strange and random happenstance

Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 704 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It's off to the races in the explosive eighth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series - featuring bonus material exclusive to this print edition.

As chaos and mass panic spread outside the dungeon in the wake of Faction Wars, Carl and Donut find themselves on the tenth floor, where they're forced to compete in a surprisingly normal set of tasks. Well, normal for the dungeon.

Races. Get from point A to point B, and don't come in last. After each race, they pick an upgrade for their vehicle and the track gets more challenging. It all seems a little too normal, a little too simple.

Ignore those strange glitches that are occurring with increasing frequency. Don't listen to those whispers about what's happening on the mysterious eleventh floor, something the system AI calls A Parade of Horribles. Nobody, not even the showrunners, knows what that means. Just that the AI has ominously dubbed it "a coming-out party for the ages."

Everything is fine, Crawler. I repeat, everything is fine.

Carl hates that it's business as usual. The rules of this floor have taken away his agency. That just will not do.

So Carl is planning a party of his own. It's a plan so dangerous, so insane, he can't even consult his friends lest the AI put a stop to it. Because if it goes wrong, it's not just the end of Carl and Donut. No. The stakes are higher than they've ever been.

Includes part eight of the exclusive bonus story "Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret.""

I am so excited for this month because I have finally got my book club to read the first book in this series.

Femme Feral by Sam Beckbessinger
Published by: Penguin Books
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Hyper-competent Ellie thinks she's going through perimenopause, but discovers she's actually turning into a werewolf in this feminist, dark-comedy debut.

The head of a company she started from the ground-up, the worried mother of a troublingly secretive daughter, and the wife of an easy-going man who always has her picking up the slack - Ellie is already juggling too much. So, it's an inconvenient time to find herself beset by strange physical changes: hair sprouting in new places, running hot, trouble sleeping, losing time, finding bloodstains in all her clothing. And underneath it all, a boiling rage that threatens to disrupt the life she's worked so hard to build.

Her doctor diagnoses perimenopause. But it's another twenty-eight-day cycle that's taking hold, one that involves fur, teeth, and a not-insignificant amount of howling at the moon - and that gifts Ellie incredible strength and speed. Her new power's thrilling, as is releasing the anger she's suppressed for years - especially as it turns out that there are some problems that can be solved with violence: The terrible new hire who is sabotaging her careful plans. The creep who's stalking her daughter. Only, the beast within isn't easy to control, and its bloody trail is getting harder to hide. With an obsessive hunter on her trail and a growing fear of what she's becoming, Ellie must find a way to yoke her fury before she tears through the people she loves.

A deeply gratifying, highly addictive and provocative read, Femme Feral is an exhilarating expression of feminine rage, with a warning: If you swallow your anger, it's sure to come back with a bite."

I was talking about this book to a friend the other day and she was instantly asking when she could get it. Women SO relate.

All Hail Chaos by Sarah Rees Brennan
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 480 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"All Hail Chaos is Sarah Rees Brennan's wicked, unmissable sequel to Long Live Evil.

One of the New York Times "Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2024."

THE EMPEROR IS HERE. AND SHE MADE HIM WORSE.

Rae is a fantasy reader who's been transported to her favorite fictional world of swords and sorcery, castles and monsters. Playing the villainess, she thought she could change the narrative, but this version of the plot is far more deadly than the one she knew. Her friends are on the run: the Cobra shelters in an eerie manor haunted by dark secrets, while Emer and Lia stoke a revolution in the gutters. Undead armies roam the kingdom, raiders camp at the city gates, and the all-powerful Emperor - Rae's favorite character ever, now possibly the greatest monster in the land - wants her to be his evil queen.

Romantic in fiction, complicated in reality. What's a villainess to do? Time for wicked bargains and fake engagements, in a fantasy where the most dangerous thing you can do is believe in someone."

Seriously, while this series is so fun, I would not want to be sucked into any of my favorite book series.

Vile Lady Villains by Danai Christopoulou
Published by: Union Square and Co.
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A queer, gothic horrormantasy that's perfect for readers of S.T. Gibson and Kiersten White.

With the consequences of her murderous actions closing in, Lady Macbeth turns to the three witches for help. They give her a potion that transports her to an unknown realm. Desperately lost, she opens a door and comes face to face with a beautiful woman drenched in blood.

Klytemnestra, Queen of Mycenae, is exacting bloody vengeance on her husband. Yet as she revels in her triumph, an otherworldly door appears and a strange woman steps in. Thinking this stranger a spirit, she chases Lady Macbeth into the realm of stories.

