strange and random happenstance

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
Published by: Pamela Dorman Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the #1 bestselling author of The Thursday Murder Club Series.

A brand new mystery. An iconic new detective duo. And a thrilling new murder to solve...

Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He still does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him at home. His days of adventure are over. Adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy's job now.

Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. Working in private security, every day is dangerous. She's currently on a remote island protecting mega-bestselling author Rosie D'Antonio, until a dead body and a bag of money mean trouble in paradise. So she sends an SOS to the only person she trusts...

As a thrilling race around the world begins, can Amy and Steve outrun and outsmart a killer?

Solving murders. It's a family business."

I already have it on hold at my library!

Bleeding Hearts by Erin Lark Maples
Published by: Lodestar Literary
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Kindle, 227 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Declan takes aim at his first mystery...

Burnt out from his day job, Declan hangs up his past for a fresh start in the charming coastal town of Astoria, Oregon. He rents an apartment and opens a quaint shop downtown, hoping to blend into the human world. But Declan's plans for a peaceful new life are shattered when he discovers a lifeless body in his own backyard.

All fingers point to the new guy in town, and with the police watching his every move, Declan finds himself at the center of every target. Desperate to clear his name and get out of the spotlight, he enlists the help of a quirky group of locals. They dive into the mystery to uncover secrets - to uncover secrets about the victim, and each other - that Astoria's picturesque streets have long concealed.

As they unravel a web of intrigue, magic, and murder, Declan is running out of time. Will they solve the case before Declan's true identity is revealed, or will the killer strike again?

Join Declan and his motley crew in this heartwarming, humorous, and engaging cozy mystery series debut that will leave you eager for a trip to the coast!"

I mean, what kind of magical creature is Declan? Please say it's a cat!

Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik
Published by: Del Rey Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A thrilling collection of thirteen short stories that span the worlds of the New York Times bestselling author of the Scholomance trilogy, including a sneak peek at the land where her next novel will be set.

From the dragon-filled Temeraire series and the Gothic magical halls of the Scholomance trilogy, through the realms next door to Spinning Silver and Uprooted, this stunning collection takes us from fairy tale to fantasy, myth to history, and mystery to science fiction as we travel through Naomi Novik's most beloved stories. Here, among many others, we encounter:

- A mushroom witch who learns that sometimes the worst thing in the Scholomance can be your roommate.
- The start of the Dragon Corps in ancient Rome, after Mark Antony hatches a dragon's egg and bonds with the hatchling.
- A young bride in the Middle Ages who finds herself gambling with Death for the highest of stakes.
- A delightful reimagining of Pride and Prejudice, in which Elizabeth Bennet captains a Longwing dragon.
- The first glimpse of the world of Abandon, the setting of Novik's upcoming epic fantasy series - a deserted continent populated only by silent and enigmatic architectural mysteries.

Though the stories are vastly different, there is a unifying theme: wrestling with destiny, and the lengths some will go to find their own and fulfill its promise."

AND REGENCY MAGIC! YAROO!

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
Published by: Random House Worlds
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A sharp-tongued folklorist must pair up with her academic rival to solve their mentor's murder in this lush and enthralling sapphic fantasy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic.

Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist with a quick temper and an even quicker wit, is on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring. The magical spring promises untold power, which the king wants to harness in order to secure his reign over the embattled country of Brunnestaad. Lorelei is determined to use this opportunity to prove herself and make her wildest, most impossible dream come true: to become a naturalist, able to travel freely to lands she's only read about.

The expedition gets off to a harrowing start when its leader - Lorelei's beloved mentor - is murdered in her quarters aboard their ship. The suspects are the five remaining expedition mates, each with their own motive. The only person Lorelei knows must be innocent is her longtime academic rival, the insufferably gallant and maddeningly beautiful Sylvia von Wolff. Now in charge of the expedition, Lorelei must find the spring before the murderer strikes again - and a coup begins in earnest.

But there are other dangers lurking in the dark: forests that rearrange themselves at night, rivers with slumbering dragons hiding beneath the water, and shapeshifting beasts out for blood.

As Lorelei and Sylvia grudgingly work together to uncover the truth - and resist their growing feelings for each other - they discover that their leader had secrets of her own. Secrets that make Lorelei question whether justice is worth pursuing, and if this kingdom is worth saving at all."

Yes, wonderful dark world, but you see there's also a locked room mystery at it's heart! Be still MY heart.

An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson
Published by: Ace Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A student will find that the hardest lessons sometimes come from outside the classroom in this stunning dark academia novel from the acclaimed author of The Year of the Witching and House of Hunger.

Lennon Carter's life is falling apart.

Then she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah. Lennon has been chosen because - like everyone else at the school - she has the innate gift of persuasion, the ability to wield her will like a weapon, using it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself.

