Showing posts with label Ilona Andrews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ilona Andrews. Show all posts

Monday, March 30, 2026

Tuesday Tomorrow

The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A teen girl decides to spend her summer helping her eccentric great aunt manage her quaint Vermont inn - only to discover that the fixer-upper is hiding a magical secret - in this cozy and irresistible new young adult fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop.

When sixteen-year-old Calisa arrives at her great-aunt's B and B in rural Vermont for the summer, she's shocked to find a rundown inn rather than the cozy bed-and-breakfast she was expecting. Grumpy and eccentric, Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn... even though she clearly needs the help.

To convince her great-aunt to keep her around, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundskeeper's (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the surer she is that there's something strange about the B and B - and its guests. Something almost... otherworldly.

The inn is keeping a magical secret - but to protect the place she's come to love, Calisa must unravel the truth before it's too late."

I know I can read this book, but can I ACTUALLY check into the inn? I need the escape.

A Widow's Charm by Caitlyn Paxson
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this witty fantasy romance, a widow attempts to resurrect her dead husband by blackmailing her rakish necromancer neighbor - only to find herself falling for him instead.

Lady Hildegarde Croft is accustomed to changes in position. After all, she rose from maidservant to lady of the manor when she married Lord Thorgoode Croft. But when he dies unexpectedly, the plans that would have protected her and the people of Croftholde die along with him. What's a widow to do?

Potential salvation arrives in the form of Lord Elmwood, who is fleeing the consequences of using his forbidden Charm to raise the dead. Now he's injured, destitute, and hiding out at the neighboring estate.

For Hilde, blackmailing Lord Elmwood to resurrect Thorgoode seems like the perfect solution. For Elmwood, beautiful Lady Croft seems like the ideal distraction from his troubles. The problem is, all she wants from him is the horrifying power he knows he can never use again."

I'm sure they can come to some arrangement that doesn't involve necromancy. Also, I think I need to make my book club read this, we kind of have a history with necromancers...

A Spell for Saints and Sinners by Emily Carpenter
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Like a gender-flipped Saltburn set amidst the moss-draped, haunted beauty of Savannah, this intoxicating blend of Southern suspense and modern witchcraft from bestselling author Emily Carpenter casts a spell of class, power, and possession.

In a city where ghosts linger in the moss and money buys salvation, a struggling psychic is drawn into Savannah's glittering elite, as obsession and need curdle the lines between magic and madness, seduction and salvation, pirates and protectors...

In front of an elegantly shabby townhouse on a Savannah side street sits a hand-painted sign: Miss Edie, Psychic. Ingrid White inherited the house and business from her beloved grandmother, a local celebrity in town. But unless Ingrid can find a way to pay for crushing property taxes and mounting repairs, she's going to lose them both.

Ingrid has faith in the homespun witchcraft Edie passed down to her, yet hope and clients are dwindling.... Until Sailor Loeffler's bachelorette party changes everything. Sailor is local royalty - part of the vast "Savannah Sauce" empire, beautiful and wealthy beyond imagining - and Ingrid's reading is so accurate that she becomes the bride-to-be's confidante. To keep that access and all the privileges it brings, Ingrid relies more and more on hexes and dark spells - using the baneful magic Edie always warned her against.

As Ingrid works even riskier spells, she is drawn further into the Loefflers' inner circle and the obstacles in her path melt away. But is it witchcraft or other, more earthbound forces? Ingrid can feel the lines blurring even as her powers seem to grow, until she must confront the truth about just how far some people, including herself, will go to keep the life they've always wanted..."

Powers can curdle. 

Wicked Wicche" The Sea Wicche Chronicles by Seana Kelly
Published by: NYLA
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Kindle, 369 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Arwyn, our favorite artist and Sea Wicche, is trying unsuccessfully to deal with two new descriptors: murderer and mother.

The gallery is open, and the sorcerer is gone. Arwyn and the whole Corey clan should be celebrating. Instead, they're mourning a huge loss and now dealing with the Council of Wicches over a poisoning.

Lessons have begun with Dad. All the things a little faeling should have already learned, Arwyn is now being taught. And just in time, as the queen - cryptically and rather terrifyingly - told Arwyn that she has plans for her.

While trying to juggle all of that, and work on a huge order of glass octopuses, Arwyn is also drawn into another deadly police investigation. Send Arwyn your good thoughts because she really needs a nap."

I love Seana Kelly's books. I love how it's like life and limb but then, glass octopuses! 

The Lighthouse at the End of the World by Philip A. Suggars
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Enter a London like no other in this fast-paced, captivating fantasy novel filled with warring gods, alternate realities and a working class kid caught in the middle of it all, perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab and Genevieve Cogman.

Oyster McLellen has spent his life causing mischief. Running with a small-time gang and fleecing money from tourists in Hyde Park to support his struggling family in the absence of his father, who abandoned them years ago.

When a simple money drop for his boss, Big Mickey, goes wrong, Oyster's future looks bleak. His only chance to redeem himself in the eyes of Mickey is to get the money back, but as he pursues the thieves across South London he suddenly finds himself washed up on a beach, surrounded by broken phones and shattered office furniture.

His new world: Greater London. A city built on the detritus of our own, where leviathans crafted from broken skyscrapers roam the seas, where ink beetles nestle beneath the skin of its residents and where Oyster's father, Lucas, may well have escaped to all those years ago.

But there are bigger things at stake. Oyster's allegiances are torn between the enigmatic Nonesuch, the eccentric escapist Marya Petrovna, and the terrifying Mr Primrose - and he will have to choose who to align himself with quickly. Because plans are afoot: something ancient is brewing, and a choice needs to be made, the consequences of which will determine the fate of Londons, and life, everywhere."

