strange and random happenstance

Platform Decay by Martha Wells
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A most-anticipated title from USA Today, Goodreads, BookPage, BookRiot, Seattle Times, and The Nerd Daily!

Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back in the next installment of Martha Wells' bestselling and award-winning Murderbot Diaries series.

Having someone else support your bad decision feels kind of good.

After volunteering to run a rescue mission, Murderbot realizes that it will have to spend significant time with a bunch of humans it doesn't know.

Including human children. Ugh.

This may well call for... eye contact!

(Emotion check: Oh, for f—)"

I love Murderbot. Murderbot is me.

A Long and Speaking Silence by Nghi Vo
Published by: Tordotcom
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 144 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From USA Today bestselling author Nghi Vo comes a beautiful new tale in the Hugo Award-winning Singing Hills Cycle, drawn from the earliest days of Chih's career as a wandering cleric.

Every story begins somewhere.

On the banks of the Ya-lé River, the town of Luntien gathers to celebrate the start of the rainy season, but the celebration is marred by the arrival of refugees from the sea. Everyone has a story about the foreigners newly in their midst - lazy, violent, unwanted - while the refugees themselves grieve the loss of the home they loved.

Cleric Chih, very recently still Novice Chih, is also a stranger in Luntien. A moment of carelessness and bad luck leaves them waiting tables as they struggle to establish themself as a real cleric. A cleric's job is to listen and record, but the stories emerging in Luntien are ugly and violent, as hard to predict as the river itself. With their hoopoe companion Almost Brilliant by their side, Chih must help the refugees while also unraveling a mystery that may have roots in their own faraway home in the abbey of Singing Hills.

In the seventh entry of the award-winning Singing Hills series, we meet Chih and Almost Brilliant just beginning their journey together as Chih assumes their place on the road and in the world.

The novellas of the Singing Hills series are standalone stories linked by the Cleric Chih, and may be read in any order."

As I'll say time and again, fantasy is gives us the truest stories of humanity. 

The Girl with a Thousand Faces by Sunyi Dean
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the USA Today bestselling author of The Book Eaters comes The Girl with a Thousand Faces, a stunning Gothic tale set in a historical Hong Kong that meshes ancient myths and local legends into a haunting story of ghosts, grief, and women who will not forgive.

When Mercy Chan washes up on the shores of Hong Kong with no family, no money, and no memories, the only refuge she finds is the infamous, ghost-infested slum of Kowloon Walled City. Since then, she has rebuilt her life, working for the local triad as a ghost talker and dealing with the angry and bitter spirits who haunt the district. The filthy gutters and cramped alleyways of Kowloon have become her home.

But the past Mercy can't remember isn't done with her. An unusually powerful ghost has infested Kowloon's waterways, drowning innocents and threatening the district. It claims to know Mercy - and secrets from her past that are best left forgotten.

As Mercy is drawn into a deadly cat-and-mouse game with this malignant spirit, she begins to realize that the monster she fights within these walls may well be one of her own making."

Always here for the ghosts.

Clara and the Devil, Volume 1 by Olivie Blake and Little Chmura
Published by: 23rd St.
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 176 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The devil has come to town. And he wants a library card. Star author Olivie Blake and artist Little Chmura kick off a deliciously dark graphic novel romance series with Clara and the Devil, Volume 1.

Clara has the rest of her life figured out. She'll graduate college with the support of her best friend, Jonah; marry her adoring boyfriend; take a full-time job at her local library; and settle down in her small seaside hometown. But when an unusual tourist - tall, dark, and infernal - comes to town, Clara's careful plans quickly start to unravel.

And even while the stranger, who openly calls himself the devil, strikes up a situationship with Jonah, he continues to tempt Clara with reckless talk of power, ambition, and lust. Over the course of one sultry summer, tensions between Clara, Jonah, and the devil mount to an intolerable degree, and Clara is forced to confront the desires she's kept secret her whole life, even from herself.

This deliciously dark tale of Faustian bargains and seduction from New York Times-bestselling author Olivie Blake and fan-favorite artist Little Chmura kicks off a series that explores artistry and power through the temptation of the seven deadly sins."

I twist on the old saying of God laughing when you make plans.

Agatha Harkness: Fall of the Coven by Sara Shepard
Published by: Random House/Marvel
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When Agatha Harkness finds herself yanked out of her mysterious past and plopped in a modern-day high school, the race is on to find the key to saving her coven while discovering first love and battling an ancient foe.

Agatha Harkness is a powerful witch stuck living amongst an untalented group of witches in 1690s Salem, Massachusetts. That's all right - the dreary coven meetings and fake herbal potions will all be worth it once she finally gets her hands on one of the most magical artifacts in existence: the Darkhold, a book of extraordinary power. But just as it's within her grasp, disaster strikes the coven!

Agatha is about to reluctantly save the day when she is rebuffed by the nosy, stuck-up Martha. Now, thanks to the interference, Martha, Agatha, and the Darkhold have been unceremoniously dropped in one of the most terrifying locations a witch has ever encountered - modern-day high school.

Armed with just her smarts and her spells, Agatha embarks on a quest to recover the Darkhold and an incognito Martha. Along the way, she encounters a meddlesome crow, a potential first crush, and a new coven. She almost starts to feel like she's found her home, until Martha returns from the shadows - this time with dire consequences."

Agatha with a big dollop of Sabrina.

Out Law by Jim Butcher
Published by: Podium Publishing
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The past comes back in a big way for Chicago's only professional wizard in this action-packed novella from the #1 New York Times-bestselling Dresden Files.

In a city that's just beginning to recover from the devastation caused by the Battle of Chicago, Harry Dresden is finally pulling himself together as well. He's ensconced in his own personal castle, healing his various wounds, and training an eager new apprentice. The last thing he wants is any trouble. But, as history has consistently - and quite annoyingly - shown, what Harry wants is rarely what Harry gets.

It starts with a visit from Harry's most powerful frenemy, Gentleman John Marcone, Baron of Chicago. He needs Harry to assist in the redemption of an underling who's looking to go straight. And since Harry does kinda sorta owe Marcone for saving his life once (stupid honorable debt!), it's not a request he can refuse. He'll just wish he had.

Because this little favor is going to drag Harry into a fight he doesn't want on behalf of a lowlife he doesn't trust against an enemy more powerful and pestilent than he ever could've expected: an insatiable, demonic foe whom Harry himself may have created when he wiped out the vampires of the Red Court so long ago.

Before, all it wanted was blood. Now it wants the entire world..."

Damn honorable Dresden!