Hunted by screaming wraiths into worlds that are hell bent on their demise, this murderous pair are forced to form an alliance or perish. Yet the realm's goddess, The Mistress of the House of Books, claims to hold the key to saving them.

As every threat brings our vile lady villains closer, turning ill intentions into fiery attraction that no author dare write, they have a choice: remain within the confines of their original tales... or burn down the world to pen a new story together..."

I love that our villains look like hot and sexy versions of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford's characters in What Ever Happen to Baby Jane?

The Devil and Mrs. Gooch by Oliver Darkshire
Published by: W. W. Norton and Company
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the storm-drenched city of Verdigris, home to indolent sorcerers and undead hotels, something is dreadfully wrong. Buildings are starting to crumble due to the kidnapping of their hobs, the many-legged house spirits that keep each home in order. In such times, one would ordinarily blame the Devil, but he has been enchanted by a new and enticing evil: The jackbooted villainy of Gwendolyn Gooch, who has taken the hobs for her latest diabolical scheme - apartments for rent. As the hobs retrofit the gaudy Gooch Towers, the fate of the city lies in the hands of the arboreal Professor Green; his rare, complete set of the Household Gramarye; and its famulus, the prim Mrs. Bobkins.

A delightful new novel in a series "perfectly cut to fit the Pratchett-shaped hole in my heart" (C.M. Waggoner), The Devil and Mrs. Gooch is witty, imaginative, and brimming with charm.

The Household Gramarye series may be read in any order you wish, as wizards care little for strict sequentiality."

This series seriously has the best cover art, but this is a step beyond. Love it!

Under a Carnivore Sky by Brianna Jett
Published by: Page Street YA
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"I'm the only one left hunting the monster, the only one left with a chance of saving us all.

Raised in a town surrounded by a labyrinthian, man-eating swamp, Lili craves nothing more than to track down the monster lurking in its depths and kill it.

The monster's curse claims the flesh and bone of every adult in town, stealing them away, piece by piece. For generations, people have tried to kill it or escape the town altogether, but every path out of town leads them right back in.

Caleb, a bookish boy with dreams of freedom, is hungry to escape. He thinks that with Lili's help and knowledge of the swamp, he can make a map to freedom. And Lili hopes that with a better sense of its territory, she might finally find and kill the monster.

Together, they chart the swamp's shifting terrain. Sharing in the danger and the beauty of the landscape sparks a friendship between them - and then something more. However, what they discover disrupts everything Lili thought she knew about the town, her father, the monster - even herself. The truth at the root of the curse could devour them all. And Lili must decide if risking her life to be the town's savior is worth sacrificing her own chance of escape."

Knowledge can be just as dangerous as a deadly swamp.

The Hanging Bones by Elle Tesch
Published by: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the author of What Wakes the Bells comes a rich, gothic fantasy steeped in Germanic folklore about a girl who enters a dangerous, magical hunt with the goal of winning the death of her predatory overlord. Perfect for fans of Adalyn Grace, Maggie Stiefvater, and V.E. Schwab.

Some monsters are born. Some are made. All can be killed.

Once every few years, the Scavenge Moon rises. From beyond its pale glow steps the Breimar Stag, an otherworldly creature with eyes of burning gold. Any reckless adventurer who chooses to join the hunt for the stag only has until the Scavenge Moon sets to claim their prize - if they catch it, they are granted the death of any person of their choice. And if no one catches it, the stag will claim one of the hunters' souls instead.

Katrin has lived on the border of the forest her whole life, raised on tales of the Folk that dwell within. As a gamekeeper for the baron who rules over the region, she is saddled with the onerous task of escorting the entitled nobles who descend upon her home for the Breimar Hunt. None of them respect the forest or its legends, and Katrin is only too happy to let them risk their foolish necks for what they see as a cheap thrill.

When her beloved cousin becomes the latest target of the baron's lecherous appetites, Katrin knows only his death will keep her family safe, and the only way she can claim his life is to win the hunt herself. But something hungry has begun to stir in the woods, something even older and more powerful than the stag. As the horrifying, mutilated bodies pile up, Katrin begins to question where the true danger lies."

So, she can't just like poison the baron?

Deathbringer by Sonia Tagliareni
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: eBook, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For fans of Naomi Novik and Kerri Maniscalco, "a slow-burn dark academia filled with delicious yearning, dripping with atmosphere, and a compelling mystery" (Ellis Hunter, author of Blood Bound) about a death mage who hates her magic and a poison mage who hates her that are forced to work together to stop a killer before one of them is next.