I can hear London Calling!

Storm Over Camelot by Sophie Keetch
Published by: Random House Canada
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 552 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the bestselling author of Morgan Is My Name and Le Fay comes the stunning conclusion to the Morgan le Fay trilogy, a feminist retelling of the story of the formidable and misunderstood villainess of Arthurian legend, Morgan le Fay.

Grieving over a devastating loss, Morgan has retreated to the sanctuary of Belle Garde behind a veil of fairy magic, after swearing vengeance upon King Arthur and Camelot.

Steeped in her rage, she becomes a storm of retribution, battling to avenge her brother's wrongs while trying to undo the tragedy of her lover's death. But with her resurrection skills elusive and Camelot growing in glory and strength, Morgan is failing, and her treasonous reputation puts her freedom at risk.

All appears futile until her efforts bring news of scandal in the Royal Court, and Morgan is once again drawn inside Camelot's golden walls. When an encounter with Arthur's trusted knight, Sir Lancelot, sparks suspicions of Queen Guinevere's adultery, Morgan falls deeper into obsession, the need to punish those who betrayed her driving her further away from her loved ones - and the woman she once wished to be.

As the Age of Camelot darkens, and the forces of love, fate and truth collide, Morgan must choose between her thirst for vengeance and the power to heal what is broken. She must decide who Morgan le Fay truly is, for the sake of her own future and for all time."

Everyone tends to forget that Camelot didn't have the best of endings...

The Governess's Guide to Spells and Managing Misfit Marquesses by Amy Rose Bennett
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Mary Poppins meets My Fair Lady in a feel-good blend of cozy fantasy magic, historical romance, humor, and Victorian era charm, as a recent graduate of the Parasol Academy for Exceptional Nannies and Governesses finds herself at sea on a ship commanded by a captivating Irishman.

For readers of India Holton, Heather Fawcett, Allison Saft, Katherine Arden, Freya Marske, and Olivia Atwater's Regency Faerie Tales series.

Hermina Davenport can hardly believe the audacious exploit she is about to attempt. To protect an orphaned young viscount, the prim and proper governess feels she has no choice but to break the rules of the Parasol Academy Handbook! When the lad's guardian, a ruthlessly ambitious explorer, ensorcelled by the evil Fae Queen, spirits him away on a dangerous North Pole expedition, Mina employs an invisibility spell to snatch him from the ship. But a magical misfire whisks Mina and her charge onto a different vessel, that of a ruggedly handsome Irishman - a strapping prizefighter from Dublin's backstreets - and Mina finds she's at sea in more ways than one...

Phineas O'Connell, Lord Kinsale, can no more explain the arrival of this English Rose than he can adapt to his newly-inherited title - though his disgruntled pet pug clearly has "thoughts" about the fair stowaway. But their enchanted encounter sparks an irresistible offer: Phinn enlists the polished Miss Davenport to transform this misfit marquess into a mannered gentleman ready for his seat in Parliament. No magic required, just enticingly intimate lessons in etiquette and elocution to smooth all his rough edges including a stammer...

But when enemies - both earthly and supernatural, past and present - threaten, a confrontation begins, where Mina's nondescript umbrella is just one of her powerful weapons..."

For those who liked Nautilus but hoped it would go a little cozier and more Bridgerton. 

In My Tudor Era by Kate Bromley
Published by: Avon a
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lily's life is turned upside down when she suddenly finds herself trapped in the body of Catherine Howard, King Henry VIII's doomed fifth wife. Can she make it out of Tudor England with her head and her heart intact? Slip into this raunchy, irreverent time travel romance!

Lily's trip to England with her best friend was meant to be a reset after a stressful year of grad school and disastrous dates. But when a visit to Hampton Court Palace ends with the full Tudor experience, Lily needs a plan to make it back to the 21st century stat.

Everyone is calling her Catherine, and to her dismay, Lily learns that she's caught the eye of the King - none other than Henry VIII. Lily's PhD is in psychology, not history, but even she knows that being married to Henry does not bode well for her life expectancy.

As she navigates her precarious position, Lily can't seem to stay away from Simon Gainsford, the king's champion jouster. A jock with a heart of gold, Simon understands Lily better than any guy she's met, and every dark corridor presents a new opportunity to continue their dangerous, white-hot affair.

Meanwhile, smoldering courtier Francis Dereham (who seems to think they are secretly married?!) won't stay away, and the king's sinfully handsome groom, Thomas Culpeper, is also quite...persistent.

In the Tudor era, rumors can get you killed. Lily is determined to change her fate, but everyone knows how this story ends...right?"

Of all the wives of Henry VIII to jump into Catherine Howard would be my last choice. If you were wondering Anne of Cleves would be my first choice. 

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 480 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The page-turning politics of Game of Thrones meets the worlds-spanning romance of Outlander in this blockbuster new epic fantasy series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author duo Ilona Andrews.

When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy, and naked in a gutter, it doesn't take her long to recognize Kair Toren, a city she knows intimately from the pages of the famously unfinished dark fantasy series she's been obsessively reading and re-reading while waiting years for the final novel.

Her only tools for navigating this gritty world of rival warlords, magic, and mayhem? Her encyclopedic knowledge of the plot, the setting, and the characters' ambitions and fates. But while she quickly discovers she cannot be killed (though many will try!), the same cannot be said for the living, breathing characters she's coming to love - a motley band that includes a former lady's maid, a deadly assassin, various outrageous magical creatures, and a dangerously appealing soldier. Soon, instead of trying to get home, she finds herself enmeshed in the schemes - and attentions - of dueling princes, dukes, and villains, all while trying to save them and the kingdom of Rellas from the way she knows their stories will end: in a cataclysmic war.