For Better or Murder by Simon R. Green
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 192 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It's wedding season with a spooky twist! The Holy Terrors are trying to tie the knot while solving a ghostly murder in the latest witty, creeptastic paranormal mystery from New York Times bestselling British fantasy author Simon R. Green.

There are those who say seagulls cry over the sins of mankind. And that if we could only get our act together, they could stop crying...

Holy Terrors dream team - actress Diana Hunt and her partner in crime (solving) young bishop Alistair Kincaid - are getting married! The plan is to hold a small ceremony with just some family and friends at a charming and secluded hotel in Cornwall. But in true Holy Terrors fashion, the Pale Rider hotel carries the legend of a killer ghost rider and his skeleton horse, which sets the perfect tone for a cheerful occasion!

Trying to make the best out of the stormy weekend and seemingly haunted place, spirits fall even lower when one of the guests is found murdered in the hallway. Did the legendary pale rider strike again or is there something more sinister going on - and will Diana and Alistair finally have the chance to say yes?

The 'hugely entertaining' (Booklist) Holy Terrors Mysteries are perfect for fans of Simon R. Green's urban fantasy novels, authors Jim Butcher, Terry Pratchett and Ben Aaronovitch, as well as those who enjoy American Horror Story, The X-Files and murder mysteries with a supernatural twist."

I mean, there are some people who should just elope. 

Body Count by Codie Crowley
Published by: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Three wishes. One prom queen celebrating at the Jersey Shore. And one monster who will keep killing until her wishes are paid for.

From the virally popular author of Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch, a queer feminist YA horror/slasher novel perfect for fans of You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight.

Seven years ago, Sundae Valentine made a deal with a monster she met at the bottom of a motel pool. She didn't know the wishes he offered had a price - or that the third wish, the one she still hasn't made, will cost her life.

Back then, she barely escaped Wildwood alive. Now, the cheerleaders and football players are headed to the Jersey Shore for prom weekend - leaving Sundae no choice but to return to the scene of her sun-bleached nightmares.

Sundae tries to forget, throwing herself into the rides on the pier, the tequila-fueled dance parties, and the guitar-strumming girl she can't quite look away from. She hopes the beast has forgotten, too.

But there are eyes like silver coins watching from the shadows, and teeth like a rusty saw glinting in the light of the boardwalk. Because Sundae still owes a debt. And whatever it takes, whoever he has to kill, this time the monster's determined to collect."

It's always dangerous to make a deal with a monster. It's more dangerous when he decides your time is up.

I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours by Nat Cassidy
Published by: Shortwave
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 504 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The first collection from USA Today bestselling author Nat Cassidy, featuring his unique blend of gleefully terrifying short fiction.

There are locations in this world where the light doesn't seem to reach. Where, no matter how illuminated the place might be, shadows creep in too strongly to fight back.

A suspiciously empty gas station rest stop in the middle of the night, littered with googley eyes... A doctor's office, where a bottle of booze and a tear-stained folder wait on the desk... A tech millionaire's haunted kitchen... A Bible-quoting ventriloquist's dingy apartment... A yoga retreat in the middle of the desert, silent except for the screaming...

These locations and more are your destination and bestselling author Nat Cassidy will be your guide. Featuring the Bram Stoker Award-nominated, critically acclaimed novella Rest Stop (one of Esquire's Best Horror Books of 2024), along with a number of other original short stories, some which have never been published before, I Know A Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours is a travelogue down twisting side streets and through alleyways where the darkness has eyes... and teeth.

Let's hope you make it home in one piece."

My book club recently read Cassidy's When the Wolf Comes Home and I couldn't help but love its vibe, akin to The Twilight Zone. In fact I thought if it was shorter it would have been fantastic. Which is why I'm so looking forward to reading Nat Cassidy's shorter work. Which is something I rarely say.

She Waits Where Shadows Gather by Michelle Tang
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Parents should pass down stories, not spirits...

Avery and Carlos Tam have built their lives on logic, not legends. Carlos, the host of a hit reality show that exposes paranormal hoaxes, has made a name disproving the supernatural.

But when they travel to his ancestral home in the Philippines, darkness clings to every corner. The mirrors are shrouded. The housekeeper won't stay in the house alone. And no one will speak of the tragedies the family has seen.

Then a brutal car crash leaves Carlos trapped in his own body - silent, helpless, and utterly vulnerable. As Avery tends to him, the house begins to stir. It watches. It listens. And it speaks - in a voice only Carlos can hear - offering a twisted kind of comfort.

And as the lies buried by Carlos and his family begin to surface, Avery must confront the truth: if the past won't rest, their future may never begin.

Some inherit memories. Others inherit monsters."

Monsters are the worst inheritance.

That Which Feeds Us by Keala Kendall
Published by: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A native Hawaiian teen travels to a luxury island resort in search of her missing twin and uncovers the dark side of paradise, in this YA supernatural thriller that's Mexican Gothic meets She is a Haunting.

For the world's wealthiest, Kōpa'a Island Resort is more than a destination. It's the ultimate escape. With no cell service or Wi-Fi, the Hawaiian island is a coveted wellness retreat renowned for its persimmon orchard and promises of rejuvenation.

But their dream vacation is Lehua's nightmare. When her twin sister, Ohia, goes missing, Lehua follows her trail to Kōpa'a to find her. Instead, Lehua is cut off from civilization - and help - after the island's boat leaves without her, stranding her with the resort's lavish guests and enigmatic staff.

As Lehua investigates Ohia's disappearance, she discovers her missing sister isn't the island's only mystery. Kōpa'a's rich exterior and sweet persimmons hide its dark plantation past. And Lehua can't ignore the dreams haunting her each night - nor the warning telling her to leave the island at once. To uncover what happened to Ohia, Lehua will have to unearth the island's bloody history and face the horrors that lurk within its sugarcane fields - or risk being consumed by them.

Sharply observed and gorgeously written, That Which Feeds Us explores the true cost of paradise as Lehua must fight to reclaim the land, the stories, and the very souls of her people."

Hokuloa Road meets The White Lotus.

Accumulation by Aimee Pokwatka
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 336Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A twisty, searing, conversation-starting novel about a filmmaker-turned-housewife who moves into her dream house and is forced to consider whether it's the house or herself that is haunted.

When documentary filmmaker turned stay-at-home mom Tennessee Cherish moves into the the dream house her husband bought for her, a brighter future seems to be on the horizon. Even if her husband is frustratingly absent due to his new high-paying job. Even if their two young children begin acting out in strange ways. Even if she feels lonelier than ever.

Distracted by the endless details that come with moving into a new town, a new house, and new schools, Tenn doesn't notice when odd things begin happening at home. The faucet that runs at all hours. The creepy doll that seems to show up in every room. The human tooth they found in the floorboards.

