Tuesday Tomorrow
Royal Gambit by Daniel O'Malley
Published by: Little Brown and Company
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A delightful and hilarious supernatural adventure featuring a lady-in-waiting who must keep the court safe from murder, from the author of The Rook.
Alexandra Dennis-Palmer-Hudson-Gilmore-Garnsey (call me "Alix"), the twelfth Lady Mondegreen, has never had any control of her life. Her ability to shatter bones with a touch made her the automatic property of the Checquy, the secret British government agency that deals with the supernatural. Her aristocratic ancestry made Alix the perfect asset for the Checquy to deploy close to the royal family. Since childhood, she has been coached to befriend Princess Louise, second in line to the throne, but the two have never been close. Now, Alix is a skilled operative who investigates unexplained phenomena for the security of the nation.
Everything changes when Louise's brother, the Prince of Wales, dies abruptly and all signs point to an assassination by preternatural means. To protect Louise, the new heir apparent, Alix is assigned to be her lady-in-waiting. Thrust into the limelight overnight - both in the everyday world and in the underground world of the Checquy - Alix must juggle her responsibilities and her loyalties as she attempts to unravel the murder, keep Louise safe, and learn how to smile graciously while eerie threats loom around every corner."
I feel spoiled. TWO Checquy books in three years!?! Heaven!
The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multigenerational horror saga from the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.
"Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches": That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva - stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that's why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.
In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay's most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay's manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.
Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved."
Silvia Moreno-Garcia writes Dark Academia!?! YAS!
A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan
Published by: Viking
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"As World War II rages around her, a witch abandoned by her coven must journey to find a book of unspeakable power before it lands in Nazi hands.
Stubborn, plain-spoken and from an unimpressive family, Lydia Polk never expected to be accepted into the Royal Academy of Witches. Now, with Hitler's army rampaging across Europe, the witches of Britain have joined the war effort, and Lydia is key to the cause: she must use her magic to track down magical relics before Hitler and his sycophants can. When a Nazi witch infiltrates the Academy with heart-breaking consequences, the coven is left shaken, exposed and divided. The elder British witches have no interest in further loss of coven life in service of a government that has forced them into hiding for decades, no matter the consequences to the world. But with the discovery of the Grimorium Bellum, an ancient book that leaves a trail of death and destruction wherever it goes, Lydia knows her mission has never been more urgent.
Alone and woefully outnumbered, Lydia makes her way to the heart of occupied France, where she finds allies in Rebecca Gagne - a fierce French resistance fighter chockful of secrets - and Henry Boudreaux - a handsome Haitian-American art historian with a little magic of his own. Together, they traverse the country, stalked by the natural and supernatural alike, in search of the grimoire. But, as Lydia soon discovers, finding the book is only half the battle - the Grimorium Bellum has a dark agenda all its own. Lydia must subdue it before the Witches of the Third Reich can use it - but she'll have to survive the book herself, first."
I usually avoid WWII fare, unless it involves the supernatural and in particular witches. Witches for the win!
Bottling His Ghosts by S.H. Cooper
Published by: Raw Dog Screaming Press
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 132 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"After a tragic accident leaves her widowed, Netta flees home to Daunderhead hoping for the space to process her grief. Instead, she finds her cousin, Thorn, once like a brother to her, swimming at the bottom of every bottle he can find. Her parents, unable to break him from his alcoholic stupor, have grown despondent and resigned to his fate; and her once beautiful childhood home has fallen into the grasp of nefarious ghosts whose goals remain unclear. Refusing to allow another tragedy to befall her family, Netta takes it upon herself to help her cousin and - hopefully - stop the hauntings."
Ghosts do love their drunks...
The House at Devil's Neck by Tom Mead
Published by: Mysterious Press
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"An apparent suicide in a London townhouse uncannily mirrors a similar incident from twenty-five years ago, prompting Scotland Yard's George Flint to delve deep into the past in search of the solution to a long-forgotten mystery.
Meanwhile, Joseph Spector travels with a coach party through the rainy English countryside to visit an allegedly haunted house on a lonely island called Devil's Neck. The house, first built by a notorious alchemist and occultist, was later used as a field hospital in the First World War before falling into disrepair. The visitors hold a seance to conjure the spirit of a long-dead soldier. But when a storm floods the narrow causeway connecting Devil's Neck to the mainland, they find themselves stranded in the haunted house. Before long, the guests begin to die one by one, and it seems that the only possible culprit is the phantom soldier.
