strange and random happenstance

The Salt King by Natasha Pulley
Published by: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An apocalyptic novel about belief, religion, and the power of myth that blends the gripping, end-of-the-world storytelling of The Passage with the biting wit and epic queer romance that makes Natasha Pulley's books "delightful" (The Washington Post).

Jesuit priest Avelyn Brocken was born into a mining family in Hreodwater, a small, totally isolated salt town in the Fens of England. At age 16, he fled, abandoning his faith in the god of the mine - the Salt King - and the mythology that killed his whole family.

When a fellow priest is miraculously healed only to then be turned to salt after a visit to Hreodwater, Avelyn is sent by the Vatican to investigate. But in Hreodwater, the town's gentle doctor, Jericho, tells him that the priest is not the only one experiencing strange cures - and may not be the only one in danger from a substance in the mine that the locals call "salt light."

Avelyn and Jericho team up to protect the world from the salt light - but they may already be too late: strange happenings are occurring at mines all around the world. At an archaeological dig on the Dead Sea, electrical devices froth salt; at another salt mine in Russia, a KGB officer finds the bodies of five tourists who seem to have turned to salt; and at the huge salt works at Wieliczska in Poland, all communication is lost, and rumors circulate of total annihilation.

As salt light spreads, devastating cities around the world, Avelyn must decide what and who to believe - and whether his faith is strong enough to withstand an apocalypse."

I will read whatever Natasha Pulley writes. Bonus points for tormented priests. 

And the Sea Gave Up the Dead by William Friend
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For fans of Jennifer Thorne's Diavola and We Have Always Lived in the Castle comes William Friend's latest stunning novel where grief, mystery, and something undead haunt a young woman and her family, and soon, a dark history will repeat itself.

Some grief echoes. Some grief knocks.

When Morwenna receives a troubling call from her reclusive Aunt Bethan, she reluctantly returns to the family's crumbling chateau by the French seaside. Bethan has lived there alone for years - ever since her husband vanished in circumstances the locals are still gripped by. Some whisper she killed him. Others claim something older, and far worse, took him.

What Morwenna finds is a house warped by grief. Rooms shift when no one is looking. Time seems to shift there, too. And the deeper Morwenna digs, the more the chateau seems aware of her presence...hungry for it. Worse, it seems drawn to her children.

Local folklore speaks of revenants rising from the sea, of creatures returning when the veil thins and old hungers wake. As strange events escalate, Morwenna must uncover the truth about her uncle's fate and the beings the villagers believe still haunt the estate  - before history repeats itself. Because if the tales are true, something long buried is stirring...and it has been waiting for her family to return. The dead are not done with this house."

If H.P. Lovecraft went even more Gothic. 

The Halls of the Dead by S.M. Hallow
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A queer, gothic horror romance set in a necromancy-tinged London, sure to entrance fans of The Death of Jane Lawrence and Mexican Gothic.

London, December 1849

Irene Shallcross Haley has dedicated her life to necromancy, a forbidden, reviled art that is passed along through sentient grimoires bound in human skin. With her undead husband St. John - a marriage of kindred spirits and platonic convenience - she has been protecting the knowledge of generations of witches that came before her. Like any magic, it has come at a cost: her reputation, her relationship with her sister, and her soul. But when Irene's love, Agnes, is hanged for witchcraft, Irene refuses to let Agnes be one more thing that is taken from her.

A true resurrection has not been achieved in two thousand years, but Irene is determined. With the help of St. John, Irene bangs on the doors of the Halls of the Dead, demanding the third part of their triumverate back...or did she? Because the Agnes that awakens comes with both a hunger for raw flesh and a malignant ghost tied to her soul.

Necromancy is the art of saying no - no, I won't let you go; no, I won't let you be destroyed - and Irene's work is not yet done. She must find a way to bring Agnes back to her true self, she must navigate her feelings for her resurrected lover as well as St. John, and she must do all of this without catching the attention of Sir Silas Underhill, the man who sentenced Agnes to death.

Death is not the end of love. But Irene may realize it can actually be the beginning."

Well, if a resurrection goes bad, I do think it's the end of love...

The Last Day of H.P. Lovecraft by Romuald Giulvo and Jakub Rebelka
Published by: BOOM! Studios
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 144 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A gothic meditation on legacy and mortality from the world of Lovecraftian horror.

Translated for the first time from the acclaimed French graphic novel, this imaginative blend of fiction and reality reimagines the final hours of the literary icon through a haunting, dreamlike lens.

As Lovecraft confronts the legacy of his life's triumphs and regrets, his world becomes an otherworldly cathedral of memory and reckoning - filled with cosmic echoes of the mythos he helped shape.

Written by Romuald Giulivo (Le Sourire De Sang) and with breathtaking art by Jakub Rebelka (Origins, Judas), this collection presents the thrilling five-issue limited series in one complete volume.

Collects The Last Day of H.P. Lovecraft #1-5."

Being such a fan of Jakub Rebelka because of the art in When I Lay My Vengeance Upon Thee, this is a must buy. 

Never Whistle at Night, Part II: Back for Blood edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Aist Jr.
Published by: Vintage
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The bestselling Indigenous dark fiction anthology returns with a new selection of even more daring and sinister stories. From monsters to mutilation, Never Whistle at Night is back for revenge.

Featuring stories by:

Jessica Doe • P.C. Verrone • Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. • Jim Terry • Jessica Johns • A.J. Eversole • Sonia Marie Barry • Shane Hawk • Stephen Graham Jones • Alicia Elliott • Mat RudeWalker • Shaawan Francis Keahna • Billy-Ray Belcourt • Jake Arrowtop • Alina Pete • Debra Magpie Earling • Joshua Whitehead • Tommy Orange • Ramona Emerson • Erica Tremblay • Kimberly Blaeser

They're baaaaaaaaaack!

As any savvy horror fan knows: the monster never truly dies. The team that brought you the bestselling dark fiction anthology Never Whistle at Night has risen, hungry, from the grave to summon more dark delicacies for your delectation. In these twenty-one brand-new, groundbreaking, gruesome stories - authored by both established and newly unearthed Indigenous talent and illustrated by renowned Cheyenne and Arapaho painter Brent Learned - the contributors are fully embracing horror: both supernatural horrors and the everyday horror of living under colonialist rule.

Featuring stories of unspeakable yet satisfying terror, from twisted psychological tales to gore-filled monster hunts, this new selection of sinister stories will sate your darkest appetites and leave you slavering for more. Never Whistle at Night, Part II: Back for Blood is a further celebration of Indigenous survival and the enduring tradition of transforming adversity into art."

Embrace the power of the written word!

The Sleeping Sisters by Jennifer Givhan
Published by: Little Brown and Company
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A threatened mother and a relentless detective collide when a series of murders awaken something long buried in the New Mexican desert in this mesmerizing novel of literary horror, perfect for fans of Carmen Maria Machado and Stephen Graham Jones.

A mother's love is the oldest curse.

Fortuna Miércoles has finally moved her family to a better neighborhood across the Rio Grande, desperate to outrun the curse that's stalked her bloodline since her greatest grandmother crossed the desert with a cactus thorn splitting her throat. But burying a family's violent legacy - or her own haunting secret - isn't so easy. Twenty years ago, girls and women vanished into the Albuquerque night, their bones later unearthed on the mesa. The so-called Reaper was never caught. Now, beneath the dormant volcanoes called the Sleeping Sisters, the killings have begun again, and they've called forth something in Fortuna that she has long fought to keep buried...