As the kids' outbursts and the strange events start to escalate, the family finds themselves increasingly caught in loops, repeating everyday actions with dangerous - and then devastating - effects. Tenn realizes she must find the source of what is haunting her family, before it kills them all.

Taut and twisty, scary and searing, Aimee Pokwatka's Accumulation lays bare the high price women pay for the promises of domesticity and motherhood, and the many ways in which families can be haunted."

Hauntings take many forms. Sometimes you become your own ghost.

Spider, Spider by L.C. Winter
Published by: September Publishing
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Vengeance is theirs and theirs alone. But who will deal the fatal blow?

Young Nancy Ratcliffe is on the run. Her father had sought refuge for his family with the Brethren, led by the charismatic but dangerous Prophet. But now her father is gravely ill, and even the sooty streets of Victorian London hold less terror for Nancy than the brutality of Brethren Hall.

Meanwhile, Spider is biding her time. Wrapped in dreams and visions, she paces the dark corridors and hidden staircases of the crumbling house she grew up in. The man who murdered a part of her disappeared many years ago, but still she hopes for revenge.

Jet-black and thrilling, Spider, Spider is an unforgettable tale of a woman who has lost herself in the poison of vengeance, and the knife-sharp girl who might just bring her back."

Victorian and creepy, AKA just my vibe.

Ghoul by Kasey Iris
Published by: Top Shelf Productions
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 292 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Be careful what you wish for! This graphic novel about a lonely Filipino American teen and her ghoulish companion puts a spooky twist on the imaginary friend.

When they were little, Lyn and Meg promised to be friends forever. but now Meg is dead, and Lyn is 15 and miserable. Moving into a new condo with her family doesn't help, especially given the gossipy neighbors. But just when Lyn needs a friend the most, a monstrous cartoon ghoul climbs out of the pages of a comic book and into her life! The bizarre duo will soon discover just how many secrets lie within the walls of Forest Court Apartments."

I pretty certain my childhood invisible friend was actually a ghost.

As I Dream of You by Jennifer Lee and LeUyen Pham
Published by: First Second
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Franny and Sam are each other's entire world. So what do you do when your world ends? Frozen's Jennifer Lee and Lunar New Year Love Story's LeUyen Pham deliver a tour de force young adult romance with a supernatural twist.

Falling in love is supposed to hurt. That's what Franny and Sam, two cynical teenagers raised on tales of heartbreak and loss, have come to understand. Yet when they fall for each other, they find the reality of love is something else entirely: it's electrifying, all-encompassing, and easy. Theirs is a love that can conquer anything... perhaps even death.

But Franny and Sam's quest to stay together - no matter the cost - soon blurs the line between reality and fantasy, and their shared dream threatens to turn into a nightmare."

Dreams can turn nasty so quickly.

Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen
Published by: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From acclaimed and #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah Dessen comes a "sweet, nuanced, and reflective coming-of-age love story" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) about an unassuming girl who learns to stand on her own while falling in love during a life-changing summer.

Finley has always felt most comfortable in someone else's shadow. Fortunately, she's got Colin, her magnetic boyfriend, who sweeps her along for activities, friendships, and future plans. Then she goes on a last-minute trip with her distant mom to a family vacation house that Finley didn't know existed and is now about to be sold.

Her mom was estranged from her own parents and siblings since leaving home for college, and it's a novelty for Finley to see her aunts and cousins. There's also the handful of teens who work at the Egg, her aunt's diner, and make up a found family of their own - including undeniably handsome guitarist Ben.

Then her relationship with Colin goes into freefall, and Finley's roadmap for life after high school is gone. She has no choice but to live, for the first time, without plans. The longer Finley stays, the closer she gets to the truth about why her mother stayed away - and why she's brought Finley here now.

And the closer she grows to new friends at the Egg, the more she starts to fall for charmingly awkward, soulful Ben and to realize how much of herself she's been missing. By the end of the summer, nothing will be the same - for this community or for Finley herself."

When you are that young sometimes it's best to live without a roadmap. 

The Miseducation of Caroline Bingley by Lindz McLeod
Published by: Carina Adores
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Pride, prejudice, and... lessons in love?

Jane Austen meets My Fair Lady in this joyful, clever opposites-attract Sapphic romance featuring Caroline Bingley and Darcy's younger sister, Georgiana.

Being snubbed by Mr Darcy - passed over for Elizabeth Bennet, no less - is humiliating.

Being told she's arrogant and unkind, and that if she doesn't mend her ways, she might never find love... that's simply preposterous. Isn't it?

Feeling the sting of Darcy's rejection, Caroline Bingley does what any self-respecting woman of means would do: she hatches a plan. Get Georgiana Darcy, the epitome of grace and sweetness, to teach Caroline how to be perfect like her.

But Caroline's transformation from status-hungry socialite to proper marriage material won't be easy. She must be charming, and even worse... she must be kind. And Georgiana herself isn't so sure about playing fairy godmother. Beneath Miss Darcy's polished facade lies an entirely different set of struggles.

As the two grow closer, Caroline discovers she's less interested in securing a man, and more intrigued by the woman helping her to reform her character. Before long, their lessons in finding love and acceptance blossom into something completely unexpected..."

I mean, it's always nice to assume that Caroline Bingley wasn't totally destroyed by rejection because she's a lover of women...

Austenland by Shannon Hale
Published by: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"New York Times bestselling author Shannon Hale invites readers to Austenland, an utterly delightful, romantic escape.

Newly updated edition with brand new content, including a "behind the scenes" look at the making of Austenland the movie!

Preorder the third book in the series, Christmas in Austenland, coming in September 2026!

Jane Hayes is what some might call a hopeless romantic. Normal life (and men) continuously disappoint her. Why can't she find anyone remotely like literary heartthrob, Mr. Darcy? Why can't real life feel like a novel?

When a wealthy relative bequeaths Jane a trip to an English resort for Austen superfans, Jane's fantasies become realer than she ever could have dreamed. Dressed in empire waist gowns and torn between a charming gardener and an actor playing the brooding Mr. Darcy role, Jane attempts to master the Regency-era etiquette and the flirtatious games. But when it's time to bid Austenland farewell, will she be able to leave her sincerest fantasies - and the men who helped bring them to life - behind for good?

The first book in this utterly delightful series gives readers the chance to relish all the fun of Regency romance, from the comfort of their modern lives."

I'm all here for this series by the talented Shannon Hale to continue and grow. But I'm always here for the movie. It's one of my favorite movies. Ever.

