Showing posts with label Isabelle Taylor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Isabelle Taylor. Show all posts

Monday, August 24, 2026

Tuesday Tomorrow

The Whitechapel Full Moon Society by Elizabeth DeLozier
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Set in Victorian London during Jack the Ripper's reign of terror, this gripping, original novel is perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Dana Schwartz, and Sarah Penner.

When Caroline Foster arrives at the Whitechapel Full Moon Society in search of her missing brother, she finds a dilapidated façade belying an interior as opulent as any exclusive gentlemen's club. In exchange for room and board, Caroline is hired as the Full Moon's maid, where she is given three orders: don't ask personal questions, stay out of the iron-barred room on the second floor, and remain in her bedroom from sunup to sundown on the full moon.

But when it is revealed that the previous maid was murdered - an early victim of Jack the Ripper - and her brother has left behind no answers, only more questions, Caroline begins to suspect her hosts might be hiding something. As more bodies turn up with a connection to the Society, Caroline fears she may have unwittingly stumbled into a bedtime story, the kind with monsters and curses, family secrets and ancient lore.

Tantalizing and pulsing, Elizabeth DeLozier's sophomore novel gives an exciting alternative look into the infamous Jack the Ripper story with a major, supernatural twist."

Ripperologist glee is vying with historical fantasy glee for dominance! 

Demons and Diplomacy by Megan Frampton
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A tantalizing pact between an ordinary woman and the silver-tongued son of the Devil is all that stands between Britain - and all hell breaking loose.

1851, London. All supernatural species have emerged from hiding, a result of The Great Revelation, led by Her Majesty, the vampiric Queen Victoria, and her dhamphir consort, Prince Albert.

Cora Hastings is the British government's Species Ombudsman, a human tasked with keeping the peace between supernatural creatures. It's run-of-the-mill work: enforcing the newly created shifting parameters, negotiating contracts between species, and generally making certain all Londoners are treated equally.

That is, until the Devil himself decides he wants to leave his hellish home and see the results of Prince Albert's greatest accomplishment, the Great Exhibition. His arrival could upset the uneasy peace between creatures, and worse - he's brought his son.

The Marquis of Hell is diabolically good-looking, unnaturally perceptive, and, well, a demon. Cora navigates her sinfully seductive diplomatic assignment as best she can, until she catches wind of a secret conspiracy set to come to fruition at the opening of the Great Exhibition. This leaves her with an impossible choice: Either Cora enters an unholy alliance with the Devil's son, or she watches as her world is torn asunder...."

A little more hellish Checquy. 

The Demon Overlord's Retirement Plan by M.H. Foster
Published by: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Demon Overlord retires to farm turnips in peace, only to find life in a small village far more chaotic than he ever could have anticipated in this laugh-out-loud debut cozy fantasy with teeth.

When destroying the world and killing the hero grows boring, what's a Demon Overlord to do but quit while he's ahead?

Galornus Prime was the Scourge of Nations, Ender of Hope, and Master of the Cardinal Sins. He had done everything worth doing. Some of it more than once.

His retirement plan was simple: get a goat, farm quietly, and avoid accidentally conquering anything. The plan didn't include soul-crushing town halls, after-school combat lessons with children, and a war with perhaps his most worthy nemesis yet: the rose-growing, seventy-three year-old widow next door.

Even in retirement, evil never sleeps...but it does plant turnips.

When corrupt officials and greedy merchants threaten his infuriatingly loveable neighbors, Galornus faces a new kind of challenge: saving the village without revealing he is the monster parents invoke to make children eat their vegetables.

The Demon Overlord's Retirement Plan is a cozy fantasy with teeth, where the hardest battle isn't defeating heroes - it's staying retired and learning how to live after 444 lifetimes of villainy."

Replace turnips with radishes and it's disturbing that I think this is my Dad's retirement plan.

Heir of Prophecy by Analeigh Sbrana
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"She's a woman bound by fate, torn between two prophecies.

He's the Prince of the underworld, fated to either claim her or end her life.

Defying destiny is one thing...the heart, another.


Magic has always been at the periphery of Audra's life. As a human, she knows that magic exists, but it's as distant as the legends she grew up with. Until one day, magic returns, bringing with it the all too real Fae and upending Audra's life entirely.

Abducted by a cult of fae Priestesses, Audra finds herself conscripted into a magical war academy. The only hope of surviving this new world filled with guilds, magic, and danger is to band together with a group of her fellow prisoners. Though unlike the others, Audra's burgeoning magic is erratic and violent - just as the prophecy foretold. She must discover what it means to be the Heir, but time is running out. The Priestesses know the Heir moves among them, and they're determined to root them out, no matter what it takes.

As she struggles to mask her power, Audra's plagued by visions of a dark, seductive being with a conflicting truth. He doesn't want to save the world; he plans to reclaim it.

Now, Audra must choose: become the savior the cult demands or the catalyst the vision promises."

Kinda sucks to have only two options, neither good. 

The Harrow Home for Wayward Girls by Jessica Spotswood
Published by: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this gothic historical tale, two girls must uncover the secrets of their haunted home before it's too late.

The Harrow Home for Wayward Girls has long stood as a place of secrets. The estate has housed hundreds of young women hidden away during their pregnancies, their homesick cries echoing through the halls, providing a haunting score to Grace Harrow's childhood.

Now, in the summer of 1947, the Home has been sold to a wealthy hotelier. Grace expects the new owner's daughters to be spoiled. Yet Rose, the eldest daughter - unaware of Mr. Harrow's abusive tendencies - is jealous of Grace's seemingly easy confidence. But as they're drawn into each other's lives, an unlikely friendship begins to form. Fortunately so, because not all of the wayward girls made it out...

One still lingers. Lurking in the shadows. Looking for vengeance.

To expose the truth buried in the walls of the Harrow Home, Grace and Rose must unravel a legacy of silence and cruelty. But Grace's father will stop at nothing to keep the past hidden, and if the truth comes to light, it could destroy both their families."

Harrow and Gothic just got together like peanut butter and jelly. 

Portrait of a Witch Undone K.S. Shay
Published by: Erewhon Books
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Thirteen stolen works of art. One haunted marsh.

And a Boston witch willing to risk everything for the friend she's already failed.

An atmospheric, eerie debut for readers of Starling House and A Discovery of Witches, Isabella Stewart Gardner art heist aficionados, witchy girls, burnt-out former gifted kids, New England history buffs, the coven curious, ride-or-die friends, folklore fanatics, and anyone who's ever wanted to wander through the looking glass.

Once, Maeve Ryan was the strongest witch of her generation. But Maeve messed up a spell to contact the Lady of the Fens, an eerie Revenant who lures the unwary to their deaths in the brackish marshlands of the North Shore. Maeve destroyed her reputation, hurt her best friend Ash, and tainted herself with unbound, wild magic that transforms witches into insane Revenants.

With unbound power eating away at Maeve's mind, all she wants is to get rid of her magic. Forever. But Ash's research into how the spell went awry leads in an unexpected direction: the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and a link between the Lady and a decades-old art theft worth $500 million. When Ash disappears through a stolen painting's empty frame, Maeve has to follow.

Inside is the Other Marsh, a haunting, deadly realm where only the Lady's rules apply. Within this half-world lie secrets about North Shore's history, Maeve's failure, and the fate of the masterpieces that disappeared over three decades ago. But as Maeve fights toward the truth, she risks her friendship, her coven, and her life against enemies hiding in plain sight."

I love true crime meets fantasy, I hate that hand coming out of the picture frame. It cheapens the cover.

The Night Pool by Lauren Lee Smith
Published by: Blackstone Publishing
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Night Pool is a blood-soaked, page-turning horror set in the Gold Rush West, where three women must battle monsters both human and inhuman to survive - perfect for fans of Alma Katsu's The Hunger and Victor LaValle's Lone Women.

The American West is no safe haven for women - least of all in the Gold Rush town of Coloma, California. Not for Clara Tice, the blacksmith's strange and stubborn daughter. Not for Mei, the healer whose calm presence in the makeshift camp for Chinese immigrants contrasts sharply with her brother's hard-eyed pursuit of riches. And certainly not for Haloke, a Nisenan shaman's granddaughter whose native village has been devastated by smallpox, hunger, and the relentless greed of Outsiders.