For fans of Samantha Shannon, Danielle L. Jensen, Sarah J. Maas, and isekai and portal fantasy, This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me is the beginning of the most epic adventure yet from genre powerhouse author duo Ilona Andrews."

Also for disgruntled fans of Patrick Rothfuss and George R.R. Martin...

The Geomagician by Jennifer Mandula
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When a Victorian fossil hunter discovers a baby pterodactyl, she vows to protect him, with the help of a fellow scholar - her former fiancé - in this enchanting and transporting historical fantasy.

Mary Anning wants to be a geomagician - a paleontologist who uses fossils to wield magic - but since the Geomagical Society of London refuses to admit women, she's stuck selling her discoveries to tourists instead. Then an ancient egg hatches in her hands, revealing a lovable baby pterodactyl that Mary names Ajax, and she knows that this is a scientific find that could make her career - if she's strategic.

But when Mary contacts the Society about her discovery, they demand to take possession of Ajax. Their emissary is none other than Henry Stanton, a distinguished (and infuriatingly handsome) scholar...and the man who once broke Mary's heart. She knows she can't trust her fellow scholars, who want to discredit her and claim Ajax for their own, but Henry insists he believes in the brilliant Mary and only wants to help her obtain the respect she deserves.

Now Mary has a new mystery to solve that's buried deeper than any dinosaur skeleton: She must uncover the secrets behind the Society and the truth about Henry. As her conscience begins to chafe against her ambition, Mary must decide what lengths she's willing to go to finally belong - and what her heart really wants.

Book One of The Geomagician Duology."

Personally I'm choosing the dinosaur over the colleagues any day.

We Are All Monsters Here by Kelley Armstrong
Published by: Subterranean Press
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From cabins in the woods to post-apocalyptic cities, monsters lurk everywhere. Discover the sinister secret of a traveling carnival, spend a holiday with masked mummers, and visit a small town with unusual traditions and a penchant for gargoyles.

We Are All Monsters Here collects nineteen of Kelley Armstrong's eeriest short stories published over the past two decades. Each tale features a cast of colorful - if at times unsettling - characters, including a physics student haunted by their past, an elderly author plotting a murder mystery, a young boy troubled by the screams of dragons, a reluctant preacher challenged by a stranger who can resurrect the dead, and survivors of the apocalypse searching for a safe place to call home.

Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, zombies, and other classic creatures are portrayed in refreshingly unique ways. A master of paranormal mystery, Armstrong subverts reader expectations with clever twists and turns; for while a monster is at the heart of every story, not all have claws or fangs or a thirst for blood - the most terrifying are the seemingly average people driven to monstrous acts."

I'm always here for Kelley and her monsters.

The Fourth Wife by Linda Hamilton
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas meets "Sister Wives" in a deliciously chilling, darkly romantic, historical gothic horror with a feminist slant, as a young Mormon woman is haunted by a malevolent presence in the decrepit Salt Lake City mansion she shares with her new husband and his other wives...

Hazel Russon's life in 1882 Utah territory is defined by three things: the Mormon church, polygamy, and the men who control both. She knows she's supposed to suppress her sinful dreams of a monogamous life with her sweetheart, and her desire for the freedom to play her beloved piano. Every Mormon woman's duty is to live obediently and meekly, devoted to her husband and her calling as a sister wife. Her eternal salvation depends upon it.

Commanded to become the fourth wife of a man she's never met, Hazel is relieved that Jacob Manwaring is attentive and handsome. However, she is shocked to discover that instead of living separately as is custom, all of Jacob's wives and children live in the same house - a large, dilapidated manor that inexplicably fills Hazel with dread.

Despite Jacob's tenderness, Hazel senses dark secrets and resentments among her sister wives. She hears strange music, sees blood oozing from the very walls, and glimpses apparitions that grow more terrifying every day. And as her nightmares worsen, Hazel can't be sure if she has more to fear from the living - including her mysterious husband - or from a sinister presence that seems to animate the house itself...

Drawing on little-known Mormon folklore and the author's own polygamous ancestors, this fascinating, suspense-filled historical novel debut is by turns darkly romantic, spine-tingling, and wholly unforgettable."

Deal with sinister forces before sister wives.

The Lacemaker's Fortune by Andrea Catalano
Published by: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 381 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the 1870s, the fate of an immigrant desperate to escape the factories of New York City collides with the ambitions and passion of two men in an enthralling and darkly sensual novel by the author of The First Witch of Boston.

New York City, 1879. Eileen Maguire is a factory lacemaker limited by her humble circumstances and dreaming of a better life. Lawrence Barnard is the sole heir of one of Manhattan's wealthiest families, but his means keep him confined by the expectations of society. When their paths cross one fateful winter night, Eileen and Lawrence become caught under the spell of the charismatic and enterprising Stanley Jones, who extolls the boundless opportunities awaiting in the West. The millinery shop Eileen dreams of owning with her sister is possible, as is the freedom to make his own choices that Lawrence so craves.

What begins as an idealistic journey westward quickly becomes something unexpected and sinister once the group lands in Leadville, Colorado, a wild silver mining boomtown high in the Rocky Mountains. A love triangle emerges, pitting promises and passion against betrayals and lies. With their starry-eyed intentions gone terribly awry and forbidden desires threatening to undo them, it will take heartbreak and a shocking secret to shake Eileen and Lawrence out of their blinded stupors and remind them that their fortunes are entirely in their own hands. Set against the backdrop of the Gilded Age, this is a dark tale of dangerous, suspenseful seduction."