After passing the test, Lennon begins to learn how to master her devastating and unsettling power. But despite persuasion's heavy toll on her body and mind, she is wholly captivated by her studies, by Drayton's lush, moss-draped campus, and by her brilliant classmates. But even more captivating is her charismatic adviser, Dante, who both intimidates and enthralls her.

As Lennon continues in her studies, her control grows, and she starts to uncover more about the secret world she has entered into, including the disquieting history of Drayton College. She is increasingly disturbed by what she learns, for it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption...and it's a test she's terrified she's going to fail."

But to be among those like her that would level the playing field...

Bringer of Dust by J.M. Miro
Published by: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 608 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this highly anticipated second book in the Talents Trilogy, the world of the dead is closer than you think.

Agrigento, Sicily, 1883. With the orsine destroyed, Cairndale lies in ruins, and Marlowe has vanished. His only hope of rescue lies in a fabled second orsine - long-hidden, thought lost - which might not even exist.

But when a body is discovered in the shadow of Cairndale, a body wreathed in the corrupted dust of the drughr, Charlie and the Talents realize there is even more at stake than they'd feared. For a new drughr has arisen, ferocious, horned, seemingly able to move in their world at will - and it is not alone. A malevolent figure, known only as the Abbess, desires the dust for her own ends. And deep in the world of the dead, a terrible evil stirs - an evil that the corrupted dust just might hold the secret to reviving or destroying forever.

So the dark journey begun in Ordinary Monsters surges forward, from the sinister underworld of the London exiles, to the mysteries of a sunlit villa in nineteenth-century Sicily, to the deep catacombs hidden under Paris. Against bone witches, mud glyphics, and a house of twilight that exists in a netherworld all its own, the Talents must work together - if they are to have any hope of staving off the world of the dead, and saving their long-lost friend."

And so begins the supernatural grand tour, if you will.

A Pocketful of Diamonds by Pam Lecky
Published by: Storm Publishing Ltd
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 318 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lucy Lawrence smoothed her silk travelling gown and watched as darkness fell over the shimmering waters of Lake Como - her honeymoon bliss shattered in an instant by a telegram carrying deadly tidings...

Newlyweds Lucy Lawrence and Phineas Stone arrive at the glittering shores of Lake Como, Italy, not to enjoy a romantic honeymoon but to answer a frantic plea for help. Phin's brother-in-law - the charismatic Count Luca Carmosino - has vanished without a trace from his Belle Époque villa, and the couple find themselves thrust into a world of stolen diamonds and smuggling rings.

From the opulent Grand Hotel Bellagio with its crystal chandeliers to the misty mountain passes of the Swiss border, Lucy must solve the mystery of the Count's disappearance and navigate the treacherous waters of Italian high society, all while maintaining the decorum expected of a proper Victorian lady... But as Lucy edges closer to the truth about what happened to Count Carmosino, the stakes rise dramatically. When an attempt is made on her life while Phin is out of town, Lucy realizes they're both in grave danger. Can she unravel this conspiracy and save those she loves before it's too late?

The fourth in the beloved Lucy Lawrence mystery series! A gripping tale of stolen diamonds, family intrigue, and hard-won redemption set against the stunning backdrop of glamorous Italy."

I'm just saying, Lucy needs to embrace the ability to see things from both sides, sure, there may be danger, but at least their honeymoon is still in a beautiful locale...

When We Flew Away by Alice Hoffman
Published by: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Bestselling author Alice Hoffman delivers a stunning novel about one of contemporary history's most acclaimed figures, exploring the little-known details of Anne Frank's life before she went into hiding.

Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl has captivated and inspired readers for decades. Published posthumously by her bereaved father, Anne's journal, written while she and her family were in hiding during World War II, has become one of the central texts of the Jewish experience during the Holocaust, as well as a work of literary genius.

With the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, the Frank family's life is turned inside out, blow by blow, restriction by restriction. Prejudice, loss, and terror run rampant, and Anne is forced to bear witness as ordinary people become monsters, and children and families are caught up in the inescapable tide of violence.

In the midst of impossible danger, Anne, audacious and creative and fearless, discovers who she truly is. With a wisdom far beyond her years, she will become a writer who will go on to change the world as we know it.

Critically acclaimed author Alice Hoffman weaves a lyrical and heart-wrenching story of the way the world closes in on the Frank family from the moment the Nazis invade the Netherlands until they are forced into hiding, bringing Anne to bold, vivid life.

Based on extensive research and published in cooperation with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, When We Flew Away is an extraordinary and moving tour de force.

Perfect for Alice Hoffman fans and readers of every age."

I'm glad that the story of Anne Frank is continuing to inspire and that this was done so thoughtfully.

Hampton Heights by Dan Kois
Published by: Harper Perennial
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the author of the Washington Post notable novel Vintage Contemporaries, something completely unexpected: a hair-raising and rollicking adventure set on one night in 1987, when six paperboys must confront a slew of monsters as well as their own personal demons in a haunted Midwestern neighborhood.