One night, Clara and Haloke meet at the river's edge and watch in horror as Clementine Cobbs, the town beauty, is lured across the water. Together they witness something terrible in the Night Pool. Soon after, an unseen attacker descends upon the mining men of Coloma, abandoning heartless bodies one by one. As the gruesome killings in Coloma threaten to incite further violence, Clara, Haloke, and Mei find themselves unlikely allies - without the gangs, guns, or bravado of the men who claim Coloma's riches. The three women must work together to confront the evil that menaces them from both monsters and men.

A gripping tale of sisterhood, vengeance, and survival, The Night Pool explores the horrors of greed and lust, and the hidden strength of the most vulnerable among us."

Female supernatural Deadwood? Sign me up.

The Unheld by Luke Larkin
Published by: Hyperion Avenue
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Startling monsters and occult oddities abound in this chilling horror Western as a girl journeys across the haunted Montana Territory to rescue her father from an otherworldly creature.

Charlie's life is a lonely one. While other twelve-year-olds are in school, she spends her days skinning the animals her mercurial father hunts in the woods just outside their cabin. And the woods and its twisted creatures - an owl with four wings, a boar with two heads, a fox with gills - are becoming stranger by the day.

One night, a nightmarish beast appears and drags Charlie's father into the wilderness. To find him, she enlists the aid of two unlikely allies also in search of the beast: an Englishman with a connection to a mysterious occult society and a Northern Cheyenne policeman exiled for a crime he didn't commit. Yet as the trio prepare for the confrontation with the beast, Charlie must decide if her father, a brusque man who has always withheld his affection, is ultimately worth saving.

With its blend of Western grit and supernatural menace, The Unheld is an unsettling and atmospheric horror novel about loneliness, human connection, and how we find each other in a world that seems designed to alienate. With this assured debut, Luke Larkin marks his arrival in the genre and proves the American frontier still harbors untapped stories in its shadows."

I love occult and supernatural stories in the American West. And yet it's an undeserved love.

Any More Questions for the Corpse? by J.J. Unthank
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When a young necromancer investigates a string of deaths in the hidden magical capital of England, the dead come back to haunt him - in more ways than one.

Twenty-one-year-old Malowin Gladstone was raised by the dead - two skeletons to be precise. While his parents keep a close eye-socket on him, he just wants to get through the rest of university without using any more of his much-loathed necromancy. A hope that gets all the more difficult when he's recruited by a secret Order to hunt a serial killer.

Dunwich, the hidden magical capital of England, has its fair share of oddities, its most recent being a series of murders that have the police at a dead end. But Detective Walters has an unorthodox suggestion. Who better to find a killer than someone who can talk to the dead? He proposes that Mal use his necromancy for good and solve the case before it goes stone-cold.

As more bodies begin to drop, Mal befriends several misfits who help him unearth the culprit. Among them, Des, a fledgling vampire; Hala, a magical empath; and Yu, a shapeshifting genius.

The team put their unique set of skills to the task, but as they get closer to digging up the truth, the group's ghosts come back to haunt them, and the killer won't rest until they're all dead and buried."

I mean, you think you're embrace being a necromancer if you were raised by skeletons. Perhaps it's the whole rebellion angle....

The Burn by Jonathan Sims
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the dark and twisted mind behind the podcast sensation The Magnus Archives comes a suffocating, socially charged nightmare that reveals how fear festers in the cracks of everyday life...

Beneath the streets of London, it hungers...

It's the hottest summer on record and the city is suffering. Prices are high, pay is low. And on one fateful morning five travelers find themselves trapped in a tube car deep in the London Underground.

It will change their lives forever.

By the time they leave the train they will be bound together as witnesses to a single horrific event. Something terrible, irreversible, and monstrous. Something hungry.

But they can't remember what it is.

On their own, they each begin to experience strange dissociative events. Time gets lost. Friends disappear. Something stalks them in the shadows. They make an unlikely team, but to remember what they encountered that day on the train, they will have to work together. Because now it's up to them to understand what horror they saw - and stop it in its tracks before it drags everyone else down below."

If Ben Aaronovitch did shit-your-pants horror.

The Silent Appeal by Janice Hallett
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 480 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From "modern Agatha Christie" (The Sunday Times, London) Janice Hallett, a follow-up to her blockbuster debut novel The Appeal, featuring the Fairway Players as they put on Agatha Christie's play The Hollow and find themselves embroiled in murder, blackmail, and betrayal once again.

Welcome back to Lower Lockwood. The Fairway Players return with Sarah-Jane and Kevin MacDonald as committee cochairs. This year, they have chosen to stage Agatha Christie's The Hollow. But auditions aren't their only problem: Sarah-Jane's sister, Nicky-Rose, is suddenly back in town under mysterious circumstances, having sold her home in Barbados, left her business providing entertainment on cruise ships, and moved back into their mother Carol's house.

As always, they're short on men, and new Player Fran Elroy-Jones enlists a young married couple and the husband's cousin to join. But no one wants to play the part of the hated Gerda, leaving Kevin and Sarah-Jane with no option but to reach out to an old member they know would be happy to perform in any role.

As with any production, tensions run high, and our intrepid lawyers Femi and Charlotte are tasked with uncovering exactly what happened on the opening night of The Hollow - and whether the correct person has taken the blame."

Never trust the veteran player who comes in at the last moment. They will die or they will kill.

The Woman Who Wouldn't Die Quietly by Katarina Bivald
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When DCI Ian Ahmed agrees - reluctantly - to convalesce on a remote island in the Stockholm archipelago, he expects nothing more than bitter winds, silence, and boredom. But just across the bay, a sleek, modern house stirs to life. Staff arrive in dark clothing, cleaning and prepping with military precision. And then Margrethe Cullenberg-Franzén appears - legend of the art world, notorious matriarch, and, as Ian soon learns, a woman used to bending the world to her will. She's come to the island to celebrate her eightieth birthday, dragging her fractious, resentful family with her - and inviting Ian and his enigmatic hostess, Berit Gardner, along for the ride.

But before the candles are blown out, Margrethe is dead - fallen from the cliff into the frigid sea during a stormy night. Accident? Suicide? Ian is certain it was murder. Trapped in a landscape of muted colors and long, creeping shadows, he and Berit begin to unravel the toxic family secrets festering behind Margrethe's imposing legacy. As winter deepens and the ice seals the island in silence, the question echoes louder: who stood to gain the most from the matriarch's fall? And how long will the killer wait before striking again?"

Exactly how remote is this island? Because, once you start it's easier for a killer to just do the lot.

A Body in the B and B by Katie Marsh
Published by: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: eBook, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It's a perfect location for...murder.

When sisters Jennifer and Lizzie Christie inherit their aunt's dilapidated B and B, in the beautiful Lake District village of Lupton Water, the only thing they have in common is how much they hate their housemate, a Declan Moss.

The two of them fell out thirty years before, and now they're mid-life, mid-menopause, and about to be mid-disaster. And not just because Jennifer's cat Clementine and Rose's dog Gizmo have taken an instant dislike to each other.

But when Declan's body is found in the bathtub, the sisters are top of the suspect list. Can they and their pets bury the hatchet long enough to find out who the killer is? Or will they become the next victims?

The first in the Christie Sisters Mysteries series, perfect for fans of M.C. Beaton and Faith Martin."

A bed and breakfast always make me think of murder. Which is why I don't frequent them.

The Bravest Hour by Anna Lee Huber
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"British Intelligence Agent Verity Kent managed to survive four years of The Great War, slipping in and out of German-occupied Belgium and northeastern France, dodging serious consequences or capture. But as she faces her most dangerous - and devastating - challenge yet, her luck may have run out. Hopefully, her resilience has not...

November 1920. Dublin, Ireland. Verity's efforts to foil a contemptible plot by the traitorous Lord Ardmore and save countless lives - as well as the British government's reputation - has exposed her to detrimental scrutiny, bringing her contact with the Irish rebels to light. Crushingly, she finds herself incarcerated in Dublin Castle, the "Dread Bastille," where she must withstand interrogation from her own countrymen.

