strange and random happenstance

A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Swept away to a magical kingdom, one woman's fate is to be the Elf King's bride...or watch everything she's ever known fall to ruin.

Fall in love with the Elf King in this enchanting installment of the Married to Magic novels - swoonworthy, escapist standalone reads that combine wondrous fantasy worlds with slow-burn romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Arcana Academy.

Luella lives in a quiet village near the border of the land of the humans and the realm of magic, where the townsfolk keep its heavy secret:

The elves come for war or wives.

Once every generation, the Elf King enters Luella's village to take a bride to be his Human Queen, fulfilling a centuries-old treaty that prevents the destruction of humanity itself.

Luella never thought she'd be that woman. Independent, caring, and fiercely devoted to her people, she's content in her quiet life as a humble herbalist. But when the Elf King arrives - icy, proud, and dangerously handsome - he claims her, and everything changes.

Now, Luella finds herself in the Elf King's domain, Midscape: a land filled with wild magic and unexpected beauty. But Midscape is dying, and only Luella can save it.

There's more to Luella than she ever imagined, and more to her fate than she dared dream. As the power of Midscape's Human Queen stirs within her, so does an unexpected passion. The kingdom has found a way into her heart… as has its mysterious Elf King himself.

Luella didn't choose to be the Human Queen. But will she choose to love her new kingdom - and her new husband?

Includes a bonus scene, "Springtime Rites," from Eldas' point of view."

I definitely need something escapist right about now and well, moving to a dying magical realm seems like a viable option at this point.

Burn the Kingdom Down by Addie Thorley
Published by: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An action-packed enemies-to-lovers romantasy filled with a romance that will leave you breathless, betrayals that will rip your heart out, and a princess who will stop at nothing for revenge.

One year ago, Rowenna Harrack, the crown princess of Tashir, left her homeland in a wedding dress of chains - sent away to the enemy nation of Vanzador as a captive bride.

Now, Rowenna is dead. Brought home in a coffin after an alleged fall from a cliff.

Second-born princess, Indira, knows her sister's death was no accident. Desperate for truth and vengeance, Indira agrees to wed the prince so she can infiltrate Vanzador, find Rowenna's murderer, and burn their kingdom to the ground.

Indira's plan is simple, she will make nice until she can find out how to avenge her sister and free her country from the rival nation's stranglehold. But when Indira arrives, nothing is as terrible as Rowenna described. As Indira grows closer to her new husband, Prince Alaric, and uncovers more about Vanzador, the source of its powers, and what happened during Rowenna's final days, she's no longer sure what - and who - to believe. Because everyone, even her sister, has secrets. Deadly ones."

Maybe sometimes a fall from a cliff is just a fall from a cliff...

Year of the Mer by L.D. Lewis
Published by: S and S/Saga Press
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A dark, bloody epic fantasy reimagining of The Little Mermaid that goes far beyond the fairy tale to explore family legacy, war, and what we will sacrifice for vengeance - the perfect read for fans of The Priory of the Orange Tree and Circe.

The fairy tale mermaid Arielle might have gotten her happily-ever-after, but her granddaughter Yemi is having a much harder time. Her father, the king of Ixia, was assassinated years ago, her mother is slowly dying of a poisoned wound, and she faces whispers and slights from her own people. Yemi has been raised as the shield of the kingdom and is soon to inherit the throne, but she cannot shake her fury at how Ixia has treated her family after all they've sacrificed. Only her patient mother and steadfast personal bodyguard (and fiancée), Nova, help Yemi rein in that fury...most of the time.

When the kingdom's discontented rumblings reach a fever pitch, a coup erupts and Yemi's throne is usurped, stripping her of her family and forcing her into exile. Now, only one being has the power to help her: Ursla.

Like her grandmother before her, Yemi is tempted by a deal with the sea-witch. With powerful and ancient magic behind her, Yemi could avenge her family, take back her throne, and protect the love of her life. But she should know more than anyone that there is always a price. As much as Yemi wants vengeance, Ursla has been waiting a very, very long time for her own - and it may take more fortune than Yemi possesses to keep her from losing everything all over again."

Because the original tale is so much darker than Disney I am ALWAYS here for a dark reimagining of The Little Mermaid. 

The Tricky Business of Faerie Bargains by Reena McCarty
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A former changeling must return to the land of the Fae to right a bargain that's gone terribly wrong in this delightful cozy fantasy debut packed full of charm, adventure, romance and heart.

When Poppy Hill was a child she was stolen from her family's Montana homestead and taken to the land of the fae, where she spent more than a century as a cook in the Wild King's castle. Now back in the human world, she works for a company that brokers fairy bargains, looking for loopholes in their contracts.

Then a bargain that Poppy is negotiating goes disastrously wrong and she has to return to the world she grew up in to try to rectify her mistake, facing danger, intrigue and a pesky ex-boyfriend along the way."

I think fairy bargains would be close to iron clad, but, you know, without the iron.

The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne by Summer N. England
Published by: Forever
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Love grows in the most unimaginable of places in Summer N. England's sweet and spicy cozy romantasy debut, for fans of The Spellshop and For Whom the Belle Tolls!

