibly haunted (and clearly unwanted) family estate in North Yorkshire. But when the body of the moody town groundskeeper turns up on her rug with three bullets in his back, Jo finds herself in potential danger--and she's also a potential suspect. At the same time, a peculiar family portrait vanishes from a secret room in the manor, bearing a strange connection to both the dead body and Jo's mysterious family history.<br /><br />
With the aid of a Welsh antiques dealer, the morose local detective, and the Irish innkeeper's wife, Jo embarks on a mission to clear herself of blame and find the missing painting, unearthing a slew of secrets about the town - and herself - along the way. And she'll have to do it all before the killer strikes again..."<br /><br />Sold at "abandoned English manor."<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEoVwYZwab5k_bHnSryUczeodWngcibwAUqWmNiGHoOXLYvOpYFoQE4cKqqOQCh_dvpJlN9j9Wtfj8i10JsgeEeFSQ9gzP1FtmTT_G9rRtK-y7pIkzLS_nk5Yn0h2gL7uX-hqPE4HG7fb65G89RdsUDTf6g_l7IwFNOpaM7FyOsUb1WSIlpgeGxutLn-M/s1600/2-13%2014%20Boom.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>The Woman Who Lowered the Boom </i></b>by David Handler<br />
Published by: Mysterious Press <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-woman-who-lowered-the-boom-david-handler/20507467?ean=9781613165133" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Stewart "Hoagy" Hoag is walking on cloud nine after a meeting with his editor, Norma Fives, where she predicts his new book is sure to establish him as the next great American author. It has been years since he has even dreamed of such success after a crippling case of writer's block limited his literary aspirations to ghostwriting celebrity memoirs. But his happiness is short-lived when at his next meeting with Norma she asks for his help in discovering who is behind a series of increasingly threatening letters sent to her attention.<br /><br />
Norma herself is not overly concerned about the letters but her boyfriend, Detective Lieutenant Romaine Very of the NYPD, thinks the threat of violence against Norma should not be so easily dismissed. Very feels the combination of Hoagy's detective skills and knowledge of the underbelly of the publishing world make him the perfect person to investigate the matter. Plus, Hoagy is a friend he can trust to take care of the love of his life. Hoagy agrees if for nothing else than to ease the minds of two people he cares about very much. After all, this is likely to be nothing more than a dramatic gesture from a frustrated writer.<br /><br />
But as Hoagy and Lulu investigate, the threats move beyond the written word, making it clear that someone out there is determined to write a vicious ending to Norma's life. Could it be the wealthy aging children's author? The unethical snake of a literary agent? Or the handsy historian? This is not the return to the literary world that Hoagy dreamed of, but he is determined to unravel the mystery before the author of these crimes gets the last word."<br /><br />I love the dark murderous underbelly of publishing!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzpamGPBunyWjiXeGdbfSx9s5TBfkr9U6f63HYxB7AkbcVsHt3quWspAJXA7yc7pzQuIOdOW5P48xNmUK7rY7JHwtvUPuUdOglTkJdxN_aYphrhYMtLuH1rO0Qxqsp7SupY83rsVPvVOzlOweBby5_JsrH54JnKTIE1Jhaz6SFDyhST1bDCdcbew3_EE/s1600/2-13%2015%20Heat.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>Radiant Heat </i></b>by Sarah-Jane Collins<br />
Published by: Berkley Books <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/radiant-heat-sarah-jane-collins/20032567?ean=9780593550342" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"When a catastrophic wildfire suddenly rips through a woman's hometown, she thinks she is lucky to have survived...until she finds a dead woman in her driveway, clutching a piece of paper with her name on it....<br /><br />
The blaze came out of nowhere one summer afternoon, a wall of fire fed by blustering wind. Yet, somehow, Alison is alive. She rode out the fire on the damp tiles of her bathroom, her entire body swaddled in a wet woolen blanket. As flames crackled around her, the bitter char of eucalyptus settled in the back of her throat, each breath more desperate than the last.<br /><br />
The wildfire that devastated the Victoria countryside Alison calls home sets in motion a chain of events that threatens to obliterate the carefully constructed life she is living. When Alison emerges from her sheltering place, she spots a soot-covered cherry red car in her driveway, and in it, a dead woman. Alison has never met Simone Arnold in her life...or so she thinks. So what is she doing here?<br /><br />
As Alison searches for answers across Australia's scorched bushlands, she soon learns that the fire isn't the only threat she's facing...."<br /><br />Totally obsessed with Australia recently.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYq9Y5jGdtwUNeHwShpFEEsOCdknJjY5RYkmE6tEnPeLQnOQqIyL0lLcReXuyc7kd4LIp4BtWQASQ0CJrfbph4DvTgned7fXevTL173R5ypLQ5vojKjqR3Y0ipvl5CE_epeNKi3bJGF9PF65-QyXUq38gMXl7CY1NnwSMO9saUuog23sNWmBSao6ssbU/s1600/2-13%2016%20Death.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 242px;" /><b><i>Death of a Spy </i></b>by M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green<br />
Published by: Grand Central Publishing <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/death-of-a-spy-m-c-beaton/20173227?ean=9781538743300" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Sergeant Hamish Macbeth faces a string of mysterious robberies that are only the beginning of an international threat to his sleepy Scottish village of Lochudch in the latest mystery in M.C. Beaton's beloved, <i>New York Times </i>bestselling series.<br /><br />
Sergeant Hamish Macbeth has some major problems to deal with - crimes and criminals, even law enforcement agents, that he doesn't want anywhere near his beloved Highland village in Lochdubh. Hamish is worried about how the locals, as well as those in the wider area of his territory in Sutherland, will react to his new assistant officer. The officer is none other than the enigmatic American James Bland who is on an exchange scheme from his home city of Chicago in the United States, supposedly to study policing methods in Scotland.<br /><br />
Hamish knows that this is far from the truth. Having recently become involved in identifying a Russian spy ring to solve a murder, he is aware that Bland's mission is to track down the members of the spy network still at large. Bland trusts Hamish to help him find all of those who may have been, or may still be, in league with the Russians.<br /><br />
In the meantime, he and Bland have to contend with the everyday chores of rural policing. The tourist season brings with it the usual crop of traffic incidents, lost wallets, lost dogs, and people who are simply lost, but a spate of burglaries and robberies committed by a man described as having a gold tooth and a spider's web tattoo on his neck give Hamish cause for serious concern. The robberies become increasingly violent and the man is dubbed "Spiderman" by the local press. Hamish has to use all of his contacts and every ounce of his Highland guile to find the robber."<br /><br />Damn, my mom adored these books.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEsgd28xjj_ZGRTFNZcl3JdmZJrSoqadiLCZCq-8X6E9yA8cPqjwEDr2lIIaZuA_FrysbKcpQwdpAdzCh4E0Wp4TTaCKaMVNNOpy-J6JhWE-p3QKYX1czOAJWd_j-0P2JkXkqgsY9BQYb4QbxqCgHmTnwbGY6M9kFxQlfUxRpMyQ1Zd3OTNvIRUyRoyI/s1600/2-13%2017%20Cat.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 260px;" /><b><i>The Kamogawa Food Detectives </i></b>by Hisashi Kashiwai<br />
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 208 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-kamogawa-food-detectives-hasashi-kashiwai/20094598?ean=9780593717714" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"<i>The Kamogawa Food Detectives</i> is the first book in the bestselling, mouth-watering Japanese series, for fans of <i>Before the Coffee Gets Cold</i>.<br /><br /><i>
What's the one dish you'd do anything to taste just one more time?</i><br /><br />
Down a quiet backstreet in Kyoto exists a very special restaurant. Run by Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare, the Kamogawa Diner serves up deliciously extravagant meals. But that's not the main reason customers stop by...<br /><br />
The father-daughter duo are 'food detectives'. Through ingenious investigations, they are able to recreate dishes from a person's treasured memories - dishes that may well hold the keys to their forgotten past and future happiness. The restaurant of lost recipes provides a link to vanished moments, creating a present full of possibility.<br /><br />
A bestseller in Japan, <i>The Kamogawa Food Detectives</i> is a celebration of good company and the power of a delicious meal."<br /><br />Could this be my favorite cover so far this year? Yes. Yes it is.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTaVVg7CAH3Ov2qQJu6G3cQ-G1p_WmT4yKQHG9-m0Sk8c15pk9XjjQ_4XYnGX4Kjp5byrNoN-R3lYRwbStIHkf9Kjue7o62Kgm7i8Zvpxhrq5_RGtGmp0FjLctyOo4LIfvw1BX8YKsdObOZ9YS1WlaAM91tCXzQZ-3uYbPqP1Kd1oNsMOQV_sQ6i6D5Q/s1600/2-13%2018%20Fox.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>The Fox Maidens </i></b>by Robin Ha<br />
Published by: Balzer and Bray/Harperteen <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-fox-maidens-robin-ha/20107291?ean=9780062685131" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"From the bestselling, award-winning creator of <i>Almost American Girl</i> comes an epic new graphic novel fantasy - a queer, feminist reimagining of the Fox Maiden legend from Korean mythology. Perfect for fans of <i>Nimona</i>, <i>Squire</i>, and <i>The Prince and the Dressmaker</i>.<br /><br />
Kai Song dreams of being a warrior. She wants to follow in the footsteps of her beloved father, the commander of the Royal Legion. But while her father believes in Kai and trains her in martial arts, their society isn't ready for a girl warrior.<br /><br />
Still, Kai is determined. But she is plagued by rumors that she is the granddaughter of Gumiho, the infamous nine-tailed fox demon who was killed by her father years before.<br /><br />
Everything comes crashing down the day Kai learns the deadly secret about her mother's past. Now she must come to terms with the truth about her identity and take her destiny into her own hands. As Kai desperately searches for a way to escape her fate, she comes to find compassion, and even love, in the most unexpected places.<br /><br />
Set in sixteenth-century Korea and richly infused with Korean folklore, <i>The Fox Maidens</i> is a timeless and powerful story about fighting for your place in the world, even when it seems impossible."<br /><br />It's no joke, I love reinterpretations of the wonderful Fox Maiden legend.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJT1Cd__Nsd4FNnqlSMc59vGliJNHU-N94fg_H-WQ60lYrz7UY3tpScF25QJjRNK-YJyBTWa3IQdIYhQFThmPyOM5oZwmYU2pl6FMvizZ8ai7GJVhRN7vPhLeQm-o9QiiXubmc14df4znX0ayt9V30FAwYJMMwhbthlxarEkIwcB1YoBL2ZyUBAMDNTs/s1600/2-13%2019%20Summer.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 254px;" /><b><i>Chasing Endless Summer </i></b>by V.C. Andrews<br />
Published by: Gallery Books <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/chasing-endless-summer-v-c-andrews/20165268?ean=9781668015957" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A young girl trapped in a labyrinthine mansion may finally get the family she longs for when her estranged father reappears in her life in this new novel from the world of the #1<i> New York Times</i> bestselling author of the <i>Flowers in the Attic </i>and Landry series - now popular Lifetime movies.<br /><br />
After the tragic death of her mother and a long period of isolation under the thumb of a cruel grandfather, young Caroline Bryer has little to hope for in her life in the foreboding Southerland mansion. Her only companion, her enigmatic cousin, Simon, may be a wolf in sheep's clothing and is not to be trusted. But when Caroline's estranged father suddenly resurfaces with news of a new wife and stepchildren in Hawaii that she'll finally be allowed to visit, Caroline dares to hope for a new, normal life. Desperate for her father's love, Caroline will do anything to stay in this new home. But her troublesome stepsister has other plans, and Caroline cannot tell who to trust and who to run from. Will her new stepbrother and stepsister be a light in her dark life, or will they blot out the last slivers of sun forever?"<br /><br />Is the trademark after the name a new thing?<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkdyM-xqrGhoz4iaixCWWXkku9-jcKQEWKQEEXpGddgTt2HUfhx4z3GA6JWW6B92C87sjy26H4x2oI0mnLRXrJSogu3_fypQuedPcALJWRghntj7k_0mLEpJuE4f1oLI5s6uHHU_c674wtAn37_Lqbwh3cNLYQ22PVBXu5ACN92F1zR86n5geOxxDUEGc/s1600/2-13%2020%20Lando.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 259px;" /><b><i>What Have We Here? </i></b>by Billy Dee Williams<br />