Despite her circumstances, Verity knows better than to talk - though decrying Ardmore to his face would be more than satisfying. For once again he has escaped culpability, scapegoating his associates. Her only hope is intervention from her shadowy superior. And yet, when rescue finally comes, Verity finds herself changed by what she has endured, perhaps for the worst.

Still, there's no time for respite or healing. Ardmore's latest nefarious objectives go beyond mere treason. Allegiances are shifting as the war between the Irish Republican Army and the British reaches a new fever pitch. If Ardmore is to be brought down, Verity and her husband, Sidney, must gather all the allies they can for one last stand.

But just when victory seems assured, one shocking and vicious turn of events changes everything. Now Verity must decide where her loyalty lies. And it may not be on the same side as the man she's loved to the grave and back."

Seeing as, while I'm an Anglophile, I am also of Irish descent, you can guess which side my loyalties lie with.

The Dazzling Magic of a Petit Four by Kathryn Rose
Published by: Chateau Boho Books, LLC
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 372 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Serena Vandenbusch arrives in Paris with a black cat on her shoulder and an urn in her arms. On the hunt for a secret mausoleum, she must be careful not to reveal her identity as a witch and finds refuge in a flower shop called Le Dahlia Noir, run by an older woman named Marie who also practices the craft. The era of jazz, cocktails, and the debauchery she knew from New York has followed her to Paris, and in early 1923, Serena is desperate to forget what happened on New Year's Eve and the tragedy that brought her to the City of Lights. But the past has not escaped Serena yet. Through the spellwork, potions, and tarot readings of Marie and her coven, Serena learns her past is on its way to find her, and though she has been able to lie low in Paris by selling charmed cakes that promise love, luck, and happiness, the time to find a secret mausoleum for the urn's final resting place is running out, and the only one who can help might very well be Alexandre, Serena's handsome customer with a secret of his very own. A cozy yet dark tale for fans of Practical Magic, The Great Gatsby, and Chocolat, The Dazzling Magic of a Petit Four is the perfect book for a wintery night full of love, magic, and desserts."

Serena Vandenbusch? Really!?! That's too Gossip Girl for me. To reminiscence of Serena van der Woodsen.

Murder at Rosecliff by Alyssa Maxwell
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When a troublemaking party crasher is found dead in a fountain during an elegant soiree in Newport, Rhode Island, newspaper editor Emma Cross Andrews must clear her own society reporter from suspicion of murder...

August 1903. Emma and her husband Derrick are among the men in white tie and tails and the women wearing white gowns from the House of Worth at Tessie Oelrichs's Bal Blanc, or White Ball, at Rosecliff, her grand cottage on Bellevue Avenue. There to cover the event of the season is young Ethan Merriman, society reporter for the Newport Messenger, the newspaper owned by Emma and Derrick.

It's an utterly charming affair until a stranger intrudes flaunting a green-striped necktie and matching vest in defiance of their hostess's theme. But his fashion crime is a mere misdemeanor compared to his intention to blackmail Mrs. Oelrichs by producing a compromising document supposedly signed by Tessie over a decade ago.

Insisting it's a forgery but terrified of scandal, she agrees to his terms, but the blackmailer will not live to see payday. His body is found face down in a fountain before the party's end. Beside him stands a very wet Ethan, who was seen being confronted by the man earlier in the evening. Coming to the aid of their luckless cub reporter, Emma and Derrick must sort through the white lies and blackened reputations to discover the identity of the true killer."

I've watched enough of The Gilded Age to know that that waistcoat led to his death.

Miss Morton Takes the Waters by Catherine Lloyd
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In Victorian England, Bath is the destination to restore a lady's health. But after accompanying Mrs. Frogerton to the spa town, a poison-pen campaign and a locked-room murder lead lady's companion Caroline Morton into troubled waters...

On the advice of her doctor, Mrs. Frogerton has arranged a visit to Bath to take the waters and regain her health and good spirits. While she reflects on her own next steps in light of her changing circumstances, Caroline goes with her to ensure the good lady's well-being. Daily life in Bath takes on a routine of its own, with visits to the spa interspersed with social occasions and new acquaintances, including a group of women who live on Queen Square and gather to drink tea, play cards, and gossip.

When it comes to light that some of the ladies are recipients of poison pen letters, a rejuvenated Mrs. Frogerton offers to help. Sorting through the social dynamics of the group for motive and opportunity, she talks with the ladies while Caroline questions their companions.

The situation becomes more grave when Lady Greatmere, the oldest and most unpleasant of the ladies, is discovered strangled in her own locked drawing room, a half-finished epistle on her dressing table suggesting she might be the author of the poison pen letters. As Lady Greatmere's companion falls under the suspicion of the Bath constabulary, Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton attempt to read between the lines to force the killer to come clean..."

Oh, a locked-room mystery! 

Midnight at Pemberley by Regina Jeffers
Published by: Ulysses Press
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A gothic romance where passion defies death and Mr. Darcy's darkest secret could destroy him - and the woman he loves.

When Fitzwilliam Darcy arrives in Hertfordshire, his proud reserve hides a secret far darker than Elizabeth Bennet could ever imagine. Beneath his impeccable manners and quiet intensity lies a hunger that defies nature itself - and a past shadowed by loss, betrayal, and blood.

Drawn to the spirited Elizabeth despite every warning of danger, Darcy struggles to protect her from the truth of what he has become. But when the mysteries of Pemberley's moonlit halls begin to unravel, Elizabeth finds herself caught between desire and dread, uncovering a love powerful enough to challenge immortality itself.

From candlelit ballrooms to graveyards veiled in mist, Midnight at Pemberley transforms Jane Austen's classic tale into a sweeping gothic romance of passion, redemption, and forbidden desire. With her signature mastery of Regency detail and emotional depth, Regina Jeffers reimagines the world of Pride and Prejudice in a story where love is eternal - and eternity comes at a price."

Regency Magic! Muppet arm flail! 

The Art of Charming a Changeling by Sylvie Cathrall
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A cozy slice-of-life romantic fantasy set in a Regency-inspired world where humans and fairies compete for artistic supremacy, from Sylvie Cathrall, author of A Letter to the Luminous Deep.

On her first day working in the prince's galleries, art conservator Florrie Hyverfell discovers that the most famous portrait in the collection is not only a fake - it's also inhabited by Vern, a fairy trapped in the forged painting.

Tracking down the stolen original is the only way for Florrie to save her job and for Vern to escape his canvas. Yet as they journey to a famed fairy museum to find the missing artwork, Florrie finds herself taking more than an art historical interest in the changeling painting's charming inhabitant."

This gives me chills. The child trapped in the painting in The Witches always terrified me.

Wolftamer by Maggie Rapier
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 512 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Legends don't die.

Saoirse and Faolan's quest for freedom turns into a battle for the fate of their entire world, in this aching and lush conclusion to the Magpie and the Wolf duology.

Faolan has escaped death. Twice.

After a lifetime chasing freedom and legends, he was finally on the brink of becoming one himself when it all went up in flames. Stranded on the Isle of Lost Souls, bound by an oath he did not make, Faolan is plagued by dreams of drowning and a past he swore never to revisit. The pirate in him wants nothing more than to raise hell and run away - but with no ship, and no way to untether his wife, Saoirse, from the land she's pledged herself to, Faolan is trapped.

And everyone knows who tamed the Wolf.

When their sinister rival King Maccus unveils an ancient godly relic - one with the power to unbalance their entire world - Faolan knows the game has changed. There's only one person who can hunt down the missing relics before Maccus can, and the Wolf of the Wild will do anything to protect his wife.

Even if that means leaving her behind."

Very Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann.

Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher
Published by: Bramble
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"New York Times bestselling author T. Kingfisher returns to the charming fantasy world of Swordheart in this delightful and unexpected new romantic adventure.

Learned Edmund, a disillusioned scholar, is transporting yet another precious relic from one stuffy temple to a different stuffy temple. Another great adventure for the ages...

But when Edmund is set upon by bandits, in desperation, he breaks the cardinal rule and grabs for the relic, an ancient sword. To his surprise, instead of unsheathing a rusty, ancient weapon, an alarmingly handsome man appears, wielding daggers of blue steel and cutting the thieves down.