On a cold winter's evening in 1987, six middle-school paperboys wander an unfamiliar Milwaukee neighborhood, selling newspaper subscriptions, fueled by their manager Kevin's promises of cash bonuses and dinner at Burger King. But the freaks come out at night in Hampton Heights. Sent out into the neighborhood in pairs, the boys will encounter a host of primordial monsters - and triumph over them.

Sigmone, who is bussed to a white school, is stuck with Joel, a white kid who idolizes Black culture. Mark, who's wrestling with his sexuality, joins his secret crush, Ryan. Nishu and Al are outsiders; one is a second-generation immigrant, the other a poor kid in a rich school. Over the course of one eventful evening, the three pairs will encounter the wild things of Hampton Heights - werewolves, witches with a centuries-old story to tell, and a creepy, ancient monster who feeds on memories. Meanwhile, Kevin is having an adventure of his own, seducing a beautiful woman in the neighborhood's tavern...but who is actually in control?

Funny, thrilling, outrageous, and sneakily beautiful, Dan Kois's Hampton Heights captures without sentimentality the dreams and fears of teenage boys in a tender horror-comedy about camaraderie, bravery, vulnerability, and the terrifying prospect of growing up."

Paper Girls for those who prefer prose.

The Lies We Conjure by Sarah Henning
Published by: Tor Teen
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Knives Out meets The Inheritance Games with magic in this standalone supernatural thriller by Sarah Henning: thirteen witches, a locked-room murder, and two non-magical sisters trapped in a deadly whodunit.

Ruby and her sister, Wren, are normal, middle-class Colorado high school students working a summer job at the local Renaissance Fest to supplement their meager college savings.

So when an eccentric old lady asks them to impersonate her long-absent grandchildren at a fancy dinner party at the jaw-dropping rate of two grand - each - for a single night... Wren insists it's a no-brainer. Make some cash, have some fun, do a good deed.

But less than an hour into the evening at the mysterious Hegemony Manor, Ruby is sure she must have lost her mind to have agreed to this.

The hostess is dead, the gates are locked, and a magical curse ensures no one can leave until they solve both her murder and the riddles she left behind - in just three days. Because everyone else at this party is a powerful witch. And if the witches realize Ruby and Wren are imposters? The sisters won't make it out of Hegemony Manor alive."

Three things I love; magic, locked room mystery, and standalone. 

The Others: Book 1 by Evette Davis
Published by: Sparkpress
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"True Blood meets Supernatural in the kickoff of this urban paranormal fantasy series from an acclaimed author. Readers enter a dystopian San Francisco filled with empaths and vampires embroiled in political unrest - and Book 1 is just the beginning.

Much as she wishes otherwise, superstar political consultant Olivia Shepherd was born a powerful empath. It's a legacy she walked away from long ago - but when she wakes up one morning to find Elsa, a tenacious time-walker, standing in her kitchen, she realizes she can no longer ignore her gifts. She is quickly plunged into the hidden world of powerful "Others" and drafted to work for the Council, a shadowy organization that summons the fog to San Francisco to obscure their involvement in human affairs.

Complicating matters further is Olivia's new love interest, William. A centuries-old vampire, William is far too jaded to take an interest in human affairs - but Olivia no longer has the luxury of remaining impartial. As shocking details from Olivia's own past emerge and her role in the Council begins to take shape, will she rise to the challenge of her destiny?"

I will read anything set in San Francisco. Throw in a supernatural element and I am SO there.

Stage Fright by Wendy Parris
Published by: Random House Children's Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A new locked room scary story about thirteen-year-old Avery, who plans a séance at a deserted theater to bond with her friends, only to realize they're locked inside with someone - or something - else. This spine tingling read is perfect for fans of Katherine Arden and Lindsay Currie!

When Avery returns to her hometown after moving away a year earlier, she is hoping to jump back into her friend group as if nothing's changed.

Unfortunately, new interests, secret crushes, and changing dynamics get in her way. To reunite her BFFs, she suggests they host a séance at an abandoned theater that was the site of a horrible tragedy.

What starts as a fun outing, soon becomes a fight for survival after the group gets locked in...and discovers they're not alone."

I adore that the cover has the theater's ghost light front and center.

The School for Wicked Witches by Will Taylor
Published by: Scholastic Inc.
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ava isn't ready to leave her home in Oz - especially not to become a witch. Then the worst thing that could possibly happen occurs - Ava's magic goes very wrong and she is banished to a school for wicked witches. Perfect for fans of Wicked, Witchlings, and The School for Good and Evil!