Rolls and Rivalry by Kristy Boyce
Published by: Delacorte Romance
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Roll the dice, strike up the band, and get ready for a swoon-worthy summer! A charming gaming romance that blends the magic of D and D with the camaraderie of band camp - from the bestselling author of Dating and Dragons!

Questing for love...

Hazel Buchanan has her senior year mapped out: Win respect as color guard captain, kick off her first D and D campaign, and steer clear of distractions. But her plan takes a critical hit when Max - her former best friend and longtime crush - returns to town with drumsticks in hand and an unexplained chip on his shoulder.

Hazel and Max can't help bickering every time they're together, and thanks to meddling parents, he's invading her D and D game too. As Dungeon Master, she's ready to shut him down, but D and D has a way of bringing people together like nothing else. Is this rivalry masking something more? With dice rolling and emotions spinning, Hazel might be in for more than she planned..."

I feel like this series going to band camp is a natural progression. 

Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!! by Asia Miller
Published by: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The rock-steady bond of college bandmates is tested by a new boyfriend in this hotly anticipated graphic rom-com by cartoonist and viral animator Asia Miller, perfect for fans of Bryan Lee O'Malley and Mariko Tamaki!

Lindsey Cheng is a college freshman figuring herself out. She's got a band with her best friends, an overprotective Chinese mom, and a date with a super cool indie rocker boy named Jason. Good luck, Lindsey!

It's the anticipated graphic debut by CalArts Alum and viral YouTube animator Asia Miller, expanded and in full color! An indie rock rom-com of liberating self-discovery, Lindsey practices juggling love, friendship, and family - ultimately learning to choose herself."

I have so been waiting for this!

Saturn Returning by Kim Narby
Published by: Bindery Books
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A smoldering, soul-splitting debut that tracks three friends through the celestial chaos of adulthood, love, and queer identity.

Jordan Caleb is a freshman at McCallen College when she meets Trace. From the moment the confident, tattooed Trace compliments Jordan's Alanis Morissette T-shirt, their friendship feels fated and electrically charged. When the two friends meet mercurial transfer student Silvia, she catches Trace's eye. Their instant attraction eclipses the nascent pull between Jordan and Trace, forming a messy constellation among the three women.

Over the course of a decade, their orbits send them to opposite coasts: Jordan builds a life in New York City, while Trace and Silvia get engaged in Seattle, yet the three remain linked by the gravitational pull of the past. As they approach thirty and the apogee of their Saturn return, their bond splinters when Trace calls Jordan with a shocking revelation, exposing a web of heartache, secrets, and unspoken desires.

Saturn Returning charts the complex paths of human connection and queer friendship, questioning how we define ourselves against the relationships that have shaped our lives."

Oh yes, here for the mess.

Hollow Inside by Asako Otani
Published by: Pushkin Press
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 112 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A witty, deadpan novel about modern relationships, pets, and living as a single woman; for fans of Sayaka Murata, offbeat humor, and sharp social observation.

In this skewed, mordantly funny Japanese novel, two women navigate aging and relationships in divergent ways.

Hirai, 38, has recently started living with her colleague Suganuma, 42. Both women are single and feel ambivalent at best about the prospect of marriage. Stuck in bland jobs that don't pay enough for them to afford one-bedroom apartments in the city, they defy social expectation and create their own domestic routines, allowing space for Suganuma's side-hustle - 3D-printing figurines of beloved dead pets for their grieving owners.

Though initially united by their resistance to romantic love, the pair begin tentative forays toward partnership. Suganuma strikes up a secret affair, which shocks Hirai into action and back into the world of dating apps. As she drifts through painfully adequate dates and endures intrusive questions at office socials, Hirai frets over whether she really needs to freeze her eggs again. In a dating world sapped of genuine connection, where can she turn to feel less hollow?

The debut novel by a bright new voice in Japanese fiction, Hollow Inside won the prestigious Subaru Prize. With a dark, deadpan tone and sharply witty observation, Asako Otani satirizes the myths and pressures of contemporary romantic love, as Hirai and Suganuma try to chart their own paths in a precarious world."

Here for the snark, but I also kind of want a 3-D printed figurine of my beloved Spotty.

A Zoom with a View by Jess Cannon
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A cozy murder mystery filled with hometown drama, social media influencers, an over-the-top mother, and two very attractive local men, A Zoom with a View will make you want to move to Blue Oak - if only the Fourth of July festivities didn't end with a dead body.

Leo can't believe she's back in Blue Oak. Her small, quirky Texas hometown feels suffocating after trying to make it big as an English professor in New York - especially due to her strained relationship with her overly hair-sprayed mother, Karina. But with Leo's career in academia in shambles, at least she's able to work as a photographer for her godmother's real estate business. And her best friend, Emily, is around to help her navigate through the mess - and maybe force her to reconnect with her old high school boyfriend, Mack.

But while at work, Leo makes a grisly discovery at one of her godmother's properties: the dead body of rival real estate agent and social media influencer Chaz. Even worse, Leo and Emily have been secretly running a snarky Reddit page making fun of Chaz's cringe-inducing advice and duck-faced selfies. When someone she loves is accused of the murder, Leo finds herself flung headfirst into a dangerous investigation, teaming up with a local detective who is a lot more attractive than she remembered when they were both teenagers. Meanwhile, Karina has been acting stranger and stranger, as if all her hair hides a big secret....

A bold and hilarious introduction to a new sleuth who is looking to get her life back on track, but finds a man with his skull bashed in instead."

I really wonder if people associate "zoom" with photography anymore...

False Relation by Veronica Heley
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Secrets are never safe in a small village.

Julian Marston-Lang calls Bea Abbot in a panic - his glamorous step-cousin Mona has been murdered!

Mona's body was discovered in the garden of the house where she was living with her husband, Marcus. Once a billionaire businessman, Marcus's reversal of fortunes and inability to maintain his wife's lavish lifestyle was the source of heated rows. Did they reach breaking point?

While it seems an open-and-shut case, Marcus has mysteriously vanished. And Bea is sure there's something Julian isn't telling her.... As she travels down to Marston Hall, Bea is determined to solve the mystery. But she's about to discover that there's more to Mona's death than meets the eye...

Fans of Richard Osman, M.C. Beaton and Agatha Christie will love this page-turning mystery."

Marston Hall you say? I'm always done for a Hall with a capital "H!"

The Inklings by John R. Kelly
Published by: WaterBrook
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Agatha Christie, and other literary legends join forces to unravel a deadly conspiracy in this gripping mystery that sweeps from the halls of Oxford to the streets of London and the shores of Loch Ness.