Everything about Sylas Archyr feels like a sin.

Born with the ability to speak with the dead, Viola's magic killed her sister, Olivia, and if she doesn't learn why, it will kill her too. Her only hope lies within the perilous walls of Gorhail Institute of Magic, where Olivia spent her final days.

There, Viola clashes with Sylas, a poison mage whose magic stems from three magical snakes. Immortal, tormented, and reckless, Sylas is tethered to a life he never asked for and haunted by guilt for his father's death. His hatred for death mages runs deep, and he's determined to keep Viola at a distance. But when an attack forces him to heal her, their fates become intertwined by a magical bond that threatens to upend his loyalties - and his common sense.

As more students start turning up dead, Viola and Sylas are drawn into an uneasy alliance that pulls them deeper into Gorhail's treacherous passageways, where secrets fester beneath the stone and the dead do not rest. And as enemy lines begin to blur and their undeniable attraction grows, Viola and Sylas uncover a chilling conspiracy: someone is hunting mages for their magical relics, and if they can't uncover the killer in time, Viola will be next."

It's amazing how deadly academia has become.

You're Dead to Me, Reed Walker by Gwenyth Reitz
Published by: Roaring Brook Press
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A swoonworthy YA supernatural romcom where two academic rivals are trapped as ghosts to haunt the same house.

They'd kill each other... if they weren't already dead.

Tessa Sinclair is a winner. Winner of spelling bees, science fairs, and scholarships. So when she finds herself unexpectedly dead after a graduation party in an abandoned mansion, she's none too pleased. What's worse, her Harvard-bound, Mr. Perfect academic rival, Reed Walker, is there too - deceased, smug, and annoying as hell.

Being a ghost is hard enough, but it's a thousand times worse having to haunt the same house as your nemesis. But as Tessa and Reed retreat to RIP in their respective corners of the mansion, a mystery unfurls about the exact cause of their deaths.

Though they'd rather die (again) than work together, they'll need to overcome their differences to hunt down a murderer on the loose. And should they happen to fall for each other along the way... Who ever said you can't find love after death?"

I think finding out how you died would overcome rivalry. 

Never Leave Me Alone by Crissa-Jean Chappell
Published by: Regal House Publishing
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 178 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Seventeen-year-old Birdie lives for danger - from rooftopping abandoned hotels to chasing the perfect shot for her Instagram alter ego, Bad Altitude.

Her dying Florida beach town may be crumbling, but her follower count is rising fast.

She's one viral post away from escaping the Space Coast for good.

Then she meets Micah, a daredevil TikTok star with a taste for high-stakes stunts and even higher risks.

At first, Birdie thinks she's found a kindred spirit.

But Micah is secretly playing a deadly game online - and after he falls to his death, Birdie is left with more questions than answers.

Determined to uncover the truth, she retraces his final stunts, getting dangerously close to his brother, Jayce.

Can she trust him, or is he hiding something too?

Now someone's watching Birdie - both online and off - and she's forced to keep playing.

Because in this game, there's only one rule: if you quit, you die."

But do you live if you win?

The Kindness of Strangers by Emma Garman
Published by: S and S/Summit Books
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
A wildly entertaining debut and homage to the classic murder mystery set in post-WWII London where a stranger's arrival at a boarding house sets a deadly chain of events in motion - perfect for fans of Kate Atkinson, Agatha Christie, and Richard Osman.

London, 1953. Jimmy Sullivan lies dying on the drawing room floor while his housemates look on, their lives about to change forever.

One foggy night in the dead of February, a young man arrives unannounced at 42 Tregunter Road in Chelsea. Self-styled Bohemian Mrs. Honor Wilson - who runs a minor literary journal and lodgings from this timeworn Victorian house - introduces him to her "dear house guests": Robbie, the writer; Mina, the teenage sleuth; George, the debutante; and Saul, the haunted refugee. Jimmy Sullivan is a family friend, Honor says - yet clearly, something is not right. Despite everyone's misgivings, she lets the stranger move into the attic.

As they each try to disprove Jimmy's dubious account of himself, secrets, jealousies, and disturbing schemes come to light, fracturing the household's delicate allegiances and setting in motion, unstoppably, a tale of perilous self-invention, complicated love, and murderous revenge.

In a house built on lies, the truth will get you killed."