In Oz, most girls and boys with magical powers are sent from the north, south, east, and west to renowned witch academies, where they are elevated and taught all the finer ways to be a responsible witch. But if you misbehave? Or are thought to harbor darker magic? You're sent to the equivalent of witch reform school - The School for Wicked Witches. ONLY! Once you get there, you find that the witches running it are so powerful that they've managed to trick the rest of the outside world. Yes, it looks to outside like they are taming the wickedness out of the witches... but in truth, the school is run by wicked witches (who, incidentally, don't see themselves as wicked at all... although some of them really are.)

Ava Heartstraw has never even considered being wicked. But when she goes to take her entrance test for a witch academy, she doesn't get the reaction she's expecting - and is the first kid in memory from the west to be sent to the School for Wicked Witches."

This fall it's all about Oz!

Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood
Published by: Ace Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this spellbinding warm and cozy debut novel, a burned-out witch will need to turn to her friends and trust in herself to find the magic in her own life again.

Belladonna Blackthorn hasn't lost her magical spark, precisely...but she hasn't seen it in a while either.

With her witchcraft under wraps and a toxic boss making her days miserable, Belle is struggling to keep her beloved Lunar Books afloat and just make it through the day. The last thing she has time for is perfecting her magic.

So when her thirtieth birthday brings a summons from her coven and a trial that tests her worthiness as a witch, Belle fears the worst. With only the month of October left to prove herself or risk losing her magic forever, Belle will need all the help she can get - from the women in her life, from an unlikely mentor figure and even from an infuriating coven watchman who's sworn to protect her..."

I swear, if I could move into the cover of a book it would be this one.

My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Nothing sucks more than fake dating a vampire in this paranormal romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of My Roommate Is a Vampire.

Amelia Collins is by definition successful. She would even go so far as to say successfully single. But not according to her family, and she's tired of the constant questions about her nonexistent dating life. When an invitation to yet another family wedding arrives, she decides to get everyone off her back once and for all by finding someone - anyone - to pose as her date.

After a chance encounter with Reginald Cleaves, Amelia decides he's perfect for her purposes. He's a bit strange, but that's fine; it'll discourage tough questions from her family. (And it certainly doesn't hurt that he's very handsome.) For centuries-old vampire Reggie, posing as her plus-one sounds like the ultimate fun. And if it helps his ruse of pretending to be human, so much the better.

As Amelia and Reggie practice their fauxmance, it becomes clear that Reggie is as loyal to her as the day is long, and that Amelia's first impressions could not have been more wrong. Suddenly, being in a real relationship with Reggie sounds pretty fang-tastic."

But what if the wedding is outside at noon?

Does This Taste Funny? by Stephen Colbert and Evie McGee Colbert
Published by: Celadon Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Stephen and Evie Colbert invite you to pull up a chair as they share their favorite recipes from family and friends and offer a glimpse of food and fun in their South Carolina home.

"Hopefully reading this book and cooking these recipes will feel like hanging out with us at home. We basically live in the kitchen anyway." - Evie and Stephen Colbert

As Evie and Stephen explain it, Does This Taste Funny? had its beginnings in the Covid lockdown. "We were all stuck together and couldn't go out, so we cooked. We had all three kids back under one roof for the first time in a long time, and we had dinner each night as a family. Cooking together became a major source of entertainment."

Now, the Colberts invite us into their kitchen and around their dining room table. Sharing Stephen and Evie's favorite recipes, as well as those of their family and friends, this book offers everything from Party Food (called "party food" because "appetizers" implies something to follow when we all know that, often, this is the only course), to Seafood, to Poultry and Meat ("Evie and I have different relationships to meat. I like it. Evie can take it or leave it, and mostly she leaves it."), to Desserts ("This is one of the largest sections of the book. Evie always reminds me that desserts are a great way to postpone clearing up."), to Drinks ("I love cocktail hour. It feels like a reward for having gone so long without a cocktail."), all tied together with playful dialogue between Stephen and Evie and gorgeous shots of their food, family, and home."

Now THIS is the cookbook I've been waiting for. Plus, I mean, don't you love Stephen and Evie and that awesome cover?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alexis Henderson, Alice Hoffman, Allison Saft, Erin Lark Maples, Evette Davis, J.M. Miro, Jenna Levine, Lucy Jane Wood, Naomi Novik, Pam Lecky, Richard Osman, Sarah Henning, Stephen Colbert, Will Taylor

Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro
Published by: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 672 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A STUNNING NEW WORK OF HISTORICAL FANTASY, J. M. MIRO'S ORDINARY MONSTERS INTRODUCES READERS TO THE DARK, LABYRINTHINE WORLD OF THE TALENTS.

England, 1882. In Victorian London, two children with mysterious powers are hunted by a figure of darkness - a man made of smoke.

Sixteen-year-old Charlie Ovid, despite a brutal childhood in Mississippi, doesn't have a scar on him. His body heals itself, whether he wants it to or not. Marlowe, a foundling from a railway freight car, shines with a strange bluish light. He can melt or mend flesh. When Alice Quicke, a jaded detective with her own troubled past, is recruited to escort them to safety, all three begin a journey into the nature of difference and belonging, and the shadowy edges of the monstrous.