This man is the Dervish, an immortal warrior who's been trapped for centuries in a sword of enchanted steel, and is angry as hell about it. He hates the curse that put him there, and he wants to hate Edmund, just as he has hated every wielder before him.

But the damned scholar is just so sweet and clever and kind. And while the Dervish may be able to protect Edmund from bandits, cultists, dragons, and strange inhuman diplomats, he may find it much harder to protect his own heart."

Aw, sexy sword man!

Brona by Terry Brooks and Delilah S. Dawson
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Return to the world of Shannara with the sequel to Galaphile, and discover how the seeds of the greatest evil that the Four Lands has ever known inadvertently grew out of Galaphile's dream for peace - from the New York Times bestselling authors Terry Brooks and Delilah S. Dawson.

Years have passed since Galaphile Joss and his life partner, Nirianne, established Paranor as a way to bring harmony to the Four Lands. Now their two sons are becoming men in a land of peace and plenty. Admittedly, it is a land that their eldest child, Abronja, finds rather boring. At sixteen, he longs for a way to prove himself - a chance to show he is every bit the equal of his famous father. But when the excitement he has been longing for materializes, it is in the form of an old evil: a dark sorcerer whom his father had defeated but not destroyed. And who is now back, stronger and deadlier than ever.

Galaphile has always dreaded this wicked resurgence - and not just because of what it means for the wider world. Abronja was conceived while the dark sorcerer had control of Nirianne, and Galaphile has always feared that a spark of malevolence lives on in his beloved child.

Abronja, for his part, is certain he will never be corrupted by evil. He is fully committed to his father's vision for peace and is determined to make his name by finally destroying the monster that has targeted his family. But tangling with dark magic is not a thing to be taken lightly - especially for a young man as yet untested in the ways of the world. And when the repercussions of this encounter could have consequences for centuries to come..."

Yikes. Those consequences are a bit dire. Centuries to come!?!

Tales of a Treacherous Fate by Jennifer Delaney
Published by: Diversion Books
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 512 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The darkness beneath never wished to be used at all. It simply wished to be free.

With trust fractured and our heroes separated across the burning face of Elysior, full-scale war looms closer. With Alma trapped in the clutches of the Countess, Kat, Emrys and Gideon must find a way to play the next game the Countess wishes to play in order to rescue her. Only time is running out and loyalties are a fickle thing as the surviving Fey are fleeing into the north, chased by the dark summoning of Montagor set on revenge.

New allies will be found in the strangest of places and ghosts from the past return to try and stop the next deadly twist in fates game.

But nothing is quite what it seems. As demons are unleashed upon the earth in their murderous legions, Kat and Emrys must call upon their very last resort for help...the Old Gods themselves.

For not all darkness is their enemy and fate is about to begin its final deadly game.

Tales of a Treacherous Fate concludes the Sunday Times bestselling gothic fantasy series that began with Tales of a Monstrous Heart - a sumptuous magical retelling of Jane Eyre, unmissable for fans of Rachel Gillig and Kaylie Smith."

Personally, I always worry that calling on the Old Gods means they're just going to destroy everything and start over.

Only One for the Orc by Isabelle Taylor
Published by: Harlequin
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A local bookshop employee falls hard for her polar opposite - who just happens to be an orc - in the second installment of Isabelle Taylor's Claw Haven monster romance series, perfect for fans of Legends and Lattes and Ruby Dixon.

In Claw Haven, Alaska, monsters are real - but fated mates? Bookseller Vi Harper doesn't believe, and it's up to one smitten orc to prove otherwise in this sweet and spicy romance.

Vi Harper is good at many things. Fixing problems for everyone in Claw Haven, for one. Keeping Sweethelm Bookstore running smoothly, for another. Above all, Vi is great at pretending she's got her life figured out. The truth is, she's a hot mess inside - especially when cocky, gorgeous orc Nick Wicker goads her in his infuriating way.

Nick has found his mate. That's the good news. The bad: he's already blown it. Every time Nick speaks to soft-spoken, overworked bookseller Vi, she seems to hate him even more. What's a lovestruck orc to do but stress-bake and look for some way to redeem himself? Even it means joining the book club.

Then a batch of apology brownies sparks one passionate night together and suddenly, sensible Vi is doing something completely out of character: offering her one-time enemy a friends-with-benefits arrangement. It's more than Nick dreamed. Phenomenal. And it won't be enough. Not until he's found a way to show her that sometimes, fate gets it exactly right..."

Can we say inspired by Disney's Beauty and the Beast!?!

The Infirmary for Dragon Burns and Midair Mishaps by Elizabeth Hrib
Published by: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 290 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Fans of The Baby Dragon Cafe, Legends and Lattes and How to Train Your Dragon will fall head over heels for this cozy, spicy sapphic romantasy.

When burn nurse Eden who has a fear of dragon fire meets Vaela, a gorgeous but reckless dragon wrangler, things burn hot enough to light their small mountain town on fire.

Burn nurse Eden has accepted a job from her old mentor at the Infirmary for Dragon Burns and Midair Mishaps, hoping for peace and quiet in Ember Ridge - a charming mountain town famous for singed tourists and reckless dragon riders. Instead, she arrives to find the infirmary in chaos.

Her mentor is stranded out of town, wild dragons are causing havoc and Eden is left running the infirmary on her first day. Worse, she keeps crossing paths with Vaela, the town's dragon wrangler, whose talent for surviving impossible situations is matched only by a talent for getting under Eden's skin.

Vaela is everything Eden hates: brooding, reckless and arrogant.

But when local dragons begin acting strangely and the kingsguard descends on Ember Ridge, whispers spread of the Wretch - the most feared dragon in the realm. Eden and Vaela are forced into an uneasy partnership to save the town, but every argument between them sparks into something hotter and far more dangerous than they expected.

Because falling for a dragon wrangler was never part of Eden's plan. But neither is watching Ember Ridge - and her guarded heart - go up in flames.

Filled with cozy taverns, chaotic dragons and a fiercely lovable found family, this cozy romantasy is the perfect escape for readers who like their fantasy warm, whimsical and fiery."

To the cover designer, do we really think in this world they'd be using the universal symbol for a hospital? 

Dreamers of the Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the bestselling author of the Japanese sensation The Full Moon Coffee Shop, this charming and heartfelt standalone novel brings more lost souls to the enchanted café - where they might find some help from the cats who run it.

Under the energetic star of Neptune the doors to people's hearts are opening...

In Japan, cats are a symbol of good luck. As the myth goes, if you are kind to them, they'll one day return the favor. And if you are kind to the right cat, you might just find yourself invited to a mysterious coffee shop under a bright moon.

Under one such moon in August, Neptune pays the Full Moon Coffee Shop a visit, taking the form of a beautiful human called Sala. Sala's special talent is giving people dreams and helping them to open their hearts. As the cats work with Sala, they find new ways to guide people as their customers face personal conflict.

When Satsuki, returning home after she spent three years away with minimal contact, decides to introduce her new boyfriend to her mother Fujiko, she learns an unexpected truth about her family's past.

Meanwhile, Fujiko is struggling to come to terms with her true feelings about her place in life and author Wataru is facing writer's block after years of success. Can Sala and the cats help Fujiko and Wataru open their hearts?

Beautifully weaving together three people in a story about love in all forms, this heartwarming novel in the USA Today bestselling series highlights the importance of being true to oneself and recognizing one's innermost feelings."

How do I get a job working for the cats?

I Haunt It That Way by Isabelle Popp
Published by: Afterglow Books by Harlequin
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 284 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"She wanted her dream cabin. She's getting her worst nightmare.

Creaky floorboards, crisp fallen leaves, chilly evenings by the bonfire...Thora Williamson thinks she knows what to expect when she moves into her family's long-abandoned mountain cabin for a fresh start. Instead, she gets the surprise of her life when Lee Halliday - her ex's best friend and her own personal nemesis - pulls up in the driveway.

What's even worse? The place is not a simple fixer-upper, and Lee is determined to help with the renovation. But no amount of elbow grease will fix the mysterious phone calls or the unsettling sense they're not alone.

The more Thora and Lee work together, the more it becomes clear this cabin has unfinished business...and so do they. As eerie autumn nights lead to unexpected sleeping arrangements - Thora wonders: Is the cabin trying to push them closer, or keep them here forever?