Most stories end with a happily ever after. But mine? Well, it begins with one...

After a lonely childhood, Clara Thorne is living out her happy ending as the magically gifted gardener for the town of Moss. Sure, her closest companion is a surly hedgehog, and she's forever stuck on the first line of her novel, but she has a home. That is, until The Goddess chooses Clara for an important quest - travel to the cursed town of Dwindle and grow them a garden. In less than a month.

Only Clara's hiding a terrible secret: her magic doesn't work outside Moss. Worse, The Goddess has assigned the absurdly sexy, annoyingly cheerful Hesper Altanfall to keep her safe. Clara would rather eat thorns than accept help - especially since Hesper insists that Clara's magic is bound to her heart, not her home.

Nevertheless, the two can't help growing closer as they traverse enchanted woods and share tavern beds. But with an ancient evil threatening from the shadows, saving Dwindle will require more than enchanted crops. Clara will need to unearth a magic she's always believed impossible."

Well, home is where the heart is...

The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"She can hop into any novel, but she just can't stay there.

Come along with the Book Witch in this magical and inspiring love letter to reading from the USA Today bestselling author of The Wishing Game.

Rainy March is a proud, third-generation Book Witch, sworn to defend works of fiction from all foes real and imaginary. With her magical umbrella and feline familiar, she jumps in and out of novels to fix malicious alterations and rogue heroes like a modern-day magical Nancy Drew.

Book Witches live by a strict code: Real people belong in the real world; fictional characters belong in works of fiction. Do not eat, drink, or sleep inside a fictional world, lest you become part of the story. Falling in love with a fictional character? Don't even think about it.

Which is why Rainy has been forbidden from seeing the Duke of Chicago, the dashing British detective who stars in her favorite mystery series. If she's ever caught with him again, she'll be expelled from her book coven - and forced to give up the magical gifts that are as much a part of her as her own name.

But when her beloved grandfather disappears and a priceless book is stolen, there's only one person she trusts to help her solve the case: the Duke. Their quest takes them through the worlds of Alice in Wonderland, King Arthur, and other classics that will reveal hidden enemies and long-buried family secrets."

So, books have similar rules to fairy realms, interesting...

Strixhaven: Omens of Chaos by Seanan McGuire
Published by: Random House Worlds
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Strixhaven University welcomes you. Begin your magical studies on a faraway plane, encountering new friends, mysteries, and dangers, in this fantastical dark academia.

Eula Blue was supposed to be a mage. That was before the war came - before the fight for the Multiverse devastated Eula's home, and with it her hopes for a magical education.

But the destruction of the war also brought something new: the ability to travel to other planes. And when Eula receives an invitation to study magic at a distant school called Strixhaven, she leaps to take it.

Eula's journey brings her closer than she ever thought possible to her fellow students, including the mysterious Segante, a boy whose secrets Eula longs to share. But not everyone is thrilled by the arrival of the new class, and Eula and her new friends quickly become targets.

To make it through their first semester, they'll have to fight for their place in this new world - or else they'll be dead before their final exams."

I love it that Seanan McGuire has made it into the bookish realm of Magic: The Gathering. 

We Call Them Witches by India-Rose Bower
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For fans of The Watchers and T. Kingfisher comes a queer, post-apocalyptic horror following one woman's journey across a merciless wasteland to save her brother and confront the dark truth behind the monsters that ravaged the world - with the help of a woman she's not sure she can trust but can't help falling for.

Nearly everyone died the first night they came...

Two years ago, monstrous beings tore through Britain, leaving few survivors. Now Sara and her family live on the run, relying on scraps of folklore and fading pagan rituals to stay safe from the eldritch creatures they call "witches".

While her mother grows increasingly paranoid, Sara longs for something more than fear.

Then a strange girl appears in the garden of their current camp. Her name is Parsley, and she cannot remember where she came from or why she's there. Despite her family's suspicions, Sara feels drawn to her.

But when Sara's younger brother is taken by the Witches, she and Parsley must cross desolate moors full of merciless terrors to get him back. As their bond deepens, so do the dangers they face - and Sara begins to question whether anything is truly as it seems.

In a world ruled by terror and myth, trust is the only thing more dangerous than the Witches themselves."

Having to rely on folklore to survive is my kind of survival. 

Infinite Shores by Pascale Lacelle
Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 592 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ninth House meets The Hazel Wood in this spellbinding conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Drowned Gods Trilogy, a gorgeous dark academia fantasy following a teen mage and her friends on their desperate quest through worlds and time!

Fate cannot be broken - not even by the gods who serve it.

Emory refuses to lose Romie again. Her friend's fate hangs in the balance as the monstrous Clover plans to use her as a sacrifice to steal power from the deity Atheia - and make himself into a proper god. To stop Clover, Emory needs the help of Atheia's dark counterpart, Sidraeus. Yet this enigmatic deity cannot be trusted, and if Emory is to ally with him, she must invoke an ancient magic to keep him tethered to her side.