What follows is a story of wonder and betrayal, from the gaslit streets of London, and the wooden theaters of Meiji-era Tokyo, to an eerie estate outside Edinburgh where other children with gifts - like Komako, a witch-child and twister of dust, and Ribs, a girl who cloaks herself in invisibility - are forced to combat the forces that threaten their safety. There, the world of the dead and the world of the living threaten to collide. And as secrets within the Institute unfurl, Komako, Marlowe, Charlie, Ribs, and the rest of the talents will discover the truth about their abilities, and the nature of what is stalking them: that the worst monsters sometimes come bearing the sweetest gifts.

Riveting in its scope, exquisitely written, Ordinary Monsters presents a catastrophic vision of the Victorian world - and of the gifted, broken children who must save it."

THIS is exactly what I wanted from The Nevers! That didn't deliver, THIS does.

The Maker of Swans by Paraic O'Donnell
Published by: Tin House Books
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It is no small matter, after all, to create something - to make it so only by setting down the words. We forget the magnitude, sometimes, of that miracle.

In the dead of night, shots ring out over the grounds of a sprawling English estate. The world-weary butler Eustace recognizes the gunman - his longtime employer, Mr. Crowe - and knows he must think and act quickly. Who is the man lying dead on the lawn? Who is the woman in his company? Can he clean up his master’s mess like he always has before? Or will this bring a new kind of reckoning?

Mr. Crowe was once famed for his gifts - unaccountable gifts, known only to the members of a secretive order. Protected and privileged, he was courted by countesses and great men of letters. But he has long since retreated from that glittering world, living alone but for Eustace and Clara, his mysterious young ward. He has been content to live quietly, his great library gathering dust and his once magnificent gardens growing wild. He has left the past behind. Until now.

Because there are rules, even for Mr. Crowe and his kind, that cannot be broken. And this single night of passion and violence will have consequences, stirring shadows from the past and threatening those he now cares for. He and the faithful Eustace will be tested as never before. So too will Clara, whose own extraordinary gifts remain hidden, even from herself. If she is to save them all, she must learn to use them quickly and unlock the secret of who she is.

It is a secret beyond imagining. A secret that will change everything."

Secrets on a sprawling English estate, sqwee!

The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian
Published by: Avon
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Cat Sebastian returns to Georgian London with a stunning tale of a reluctant criminal and the thief who cannot help but love her.

Marian Hayes, the Duchess of Clare, just shot her husband. Of course, the evil, murderous man deserved what was coming to him, but now she must flee to the countryside. Unfortunately, the only person she can ask for help is the charismatic criminal who is blackmailing her - and who she may have left tied up a few hours before...

A highwayman, con artist, and all-around cheerful villain, Rob Brooks is no stranger to the wrong side of the law or the right side of anybody’s bed. He never meant to fall for the woman whose secrets he promised to keep for the low price of five hundred pounds, but how could he resist someone who led him on a merry chase all over London, left him tied up in a seedy inn, and then arrived covered in her husband’s blood and in desperate need of his help?

As they flee across the country - stopping to pick pockets, drink to excess, and rescue invalid cats - they discover more true joy and peace than either has felt in ages. But when the truth of Rob’s past catches up to him, they must decide if they are willing to reshape their lives in order to forge a future together."

High Georgian times where blackmail could lead to love!

Edward and Amelia by Karen Thornell
Published by: Covenant Communications
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The last thing Amelia Kennington wants is to participate in the London Season. But the daughter of a duke is not afforded such opinions. She must put forth a subdued facade, but beneath it is a well-hidden fire that surfaces only when provoked - such as when an overly familiar gentleman startles her and she falls into the Serpentine.

Edward Drayton, the Earl of Norwich, has gained a reputation as Society’s most decorated rake. And while there are benefits to such a reputation, it no longer gives him the satisfaction it once did. This Season, he plans to find a wife - except she seems to find him instead. And she is nothing like he expected.

Scandal is inevitable following Edward and Amelia’s ill-conceived meeting, forcing them to marry. Amelia’s disdain for this man she hardly knows is more than clear, and Edward’s pride is wounded before their marriage has even truly begun. Yet, against all odds, the two slowly let their guard down, discovering the truth of who they married. But when Society gossip, a sister’s jealousy, and long-held secrets threaten their budding relationship, the unlikely couple must determine if their unconventional love is strong enough to withstand the opposition they face."

Ah, Regency Romance, you know it's my jam!

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Lost Apothecary meets Dead Dead Girls in this fast-paced, STEMinist adventure. Debut author Kate Khavari deftly entwines a pulse-pounding mystery with the struggles of a woman in a male-dominated field in 1923 London.