Once you hit Colorado, it's Deadwood time.

The Dreadfuls by A. Rae Dunlap
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The darkly atmospheric and gruesome tale of Jack the Ripper unfolds against the backdrop of a Victorian London reform school, as a young inmate sets out to find the identity of the elusive serial killer in a riveting new book perfect for fans of The Square of Sevens and Enola Holmes.

London, 1888. Committed to the Whitechapel Hall Reform School for "incurable delinquency," Adelaide "Dell" Morton is a precocious, defiant misfit. She's also a voracious reader of the sordid, sensationally popular Penny dreadful stories. In a stroke of luck, she's found a kindred spirit in her poised roommate, Pippa. Their obsession is only further fueled by the Jack the Ripper murders blazing a trail of terror throughout London's seediest streets... right outside Whitechapel Hall's front door.

Desperate for adventure, they embark on their own investigation - and discover an ally in Noah, son of the local butcher. The trio's budding spywork soon yields shocking results: Why was straightlaced Whitechapel teacher Miss Kaye escaping the school the night of the latest crime? Could Jack the Ripper be a she? Delving into Miss Kaye's background, Dell is both horrified and thrilled to find that within Miss Kaye's past lies a chapter dark enough to rival any Penny dreadful...

Dell's fixation with Miss Kaye reaches dangerous heights while a series of suspicious events leaves Miss Kaye in sole command of Whitechapel Hall. Trapped in their teacher's ever-tightening web of control, the young detectives devise a risky plan to track her. But what ensues may only propel them into secrets, lies, ruthless acts, and betrayals that go back decades - and a confrontation that will irrevocably change the fates of all involved... if they survive."

Ripperologist here in love with this book.

Murder at Big Ben by Michelle Salter
Published by: Boldwood Books Ltd
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 274 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"You won't be able to put down this latest instalment in the Fairbanks and Flynn Mysteries, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Benedict Brown and T. E. Kinsey.

Three women hide in Big Ben, only two come out alive...

2 April 1911 is census night, when suffragettes hide overnight in parliament to force census takers to record it as their address - the only way women can have a place in government.

Coral Fairbanks, suffragette, actress, and artist's muse, is among the women who break into parliament. What she doesn't know is that Guy Flynn, artist and Scotland Yard detective, has been ordered to guard it that night.

When a suffragette hiding in Big Ben is poisoned, suspicion falls on the residents of two grand houses in Mayfair. The Kesbys are avant-garde artists, the Ashcourts are aristocrats fallen on hard times.

Once again, Fairbanks and Flynn put aside their differences to investigate an astonishing case of deception and murder.

A new historical mystery set in Edwardian London featuring the iconic detective duo Fairbanks and Flynn."

I try to overlook the use of suffragette for suffragist, but sometimes I just can't.

Vengeance in Venice by Erica Ruth Neubauer
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"At long last, Jane and Redvers have arrived in Venice, the famed city of love, for their honeymoon. But behind a mask at a costume ball on the Grand Canal hides the gaze of a heartless killer...

Venice, 1927: As romantic as it is mysterious, the Floating City is a dream destination for the newlyweds, but they'll soon discover the twisting canals hide more mystery than they expected. It begins when they are invited to an elaborate party at Clara Morton's stunning palazzo on the Grand Canal. The affair is as eccentric as the hostess, who is dressed as Medusa, and features everything from snakes to her pet cheetah to tarot card readings.

The fete also features a fresh corpse - Clara's ex-husband, found dead in the garden with marks around his neck. The hostess accuses the tarot card reader, who happens to be an acquaintance of Jane, claiming the woman foretold the death of someone close to her. Jane and Redvers come to the young woman's aid as they learn she was far from the only partygoer with a motive. As the couple follows a labyrinthine trail of scandalous affairs, brazen blackmail, and people who are not who they say they are, they hope that Venice will disclose her secrets before they both end up in over their heads..."

There is nowhere that works so well for mysteries as Venice. NOWHERE!

Sorry for Your Loss by Georgia McVeigh
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The story of two people, both as magnetic as they are dangerous, who get caught in an electric game of cat and mouse.

The question is, Who is the predator and who is the prey?

Meet Iris: a dark soul with a propensity for obsession, still reeling from a recent loss, who relies on a local grief group to keep her grounded and out of trouble. And now meet Jack: a cagey widower who shows up at a meeting one night and jolts both of them back to life.

From the moment Jack first takes a shabby plastic chair in the circle, he is positively dashing. And Iris can't help but feel that fate has brought them together.

But their chance encounter sends them racing through a series of hairpin twists where nothing is as it seems and no one plays by the rules. As Iris is drawn deeper into Jack's world, she begins to realize that her own deceptions may be no match - or maybe they're the perfect match? - for all the dirty secrets Jack has been hiding.

Edgy, intricately plotted, and totally chilling, Sorry for Your Loss is a blistering psychological thriller for fans of Ashley Elston, Ana Reyes, and Ashley Audrain."

Never get involved with anyone you meet in any kind of support group. That's a hard and fast rule.

No Good Deed by Katherine Kovacic
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Rena and Tom have been planning this trip for years: just the two of them, retired, setting out into remote bush country to enjoy nature's dramatic beauty - and each other's company. When Tom dies unexpectedly just before they are to depart, Rena almost cancels, but there's nothing left at home but painful memories. She hits the road in her kitted-out truck, vowing to follow the itinerary she and Tom had mapped, hoping the trip will at least distract her from her devastating loss.