Detective Jeanette Palacio has spent decades promising justice to the ghosts of her murdered cousins - alongside the memory of the other women she couldn't avenge. When a new body turns up in Fortuna's backyard, both women are pulled into a dangerous, ancient plot. Are the Sleeping Sisters awakening - or has someone in Fortuna's family set a trap?

Inspired by true events, The Sleeping Sisters begins as a taut mystery shot through with myth and a Chicana-Indigenous reimagining of the legend of the headless woman - but by its cataclysmic end has spiraled into a fevered, feral hymn to motherhood and a mesmerizing portrait of trauma and the monstrous bargains we make to protect those we love."

True events!?! Tell me more.

These Walls Remember by Del Sandeen
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When two estranged sisters inherit a home possessed by the horrors of its dark past, they must work together to survive in this viscerally chilling Southern gothic novel from the critically acclaimed author of This Cursed House.

Do not go into the attic, the note warned.

But that's exactly what sisters Mickie and Delilah do when they inherit a distant relative's house in Savannah, Georgia. They intend to sell the property, divide the proceeds, and go their separate ways once and for all.

But 724 Hartford Street has other plans.

As the sisters learn about this house and its history, past wounds begin to fester and spill into the present: strange visions, memory lapses, unexplained accidents, and surreal echoes of the house's previous inhabitants - some of whom disappeared after living in the home. The sisters suspect the residents of the sleepy Savannah neighborhood know more than they're saying about what really happened there.

And then Delilah, once adamant about selling and never looking back, develops an uncanny attachment to the house, her personality changing in alarming ways. Mickie knows that she'll have to pull her sister from the home's clutches or they will both succumb to that which hungers in its walls."

As much as I would love to inherent a house I'm sure it would be haunted and try to kill me, so thanks but no thanks.  

The House That Eats the Dead by Max Doty
Published by: Bantam
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A family moves into their dream home - only to discover that it hides an insatiable hunger - in this dread-laced and darkly outrageous domestic horror novel.

The new house is a fresh start for Claire and her family. It's a move away from the cityscape of a declining San Francisco and towards the quiet suburban life she has craved since her turbulent childhood; a step up the corporate ladder for her husband, Tom; and a safe haven for their two children.

Yet as they unpack their boxes, she senses something is wrong. Fresh flowers dry up, store-bought eggs are inexplicably hollow, and her daughter's favorite toy disappears. Claire soon confronts a series of impossible truths: The house is hungry. It's devouring anything that was once alive. And only Claire and Tom, the owners of the house, will remember that this "food" ever existed.

When Claire exploits the house's power in a moment of weakness, she and the house forge a fragile bond. But as its hunger intensifies and Claire loses control, she fears who else might be drawn to her home - and what sinister appetites they'll bring."

I mean, feeding the house is viable depending on how nice it is and the school system...

A (Dead) Thing Like Me by E.G. Young
Published by: Holiday House
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A teenage ghost in love with life becomes bound to the house of the grieving artist who summoned her via Ouija board in this darkly funny YA paranormal.

One hot dog with banana peppers. That's all Hot Dog wants. An invisible teenage ghost, she haunts a food cart outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Until one night, she's accidentally summoned via Ouija board to a house party in Florida...where finally finally finally, people can see her.

All the party guests scatter, except for Logan: the cool artist girl who doesn't just see Hot Dog, she actually wants to talk to her. Logan, who isn't scared of Hot Dog's stitched mouth or chattering dress. Logan, who's grieving her own dead BFF - and called Hot Dog by mistake.

Hot Dog wants to prove it's not a mistake.

She can be Logan's new best friend. She can go to Logan's Halloween party. She can eat snacks, have sleepovers, and hang out. She can definitely smile without scaring people. Exactly like a real, human girl.

There's one problem: Hog Dog's not a real, living human girl, and something in Logan's sprawling house knows it. It scratches like rats in the walls. It opens a secret door in Logan's attic. It wants to drag Hot Dog into the nothingness where dead things go. And unless Hot Dog can confront the dark truth of how she died, it will unmake Logan too.

Gorgeously strange and stunningly written, this YA paranormal masterfully melds camp and creep into a beyond-the-grave coming-of-age."

I mean, at least haunting the steps of the MET means good people watching...

The Secret Dinner by Raphael Montes
Published by: Celadon Books
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Four childhood friends, eager for a taste of city life, swap rural Brazil for an apartment in Copacabana, Rio. But they have no idea of the fate that awaits them there....

Dante, Piglet, Miguel, and Hugo are your average students trying to make ends meet with part-time jobs, excited about the bright futures at their fingertips. So when their rent skyrockets, they struggle to keep their new lives and big dreams afloat. They need to make money however they can. In order to keep their apartment, the friends adopt an unorthodox plan and are soon sucked into a dark world of secret dinner parties catering to the twisted fantasies of Rio's elite.

What starts as a joke quickly spirals out of their control. As the four friends fall deeper into this dark underworld and earn more money, the stakes get higher and the consequences deadlier, revealing the devious depths that lurk within each of them and threatening not only their friendship but also their lives."

I mean, just like that episode of Atlanta, they're eating people right?

The Calamities by Chuck Wendig
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 592 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The heir to one of the world's most influential families reckons with the demonic secret of their power in this contemporary dark fantasy that melds occult magic with shocking family drama, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Accidents.

Mourning Mayne knows he'll one day bear the duty of managing his family's vast empire of wealth and power. But the feckless Mourning has always struggled to accept this legacy of cruelty, domination, and exploitation...and something even darker.

Because the Maynes are no ordinary family: Hidden in our world are the fiends - half-human, half-demon, and possessed of a dark magic born from buying human souls - and the Maynes are one of the oldest and most influential fiendish families.

But when Mourning's estranged father, the formidable and terrifying Hadrian Mayne, demands that Mourning return to the fold, he has to decide whether to accept his legacy and embrace his role in the family or to forge his own destiny, and with it, change the course of the world.

Because along the way home, he will meet Key, a black-market seller of human souls, and Quinn, an artist who may hold the dark truth behind the fate of the fiends. Alone, they have all struggled with the darkness of their natures...but together, they might find a path out of the shadows."

Tear it all down! Even it that means dragging the demons back to hell!

The Black Bird Oracle Deck by Deborah Harkness
Published by: Random House Worlds
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Cards, 52 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Diana Bishop's family oracle deck from the beloved novel The Black Bird Oracle comes to life in this magical 52-card deck from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches, Deborah Harkness.

The Black Bird Oracle Deck is a recreation of the seventeenth-century deck that plays a pivotal role in The Black Bird Oracle, the fifth novel in the beloved All Souls series. Handed down in the Proctor family for centuries before witch and Oxford scholar Diana Bishop discovered its secrets, The Black Bird Oracle Deck features 52 oracle cards and a guidebook that invites readers into this powerful world of magic and divination. Wholly original and beautifully illustrated, the deck includes cards in the following categories:

I. Elements
II. Birds
III. Covens
IV. Tools
V. Principles
VI. Alchemical Processes
VII. Moon Phases
VIII. Magics

Cards are printed on high-quality paper with rounded edges and textural graining, and they are contained within a deluxe, clamshell box with a ribbon pull. A perfect gift for fans of the All Souls series or tarot enthusiasts, The Black Bird Oracle Deck will help readers divine the twisting paths of life."