Newly minted research assistant Saffron Everleigh is determined to blaze a new trail at the University College London, but with her colleagues' beliefs about women's academic inabilities and not so subtle hints that her deceased father’s reputation paved her way into the botany department, she feels stymied at every turn.

When she attends a dinner party for the school, she expects to engage in conversations about the university's large expedition to the Amazon. What she doesn’t expect is for Mrs. Henry, one of the professors' wives, to drop to the floor, poisoned by an unknown toxin.

Dr. Maxwell, Saffron's mentor, is the main suspect and evidence quickly mounts. Joined by fellow researcher - and potential romantic interest - Alexander Ashton, Saffron uses her knowledge of botany as she explores steamy greenhouses, dark gardens, and deadly poisons to clear Maxwell's name.

Will she be able to uncover the truth or will her investigation land her on the murderer's list, in this entertaining examination of society's expectations."

You know, I might have been more willing to embrace STEM as a child had I been allowed to focus on poisons. Just saying...

Lasy Call at the Nightingale by Katharine Schellman
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 302 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"First in a captivating Jazz age mystery series from author Katharine Schellman, Last Call at the Nightingale beckons readers into a darkly glamorous speakeasy where music, liquor, and secrets flow.

New York, 1924. Vivian Kelly's days are filled with drudgery, from the tenement lodging she shares with her sister to the dress shop where she sews for hours every day.

But at night, she escapes to The Nightingale, an underground dance hall where illegal liquor flows and the band plays the Charleston with reckless excitement. With a bartender willing to slip her a free glass of champagne and friends who know the owner, Vivian can lose herself in the music. No one asks where she came from or how much money she has. No one bats an eye if she flirts with men or women as long as she can keep up on the dance floor. At The Nightingale, Vivian forgets the dangers of Prohibition-era New York and finds a place that feels like home.

But then she discovers a body behind the club, and those dangers come knocking.

Caught in a police raid at the Nightingale, Vivian discovers that the dead man wasn't the nameless bootlegger he first appeared. With too many people assuming she knows more about the crime than she does, Vivian finds herself caught between the dangers of the New York's underground and the world of the city's wealthy and careless, where money can hide any sin and the lives of the poor are considered disposable...including Vivian's own."

Lately I've been all about the speakeasy lifestyle!

Spineless by Samantha San Miguel
Published by: Union Square Kids
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This exciting middle-grade adventure is Hoot for the Gilded Age - with scientific discoveries, secret plots, and surprisingly enormous fauna.

When his asthma lands him at a health resort in the wilds of Gilded Age South Florida, twelve-year-old Algie Emsworth is over the moon. The scientific treasure trove of unexplored swamps may launch his dream career as a naturalist. But even Algie is startled when he happens upon a brand-new species and her brood in the karst springs surrounding the resort. Algie quickly realizes he must keep his discovery a secret: a famous collector of exotic animals is also staying at the hotel, and the new species is threatened by his very presence. An apparent curse has also descended upon the hotel, bringing with it a deadly red tide. But when the pool starts filling with ink and guests start getting mysterious, sucker-shaped wounds, Algie must pluck up his courage to find the truth about the goings-on at the Grand Hotel - and save the new species from destruction."

Florida during the Gilded Age? Oh yes!

We All Fall Down by Rose Szabo
Published by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The first book in a dark fantasy YA duology by Rose Szabo, the author of What Big Teeth, about the power and danger of stories and the untold costs of keeping magic alive, perfect for fans of Aiden Thomas and Marie Rutkoski.

In River City, where magic used to thrive and is now fading, the witches who once ruled the city along with their powerful King have become all but obsolete. The city's crumbling government is now controlled primarily by the new university and teaching hospital, which has grown to take over half of the city.

Moving between the decaying Old City and the ruthless New, four young queer people struggle with the daily hazards of life - work, school, dodging ruthless cops and unscrupulous scientists - not realizing that they have been selected to play in an age-old drama that revives the flow of magic through their world. When a mysterious death rocks their fragile peace, the four are brought into each other's orbits as they uncover a deeper magical conspiracy.

Devastating, gorgeous, and utterly unique, We All Fall Down examines the complex network of pain created by power differentials, even between people who love each other - and how it is possible to be queer and turn out just fine."

I would also say for fans of Leigh Bardugo!

Another Time, Another Place by Jodi Taylor
Published by: Headline
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"BOOK 12 IN THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING CHRONICLES OF ST MARY'S SERIES,

For fans of Jasper Fforde, Doctor Who, Genevieve Cogman and Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club.

'It's time, Max.' And so, a whole new chapter opens up...

It's long been known that if a thing can go wrong, it will. With knobs on, usually. Disasters start to pile up. A new colleague with no respect for the past and a great deal to prove. Historians lost in time. And - worst of all - Rosie Lee on her very first jump. Then there's the small matter of Max's dishonourable discharge.