I Haunt It That Way is a spicy, fast-paced romance you can read in one sitting."

If you are not totally in love with this book's title AND sing it every single time you read it I'm sorry but we can't be friends. 

Practically Magic by Jen Calonita
Published by: Avon a
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"On the eve of Halloween, a sister's well-intentioned love spell turns into a curse in this witchy, flirty rom-com perfect for fans of The Ex Hex, Gilmore Girls, and Practical Magic.

The Hadley sisters of Mystic Hollow are magic. Literally.

But for all the generations of witches behind her, Kat Hadley could swear that she's utterly invisible to boys.

Then she learns that her perfect older sister, Harriet, cast a curse to protect her from heartbreak. Kat is so furious, she loses control - and it's not just their sisterhood that shatters. It's magic itself.

Suddenly, every spell a Hadley witch has ever cast starts reversing. Spells to do good start bringing evil. Curses to repel suddenly attract. And the veil between worlds begins to thin. If Kat and Harriet don't do something fast, this Halloween might be Mystic Hollow's last.

As they race to repair the balance of magic - and their relationship - Kat notices that every crush who's ever rejected her is suddenly magically lovesick. Even her annoying class rival seems to have fallen under her spell. For the first time in her life, she feels practically magic. Who cares if it's all just a spell?"

And this is why you don't work magic on family members!

Some Kind of Haunted by Hazel Beck
Published by: Mira Books
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the USA Today bestselling authors of the Witchlore series, Hazel Beck, comes the first book in a cozy, autumnal horror romance duology set in a seemingly charming Midwestern town that harbors a deep, dark plot at its core - one that could spell the end of its two newest arrivals if they can't unravel the secrets woven into their late grandmother's yarn shop.

Home is where the haunt is.

Lexi Darling has always been a city girl through and through. New York is loud, crowded, and just chaotic enough to keep her mind off everything she'd rather not think about - especially the eerily realistic nightmares that have plagued her all her life. So when she and her twin brother, Logan, are summoned to the postcard-perfect town of Midas, Iowa, one golden October to handle an inheritance from the grandmother they never knew, Lexi figures it'll be a quick detour: sign a few papers, snap a fall foliage selfie, and catch the next flight home.

But Midas has other plans.

The town has been waiting for the Darling twins, and it's not about to let them leave. Their arrival stirs up a centuries-old curse, one that promises something dark and hungry will rise again by Halloween night. And the key to stopping it might just lie in their family's mysterious past. Now, trapped in Midas with the shadows closing in, Lexi has to team up with a group of stubborn locals to save the town...including Jack, the grumpy-but-unfairly attractive diner owner who drives her crazy in all the wrong ways.

As the nights grow longer and an uncanny evil creeps closer, Lexi must uncover the truth behind the curse before Midas - and everyone in it - is consumed. Because in Midas, some secrets refuse to stay buried - and some nightmares never end."

Oh, attractive diner owner? Sold! Gilmore Girls style. 

Murder Like Magic by Trisha Blanchet
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Being able to read minds should make it pretty easy to solve crimes, right? Right?

A sort-of-telepathic witch-slash-PI takes on a murder case in this light urban fantasy mystery, perfect for fans of A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer.

Tess Tulley is the proud proprietor of Mill City Investigations - the premier (if you ask her) private investigation business in her small Massachusetts city. Business is slow, especially after she blew up her credibility among her fellow Spinners (do not call them witches) by turning in her own uncle for a crime spree three years ago. Loyalty among Spinners is top priority, and Tess's decision to put the investigation over her coven has left her out in the cold.

So when the local "Officer Handsome" comes knocking with a bizarre murder investigation involving a dead Spinner, Tess is reluctant to take the case. Even more so when she learns the details: The victim was stabbed postmortem, there's no sign of who or what actually killed her, and the body was found in a pool of someone else's blood.

Left with few other options, Tess dusts off her investigative skills, revs up her so-so telepathy, and dives headfirst back into her old community of Spinners. If she's lucky, she'll be able to unmask a killer and figure out whose blood had been left behind at the crime scene - and why. If she's not lucky (and let's face it, she rarely is), Tess might just become the next casualty on a slab in the Mill City morgue."

Oh, the mysterious blood has me hooked!

Witchbane by Deborah Carr
Published by: One More Chapter
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: eBook, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Dancing with the devil's son.

1640 Jersey

Rue Underwood has long understood that her magic could kill her. In an age where witches are reviled and hunted gleefully by men like Elias le Cerf, the notorious Witchfinder, it's crucial that she remain hidden. But when whispers reach Elias's ears of Rue's abilities, he sends his new apprentice - his son, Theo - to find Rue and bring her in.

But after one chance moonlit meeting, everything changes.

In a world where witches burn, loving the enemy is the most dangerous magic of all..."

Rue and Theo should off the Witchfinder...

The Sunken, The Adored by Donyae Coles
Published by: Amistad
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A chilling Lovecraftian horror story from the author of Midnight Rooms, in which a recently freed slave from America making a new life for herself in 1800 Venice finds the mysterious plague that killed her former master may have followed her to Italy...and now stalks the canals.

Venice, Italy, 1800's. The only survivor on a ship, Mercy disembarks in Italy, carrying two precious possessions: the first-ever camera that makes daguerreotype plates and a letter regarding an appointment meant for the dead slave holder.

The letter takes her to Umberto, an Anatomist. In his basement workspace, she learns he hired the man who formally owned her to capture images of dissected corpses. But that man is dead. With no other recourse for her or Umberto, Mercy assumes the position. In return for the sample plate she took, Umberto takes her to the home of the Contessa, a British woman who married into her title. Charmed by Mercy, she invites the young woman to stay for the season to take pictures.

Formerly enslaved, Mercy finds this new life of freedom heady, as she takes on the mantle of a photographer and guest in a decadent house of pleasure under the hospitality of an aristocrat. Under the Contessa's roof, she meets a diverse cast of friendly and strange individuals with whom she forms new bonds and friendships.

But all is not well in her new life. Something dark and hungry stalks the canals that snake through the city, biting at her heels. The same death that rode the waves with her now surrounds her in this strange place. What is this malevolence that haunts her? As she tries to understand this macabre force, she must grapple with a greater fear: that the horror that endangers her friends is herself.

The Sunken, The Adored is dark, eerie, and wholly original - at once unsettling and irresistibly addictive."

1800's as in 1830's? Because if not... 

Miss Beresford and the Beast by Mimi Matthews
Published by: Perfectly Proper Press
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Format: Kindle, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A spirited Victorian beauty with a fondness for fairytales unwittingly falls under the power of a beastly, scandal-plagued nobleman in the first book in USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews's new Daughters of Somerset series.

Charlotte Beresford has spent far too long under the iron rule of strict governesses and unflinching finishing school teachers. When she's offered a brief window of freedom - an invitation to spend the summer with a recent acquaintance in a remote corner of Yorkshire, far from societal expectations - she jumps at the chance. Never mind that her new friend is odd, their chaperone questionable, and the village rumored to be cursed. Charlotte knows how to look after herself. All she must do is show a friendly face, keep her wits about her, and - above all - avoid the derelict manor house that stands on the edge of the moors...

Battle-scarred and bad tempered, Magnus Sterling never intended to return to England, let alone Yorkshire. But now he's inherited the title, it's his responsibility to settle his late father's affairs. It should be simple enough to do without riling up the superstitious locals. Indeed, they don't even need to know that the infamous son of the equally infamous Earl of Eversleigh is back on British soil. Magnus will keep to himself, and to the crumbling manor house, and for once in his miserable life avoid any cloud of scandal. A straightforward enough plan, or so he believes, until he catches sight of the bold, auburn-haired intruder infiltrating the grounds of his estate..."

Shades of The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla! I approve!

Monday, March 16, 2026

Tuesday Tomorrow

Innamorata by Ava Reid
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 560 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A decadently dark gothic fantasy for readers who love "haunting atmospheres, morally tangled characters, and stories where love becomes doom" (Booklist, starred review), the first in a duology from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning and Lady Macbeth.