I love when objects that are in books become a reality. It's like making the magic of reading that much more magical. 

Siren Says by Jennifer Michelle Herrera
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A lush, spellbinding tale about a tenacious young woman who must harness her family's dangerous magic to put a stop to the sacrifices they've been making for more than a century.

Twenty-five-year-old Raven Wynn knows that the ancient plant magic running through her veins brings nothing but destruction. It doomed her Welsh ancestors. It killed her mother. It's the reason she's now bound by a painful curse - one that will destroy her if she can't find a way to break its hold.

When her estranged Aunt Delilah bursts into her life promising a cure, Raven seizes the chance. However, her freedom comes at a steep price: Once her magic is fully unleashed, she is more powerful - and more dangerous - than anyone thought possible.

Desperate to tame powers she never wanted, Raven makes a pact with Delilah: In exchange for learning to control her magic, Raven will capture one of the spirits that roam Delilah's hometown on May's Eve so that it may grant Delilah's secret wish. With the help of an enigmatic new friend, Cherry, as well as an infuriatingly handsome stoneworker, Idris, Raven learns that her task is even more perilous than she imagined - one false move and the spirits could trap her soul - forever.

A sumptuous escape into a world of Celtic spirits and botanical magic, Siren Says is a bewitching story of the unbreakable bonds between women, the interplay between goodness and power, and the capacity of love to mend our very souls."

Botanical magic has always fascinated me. 

The Blue Moon Café and 24-Hour Occult Emporium by Lexie Sharabianlou
Published by: Dell
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A magical witness protection program, a town in need of saving, and a sorceress-in-training...oh, and the human woman she's not supposed to fall for. The Blue Moon Café has a little bit of everything (except, you know, decent coffee).

In the tiny town of Pine Hollow, barista and fledging sorceress Talula Smith runs The Blue Moon Café and 24-Hour Occult Emporium, aka the worst coffee shop in town. The café's horrible reputation hides its true purpose: providing new identities and safe passage to at-risk magical beings while keeping humans far, far away. That is, except for town local Dahlia. Dahlia's devastating dimples, addiction to Talula's cocoa recipe, and keen observation skills keeps the smitten barista scrambling to ensure that her magical abilities (or, lack thereof) stay a secret.

But when big game hunters start preying on magical beings, her powerful sorceress mother is called away to track them down, leaving Talula and her barely-there magic in charge of The Blue Moon. With the impending Samhain festival to organize, magical refugees to help, half of the town turning against her, and her ever-growing feelings for Dahlia, Talula's magical destiny feels further away than ever. But as the hunters set their sights closer to home, it'll be up to Talula to master her craft, trust her heart, and bring her magical and human communities together...before she loses everything she loves."

I mean, can't they sure like two kinds of coffee, the bad for the ignorant and the good for those in need?

A Fellowship of Curses and Cats by J. Penner
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The cat distribution system is about to get magical.

Woodland elf Theo Brylar should be basking in bliss. He and his human partner, Arleta, have a thriving bakery, a baby on the way, and a bright future in Adenashire. But beneath his calm exterior, Theo's anxiety simmers - stirred by old grief, complicated family, and emotions he doesn't always understand.

Hoping to steady his nerves, Theo turns to eccentric wizard Ibus Ironflame, who offers him a supposedly soothing potion. What Theo gets instead is a magical mix-up: stray cats begin appearing on his doorstep...then multiplying until the bakery becomes Adenashire's first cat café.

As the cats take over his life, Theo worries he's juggling more than he can handle, and that was before his mother complicated things with a surprise visit. But with guidance from his forest lynx companion, Faylin, and Arleta's steady love, Theo may come to realize that even the messiest moments can lead to something unexpectedly beautiful - especially when surrounded by cats."

Everything is better with cats around.

Homeward for a Spell by Jamie Pacton and Rebecca Podos
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this cozy queer romantic fantasy from the award-winning authors of Homegrown Magic, two members of a motley crew of adventurers must confront monsters, hostile landscapes - and their growing attraction to each other.

Sage has made her living as a ranger, moving constantly between adventuring parties, but she's never had the chance to lead one. So when she's offered the opportunity to hire a crew of her own in pursuit of a rare magical artifact, it seems a dream come true - until she learns that they're headed into the most inhospitable part of the kingdom with winter looming. Still, it's a way to finally put her name on the map...and how bad could it really be?

Araphi has always loved music, in defiance of her powerful family's priorities. All she wants is one last occasion to perform before she marries a man she does not love for the good of the family. So when she sees a poster seeking a bard for a party, she eagerly sneaks away to audition, only to discover that the party in question is no festival but an adventuring party, led by a woman she's been fascinated with since she first laid eyes on her. It's an unexpected twist, but if she takes the job, she'll still be back in time for her own wedding...and how bad could it really be?

What follows is a life-altering journey for them both, filled with danger and misfortune as their ragtag band of adventurers - most of whom have just met - must learn to work together to overcome the many obstacles before them, not least the explosive chemistry between the rugged party leader used to watching her own back and the pampered city-girl bard, who may be far out of her element but is beginning to feel at home for the very first time."

I might be naive, but perhaps don't head out on a journey with winter looming?

I Punched an Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy by Kimberly Lemming
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A zany and sexy romance about a woman who finds herself stranded on a far-off planet and mated to the warlord alien king, from USA Today bestselling author Kimberly Lemming.

It's not in Blair's nature to just give up. Not when she's beamed up to a spaceship and then dropped on an alien planet. Not even when she's in the middle of a forest fire surrounded by dinosaurs. And definitely not when she's captured by an arrogant alien king. If King Osid thinks he can break her, he's in for a shock. Blair lives by one motto: If you stay ready, you never have to get ready.

But absolutely nothing could have prepared her for finding out that she's that arrogant King Osid's mate.

Despite recent hiccups, the alien researchers are determined to get their breeding program back on track. With that in mind, Blair and Osid are bundled off to the research center for what they're told is couples counseling. As they face a series of increasingly dangerous challenges, it soon becomes clear the research aliens may have confused an episode of The Bachelor with Survivor. Bonding over their common enemy, and shall we say...encouraged by love darts, Blair and Osid let down their walls (and take off their clothes). When they discover that there are - somehow - even more secret plans in the works, another hilarious, steamy, over-the-top adventure is in store."

It's exhausting always having to be ready. But then again, apparently that will serve Blair well.

Guardians of Dawn: Suhwa by S. Jae-Jones
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The stunning conclusion to the richly imagined Guardians of Dawn fantasy series from S. Jae-Jones, the New York Times bestselling author of Wintersong.

Shadows fade. Illusions break. The dawn returns.