Wait, if this is for fans of Kate Atkinson does that mean for fans of books with nebulous endings and no actual crime solving? 

Murder Like Clockwork by Nicola Whyte
Published by: Union Square and Co.
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this London-based version of The Paris Apartment meets Only Murders in the Building, author Nicola Whyte continues the adventures of the delicious cast of 10 Marchfield Square characters.

Every Thursday at midday Audrey Brooks cleans the Petrov house. Mr. Petrov is never home - in fact he seems to use the house purely as storage for his impressive collection of antiques - but that doesn't affect the care with which Audrey mops, polishes, and carefully winds each of the dozens of beautiful clocks that decorate the tall, elegant, empty London mansion.

Until the morning she finds a corpse in the back bedroom, the pristine walls and floor covered in blood, and flees the house in panic. Fifteen minutes later, the police arrive... and find nothing. No body. No blood. The only thing slightly out of the ordinary is the clock in that back bedroom, which is now running four minutes slow.

With no victim, the police are convinced there was no murder, but Audrey knows better. A man has been killed, and if they won't do anything about it, she - and her annoying friend Lewis - will. Whodunnit is one thing, but this detective duo must also wrestle with when - and where on earth is the body?

It's not long since they solved the murder of their neighbor, so they're not rookie sleuths, and at least this time the case has no connection to their home. Does it?"

I'm more impressed by the villains who can clean a crime scene in under fifteen minutes. 

Killing Eve: Medusa by Luke Jennings
Published by: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: eBook, 264 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The latest instalment of Luke Jennings's bestselling Killing Eve series - the inspiration behind the BAFTA-winning drama starring Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh.

I lie to her constantly, and it's always the same lie. That I'm as human as she is.

Deceived once too often by Oxana, Eve flees to the country town where she lived as a child. But violence and death are hard on her heels, and time will not be turned back. Reeling from Eve's departure, Oxana throws herself into her latest mission: to assassinate the leaders of a newly formed European drug cartel.

Turkish mafia boss Tahir Yilmaz is hosting a voyage around the Greek islands on his luxury yacht Medusa. The group includes his seventeen-year-old daughter Defne and her friend Buse, and Tahir is taking no chances. He's hired a chaperone, a nanny from a top-drawer English training school. At least he thinks that's who Oxana is...

As the Medusa moves from isle to idyllic isle, a brutal showdown draws closer, and with it, a deadly reckoning for Eve and Oxana. Can the star-crossed couple save their relationship? Can they even save themselves?

The latest Killing Eve adventure is charged with all the savage humour, chilling violence and perversely romantic longing that fans of the series have come to love and expect. Welcome aboard the Medusa!"

First, so here for the correct continuation of Killing Eve. Second, murder on a luxury yacht! YAS!

A Very Vexing Murder by Lucy Andrew
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Harriet Smith investigates... A murder most Austen.

A witty debut whodunit that reimagines Harriet Smith, the gullible sidekick of Jane Austen's Emma, as a spitfire con woman, hired to break off an engagement and uncover a murderer in the genteel village of Highbury.

"Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure."  - Jane Austen, Emma

Is a killer lurking in the idyllic country domain of Emma Woodhouse?

No longer Emma's naïve companion, Harriet Smith is a feisty con-woman-turned-detective tasked with breaking off Frank Churchill's engagement and uncovering his aunt's would-be murderer. While Harriet has doubts that the deadly threats are little more than society scandal, the shrewd Mrs. Churchill suspects Frank's unsuitable fiancée, Jane Fairfax, is out to kill her. What begins as a routine investigation among Highbury's elite quickly spirals into a web of deception, dangerous secrets, and a game of survival.

As Harriet interrogates a growing list of suspects with the help of her long-suffering best friend, Robert Martin, not only does she have to contend with a potential homicidal maniac and striking out as a single woman in Regency society, but is also afraid her father (and former partner-in-crime) is out for revenge.

With a cast of unforgettable characters - including a charming scoundrel, a lovesick farmer, a ghoulish butler, and a ruthless heiress determined to hide her skeletons at any cost - this brilliantly reimagined mystery featuring the characters from Jane Austen's Emma is as deliciously dark as it is delightfully clever."

I mean, no matter how reimagined this is Frank Churchill has to be the culprit. He's a psychopath. 

The Last Lady B by Eloisa James
Published by: Gallery Books
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lady B may have married Bluebeard; she may have fallen in love with a gorgeous, grumpy solicitor; she may have met a ghost and survived to tell the tale! New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Eloisa James delights with witty historical romance with a gothic twist.