In the shadowy streets of 1936 Oxford, England, members of a secret society keep turning up dead. When J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and their fellow literary masterminds, known as the Inklings, are called upon to catch a killer, they trade their pens for magnifying glasses. With time running out, they get a helping hand from mystery writers Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers to unravel a sinister web of secrets.

Packed with historical details, intrigue, and a thrilling whodunit, this novel is a masterful blend of high-stakes drama. Dive into a world where the creators of fantasy and mystery confront a real-life menace in a race against the clock. Will dark forces prevail, or will these literary giants crack the case before the murderer strikes again?"

Did they really need Dorothy Sayers if they have Agatha Christie?

The Great Houses of Pill Hill by Diane Josefowicz
Published by: Soho Crime
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A scintillating, wickedly intricate locked-room mystery following an unconventional woman who makes miniatures of murder scenes and finds herself entangled in a real one when the client of her dream job turns up dead.

Hannah "Cookie" Cooke, an interior decorator with a sideline making miniature reproductions of crime scenes for the local police department, lands her dream job when New Preston's wealthiest couple hires her to renovate their historic New England home. But things go spectacularly wrong when her client Chuck - with whom she is having an affair - is murdered at the housewarming party.

The detective on the case commissions one of Cookie's miniatures to help solve the baffling murder. While grappling with her own complicated role in Chuck's life - and the thorny layers of her own envies, resentments, and ambitions - Cookie delves into the strange details of his death, including his overly involved therapist, his wife's nebulous textile empire, and a room decorated in nineteenth-century Egyptian kitsch hidden on the premises. In untangling the mystery, Cookie reveals an ugly truth about New Preston's elite that might prove deadly.

At once an irreverent interpretation of the hard-boiled genre and a skewering of traditional domesticity, this show-stopping work of crime fiction is crackling with narrative voice, resulting in a read that is equally engrossing and electrifying."

Oh, this has to be inspired by Frances Glessner Lee!

The Library After Dark by Ande Pliego
Published by: Bantam
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A bookseller must escape the infamously haunted library that holds her darkest secrets, but with a murderer in her tour group, escaping alive is not as simple as it seems, in this twisty locked-room thriller from bestselling author of You Are Fatally Invited.

Not all fairytales were meant for children.

Aria Stokes is finally feeling settled - she lives in a tiny New York apartment, works as a bookseller at a local shop, and has even taken a leap of faith in love by indulging her attraction to bookstore regular Jasper. And he seems to already know her so well.

As a Valentine's Day surprise, Jasper gets the two of them tickets to an exclusive, after-dark tour of the Daedalus Library - the grandiose establishment famed for its immersive genre-based reading rooms and, more notoriously, its rumored hauntings. While Aria normally loves all things ghastly, this place holds more dark secrets than she'd prefer Jasper to know. Like that the last time she was here, she left a body behind.

But when the automatic-door entry malfunctions and Aria, Jasper, and the five other people in their tour group become trapped in the library, they are forced to venture through the storied rooms and hidden passageways of the Daedalus in search of escape... and Aria quite literally has nowhere to hide from the shadows of her past. Then the group learns there's a murderer in their midst.

Now, as she tries to break out of the library's intricate reading rooms, Aria has to decide who she can trust - and what secrets are best kept buried - if she wants to make it out alive."

They all aren't getting out of this maze alive.

26 Beauties by James Patterson
Published by: Little Brown and Company
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the world's #1 bestselling author, the Women's Murder Club goes searching for 26 Beauties - young women missing in San Francisco.

SFPD's Sergeant Lindsay Boxer's best friend, Claire Washburn, is named medical examiner of the year. But an uninvited guest crashes the Women's Murder Club's party: a concerned father seeking investigative reporter Cindy Thomas's help in locating his missing daughter. And she's not the only one. Lindsay's been investigating the deaths of a Jane Doe washed up on a nearby beach, and a young woman found in Golden Gate Park.

What if all these cases are connected?

The answers lie with the 26 Beauties on the run and in the wind."

Always here for the Women's Murder Club!

The Masked Truth by Kelley Armstrong
Published by: Tundra Books
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Now in paperback with a brand-new cover comes the heart-stopping suspense thriller for teens from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.

Filled with suspense and unexpected twists, The Masked Truth will have you on the edge of your seat.

Riley Vasquez is haunted by the brutal murder of the couple she was babysitting for. Max Cross is suffering under the shadow of a life-altering diagnosis he doesn't dare reveal. When they're forced by their families to spend a weekend away at a therapy camp for teens with "issues," neither of them think things can get any worse... until three masked men take them hostage.

Now, with no way to escape and their captors on a killing spree, Riley and Max must rely on their wits and courage to survive. As they navigate this dangerous situation, they uncover dark secrets that shake them to their core. Will they find a way out before it's too late? Kelley Armstrong delivers a gripping thriller that delves deep into themes of survival and trust... and that escape doesn't equal freedom."

What if the three masked men are like the platinum package at the camp? That would be wicked. And a wicked good read.

This Dark Night by Deborah Lutz
Published by: W. W. Norton and Company
Publication Date: May 5th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Emily Brontë (1818-1848) was only twenty-seven-years old when she began work on one of the most important novels in the English language. Two years later in 1847, she completed Wuthering Heights. It took the world almost a century to catch up to Brontë's masterpiece, and it has taken even longer to know Brontë - an elusive figure, with a ghostly legacy provoked by her early death and the loss (and likely destruction) of almost all her personal papers.

Drawing on formerly inaccessible notebooks and manuscripts, This Dark Night constructs a portrait of Brontë, her famous writing sisters Charlotte and Anne, and the effect of their sisters' and mother's tragic deaths. In the first full-length biography in over twenty years, renowned scholar Deborah Lutz sketches the days of a woman crafting otherworldly fiction while running her father's parsonage: writing interweaving with household work, daydreaming, and exploring the rough-hewn outdoors.

As she traces the influence of Brontë's life and work, Lutz follows how Brontë's fantastical early poems of the night sky, women rulers, and outsiders and rebels grew into the stormy, transcendent Wuthering Heights. Lutz also illuminates the overlooked ways that the legendary writer addressed debates of her time that still resonate today, including questions of gender and sexuality, race and class, and rapid industrialization set against the natural world.

From her menagerie of dogs and birds to the beloved moors that Brontë wandered and later emblazoned in her novel, Lutz depicts the passions of an author at odds with convention. Uniting the domestic and the cosmic, This Dark Night plumbs the life and writing of this idiosyncratic woman, dark soul, and monumental genius."