From Tudor England to the Tower of Babel - it's all going horribly wrong.

Jobless and homeless, Max receives an offer she can't refuse. Another time, another place. A refuge, perhaps.

She's got that wrong, too."

The series I am literally recommended to read by everyone all the time.

Witch 13 by Patrick Delaney
Published by: Oblivion Publishing
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 354 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"On the eve of her resignation, Sheriff Sterling Marsh prepares for a bleak winter in Drybell, Connecticut, after a string of bad decisions leaves her life in shambles. Two weeks before Christmas and expecting a long night of paperwork and quiet celebration with the friends she's grown to know and love, she's surprised when an unnerving stranger appears in the form of a witch.

A silent, menacing figure, the witch appears to be ripped straight out of a fairy tale, complete with a tall, pointed hat, and black clothing. But when strange things begin happening all over town, Sterling begins to suspect that there may be more to the witch than meets the eye.

As she works to maintain order as the world crumbles around her, the witch's mysterious presence throws her world into a frenzy, threatening to send the sleepy town spiraling face-first into the darkest night it's ever seen."

A witch who is a harbinger of bad tidings, yes please!

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In every person's story, there is something to hide...

The ornate reading room at the Boston Public Library is quiet, until the tranquility is shattered by a woman's terrified scream. Security guards take charge immediately, instructing everyone inside to stay put until the threat is identified and contained. While they wait for the all-clear, four strangers, who'd happened to sit at the same table, pass the time in conversation and friendships are struck. Each has his or her own reasons for being in the reading room that morning - it just happens that one is a murderer.

Award-winning author Sulari Gentill delivers a sharply thrilling read with The Woman in the Library, an unexpectedly twisty literary adventure that examines the complicated nature of friendship and shows us that words can be the most treacherous weapons of all."

THE BOOK everyone is talking about right now, probably even those four strangers in the library!

A Secret About a Secret by Peter Spiegelman
Published by: Knopf
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Looming high above the cliffside along a remote coastline, Ondstrand House is the headquarters of the shadowy biotech firm Ondstrand Biologic. When the body of the organization’s most gifted young scientist, Allegra Stans, is discovered in a walk-in refrigerator - her neck has been broken - Agent Myles is called in to investigate. Myles works for Standard Division, the most feared element of a vast state security apparatus, and he’s been dispatched to the brooding manor, a massive stone campus that once housed a notorious boarding school, to do what Standard Division agents do best - complete the task at hand.

As his investigation proceeds, Myles discovers that "gifted scientist" is only one thread in the complicated fabric of Allegra’s life. There are darker strands as well - of ambition, manipulation, and bitter grievance - all woven into a pattern of secrets, each presenting a reasonable motive for murder. It appears everyone has something to hide, including Allegra’s colleagues, lovers, and former lovers - even the very halls of Ondstrand House itself.

Questions continue to pile up: What interest does Standard Division, an organization best known for intelligence gathering and clandestine international operations, have in this seemingly straightforward case? Could the killing have anything to do with the sprawling estate’s sordid past? And what, exactly, is this research facility researching? Before long, another murder is discovered, and Myles finds himself an increasingly unwelcome presence in an ever more hostile landscape with few allies and fewer answers."

A sprawling estate's sordid past that now houses a biotech firm? Michael Crichton meets Agatha Christie!

Cold Fear by Brandon Webb and John David Mann
Published by: Bantam
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Finn’s search for his memory of one fateful night leads him to Iceland - only to be followed by an unhinged assassin intent on stopping him - in the riveting follow-up to Steel Fear, from the New York Times bestselling writing team Webb and Mann, combat-decorated Navy SEAL Brandon Webb and award-winning author John David Mann.

Disgraced Navy SEAL Finn is on the run. A wanted man since he jumped ship from the USS Abraham Lincoln, he’s sought for questioning in connection to war crimes committed in Yemen by a rogue element in his SEAL team. But his memory of that night - as well as the true fate of his mentor and only friend, Lieutenant Kennedy - is a gaping hole.

Finn learns that three members of his team have been quietly redeployed to Iceland, which is a puzzle in itself; the tiny island nation is famous for being one of the most peaceful, crime-free places on the planet.

His mission is simple: track down the three corrupt SEALs and find out what really happened that night in Yemen. But two problems stand in his way. On his first night in town a young woman mysteriously drowns - and a local detective suspects Finn’s involvement. What’s worse, a SEAL-turned-contract-killer with skills equal to Finn’s own has been hired to make sure he never gets the answers he’s looking for. And he’s followed Finn all the way to the icy north."

ICELAND!!!

The City Inside by Samit Basu
Published by: Tordotcom
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The City Inside, a near-future epic by the internationally celebrated Samit Basu, pulls no punches as it comes for your anxieties about society, government, the environment, and our world at large - yet never loses sight of the hopeful potential of the future.