Flint's and Spector's investigations are in fact closely linked, but it is only when the duo are reunited at the storm-lashed Devil's Neck that the truth is finally revealed. Tom Mead once again creates a brilliant homage to John Dickson Carr and the Golden Age of mysteries with this intricately plotted puzzle."
A seance and a setup equal to The Woman in Black!?! YAS!
The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline
Published by: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In "a delicious escape that blends suspense, atmosphere, and heart" (Danielle Trussoni), #1 international bestselling author Lisa Scottoline crafts a sweeping Gothic tale in which a young widow, emotionally distraught after the shocking death of her husband, inherits a Tuscan estate from a mysterious benefactor and finds herself thrust into the crosshairs of a dangerous conspiracy. Twisty, transportive, and haunting - this is suspense with a passport.
Lately, Julia Pritzker is beginning to think she's cursed. She's lost her adoptive parents, then her husband is murdered. When she realizes that her horoscope essentially foretold his death, she begins to spiral. She fears her fate is written in the stars, not held in her own hands.
Then a letter arrives out of the blue, informing her that she has inherited a Tuscan villa and vineyard - but her benefactor is a total stranger named Emilia Rossi. Julia has no information about her biological family, so she wonders if Rossi could be a blood relative. Bewildered, she heads to Tuscany for answers.
There, Julia is horrified to discover that Rossi was a paranoid recluse with delusions of grandeur, who believed herself to be a descendent of Duchess Caterina Sforza, a legendary Renaissance ruler. Julia is stunned by her uncanny resemblance to Rossi, and even to Caterina. Then she unearths eerie parallels between them, including an obsession with astrology.
Before long, Julia suspects she's being followed, and strange things begin to happen. Not even a chance meeting with a handsome Florentine can ease her disturbed mind. When events turn deadly, she breaks with reality. Julia's harrowing struggle becomes a search for her identity, a race to save her sanity, and ultimately, a question of her very survival."
Well, once you start believing in astrology and break with reality is sure to follow.
Writers and Liars by Carol Goodman
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In the latest thrilling suspense novel from Mary Higgins Clark Award–winning author Carol Goodman, a group of mystery authors gathers on a secluded Greek island for a writers retreat, only to discover that their enigmatic host has been murdered and everyone present is a suspect.
They'll kill for inspiration...
Fifteen years ago, Maia Gold attended a prestigious - and very exclusive - writers retreat hosted by billionaire Argos Alexander on the Greek island of Eris. It's where she wrote her first book, the one that should have launched a brilliant career. But something dark happened on that island, a betrayal that has hung over Maia ever since.
Now, Maia finds a familiar envelope in the mail. It's an invitation to return to Eris, and according to social media, she's not the only one from that first retreat who's been invited back. This could be the second chance Maia needs to jump-start her dreams. A chance for reconciliation...or revenge.
Almost all of the writers from fifteen years before have returned to Eris, bringing unresolved resentments with them. Soon, the guests learn that their illustrious host is absent, though he has left instructions for them to participate in a contest: whoever can write the most suspenseful mystery while on the island will win a fortune and literary acclaim. But this is no harmless game - when the guests gather in the morning to share their first chapters, they find Argos Alexander, dead.
Tensions simmer as the guests try to determine who's capable of murder, not just on the page, but in real life. On an island full of mystery writers, anyone could be the killer - and anyone could be the next victim. Trapped together until the next boat arrives from the mainland, they must sort out old grievances and figure out how to trust one another...or die one by one."
They're all there for revenge and it's time to die one by one.
The Lake Escape by Jamie Day
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The next riveting summer suspense by the author of The Block Party and One Big Happy Family, Jamie Day.
Will this be the best week of their lives...or the last?
Julia, David, and Erika grew up together spending summers at their idyllic Vermont lake homes for as long as they can remember. Now adults - with their own sullen teens, endless mortgages, and low-voltage sex lives - the three friends have amassed secrets over the years.
This summer, David is eager to show off his newly renovated home - which now blocks his friends' cherished lake views - and his much-younger girlfriend. He also, unwittingly, brings a nanny with a hidden agenda. What could possibly go wrong?
When David's girlfriend mysteriously vanishes after a shouting match, Julia and Erika wonder just how well they know their lifelong friend. The lake harbors a harrowing past: two young women, with no known connection, vanished without a trace thirty years ago. Did the lake take another?