Not far from her first planned stop, Rena notices a fire burning some distance off the highway. Being a good citizen, she ventures off road, and is horrified to find a vehicle consumed by flames, with what's left of the driver still inside. When she learns that the victim is a fellow geologist - a less-than-reputable character whom she hadn't seen in 20 years - Rena begins an unofficial and unwelcome investigation fraught with deceit, diamond theft, and murder. Had her old colleague found a new pipeline for the rare and valuable pink diamond, and been killed for it? And if Rena doesn't mind her own business, will she be next?"

I love that this is like, retiree ends up embroiled with diamond smuggling. 

The Keeper by Tana French
Published by: Viking
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 496 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the iconic crime writer who "inspires cultic devotion in readers" (The New Yorker) and has been called "incandescent" by Stephen King, "absolutely mesmerizing" by Gillian Flynn, and "unputdownable" (People), comes the third and final book in the million-copy-bestselling Cal Hooper trilogy.

On a cold night in the remote Irish village of Ardnakelty, a girl goes missing. Sweet, loving Rachel Holohan was about to be engaged to the son of the local big shot. Instead, she's dead in the river.

In a close-knit small town, a death like this isn't simple. It comes wrapped in generations-old grudges and power struggles, and it splits the townland in two. Retired Chicago detective Cal Hooper has friends here now, and he owes them loyalty, but his fiancée Lena wants nothing to do with Ardnakelty's tangles. As the feud becomes more vicious, their settled peace starts to crack apart. And when they uncover a scheme that casts a new light on Rachel's death and threatens the whole village, they find themselves in the firing line.

"One of the greatest crime novelists writing today" (Vox) crafts a masterwork of atmospheric suspense that brings the story of one of her most beloved characters to a spellbinding conclusion."

A new Tana French book means it's time for a celebration. 

A Crushing Walk in Cornwall by Nicholas George
Published by: Kensington Cozies
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For retired San Diego detective Rick "Chase" Chasen, week-long walks in the English countryside are an enjoyable new pastime. But sometimes these outings take deadly detours...

Chase is disappointed that his partner Mike won't be joining him on his tour of the rocky Cornish coast - but like long-distance walks, long-distance relationships can require an occasional break. He still has his friend Billie for company, though, and a few more fellow Americans, from a New Orleans restaurateur to a New York travel writer, joining them on their jaunt.

When the group hears before their departure that local landowners have been sabotaging the trail with booby-traps, their walk leader dismisses it as rumor - but some in the group are worried, especially after a terrifying incident on a bridge the very next morning. As they bravely continue their expedition, twelve-year-old chatterbox Ivy, who's already spilled some of her mother's secrets, continues gossiping to Chase about the group members. She's been researching online and thinks they're not all as they seem. When one of them nearly plunges to her death during a visit to a 16th-century castle, Ivy's sure a killer walks among them.

That turns out to be a real possibility when the near miss is followed by a suspicious death during a meal break. Did a Cornish property owner take a prank too far? And is Ivy just a drama-obsessed internet addict, or is ignoring her warnings a fatal misstep? If murder is truly afoot, Chase will have to rely on his investigative wits to trip the killer up."

Or is Ivy a killer in the making who is testing out methodologies? 

Let Nothing Astonish You by Lauren Opper
Published by: Lauren Opper
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A diabolical whodunnit for fans of Knives Out, Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series and Agatha Christie's Poirot mysteries.

Lieutenant Carl Sarabia, a newly retired homicide detective, moves with his wife Greta from Houston, Texas to Glamis, Connecticut to be closer to their daughter Sarah and her family. The idyllic river town is upended when Merlin Glenmore is found murdered on April Fools' Day, midway through his seance-themed birthday party at the place he despised the most, The Glenmore-Pace Castle, a gothic mansion built by his great-great grandfather, and now a museum run by his sister Jade. Merlin is notorious in Glamis for his abrupt second marriage to a much younger woman only a month after his first wife's tragic death.

There is no shortage of suspects present at the party who wanted Merlin dead. Only two of the guests do not have alibis - and one of them is Carl's son-in-law. Carl swore to Greta he wouldn't involve himself in any more homicide cases, but will he be able to stay out of this one? Meanwhile, Greta conspires with her daughter and in-laws to involve Carl in solving the murder without his knowledge."

I think that Carl can go back on his word just this once...

The Adjunct by Maria Adelmann
Published by: Scribner
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the acclaimed author of How to Be Eaten, a fresh take on the campus novel that follows an adjunct professor gigging her way through academia's poor job market when she crosses paths with her old PhD adviser whose new novel might be about her - for readers of Worry, Vladimir, and Less.

Meet Sam, an adjunct professor at a public university in Baltimore who takes a last-minute gig at the private liberal arts college down the road. Overworked and underpaid, her life is a blur of back-to-back classes, side hustles, and job applications as she attempts to claw her way toward a full-time position. But her already precarious existence is thrown into disarray when she runs into her former grad school adviser, Dr. Tom Sternberg, on campus.

Tom and Sam have a complicated history, the lasting impact of which has haunted her academic career, and it's the last thing she wants to think about as she navigates academic politics, institutional hurdles, and romantic entanglements with men and women that further complicate a sexuality not even she can define. Then she learns that Tom left his old job for undisclosed reasons - and his long-awaited second novel is about a professor's reckoning with his checkered past. As whispers spread that Sam is the inspiration behind a central character, she fights to regain control of the story while questioning everything she thought she knew about her future - and herself.