Published by: Knopf Publishing Group <br />
Publication Date: February 13th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/what-have-we-here-portraits-of-a-life-billy-dee-williams/20047848?ean=9780593318607" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A film legend recalls his remarkable life of nearly eight decades - a heralded actor who's played the roles he wanted, from <i>Brian's Song</i> to Lando in the <i>Star Wars </i>universe - unchecked by the racism and typecasting so rife in the mostly all-white industry in which he triumphed.<br /><br />
Billy Dee Williams was born in Harlem in 1937 and grew up in a household of love and sophistication. As a young boy, he made his stage debut working with Lotte Lenya in an Ira Gershwin/Kurt Weill production where Williams ended up feeding Lenya her lines. He studied painting, first at the High School of Music and Art, with fellow student Diahann Carroll, and then at the National Academy of Fine Art, before setting out to pursue acting with Herbert Berghoff, Stella Adler, and Sidney Poitier.<br /><br />
His first film role was in <i>The Last Angry Man</i>, the great Paul Muni's final film. It was Muni who gave Billy the advice that sent him soaring as an actor, "You can play any character you want to play no matter who you are, no matter the way you look or the color of your skin." And Williams writes, "I wanted to be anyone I wanted to be."<br /><br />
He writes of landing the role of a lifetime: co-starring alongside James Caan in <i>Brian's Song</i>, the made-for-television movie that was watched by an audience of more than fifty million people. Williams says it was "the kind of interracial love story America needed."<br /><br />
And when, as the first Black character in the <i>Star Wars</i> universe, he became a true pop culture icon, playing Lando Calrissian in George Lucas's <i>The Empire Strikes Back</i> ("What I presented on the screen people didn't expect to see"). It was a role he reprised in the final film of the original trilogy, <i>The Return of the Jedi</i>, and in the recent sequel <i>The Rise of Skywalker</i>.<br /><br />
A legendary actor, in his own words, on all that has sustained and carried him through a lifetime of dreams and adventure."<br /><br />All I have to say about the icon that is Billy Dee Williams is that he needed to be on <i>Dynasty </i>with Diahann Carroll longer. Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-50582886624243349492024-02-09T00:00:00.086-06:002024-02-09T00:00:00.156-06:00Book Review - Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell's From Hell<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUZd2i8jUH5BXP29XYyf6LCiEE_zJe9ENvvAlSofSMHXhe89BUZXzyDNyD9qiWPRJGVeH3LQn9p5k7kYBGh6Jrl1_Y34II4bR4kjrI5ZbRPpJclIfM75TKniBfClMFJNHHshdeqzC9BqzLGbeJLHZLKictVK_wq4JAHiDDyVVYQF15yvoyEEDuWiTjy8/s1600/From%20Hell.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 289px;" /><b><i>From Hell: Master Edition </i></b>by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell<br />
Published by: Top Shelf Productions<br />
Publication Date: 1999<br />
Format: Kindle, 582 Pages<br />
Rating: ★★★★<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/from-hell-master-edition-alan-moore/14261421?ean=9781603094696" target="_blank">To Buy</a> (different edition than one reviewed)<br /><br />Queen Victoria's eldest son Eddy has been a bad boy. He's been slumming in the East End with his tutor Walter Sickert. There Eddy met and secretly married a shop girl, Annie Crook. This will not do for the future King of England and his mother decides to set it right. She separates the couple, bringing Eddy home and sending the wife to Bedlam, unaware that there was a child in the care of one Mary Kelly. This is when Sir William Withey Gull enters the picture. He is a respected doctor, an esteemed and high ranking freemason, who saved the Prince's life when he was ill years previously. For his services he was promoted to Physician-in-Ordinary to Queen Victoria. The Queen calls on him to deal with her son's wife and he operates on Annie Crook's thyroid gland impairing her sanity. The Queen and her doctor believe the threat is past when Mary Kelly realizes that she and her friends have a meal ticket thanks to her knowledge of the marriage and the baby named Alice. Prostitutes Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Liz Stride, and Mary Kelly would never resort to blackmail if not for the fact their very lives are in danger by the Old Nichol Gang unless they pay up. So Mary sends Walter Sickert a letter. Walter goes to Princess Alix, Eddy's mother. After what happened previously she says this matter must be taken to Victoria immediately and Victoria calls in Sir William. Sir William has recently recovered from a stroke and approaches this undertaking in the name of the Queen as his great work. With the help of his driver Netley they identify the four women and Sir William goes about plotting their deaths. He has informed his fellow Masons at the police that murders are about to commence, but neither realize how significant they will be or how they will terrorize London. Sir William's knowledge of anatomy allows him to be brutal and precise with his work, though at least the first death is as painless as he can make it. The fear that grips London after the death of Polly Nichols means that all the prostitutes are steeped in terror. The newspapers make a sensation of the cases, dubbing the killer "Jack the Ripper." And Jack is here to usher in the future no matter the body count. <br /><br />
Alan Moore is the grand old wizard of graphic novels and it would not be an understatement to say that he created the genre as we know it today. But for all that he is divisive. You either love his work or you hate it, or you're one of those weird people who is really into <i>Watchmen</i> and when they released a totally credible and faithful adaptation you say it's not "your" <i>Watchmen</i>. I sometimes just don't get people. But I'm starting to get the Alan Moore fantascism, despite my hatred of <i>Watchmen</i> and <i>The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen</i>, whose adaptation everyone should be complaining about. And I somehow saw that twice in theaters. For me <i>From Hell</i> is his magnum opus, his great work. And being an armchair Ripperologist I was able to enjoy it without believing anything that he wrote about the crimes. Because for all the theories out there on who Jack the Ripper is I have never once found it even slightly plausible that it was a Freemason cover-up at the behest of Queen Victoria. And no matter how fun they made the film <i>Murder by Decree</i> with a camp James Mason and a psychic Donald Sutherland flailing through the streets of London if <i>they</i> couldn't make me believe the theories spouted by Stephen Knight in <i>Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution</i>, I'm sorry, but Alan Moore didn't stand a chance. And while I could blame my dislike of the theory for avoiding the graphic novel for so many years, I didn't know that this was the theory espoused, the only knowledge I really had of the comic was that it was loosely, and I say very loosely, the inspiration for the 2001 Johnny Depp film. Which, well, the less said the better. Except for this, they tried to combine Abberline and Lees into one character to have a psychic cop. Yeah. They did that. So why did I finally decide to pick up the book after all this time? Honestly, I'm not sure. I was just feeling in a gloomy Victorian mood and was rewatching <i>Penny Dreadful</i> and just thought, you know what, now's the time. And here's the thing, if I had known it was more about the world the murders happened in I would have picked it up so much sooner, though I'm glad I didn't because the colorization by Eddie Campbell gave the artwork more depth and definition. The way that Sir William discusses the history of London reminded me of what I love so much about the <i>Rivers of London</i> series by Ben Aaronovitch. There's a depth and richness to the history of London with it constantly building and reinventing itself on the remnants of history. Always moving forward into the future. And if this book shows one thing it's that these murders were a force that would move London inexorably forward into a whole new world.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-78815214583943521092024-02-07T00:00:00.169-06:002024-02-07T00:00:00.162-06:00Book Review - Benjamin Stevenson's Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKDrYZWQNH0DCGLqyfwCt2XnyQT0JpfgiVO19jgNR5lg-dNOo-ncbaKIAvO9OvSEXARhQBLF_FmHJf4WcuW81rXFZ75_ry_S4A2lO97B0acZmFArUWT36zGMNwXKNM0eOBAWJEb8ShpQeG_NNqehu5lNjbhpVSzZ4QjvMLPjXhglbYJPQRCae5DirLTk/s1600/Everyone2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone </i></b>by Benjamin Stevenson<br />
Published by: Mariner Books <br />
Publication Date: January 17th, 2023<br />
Format: Kindle, 384 Pages<br />
Rating: ★★<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/everyone-in-my-family-has-killed-someone-benjamin-stevenson/18820089?ean=9780063279025" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a> (different edition than one reviewed)<br />
<br />In a family of killers a reunion at a remote sky resort might not be the best idea. But that is exactly what is about to happen. Ernest could have warned them. Afterall he writes books on how to write murder mysteries, particularly those that adhere to the commandments laid out by Golden Age writers like Agatha Christie. But no one's been talking to him for the last three years because three years previously Ernest Cunningham broke the cardinal rule of the family, he talked to the police. His brother Michael ended up in prison for a murder Ernest saw him commit. Their mother hasn't forgiven Ernest for this. Now on the eve of Michael's release the family has gathered in a place they could well be stranded in, if the right conditions happen. Which of course they will. Because his tale is a tale of killers. Ernest's mother, his father, his step-father, his step-sister, his brother, his sister-in-law, his aunt, his wife, and yes, even Ernest himself, are all killers and when killers gather death is on the table. The first body is found the next day. Thankfully it isn't a member of the family. Yet. But that doesn't exactly rule them out. Though his step-sister, Sofia, a doctor, is quick to point out the death is odd. Very odd. As in, it has all the hallmarks of a serial killer going by the moniker of the Black Tongue. And it looks like the corpse, which they've nicknamed Green Boots, might be his latest victim. Could one of his family be not just a killer but a serial killer? And could they now be trapped up on the mountain with them? Of course is the answer that Ernest should have expected. At least Michael couldn't possibly be the killer as he was still in prison when the murder occured. But Michael was lying. He got out a day early because he's been having an affair with Ernest's soon to be ex-wife. And, actually, Ernest has to give his brother a little credit for breaking up an almost completely dead marriage from inside prison. That's if their affair didn't start earlier... Because the truth is this family isn't exactly one for the truth. They keep their cards close and only show them when they have no other options. Their secrets could literally kill them as the snow closes in and Ernest realizes that he's been focusing on the wrong thing. He's been too enamoured with playing detective. He's been in love with being the lead of one of those books he outlines for others to imitate. He should have paid better attention. He should have realized why his family has the rule about the police. He should have realized a lot of things. Hopefully it's not to late for him.