Once there was an island where the dead walked the earth, and seven noble houses ruled by the arcane secrets of necromancy.

A conqueror's blade brought them low, burning their libraries, killing their lords, and extinguishing their eldritch magic.

But defiant against the new order stands the House of Teeth and its last living members: beautiful Marozia, the heiress to the House, and her cousin, the uncanny Lady Agnes.

Though she has not spoken a word in seven years, Agnes is the true carrier of the House's legacy. And she has her orders. She must recapture the secrets of death magic and avenge her family's fallen honor. She must arrange the betrothal of her beloved cousin Marozia to Liuprand, heir to the conqueror's throne, for access to the forbidden library in his grotesquely grand castle.

Revenge burns in Agnes's heart but so do stranger passions - and it is Liuprand, the golden prince, who speaks to her soul. This passion is as treasonous as it is powerful, poisoning the kingdom's roots and threatening to tear the already shattered realm in two.

For Agnes's final order is the gravest: She must not fall in love.

Book One of The House of Teeth Duology."

So. Many. Libraries! Any book with a library central to the plot is a book worth having in my library. Plus that cover!

The Daughters by Joanna Margaret
Published by: The Mysterious Press
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A grieving archivist uncovers a strange connection between recent disappearances and a small New York town's history of witch trials in this new thriller from the author of The Bequest.

Reeling from the dual deaths of her estranged father and ex-fiancé, Genevieve Tompkins has dropped out of her PhD program in New York City and is looking for a chance to start over in Wilton Springs, a faded Victorian spa town in upstate New York. Utilizing her background as an archivist, she is hired to catalogue the papers of the prominent Wilton family, who trace their lineage back to the founders of the town. But as she digs into their records, Genevieve discovers that the family's pharmaceutical business and their personal lives have been fraught with a history of tragedy. She also uncovers a series of disturbing disappearances and suspicious deaths among the women of the town.

Three centuries earlier, Wilton Springs was the site of a brutal witch trial - a fact which someone has gone to extreme lengths to erase from historical record. As Genevieve explores the connections between the modern disappearances and the town's ugly past, she becomes entangled in a web of conspiracy, where the line between superstition and reality begins to blur, and she fears she may become the next woman to go missing from Wilton Springs...

Blending elements of Gothic fiction and folk horror, The Daughters is a literary thriller that will keep readers guessing how the mysteries of the distant past may reverberate and resurface in the sinister and atmospheric present."

YES! THIS! ALL OF THIS!! 

You Did Nothing Wrong by CG Drews
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Domestic suspense meets haunted house horror in this adult debut from the New York Times bestselling author of Don't Let the Forest In.

The walls are closing in on her perfect new life.

Single mother Elodie's life has become a fairy tale. She's met Bren, equal parts Golden-retriever-devoted and sinfully handsome. He's whisked her and her autistic son, Jude, to the crumbling family house he's renovating. She has a new husband, a new house, and a new baby on the way. Everything is perfect.

Until Jude claims he can hear voices in the walls. He says their renovations are "hurting" the house. Even Elodie can't ignore it - something strange is going on.

The question is, Is it with the house, or with her son?

And what is Elodie hiding?"

Goosebumps when Jude says the renovations are "hurting" the house. GOOSEBUMPS! 

Mother Is Watching by Karma Brown
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The chilling horror debut from a #1 international bestselling author - an art conservator's obsession with a mysterious painting spirals into a nightmarish descent, where the line between reality and the supernatural shatters, threatening both her sanity and her life.

Mathilde "Tilly" Crewson, a thirty-nine-year-old mother and art conservator, is tasked with restoring The Mother. The painting, believed to be the work of a female surgeon-turned-artist after a personal tragedy, is the rumored fourth piece in a collection of only three known works. But this newly discovered painting, scarred by fire, holds more than meets the eye.

Soon after receiving the painting, Tilly discovers she's unexpectedly pregnant, and strange, inexplicable occurrences begin: terrifying insect swarms, eerie visits from her long-deceased mother, and sinister whispers that invade her mind. As these malevolent forces intensify, Tilly comes to a harrowing realization: the only way to sever the perilous bond she shares with the painting is to destroy it. But The Mother has plans of her own - and they're darker than Tilly could ever imagine...."

Tilly should have looked into the history of how the painting got burned in the first place... Methinks history does repeat itself. 

The Creeping Below by Brian Azzarello and Vanesa Del Rey
Published by: BOOM! Studios
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 112 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"THE GODS ABOVE, THE CREEPING BELOW.

Val, an American heavy metal fanatic, is on her dream vacation: attending the Inferno Metal Festival in Oslo, Norway. There she meets a charismatic young band, who take her out to a remote forest to show her the local "haunts." Taken by their charm and oblivious to the danger, Val is drugged, beaten, and left for dead...

But her story is far from over.

She wakes at dawn, haunted by a vision of rain falling from a wolf's jowls. Stumbling back to Oslo, she finds that the festival has already ended - 13 years ago.

The world has moved on and the men who brutalized her are long gone, but when moss and roots begin to sprout from her skin… she realizes that everything has changed. Everything except her desire for revenge, that is.

In nature, there are gods older than man, and something ancient, something… hungry, has awakened powers in her that will guide her rage as she seeks to exact justice on those that wronged her.

Writer Brian Azzarello and Vanesa Del Rey deliver a bloodsoaked feminist revenge saga, blending Norse mythology and eco-horror into a boundary-pushing cocktail of metal, magic, and murder!

Collects The Creeping Below #1-5."

This is a skip unless you like an ugly story with even uglier art.

Wayward Souls by Susan J. Morris
Published by: Bindery Books
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The delightfully dark sequel to the gothic supernatural mystery Strange Beasts.

Six days before Samhain - the night when the veil between worlds is thinnest - Samantha Harker, daughter of Dracula's killer, and Dr. Helena Moriarty, daughter of the famed criminal mastermind, are thrown into their next case: the mysterious disappearance of two Society field agents in Ireland. Only this time, the Royal Society is sending Jakob Van Helsing to keep an eye on them.

Sam and Hel may have solved the Paris case, but that doesn't mean the Society trusts them. Sam has the power to slip into the minds of monsters, and Van Helsing has sworn to kill her at the first sign of corruption. And if Hel can't prove her father's existence, she'll soon go down for his crimes.

Their investigation takes them from the crumbling ruins of Ireland's untamed wilds to the occult societies of the rich and powerful. The connection between the Sam and Hel is electric, but as they fall deeper into each other's orbit, their secrets only multiply. For Hel, it's the sins she committed when she was her father's pawn. For Sam, it's a plague of death omens, mysterious black feathers, and a siren song no one else can hear. And then comes a chilling revelation that is poised to shatter everything: The agents who disappeared were each haunted by a ghost. And so, it seems, is Sam.

With characters drawn from the worlds of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes, Wayward Souls is a twisty puzzle box of a historical fantasy - perfect for fans of Genevieve Cogman, Theodora Goss, Freya Marske, T. Kingfisher, and Gail Carriger."

Historical fantasy and Gothic mashups for the win!

Moon Dark by E.A. Field
Published by: Rising Action
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A dark and thrilling re-imagining of Frankenstein and The Phantom of the Opera, Moon Dark is an adult romantasy set in the manor and opera houses of late 1800s France.

1875 Fredericksburg, England: When Ian is born his father enlists Victor, a surgeon friend, to perform a series of depraved surgeries to correct his son's facial and limb deformity. But, when people start disappearing and body parts pile up in their lab, Ian becomes the victim of two men playing God.

Ian survives the forced experiments and grows up but his disfigurement and legacy from his father marks him as an unnatural demon among men. Outcasted and feared even though his intelligence far outstrips his generation, Ian escapes his father and Victor when they decide he's too dangerous to be left alive. But, Ian finds himself lost in a world order that will not accept him - until a Marquis takes an interest in him. Ian learns that love comes in all forms but that above all, power rules everything. The power to kill lets Ian survive but gets him no closer to existing in society or finding peace.

It's at the Marquis' estate that Ian meets Gisele, a seamstress employed by an opera company, who shows him what unconditional love is. She is able to see past his deformity to the unbroken soul inside. When Ian learns Victor is using his father to hunt him, Gisele's life is in danger. Victor will use Gisele as a bargaining piece and Ian is the only one who can protect her. He has lived as both man and monster and now is confronted with his prodigious creator. He will be forced to decide if he will give up his life for revenge or choose to save the woman who has given him everything."