With biting humor and a keen eye for detail, Maria Adelmann offers a fresh twist on a tangled #MeToo story and turns Sam's downward spiral into a searing critique of class and the hollow promises of the American dream. A hilarious yet sobering look at how hustle culture has come to define modern academia, The Adjunct asks: Who really controls the narratives of success, identity, and power?"

You have to take back your own narrative. No matter what.

Love Is an Algorithm by Laura Brooke Robson
Published by: Park Row
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Take the uncertainty out of love with Pattern, it's more than just a dating app!

Eve wants to make music that's fueled by love, passion, and rage (feelings!). She trusts her gut and her friends and in no way wants to rely on technology, let alone AI, to tell her how she feels. Danny is anxious - about his dad, his dating life, his coffee order (why is it twelve dollars?), and about the dating app he helped create, which seems determined to serve him terrible matches.

When Eve and Danny start dating, it feels like the solution to all of Danny's worries - except when it doesn't. Is she happy? Should he be doing more? Or less? This becomes the catalyst for a revolutionary new version of Danny's app that promises to quantify relationship health and potential, helping users understand what's really going on. Problem solved!

As Pattern and Bug, the ever-so-friendly AI assistant, catch fire, users everywhere begin outsourcing major life decisions to Danny's algorithms. But as Danny reckons with his newfound success, Eve - whose career relies on her ability to write her emotions into song - grows increasingly skeptical of the app's impact on genuine connection. Their relationship becomes the ultimate modern experiment: How do you fall and stay in love in the digital age?"

Well, step one, step away from AI.

Where No Shadow Stays by Sara Hashem
Published by: Holiday House
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A homecoming queen and a bad-boy loner team up to break a generational curse in this YA supernatural horror from a talented American Egyptian voice.

Seventeen-year-old Mina is always focused on what comes next: exams, school dances, opportunities for a picnic by the lake. Filling up the future keeps her from lingering over how little she knows about her history or where she comes from. Anytime she asks her father questions about Egypt - or about her mother's mysterious death - he struggles to open up.

When Mina receives an invitation from an aunt she's never met to visit the Haikal mansion, her mother's childhood home in El Agamy, Mina accepts. She can't resist the chance to learn more about her roots or what happened to her mother, even if it means lying to her loves ones for the first time in her life.

But when Mina returns from El Agamy, she doesn't come back alone.

A sinister entity follows Mina from the Haikal mansion to her tiny California town. Mina is forced to abandon her friends, her father, and everything she loves in order to prevent the entity from violently possessing them. Isolated and fighting for her life, Mina must seek help from an unlikely ally: Jesse Talbot, the mortician's hostile son and the only person who proves immune to possession. Jesse would rather floss with barbed wire than team up with social butterfly Mina, but he doesn't exactly have a choice - after all, he's running from family secrets of his own.

As Mina and Jesse dig deeper into Mina's family lore, they uncover a bloody debt that must be satisfied if Mina wants to finish senior year alive."

Egypt! Evil Entities! YAS!

How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay by Jenny Lawson
Published by: Penguin Life
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Warm, insightful, and witty, the first book of advice from New York Times bestselling author Jenny Lawson - aka the Bloggess.

Jenny Lawson is full of contradictions. She's a celebrated author but battles self-doubt, paralysis, and anxiety. She's an award-winning humorist but struggles with treatment-resistant depression. The questions people most often ask her are, "How do you do it? How do you keep going even when it feels impossible? How do you keep creating?" This book is her answer.

In How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay, Jenny shares more than one hundred humorous, heartfelt, and genuine tools and tricks that she relies on to keep her going even when her brain isn't working properly due to depression, anxiety, and ADHD. She also offers tips to stay passionate and focused on creative endeavors, especially when everything around you is saying to give up.

With chapters like "Wash Your Brain More Than You Wash Your Bra" (sleep, you beautiful human), "Working on Easy Mode Is Still Working" (asking for accommodations is okay!), "Celebrate Good Times, Come On!" (make it a habit to celebrate the good things), and many more, How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay is a balm and companion, reminding us all that we are not alone. It's for anyone who struggles with self-doubt, guilt, motivation, and mental blocks and wants to rekindle their passion for creating. Funny, simple, empathetic, and full of hope, it will encourage you not to just survive but to find and curate joy in the face of difficult times."

Jenny Lawson is a gift to all of us who struggle daily.

News from the Fallout by Chris Condon and Jeffrey Alan Love
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: March 31st, 2026
Format: Paperback, 200 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Interrupting your regularly scheduled broadcast to deliver a terrifying sci-fi story that takes place in Nevada in 1962 after a nuclear bomb test goes horribly awry.

In 1962 Nevada's "Atomic Alley," a nuclear bomb test goes horribly awry at the secretive Gaines Army Base and unleashes a contaminate into the atmosphere that turns people rotten. Otis Fallows, a private in the U.S. Army who is present for the test and is the only known survivor, flees the secret army base in search of a safe haven - but does such a place exist?

Written by Chris Condon, (That Texas Blood, Ultimate Wolverine), and drawn by the visionary artist Jeffrey Alan Love (The Last Battle at the End of the World, The Thousand Demon Tree), fans of 60s sci-fi films and TV shows like The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits and the works of authors Stephen King and Richard Matheson will love this eery graphic novel.

Collects all 6 issues."

Atomic testing has always fascinated me, as have graphic novels. This is a wonderful combination of the two.