Min Suhwa has always longed to see the greater world outside the small, cloistered convent in which she was raised. Hidden there for her safety when she was a small child, Suhwa has learned to keep her unusual illusion magic to herself, but when the Bangtan Brothers come to town to perform, she can't resist the chance to go see them for herself. But the world outside her convent is dangerous - the Morning Realms have fallen to civil war, and Huntsmen prowl the land in search of magicians and the fabled Guardians of Dawn, legendary elemental warriors with incredible powers. When Suhwa's illusion magic brings her afoul of one of the Huntsmen, she must flee for her life.

Meanwhile, the Guardians of Dawn and their allies are fighting a war on two fronts - against the northern insurrection seeking to claim the Sunburst Throne and destroy all magicians, and against the rising threat of the Mother of Ten Thousand Demons. Zhara, Ami, and Yuli must travel to the Azure Isles to seek the Guardian of Water and save the Morning Realms from annihilation, restoring balance to order and chaos once and for all."

I know you want to read a stunning conclusion! 

The Queen's Bodyguard by Lauren Blackwood
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this sizzling modern fantasy romance, a magic-less queen intertwines her fate with a fierce Warrior, but their undeniable chemistry ignites a passionate struggle, growing hotter as their fiery personalities clash - from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blackwood.

Queen Theora grudgingly agrees to make peace with the neighboring enemy who killed her predecessor and friend, making her the new monarch of Aranea, over a year ago. But that doesn't mean she's going to the negotiations unprotected.

Theora quickly selects Argos, a prickly and formidable Warrior with a ruthless reputation, to act as her bodyguard in disguise. They are technically married, but Theora has no intention of finishing the ritual that would bind their souls together. Argos is merely a means to end the conflict safely.

Argos may have his reasons for accepting this arrangement, but he refuses to be a pawn in Theora's political games. If she wants a bodyguard, she'll have to obey his sacred Warrior rituals, each one a show of defiance that frustrates Theora as much as it arouses her.

Theora doesn't expect to find her temporary husband so sexy, his possessive nature so addicting. And as peace talks begin, pretending to be married and in love is not nearly as difficult as pretending she doesn't desperately want him - all of him."

Hey, if you gotta sell the lie, then really sell it.

Lovers of the Empire Vol. 1 by Yudori
Published by: Takumigraphics
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"South Korea, 1929. Arisa Jo, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is the most eligible bachelorette in all of Gyeongsung (the capital city). With her Western dresses, movie star hairstyle, and assertive attitude, she embodies bold "Modern" values. Meet her opposite, Jun Seomoon, a young man from the countryside deeply rooted in tradition. When Jun is charged by Arisa's father to be her escort in the big city, these opposing forces create sparks. Through this unlikely connection, these teenagers open their eyes to new perspectives amidst the rapidly changing world they live in.

Coming off the heels of her acclaimed Raging Clouds, Lovers of the Empire proves Yudori to be a comic artist at the height of her creative powers. On the surface a sweet and funny will they, won't they romance, this story garners depth from its depiction of Korea at a crossroads: a city occupied by Japan, molded by Western influences, and facing a modernity that stirs inner conflicts within its citizens. Rendered in gorgeous full color, this period piece portrays a fascinating city in a tumultuous time, with two winsome characters at its heart."

If you need proof that graphic novels are truly art, pick up this volume. 

Unprecedented Times by Malavika Kannan
Published by: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Malavika Kannan establishes herself as an inimitable voice of Gen Z in this piercing coming-of-age debut novel.

Which comes first: experience or narrative? Rishi thinks she knows the answer as she arrives on campus for her first year at Stanford. A burnt-out youth climate activist, she used to want to save the world, but now she just wants to have gay sex. Her plan is set - she's going to leave behind the strict trappings of her Indian American childhood in Florida, study literature, experiment with love, and write all about it. Within a few months, she makes her first best friend, falls in love with her situationship, and promptly gets her heart broken.

What is not a part of Rishi's plan is the onset of the COVID pandemic. As the outside world becomes a terrifying place, she increasingly finds solace in the friendships she's made. Instead of virtual college, however, Rishi and her classmates join a farm collective, where their political discussions and growing disillusionment collide with sexual tension and responsibility. It's only when those relationships start fracturing under the stress of careless decisions, unrequited crushes, jealousies, and, yes, unprecedented times, that Rishi begins to question her own story.

Unprecedented Times captures the beauty, humor, pain, and straight-up chaos that exist in relationships between best friends and lovers, mothers and daughters, and between storytellers and themselves. Malavika Kannan's fresh, arresting novel is a testament to the power of self-narrative for Gen Z American women: of writing oneself into existence where no previous script exists."

Embrace the chaos of being.

The Crying Killer by Jess Lourey
Published by: Thomas and Mercer
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 317 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A woman's secret. A small town with a dark past. A serial killer bent on revenge. Lies kill in a shocking true crime-inspired thriller by the Edgar-nominated author of The Quarry Girls.

Tuesday Hendrickson has spent eight years running from memories of that night. Her sister's screams. Blood on the walls. And Arsen Bauer, a monster known as the Crying Killer, shot down in a barrage of bullets as he fled. Case closed.

Intending to build a safe new identity out of the ashes, Tuesday changed her last name and moved away. She's now a private investigator who guards herself and her daughter, Julia, like their lives depend on it. And maybe they do. Because unless she's imagining things, Tuesday has seen Arsen on the streets of Saint Paul. She'd know her sister's killer anywhere.

When bodies begin surfacing bearing the Crying Killer's brutal and unmistakable signature, Tuesday is certain he's coming for them. Except no one believes that but her. As her paranoia intensifies, she is left with a terrible choice: unearth the shocking secret she buried with her sister, or become the Crying Killer's next victim."

If you're trying to protect yourself perhaps change your distinctive first name? 

Murder on Charity Lane by Jo Nichols
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Months after the shocking murders at Marigold Cottages, eccentric landlady Mrs. B finds the peace and quiet a little too peaceful. That's why she invites her young friend CJ Moore to move into a now-vacant cottage: CJ is a suspect in the death of her employer, a wealthy Santa Barbara philanthropist who tumbled down the stairs of his mansion during a dinner party. The dead man's much-younger widow claims she saw CJ push him, but Mrs. B is certain that she's innocent. Why? Oh, just a feeling.

That's enough for her to summon the Marigold Cottages Murder Collective. Lily-Ann will marshal the facts, Hamilton will dig around online, Sophie and Nicholas will offer eyewitness testimony, and everyone will hope that Ocean keeps Mrs. B out of trouble.

Just as the tenants begin to suspect that Elsa is in fact the perpetrator, there's a second murder. A bloodier one. And with their tight-knit community in the crosshairs, they must prove her innocence - or accept her guilt."

Yeah, it wouldn't look good to be harboring a killer...

Maisy Bell is Missing by Kirsty Manning
Published by: Vintage
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Intrepid reporter Charlotte "Charlie" James investigates the mysterious disappearance of a well-connected American tourist, unaware of the trouble that awaits her...

At a glitzy gala in the ballroom of the Ritz Hotel in pre-War Paris, young American tourist Maisy Bell meets an intriguing man and accepts his charming offer to take her on a day-trip. But when Maisy doesn't return to the Ritz the following day, alarm bells ring and Maisy's aunt Clementine files a missing persons report. The Paris police laugh the request away. Plenty of tourists 'disappear,' having lost themselves in foolish flings. After all, summer in Paris is the perfect time for pour un beau couple d'amoreux. Weeks pass with no sign of Maisy. Then Clemetine Bell starts to receive telegrams and ransom notes...