<br /><br />The title of this book is purposely misleading. The way the reveal is set up the title is imperative for the misdirection, for the misunderstanding that has led to the situation Ernest Cunningham has found himself in. And yet the title does a disservice to the book. When you start reading a story and are told from the very beginning that everyone is a killer you instantly have no vested interest in their survival. All these people killed someone so why should I care if they get killed? Of course Benjamin Stevenson plays with the concept of what is a killer throughout the book trying to give you a deeper understanding of the characters, but it's too little too late. I care not for all these relatives, I care not for Ernest, they can literally all die for all I care, and, well, a few of them do. I wanted to like this book more it's just that I didn't. Ernest has a unique voice, but it's not a narrative voice that flows. The writing in this book is clunky. I kept thinking of other authors who have a similar writing style, Lisa Lutz sprang quickly to mind, as did Jasper Fforde and Lemony Snicket. They all have their own unique voice and singularly original style that Benjamin Stevenson attempted to do here, but their work is polished, precise, you don't find yourself rereading a sentence five times over just to see if you drew the correct meaning from it. And that's what frustrated me so much with this book, here's someone actually bothering in this day and age to adhere to the standards of Golden Age mysteries and fair play instead of infuriating the reader with impossible reveals, unreliable narrators, or endings that just didn't make sense, and I couldn't be bothered. If I didn't have a pathological need to finish every book I start combined with this being a read for my book club, I honestly don't know if I would have finished it. There is such unrealized potential. This book is now the start of a series, which should surprise no one, nor should the fact it already has a deal with HBO. All I can hope for is that going forward, in both mediums, the characters, and minimally Ernest, should be someone we can root for. Someone we can get behind. Because writing can be polished, characters can evolve, but starting on such unsound footing makes me hesitant to continue on the journey ahead. I hear Ernest is going on a train ride. I do wonder if I'll join him. Someday.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-59430526338712488342024-02-05T00:00:00.203-06:002024-02-05T00:00:00.130-06:00Tuesday Tomorrow<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPY3c39rO-UYZ6t7Zjmd_rJ-SsN7juyvMjV81ZNgs3Xw_uNBJkcJAr2TxanlsRmQ7B3TkjfkElviaTE1URCJnzZ5bLIXGaYJMyam36fmiJhPdkC0BnsSmmqZ9NgBURLr0BfCEDQk-ylaNnoNffqBRAL4Wu5Ok1wUkPzZhshNttQWBtPLP2VNLSUiIl5Oo/s1600/2-6%201%20Antique.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder </i></b>by C.L. Miller<br />
Published by: Atria Books <br />
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-antique-hunter-s-guide-to-murder-c-l-miller/20165477?ean=9781668032008" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"In this irresistible and thrilling debut novel, a former antique hunter investigates a suspicious death at an isolated English manor, embroiling her back in the dangerous world of tracking stolen artifacts.<br /><br /><i>
What antique would you kill for?</i><br /><br />
Freya Lockwood is shocked when she learns that Arthur Crockleford, antiques dealer and her estranged mentor, has died under mysterious circumstances. She has spent the last twenty years avoiding her quaint English hometown, but when she receives a letter from Arthur asking her to investigate - sent just days before his death - Freya has no choice but to return to a life she had sworn to leave behind.<br /><br />
Joining forces with her eccentric Aunt Carole, Freya follows clues and her instincts to an old manor house for an advertised antiques enthusiast's weekend. But not all is as it seems. It's clear to Freya that the antiques are all just poor reproductions and her fellow guests are secretive and menacing. What is going on at this estate and how was Arthur involved? More importantly, can Freya and Carole discover the truth before the killer strikes again?"<br /><br />An isolated English manor having an antiques weekend? YES!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xWgVxONIpM6lHYvFUevVw9HCL04XhxRQRMtC_lfvcD5QqIhzXqrITA7gH2pRNbeHxV5WAUogf6RIoANXVYZiJnh2JWna0hcu4EphexyerKrGxmEr1m7I-dMjV2x1fsJf4zWx_nMS9xc8fqm-DcORt9d-OSeNBA5_txrmwplg28Q_dI0ZpNoznmYH0ws/s1600/2-6%202%20Holy.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 246px;" /><b><i>The Holy Terrors </i></b>by Simon R. Green<br />
Published by: Severn House<br />
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 192 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-holy-terrors-main-simon-r-green/20480430?ean=9781448311637" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"<i>Six people locked in a haunted hall...Cameras watching their every move...And then someone dies...This first in a spine-tingling new paranormal mystery series from New York Times bestselling British fantasy author Simon R. Green will make you doubt your judgement - and believe in ghosts!</i><br /><br />
Welcome to <i>Spooky Time</i>, the hit TV ghost-hunting show where the horror is scripted...and the ratings are declining rapidly. What better way to up the stakes - and boost the viewership - than by locking a select group of Z-list celebrities up for the night in The Most Haunted Hall in England (TM) and live-streaming the 'terrifying' results?<br /><br />
Soon Alistair, a newly appointed Bishop, actress Diana, medium Leslie, comedian Toby, and celebrity chef Indira are trapped inside Stonehaven town hall, along with June, the host and producer of the show. The group tries to settle in and put on a good show, but then strange things start happening in their hall of horrors.<br /><br />
What is it about this place - and why is the TV crew outside not responding? Are they even on air? Logical Alistair and intuitive Diana attempt to keep the group's fears at bay and rationalize the odd events, but there are things that just can't be explained within reason...Can the pair stop a cold-blooded would-be killer - even if it's come from beyond the grave?<br /><br />
This locked-room mystery with a paranormal twist is classic Simon R. Green, featuring his trademark humour and imagination, irresistible characters, and thoroughly entertaining plotting."<br /><br />I mean, how else but by adding a dash of the paranormal can you up the locked-room story? Bravo!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zQAP4Rj8u2hcXnJtcKVcNVrV-U5mb_dvUGc0nM2h1YbhE629YcJWFaYbh6Th6_KxvJOrvt4Hu2lWtu72hkJ11SOvQSYY2kM5fEjGsQeJu3lYwhgs_JMwT1bd1KhSRp-4nwLibVz92XiBFzSu0K5_9WiVq6sU2jecRo0cIDxc3B_Rr8v-PwG26NxF3CI/s1600/2-6%203%20Bell.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>The Road from Belhaven </i></b>by Margot Livesey<br />
Published by: Knopf Publishing Group <br />
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-road-from-belhaven-margot-livesey/20080184?ean=9780593537046" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"From the <i>New York Times</i> best-selling author of <i>The Flight of Gemma Hardy</i>, a novel about a young woman whose gift of second sight complicates her coming of age in late-nineteenth-century Scotland.<br /><br />
Growing up in the care of her grandparents on Belhaven Farm, Lizzie Craig discovers as a small child that she can see into the future. But her gift is selective - she doesn't, for instance, see that she has an older sister who will come to join the family. As her "pictures" foretell various incidents and accidents, she begins to realize a painful truth: she may glimpse the future, but she can seldom change it.<br /><br />
Nor can Lizzie change the feelings that come when a young man named Louis, visiting Belhaven for the harvest, begins to court her. Why have the adults around her not revealed that the touch of a hand can change everything? After following Louis to Glasgow, though, she learns the limits of his devotion. Faced with a seemingly impossible choice, she makes a terrible mistake. But her second sight may allow her a second chance."<br /><br />I'm all about second sight and it's complications.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvK3pa7glstegxhJVySqhgTpQfcBAs19iBoFwM1_3Iyc_okSwcga0BwbxS0VOIjSNWUepp11h20Czz5UUVWWYxVUYNkkiU07aPabjuIih_0Dq9JG00nZk3C-bXxbIrkeWsZ2TatQJScZwyCUVAVKVKxAtcAuC175O4rBojsaDz6E8CHejAOdXpQ7vE-0/s1600/2-6%204%20Tainted.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 255px;" /><b><i>The Tainted Cup </i></b>by Robert Jackson Bennett<br />
Published by: Del Rey Books <br />
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-tainted-cup-robert-jackson-bennett/20065357?ean=9781984820709" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A Holmes and Watson-style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from the Edgar-winning, multiple Hugo-nominated Robert Jackson Bennett.<br /><br />
In Daretana's greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead - killed, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire's borders, where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes, it's a death both terrifying and impossible.<br /><br />
Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times, and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home.<br /><br />
At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana's brilliance. Din is at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superior - but as the case unfolds and he watches Ana's mind leap from one startling deduction to the next, he must admit that she is, indeed, the Empire's greatest detective.<br /><br />
As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the Empire itself, Din realizes he's barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra - and wonders how long he'll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.<br /><br />
By an "endlessly inventive" (<i>Vulture</i>) author with a "wicked sense of humor" (<i>NPR</i>), <i>The Tainted Cup</i> mixes the charms of detective fiction with brilliant world-building to deliver a fiendishly clever mystery that's at once instantly recognizable and thrillingly new."<br /><br />Take what is standard and add a twisted tree.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFcpNMGHfioM5UqFrDfzrTQcQ49Z7Lh6Q3eXoxi5DWE-PRJ1M6Hx0bmbapaotu6BfkokuIUQdvcmsdEdGrofYtIEJLENC1uJbsyhn8jfP6xYQ7xkoSuKfu6UU3BxdR5cGXymie5ZeP8niKFdbOGigYdoqxP6d2YYwbV7BjSSawZr22JSa6wiWpx1330U/s1600/2-6%205%20Underground.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 252px;" /><b><i>The Absinthe Underground </i></b>by Jamie Pacton<br />
Published by: Peachtree Teen <br />
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-absinthe-underground-jamie-pacton/20073719?ean=9781682634929" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Moulin Rouge meets Holly Black in a thrilling sapphic friends-to-lovers romantasy!<br /><br />
This lavish and decedent LGBTQ+ fantasy romance will leave fans of <i>Divine Rivals</i> and <i>Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries</i> utterly enchanted!<br /><br />
After running away from home, Sybil Clarion is eager to embrace all the freedom the Belle Époque city of Severon has to offer. Instead, she's traded high-society soirées for empty pockets. At least she has Esme, the girl who offered Sybil a home, and if either of them dared, something more.<br /><br />
Ever since Esme Rimbaud brought Sybil back to her flat, the girls have been everything to each other - best friends, found family, and secret crushes. While Esme would rather spend the night tinkering with her clocks and snuggling her cats, Sybil craves excitement and needs money. She plans to get both by stealing the rare posters that crop up around town. With rent due, Esme agrees to accompany - and more importantly <i>protect</i> - Sybil.<br /><br />
When they're caught selling a poster by none other than its subject, Maeve, the glamorous girl invites Sybil and Esme to The Absinthe Underground, the exclusive club she co-owns, and reveals herself to be a Green Faerie, trapped in this world. She wants to hire thieves for a daring heist in Fae that would set her free, and is willing to pay enough that Sybil and Esme never have to worry about rent again. It's too good of an offer to pass up, even if Maeve's tragic story doesn't quite add up, and the secrets could jeopardize everything the girls have so carefully built.<br /><br />