"They'd known the end times were coming but hadn’t known they'd be multiple choice."

Joey is a Reality Controller in near-future Delhi. Her job is to supervise the multimedia multi-reality livestreams of Indi, one of South Asia’s fastest rising online celebrities - who also happens to be her college ex. Joey’s job gives her considerable culture power, but she's too caught up in day-to-day crisis handling to see this, or to figure out what she wants from her life.

Rudra is a recluse estranged from his wealthy and powerful family, now living in an impoverished immigrant neighborhood. When his father's death pulls him back into his family's orbit, an impulsive job offer from Joey becomes his only escape from the life he never wanted.

But as Joey and Rudra become enmeshed in multiple conspiracies, their lives start to spin out of control - complicated by dysfunctional relationships, corporate loyalty, and the never-ending pressures of surveillance capitalism. When a bigger picture begins to unfold, they must each decide how to do the right thing in a world where simply maintaining the status quo feels like an accomplishment. Ultimately, resistance will not - cannot - take the same shape for these two very different people."

Surveillance capitalism will never not be a relevant topic.

Tracy Flick Can't Win by Tom Perrotta
Published by: Scribner
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Tracy Flick is back and, once again, the iconic protagonist of Tom Perrotta's Election - and Reese Witherspoon’s character from the classic movie adaptation - is determined to take high school politics by storm.

Tracy Flick is a hardworking assistant principal at a public high school in suburban New Jersey. Still ambitious but feeling a little stuck and underappreciated in midlife, Tracy gets a jolt of good news when the longtime principal, Jack Weede, abruptly announces his retirement, creating a rare opportunity for Tracy to ascend to the top job.

Energized by the prospect of her long-overdue promotion, Tracy throws herself into her work with renewed zeal, determined to prove her worth to the students, faculty, and School Board, while also managing her personal life - a ten-year-old daughter, a needy doctor boyfriend, and a burgeoning meditation practice. But nothing ever comes easily to Tracy Flick, no matter how diligent or qualified she happens to be.

Among her many other responsibilities, Tracy is enlisted to serve on the Selection Committee for the brand-new Green Meadow High School Hall of Fame. Her male colleagues' determination to honor Vito Falcone - a star quarterback of dubious character who had a brief, undistinguished career in the NFL - triggers bad memories for Tracy, and leads her to troubling reflections about the trajectory of her own life and the forces that have left her feeling thwarted and disappointed, unable to fulfill her true potential.

As she broods on the past, Tracy becomes aware of storm clouds brewing in the present. Is she really a shoo-in for the Principal job? Is the Superintendent plotting against her? Why is the School Board President's wife trying so hard to be her friend? And why can’t she ever get what she deserves?

In classic Perrotta style, Tracy Flick Can't Win is a sharp, darkly comic, and pitch-perfect reflection on our current moment. Flick fans and newcomers alike will love this compelling novel chronicling the second act of one of the most memorable characters of our time."

Because I'm sure just like me everyone else has been wondering what happened to Tracy Flick!

Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An American woman and her son stumble upon the dark history of a rambling English manor house in this "masterful, riveting, and atmospheric" (Alka Joshi, author of The Henna Artist) novel from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Belfer.

When a close relative falls ill, Hannah Larson and her young son, Nicky, join him for the summer at Ashton Hall, a historic manor house outside Cambridge, England. A frustrated academic whose ambitions have been subsumed by the challenges of raising her beloved child, Hannah longs to escape her life in New York City, where her marriage has been upended by a recently discovered and devastating betrayal.

Soon after their arrival, ever-curious Nicky finds the skeletal remains of a woman walled into a forgotten part of the manor, and Hannah is pulled into an all-consuming quest for answers, Nicky close by her side. Working from clues in centuries-old ledgers showing what the woman’s household spent on everything from music to medicine; lists of books checked out of the library; and the troubling personal papers of the long-departed family, Hannah begins to recreate the Ashton Hall of the Elizabethan era in all its color and conflict. As the multilayered secrets of her own life begin to unravel, Hannah comes to realize that Ashton Hall's women before her had lives not so different from her own, and she confronts what mothers throughout history have had to do to secure their independence and protect their children.

"Infused with the brooding, Gothic atmosphere of Jane Eyre or Rebecca" (Melanie Benjamin, author of The Children’s Blizzard) and rich with female passion, strength, and ferocity across the ages, Ashton Hall is a novel that reveals how the most profound hauntings are within ourselves."

The ghosts within ourselves and our roles in society taking place within a manor house!?! YAS!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Cat Sebastian, J.M. Miro, Karen Thornell, Katharine Schellman, Lauren Belfer, Paraic O'Donnell, Patrick Delaney, Peter Spiegelman, Rose Szabo, Samit Basu, Sulari Gentill, Tom Perrotta