Monday, August 27, 2018

Tuesday Tomorrow

Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: August 28th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Mercenary Kate Daniels must risk all to protect everything she holds dear in this epic, can't-miss entry in the thrilling #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series.

Kate has come a long way from her origins as a loner taking care of paranormal problems in post-Shift Atlanta. She's made friends and enemies. She's found love and started a family with Curran Lennart, the former Beast Lord. But her magic is too strong for the power players of the world to let her be.

Kate and her father, Roland, currently have an uneasy truce, but when he starts testing her defenses again, she knows that sooner or later, a confrontation is inevitable. The Witch Oracle has begun seeing visions of blood, fire, and human bones. And when a mysterious box is delivered to Kate's doorstep, a threat of war from the ancient enemy who nearly destroyed her family, she knows their time is up.

Kate Daniels sees no other choice but to combine forces with the unlikeliest of allies. She knows betrayal is inevitable. She knows she may not survive the coming battle. But she has to try.

For her child.

For Atlanta.

For the world."

For Moxie. I know you're addicted to this series.

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab
Published by: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: August 28th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ever since Cass almost drowned (okay, she did drown, but she doesn't like to think about it), she can pull back the Veil that separates the living from the dead...and enter the world of spirits. Her best friend is even a ghost.

So things are already pretty strange. But they're about to get much stranger.

When Cass's parents start hosting a TV show about the world's most haunted places, the family heads off to Edinburgh, Scotland. Here, graveyards, castles, and secret passageways teem with restless phantoms. And when Cass meets a girl who shares her "gift," she realizes how much she still has to learn about the Veil - and herself.

And she'll have to learn fast. The city of ghosts is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

NYT bestselling author Victoria Schwab delivers a thrillingly spooky and action-packed tale of hauntings, history, mystery, and the bond between friends (even if that friend is a ghost...)"

There's a cat on the cover! The ghosts, etc, they're just icing on the cake!

The Sacrifice Box by Martin Stewart
Published by: Viking Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 28th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A horror story about friendship, growing up, and finding a place in the world: Gremlins meets The Breakfast Club by way of Stephen King and Stranger Things.

In the summer of 1982, five friends discover an ancient stone box hidden deep in the woods. They seal inside of it treasured objects from their childhoods, and they make a vow:

Never come to the box alone.
Never open it after dark.
Never take back your sacrifice. 

Four years later, a series of strange and terrifying events begin to unfold: mirrors inexplicably shattering, inanimate beings coming to life, otherworldly crows thirsting for blood. Someone broke the rules of the box, and now everyone has to pay.

But how much are they willing to sacrifice?"

For those needing the next season of Stranger Things and realizing it's not out until next summer... 

The Fall of Gondolin by J.R.R. Tolkien
Published by: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: August 28th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the Tale of The Fall of Gondolin are two of the greatest powers in the world. There is Morgoth of the uttermost evil, unseen in this story but ruling over a vast military power from his fortress of Angband. Deeply opposed to Morgoth is Ulmo, second in might only to Manwë, chief of the Valar: he is called the Lord of Waters, of all seas, lakes, and rivers under the sky. But he works in secret in Middle-earth to support the Noldor, the kindred of the Elves among whom were numbered Húrin and Túrin Turambar.

Central to this enmity of the gods is the city of Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable. It was built and peopled by Noldorin Elves who, when they dwelt in Valinor, the land of the gods, rebelled against their rule and fled to Middle-earth. Turgon King of Gondolin is hated and feared above all his enemies by Morgoth, who seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city, while the gods in Valinor in heated debate largely refuse to intervene in support of Ulmo’s desires and designs.

Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Túrin, the instrument of Ulmo’s designs. Guided unseen by him Tuor sets out from the land of his birth on the fearful journey to Gondolin, and in one of the most arresting moments in the history of Middle-earth the sea-god himself appears to him, rising out of the ocean in the midst of a storm. In Gondolin he becomes great; he is wedded to Idril, Turgon’s daughter, and their son is Eärendel, whose birth and profound importance in days to come is foreseen by Ulmo.

At last comes the terrible ending. Morgoth learns through an act of supreme treachery all that he needs to mount a devastating attack on the city, with Balrogs and dragons and numberless Orcs. After a minutely observed account of the fall of Gondolin, the tale ends with the escape of Túrin and Idril, with the child Eärendel, looking back from a cleft in the mountains as they flee southward, at the blazing wreckage of their city. They were journeying into a new story, the Tale of Eärendel, which Tolkien never wrote, but which is sketched out in this book from other sources.

Following his presentation of Beren and Lúthien Christopher Tolkien has used the same ‘history in sequence’ mode in the writing of this edition of The Fall of Gondolin. In the words of J.R.R. Tolkien, it was ‘the first real story of this imaginary world’ and, together with Beren and Lúthien and The Children of Húrin, he regarded it as one of the three ‘Great Tales’ of the Elder Days."

Everyone always needs more Tolkien! 

The Towering Sky by Katherine McGee
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: August 28th, 2018
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The final book in Katharine McGee's epic New York Times bestselling Thousandth Floor series.

When you have everything, you have everything to lose.

Welcome back to New York, 2119. A skyscraper city, fueled by impossible dreams.

Leda just wants to move on from what happened in Dubai. Until a new investigation forces her to seek help—from the person she’s spent all year trying to forget.

Rylin is back in her old life, reunited with an old flame. But when she starts seeing Cord again, she finds herself torn: between two worlds, and two very different boys.

Calliope feels trapped, playing a long con that costs more than she bargained for. What happens when all her lies catch up with her?

