Showing posts with label Joanna Margaret. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joanna Margaret. Show all posts

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.

Monday, October 17, 2022

Tuesday Tomorrow

Blitz by Daniel O'Malley
Published by: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: October 18th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 688 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A new recruit to the most powerful supernatural intelligence agency on Earth is accused of going rogue and must go on the run to clear her name.

September, 1940. Three women of the Checquy, the secret organization tasked with protecting Britain from supernatural threats, stand in the sky above London and see German aircraft approach. Forbidden by law to interfere, all they can do is watch as their city is bombed. Until Pamela, the most sensible of them, breaks all the rules and brings down a Nazi bomber with her bare hands. The three resolve to tell no one about it, but they soon learn that a crew member is missing from the downed bomber. Charred corpses are discovered in nearby houses and it becomes apparent that the women have unwittingly unleashed a monster.

Through a city torn by the Blitz, the friends must hunt the enemy before he kills again. Their task will take them from the tunnels of the Underground to the halls of power, where they will discover the secrets that a secret organization must keep even from itself.

Today. Lynette Binns, a librarian with a husband and child, is a late recruit to the Checquy, having discovered only as an adult her ability to electrify everyday objects with her touch. After completing her training, she is assigned to examine a string of brutal murders and quickly realizes that all bear the unmistakable hallmark of her own unique power. Unable to provide an alibi and determined to prove her innocence, she flees, venturing into the London underworld to find answers. But now she is prey, being tracked by her own frighteningly capable comrades.

As Lyn fights off powered thugs and her own vengeful colleagues, she will find that the solution to the murders and to the mystery of her own past lies in the events of World War II, and the covert actions of three young women during the Blitz."

This is one of my must buy books released this fall. We FINALLY have the third installment of the Checquy!

The Bequest by Joanna Margaret
Published by: Scarlet
Publication Date: October 18th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 312 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"After her professor’s suspicious death, a PhD student uncovers dark machinations among her academic associates in this "richly atmospheric and irresistibly readable" (Joyce Carol Oates) Gothic mystery set between Scotland, Italy, and France.

Fleeing a disastrous affair with a colleague in Boston, Isabel Henley moves to Scotland to begin a PhD with a renowned feminist professor - only to learn, upon arrival, that her advisor has suffered a deadly fall. Soon after, Isabel is informed that another scholar at the university is about to publish a book on her dissertation topic, leaving her disconcerted and in search of a new subject, all while struggling to acclimate to her new home abroad.

Isabel needs a good friend during such a rocky start, and finds one when she reconnects with Rose Brewster, her charismatic classmate from undergrad. But when Rose confides to Isabel that she is in trouble, and then goes missing, Isabel's already-unsteady life is sent into a tailspin. A suicide note surfaces, followed by a coded message: Rose is alive but, unless Isabel can complete the research begun before her friend's disappearance, both women will be killed by her captors.

As Isabel follows the Rose's paper trail from Genoa to Florence and, finally, to Paris, she uncovers family secrets, the legend of an enormous cursed emerald, and a chain of betrayal and treason which parallels her own perilous present. If she can put the pieces together soon, she could solve a 400-year-old mystery - and save her and her friend's lives in the process.

Combining epistolary elements, Gothic suspense, and an atmospheric "dark academia" setting, The Bequest is a gripping literary thriller that will appeal to fans of Alex Michaelides' The Maidens and Donna Tartt's The Secret History."

Tasha Alexander blurbed the book as "Intricately plotted, exquisitely written, and brimming with atmosphere, The Bequest is a brilliant debut, as smart as it is compelling." So that's me sold. Well, and plus the whole "dark academia" vibe.

Book Madness by Denise Gigante
Published by: Yale University Press
Publication Date: October 18th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The fascinating history of American bookishness as told through the sale of Charles Lamb's library in 1848.