Jamie Pacton, author of <i>The Vermilion Emporium</i>, dazzles in this whimsical and daring romantic fantasy. Fans of Fae lore, slow-burn sapphic pining, and decadently magical worlds will find <i>The Absinthe Underground</i> as ensorcelling as a fairy delight."<br /><br />I love the real history of the Belle Époque intermingled with fantasy and fairies.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLTtPrmuk01qDmhc4v4WKrCd5XIWnhbgD3N4CVc1QTlnz-Tppm9nTQQT6TbfvdhgIIhEhwjs18zHYXkw8ThmJIWl-YceNEhdCg4u8O4_86uAZb4yiZCG67ykHsmLlYNWRujeG7qals4xexnaQyS0I50ZrEPTz3jiShFOH-HNBlQJlC6zj2tFVJn2t6nU/s1600/2-6%206%20Yeet.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf </i></b>by Kimberly Lemming<br />
Published by: Orbit <br />
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/that-time-i-got-drunk-and-yeeted-a-love-potion-at-a-werewolf-kimberly-lemming/19784783?ean=9780316570312" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Cheesemaker Brie has the world's worst luck in love, which is how she ends up falling for a lactose intolerant werewolf, in this raunchy, laugh-out-loud rom-com fantasy by the genre's freshest new voice, Kimberly Lemming.<br /><br />
Brie's never been particularly coordinated...or lucky. Who else would accidentally throw a drink at someone's head only to miss entirely and hit a stranger behind them? And who else would have that stranger fall madly in love with them because it turns out that the drink she threw was a love potion? Yeah, probably just Brie....<br /><br />
Running her cheese business and dealing with a pirate ship full of demons that just moved into town was hard enough. Now on top of it, she has to convince a werewolf that she's not really his fated mate. Though even she's got to admit...having a gorgeous man show up and do all her chores while telling her she's beautiful isn't the worst thing to happen to a girl."<br /><br />I love this new cozy fantasy genre that's emerging. <br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhXCiGao2KyyoiXnp4GAOtBwaD4gPU3qCmlNwGHSlEUFhgFCnj4ym73BQ-WAIMSvaAFmWqWqXHkdQJf2HgXUWXvW-8pwXD81ppLRa5znnHB_4E_pQDqpzY4q55fnyh04at-15UvW1axv7JmRq1oXzt_mw4-D5xMO6_if5GQufaeoVwRqFq_f6BUmSBOU/s1600/2-6%207%20Woo.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 253px;" /><b><i>To Woo and to Wed </i></b>by Martha Waters<br />
Published by: Atria Books <br />
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/to-woo-and-to-wed-martha-waters/20211505?ean=9781668007921" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"The final installment in the "hilarious and steamy" (<i>PopSugar</i>) Regency Vows series follows the heir to a dukedom and a young widow, once very much in love, as they reunite years later to fake an engagement for the benefit of her sister.<br /><br />
West, the Marquess of Weston, and Sophie, Lady Fitzwilliam Bridewell, have lately been spending a considerable amount of time together. But West and Sophie are not new acquaintances. In fact, years ago, they had once been nearly engaged until West's almost fatal curricle accident and his meddling father threw them off course.<br /><br />
Now recently widowed, Sophie has put aside all thoughts of romance. But when her widowed sister, Alexandra, mentions a fondness for an earl, Sophie realizes that she may be holding her sister back. Alexandra won't move forward with an engagement until Sophie, too, settles down again, and so Sophie approaches West with a plan. They will announce their engagement and break things off once Alexandra is happily married. It'll be simple. After all, it's not like she is going to fall for West a second time, not when Sophie has sworn not to risk her heart again."<br /><br />Sigh, Regency Romance!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDf6RfPFlbp8b8PmY4ZWh75EeBYoyt0_JOyJc42o2x1BWfOGliRqUVTGVRbq2Cjy1hik1U9YpnCfpW6VsCMqzrmeMb5iWxb4NBoZYn9LQti0tR1LI6n6uvO0DaMof44JjZnDdcKJAWXeR64mbxTKtf9cf3A1IaapDF5BNikGQGfngFspOtRHFe9D74eCM/s1600/2-6%208%20Hope.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>I Hope This Doesn't Find You </i></b>by Ann Liang<br />
Published by: Scholastic Press <br />
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/i-hope-this-doesn-t-find-you-ann-liang/19960334?ean=9781338827156" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Unforgettable, snarky, and romantic,<i> I Hope This Doesn't Find You</i> is <i>Never Have I Ever</i> meets <i>To All the Boys I've Loved Before</i> if Lara Jean wrote hate emails instead of love letters.<br /><br />
Sadie Wen is perfect on paper: school captain, valedictorian, and a "pleasure to have in class." It's not easy, but she has a trick to keep her model-student smile plastered on her face at all times: she channels all her frustrations into her email drafts. She'd <i>never</i> send them of course - she'd rather die than hurt anyone's feelings - but it's a relief to let loose on her power-hungry English teacher or a freeloading classmate taking credit for Sadie's work.<br /><br />
All her most vehemently worded emails are directed at her infuriating cocaptain, Julius Gong, whose arrogance and competitive streak have irked Sadie since they were kids. <br /><br /><i>"You're attention starved and self-obsessed and unbearably vain...I really hope your comb breaks and you run out of whatever expensive hair products you've been using to make your hair appear deceptively soft..."</i><br /><br />
Sadie doesn't have to hold back in her emails, because nobody will ever read them...that is, until they're accidentally sent out.<br /><br />
Overnight, Sadie's carefully crafted, conflict-free life is turned upside down. It's her worst nightmare - now everyone at school knows what she <i>really</i> thinks of them, and they're not afraid to tell her what they really think of her either. But amidst the chaos, there's one person growing to appreciate the "real" Sadie - Julius, the only boy she's sworn to hate..."<br /><br />This is literally my worst nightmare. Not that I'm sitting around writing bad things about people, just that there will be wires crossed with technology and something I don't want someone to know will be outed.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGDUVBswT7-9Gccr5W5Z1JsDMcP_vcP3aGURossJIk6ASf6nTq55v90z67KjAF783zWIP_ZPX9RpS7cgSjtocNItbTtKfdrC22_A5gBb56ENIqWSpMqBEEaHiXFQED4ooKrdZmbMJk7pCITMALbPukuUhinhYAEmNRvLESwroA8MOacAFxVtsWKj_YXgY/s1600/2-6%209%20Lenny.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 309px;" /><b><i>Lenny Henry </i></b>by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara<br />
Published by: Frances Lincoln Ltd <br />
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 32 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/lenny-henry-maria-isabel-sanchez-vegara/20658613?ean=9780711285408" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Sir Lenny Henry, the multi-talented comedian, actor, writer and activist.<br /><br />
Ever since he was small, Lenny Henry wanted to be a comedian. At home in Dudley, England, he would pretend to be the characters he watched on TV, copying scenes from his favorite shows to entertain his six brothers and sisters. But life wasn't always easy, and at school, Lenny found himself the subject of racist bullying - until he figured out a way to beat the bullies using humor. This was when he realized he had a gift: he could make people laugh. He shot to fame aged 16 and the following decades were full of great successes, such as his hugely popular TV show <i>The Lenny Henry Show</i>.<br /><br />
Lenny co-founded the charity Comic Relief in response to a terrible famine in East Africa. Over 25 years later, Lenny and the charity remain committed to creating a just world, free from poverty, and have raised millions of pounds. An actor, a comedian, an author, and a champion of inclusivity, Lenny is a much-loved figure whose story encourages us to keep smiling."<br /><br />And the thing is, unlike in the United States, Comic Relief in England is amazing and funny.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSRwHEJfdSgM8eJVA6xyyGkXN18PcuNhIay0QVsT4TGvXzWlpg3PRxz7HflFon-IVbno4-PjS22ArYnFyiH_Dv9mZ2UzoXoV_gOugIphXkCjrem7zmo6ILHpu7biU83reIokyDsX8-xLWOWiFkU54iBP392ts9sFI4enlLqot4YJH3RIZAgNGDBEsr8k/s1600/2-6%2010%20Queens.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>Queens of London </i></b>by Heather Webb<br />
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark <br />
Publication Date: February 6th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-queens-of-london-heather-webb/19997463?ean=9781728282947" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Maybe women<i> can</i> have it all, as long as they're willing to steal it.<br /><br />
1925. London. When Alice Diamond, AKA "Diamond Annie," is elected the Queen of the Forty Elephants, she's determined to take the all-girl gang to new heights. She's ambitious, tough as nails, and a brilliant mastermind, with a plan to create a dynasty the likes of which no one has ever seen. Alice demands absolute loyalty from her "family" - it's how she's always kept the cops in line. Too bad she's now the target for one of Britain's first female policewomen.<br /><br />
Officer Lilian Wyles isn't merely one of the first female detectives at Scotland Yard, she's one of the best detectives on the force. Even so, she'll have to win a big score to prove herself, to break free from the "women's work" she's been assigned. When she hears about the large-scale heist in the works to fund Alice's new dynasty, she realizes she has the chance she's been looking for - and the added bonus of putting Diamond Annie out of business permanently.<br /><br />
A tale of dark glamour and sisterhood, <i>Queens of London </i>is a look at Britain's first female crime syndicate, the ever-shifting meaning of justice, and the way women claim their power by any means necessary, from <i>USA Today</i> bestselling author Heather Webb."<br /><br />Everybody is getting on the Alice Diamond trade!Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-27685329566984091482024-02-02T00:00:00.165-06:002024-02-02T00:00:00.153-06:00Book Review - Travis Baldree's Legends & Lattes<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Pl-lcGT7NtPYRlv99_8tVqVJ0P81ksf1EAyeK09o6TI0qq8SzrXNsb1jJEuQ-3poUZrGmmEC9X04bN4X8Oie9kwqvDNCJQv9q5FDkARghdflgGwqJHkLR2lcS4tOkoqgFSYIlE7IFbIjtbkoxfJgfqbf-vdA83nVHytl7U_FL_NsmIT2THbIlBjj/s1600/11-8%205%20Legends.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 252px;" /><b><i>Legends and Lattes </i></b>by Travis Baldree<br />
Published by: Tor Books <br />
Publication Date: November 8th, 2022<br />
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages<br />
Rating: ★★★★<br />
<a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250886088" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a> (different edition than one reviewed)<br />
<br />An orc mercenary doesn't usually have a retirement plan. But Viv does. When on a mission with her crew in the gnomish city of Azimuth she tasted coffee for the first time. Since that day she has filled pages and pages with plans for a coffee shop. Detailing everything from the mundane to the supposedly mystical. She has the funds, and, after their last job, she has a Scalvert's Stone, which legend has it will bring fortune to the bearer. So she sets off for her chosen city, Thune. There she wanders the streets until she finds a perfect site, a rundown stable. After purchasing it off the current owner she hires a hob carpenter, Cal, and they set to work building the coffee shop of Viv's dreams. With the help of her first employee, a succubus named Tandri, the shop opens to no customers. At all. Viv didn't really think this far in advance. She figured if she built it they would come due to the stone. But almost no one in Thune has ever tasted coffee before, which gives Tandri an idea; free samples! Between some well-placed signs, yes, Viv didn't take into account advertising, and their free samples they start to get a steady flow of customers. One of the customers who is in thrall to the coffee is a ratkin named Thimble. It turns out he is a master baker and soon his delicacies are drawing in even bigger crowds. They start to even have regulars. But this popularity draws the attention of others. Particularly the Madrigal. The Madrigal runs a protection racket and Viv just isn't having any of it due to her previous occupation. A mercenary will never bow down to a thug. She'll have to up her game and intimidate the Madrigal by hanging her sword, Blackblood, behind the counter. Tandri puts a little decor around the sword to make it more decorative than functional, but at least the threat of violence remains. Yet the biggest danger might not come from the Madrigal but from one of her old crew, an elf named Fennus. He suspects her of having a Scalvert's Stone and he wants it. No matter the cost. But what happens if the legends surrounding the stone are wrong? And what if, no matter what happens, stone or no stone, Viv has found just what she needed?