As a search is mounted, an intricate web of lies, deceits, and betrayals spanning generations starts to surface, and everyone finds themselves in danger of becoming the next victim. Of the lake, or something darker."
David deserves to die for his new house.
The Stays Between Us by Sara Ochs
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"For fans of Lucy Foley and Society of Lies comes a crackling study abroad thriller that proves that a trip of a lifetime can have deadly consequences...
Ten years ago
A study abroad program like no other: a month-long trip of education and adventure, exploring everything Australia has to offer. And at first, it's everything best friends Phoebe and Claire, and the rest of the student group expects: sunshine, whirlwind romance, and all-night parties. But it isn't long before cracks begin to form within the group. Ones that lead to Phoebe's disappearance...
Now
It's the call Claire has been waiting for years for. Phoebe's remains have been found. It's time to return, for her and the others to go back to Australia. But as Claire retraces their steps and tries to piece together exactly what happened to her best friend all those years ago, it quickly becomes clear everyone in the group has secrets. Including Claire.
Because only she knows what really happened that fateful day ten years ago. The day she killed her best friend. And she'll do anything she can to keep the others from learning the truth."
Oh yes, murderous students abroad in Australia!
The Goldens by Lauren Wilson
Published by: Flatiron Books: Pine and Cedar
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A delicious, intoxicating debut thriller about a young woman who is swept into a glamorous world of fascinating influencers, glittering parties - and possibly murder.
Chloe has always dreamed of becoming a bestselling writer. Then she meets Clara Holland, a prominent influencer, socialite, and model. Clara is enigmatic, dazzling, gorgeous. And at last, ordinary Chloe has something to write about.
Bonding instantly, Chloe moves into Clara's grand family estate. They spend long afternoons together, writing Clara's memoir, polishing social media posts, and planning sumptuous, decadent parties: fairy lights in the orangery, themed cocktails, sequined backdrops, roaring bonfires. But as Clara opens her home to more girls who want to live like her and inspire one another, the media calls them a cult.
As life becomes more claustrophobic, Chloe begins to hear unsettling rumors about Clara. When a girl goes missing after a spectacular New Year's Eve party, the rumors take on a sinister new meaning. If she can't escape Clara's influence, everything Chloe holds dear may be in danger.
Dark, gut-wrenching, and simmering with danger and atmosphere, The Goldens is about to be your newest obsession."
Totally here for the memoir turned true crime but I'm mostly here for this cover. Damn. Do you see how awesome that type is!?!
Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The #tradwife murder mystery we've all been waiting for. From the bestselling author of The Sicilian Inheritance and the creator of the Under the Influence podcast comes an explosive thriller about two estranged friends, a grisly murder, a sudden disappearance, and the truly shocking revelation that everyone is lying to you about something...
Lizzie and Bex were best friends in college. After graduation, Bex vanished, leaving Lizzie confused and devastated.
Fifteen years later, Bex is now Rebecca Sommers, a "traditional" Instagram influencer with millions of followers who salivate over her perfect life on her ranch with her five children and handsome husband, Gray. Lizzie is a struggling magazine writer, watching reels while her young children demand her attention.
One night out of the blue, Bex calls Lizzie with a career-making proposition - an exclusive interview with her about her multimillion-dollar business venture and an invitation to MomBomb, the high-profile influencing conference.
At the conference, Bex goes missing and Gray is found brutally murdered on their ranch. Lizzie finds herself plunged into the dark side of the cutthroat world of social media that includes jealousy, sordid affairs, swingers, and backstabbing. She must learn who her old friend has become and who she has double-crossed to try to find her, clear her name, and maybe even save her life.
Piazza's master storytelling and razor-sharp insight into the world of social media brings us a pulpy, juicy, and cleverly plotted read that will have you guessing all the way through and leave you gasping for more."
I love that even #tradwife can go murderous.
The Killer on the Road/The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones
Published by: S and S/Saga Press
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 480 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A must-have collector's item for horror fans, comprised of two novels, The Babysitters Lives and The Killer on the Road, from the new master of horror Stephen Graham Jones.
The Babysitter Lives
When high school senior Charlotte agrees to babysit the Wilbanks twins, she plans to put the six-year-olds to bed early and spend a quiet night studying: the SATs are tomorrow, and checking the Native American/Alaskan Native box on all the forms won't help if she chokes on test day. But tomorrow is also Halloween, and the twins are eager to show off their costumes.