Charles Lamb's library - a heap of sixty scruffy old books singed with smoke, soaked with gin, sprinkled with crumbs, stripped of illustrations, and bescribbled by the essayist and his literary friends - caused a sensation when it was sold in New York in 1848. The transatlantic book world watched as the relics of a man revered as the patron saint of book collectors were dispersed. Following those books through the stories of the bibliophiles who shaped intellectual life in America - booksellers, publishers, journalists, editors, bibliographers, librarians, actors, antiquarians, philanthropists, politicians, poets, clergymen - Denise Gigante brings to life a lost world of letters at a time when Americans were busy assembling the country’s major public, university, and society libraries. A human tale of loss, obsession, and spiritual survival, this book reveals the magical power books can have to bring people together and will be an absorbing read for anyone interested in what makes a book special."

Well there goes the title of my autobiography...

Drawing Outside the Lines by Susan J. Austin
Published by: Sparkpress
Publication Date: October 18th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Meet the brilliant, fearless, and ambitious Julia Morgan. In 1883, eleven-year-old Julia visits the amazing new Brooklyn Bridge - an experience that ignites within her a small but persistent flame. Someday, she decides, she too will build an astounding structure.

Growing up in horse-and-buggy Oakland, Julia enjoys daring fence walks, climbing the tallest trees, and constantly testing her mother's patience with her lack of interest in domestic duties and social events. At a time when "brainy" girls are the object of ridicule, Julia excels in school and consistently outsmarts her ornery brothers - but she has an even greater battle ahead. When she enrolls at university to study engineering, the male students taunt her, and the professors belittle her. Through it all, however, Julia holds on to her dream of becoming an architect. She faces each challenge head-on, firmly standing up to those who believe a woman's place is in the home. Fortunately, the world has yet to meet anyone like the indomitable Miss Morgan.

Drawing Outside the Lines is an imagined childhood of pioneering architect Julia Morgan, who left behind her an extraordinary legacy of creativity, beauty, and engineering marvels."

You think they'd mention Hearst Castle in the blurb... But yeah, she did that.

Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen
Published by: Forge Books
Publication Date: October 18th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A delicious story from a new voice in suspense, Lev AC Rosen's Lavender House is Knives Out with a queer historical twist.

Lavender House, 1952: the family seat of recently deceased matriarch Irene Lamontaine, head of the famous Lamontaine soap empire. Irene's recipes for her signature scents are a well guarded secret - but it's not the only one behind these gates. This estate offers a unique freedom, where none of the residents or staff hide who they are. But to keep their secret, they've needed to keep others out. And now they're worried they're keeping a murderer in.

Irene's widow hires Evander Mills to uncover the truth behind her mysterious death. Andy, recently fired from the San Francisco police after being caught in a raid on a gay bar, is happy to accept - his calendar is wide open. And his secret is the kind of secret the Lamontaines understand.

Andy had never imagined a world like Lavender House. He's seduced by the safety and freedom found behind its gates, where a queer family lives honestly and openly. But that honesty doesn't extend to everything, and he quickly finds himself a pawn in a family game of old money, subterfuge, and jealousy - and Irene’s death is only the beginning.

When your existence is a crime, everything you do is criminal, and the gates of Lavender House can't lock out the real world forever. Running a soap empire can be a dirty business."

San Francisco, check, family legacy, check, queer historical twist, check, this is seriously checking all my boxes!

Shadow Sister by Lindsay Marcott
Published by: Thomas and Mercer
Publication Date: October 18th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 381 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the bestselling author of Mrs. Rochester's Ghost comes the chilling story of a young woman who returns to her haunted childhood home to unravel the deadly mysteries of her family's past.

Ava grew up in a haunted mansion, envied by all her friends. But when her mother died mysteriously there, the thrills of Blackworth Mansion became nightmares. Ava never accepted that her mother perished from natural causes, but no one would believe her.

Seventeen years later, Ava returns home to unravel the truth of her mother's death - and her own demons quickly follow. Her estranged and vindictive father may be stalking her. Her secretive new sister-in-law lands on her doorstep with troubles of her own. And then there's the strange girl who may or may not be haunting the grounds. Even Ava's romance with her first crush is shadowed by her suspicions.

When Ava makes a terrifying discovery on the property, she must decide just how far into the past she's willing to go. Some secrets can be deadly - especially the ones Ava's kept hidden in the dark."