Meanwhile, in the divine workshop of the god of balance, Baz learns he has a role to play in the coming fight to save the crumbling worlds and their weakening magics. Yet all he can think of is Kai and the gruesome fate that awaits him at Clover's side - a fate, the god tells him, that is beyond even his reach. But Baz is determined to save Kai, even if he has to rewrite time itself.

As chaos reigns and the tides of a corrupted magic threaten to consume all, Emory and Baz must contend with mercurial gods, vengeful deities, and those hell-bent on eradicating Eclipse magic to save the people they love - and write an ending to their stories that defies fate itself."

Dark academia is my catnip. 

The Museum of Unusual Occurrence by Erica Wright
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Welcome to the Museum of Unusual Occurrence - a place full of strange exhibits and even stranger murders. The first in the new Psychic City mystery series by talented author Erica Wright.

"Every small town thinks it's special - That might be true, but this one actually is."

Rational and cynical Aly Orlean's life in her psychic hometown of Wyndale, Florida couldn't be more hectic. It's all about running her business, raising a teenage sister, sending out holiday greetings - and her new task: finding a killer.

For her Museum of Unusual Occurrence not only houses odd curiosities but now has a brand-new display: The body of Rose Dempsey, a local twenty-year-old, set up in one of the exhibits as if she has been ritually sacrificed.

With the police clueless, Aly is worried that this is a vicious warning for her and her solitary way of life. Fearing for her sister Merope's well-being, she's determined to find out why the killer murdered Rose and how her body was placed in Aly's museum...But might the killer be someone hiding in plain sight?

Karen Russell's Swamplandia! meets Ruth Ware's The Death of Mrs. Westaway in this "suspenseful mystery populated with winning characters" (Booklist on Famous in Cedarville)."

Very much intrigued by how this is like Ruth Ware... 

Bodies of Work by Clay McLeod Chapman
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 176 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A murderous artist is haunted by the spirits of those he has killed in this surreal and chilling supernatural revenge novella.

From the acclaimed author of Ghost Eaters, and perfect for fans of Joe Hill and Delilah S. Dawson.

At sixty-six years old, Winston Kemper has always been a nonentity. No one notices him. His simple existence barely registers for those who come into contact with him. Some call him feeble-minded. He is a janitor at the local church, a groundskeeper by default, and that's it. No friends, no family. When he's done with work, he returns home - a remote, single room apartment located above a garage - and that is where his true work begins.

Winston Kemper is a collector of voices, and his magnum opus - The Butterfly Girls - is a sprawling epic of untapped imagination. It has no single canvas, no particular frame. It is everywhere - scribbled on the walls, the floor, and countless notebooks.

Winston is creating a fantasia which exists in words, images and blood. As part of his 'art' he has been murdering forgotten women. Poor souls who slip through the cracks of society, who no one's looking for. Mothers, sisters, daughters to someone, but no more.

Winston takes their lives, their voices.

But now he can hear them. They whisper to him. They talk of revenge.

Winston Kemper might not believe in ghosts, but he is about to learn they are very real. And they are very, very angry.

A surreal and dreamlike novella about the ghosts of our past and the dangerous, obsessive pursuit of art, from the "true master of horror." (CJ Leede, Maeve Fly)"

So, this novella tells us that yes, neighbors who keep themselves to themselves could be killers.

The Boatman by Alex Grecian
Published by: Bad Hand Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 150 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"HE WILL FOLLOW YOU TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.

Shortly after cruise ship the Maria Calypso embarks on its latest voyage, the passengers and crew notice someone in pursuit: An elegant figure wearing a white suit who somehow keeps pace in his rowboat.

No matter how hard the crew pushes the engines, they can't escape The Boatman...and it isn't long before sinister and mysterious events begin to unfold on the Maria Calypso.

What will it cost to learn the true nature of the man who hunts them - and will the price to keep on living prove to be too dear?"

Well, they aren't going to escape The Boatman, that's for sure. So turn and face your possible enemy.

Ellen Poe: The Forgotten Lore by Diana Peterfreund
Published by: Running Press Kids
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The first book in an exciting YA series about a teen girl, descended from Edgar Allan Poe, who must navigate the haunting legacy of her ancestor while learning to harness her own strength and intelligence, especially as she begins to commune with the dead.

What happens when your tell-tale nightmares turn into reality and the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe won't seem to let you alone? For as long as she can remember, sixteen-year-old Ellen Poe's family has claimed to be long-lost descendants of Edgar Allan Poe. But when she moves in with her aunt in a Poe-themed B and B, the nightmares that have always haunted her begin bleeding into Ellen's waking hours. When she stumbles upon a journal in the house, none other than Edgar Allan Poe himself begins visiting her. Has the journal somehow released his ghost? And what does he want with Ellen? Through secret messages in his writings, she learns that the two share the same psychic ability to interact with spirits - which is what ultimately drove him mad.

This thrilling series for young adult readers follows Ellen on her quest to learn more about her abilities, the afterlife, and the clues Poe has left for her (ciphers and cryptograms galore), in an effort to not suffer his same fate."