Give yourself over to the opera, they accept all!

Masquerade by L.R. Lam
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the high-stakes conclusion to the Micah Grey Trilogy from the USA Today-bestselling author of Dragonfall, Micah faces his own magical power, nebulous alliances, and a conspiracy that unravels all the way to the Royal Palace.

The gifted can't hide their talents forever. But monsters await when they step into the light...

Micah's Chimaera powers are growing, just as dark visions threaten to overwhelm him. Drystan is forced to take him to the Royal Physician, but can they really trust the doctor? Especially when he gets Micah hooked on a mysterious medicine, and a close friend is revealed to be his spy.

Meanwhile, violent unrest is sweeping the country as anti-royalist factions fight to be heard. When a royal secret and an attack on Chimaera brings Micah into the heart of the conflict, he and his friends must fight an ancient sect that aims to spread terror once more. The fate of all Chimaera - and the world - hangs in the balance.

In this satisfying and thrilling conclusion to their inventive fantasy trilogy, L.R. Lam raises the stakes like never before."

Yeah, that doctor is totally sus.

Only Spell Deep by Ava Morgyn
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Rebecca meets The Craft in this dark, atmospheric novel of one witch rediscovering her power while on the run from another willing to kill her for it.

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Bane Witch!

Judeth Cole has always had certain uncanny abilities. But when she arrived at Solidago, her grandfather's estate by the sea, she was forced to keep them secret. There she lived a harsh life under his rule and the haunting legacy of her late grandmother, Aurelia. Until the fateful day she ignited a fire with her magic. It was the last time she saw her family alive.

Seventeen years later, she's living in Seattle as Jude Clark, and failing at life, when she makes a last detour through her favorite bookstore, selecting a book to read as she waits to die. But when she pulls it from the shelf, an invitation to her for a clandestine midnight meeting slips out.

Jude is quickly swept up into a world of secrets and magic, discovering a circle of powerful new companions led by the mysterious, enigmatic Arla. The source of their magic, Arla tells her, is an entity, trapped and bound, that they call The Fathom. But Jude swiftly realizes Arla wants this power all to herself, and that she's willing to kill for it.

Terrified, Jude turns to Levi, the handsome bookseller who's seen her at her worst. With his help, she begins a research journey that leads her all the way back to Solidago, the house she swore to never return to. Now, the Fathom threatening to break free and Arla on the hunt, Jude must finally face her past to save her future.

Ava Morgyn's Only Spell Deep is a novel that takes readers on a journey into a dark, glittering world of magic, a place where power should never be caged and misplaced trust can have deadly consequences."

I was sold by the blurb saying this is Rebecca meets The Craft. I don't need any more details than that.

The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C.M. Waggoner
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A practical witch must sabotage her beloved son's ascension to the throne in order to keep the kingdom from ruin, in this delightful cozy fantasy from the author of The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry.

Once upon a time, a somewhat wicked witch named Gretsella lived in a cozy little cottage in the Dark Forest of Brigandale. She dispensed herbs and tinctures at reasonable prices, met with her slightly oddball coven on a regular basis, and had absolutely no need of any further company whatsoever, thank you very much. But then one afternoon, Gretsella came home to find a screaming infant on her doorstep.

Against all her better judgement, she took the baby in. She named him Bradley.

Eighteen years later, Bradley has grown into a bafflingly likable young man under Gretsella's extremely tolerant - one might even say doting - eye. But the witch's hopes for an unremarkable yet fulfilling life for her son are shattered when small woodland animals start prophesying that he is the lost prince and should ascend to the throne. Bradley ignores Gretsella's advice that prophecies and talking chipmunks are to be avoided at all costs, and sets off for the capital. But soon confusion and chaos are reigning, and scheming courtiers are using Bradley for their own ends. Sometimes a witch has to roll up her sleeves and take matters into her own cauldron. So Gretsella resolves to bring about the downfall of her darling son..."

I think the first mistake wasn't taking that baby in, it was naming him Bradley...

Accidentally Wedded to a Werewolf by Isabelle Taylor
Published by: Harlequin
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The grumpy-sunshine appeal of It Happened One Summer meets the cozy fantasy vibes of The Baby Dragon Cafe in this utterly charming, spicy, Alaska-set fated-mates romance.

Welcome to Claw Haven, where monsters go to find some peace and quiet.

Spoiled heiress Luna Stack is meant to be sipping mai tais on a beach with her fun-loving fiancé. Instead, a snowstorm strands her in Claw Haven, Alaska, a cozy town full of monsters living the quiet life. At least the werewolf innkeeper's hot - until he opens his mouth.

Luna's more than ready to leave the grumpy wolf and his decrepit inn behind as soon as the snow clears, but when a potion mishap bonds the two of them together, she resigns herself to staying in Claw Haven, just for a little while.

She's only werewolf married, though, not married married, like, legally. No big deal.

Oliver Musgrove wants nothing to do with his new "wife." He has annoying, friendly townsfolk to ignore, and he's lost his ability to shift, which means his alpha ambitions are currently on hold.

Unfortunately, no matter how much Oliver wants to keep his distance from Luna, the bond says otherwise. Even though the two can't stand each other, maybe they can stop bickering long enough to explore the magical spark between them...

After all, what's a little knotting between enemies?"

As someone who reads A LOT of books with werewolves, werewolf married is A LOT more permanent that married married. 

Miss Wick and the Duke Dilemma by Violet Marsh
Published by: Forever
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The daughter of a pirate and a newly titled duke must team up to solve a decades-old family mystery in this clever historical rom com - perfect for fans of Evie Dunmore and Manda Collins!

Eoin Aucourte, the newly minted Duke of Foxglen, always played by his grandfather's rules. But now that the old man is dead, Eoin's first decision is to track down his long-lost mother. The only problem? He'll have to visit the infamous Black Sheep Coffeehouse to begin his search. Rumor has it that the owner, Miss Hannah Wick, knows all the gossip from the dingiest St. Giles alleyways to the glittering ballrooms of Mayfair. But the whip-smart daughter of a pirate also has a way of making Eoin forget all the lessons on propriety that his grandfather ruthlessly instilled in him.

The Duke of Foxglen represents everything Hannah disdains about the nobility. Even worse, his grandfather exiled her papa from England, setting her father on the course of piracy and endangering her entire family. Seeing an opportunity to seek vengeance on his family, Hannah pretends to "help" the shy, surprisingly handsome duke - but soon realizes Eoin may be the first truly honorable noble she's ever met.

With every clue they uncover, their search intensifies...and so does their attraction. But with so many secrets between them, does love even stand a chance?"

Love always wins in my world!

Death Wasn't Invited: A June's Journey Mystery by Carlene O'Connor
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Based on the hit mobile game, a cozy murder mystery set in 1920s Paris by a USA Today bestselling author, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Agatha Christie. June's friend has been brutally murdered and the police have the wrong man, can she solve the case before the killer catches up to her?

Paris, 1922. The marriage between the Auclair and Picard families is the talk of the town. June can't wait to attend the engagement party with her friends, Nate and Jack. But Nate has an ulterior motive: he's there to stop the wedding. Before he can complete his task, he's stabbed in the chest with Jack's knife. Jack is arrested, but June knows he wouldn't hurt a fly.

In this throwback to the classic whodunnits of Agatha Christie, June must find the real killer and clear Jack's name. As she becomes embroiled deeper and deeper into a corrupt web of Parisian old money, high society and politics, she uncovers deadly secrets. Can June solve the case before the killer strikes again?"

Unless you've been living under a log you know about June's Journey. Personally I have a moratorium on playing any games so this book is the perfect chance for me to get lost in this world. 

The Mastermind's Trap by Debbi Michiko Florence
Published by: Aladdin
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this sequel to A Study in Secrets that's Only Murders in the Building meets The Westing Game, Meg must figure out the identity of the mysterious Mastermind to save her school and her friends.