Haunted homes, haunted legacies, bring on the hauntings!

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: October 18th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the New York Times bestselling author of Something in the Water, Mr. Nobody, and The Disappearing Act....

THE RULES
1. Listen carefully
2. Do your research
3. Trust no one
4. Run for your life

Harriet Reed, a novelist on the brink of literary stardom, is newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, the heir of an extremely powerful family. And even though Edward has long tried to severe ties with them, news of the couple's marital bliss has the Holbecks inching back into their lives.

As Harriet is drawn into their lavish world, the family seems perfectly welcoming. So when Edward's father, Robert, hands Harriet a tape of a book he's been working on, she is desperate to listen.

But as she presses play, it's clear that this isn’t just a novel. It’s a confession.

A confession to a grisly crime. A murder. And, suddenly, the game is in motion.

Feeling isolated and confused, Harriet must work out if this is part of a plan to test her loyalty. Or something far darker. What is it that Robert sees in her? Why give her the power to destroy everything?

This might be a game to the Holbeck family - but losing might still prove deadly.

READY OR NOT, HERE THEY COME..."

A dangerous new family is a delicious trope I will never get enough of.

Secrets Scarlet edited by Charlotte Llewelyn-Wells
Published by: Aconyte
Publication Date: October 18th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A secret organization ruthlessly seeks power over supernatural terrors in this globe-trotting anthology of arcane mystery and adventure, from the bestselling world of Arkham Horror.

Beyond our world lies another, one full of paranormal forces and eldritch horrors, and once that membrane has been pierced, life can never be the same again. In every corner of the globe, persons unknown are seizing objects of extreme supernatural power. They declare themselves defenders of humanity, fighting off the darkness which presses against the veil shrouding our reality from the unknowable. But do their claims of altruism ring true? And should they be permitted to wield such power? From the world of Arkham Horror comes an exciting new anthology that delves into new mysteries.

The Man in the Bubble by David Annandale
City of Waking Dreams by Davide Mana
Brother Bound by Jason Fischer
Honor Among Thieves by Carrie Harris
A Forty Grain Weight of Nephrite by Steven Philip Jones
Strange Things Done by Lisa Smedman
In Art, Truth by James Fadeley
Crossing Stars by MJ Newman
The Red and the Black by Josh Reynolds"

I am ALWAYS here for more Arkham!

Hate Machine by Stephen Blackmoore
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: October 18th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The eighth book of this dark urban fantasy series follows necromancer Eric Carter through a world of vengeful gods and goddesses, mysterious murders, and restless ghosts.

If there's one thing Eric Carter can count on, it's his past coming back to bite him in the ass.

Gabriela Cortez, La Bruja, has had her soul trapped...somewhere, and the only one who knows how to get it back is the Oracle of Las Vegas, a powerful artifact that Carter helped create almost thirty years before. It doesn't just predict the future - it makes things happen, influencing events to reach the goal it wants.

Only somebody's gone and stolen it, attempting to turn it into an artifact that doesn't just change the future, but also the past.

Eric needs to find it and steal it back before this comes to pass. If he doesn't, Gabriela's soul is lost. And quite possibly the future as well."

More adventures in, will someone PLEASE admit that Richard Armitage is the cover model!?!

The Future Is Female! edited by Lisa Yaszek
Published by: Library of America
Publication Date: October 18th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 450 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Go back to the Future Is Female in this all new collection of wildly entertaining stories by the trailblazing feminist writers who transformed American science fiction in the 1970s.

In the 1970s, feminist authors created a new mode of science fiction in defiance of the "baboon patriarchy" - Ursula Le Guin's words - that had long dominated the genre, imagining futures that are still visionary. In this sequel to her groundbreaking 2018 anthology The Future is Female!: 25 Classic Science Fiction Stories by Women from Pulp Pioneers to Ursula K. Le Guin, SF-expert Lisa Yaszek offers a time machine back to the decade when far-sighted rebels changed science fiction forever with stories that made female community, agency, and sexuality central to the American future.