Or, could Edgar be looking for a new wife from beyond the grave? He did marry his thirteen year old first cousin...

The Unruly Heart of Miss Darcy by Erin Edwards
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Mr. Darcy got his happily ever after in Pride and Prejudice, and now it's his sister's turn in this swoony queer romance, perfect for fans of Bridgerton.

Georgiana Darcy has only ever kissed one girl before, and the resulting blackmail almost ruined her reputation. Since then, she's carefully calibrated her life to be as quiet as possible, focusing on books and music. She certainly isn't planning on falling in love with another girl. But then she meets Kitty Bennet, and everything is thrown off kilter.

After a moonlit kiss shifts their newfound friendship into something more, Georgiana follows Kitty to the Bennets' home. The visit proves ill-timed when she encounters the one man who knows her secret and threatened her with it before. Terrified of testing the limits of her family's love and of putting Kitty in danger, Georgiana doesn't know if there's any chance of a happy ending.

Every etiquette guide she's ever read makes it clear that if she wants to protect her family name, Georgiana must pretend her heart follows society's accepted rhythm. Unless, with a little help from those who understand how it feels, she can compose the future she and Kitty both deserve."

Depends on the Bridgerton fan, because a LOT of people are mad about the genderbend in the show. Personally, I don't get what they're mad about.

The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A woman tests the limits of her so-called amicable divorce when she flies to Paris for the destination wedding of her former sister-in-law, only to butt heads with the deliciously gruff best man, in a poignant and romantic novel from Kate Clayborn.

Physician Layla Bailey has spent over a year telling herself she's moved on from a painful but amicable divorce from her college sweetheart. Staying friends with her ex seemed like the mature thing to do, but when Layla is invited to her former sister-in-law's destination wedding in Paris - where Layla once spent her own romantic honeymoon - she knows her commitment to maturity might be her worst enemy…especially since her ex isn't attending alone.

The only thing that could make the week more difficult is getting through it without the distraction of the wedding.... But when what Layla thought was a harmless conversation about the choices of her younger self leads to the bride getting cold feet, Layla finds herself facing down the groom's mysterious, taciturn best man, Griffin, who will do anything to make sure this wedding happens.

Since she broke it, Griff demands she help him fix it. Going along with his plan to alleviate the engaged couple's doubts seems like Layla's best chance at maintaining a good relationship with a family she once called her own. But as she learns more about the past heartbreak that's driving Griff to help his friend, she gets closer and closer to confronting the true depth of her own pain…while finding herself more and more willing to risk it all again for Griff."

Destination weddings are such a scam.

The Subtle Art of Folding Space by John Chu
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Subtle Art of Folding Space, is the exhilarating debut science fiction novel from Nebula and Hugo Award-winning author John Chu channels unhinged physics, generational trauma, and the comfort of really good dim sum. This isn't your usual jaunt through quantum physics.

Ellie's universe - and this one - is falling apart. Her ailing mother is in a coma; her sister, Chris, accuses her of being insufficiently Chinese between assassination attempts; and a shadowy cabal of engineers is trying to hijack the skunkworks, the machinery that keeps the physics of each universe working the way it's supposed to.

Daniel, Ellie's cousin, has found an illicit device in the skunkworks - one that keeps Ellie's comatose mother alive while also creating destabilizing bugs in the physics of this universe. It's not a good day.

If she can confront her mother's legacy and overcome her family's generational trauma, she just might find a way to preserve the skunkworks and reconcile with her sister...but digging into her family's past is thornier than it seems, and the secrets she uncovers will force Ellie to choose between her family and the universe itself."

If you haven't heard about the buzz around this book I think you must be living under a rock or dealing with your generational trauma. Read this to help deal with the trauma, not the whole hermit lifestyle.

The Edge of Darkness by Vaseem Khan
Published by: Hodder and Stoughton
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"India, 1951. After wilfully ignoring orders, Persis Wadia, India's first female police detective, is exiled from Bombay to the wild and mountainous Naga Hills District. As India's first post-Independence election looms, and tensions rise across the country, Persis finds herself banished to the Hotel Victoria, a crumbling colonial-era relic, her career in tatters.

But when a prominent politician is murdered in his locked room at the Victoria, his head missing, she is thrust back into the fray. Is the murderer one of the foreigners staying at the hotel or an insurgent from the surrounding jungle? As the political situation threatens to explode, Persis has only days to stop a killer operating at the very edge of darkness...

The sixth rip-roaring thriller in the award-winning Malabar House series and a perfect entry point for new readers."

I love a good locked room mystery with a missing head. And yes, I've read one before.

The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An unforgettable YA murder mystery set in an escape-room themed game show, by Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, and Tamara Moss, rising star and acclaimed author of Lintang series.

It's all fun and games until someone ends up dead.

Six months ago, season four of The Escape Game ended in horror when contestant Alicia Angelos was found murdered on set.

Now season five is underway, and new contestants are ready to put their skills to the test solving the show's trickiest escape rooms. There's Adi, the cryptographer; Carter, the math whiz; Beck, the wannabe game master; and...Sierra Angelos, the girl who got away with her sister's murder. Or so everyone believes.