Watt is still desperately in love with Leda. He’ll do anything to win her back—even dig up secrets that are better left buried.

And now that Avery is home from England—with a new boyfriend, Max—her life seems more picture-perfect than ever. So why does she feel like she would rather be anything but perfect?

Perfect for fans of Kiera Cass and Anna Godbersen, and with all the drama, romance and hidden secrets from The Thousandth Floor and The Dazzling Heights, this explosive finale will not disappoint."

If you wait long enough to start a series they all come out and then you can binge! So go me? 

Monday, May 24, 2010

Tuesday Tomorrow

The Girl Who Kicked a Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
Published by: Knopf
Publication Date: May 25th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 576 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Lisbeth Salander—the heart of Larsson’s two previous novels—is under close supervision in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital. She’s fighting for her life in more ways than one: when she’s well enough, she’ll stand trial for three murders. With the help of her friend, journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she will have to prove her innocence, and to identify the corrupt politicians who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse. And, on her own, she will plot her revenge—against the man who tried to kill her and the government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life.

Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Lisbeth Salander is ready to fight back."

Finally available stateside, the last volume completed by Stieg Larsson is released today. I of course have had the British version for awhile, so now comes the fun part, comparing and contrasting! Cause the British versions have been getting a lot of flake for editing out cussing and other graphic bits.

Early to Death, Early to Rise by Kim Harrison
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: May 25th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Seventeen, dead, and in charge of heaven's dark angels—all itching to kill someone.

Madison Avery's dreams of ever fitting in at her new school died when she did. Especially since she was able to maintain the illusion of a body, deal with a pesky guardian angel, and oh yeah, bring the reaper who killed her to his untimely end. Not exactly in-crowd material. It's amazing that her crush, Josh, doesn't think she's totally nuts.

Now Madison has learned that she's the dark timekeeper, in charge of angels who follow the murky guidelines of fate. Never one to abide by the rules, she decides it's time for a major change to the system. With the help of some unlikely allies, Madison forms a rogue group of reapers who definitely don't adhere to the rules of the heavens.

But as she grapples with the terrifying new skills that come with being a timekeeper, Madison realizes she may not be prepared for what lies ahead—unless she gets some seriously divine intervention."

Second book in the Madison Avery series and I just can't wait. Plus I'm hoping to be able to go see her talk in a few weeks in Naperville! Here's hoping!

Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: May 25th, 2010
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren’t for the magic. When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it rose.

Kate Daniels works for the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid, officially as a liaison with the mercenary guild. Unofficially, she cleans up the paranormal problems no one else wants to handle—especially if they involve Atlanta’s shapeshifting community.

When she’s called in to investigate a fight at the Steel Horse, a bar midway between the territories of the shapeshifters and the necromancers, Kate quickly discovers there’s a new player in town. One who’s been around for thousands of years—and rode to war at the side of Kate’s father.

This foe may be too much even for Kate and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, to handle. Because this time, Kate will be taking on family…"

Yeah for more cool magic books. It's really shaping up to be magical book fun! Guess the publishing industry is really trying to cash in on that must need summer read... clever, clever!

The Necromancer by Michael Scott
Published by: Delacorte
Publication Date: May 25th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"San Francisco: After fleeing to Ojai, then Paris, and escaping to London, Josh and Sophie Newman are finally home. And after everything they've seen and learned in the past week, they're both more confused than ever about their future. Neither of them has mastered the magics they'll need to protect themselves from the Dark Elders, they've lost Scatty, and they're still being pursued by Dr. John Dee. Most disturbing of all, however, is that now they must ask themselves, can they trust Nicholas Flamel? Can they trust anyone?

Alcatraz: Dr. Dee underestimated Perenelle Flamel's power. Alcatraz could not hold her, Nereus was no match for her, and she was able to align herself with the most unlikely of allies. But she wasn't the only one being held on the island. Behind the prison's bars and protective sigils were a menagerie of monsters-an army for Dee to use in the final battle. And now Machiavelli has come to Alcatraz to loose those monsters on San Francisco.
Perenelle might be powerful, but each day she weakens, and even with Nicholas back at her side, a battle of this size could be too much for her. Nicholas and Perenelle must fight to protect the city, but the effort will probably kill them both.

London: Having been unable to regain the two final pages of the Codex, Dee has failed his Elder and is now an outlaw-and the new prey of all the creatures formerly sent to hunt down Flamel. But Dee has a plan. With the Codex and the creatures on Alcatraz, he can control the world. All he needs is the help of the Archons. But for his plan to work, he must raise the Mother of the Gods from the dead. For that, he'll have to train a necromancer. And the twins of legend will make the perfect pupils. . . ."

It is too funny that this book is coming out this week because the wedding I'm attending, this just happens to be one of the grooms favorite series!

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
Published by: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: May 25th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The engrossing companion novel to Princess of the Midnight Ball, with a wicked twist on Cinderella

Hoping to escape the troubles in her kingdom, Princess Poppy reluctantly agrees to take part in a royal exchange program, whereby young princes and princesses travel to each other’s countries in the name of better political alliances—and potential marriages. It’s got the makings of a fairy tale—until a hapless servant named Eleanor is tricked by a vengeful fairy godmother into competing with Poppy for the eligible prince. Ballgowns, cinders, and enchanted glass slippers fly in this romantic and action-packed happily-ever-after quest from an author with a flair for embroidering tales in her own delightful way."
More fairy tales retold, I just can't get enough. Though I'd like to know how she chooses which will be retold. Because as Shannon Hale says, she personally retells only the ones that annoy here... so does Cinderella annoy Jessica?

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