Might I suggest reading this book instead of watching a certain new film?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Ande Pliego, Diane Josefowicz, Emily Brontë, James Patterson, Jess Cannon, Jim Butcher, John R. Kelly, Kelley Armstrong, LeUyen Pham, Martha Wells, Nat Cassidy, Nghi Vo, Olivie Blake, Shannon Hale.Kristy Boyce, Veronica Heley

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: August 31st, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Enola Holmes is back! Nancy Springer's nationally bestselling series and breakout Netflix sensation returns to beguile readers young and old in Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche.

Enola Holmes is the much younger sister of her more famous brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft. But she has all the wits, skills, and sleuthing inclinations of them both. At fifteen, she's an independent young woman - after all, her name spelled backwards reads 'alone' - and living on her own in London. When a young professional woman, Miss Letitia Glover, shows up on Sherlock's doorstep, desperate to learn more about the fate of her twin sister, it is Enola who steps up. It seems her sister, the former Felicity Glover, married the Earl of Dunhench and per a curt note from the Earl, has died. But Letitia Glover is convinced this isn't the truth, that she'd know - she'd feel - if her twin had died.

The Earl's note is suspiciously vague and the death certificate is even more dubious, signed it seems by a John H. Watson, M.D. (who denies any knowledge of such). The only way forward is for Enola to go undercover - or so Enola decides at the vehement objection of her brother. And she soon finds out that this is not the first of the Earl's wives to die suddenly and vaguely - and that the secret to the fate of the missing Felicity is tied to a mysterious black barouche that arrived at the Earl's home in the middle of the night. To uncover the secrets held tightly within the Earl's hall, Enola is going to require help - from Sherlock, from the twin sister of the missing woman, and from an old friend, the young Viscount Tewkesbury, Marquess of Basilwether!

Enola Holmes returns in her first adventure since the hit Netflix movie brought her back on the national bestseller lists, introducing a new generation to this beloved character and series."

Enola Holmes returns to her first home! The printed page! 

Murder Most Fair by Anna Lee Huber
Published by: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Publication Date: August 31st, 2021
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"All is far from quiet on the home front in USA Today bestselling author Anna Lee Huber's captivating mystery series, in which former Secret Service agent Verity Kent receives a visitor - who is being trailed by a killer...

November 1919. A relaxing few weeks by the seaside with her husband, Sidney, could almost convince Verity Kent that life has returned to the pleasant rhythm of pre-war days. Then Verity's beloved Great-Aunt Ilse lands on their doorstep. After years in war-ravaged Germany, Ilse has returned to England to repair her fragile health - and to escape trouble. Someone has been sending her anonymous threats, and Verity's Secret Service contacts can only provide unsettling answers.

Even deep in the Yorkshire Dales, where she joins Verity's family for the holidays, Ilse encounters difficulties. Normally peaceful neighbors are hostile, seeking someone to blame for the losses they've endured. When Ilse's maid is found dead, Verity must uncover whether this is anti-German sentiment taken to murderous lengths, or whether there is a more personal motive at work. Could Verity's shadowy nemesis, Lord Ardmore, be involved? And if so, how much closer to home will the blow land when he inevitably strikes again?"

Holidays in the Yorkshire Dales? YAS!

Murder at Wakehurst by Alyssa Maxwell
Published by: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Publication Date: August 31st, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the autumnal chill of Newport, Rhode Island, at the close of the nineteenth century, journalist Emma Cross discovers an instance of cold-blooded murder on the grounds of a mansion...

Following the death of her uncle, Cornelius Vanderbilt, in September 1899, a somber Emma is in no mood for one of Newport's extravagant parties. But to keep Vanderbilt's reckless son Neily out of trouble, she agrees to accompany him to an Elizabethan fete on the lavish grounds of Wakehurst, the Ochre Point "cottage" modeled after an English palace, owned by Anglophile James Van Alen.

Held in Wakehurst's English-style gardens, the festivities will include a swordplay demonstration, an archery competition, scenes from Shakespeare's plays, and even a joust. As Emma wanders the grounds distracted by grief, she overhears a fierce argument between a man and a woman behind a tall hedge. As the joust begins, she's drawn by the barking of Van Alen's dogs and finds a man on the ground, an arrow through his chest.

The victim is one of the 400's most influential members, Judge Clayton Schuyler. Could one of the countless criminals he'd imprisoned over the years have returned to seek revenge - or could one of his own family members have targeted him? With the help of her beau Derrick Andrews and Detective Jesse Whyte, Emma begins to learn the judge was not the straight arrow he appeared to be. As their investigation leads them in ever-widening circles, Emma will have to score a bull's eye to stop the killer from taking another life..."

This entry in this wonderful series sounds like Midsomer Murders Rhode Island! 

American Midnight: Tales of the Dark selected by by Laird Hunt
Published by: Pushkin Press
Publication Date: August 31st, 2021
Format: Paperback, 192 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A chilling collection of classic weird and supernatural tales from the dark heart of American literature.

A masquerade ball cut short by a mysterious plague; a strange nocturnal ritual in the woods; a black bobcat howling in the night: these ten tales are some of the most strange and unsettling in all of American literature, filled with unforgettable imagery and simmering with tension. From Edgar Allan Poe to Shirley Jackson, Nathaniel Hawthorne to Zora Neale Hurston, the authors of these classics of supernatural suspense have inspired generations of writers to explore the dark heart of the land of the free.

The stories in this collection have been selected and introduced by Laird Hunt, an author of seven acclaimed novels which explore the shadowy corners of American history.

Contains:

'The Masque of the Red Death', Edgar Allan Poe
'Young Goodman Brown', Nathaniel Hawthorne
'The Eyes', Edith Wharton
'The Mask', Robert Chambers
'Home', Shirley Jackson
'A Ghost Story', Mark Twain
'Spunk', Zora Neale Hurston
'The Yellow Wallpaper', Charlotte Perkins Gilman
'An Itinerant House', Emma Frances Dawson"

The inclusion of 'The Yellow Wallpaper' along makes this a must buy! All other (AMAZING) authors are icing on the cake!

The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith
Published by: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 31st, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Last Magician meets The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy in this thrilling and atmospheric historical fantasy following a young woman who discovers she has magical powers and is thrust into a battle between witches and wizards.

In 1911 New York City, seventeen-year-old Frances Hallowell spends her days as a seamstress, mourning the mysterious death of her brother months prior. Everything changes when she’s attacked and a man ends up dead at her feet - her scissors in his neck, and she can’t explain how they got there.