<br /><br />Here's the thing. I hate coffee. In any form. I hate everything about it from the smell to the taste. Though I might just hate it most when people sneak it into desserts. Why would you ruin a perfectly good dessert with coffee or espresso? You know what the best part of waking up is? Not smelling coffee. This hate isn't reserved just for the beverage, oh no, I also hate coffee shop culture. But this just might be because I live in a college town because there's nothing I hate more than people who take over a whole section of a cafe and just work there all day without supporting the establishment and making it impossible for two friends or say a book club to find seating when they want. I mean, come on, other people might want to use that table! Don't you have a home to study in? The only exception I'll make for this hard and fast rules is if you are a writer whose work I love and you can only work in a cafe. You're exempt. All these emotions and baggage makes it kind of a miracle that I love this book so much. But here we are. I, a coffee hater, was deeply invested in an orc opening a coffee shop and making it thrive. Each little bump in the road had me worried. I knew they'd get customers, I knew they'd succeed, but while a lot of people call this a low stakes story, it's not, it's high stakes. Making your dreams come true are the highest stakes in the world. And finding a family? Even higher. This is a safe space, and you know what? I'd go to there. Especially because Viv insists you buy something to use her booths. This book is literally the definition of cozy and I think it's because of that that so many people have fallen in love with it. We <i>all </i>need a safe space in the world, somewhere that offers food and shelter and love, and that's what Viv offers. Plus, don't you want some of those delicious desserts? It's ridiculous how invested I was in Thimble's creations. These are desserts and treats we all know and love and yet him "creating" them was a big deal. But I think why I really connected to this book is because it's cozy Terry Pratchett. It has the love and care and the worldbuilding of Discworld, but without any of the bad things happening. There's no deeper meaning, no political satire. Calling it Pratchett lite though would be an insult, because it's so much more. It's a new thing, cozy fantasy, and I want more.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-65252418142312916072024-02-01T00:00:00.088-06:002024-02-01T00:00:00.131-06:00For the Love of Book Clubs<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJdpsgBerb3e_0jQ9PiL8EqRWHYp-0PIn9bNN25zR8IdbFq8YtctKl5iQOoYHHu5RDoEB2LKJD5s_cf8uy7wB4IVN5ZxKXFUYdNTdXHVdGBuRwbmA6LJkPK0iuFitHlQQaoBTRx97TzRrqm7bWtDFgGrD8GJkBC0k0GZRNxlaGlrT_TgqanxqKcMOnU7Y/s1600/BookClubs.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" />If you think about it, education, and in particular English classes, are, to an extent book clubs. Everyone is assigned a book to read and then participate in discussions moderated by a teacher. Which is probably why so many people don't like reading. They view it as homework. Which is why I personally think of book clubs as my own version of BOOK IT! Here we were rewarded for reading with stickers and personal pan pizzas. So what's the reward for book clubs? Getting to get together with your friends once a month to just talk and eat. Just being in the presence of those you care for who also happen to love reading as much as you, even if they didn't read the book, because true book clubs should encourage reading and not punish members if they didn't have time to read the book. I came late to books. I have a few precious volumes of books I read over and over when young, but it wasn't until after I was out of high school that I really started to read. And very shortly my desire to read with others became an obsession. I wanted a book club. I need a book club. And yes, I occasionally went to my mother's book club that consisted of all my grade school teachers because I needed one so bad. I was like Gomez Addams calling into the Sally Jessy Raphael show asking about where the voodoo witch doctors would meet. I even made a fake book club organization for a school project, <a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/3985799/Literary-Linkup" target="_blank">Literary Linkup</a>, and may have harassed a few of my classmates when they mentioned they were in book clubs. I had become Gomez Addams! But oddly something happened because of this. One of my classmates and I formed a book club, which was eventually dubbed, The Last Word. There were several classmates and friends that came and went over the years. We're now a small core, but through it all, disagreements, reading way more Philip K. Dick, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Neil Gaiman than I ever thought I would, we've now been together for twelve years this year. Things have changed a bit over the last four years, we're now virtual versus trawling around different cafes, houses, and apartments. But through it all it's about having one day a month where I make time for my friends and discuss what we've read, even if it isn't the book we were supposed to. The different tastes and opinions expands my mind and understanding. We rarely, if ever, agree on a book, and that makes it that much more interesting. So here's to celebrating my book club. Here's to celebrating all book clubs. Over the next few months I'll present just a sampling of what we've read over the years. But I hope you'll find it interesting, and maybe you'll share your own book club experiences.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-54209552407423687712024-01-31T00:00:00.002-06:002024-01-31T00:00:00.171-06:00Book Review 2023 #1 - Ben Aaronovitch's The Hanging Tree<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5QoHfNAqkIE/WFiHhELJ49I/AAAAAAAALyA/lGdGzo-K8IYTOzqcwenUreutzn75aQM6wCLcB/s1600/1-31%2BHanging.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 246px;" /><b><i>The Hanging Tree </i></b>by Ben Aaronovitch<br />
Published by: DAW <br />
Publication Date: January 31st, 2017<br />
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages<br />
Rating: ★★★★★<br />
<a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780756409678" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />Peter owes Lady Ty. When he was trapped under the platform at Oxford Circus she saved his life for a favor. And she has come to cash it in. Her daughter, Olivia McAllister-Thames, was out with her classmates from St. Paul's. The teens had snuck into the posh One Hyde Park where they were partying in a vacant flat when Olivia's classmate, Christina Chorley, overdosed. Christina died on the way to the hospital. Lady Ty wants Olivia kept out of it. She doesn't just want her daughter exonerated, she wants her daughter's name never to be even mentioned in connection to the overdose at One Hyde Park. But that isn't how Peter works, even if he does owe her his life. He was willing to go easy on Olivia, but that became complicated when she admitted to supplying the drugs that killed Christina. And that's when Olivia was arrested and low-lying areas around the Tyburn were in danger of flash flooding. Just because Olivia confessed doesn't mean she actually did it, and Peter is nothing if not thorough, you kind of have to be when you're a magician, so he starts digging. And what he finds is interesting and disturbing. Interesting in that Olivia is obviously covering up for someone, who turns out to be her girlfriend, she just hadn't come out to her mother yet. Disturbing in that Reynard Fossman seems to be involved. Peter and Nightingale have never figured out quite what he is. Is he the spirit of Reynard the Fox? Is he someone who wants people to think that? Or is he just a creepy pedophile who just happens to get in their way? Whatever he is other than a pedophile, because that is confirmed, he seems to have been up to something with Christina Chorley. They were selling stolen magical artifacts. But Reynard didn't realize that his partner had been stupid enough to put them up on eBay. Magical artifacts need to be sold secretly, by word of mouth, because otherwise everything goes tits up. Which is what happens here. The main item of interest is Isaac Newton's Third Principia, rumored to have the secret of eternal life and turning lead into gold. Everyone wants it. The Americans, the Linden-Limmer's, the Folly, and any other practitioner who ever had a classical education. Which means Christina put a big ol' target on her back. Moreso because, if Peter and Nighttingale are correct, the Faceless Man is involved as well. Anyone could have killed her, but one thing is certain, it probably wasn't the pills but magic.
<br /><br />Peter and the crew are back in top form in <i>The Hanging Tree</i> with architectural collateral damage and big developments on the Faceless Man front. Though what I really connected to with this volume was the interwoven narrative of women within the magical community. In the present day we see that the Folly is quite open to female practitioners, with Lesley being taught by Nightingale, before her betrayal, and with plans for Abigail to be taught once she comes of age. But other than the Night Witch, Varvara Sidorovna, most magical women are creatures from the demimonde or Genius Loci. Here we get not just witches, but the history of witches. Lady Helena Linden-Limmer and her daughter Caroline Linden-Limmer might both have had connections to the Faceless Man of their generation. Helena was revolutionary in her medical experimentation and healing, which she only recently started to have qualms about. Whereas her daughter encountered Peter before in his pursuit of the Faceless Man and has one goal in life, to learn how to fly. And she doesn't mean aviation. The two of them come to the Folly for tea and sympathy and in short order they are setting history straight. Because back in the days when Isaac Newton was codifying magic men and women were equals. They were hanging out at disreputable coffee houses and taking on the mysteries of the universe. Together. This Society of the Wise then was able to get a premise on Russell Square and the doors of the Folly were closed to women. Women didn't take this lying down. They continued teaching each other in secret. Magic was passed down through the female line for generations. Magic that men couldn't even contemplate. At one point Peter tries to figure out the forma of a spell Caroline is doing and it's unlike anything he's ever seen. Because women invented, created, worked around all that was standing in their way, and they made their own branch of magic. What I love about this isn't the sad history that is all too common of women being shunned, what I love is that they persisted. They developed their own skillsets because they were pushed aside. I mean, there's a part of me that wants to liken this to "home arts" and wise women and their healing, which I think Aaronovitch is implying, but it's so much more, because domesticity doesn't mean what some people think it means. Just because women have been pigeonholed for so long it doesn't mean they've let these restrictions hold them back. It's like Lesley was always saying to Peter with regard to rebuilding her face, it's not like the Folly knows everything. Just because they are the academic repository of magical knowledge doesn't mean they're the only way. There's more in heaven and earth and all that, especially if you're trying to deny the abilities of half the people on the planet. Let the world of magic expand!Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-82932925972877009822024-01-29T00:00:00.223-06:002024-01-29T00:00:00.145-06:00Tuesday Tomorrow<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0zPm35P2sUNx558MPbx843McyxOMSqkz4JO8FmpQ775KF047nOxKQSM-SwOGPZFS-V_XGNv2OQBbxy57efPromPnBzOd1eukzuJ8q_-h3iiQ2j-UKDdzcILsFTa6vjGHBhtgipalit5U_abhm-c3v1Cxhd0VsuYOptIf0nAJbXc_30aT_hvnDvp-tifE/s1600/1-30%201%20House.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 254px;" /><b><i>The House of Last Resort </i></b>by Christopher Golden<br />
Published by: St. Martin's Press <br />
Publication Date: January 30th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-house-of-last-resort-christopher-golden/19995503?ean=9781250285898" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"The next high concept horror novel from <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author Christopher Golden.<br /><br />