But Sierra's not just here to win. She's here for justice.

When the contestants begin uncovering clues that hint at the identity of Alicia's true killer, it becomes clear that the stakes aren't high in this competition, they're deadly. If these teens want to win - and survive - the game, they must solve the biggest mystery of all: who killed Alicia Angelos?

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer and rising star Tamara Moss comes a twisty thrill-ride, filled with sabotage, betrayal, and puzzles to die for."

Finally, a game themed book with actual stakes! All thanks to the glorious Marissa Meyer! 

The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke
Published by: Harper
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A PROPULSIVE DEBUT MYSTERY FROM EVELYN CLARKE, THE BRILLIANT AND DIABOLICAL CREATION OF CAT CLARKE AND V.E. SCHWAB.

Six authors.
One private island.
Seventy-two hours to write the ending that will change their lives.

Arthur Fletch, one of the world's bestselling novelists, is a reclusive genius known for his iconic protagonists and fiendish twists. When six struggling authors are invited to spend a weekend on his private Scottish island, they arrive to discover a shocking secret: Arthur Fletch is dead...and his last book is unfinished.

Desperate to publish the novel, Fletch's agent and editor have summoned these writers in the hope that one of them will imagine a worthy ending for this final book. To sweeten the deal, they are offering an irresistible prize: in addition to ghost-writing the last chapter - for a mind-boggling sum - they will also help the lucky writer successfully re-launch their own career, guaranteeing future bestsellers. The catch: the writers have just seventy-two hours to finish Fletch's magnum opus.

It's the perfect plot. All it needs is a killer ending."

The collaboration everyone is talking about!

A Cruise to Die For by Heather Graham
Published by: Mira Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Special agents face deadly, uncharted waters in this tense romantic thriller from New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham.

Special Agent Chloe McMurray has been asked to do many things in the name of her job. Going undercover on a cruise ship leaving from her home port of Miami, however, is a new one. Not only that, but she's tasked with posing as the wife of her federal counterpart, Special Agent Wesley Law.

Their investigation? A string of murders and suicides across three states that seem unrelated, until they uncover a deadly technological connection. Every victim was an expert in technology and had some connection to Milestones, a megacorporation with ties to many industries...including the cruise industry.

Chloe and Wesley must successfully go undercover as tech employees on the ship hosting the ten-year anniversary of the Milestones cruise company. A tough ask when the two have never met before. They'll infiltrate the technology events, investigate their fellow passengers and try to uncover what's really going on.

However, danger is never far behind. Their killer can use tech to do the job without lifting a finger, and at sea, there's no escape if their covers are blown."

I love killers on cruise ships because it's just a bigger venue for a locked room mystery.

Now I See Spring by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
Published by: Tundra Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Board Book, 24 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From multi-award winning, New York Times bestselling duo Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, Now I See Spring is one in a unique quartet of board books that playfully shows the changing seasons from a kid's point of view.

the house / the tree / the garden / me

Sparse and rhythmic text invites readers to explore a rural setting through different seasons, gently introducing everyday words. Envisioned as a set that also can be read as standalone books, each of the four volumes in this eye-catching series has identical text but different images that reflect the time of year. In spring, the tree's leaves are budding, rain falls from the sky, a sweet treat is a cookie and the perfect hat is a yellow one that keeps you dry. Now I See Spring celebrates all the wonderful things about the season through a child’s eyes - and shows why it’s their favorite time of year."

These books are beyond delightful.

Now I See Summer by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
Published by: Tundra Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Board Book, 24 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From multi-award winning, New York Times bestselling duo Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, Now I See Summer is one in a unique quartet of board books that playfully shows the changing seasons from a kid's point of view.

the house / the tree / the garden / me

Sparse and rhythmic text invites readers to explore a rural setting through different seasons, gently introducing everyday words. Envisioned as a set that also can be read as standalone books, each of the four volumes in this eye-catching series has identical text but different images that reflect the time of year. In spring, the tree's leaves are budding, rain falls from the sky, a sweet treat is a cookie and the perfect hat is a yellow one that keeps you dry. Now I See Summer celebrates all the wonderful things about the season through a child’s eyes - and shows why it’s their favorite time of year."

They are a meditation on the seasons. 

Now I See Fall by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
Published by: Tundra Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Board Book, 24 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From multi-award winning, New York Times bestselling duo Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, Now I See Fall is one in a unique quartet of board books that playfully shows the changing seasons from a kid's point of view.

the house / the tree / the garden / me

Sparse and rhythmic text invites readers to explore a rural setting through different seasons, gently introducing everyday words. Envisioned as a set that also can be read as standalone books, each of the four volumes in this eye-catching series has identical text but different images that reflect the time of year. In spring, the tree's leaves are budding, rain falls from the sky, a sweet treat is a cookie and the perfect hat is a yellow one that keeps you dry. Now I See Fall celebrates all the wonderful things about the season through a child’s eyes - and shows why it’s their favorite time of year."

As seen through the eyes of a child.