Enter investigative reporter Charlotte 'Charlie' James. As a young Australian journalist who moved to Paris to reinvent her life, Charlie James feels a kinship with this missing American graduate on the cusp of a dazzling career and adventure. As she follows Maisy Bell's designer footsteps around Paris, Charlie is plunged headlong into the heady world of diamonds, haute couture, opera, bohemian wine bars and soirees in grand country chateaux, before being pulled headlong into the sordid underworld.

Readers will adore this next adventure with Charlie James: glamourous, fearless and taking on the world, glass of champagne in hand."

Because the sordid underworld is always there, keeping pace with the wealthy. 

For Services Rendered by Will Thomas
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In London, 1896, private enquiry agent Cyrus Barker's world is upturned when his longtime nemesis, Sebastian Nightwine, previously believed dead, turns up with evil on his mind, launching devastating and secretive attacks against not just Barker, but his network of friends and close associates.

In 1896, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, would be reformer and revolutionary, turns up in London, running away from China's Imperial Qing Secret Service, who has placed a substantial bounty on his head for his political activities. Captured by those agents, he's imprisoned in the Chinese Embassy until he can be smuggled back to China to face execution.

In the meantime, private enquiry agents Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn receive the unbelievable news that Sebastian Nightwine is both alive and in London. Not just that, it seems he's taking action against Barker and his close associates. At the same time, they've been hired to find this missing Sun Yat-Sen. With elements of the Chinese secret service, elements of the British government, and Nightwine himself all working against them, Barker and Llewelyn are at risk of being cornered by the deadliest set enemies they've yet faced."

Never good when you have three sets of people after you.

A Shroud of Snow by Sarah Hawkswood
Published by: Allison and Busby
Publication Date: August 18th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"December, 1145.

Hamelin Isenmongere, trader in iron and charcoal from Gloucester, is considered by many to be the most popular man in Worcester.

Why then is he found on the quayside near his warehouse with his head beaten in?

As the winter bites, Undersheriff Hugh Bradecote, Serjeant Catchpoll and Walkelin begin the hunt for a killer.

However, matters are complicated when evidence leads them to Worcester Castle itself and the hunt for a spy in the midst of complicated political crosscurrents.

Bradecote, Catchpoll and Walkelin must uncover whether the murder was an act of betrayal from close to home, or one that casts a shadow over the fight for England's crown."

Hints of Cadfael with a little Lovejoy. I approve.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Chuck Wendig, Deborah Harkness, Del Sandeen, J. Penner, Jamie Pacton, Jess Lourey, Jo Nichols, Kimberly Lemming, Kirsty Manning, Lauren Blackwood, Malavika Kannan, Natasha Pulley, S. Jae-Jones, Sarah Hawkswood, Will Thomas, Yudori

A Fashionably French Murder by Colleen Cambridge
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"American expat Tabitha Knight has found a new life in postwar Paris, along with a delightful friend in aspiring chef Julia Child. Yet there are perils in peacetime too, as a killer infiltrates one of the city's most famous fashion houses.

If there's one art the French have mastered as well as fine cuisine, it's haute couture. Tabitha and Julia are already accustomed to sampling the delights of the former. Now fashion is returning to the forefront in Paris, as the somber hues of wartime are replaced by vibrant colors and ultra-feminine silhouettes, influenced by Christian Dior's "New Look."

Tabitha and Julia join a friend for a private showing at an exclusive fashion atelier, Maison Lannet. The event goes well, but when Tabitha returns later that evening to search for a lost glove, she finds the lights still on - and the couturier dead, strangled by a length of lace. The shop manager suspects that a jealous rival - perhaps Dior himself - committed the crime. Tabitha dismisses that idea, but when another body is found, it's apparent that someone is targeting employees of Maison Lannet.

Meanwhile, Tabitha's Grand-père and Oncle Rafe are in the midst of their own design-related fracas, as they squabble over how to decorate their new restaurant. And there are strange break-ins at a nearby shoe store - but are the crimes related? It's up to Tabitha to don her investigative hat and find answers before someone commits another fatal fashion faux pas."

You can always be confident that the inside of one of Colleen's books is top notch, but this series also looks smashing on your bookshelves. Seriously, I love the design.

The Seaside Murders by Helena Dixon
Published by: Bookouture
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Kindle, 258 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A pretty seaside town, a body on the beach, and a boatload of clues. Can super-sleuth Miss Jane Treen solve the mystery?

England, 1941. When Jane Treen is summoned to her boss's office at the end of a long day, she smooths down her tweed skirt and makes them both another strong pot of coffee. Brigadier Remmington-Blythe slides a folded copy of the evening newspaper towards her, with one small article circled in red ink. A body has been found on an English beach in the little seaside town where she grew up, and he wants her to investigate.

Jane is used to managing secret agents and spies, but she is now part of The Secret Detective Agency, England's answer to solving the most mysterious murders. Making her way to the coast and brimming with curiosity, she's heartened that shy and handsome codebreaking genius Arthur Cilento will be joining her to help her wade through the fishy goings-on. Although Jane doubts he will appreciate her bringing her beloved one-eyed cat, Marmaduke...

Together, Jane and Arthur drop anchor in her crumbling childhood home overlooking the sandy beach where the body was found. Surrounded by potential suspects, their eyes are on a devious doctor, an eccentric artist and a secret sweetheart. But as Jane and Arthur are searching for the truth, those giving evidence start to clam up. One thing seems sure: they need to reel in the killer before they're out of their depth...

Can The Secret Detective Agency triumph again, or will they meet their watery end at high tide?

If you love twisty crime novels, top-secret intrigue and the very best of Golden Age mysteries, then you will adore Helena Dixon's totally gripping cozy novel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Verity Bright!"

I mean, we have to admit that the reason she's bringing her cat along is because the cat is solving the crimes.

How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Kristen Perrin is back with the second novel in her Castle Knoll series. Annie Adams is caught in a new web of murder that spans decades, returning us to the idyllic English village that holds layers of secrets.

Present day: Annie Adams is just settling into life in Castle Knoll when local fortune teller Peony Lane crosses her path and shares a cryptic message. When Peony Lane is found dead only hours later inside the locked Gravesdown Estate, Annie quickly realizes that someone is out to make her look guilty while silencing Peony at the same time. Annie has no choice but to delve into the dark secrets of Castle Knoll in order to find out just what Peony Lane was trying to warn her about, before the new life she's just begun to build comes crashing down around her.

1967: A year has passed since her friend Emily disappeared, and teenage Frances Adams finds herself caught between two men. Ford Gravesdown is one of the only remaining members of a family known for its wealth and dubious uses of power. Archie Foyle is a local who can't hold down a job and lives above the village pub. But when Frances teams up with Archie to investigate the car crash that claimed the lives of Ford's family, it quickly becomes clear that this was no accident - hints of cover-ups, lies, and betrayals abound. The question is, just how far does the blackness creep through the heart of Castle Knoll? When Frances uncovers secrets kept by both Ford and Archie, she starts to wonder: What exactly has she gotten herself into?"

Whenever there's a character named Ford I have to wonder if they're an alien.