Charlotte's last babysitting gig almost ended in tragedy when her young charge sleepwalked unnoticed into the middle of the street, only to be found unharmed by Charlotte's mother. Charlotte vows to be extra careful this time. But the house is filled with mysterious noises and secrets that only the twins understand, echoes of horrors that Charlotte gradually realizes took place in the house eleven years ago. Soon Charlotte has to admit that every babysitter's worse nightmare has come true: they're not alone in the house.
The Killer on the Road
Sixteen-year-old Harper has decided to run away from home after she has another blow-out argument with her mother. However, her two best friends, little sister, and ex-boyfriend all stop her from hitchhiking her way up Route 80 in Wyoming by joining her on an intervention disguised as a road trip. What they don't realize is that Harper has been marked by a very unique serial killer who's been trolling the highway for the past three years, and now the killer is after all of them in this fast-paced and deadly chase novel that will have your heart racing well above the speed limit as the interstate becomes a graveyard."
The summer slasher double feature for those hot July nights.
Mrs Spy by M.J. Robotham
Published by: Aria
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Get ready for a pulse-pounding, laugh-out-loud ride through 1960s London as Maggie Flynn, unexpected MI5 operative and single mum, unravels the intelligence agency's most treacherous secrets.
Maggie Flynn isn't your typical 1960s mum.
She's a spy, an unsuspecting operative for MI5, stalking London's streets in myriad disguises.
Widowed and balancing her clandestine career with raising a Beatles-mad teenage daughter, Maggie finds comfort and purpose in her profession - providing a connection to her late husband, whose own covert past only surfaced after his death.
But Maggie's world spins out of control when a chance encounter with a mysterious Russian agent triggers a chilling revelation: he knew her husband. And what's worse, the agent suspects someone on home soil betrayed him.
As Maggie searches for answers, she'll question everyone - and everything - she thought she could trust. In the murky and perilous world of espionage, can she outsmart those determined to keep her silenced?"
Swinging sixties and spies? Oh yes.
Last Stop Union Station by Sarah James
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Murder, movie stars, and mystery await those who climb aboard this cross-country train, inspired by the real-life history of the Hollywood Victory Caravan.
Hollywood, 1942. Jacqueline Love's acting career is flailing. Suddenly on the wrong side of 40, parts are drying up, directors are calling her "difficult," and Humphrey Bogart has definitely stopped taking her calls. Desperate to cling to stardom, Jackie takes the only gig that will have her: the Hollywood Victory Caravan, a train full of movie stars crossing the country to fundraise for the war effort. Jackie wouldn't call herself patriotic, but with her life's work on the line, she'll do anything.
When a fellow star dies on board, everyone assumes the death was a tragic accident - but Jackie isn't so sure. Stuck in Chicago's Union Station, Jackie enlists the help of Grace, one of the few women in the police force, to investigate. But "difficult" outside of a movie set is dangerous, and when the pair fall into a homegrown Nazi scheme, Jackie must ask herself what's more important: her career, or her country?"
I love the old fashioned elegance of a train station. Union Station in Chicago is a favorite of mine.
Before the Fact by Francis Iles
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Unsettling and gripping, this innovative classic first published in 1932 was the basis for Alfred Hitchcock's film Suspicion, and remains an arresting and unique work of literary artistry. Anthony Berkeley Cox, writing as Francis Iles, flips the traditional mystery model of the crime genre to delve into the psychology, fears, and motives of a suspecting victim. This edition includes an introduction by CWA Diamond Dagger and Edgar(R) Award-winning author Martin Edwards.
"Some women give birth to murderers, some go to bed with them, and some marry them. Lina Aysgarth had lived with her husband for nearly eight years before she realized that she was married to a murderer."
With these opening words, Before the Fact ushers the reader into the dark and experimental world of Francis Iles's crime fiction.
Written in the wake of his ground-breaking murderer's-perspective novel Malice Aforethought, Before the Fact sees the author applying his signature flair for thrilling suspense and human insight. The twisting narrative is told from the viewpoint of a wife as she navigates a life with her disquieting yet charismatic husband - and the mounting peril of his murderous intentions."
I didn't know that Anthony Berkeley Cox wrote the book Suspicion was based on! Damn, he's such an awesome writer I must get this. Immediately.