After winning a scavenger hunt with her new friends - Tana, Zane, and Ryan - Meg Mizuno is looking forward to winter break and enjoying their grand prize of an all-expenses paid trip to California. But after learning that their boarding school, Leland Chase Academy (called Last Chance Academy by students), is in danger of shutting down, it's hard to enjoy the sun and surf.

When they return, the Head of School reminds the student body of their mandatory participation in the Student Showcase, with the goal of bringing in needed funds to the school. If that weren't enough pressure, Meg discovers a new note: the Mastermind wants her to help him with one more scavenger hunt. This time, though, she must work alone, or else the Mastermind will not only ruin the school, but also publicly reveal secrets about all her friends that would turn their lives upside down."

I'm a sucker for this kind of story. I just wish I had had more books like this when I was young. At least I'm still young at heart.

Everyone in This Bank Is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson
Published by: Mariner Books
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ten heists. Ten suspects. A murder mystery only Ernest Cunningham can solve in this delightfully clever and twisty new novel in Benjamin Stevenson's bestselling series - perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Anthony Horowitz.

I've spent the last few years solving murders. But a bank heist is a new one, even for me. I've never been a hostage before.

The doors are chained shut. No one in or out. Which means that when someone in the bank is murdered, everyone is a suspect.

THE BANK ROBBER
THE MANAGER
THE SECURITY GUARD
THE KID
THE FILM PRODUCER
THE PRIEST
THE RECEPTIONIST
THE PATIENT
THE CAREGIVER
ME

Turns out, more than one person planned to rob the bank today. You can steal more from a bank than just money.

Who is stealing what? Are they willing to kill for it? And can I solve the crime before the police kick down the door and rescue us?"

Personally, after the first book I've never fully trusted Ernest, so he could totally be one of the thieves... 

Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line by Elle Cosimano
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From New York Times bestseller Elle Cosimano comes Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line - the highly anticipated next installment in the beloved Finlay Donovan series.

Life hasn't been easy for Finlay Donovan lately, but it just got a whole lot harder. Her nanny and partner-in-crime, Vero, has been extradited from Virginia to Maryland, where she's facing criminal charges for a theft she swears she didn't commit. A prisoner to an ankle bracelet as she awaits her trial, Vero is forced to live with her overbearing mother and nosy aunt. Threatening messages keep arriving on her mother's door, demanding Vero "turn over the money...or else." And if she doesn't figure out who really stole her former sorority's treasury funds, her next home might be a prison cell.

But proving her innocence might be an impossible feat. Vero was the treasurer of her sorority when the money went missing - one of the only people who had access to the cash. And her alibi is a date who ghosted her. With her court date quickly approaching, and her mysterious stalker on her tail, Vero needs to clear her name fast.

Finlay decides a trip to Maryland is in order. After all, Vero stood by her through her darkest moments, and Finlay will be damned if she lets her best friend and children's nanny be convicted for something she didn't do. She sets off on a mission to suss out the real thief and bring Vero home."

I never trust anyone in a sorority house, which is probably why I was never in a sorority. 

Missing by E.A. Jackson
Published by: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this unputdownable crime thriller for fans of Tana French, a detective returns to a thirty-year-old case - an infamous disappearance in London - that has haunted her entire career and now may jeopardize her future.

In August 1990, London is suffering through an unprecedented heatwave when baby Bella Carpenter is snatched through the open window of her hotel room. Detective Inspector Martha Allen is assigned the high-profile case and, knowing that it could make or break her career, is determined to find Bella.

When a young woman named Nell Beatty walks into the police station with a baby who appears to be Bella, and whom Nell claims she found on a bench, it seems that the mystery is solved. Her family, the police, and the press are overjoyed at her return. But DI Allen isn't convinced, something about Nell's story doesn't ring true. As much as she wants to continue, however, now that the baby is safe, she's ordered to close the investigation.

Thirty years later, Nell Beatty is found dead. Now a superintendent, Allen has never really gotten over her doubts about the Carpenter case and can't resist doing a little digging on her own time, eager to find out what happened to Nell, and her involvement in the baby's disappearance all those years ago. But will her efforts uncover something darker than she could have ever imagined? And what is she risking as she tries once and for all to reveal the truth?"

You SO know that wasn't the same baby right?

Lucien by J.R. Thornton
Published by: Harper Perennial
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A gifted yet financially disadvantaged artist falls victim to the manipulative control of his wealthy, enigmatic Harvard roommate in this incendiary novel from the author of Beautiful Country - a piercing exploration of class, ambition, identity, and the perilous cost of reinvention in the tradition of Patricia Highsmith and Donna Tartt.

The son of working-class Czech immigrants, Christopher "Atlas" Novotny is a talented painter who arrives at Harvard on a full scholarship. Raised amid hardship, he is unprepared for the privileged world introduced to him by his freshman roommate, Lucien Orsini-Conti.

Born to wealthy European diplomats, Lucien plays the part of the confident, sophisticated bon vivant. Where Lucien is bold and brash, Atlas is timid and introverted. Growing up a lonely outsider, Atlas is insecure, impressionable, and in awe of his brilliant roommate. But is Lucien all that he seems?

Sensing a willing disciple, Lucien introduces Atlas to a glittering new world of lavish parties and elite social clubs. When Atlas struggles to afford his new lifestyle, Lucien offers a solution, convincing the naïve artist to become a forger, passing off fakes to galleries and dealers.

But Lucien's charismatic facade conceals something darker and more sinister. As Lucien's behavior grows increasingly unstable, Atlas is forced into escalating risks with devastating consequences.

Drawing inspiration from the true crime stories of Christian Gerhartsreiter (a.k.a. "Clark Rockefeller") and Adam Wheeler, Lucien is as darkly seductive and addictively readable as The Secret History, The Incendiaries, Creation Lake, and The Talented Mr. Ripley."

Personally, I'm all for people getting away with forgery of artwork, it's the other stuff that is problematic.

Black Bag by Luke Kennard
Published by: Zando
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An out-of-work actor accepts the role of a lifetime - sitting soundlessly in a lecture theater, zipped into a large leather bag - to aid a professor's psychological experiment. What could possibly go wrong?

In Luke Kennard's audacious new novel, a penniless and out-of-work actor picks up a job working for Dr. Blend, a university professor who is conducting a psychological experiment. How will Dr. Blend's students react to someone zipped into an oversized bag, sitting at the back of the lecture hall over a series of Fall lectures? The role, eagerly accepted, soon has unexpected consequences. A professor of post-humanism develops research questions of her own - in particular, can you love someone secreted away inside a black bag? - and the actor's childhood friend forms a vision for monetizing this new situation...

A warped campus novel, an investigation into the crisis of masculinity, and an off-kilter love story, Black Bag is a firework of a novel: blazingly funny and profoundly humane."

This sounds so like a stunt a modern artist would perform. In other words, yes please.

David Bowie by Philippe Margotin
Published by: Supernova Books
Publication Date: March 17th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 276 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Singer, Songwriter, producer, actor, painter... David Bowie is one of the most fascinating artists the world has ever known.

David Bowie is a creator who placed his art above all else. During an intense career, spanning some fifty years, he constantly renewed and challenged himself. He experimented with his music enriching it with various other genres, from soul to electronic music, even including avant-garde jazz.

This book is an immersion into the life and exceptional work of David Bowie, featuring the various characters he portrayed, such as Ziggy Stardust, Halloween Jack, and The Thin White Duke, as his alter egos. From London to New York, from Los Angeles to Montreux, album after album, we enter his musical universe: glam rock, soul/funk, avant-garde rock, industrial rock, including timeless works such as The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Aladdin Sane, Diamond Dogs, Station to Station, Heroes and Black Star. With songs that have also gone down in history: "The Man Who Sold The World," "Changes," "Rock'n'Roll Suicide," "The Jean Genie," "Rebel Rebel," "Word on a Wing," and "Lazarus."

David Bowie was a formidable showman; the world tours we highlight are testament to this. He was also a naturally seductive actor, able to embody characters far removed from each other, from the alien Thomas Jerome Newton in The Man Who Fell to Earth, Major Jack Celliers in Furyo, Andy Warhol in Basquiat and Jareth, the Goblin King in Labyrinth."

I will buy anything David Bowie. So long as it isn't a comic. For some reason comics about him always suck.

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