Before she can be condemned as a murderess, two cape-wearing nurses arrive to inform her she is deathly ill and ordered to report to Haxahaven Sanitarium. But Frances finds Haxahaven isn’t a sanitarium at all: it’s a school for witches. Within Haxahaven’s glittering walls, Frances finds the sisterhood she craves, but the headmistress warns Frances that magic is dangerous. Frances has no interest in the small, safe magic of her school, and is instead enchanted by Finn, a boy with magic himself who appears in her dreams and tells her he can teach her all she’s been craving to learn, lessons that may bring her closer to discovering what truly happened to her brother.

Frances’s newfound power attracts the attention of the leader of an ancient order who yearns for magical control of Manhattan. And who will stop at nothing to have Frances by his side. Frances must ultimately choose what matters more, justice for her murdered brother and her growing feelings for Finn, or the safety of her city and fellow witches. What price would she pay for power, and what if the truth is more terrible than she ever imagined?"

Because I love historical fiction and am still waiting for my letter from Hogwarts. 

Poison for Breakfast by Lemony Snicket
Published by: Liveright
Publication Date: August 31st, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 168 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A new stand-alone adventure - appropriate for all ages - by Lemony Snicket, one of the twenty-first century’s most beloved authors.

In the years since this publishing house was founded, we have worked with an array of wondrous authors who have brought illuminating clarity to our bewildering world. Now, instead, we bring you Lemony Snicket.

Over the course of his long and suspicious career, Mr. Snicket has investigated many things, including villainy, treachery, conspiracy, ennui, and various suspicious fires. In this book, he is investigating his own death.

Poison for Breakfast is a different sort of book than others we have published, and from others you may have read. It is different from other books Mr. Snicket has written. It could be said to be a book of philosophy, something almost no one likes, but it is also a mystery, and many people claim to like those. Certainly Mr. Snicket didn’t relish the dreadful task of solving it, but he had no choice. It was put in front of him, right there, on his plate."

Yes, I do claim to like mysteries. 

Friends Forever by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham
Published by: First Second
Publication Date: August 31st, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Following up their mega-bestselling Real Friends and Best Friends graphic memoirs, Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham are back with Friends Forever, a story about learning to love yourself exactly as you are.

Shannon is in eighth grade, and life is more complicated than ever. Everything keeps changing, her classmates are starting to date each other (but nobody wants to date her!), and no matter how hard she tries, Shannon can never seem to just be happy.

As she works through her insecurities and undiagnosed depression, she worries about disappointing all the people who care about her. Is something wrong with her? Can she be the person everyone expects her to be? And who does she actually want to be?

With their signature humor, warmth, and insight, Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham have crafted another incredible love letter to their younger selves and to readers everywhere, a reminder to us all that we are enough."

If you haven't yet discovered the genius of Shannon Hale, well, now's your chance!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alyssa Maxwell, American Midnight, Anna Lee Huber, Enola Holmes, Gilded Newport, Hogwarts, Lemony Snicket, LeUyen Pham, Midsomer Murders, Nancy Springer, Sasha Peyton Smith, Shannon Hale, Sherlock Holmes

Galaxy's Edge: Black Spire by Delilah S. Dawson
Published by: Del Rey
Publication Date: August 27th, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Walk the ancient streets, meet the colorful characters, and uncover the secret history of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the new expansion to the Disney Parks experience!

After devastating losses at the hands of the First Order, General Leia Organa has dispatched her agents across the galaxy in search of allies, sanctuary, and firepower - and her top spy, Vi Moradi, may have just found all three, on a secluded world at the galaxy’s edge.

A planet of lush forests, precarious mountains, and towering, petrified trees, Batuu is on the furthest possible frontier of the galactic map, the last settled world before the mysterious expanse of Wild Space. The rogues, smugglers, and adventurers who eke out a living on the largest settlement on the planet, Black Spire Outpost, are here to avoid prying eyes and unnecessary complications. Vi, a Resistance spy on the run from the First Order, is hardly a welcome guest. And when a shuttle full of stormtroopers lands in her wake, determined to root her out, she has no idea where to find help.

To survive, Vi will have to seek out the good-hearted heroes hiding in a world that redefines scum and villainy. With the help of a traitorous trooper and her acerbic droid, she begins to gather a colorful band of outcasts and misfits, and embarks on a mission to spark the fire of resistance on Batuu - before the First Order snuffs it out entirely."

I would literally give anything to get to go to Galaxy's Edge! I mean, to actually be IN the Star Wars universe? Dream. Come. True.

A Better Man by Louise Penny
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: August 27th, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Catastrophic spring flooding, blistering attacks in the media, and a mysterious disappearance greet Chief Inspector Armand Gamache as he returns to the Sûreté du Québec in the latest novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author Louise Penny.

It’s Gamache’s first day back as head of the homicide department, a job he temporarily shares with his previous second-in-command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir. Flood waters are rising across the province. In the middle of the turmoil a father approaches Gamache, pleading for help in finding his daughter.

As crisis piles upon crisis, Gamache tries to hold off the encroaching chaos, and realizes the search for Vivienne Godin should be abandoned. But with a daughter of his own, he finds himself developing a profound, and perhaps unwise, empathy for her distraught father.

Increasingly hounded by the question, how would you feel..., he resumes the search.

As the rivers rise, and the social media onslaught against Gamache becomes crueler, a body is discovered. And in the tumult, mistakes are made.

In the next novel in this “constantly surprising series that deepens and darkens as it evolves” (New York Times Book Review), Gamache must face a horrific possibility, and a burning question.

What would you do if your child’s killer walked free?"

Sounds a little too close to reality...

Wonton Terror by Vivien Chien
Published by: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Publication Date: August 27th, 2019
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the fourth in Vivien Chien's Noodle Shop delicious mystery series, Ho-Lee Noodle House is ready to take the Cleveland night market by storm - until a brand-new food venue literally explodes onto the scene.

Lana Lee is all smiles when the first evening of Cleveland’s Asian Night Market kicks off the summer. The weekly festival is always good for business, packed with locals and tourists, and this year, some stiff new food-truck competition. Wonton on Wheels, run by old friends of Lana’s parents, promises to have customers lining up for their delicately wrapped delights - until the truck blows up at evening’s end.

Lana’s boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau, had been planning a birthday getaway for the two of them but, lo and behold, Lana must assume the role of amateur sleuth yet again. With one proprietor of Wonton on Wheels dead, it’s beginning to look more like murder and less like an unfortunate accident. And as they begin to unwrap layers of disturbing secrets, Lana’s own family erupts into new drama. Will Lana be able to solve this crime - or has she jumped from the wok right into the fire?"

Food truck cozy to celebrate the start of fall and a new school year, AKA, the time of year I relied on food trucks as an undergrad.

The Girl Who Lived Twice by David Lagercrantz
Published by: Knopf
Publication Date: August 27th, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The sixth Lisbeth Salander story - the crime-fiction phenomenon that has sold more than 90 million copies worldwide.