The Case of the Body on the Orient Express by Kelly Oliver
Published by: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: eBook, 272 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Paris, 1928: Agatha Christie and fellow writer Dorothy L. Sayers board the Orient Express, bound for Constantinople. Christie in particular is looking forward to a break from recent dispiriting events in both her work and private life - the finalisation of her divorce from her philanderous husband Archie, and the miserly reception of her latest book.
But before the duo can settle in to enjoy the luxuries of their first-class journey, their journey is derailed when a fellow guest drops dead during the dinner service. And as the last person to speak to the victim, Dorothy finds herself a prime suspect in his murder.
As the train hurtles East, Sayers' resourceful assistant Eliza and her friend Theo must navigate a maze of suspects. But with each passing mile, the stakes rise, and when another body is discovered, their search to find the killer before they reach their destination becomes increasingly complicated.
Can Eliza and Theo stay one step ahead, crack the mystery and clear Dorothy's name? Or will this be one journey too far for the amateur sleuths?"
Eh, do they really have to clear Dorothy's name?
Bandette Volume Five: The Wedding of B.D. Belgique by Paul Tobin and Collen Coover
Published by: Dark Horse Books
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 120 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The three-time Eisner Award-winning graphic novel series continues with another heist!
A mysterious new villain known only as The Voice must be stopped, but they may be too much for Bandette alone...
The mysterious villain known only as The Voice has long held the reins of criminal power, and now Bandette sets out sights to thwart him...once and for all! With The Voice always seeming one step ahead, Bandette calls friends and enemies alike to her aid! She and her and crew discover that the key to taking down The Voice is to be found on the other side of a marriage altar, so it's time to prepare for...the wedding of B.D. Belgique!
The three-time Eisner Award-winning team of Paul Tobin (Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, The Mammoth) and Colleen Coover (Heart Acres, Banana Sunday) return you to the world of your favorite teenage burglar!"
I didn't know they were continuing with hardcover originals after the comics stopped being digitally released. This is a wonderful surprise.
Roll for Romance by Lenora Woods
Published by: Dell
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Two fledgling tabletop gamers find themselves falling for each other - both in and out of their weekly D and D sessions - in this charming, fantasy-tinged romance.
When Sadie Brooks unexpectedly loses her marketing job, she flees New York City to spend the summer with her best friend in small-town Texas, where joining his Dungeons and Dragons campaign is the perfect distraction while she plans her next steps.
In the game, she becomes Jaylie, a powerful human cleric blessed by the Goddess of Luck. But in real life, Sadie believes her luck has run out - until she meets Noah Walker, the outgoing bartender roped into joining their party as Loren, an adventurous and charismatic lute-strumming elf. Just as Jaylie finds herself succumbing to the bard's charms over the course of their party's travels, Sadie also begins to fall under Noah's spell.
As their relationship progresses in both worlds, Sadie wonders if what they have might last beyond the game. But like his traveling bard character, Noah never stays in one place for long. When a new opportunity arises in New York, Sadie must face the truth about why she lost her job in the first place - and whether she and Noah have found something in Texas worth staying for. Torn between her career dreams in the city and the exciting uncertainty of a new adventure, she will have no choice but to roll the dice."
Walker, Texas Elf Bard!
A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A whimsical and heartwarming novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers - and her life - back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.
Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps Jasmine run an enchanted inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests' shenanigans, tries to keep said talking fox in check, and longs for the future that seems lost to her. But then she finds out about an old spell that could hold the key to restoring her power...
Enter Luke Larsen, handsome and icy magical historian, who arrives on a dark winter evening and just might know how to unlock the spell's secrets. Luke has absolutely no interest in getting involved in the madcap goings-on of the inn and is definitely not about to let a certain bewitching innkeeper past his walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he agrees to help Sera with her spell. Worse, he might actually be thawing.
Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera Swan is about to discover that she doesn't have to do it alone...and that the weird, wonderful family she's made might be the best magic of all."
Here for ANY book with a talking fox.
The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst
Published by: Bramble
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst invites you to her new standalone novel set in the world of The Spellshop! Follow her to The Enchanted Greenhouse, a cozy fantasy nestled on a far-away island brimming with singing flowers, honey cakes, and honeyed love. The hardcover edition features beautiful sprayed edges.
Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.