Across Italy there are many half-empty towns, nearly abandoned by those who migrate to the coast or to cities. The beautiful, crumbling hilltop town of Becchina is among them, but its mayor has taken drastic measures to rebuild - selling abandoned homes to anyone in the world for a single Euro, as long as the buyer promises to live there for at least five years.<br /><br />
It's a no-brainer for American couple Tommy and Kate Puglisi. Both work remotely, and Becchina is the home of Tommy's grandparents, his closest living relatives. It feels like a romantic adventure, an opportunity the young couple would be crazy not to seize. But from the moment they move in, they both feel a shadow has fallen on them. Tommy's grandmother is furious, even a little frightened, when she realizes which house they've bought.<br /><br />
There are rooms in an annex at the back of the house that they didn't know were there. The place makes strange noises at night, locked doors are suddenly open, and when they go to a family gathering, they're certain people are whispering about them, and about their house, which one neighbor refers to as <i>The House of Last Resort</i>. Soon, they learn that the home was owned for generations by the Church, but the real secret, and the true dread, is unlocked when they finally learn what the priests were doing in this house for all those long years...and how many people died in the strange chapel inside. While down in the catacombs beneath Becchina...something stirs."<br /><br />I mean, I'm here for anything that Christopher Golden writes, he's an awesome writer and human being. But the buzz on this book is beyond anything I can imagine. This is your "must read" for January.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2X2gN0vsb3LFTTxBBSIty2JHEsguL6AA7zmzlpiz6DSIdpIdkTgQRA-_MFWnSx8JyFlGq7N2SNZXSXFKYAaaXwV7HTPzLdQU7xWg2XyQTSFlp7ZNh8eLn5Wn7vbtDUEy1yKfCxF9cSl1-43d6XoLgN5_3fl36CrctF_Iy9UacvuJAJ1beHVATgUO0o3U/s1600/1-30%202%20Beacon.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>Midnight on Beacon Street </i></b>by Emily Ruth Verona<br />
Published by: Harper Perennial <br />
Publication Date: January 30th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 208 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/midnight-on-beacon-street-emily-ruth-verona/20297570?ean=9780063330511" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A suspenseful and entertaining debut thriller - and love letter to vintage horror movies - in which a teenager must overcome her own anxiety to protect the two children she's babysitting when strangers come knocking at the door.<br /><br />
October 1993. One night. One house. One dead body.<br /><br />
When single mom Eleanor Mazinski goes out a for a much-needed date night, she leaves her two young children - sweet, innocent six-year-old Ben and precocious, defiant twelve-year-old Mira - in the capable hands of their sitter, Amy. The quiet seventeen-year-old is good at looking after children, despite her anxiety disorder. She also loves movies, especially horror flicks. Amy likes their predictability; it calms the panic that threatens to overwhelm her.<br /><br />
The evening starts out normally enough, with games, pizza, and dancing. But as darkness falls, events in this quaint suburban New Jersey house take a terrifying turn - unexpected visitors at the door, mysterious phone calls, and by midnight, little Ben is in the kitchen standing in a pool of blood, with a dead body at his feet.<br /><br />
In this dazzling debut novel, Emily Ruth Verona moves back and forth in time, ratcheting up suspense and tension on every page. Chock-full of nods to classic horror films of the seventies and eighties, <i>Midnight on Beacon Street</i> is a gripping thriller full of electrifying twists and a heartwarming tale of fear and devotion that explores our terrors and the lengths we'll go to keep our loved ones safe."<br /><br />I agree, there's something calming about horror films, but don't expect this book to calm you.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitm_QJlgoS96aFC0cnqLvVlW3bab38JK6kk9Tccz2DgpRpNpZ85O10rZjiRDj3mquh49QswEjuRjsZbIQy8OhKMVax4-4GiJXE-S8BaZgM3SS3VUmJ37bKDq-IWsDOneAj8u9qfzvDrqMW5FG8bk1M6K4texkLGESu_X0v6yuVzVXQ6jvZRG1b6EVilpA/s1600/1-30%203%20Twenty.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>Twenty-Seven Minutes </i></b>by Ashley Tate<br />
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press <br />
Publication Date: January 30th, 2024<br />
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/twenty-seven-minutes-ashley-tate/19865911?ean=9781728278148" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"In this stunning and propulsive debut, a town grieves the loss of a young girl - but some fight to keep the truth about her death a secret. For fans of Jane Harper, Ashley Flowers, and <i>Everything I Never Told You</i> by Celeste Ng.<br /><br /><i>
The question</i><br />
For the last ten years, the small, claustrophobic town of West Wilmer has been struggling to understand one thing: Why did it take young Grant Dean twenty-seven minutes to call for help on the fateful night of the car accident that took the life of his beloved sister, Phoebe? If he'd called sooner, she might still be alive.<br /><br /><i>
The secret</i><br />
As the anniversary of Phoebe's death approaches, Grant is consumed by memories of that night on the bridge and everything he lost: his future, his reputation, his little sister. And the secret he's been keeping all these years is suffocating him. But he and Phoebe weren't the only ones in the car that night. Becca was there. She knows what happened - and she will do anything to help Grant keep his secret.<br /><br /><i>
The truth</i><br />
Everyone in West Wilmer remembers Phoebe, but only June remembers that another person was lost that night. Her brother Wyatt has been missing for ten years and now June is alone - no family, no friends. Until someone appears at her door. Someone who may know where Wyatt went all those years ago. Someone who knows what really happened on the bridge that night. Someone who is ready to tell the truth.<br /><br />
Taking place over three days and culminating in a shocking twist that will leave you breathless, <i>Twenty-Seven Minutes</i> is a gripping story about what happens when grief becomes unbearable, dark secrets are unearthed, and the horrifying truth is revealed."<br /><br />I'm all about the gaps in the timelines of crime.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqWEv1zsEuZUFWkLOsQ1gpu2My2Ktvlfzb7Uq55wBRKU8HWfkRjAbns_MCJv-B6ixtnv3O-EL51wlBWWwHwQPnW6T3JRLq3wWNH99lXaMB7EyVhe-kqUafOTxEezYqqOU-YM86ZG-viWREqrZfmnz3_1XTnnNb7ouLVwXu9DanVLQEwvM2pjko1zlRqU/s1600/1-30%204%20Weather.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>The Bad Weather Friend </i></b>by Dean Koontz<br />
Published by: Thomas and Mercer <br />
Publication Date: January 30th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 380 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-bad-weather-friend-dean-koontz/20018631?ean=9781662500497" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Benny is so nice they feel compelled to destroy him, but he has a friend who should scare the hell out of them in this breathtaking new kind of thriller by #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestselling master of suspense Dean Koontz.<br /><br />
Benny Catspaw's perpetually sunny disposition is tested when he loses his job, his reputation, his fiancée, and his favorite chair. He's not paranoid. Someone is out to get him. He just doesn't know who or why. Then Benny receives an inheritance from an uncle he's never heard of: a giant crate and a video message. <i>All will be well in time</i>.<br /><br />
How strange - though it's a blessing, his uncle promises. Stranger yet is what's inside the crate. He's a seven-foot-tall self-described "bad weather friend" named Spike whose mission is to help people who are just too good for this world. Spike will take care of it. He'll find Benny's enemies. He'll deal with them. This might be satisfying if Spike wasn't such a menacing presence with terrifying techniques of intimidation.<br /><br />
In the company of Spike and a fascinated young waitress-cum-PI-in-training named Harper, Benny plunges into a perilous high-speed adventure, the likes of which never would have crossed the mind of a decent guy like him."<br /><br />What I love most is that the breaking point for poor Benny is the lose of his favorite chair. It's very Douglas Adams.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjDji7_qApHyckumREFpHlOQ4FpBHtE8SUkSRPfgWgj7WeuMKbBMuaYos8ztECHWfITWdRWeJcrPRXyKwINTl4FUZeq-5psbAXxuDji9_gVfPBa_aeb5qS0o3nhzIZE-wSIbg5PQKNe7CPfIRYbL1MKFs1u6rBWKqFigB7-QZH5aya3J5voYjNIQzz3s/s1600/1-30%205%20%28a%29%20Traitor.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 253px;" /><b><i>The Traitors </i></b>by C.A. Lynch<br />
Published by: One More Chapter <br />
Publication Date: January 30th, 2024<br />
Format: Kindle, 270 Pages<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Traitors-twisty-gothic-thriller-night-ebook/dp/B0C682PQY3/ref=sr_1_9?crid=2GVU8PLWD9W2M&keywords=the+traitors&qid=1703040116&sprefix=the+traitors%2Caps%2C367&sr=8-9" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"The brand new locked-room thriller for fans of Ruth Ware and Freida McFadden.<br /><br /><i>
You are cordially invited to the Beechwood Castle for a night you'll never forget...</i><br /><br />
Six people find a thick cream envelope on their doorstep. Inside is an invitation to spend 24 hours in a crumbling manor house and be in with the chance to win a portion of one million dollars. The catch: Beechwood Castle was the site of one of the most horrific murders in modern history.<br /><br />
The smell of blood, decay and death still hangs heavy in the air.<br /><br />
Six people walk into the house. One of them is an imposter, all of them are traitors, which of them will survive the night?"<br /><br />Anything that even remotely makes me think of <i>Clue</i> is a must read.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2RIMEI224qxPY0PRTlAnhv7soEkZht_Sxy5HAsgn4yvmCZH5Ev8_ZIreSUq15yEG3R21cz1CgIPkNRIsetRmzAnxoCTZGqTsRcNx09AKpoXfPiwQKpSa1zOKoPXI6cAL1yX912LYztAqvOZM8hoE_atGao3FW7e2d5ai0qKEZQU5-265rzW9s-NsM6E/s1600/1-30%206%20Deadly.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>These Deadly Prophecies </i></b>by Andrea Tang<br />
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers <br />
Publication Date: January 30th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/these-deadly-prophecies-andrea-tang/20080074?ean=9780593524251" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A teenage sorcerer's apprentice must solve her boss's murder in order to prove her innocence in this twisty, magic-infused murder mystery perfect for fans of<i> Knives Out </i>and <i>The Inheritance Games</i>.<br /><br />
Being an apprentice to one of the world's most famous sorcerers has its challenges; Tabatha Zeng just didn't think they would include solving crime. But when her boss, the infamous fortuneteller Sorcerer Solomon, predicts his own brutal death - and worse, it comes true - Tabatha finds herself caught in the crosshairs.<br /><br />
The police have their sights set on her and Callum Solomon, her murdered boss's youngest son. With suspicion swirling around them, the two decide to team up to find the real killer and clear their own names once and for all.<br /><br />
But solving a murder isn't as easy as it seems, especially when the suspect list is mostly the rich, connected, and magical members of Sorcerer Solomon's family. And Tabatha can't quite escape the nagging voice in her head asking: just how much can she really trust Callum Solomon?<br /><br />
Nothing is as it seems in this quick-witted and fantastical murder mystery."<br /><br />The cover design is a little too on the nose for a book compared to <i>The Inheritance Games</i>.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixsc23hogv6RkFYYmbcFHffQSt6YPSDotEtZnfc77CQneGCB5kAre6b4vPdP11rTAd3o9mET5NPXOjGAkGSN_5dxXDrNWF-RIlwkr-_tH8Bck__zls1iGomENGA6mmcbPQ9XRF8xrMTkYve7GGPNh19uLDNzRYpl_3l_a816rzXXZWjILcU7rQbq4zFn4/s1600/1-30%207%20Invoce.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>The Invocations </i></b>by Krystal Sutherland<br />