A Death on Corfu by Emily Sullivan
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Living in Greece at the turn of the twentieth century, widow Minnie Harper struggles to find her place in a swiftly changing world. But when a local woman is murdered, her resolve is put to the test in a race to shed light on the truth...

The first in a new series for readers of Tasha Alexander, Deanna Raybourn, Anna Lee Huber, and Rhys Bowen.

Minnie Harper isn't used to putting herself first. Not after she moved away from England only to be left raising two children alone on the Greek Island of Corfu following her husband's unexpected death. But with her daughter begging to be sent to school abroad and her son grasping at his own independence, Minnie realizes she must prepare for the next stage of her life.

When famous mystery author Stephen Dorian settles into a neighboring villa to escape writer's block and hidden scandals, she is intrigued at first by the handsome Londoner - until he proves to be nothing more than a boorish grump. Determined to avoid the man as much as possible, Minnie is shocked when he offers her a well-paid job as his typist. She isn't in a position to turn down work, even from a man she has sworn to hate.

But before Minnie can fully regret her decision to take the job, she makes a horrifying discovery that changes everything. A young maid has been murdered, and local authorities aren't moving fast enough to bring justice to the terrible crime. Unwilling to allow the death to fade into obscurity like the stories of so many other women deemed unworthy by society, Minnie launches an investigation of her own - and reluctantly accepts Stephen's help. As she embarks on a dangerous search for answers that reveals another side of Corfu, unsettling questions take shape about her employer-turned-confidant and the culprit who just might do whatever it takes to strike again..."

It's The Durrells but without the insufferable Durrells! Although if the Durrells showed up eventually and were murdered, I wouldn't object. 

The Mystery of the Crooked Man by Tom Spencer
Published by: Pushkin Vertigo
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Fraudulent cozy mystery expert Agatha Dorn is cancelled - and severely ticked off! - in this quirky homage to Golden Age detectives, lost manuscripts, and famous authors

Meet Agatha Dorn, cantankerous archivist, grammar pedant, gin afficionado and murder mystery addict. When she discovers a lost manuscript by Gladden Green, the Empress of Golden Age detective fiction, Agatha's life takes an unexpected twist. She becomes an overnight sensation, basking in the limelight of literary stardom.

But Agatha's newfound fame takes a nosedive when the 'rediscovered' novel is exposed as a hoax. And when her ex-lover turns up dead, with a scrap of the manuscript by her side, Agatha suspects foul play.

Cancelled, ostracised and severely ticked off, Agatha turns detective to uncover the sinister truth that connects the murder and the fraudulent manuscript. But can she stay sober long enough to catch the murderer, or will Agatha become a whodunit herself?

Don't miss this distinctive, delightfully quirky, English cozy murder mystery featuring an unforgettably spiky protagonist - perfect for fans of The Twyford Code, Magpie Murders, and Yellowface."

I mean, we do have an unreliable narrator... Who's to say she didn't write the 'rediscovered' manuscript herself? You'll have to read to find out!

The Cornish Castle Murder by Fiona Leitch
Published by: One More Chapter
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Kindle, 301 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The time has finally come for former Met police officer Jodie 'Nosey' Parker to wed her fiancé DCI Nathan Withers. But their long-anticipated wedding doesn't quite go to plan...

As their guests descend on a luxurious Cornish castle for a weekend of pre-wedding activities, the happy couple look forward to spending time with friends and family. But celebrations grind to a halt when an arrow flies off-course during the archery session, and they find the body of a young woman floating face down in an ornamental pond.

With the champagne chilling and canapes assembled, and an old London adversary brought in to investigate, it's up to Jodie and Nathan to uncover the killer, before they strike again.

Could the murderer be on the guest list?"

Of course the murderer is on the guest list! Now which guest is it!?!

Off the Beaten Path by Eloise Corvo
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Kindle, 230 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Stone's Throw State Park Ranger Maudy Lorso spends her days playing cards and sipping drinks with her millennial gal pals, hiking steep sand dunes with her scruffy dog, Martin Short, and trying to ignore the pain of a recent, devastating breakup. After building a quiet life in the Lake Michigan coastal village of Stone's Throw, Maudy's emotional safety net is turned inside out when her boss informs her of looming budget cuts that threaten to permanently close the park - and eliminate her job. Determined to prove the park's value, Maudy throws herself into organizing a successful campground opening weekend, just one week away. But when the body of a missing tourist is discovered in the park, her hope of saving Stone's Throw State Park quickly begins to fade. In order to save her dream job and maintain her quirky, quiet life, Maudy jumps in to solve the murder of the dead man."

I mean, I'd want to preserve this job too if it were mine, it seems she doesn't do much...

Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this debut thriller perfect for fans of Bunny and Yellowface, a young woman steps into her deceased twin's influencer life, only to discover dark secrets hidden behind her social media façade.

Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse.

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #EMOTIONAL). When Julie discovers Chloe's lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she's always envied.

Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe's luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe's seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but.

Haunted by Chloe's untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe's exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister's demise and realizes she might be the next target."

I mean, sure, being a popular influencer might be exciting, but then again, why is she dead!?! Those are questions you should ask BEFORE impersonating said influencer. 

The Murder Machine by Heather Graham
Published by: Mira Books
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Artificial intelligence meets genuine murderous intent.

This state-of-the-art smart home has everything: a next-generation entertainment system, an ultramodern kitchen where every appliance is online and even a personal AI to control it all. Standing above its owner's lifeless body, FBI agent Jude Mackenzie is faced with the daunting task of discovering how the woman was killed by her own home. How do you catch a murderer that doesn't leave any fingerprints?

Enter Special Agent Victoria Tennant, whose familiarity with cybercrime reveals the stark truth: a machine can only do what it's been directed to. As the number of grisly "accidents" begins to rise, the pair must race to uncover the perpetrator even as they find themselves caught in their digital crosshairs! There's nowhere to hide when danger may be as close as the very phones in their pockets."

Not so much rise of the machines as programmers revolt.

25 Alive by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Published by: Little Brown and Company
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Sergeant Lindsay Boxer, medical examiner Claire Washburn, Assistant District Attorney Yuki Castellano, and crime reporter Cindy Thomas investigate the shocking murder of a former SFPD chief in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.

SFPD homicide detective Lindsay Boxer knows her way around a crime scene.

But nothing can prepare her for the shock of recognition: the victim is Warren Jacobi, Lindsay's onetime partner who rose to chief of police.

A top investigator until the end, Jacobi managed to leave Lindsay a clue.

Following a trail of evidence along the west coast, the Women's Murder Club pledges to avenge Jacobi's death before the killer can take another one of their own."

Anyone else really want to make a Johnny 5 joke?

Serial Killer Games by Kate Posey
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"What would you do if you thought your coworker was getting away with murder - literally?

Dolores dela Cruz has been dying to spot one in the wild, and he fits the mold perfectly: strangler gloves, calculated charm, dashing good looks that give a leg up in any field...including fields of unmarked graves.

The new office temp is definitely a serial killer.

Jake Ripper finds a welcome distraction in his combative and enigmatic new coworker. He hasn't come across anyone as interesting as Dolores in a long time. But when mere curiosity evolves into a darkly romantic flirtation, Jake can't help but wonder if, finally, he's found someone who really sees him, skeletons in the closet and all.