Now I See Winter by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
Published by: Tundra Books
Publication Date: April 7th, 2026
Format: Board Book, 24 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From multi-award winning, New York Times bestselling duo Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, Now I See Winter is one in a unique quartet of board books that playfully shows the changing seasons from a kid's point of view.

the house / the tree / the garden / me

Sparse and rhythmic text invites readers to explore a rural setting through different seasons, gently introducing everyday words. Envisioned as a set that also can be read as standalone books, each of the four volumes in this eye-catching series has identical text but different images that reflect the time of year. In spring, the tree's leaves are budding, rain falls from the sky, a sweet treat is a cookie and the perfect hat is a yellow one that keeps you dry. Now I See Winter celebrates all the wonderful things about the season through a child’s eyes - and shows why it’s their favorite time of year."

Showing you the wonder and love all year long.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Addie Thorley, Alex Grecian, Cat Clarke, Elise Kova, Evelyn Clarke, Heather Graham, Jon Klassen, Kate Clayborn, Mac Barnett, Marissa Meyer, Meg Shaffer, Pascale Lacelle, Seanan McGuire, Tamara Moss, V.E. Schwab, Vaseem Khan

Daughter from the Dark by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: February 11th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this extraordinary stand-alone novel, the authors and translator of Vita Nostra - a "dark Harry Potter on steroids with a hefty dose of metaphysics" (award-winning author Aliette de Bodard) - return with a story about creation, music, and companionship filled with their hallmark elements of subtle magic and fantasy.

Late one night, fate brings together DJ Aspirin and ten-year-old Alyona. After he tries to save her from imminent danger, she ends up at his apartment. But in the morning sinister doubts set in. Who is Alyona? A young con artist? A plant for a nefarious blackmailer? Or perhaps a long-lost daughter Aspirin never knew existed? Whoever this mysterious girl is, she now refuses to leave.

A game of cat-and-mouse has begun.

Claiming that she is a musical prodigy, Alyona insists she must play a complicated violin piece to find her brother. Confused and wary, Aspirin knows one thing: he wants her out of his apartment and his life. Yet every attempt to get rid of her is thwarted by an unusual protector: her plush teddy bear that may just transform into a fearsome monster.

Alyona tells Aspirin that if he would just allow her do her work, she’ll leave him - and this world. He can then return to the shallow life he led before her. But as outside forces begin to coalesce, threatening to finally separate them, Aspirin makes a startling discovery about himself and this ethereal, eerie child."

Here for the teddy bear defense!

Night Spinner by Addie Thorley
Published by: Page Street Kids
Publication Date: February 11th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A must-read for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse, transforming The Hunchback of Notre Dame into a powerful tundra-inspired fantasty.

Before the massacre at Nariin, Enebish was one of the greatest warriors in the Sky King’s Imperial Army: a rare and dangerous Night Spinner, blessed with the ability to control the threads of darkness. Now, she is known as Enebish the Destroyer—a monster and murderer, banished to a monastery for losing control of her power and annihilating a merchant caravan.

Guilt stricken and scarred, Enebish tries to be grateful for her sanctuary, until her adoptive sister, Imperial Army commander Ghoa, returns from the war front with a tantalizing offer. If Enebish can capture the notorious criminal, Temujin, whose band of rebels has been seizing army supply wagons, not only will her crimes be pardoned, she will be reinstated as a warrior.

Enebish eagerly accepts. But as she hunts Temujin across the tundra, she discovers the tides of war have shifted, and the supplies he’s stealing are the only thing keeping thousands of shepherds from starving. Torn between duty and conscience, Enebish must decide whether to put her trust in the charismatic rebel or her beloved sister. No matter who she chooses, an even greater enemy is advancing, ready to bring the empire to its knees."

While The Hunchback of Notre Dame angle interests me, I'm mainly here for the "fans of Legin Bardugo's Grishaverse."

A Witch in Time by Constance Sayers
Published by: Redhook
Publication Date: February 11th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A young witch is cursed to relive a doomed love affair through many lifetimes, as both troubled muse and frustrated artist, in this haunting debut novel.

Helen Lambert has lived several lives-a young piano virtuoso in 1890s Paris, an actress in 1930's Hollywood, a rock star in 1970s Los Angeles-only she doesn't know it. Until she meets a strange man who claims he's watched over her for centuries, bound to her from the beginning.

At first, Helen doesn't believe him. Her life is as normal as any other modern career woman's. Then she begins having vivid dreams about ill-fated love and lives cut short. Caught in a curse, Helen will be forced to relive the same tragic events that ruined her previous lives. But with each rebirth, she's developed uncanny powers. And as the most powerful version of herself, Helen must find a way to break the curse before her time runs out."

SO MANY FAVORITE TIME PERIODS!!!

The Queen's Fortune by Allison Pataki
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: February 11th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A sweeping novel about the extraordinary woman who captured Napoleon’s heart, created a dynasty, and changed the course of history - from the New York Times bestselling author of The Traitor's Wife, The Accidental Empress, and Sisi.

As the French revolution ravages the country, Desiree Clary is faced with the life-altering truth that the world she has known and loved is gone and it’s fallen on her to save her family from the guillotine.