Published by: Nancy Paulsen Books <br />
Publication Date: January 30th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-invocations/18868549?ean=9780593532263" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"From the author of <i>New York Times </i>bestseller <i>House of Hollow</i> comes a darkly seductive witchy thriller where, though both men and demons lurk in shadows, girls refuse to go quietly into the night.<br /><br /><i>
Three girls, one supernatural killer on the loose...</i><br /><br />
Zara Jones believes in magic because the alternative is too painful to consider - that her murdered sister is gone forever and there is nothing she can do about it. Rather than grieving and moving on, Zara decides she will do whatever it takes to claw her sister back from the grave - even trading in the occult.<br /><br />
Jude Wolf may be the daughter of a billionaire, but she is also undeniably cursed. After a deal with a demon went horribly wrong, her soul has been slowly turning necrotic. It's a miserable existence marred by pain, sickness, and monstrous things that taunt her in the night. Now that she's glimpsed what's beyond the veil, Jude's desperate to find someone to undo the damage she's done to herself.<br /><br />
Enter Emer Byrne, an orphaned witch with a dark past and a deadly power, a.k.a. the solution to both Zara's and Jude's problems. Though Emer lives a hardscrabble life, she gives away her most valuable asset - her invocations - to women in desperate situations who are willing to sacrifice a piece of their soul in exchange for a scrap of power. Zara and Jude are willing, but they first have to find Emer.<br /><br />
When Emer's clients start turning up dead all over London, a vital clue leads Zara and Jude right to her. If a serial killer is targeting her clients, Emer wants to know why - and to stop them. She strikes a tenuous alliance with Zara and Jude to hunt a killer before they are next on his list, even if she can't give them in return what Zara and Jude want most: a sister and a soul."<br /><br />That cover is haunting.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_WGbxH21Euy2XufZ7yVO1DCw3ez0wpAkG_2IUr7nXAm8yJlqPOiqz0s0URROgmFqwMdXzPWRABsKc5y0-lNX4F-UdtGEiWqZBZ8vwPnMBrvgj9FGMIzClWh7n_TEVBWQE5p1i2vvNifQVSNNoTUqT4Smcamn4cENo_MMug1o2wkIEdjRLoKey3qPSWg/s1600/1-30%208%20Miss.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 256px;" /><b><i>Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea </i></b>by Mike Mignola<br />
Published by: Dark Horse Books <br />
Publication Date: January 30th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 120 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/miss-truesdale-and-the-fall-of-hyperborea-mike-mignola/20013891?ean=9781506738178" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"One of the last followers of the Heliopic Brotherhood of Ra, the unassuming Miss Truesdale is the recipient of Brotherhood leader Tefnut Trionus's final vision.<br /><br />
From meek secretary in Victorian London to a mighty gladiator in ancient Hyperborea, Truesdale is thrust into the past to fight ancient evils and change the future forever.<br /><br />
Hellboy creator Mike Mignola teams with artist Jesse Lonergan for an all-new time-bending horror tale from the Mignolaverse.<br /><br />
Collects <i>Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #1-#4</i> and bonus material."<br /><br />I think this year I should make a resolution to dive fully into the world of Hellboy.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_E1xiAjjEN8gG12oeStuRPuBIOyFWLgetkf4u2Rkr20EEZawP1p8JnWOZcax7UJOLzHxQaUYm2tN7Fj1cYKlxFrZUALWWO5l8EXMB42hrWVbXcQK0Oe1qdLr-mFJ6P7G2FuMVpSWghg2XH9JRA4PXXKZYJxg5_8WQa-ff86_V2BrAmcMY3tpgvtQD44/s1600/1-30%209%20City.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 252px;" /><b><i>The City of Stardust </i></b>by Georgia Summers<br />
Published by: Redhook/Orbit <br />
Publication Date: January 30th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-city-of-stardust-georgia-summers/20055934?ean=9780316561488" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"Slip into a lush world of magic, stardust, and monsters in this spellbinding contemporary fantasy from debut author Georgia Summers.<br /><br />
For centuries, the Everlys have seen their best and brightest disappear, taken as punishment for a crime no one remembers, for a purpose no one understands. Their tormentor, a woman named Penelope, never ages, never grows sick - and never forgives a debt.<br /><br />
Violet Everly was a child when her mother left on a stormy night, determined to break the curse. When Marianne never returns, Penelope issues an ultimatum: Violet has ten years to find her mother, or she will take her place. Violet is the last of the Everly line, the last to suffer. Unless she can break the curse first.<br /><br />
Her hunt leads her into a seductive magical underworld of power-hungry scholars, fickle gods and monsters bent on revenge. And into the path of Penelope's quiet assistant, Aleksander, who she knows cannot be trusted - and yet to whom she finds herself undeniably drawn.<br /><br />
With her time running out, Violet will travel the edges of the world to find Marianne and the key to the city of stardust, where the Everly story began."<br /><br />Seriously, just look at that cover and dream of a world with power-hungry scholars.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoyu81sm7mFVVfgjiC4hFft1vi3NxKWidaVPmloDxo660Y_ZF5OMUhNumE2k9nvms68QLuv4M-QXh5_1vDL9uoBWqTPCP6dNyCCuYAWQESuVkn3BnC3p-zeWvNKYj9wCb7QDfwCptq7sgqP-Bfmf5fzvqsnCMHVRoULaK2kDHnpX7RBJR6syJYuGy4CQ/s1600/1-30%2010%20Heart.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>Heartsong </i></b>by T.J. Klune<br />
Published by: Tor Books <br />
Publication Date: January 30th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 480 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/heartsong-tj-klune/20201100?ean=9781250890405" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"<i>Heartsong</i> is the third book in the Green Creek Series, the beloved fantasy romance sensation by <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author TJ Klune, about love, loyalty, betrayal, and family.
<br /><br />
The Bennett family has a secret: They're not just a family, they're a pack. Heartsong is Robbie Fontaine's story.<br /><br />
All Robbie Fontaine ever wanted was a place to belong. After the death of his mother, he bounces around from pack to pack, forming temporary bonds to keep from turning feral. It's enough - until he receives a summons from the wolf stronghold in Caswell, Maine. Life as the trusted second to Michelle Hughes - the Alpha of all - and the cherished friend of a gentle old witch teaches Robbie what it means to be pack, to have a home. But when a mission from Michelle sends Robbie into the field, he finds himself questioning where he belongs and everything he's been told.<br /><br />
Whispers of traitorous wolves and wild magic abound--but who are the traitors and who the betrayed? More than anything, Robbie hungers for answers, because one of those alleged traitors is Kelly Bennett - the wolf who may be his mate.<br /><br />
The truth has a way of coming out. And when it does, everything will shatter."<br /><br />I want this cover as art on my wall!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUEoYIgUVIEivI0B7utC2_wndcS0Kfh8QlvYpq3m2dEiSgGuGlU4XMUiTglPvo_zPz759XYoknG-YModBDa2WnvTYdNjcOnKOGy74VNBPj-dmU_1ELLpLJTgviB1L2spFXnARsT0Q9ty1WbB2H5KluWgzXeN_m1FmvaH656woCpJwEQWzdGFiCu_sRIE/s1600/1-30%2011%20Mayor.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 257px;" /><b><i>The Mayor of Maxwell Street </i></b>by Avery Cunningham<br />
Published by: Hyperion Avenue <br />
Publication Date: January 30th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 528 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-mayor-of-maxwell-street-avery-cunningham/20019880?ean=9781368093002" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"When a rich Black debutante enlists the help of a low-level speakeasy manager to identify the head of an underground crime syndicate, the two are thrust into the dangerous world of Prohibition-era Chicago.<br /><br /><i>
The year is 1921, and America is burning. A fire of vice and virtue rages on every shore, and Chicago is its beating heart.</i><br /><br />
Nelly Sawyer is the daughter of the "wealthiest Negro in America," whose affluence catapulted his family to the heights of Black society. After the unexpected death of her only brother, Nelly becomes the premier debutante overnight. But Nelly has aspirations beyond society influence and marriage. For the past year, she has worked undercover as an investigative journalist, sharing the achievements and tribulations of everyday Black people living in the shadow of Jim Crow. Her latest assignment thrusts her into the den of a dangerous vice lord: the so-called Mayor of Maxwell Street.<br /><br />
Born in rural Alabama to a murdered biracial couple, Jay Shorey knows firsthand what it means to be denied a chance at the American dream. When a tragic turn of fate gave Jay a rare path out, he took it without question. He washed up on Chicago's storied shores and forged his own way to the top of the city's underworld, running Chicago's swankiest speakeasy, where the rich and famous rub elbows with gangsters and politicians alike.<br /><br />
When Nelly's and Jay's paths cross, she recruits him to help expose the Mayor and bring about lasting change in a corrupt city. But Jay also introduces a whole new world to Nelly, one where her horizons can extend beyond the confines of her ivory tower. Trapped between the monolith of Jim Crow, the inflexible world of the Black upper class, and the violence of Prohibition-era Chicago, Jay and Nelly work together and stoke the flames of a love worth fighting for.<br /><br />
Debut author Avery Cunningham's stunning novel is at once an epic love story, a riveting historical drama, and a brilliant exploration of Black society and perseverance when the '20s first began to roar."<br /><br />I love reading about Chicago during this period. AKA the period when my grandmother was roaming its streets.<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQyx4SkBDs1CokzDNzJcQXyzW4mdZy4O7NTvyXvIpGQlHlDqBpAkv90947lqXY5VeJCfEcr1E3RQ616XnXoPI2ZoJw_fjBftnX_cU6-DJK1BTIDBDQ7bEyuuS4CCBnDFNy1rNN3YQv3T46f0DWfPFR4PUvUFOhsbxAvMiGE1yKvocQnqHme-_hCv9WGc/s1600/1-30%2012%20Dear.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /><b><i>Of Hoaxes and Homicide </i></b>by Anastasia Hastings<br />
Published by: Minotaur Books <br />
Publication Date: January 30th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/of-heartbreaks-and-homicide-a-dear-miss-hermione-mystery-anastasia-hastings/19987775?ean=9781250848581" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"The second in the delightful Dear Miss Hermione mystery series from Anastasia Hastings - when you represent the best-loved Agony Aunt in Britain, fielding questions from both irate housekeepers and heartbroken mothers is par for the course...<br /><br />
"Dear Miss Hermione - what is a mother to do?"<br /><br />
Sensible Violet Manville and her very ladylike half-sister Sephora are absolutely bored, thank you very much. Though neither of them would ever admit it aloud, they're missing the thrill of playing detective.<br /><br />
So when Violet receives a letter from "A Heartbroken Mother" sent to her alter-ego, the Agony Aunt known to the world only as Miss Hermione, her pulse can't help but quicken. The daughter in question has gotten caught up in a cult: the Hermetic Order of the Children of Aed. Rumors of human sacrifices, mystical doings, and a ghost in the ruined Alburn Abbey where the Children pray have gripped the public consciousness, helped along by a series of novels about the group, written by the mysterious Count Orlando, and clearly this girl has fallen prey.<br /><br />