Here are twenty-three wild, witty, and wonderful classics that dramatize the liberating energies of the 1970s:

Sonya Dorman, "Bitching It" (1971)
Kate Wilhelm, "The Funeral" (1972)
Joanna Russ, "When It Changed" (1972) NEBULA AWARD
Miriam Allen deFord, "A Way Out" (1973)
Vonda N. McIntyre, "Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand" (1973) NEBULA
James Tiptree, Jr., "The Girl Who Was Plugged In" (1973) HUGO AWARD
Kathleen Sky, "Lament of the Keeku Bird" (1973)
Ursula K. Le Guin, "The Day Before the Revolution" (1974) NEBULA and LOCUS AWARD
Eleanor Arnason, "The Warlord of Saturn’s Moons" (1974)
Kathleen M. Sidney, "The Anthropologist" (1975)
Marta Randall, "A Scarab in the City of Time" (1975)
Elinor Busby, "A Time to Kill" (1977)
Raccoona Sheldon, "The Screwfly Solution" (1977) NEBULA AWARD
Pamela Sargent, "If Ever I Should Leave You" (1974)
Joan D. Vinge, "View from a Height" (1978)
M. Lucie Chin, "The Best Is Yet to Be" (1978)
Lisa Tuttle, "Wives" (1979)
Connie Willis, "Daisy, In the Sun" (1979)"

No one, literally NO ONE puts out anthologies of the quality Library of America does.

The Magic of Minalima by MinaLima
Published by: Harper Design
Publication Date: October 18th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A full-color illustrated compendium chronicling the magical twenty-year journey of acclaimed art and design studio, MinaLima, the creative genius behind the graphics for the Harry Potter film series.

"It all started with a letter..."

Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima began their extraordinary partnership in 2001 when Warner Bros. invited them to realize the imaginative visual universe of the Harry Potter film series. The two artists would never have guessed that the graphic props they designed for the films - including the Hogwarts acceptance letter, Marauder's Map, Daily Prophet newspaper, The Quibbler and Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes - would become cultural icons loved by Wizarding World fans around the world.

Eight years later, the pair formed their own design studio, MinaLima, and expanded their work to include the graphics for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade at Universal Orlando Resort and the Fantastic Beasts film series. To showcase their treasury of designs, the studio has opened House of MinaLima, its immersive art galleries and shops in London and across the world.

The Magic of MinaLima is an illustrated history and celebration of Mina and Lima's twenty-year evolution and groundbreaking vision. Their wondrous creations illuminate the Wizarding World as never before, and their commentary offers insights into the imaginative thinking that shaped their designs.

This collection showcases the very best works from the award-winning studio's two decades and includes interactive elements such as the Marauder's Map, the Black Family Tapestry, and Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

Designed to delight and enchant, The Magic of MinaLima will be an invaluable resource for Wizarding World and graphic art fans alike."

Seriously, working with MinaLima would be a dream job.

Side Effects by Tara O'Connor
Published by: Aftershock Comics
Publication Date: October 18th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 112 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"HANNAH DOESN'T WANT TO BE A HERO. SHE JUST WANTS TO BE WELL.

It's Hannah's first year away at college - the first time she's been away from home, without a support network. Within the first month, the combination of classes and socializing and adjusting to college life sends her into a full-on breakdown. Fortunately, her roommate finds her, Hannah goes to campus mental health, and they prescribe her therapy and meds - though with every new medication, you've got to watch out for unexpected side effects.

Every new medication Hannah tries comes with a new power and side effect. One makes her super-tough, and also makes her gain thirty pounds. Another gives her telepathy, while also completely screwing up her sleep schedule. Yet another gives her super-strength, as well as terrible constipation.

Nothing balances, but the powers are handy; Hannah even manages to save a few of her friends from mortal peril, or at least minor annoyances. And with the growing confidence from her powers and her therapy, Hannah even manages to ask out the cute girl she's been eyeing.

Hannah doesn't want to be a hero - she just wants to be well. But what does "well" even look like? What does it mean to be "healthy," mentally speaking? How do you fix your brain when you're living inside it? And can you really help other people if you can't even help yourself?"

I so relate and feel for Hannah!

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