A chance encounter with Napoleon Bonaparte, the ambitious and charismatic young military prodigy, provides her answer. When her beloved sister Julie marries his brother Joseph, Desiree and Napoleon’s futures become irrevocably linked. Quickly entering into their own passionate, dizzying courtship that leads to a secret engagement, they vow to meet in the capital once his career has been secured. But her newly laid plans with Napoleon turn to sudden heartbreak, thanks to the rising star of Parisian society, Josephine de Beauharnais. Once again, Desiree’s life is turned on its head.

Swept to the glittering halls of the French capital, Desiree is plunged into the inner circle of the new ruling class, becoming further entangled with Napoleon, his family, and the new Empress. But her fortunes shift once again when she meets Napoleon's confidant and star general, the indomitable Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte. As the two men in Desiree’s life become political rivals and military foes, the question that arises is: must she choose between the love of her new husband and the love of her nation and its Emperor?

From the lavish estates of the French Riviera to the raucous streets of Paris and Stockholm, Desiree finds herself at the epicenter of the rise and fall of an empire, navigating a constellation of political giants and dangerous, shifting alliances. Emerging from an impressionable girl into a fierce young woman, she discovers that to survive in this world she must learn to rely upon her instincts and her heart.

Allison Pataki’s meticulously researched and brilliantly imagined novel sweeps readers into the unbelievable life of a woman almost lost to history - a woman who, despite the swells of a stunning life and a tumultuous time, not only adapts and survives but, ultimately, reigns at the helm of a dynasty that outlasts an empire."

I am HERE for all things Napoleonic!

The Borgia Confessions by Alyssa Palombo
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: February 11th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"During the sweltering Roman summer of 1492, Rodrigo Borgia has risen to power as pope. Rodrigo’s eldest son Cesare, forced to follow his father into the church and newly made the Archbishop of Valencia, chafes at his ecclesiastical role and fumes with jealousy and resentment at the way that his foolish brother has been chosen for the military greatness he desired.

Maddalena Moretti comes from the countryside, where she has seen how the whims of powerful men wreak havoc on the lives of ordinary people. But now, employed as a servant in the Vatican Palace, she cannot help but be entranced by Cesare Borgia’s handsome face and manner and finds her faith and conviction crumbling in her want of him.

As war rages and shifting alliances challenge the pope’s authority, Maddalena and Cesare's lives grow inexplicably entwined. Maddalena becomes a keeper of dangerous Borgia secrets, and must decide if she is willing to be a pawn in the power games of the man she loves. And as jealousy and betrayal threaten to tear apart the Borgia family from within, Cesare is forced to reckon with his seemingly limitless ambition.

Alyssa Palombo's captivating new novel, The Borgia Confessions, is a story of passion, politics, and class, set against the rise and fall of one of Italy's most infamous families - the Borgias."

I am one of those people who feel like I always need to know more about the Borgias.

The Winter Companion by Mimi Matthews
Published by: Perfectly Proper Press
Publication Date: February 11th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 316 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A winter reunion for the orphans brings romance for Neville Cross in Book 4 of Mimi Matthews' USA Today bestselling Parish Orphans of Devon series.

She Needed to be Seen...

As a lady's companion, Clara Hartwright never receives much attention from anyone. And that's precisely how she likes it. With a stormy past, and an unconventional plan for her future, it's far safer to remain invisible. But when her new employer is invited to a month-long holiday at a remote coastal abbey, Clara discovers that she may not be as invisible as she'd hoped. At least, not as far as one gentleman is concerned.

He Wanted to be Heard...

Neville Cross has always been more comfortable with animals than people. An accident in his youth has left him with a brain injury that affects his speech. Forming the words to speak to his childhood friends is difficult enough. Finding the right things to say to a lovely young lady's companion seems downright impossible. But Miss Hartwright is no ordinary companion. In fact, there may not be anything ordinary about her at all.

During a bleak Devon winter, two sensitive souls forge an unexpected friendship. But when Clara needs him most, will Neville find the courage to face his fears? Or is saying goodbye to her the most heroic thing he can do?"

Dammit I love Devon!

The American Fiancée by Eric Dupont
Published by: HarperVia
Publication Date: February 11th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 672 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this extraordinary breakout novel - a rich, devastatingly humorous epic of one unforgettable family - award-winning author Eric Dupont illuminates the magic of stories, the bonds of family, and the twists of fate and fortune to transform our lives.

Over the course of the twentieth century, three generations of the Lamontagnes will weather love, passion, jealousy, revenge, and death. Their complicated family dynamic - as dramatic as Puccini’s legendary opera, Tosca - will propel their rise, and fall, and take them around the world...until they finally confront the secrets of their complicated pasts.

Born on Christmas, Louis Lamontagne, the family’s patriarch, is a larger-than-life lothario and raconteur who inherits his mother’s teal eyes and his father’s brutish good looks and whose charms travel beyond Quebec, across the state of New York where he wins at county fairs as a larger-than-life strongman, and even in Europe, where he is deployed for the US Army during World War II. We meet his daughter, Madeleine, who opens a successful chain of diners using the recipes from her grandmother, the original American Fiancée, and vows never to return to her hometown. And we end with her son Gabriel, another ladies’ man in the family, who falls in love with a woman he follows to Berlin and discovers unexpected connections there to the Lamontagne family that re-frame the entire course of the events in the book.