Miss Hermione's investigation soon collides with very real life when Violet discovers a surprising connection to the cult. With the dashing-but-frustrating Eli Marsh turning up and a member of the Children poisoned, Violet and Sephora - along with their ever-trusty housekeeper Bunty - may have more intrigue than they can manage."<br /><br />A very Gothic cult? YAS!<br /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43VRyWQDB0pEo9CLoxeHFYbCI2cIvWH2winE6rB8tlJw3ny1xHa_D_koy3yF7AnAOnTWiUTtZj6zSVGowA88UdTVtu8w76tScZ8Mfvnv2ur4AhSUFZsQJr9m5WEzPi8rw5bYtQmuPxZyxczJhFL_rf8L0oNcL2gkSivnwyJtKdc3gJoQrzl5dBDVJCD0/s1600/1-30%2013%20Puss.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 280px;" /><b><i>Puss in Books </i></b>by Paul Magrs<br />
Published by: HarperCollins <br />
Publication Date: January 30th, 2024<br />
Format: Hardcover, 144 Pages<br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/puss-in-books-our-best-loved-writers-on-their-best-loved-cats-paul-magrs/19845353?ean=9780008605377" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />
<i>The official patter:</i><br />
"A charming collection of quotes about cats from our favourite authors, accompanied by artwork in the trademark style of Paul Magrs (author of <i>The Panda, the Cat and the Dreadful Teddy</i>).<br /><br />
'I love them, they are so nice and selfish' - L.M. Montgomery<br /><br />
This collection of quotes from the literary greats explores just why cats have fascinated, mesmerised and often infuriated writers for centuries. Celebrating the mystery of these daydreaming, snarky, selfish, watchful, contemplative and changeable creatures, <i>Puss in Books</i> helps cat and book lovers to understand these beings who have intrigued great thinkers and writers since the dawn of time.<br /><br />
Quotes include:<br />
'Time spent with a cat is never wasted' - Colette<br />
'Those who play with cats must expect to get scratched' - Miguel de Cervantes<br />
'If cats could write history, their history would be mostly about cats' - Eugen Weber"<br /><br />I love Paul and will buy whatever he writes!Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-43772693272586684542024-01-26T00:00:00.001-06:002024-01-26T00:00:00.134-06:00Book Review 2023 #2 - Jacey Bedford's Silverwolf<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4KE6c4VgyHPpY6bAoZeRwfQHIj2aadYDhXpHD-PXURxJijNIc5OnE9suJpyd_i5g2UOpXqrYBMjaEYSx-5_ihHosS8_cI7QyX7P3r62XISsQq0lc5W_EIulSODj-4jFEixMn0ZpBtUDsUHNxSFtTxsQQPUeLLnHMLhwqci078jUxGCbDhyrCX3OsO" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 239px;" /><i><b>Silverwolf</b></i><b><i> </i></b>by Jacey Bedford<br />
Published by: DAW <br />
Publication Date: January 3rd, 2017<br />
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages<br />
Rating: ★★★★★<br />
<a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780756411916" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />Will's ghost has been laid to rest and Ross feels like her life with Corwen is about to begin. And when you entwine your life with another you entwine yourself with their family as Corwen well knows after his escapades with Ross's family. Corwen has been estranged from his family, the Deverells of Denby Hall, Yorkshire, for many years. They couldn't come to grips with the fact that he turns into a wolf. Yet he always made sure they could contact him. And they finally have. Though perhaps a little later than they should have. A lot has changed in six years, his little sister Lily and his twin brother Freddie both turned out to be shapechangers as well, and in December their eldest brother Jonathan died resulting in their father having an apoplexy. Freddie should have stepped into the breach left by Jonathan's death but instead he fled to friends in London and now hasn't been heard from in four months. There's been no one to hold the family estate together and there's trouble at the mill. But first things first, the widow Rossalinde Sumner must be introduced to the family as Corwen's fiance. Which is an oddly joyous greeting and homecoming, with only some minor recriminations. Perhaps Corwen's father regrets how they ended things? With very little ability to communicate their problems might never be resolved, but Corwen can at least show his family that he is up to the task at hand. First there's the mill, which is being unscrupulously run, which Lily takes into hand. Then there's the bigger problem of Freddie... He was trying to reject his true nature, a dangerous undertaking. When they arrive at his lodgings in London they can see something bad has happened. With the rowenkind free and wild magic on the loose Walsingham has risen from the ashes to harness this new threat to his own advantage. Can they save Freddie from Walsingham's clutches? And if they do can they then save him from himself? <br /><br />
When the average reader thinks of Regency England they think of Jane Austen. More well read readers might also throw in Georgette Heyer and Julia Quinn. But these women all wrote about a very specific echelon of society. Everyone is, for the most part, financially secure, or at least has the prospects to be secure. In other words, it doesn't really reflect society as a whole it was a very specific slice of Regency life. It would take authors like Dickens and Gaskell to actually shine a light on the working class and the poor. And yet the Industrial Revolution which is so associated with their works was already underway. Which is why I so love this second volume in Jacey Bedford's Rowankind series, because it doesn't just draw on the drawing room aspect of society that was so often written about. In fact I would more associate this book with Elizabeth Gaskell than with Jane Austen. I couldn't help compare <i>Silverwolf</i> to <i><a href="https://strange-and-random-happenstance.blogspot.com/2014/05/book-review-elizabeth-gaskells-mary.html" target="_blank">Mary Barton</a></i> and <i>North and South</i>. Very favorably I might add. We get to see the plight of the workers, the treatment of the rowankind, and an actual effort made to improve the lives of those who are dependent on the Deverell family. This volume is <i>Downton Abbey </i>meets Elizabeth Gaskell, or, because it's all about family drama in Yorkshire, this is Jacey Bedford doing her Barbara Taylor Bradford Emma Harte saga! I never wanted this book to end. But more importantly I could have just stayed at Denby Hall forever. I do love a big country house and a family business and compassionate people, but so many times they are a pale carbon copy of something truly original. And yes, for as much as I love <i>Downton Abbey</i>, it's just <i>Upstairs, Downstairs</i> in Yorkshire with a nicer house that's actually not in Yorkshire. <i>Downton Abbey </i>literally lifts plot points left and right. This world that Jacey Bedford has created is just so original and new. Old themes seen in a different light. And I just think I talked myself into re-reading this volume again. I seriously loved it so much, plus if someone were to ask what I was reading I could respond "trouble at t'mill" which everyone who's anyone knows that that's the start of Monty Python's Spanish Inquisition Sketch. And if there's one thing I love as much as family sagas, it's Monty Python.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2359917450688978581.post-53129193183301520032024-01-24T00:00:00.001-06:002024-01-24T00:00:00.130-06:00Book Review 2023 #3 - Jacey Bedford's Winterwood<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425770447370455314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiduoItRrn3KDa9_jbxvmN1i0PJcLDgZSlaWaRdpql5Pu1nLbKmmdp3E2pLv5dx3feg3dzfpwdiHtwDGXzcPppK6sjsjxryl68V3FAFMsSZ9OhTB_ZwWMtkEBs0pKCLYPTYEgg8amq9Xasely5M98REwc45aBbCUOtfDZXgsv892j0w5SpAgo7BPeBG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 374px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 241px;" /><i><b>Winterwood</b></i><b><i> </i></b>by Jacey Bedford<br />
Published by: DAW <br />
Publication Date: February 2nd, 2016<br />
Format: Paperback, 424 Pages<br />
Rating: ★★★★★<br />
<a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780756410155" target="_blank">To Buy<span id="goog_465736846"></span><span id="goog_465736847"></span></a><br />
<br />Ross Tremayne hasn't seen her mother since Ross eloped with Will. What happened that night on the docks was because of her mother. Ross's father had promised Ross a ship, and she and Will took the <i>Heart of Oak</i>. It belonged to them. Her mother saw it differently. Seven years is a long time to hold a grudge and life doesn't turn out as you expect, just ask Will, dead these three years. Yet Ross comes to her mother's deathbed. She felt compelled to stand before the woman who called her a pirate's whore and prove once and for all that the woman who bore her no longer has power over her. Turns out the dying lady had a few surprises left aside from insulting Ross's sartorial choices. Not only is Ross's brother Philip dead in a duel, she bequeaths Ross a winterwood box, an inheritance and a curse in one. As Ross and her right hand man, minus a hand, Hookey, attempt to leave Plymouth, word has gotten out that Redbeard Tremayne is back and the Kingsmen are looking for "him." Their escape blocked they head back to the family home in hopes of "borrowing" some horses, only to find the house engulfed in flames and her mother's remaining rowankind servant, David, in need of an egress as well. The only place the three travelers can escape to is the dangerous Okewood. There the Green Man and his Lady hold sway. But they seem in a giving mood. The Lady imparts Ross's mother's biggest secret, David is actually Ross's half-brother. As for the winterwood box? That was forged in the time of Good Queen Bess to enslave the rowankind by taking away their memories of their homeland. It is Ross's destiny to right this ancient wrong. But there are forces in the Mysterium who want to stop Ross at any cost. The mysterious Walsingham is working with her brother Philip, who is very much alive, to retrieve the box for themselves. And they aren't playing by the rules. But Ross isn't fighting this battle alone, her loyal crew, the Fae, Will's ghost, and a mysterious man named Corwen are all willing to help her. But at what cost?<br /><br />Growing up in the eighties, girls were basically told they fit in one of two categories, princess or tomboy. But as we all know no one fits perfectly into any category. Because I wanted to be a princess but also wanted to be a pirate. And if I was forced to choose I would have chosen pirate, obviously a subcategory of tomboy much like horse girl was a subcategory of princess. My mother was very much against me ever becoming a horse girl. Which brings me to <i>Winterwood</i>. I love this book. I love this book so much I can barely form my thoughts. But what I love most about this book is that it shows that a girl can dress elegantly and perform magic and meet the Fae while also being a pirate, the scourge of the high seas. Ross doesn't let anyone categorize her which is why it's hard to categorize this book. Yes, <i>Winterwood</i> is Historical Fantasy, but it's so much more, it's like Jacey Bedford looked at all the different kinds of Regency Magic that exist and thought, but why can't I have it all AND the kitchen sink? And that's what this book and this series is. It's everything! Sure there's Austen, but there's also Du Maurier with heavy <i><a href="https://strange-and-random-happenstance.blogspot.com/2014/12/book-review-daphne-du-mauriers-jamaica.html" target="_blank">Jamaica Inn</a></i> vibes. Do you want high Fae fantasy? Well that's here too? Do you what a wolf shapechanger? That's here too, but be careful never to call him a werewolf, he is definitely not moon called but does kind of have a Geralt of Rivia vibe. So yes, this is over the top, this is magnificent, but I don't want you thinking it's just all fluff. Because with the plight of the rowankind and also how the society controls magic through the Mysterium, we're getting deeper issues of free will and the fight for equality. The rowankind's plight mirrors the abolition of slavery that was growing steam at this time in England. As this book is set in 1800 it was still seven more years until the slave trade was abolished, and make note, the trade alone was abolished, not the owning of slaves, that took until 1838. But the rowankind are an interesting conundrum. Their magical origin and their status means fight for their independence relies almost solely on Ross's shoulders. A task she doesn't take lightly. But it's a worthy fight that will play out over the course of this trilogy.Miss Elizahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07868271853570489005noreply@blogger.com0