Until Dolores asks Jake's help to dispose of a body...

A morbidly funny and emotionally resonant novel about the ways life - and love - can sneak up on us (no matter how much pepper spray we carry)."

The main mystery I want solved is why anyone would name their kid Jake if their last name was Ripper. I mean, it's not Jack, but it's damn close.

The Hidden Dead by Tracy Whitwell
Published by: Pan
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Hidden Dead is the fourth book in a hilarious series featuring Tanz, the accidental medium who, with the help of the dead, has become an unwilling crime-solver. When the dead call, she listens...

On a night out in a London bar, our accidental medium Tanz meets Einar, a charismatic and sexy Viking travelling for business. He offers Tanz an irresistible proposition: return to Iceland with him for an all-expenses-paid writing retreat and some no-strings-attached fun.

Promised a mix of work, play and maybe a bit of romance, Tanz follows her heart (and the voices in her head) off to Iceland on a whim; but when she arrives, she quickly realises that Einar and his charm might not be all they're cracked up to be.

Heartbroken, abandoned and left to the mercy of the long, haunting nights, Tanz finds herself surrounded not just by the rugged beauty of a land steeped in legend but also the mysteries that lurk in its shadows. With only the dead for guidance, Tanz is thrust back into the heart of a chilling cold case, where the echoes of the forgotten and the allure of old magic compel her to listen, to understand and to act..."

And in Iceland the cold cases are really cold!

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The fourth installment of Luke Arnold's Fetch Phillips series, Whisper in the Wind, takes readers to a very different Sunder City. One where government corruption is rampant and tensions are rising.

Fetch is done being a hero. Once a detective, all he wants now is to run his cafe in peace. Sunder City is still recovering from the sudden and violent end of magic, and if one man can't solve all its problems, he can at least stop some people going hungry. But when a kid on the run shelters in Fetch's cafe, and a chain of gruesome murders begins among Sunder's high and mighty, trouble is brought to Fetch's door.

There's a word whispered on the wind, and that word is revolution..."

I wish the wind would whisper revolution more often...

Love at Second Sight by F.T. Lukens
Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When a teen has an unexpected vision about a future murder, he must juggle newfound interest from the supernatural community with trying to prevent the murder from happening in this "riveting" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) new romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author F.T. Lukens.

Fifteen-year-old Cam Reynolds wants to spend his sophomore year flying under the radar. That shouldn't be too hard, considering he's a human going to school with kids who have paranormal powers, like his best friend and witch, Al, and his longtime werewolf crush, Mateo.

Then Cam has a psychic glimpse of the future in front of most of the student body, seeing a gruesomely murdered teen girl from the point of view of the killer. When Cam comes to, he knows two things: someone he goes to school with is a future murderer, and his life is about to change. No longer a mere human but a clairvoyant, one of the rarest of supernatural beings, Cam finds himself at the center of attention for the first time.

As the most powerful supernatural factions in the city court Cam and his gift, he'll have to work with his friends, both old and new, to figure out who he can trust and who might be a werewolf in sheep's clothing. Because the clock is ticking, and Cam and his friends must identify the girl in the vision, find her potential killer, and prevent the murder from happening. Or the next murder Cam sees might be his own."

I'm just saying, Cam should have expected to have some supernatural power what with going to a school full of supes. I really don't think many regular humans go there...

Barbarian's Hope by Ruby Dixon
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The next novel in the Ice Planet Barbarians series, an international publishing phenomenon - now in a special print edition with bonus material!

Asha and Hemalo's relationship has never been easy, for there is just as much hurt between them as there is love. Will they find their way back to each other, or will they let tragedy keep them separated for good?

Seasons ago, I resonated to the quietest of tribesmates, a male content to love me from afar while I was the center of attention. We could have been happy. Despite our differences, I loved him and he loved me.

But then a terrible thing happened...and my world was never the same again.

Now resonance is giving us a second chance, but...I'm afraid. What if our bond is too broken to be fixed? What if there's no hope left for us at all?"

You KNOW you've been longing for the new Ice Planet Barbarians book!

The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Lindz McLeod
Published by: Carina Adores
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Jane Austen meets Bridgerton in this sapphic romance between Charlotte Lucas and Mary Bennet that begins four years after the end of Pride and Prejudice.

When Mr. Collins dies after just four years of marriage, Charlotte is lost. While not exactly heartbroken, she will soon have to quit the parsonage that has become her home. In desperate need of support, she writes to her best friend, Lizzie. Unable to leave Pemberley, Lizzie sends her sister Mary Bennet in her stead.

To Charlotte's surprise, Mary Bennet is nothing like she remembers. Mary's discovery of academia and her interest in botany (as well as getting out from under her mother's thumb) have caused her to flourish. Before long, Charlotte is enraptured, and with each stolen glance and whispered secret, their friendship quickly blossoms into something achingly real.

But when her time at the parsonage begins to dwindle and a potential suitor appears, Charlotte must make a choice - the safety and security of another husband, or a passionate life with Mary outside the confines of the ton's expectations."

Like Bridgerton because of the Regency or because of the sapphic?

Saint Catherine by Anna Meyer
Published by: 23rd St.
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A relatable adult graphic novel about a woman who skips Sunday mass for the first time in her life only to discover she's possibly being possessed by a demon.

In her 20-something years of existence, Catherine never skipped mass once. As a recovering Irish American Catholic, she has mostly traded the world of communion and confessionals for the "city-girl" struggle of work-life balance, family, and her relationships. The only thing she has not been able to shake is her fear that something bad will happen if she misses Sunday mass.

But her fears become a reality when she skips mass for the first time and discovers she is now being possessed by a demon claiming to be the prince of hell. As she takes matters into her own hands and attempts to exorcise these demons (both the paranormal and emotional kind), Catherine must face her buried guilt and what it truly means to be good.

A cathartic and engaging view into the messy life of an urban women in her early twenties, Anna Meyer's Saint Catherine is truly a story of letting go of guilt and taking responsibility for your desires, hopes, and mistakes."

There's nothing Irish American Catholics do better than guilt. I should know.

Night Swimming by Aaron Starmer
Published by: Penguin Workshop
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the author of Spontaneous comes a '90s mixtape of a young adult novel that delivers a summer romance with an unearthly twist. Perfect for fans of The Gravity of Us.

One final swim of the summer. Let’s make it last all night...

Summer, 1994. Trevor can barely wrap his mind around the fact that he and his friends have graduated high school. And yet there's no rush to get to college. He's determined to live one night at a time. Riding shotgun from party to party, windows down, music up, his focus is entirely on his crush, the enigmatic girl in the driver's seat. Will things ever go anywhere with Sarah?

Maybe? Because Sarah has proposed a mission: They're going to swim all the pools in town. Before long, they’re sneaking into backyards every night, splashing, floating, and loving every minute of it. But it's still not enough for Trevor. He yearns for Sarah, despite her college boyfriend, despite her "not yet"s, despite the way she keeps pulling away the moment it starts to feel truly magical.

Things finally change when they learn about a natural pool hidden deep in the woods. It seems like just another spot to check off their summer bucket list. But once they get there, they realize that this place has a curious hold on them, and something very strange is happening..."