An unholy marriage of John Irving and Gary Shteyngart with the irresistible whimsy of Elizabeth McCracken, The American Fiancée is a big, bold, wildly ambitious novel that introduces a dynamic new voice to contemporary literature."

I'm all for generational family sagas!

The Illness Lesson by Clare Beams
Published by: Doubleday
Publication Date: February 11th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A searing novel which probes the world's approach to women's bodies and women's minds, and the time-honored tradition of doubting both.

At their newly founded school, Samuel Hood and his daughter Caroline promise a groundbreaking education for young women. But Caroline has grave misgivings. After all, her own unconventional education has left her unmarriageable and isolated, unsuited to the narrow roles afforded women in 19th century New England.

When a mysterious flock of red birds descends on the town, Caroline alone seems to find them unsettling. But it's not long before the assembled students begin to manifest bizarre symptoms: Rashes, seizures, headaches, verbal tics, night wanderings. One by one, they sicken. Fearing ruin for the school, Samuel overrules Caroline's pleas to inform the girls' parents and turns instead to a noted physician, a man whose sinister ministrations - based on a shocking historic treatment - horrify Caroline. As the men around her continue to dictate, disastrously, all terms of the girls' experience, Caroline's body too begins to betray her. To save herself and her young charges, she will have to defy every rule that has governed her life, her mind, her body, and her world.

Clare Beams's extraordinary debut story collection We Show What We Have Learned earned comparisons to Shirley Jackson, Karen Russell and Aimee Bender, and established Beams as a writer who "creates magical-realist pieces that often calculate the high cost of being a woman" (The Rumpus). Precisely observed, hauntingly atmospheric, as fiercely defiant as it is triumphant, The Illness Lesson is a spellbinding piece of storytelling."

Anyone garnering comparisons to Shirley Jackson is a must read in my book.

The Magnificent Monsters of Cedar Street by Lauren Oliver
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: February 11th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the bestselling author of E. B. White Read-Aloud Honor Book Liesl and Po comes a timely and relevant adventure story about monsters of all kinds - and a girl brave enough to save them.

Cordelia Clay loves the work she and her father do together: saving and healing the remarkable creatures around Boston at the end of the nineteenth century. Their home on Cedar Street is full to the brim with dragons, squelches, and diggles, and Cordelia loves every one of them.

But their work must be kept secret - others aren’t welcoming to outsiders and immigrants, so what would the people of Boston do to the creatures they call “monsters”?

One morning, Cordelia awakens to discover that her father has disappeared - along with nearly all the monsters.

With only a handful of clues and a cryptic note to guide her, Cordelia must set off to find out what happened to her father, with the help of her new friend Gregory, Iggy the farting filch, a baby dragon, and a small zuppy (zombie puppy, that is)."

The end of the 19th century and weird animals? SOLD! 

The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: February 11th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A. K. Larkwood's The Unspoken Name is a stunning debut fantasy about an orc priestess turned wizard's assassin.

What if you knew how and when you will die?

Csorwe does - she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice.

But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin - the wizard's loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power.

But Csorwe will soon learn - gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due."

When you're needing a little orc action. And who doesn't from time to time? Also reviewers have been comparing it to my FAVORITE Le Guin book...

A Falling Starr by Dani Hoots
Published by: FoxTales Press
Publication Date: February 11th, 2020
Format: Kindle, 153 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A year ago I had woken up with no memory of who I was. No one seemed to know anything about me and for months the police investigated only to find nothing. The only thing I had was a necklace with the name Angela Starr.

The government gave me an ID with that name and let me enroll in a community college to get my GED. All the psychologists that they had examine me thought that would be best and going to school might jog some memories since they figured I was in my late teens. Well, it did, as I ran into a boy my age that I felt I knew, but before I could fully recover those memories, we found ourselves being chased into a portal that led to the other side of the universe.

But why did this other planet seem so familiar?"

Urban Fantasy meets Doctor Who? YAS!

Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Volume 7 by Si Spurrier
Published by: Marvel
Publication Date: February 11th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 144 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"After all she's been through, professional disaster zone Doctor Aphra is right back where she started: working for Darth Vader. What villainous use has the dark lord found for her to make him spare the life of his most annoying foe...? And how long does she have to try to slither out of harm's way before he decides to finish what he started three years ago...?"

DOCTOR APHRA!!! THIS is the next Disney/Star Wars property I want developed into a series. PS, don't fuck it up or Triple Zero will be after you! 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A.K. Larkwood, Addie Thorley, Allison Pataki, Alyssa Palombo, Clare Beams, Constance Sayers, Dani Hoots, Doctor Aphra, Eric Dupont, Lauren Oliver, Marina and Sergey Dyachenko, Mimi Matthews, Tuesday Tomorrow