This should have been the end of her story...Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She's starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes - at least until she's ready to sail home.
But Terlu doesn't want to return home, and as she grows closer with the unwittingly charming gardener, Yarrow, she learns that the magic that sustains the greenhouses is failing - causing the death of everything within them. Terlu knows she must help, even if that means breaking the law again.
This time, though, she isn't alone. Assisted by Yarrow and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island - and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.
Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances - to others and to yourself."
And about sentient plants.
House of Frost and Feathers by Lauren Wiesebron
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 512 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A touch of The Bear and the Nightingale, a bit of Juniper and Thorn, and a sense of wonder and adventure makes up this lyrical debut fantasy of a young woman in search of a home, and a home in search of people to make it feel lived in.
Marisha's time is running out. She's already lost her family to the sleeping plague, and she fears she'll be next. Penniless and desperate for protection, Marisha is forced to accept a job as apprentice to the notorious koldunya, the sorceress Baba Zima.
But Baba Zima is renowned for being both clever and cruel. And most difficult of all is her current apprentice, Olena, who wants nothing to do with Marisha. Despite her fears and Olena's cold demeanor, Marisha finds herself drawn into the magical world of koldunry and delves further into Olena's research - a cure for the sleeping plague.
Accompanying Olena on an increasingly dangerous, seemingly impossible search for a cure, she finds hidden connections between the sleeping plague, her own family's history, and her bizarre, recurring dreams: dreams of a masked ball where the deep sleepers are trapped endlessly dancing - and a monstrous beaked man who haunts her every step..."
I mean, here for the Baba Yaga of it all, but REALLY here for the Labyrinth of it all.
No Stone Unturned by Jenelle Hovde
Published by: Tyndale Fiction
Publication Date: July 15th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"She wants to uncover the past. He wishes to build a future. In this Regency romance set in rolling hills of West Sussex, two opposing wills discover their fate may lie in the common ground.
Miss Bridget Littleton's passion for history and antiquities defies most social conventions, even in her small village nestled in the beautiful English countryside. When a local farmer discovers an elaborate mosaic buried in his field, Bridget dreams of making a name and future for herself by excavating the Roman ruins. Unfortunately, her quest puts her at odds with the ambitious new lord who recently inherited the title and Hawthorn Abbey from his estranged uncle.
Recovering from wounds of both body and spirit, Captain Rafe Hawthorn is intent on restoring his long-neglected ancestral home. His plans to rebuild the abbey's once thriving orchards require a road that will pass straight through Bridget's potential trove of artifacts. He will not - cannot - fail again, even if he is moved by Bridget and her passion.
Yet this impasse might not be their greatest obstacle. A natural disaster and a series of suspicious accidents threaten both their plans, along with the livelihood of the nearby villagers dependent on their success. With their dreams in the balance, Bridget and Rafe must work together to fend off an unexpected enemy that may prove more dangerous than either could have imagined."
I love Georgians obsession with Roman ruins. I can relate.
Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley
Blitz by Daniel O'Malley
The Rook by Daniel O'Malley
If there's two things that get my geeky blood pumping it's London and urban fantasy. I read a lot of books that fall into either one category or the other but rarely both. But last year when the third Checquy book by Daniel O'Malley was released and I was deep into reading the Lockwood and Co. series by Jonathan Stroud I started to think, hang on, these are both urban fantasy with a paranormal bent all set in London, there's something here, I am living my dream. And of course I take any chance I can to read more books of a similar bent once I find something I love and I picked up the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch and the Kate Kane series by Alexis Hall on the recommendation of a friend, and I was like, this isn't just a theme month, this is an epic summer-long journey! This is going to be legendary. I hope you'll join me. Though it is mandatory to sing The Clash on a loop in your head... So get ready for London Calling! And get ready for that song to be stuck in your head for months and months..."London calling to the faraway towns. Now war is declared and battle come down. London calling to the underworld. Come out of the cupboard, you boys and girls...."
The Bequest by Joanna Margaret
Book Madness by Denise Gigante
Drawing Outside the Lines by Susan J. Austin
Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen
Shadow Sister by Lindsay Marcott
The Family Game by Catherine Steadman
Secrets Scarlet edited by Charlotte Llewelyn-Wells
Hate Machine by Stephen Blackmoore
The Future Is Female! edited by Lisa Yaszek
The Magic of Minalima by MinaLima
Side Effects by Tara O'Connor