Ever since I watched The Resort I totally don't trust natural pools hidden deep in anywhere.

The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner
Published by: Park Row
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Powerful witchcraft. A hunt for sunken treasure. Forbidden love on the high seas. Beware the Amalfi Curse...

Haven Ambrose, a trailblazing nautical archaeologist, has come to the sun-soaked village of Positano to investigate the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast. But Haven is hoping to find more than old artifacts beneath the azure waters; she is secretly on a quest to locate a trove of priceless gemstones her late father spotted on his final dive. Upon Haven's arrival, strange maelstroms and misfortunes start plaguing the town. Is it nature or something more sinister at work?

As Haven searches for her father's sunken treasure, she begins to unearth a centuries-old tale of ancient sorcery and one woman's quest to save her lover and her village by using the legendary art of stregheria, a magical ability to harness the ocean. Could this magic be behind Positano's latest calamities? Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before the region is destroyed forever...

Against the dazzling backdrop of the Amalfi Coast, this bewitching novel shimmers with mystery, romance and the untamed magic of the sea."

Maybe the witches want the jewels for themselves.....

One Way Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Set in the universe Africanfuturist luminary Nnedi Okorafor first introduced in the World Fantasy Award-winning Who Fears Death, One Way Witch is the second in the She Who Knows trilogy.

The world has forgotten Onyesonwu.

As a teen, Najeeba learned to become the beast of wind, fire and dust: the kponyungo. When that took too much from her, including the life of her father, she let it all go, and for a time, she was happy - until only a few years later, when the small, normal life she'd built was violently destroyed.

Now in her forties and years beyond the death of her second husband, Najeeba has just lost her beloved daughter. Onyesonwu saved the world. Najeeba knows this well, but the world does not. This is how the juju her daughter evoked works. One other person who remembers is Onyesonwu's teacher Aro, a harsh and hard-headed sorcerer. Najeeba has decided to ask him to teach her the Mystic Points, the powerful heart of sorcery. There is something awful Najeeba needs to kill and the Mystic Points are the only way. Najeeba is truly her daughter's mother.

When Aro agrees to help, Najeeba is at last ready to forge her future. But first, she must confront her past  - for certain memories cannot lie in unmarked graves."

This series seriously has cover art to die for.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
Published by: Mira Books
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this explosive horror novel, a woman is haunted by inner trauma, hungry ghosts, and a serial killer as she confronts the brutal violence experienced by East Asians during the pandemic.

Cora Zeng is a crime scene cleaner, washing away the remains of brutal murders and suicides in Chinatown. But none of that seems so terrible when she's already witnessed the most horrific thing possible: her sister, Delilah, being pushed in front of a train.

Before fleeing the scene, the murderer shouted two words: bat eater.

So the bloody messes don't really bother Cora - she's more bothered by the germs on the subway railing, the bare hands of a stranger, the hidden viruses in every corner, and the bite marks on her coffee table. Of course, ever since Delilah was killed in front of her, Cora can't be sure what's real and what's in her head.

She pushes away all feelings and ignores the advice of her aunt to prepare for the Hungry Ghost Festival, when the gates of hell open. But she can't ignore the dread in her stomach as she keeps finding bat carcasses at crime scenes, or the scary fact that all her recent cleanups have been the bodies of East Asian women.

As Cora will soon learn, you can't just ignore hungry ghosts.

For fans of Stephen Graham Jones and Gretchen Felker-Martin, Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is a wildly original, darkly humorous, and subversive contemporary novel from a striking new voice in horror."

Again, a new take on pandemic fiction that is worth the horrors.

The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A group of friends investigates the mystery of a strange staircase in the woods in this mesmerizing horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Accidents.

Five high school friends are bonded by an oath to protect one another no matter what.

Then, on a camping trip in the middle of the forest, they find something extraordinary: a mysterious staircase to nowhere.

One friend walks up - and never comes back down. Then the staircase disappears.

Twenty years later, the staircase has reappeared. Now the group returns to find the lost boy - and what lies beyond the staircase in the woods...."

Did they have someone watching the woods for twenty years so they'd know when the stairs reappeared!?! 

Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones
Published by: Tor Nightfire
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 112 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Stephen Graham Jones, the New York Times bestselling author of The Only Good Indians, brings readers on a spine-tingling journey through a young boy's haunted home.

Times have been tough for twelve-year-old Junior, his mom, and especially for his younger brother Dino. When his dad makes a surprise visit late one night, Junior is desperate to make him part of their family again. The only problem is Dad drowned eight years ago.

And bringing back the dead always comes at a cost..."

Yes, this is a reissue, but look at that new cover, you know you want!

Murder Ballads by Katy Horan
Published by: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 144 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this unique, illustrated collection, Literary Witches co-creator Katy Horan unearths the true and fictional stories behind twenty traditional murder ballads, exploring the beauty and horror of the art form through stories, lyrics, and original illustrations.

Murder Ballads is a guide to the origins and cultural impact of murder ballads as a music genre, covering its roots in patriarchal violence and white supremacy, as well as its contemporary relationship to true crime.

From "Delia's Gone" to "The Death of Queen Jane," each of twenty carefully chosen ballads is accompanied by one of Horan's beautifully macabre illustrations and a thoroughly researched reflection on the song's history and evolution. At the back of the book, readers can browse a list of essential recordings for each ballad.

Mysterious and alluring as the songs themselves, Murder Ballads will delight history enthusiasts, armchair musicologists, true crime fans (and critics), as well as anyone who appreciates the darker side of folk music."

I really need to do more of a deep dive on murder ballads. 

The Traitor of Sherwood Forest by Amy S. Kaufman
Published by: Penguin Books
Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An immersive, sultry, heart-pounding historical reimagining of the Robin Hood ballads, told through the piercing eyes of one of his spies.

Jane Crowe is an ordinary peasant girl who never dreamed she would work for the infamous Lord of the Greenwood. But when she's forced out of her home, she has no choice but to turn to Robin Hood for help - and he makes her an irresistible offer. He needs a pair of eyes in the King's Houses, and quiet, unassuming Jane - who has spent her whole life going unnoticed - will be the perfect spy.

At first, Jane's work for Robin seems straightforward. She whispers to him about the nobles at King's Houses and all their secrets, including the new Sheriff of Nottingham, who would like nothing more than to see Robin Hood's head on a spike. But the more Jane is drawn into Robin's world, the more she's drawn to Robin himself - a man as charismatic as he is cunning, capable of plucking at her heart as easily as he notches an arrow. As Robin's tricks grow increasingly dangerous, and shockingly violent, Jane starts to suspect that her hero cares more about his own legacy than helping the common people - and that despite his declarations of affection, he sees her as just another object to be stolen.

When Robin's schemes implicate Jane in a brutal murder, she must decide: is she prize to be won, a pawn to be used and discarded - or is she an equal player in the game between nobles and thieves?"

Ever since I first watched Disney's Robin Hood I am here for ALL THING Robin Hood.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Chuck Wendig, Colleen Cambridge, Emily Sullivan, Fiona Leitch, Heather Graham, Helena Dixon, James Patterson, Kristen Perrin, Luke Arnold, Nnedi Okorafor, Ruby Dixon, Sarah Penner, Stephen Graham Jones