Lisbeth Salander - the fierce, unstoppable girl with the dragon tattoo - has disappeared. She's sold her apartment in Stockholm. She's gone silent electronically. She's told no one where she is. And no one is aware that at long last she's got her primal enemy, her twin sister, Camilla, squarely in her sights.

Mikael Blomkvist is trying to reach Lisbeth. He needs her help unraveling the identity of a man who lived and died on the streets in Stockholm - a man who does not exist in any official records and whose garbled last words hinted at possible damaging knowledge of people in the highest echelons of government and industry. In his pocket was a crumpled piece of paper with Blomkvist's phone number on it.

Once again, Salander and Blomkvist will come to each other's aid, moving in tandem toward the truths they each seek. In the end, it will be Blomkvist - in a moment of unimaginable self-sacrifice--who will make it possible for Lisbeth to face the most important battle of her life, and, finally, to put her past to rest."

I just recently saw the film adapted from the first of Lagercrantz's books on Lisbeth and it's made me interested in checking out the rest of the books he's written for this series, though I still think he should have followed the original outlines and not done his own thing. 

Beneath the Attic by V.C. Andrews
Published by: Gallery Books
Publication Date: August 27th, 2019
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Forbidden passions have shaped and haunted the Dollanganger family since their first novel - Flowers in the Attic - debuted forty years ago. Now discover how twisted the family roots truly are, and witness the clan’s origins as a result of one wild and complicated relationship. In this evocative and thrilling tale from New York Times bestselling author V.C. Andrews, see Corrine Dixon as a young girl and discover the fascinating family history of the Dollanganger clan.

Two generations before Corinne Foxworth locked her children in an attic, her grandmother, a gorgeous young girl named Corrine Dixon, is swept away by the charms of rich, sophisticated, and handsome Garland Foxworth. After discovering that she’s pregnant, Garland does what appears to be the honorable thing and marries her in a huge ceremony on the luxurious Foxworth Hall grounds. Both families fervently overlook the pregnancy, happy for a suitable resolution.

Now the mistress of a labyrinthine estate, Corrine discovers that nothing is what is seems. Garland is not the man once captivated by her charms, and she’s increasingly troubled by his infatuation with memories of his departed mother.

Can Corrine survive this strange new life? Or is her fate already sealed?

Explore the origins of the legendary Dollanganger family in this page-turning, gripping gothic thriller."

If anyone else is suffering from V.C. Andrews withdrawal after the final Lifetime movie adaptation aired on Saturday here's your cure!

Dead Voices by Katherine Arden
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 27th, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Bestselling author Katherine Arden returns with another creepy, spine-tingling adventure in this follow-up to the critically acclaimed Small Spaces.

Having survived sinister scarecrows and the malevolent smiling man in Small Spaces, newly minted best friends Ollie, Coco, and Brian are ready to spend a relaxing winter break skiing together with their parents at Mount Hemlock Resort. But when a snowstorm sets in, causing the power to flicker out and the cold to creep closer and closer, the three are forced to settle for hot chocolate and board games by the fire.

Ollie, Coco, and Brian are determined to make the best of being snowed in, but odd things keep happening. Coco is convinced she has seen a ghost, and Ollie is having nightmares about frostbitten girls pleading for help. Then Mr. Voland, a mysterious ghost hunter, arrives in the midst of the storm to investigate the hauntings at Hemlock Lodge. Ollie, Coco, and Brian want to trust him, but Ollie's watch, which once saved them from the smiling man, has a new cautionary message: BEWARE.

With Mr. Voland's help, Ollie, Coco, and Brian reach out to the dead voices at Mount Hemlock. Maybe the ghosts need their help - or maybe not all ghosts can or should be trusted.

Dead Voices is a terrifying follow-up to Small Spaces with thrills and chills galore and the captive foreboding of a classic ghost story."

It's like The Shining for kids! 

Best Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham
Published by: First Second
Publication Date: August 27th, 2019
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Bestselling creators of Real Friends Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham are back with a true story about popularity, first crushes, and finding your own path in the graphic novel, Best Friends.

Follow your heart. Find your people.

Sixth grade is supposed to be perfect. Shannon’s got a sure spot in the in-crowd called The Group, and her best friend is their leader, Jen, the most popular girl in school.

But the rules are always changing, and Shannon has to scramble to keep up. She never knows which TV shows are cool, what songs to listen to, and who she’s allowed to talk to. Who makes these rules, anyway? And does Shannon have to follow them?"

A must read for those who love Shannon Hale and those who have yet to discover her!
 A Bride's Story, Volume 11 by Kaoru Mori
Published by: Yen Press
Publication Date: August 27th, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 192 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Having reached his destination in Ankara, Smith is not only reunited with his old friend, but also Talas, the woman he briefly stayed with on his journey. An agreement was made, and now Smith must travel back to Amir and Karluk with his new companions and newly acquired camera. However, the roads back are perilous as war approaches..."

To me, it's never really the start of fall until a new installment of this magnificent manga is released. 

Bottle Grove by Daniel Handler
Published by: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication Date: August 27th, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A razor-sharp tale of two couples, two marriages, a bar, and a San Francisco start-up from a best-selling, award-winning novelist.

This is a story about two marriages. Or is it? It begins with a wedding, held in the small San Francisco forest of Bottle Grove - bestowed by a wealthy patron for the public good, back when people did such things. Here is a cross section of lives, a stretch of urban green where ritzy guests, lustful teenagers, drunken revelers, and forest creatures all wait for the sun to go down. The girl in the corner slugging vodka from a cough-syrup bottle is Padgett - she's keeping something secreted in the woods. The couple at the altar are the Nickels - the bride is emphatic about changing her name, as there is plenty about her old life she is ready to forget.

Set in San Francisco as the tech-boom is exploding, Bottle Grove is a sexy, skewering dark comedy about two unions - one forged of love and the other of greed - and about the forces that can drive couples together, into dependence, and then into sinister, even supernatural realms. Add one ominous shape-shifter to the mix, and you get a delightful and strange spectacle: a story of scheming and yearning and foibles and love and what we end up doing for it - and everyone has a secret. Looming over it all is the income disparity between San Francisco's tech community and...everyone else."

San Francisco and a shape-shifter? Did someone read my dream book combination?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Bride's Story, Daniel Handler, David Lagercrantz, Delilah S. Dawson, Galaxy's Edge, Kaoru Mori, Katherine Arden, LeUyen Pham, Lisbeth Salander, Louise Penny, Shannon Hale, Star Wars, V.C. Andrews, Vivien Chien