In the depths of winter, Lady Genevieve Hughes, her pet piglet, and her septuagenarian husband travel to a haunted abbey in the Scottish Highlands. Evie is excited to meet a ghost (perhaps one of her husband's three previous wives), but didn't expect the funny, quirky guests to become the friends she's never had. And she certainly didn't imagine meeting Sir Godric Everly, a sardonic, witty solicitor who loathes her husband.

Yet as secrets and lies turn Evie's world upside down, Sir Godric becomes the one person whom she can trust.

When ghosts, multiple wills, and a shocking marriage certificate bring Lord Burnsby's past crashing into his present, Burnsby promptly dies, leaving Evie free to remarry... though as a virgin wife, now a virgin widow, she is more unnerved by the marriage bed than a spectral visit.

More importantly, she has to figure out whose identity is false, whose vows are dishonorable, whose truths could destroy her reputation - and where her heart belongs."

I can't wait for this book! What's more I can't wait for my copy which is part of JQ Editions!

The Lister Sisters by Rebecca Batley
Published by: Pen and Sword History
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When Anne Lister, 'Gentleman Jack, ' and her infamous diaries hit the headlines a few years ago, their popularity spawned a plethora of Gentleman Jack blogs, research and books which have focused primarily on Anne Lister's romantic relationships with (a huge) number of women, but whilst they are an integral part of the Lister story, there is another woman lurking in the pages of her diaries: The original Lister Sister, Marian.

Marian Lister was Anne's younger sister and the two women had a complex and fascinating relationship. The evidence reveals Marian to be a complicated woman who both resented, loved and was fiercely protective of her older sister. Forced to live together for a large part of their lives Anne vehemently disapproved of Marian's desire to escape in order to marry a "carpet maker" feeling him to be unworthy of the sister she herself derided. Marian, for her part, did not understand her elder sister's relationships with women, but she accepted them, defended her and worried about her excessively even whilst she ranted about Anne's spending, scheming and selfishness.

When together, the two women bickered constantly with Marian, literally at times screaming in frustration at her headstrong sister. Anne, for her part, complained that Marian was "simple... good for nothing," yet her approval meant a good deal to her.

Here, for the first time, we look at the complex relationship between the two women, how it developed, its moments of triumph and tragedy, as well as the profound influence it had on each of their lives."

If I learned anything from Gentleman Jack it's that Anne was a bitch to her sister. 

Memory House by Elaine Kraf
Published by: Modern Library
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The never-before-published final novel by cult feminist author Elaine Kraf, exploring what happens when a drained writer fakes her death and joins a mysterious club for failing artists.

Once the darling of the literary world, Marlane Frack is fading into obscurity: her once-brilliant career seems over, her creativity feels nonexistent, and her demanding husband would prefer she spend her time caring for him instead of struggling to find inspiration. But one day, an enigmatic chauffeur arrives to spirit her away to Memory House, a secluded sanctuary where formerly successful artists of all kinds - writers, painters, musicians, and more - are spending the rest of their lives. They have all decided that fame in death is preferable to decline in real life.

Nestled in a remote, picturesque landscape, the house is a labyrinth of secrets and whispers, where time seems to flow differently and creativity is both a blessing and a curse. There, Marlane finds herself among a diverse group of residents, some of whom she knew in the outside world, all of them fighting with their own artistic demons - and with each other. As the line between reality and imagination blurs, and her past begins to manifest in startling ways, Marlane starts to question what is real and what is merely a figment of the house's influence.

Will Marlane find the redemption she seeks, or will the house consume her creative spirit entirely? In the last book she wrote before her death, which has never been published before, Elaine Kraf explores the challenges of being a female creator, the transformative power of art, and the enduring quest for self-discovery."

I'd be more worried that the house says you will get "fame in death." That really sounds like the house will elaborately kill you.

The Lost Book of Lancelot by John Glynn
Published by: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A queer retelling of the legend of Sir Lancelot, following the famous knight as he grows up orphaned, falls in love, and attempts to fulfill his destiny at the Round Table - from the bestselling author of Out East.

Hidden away on the Isle of Women, a nameless orphan grows up among a powerful sisterhood, but always at a distance. He hears whispers of a prophecy that may shed light on his destiny - and his true identity: Lancelot. Determined to master the skills of knighthood, he begins training in tandem with the handsome Galehaut. As the two become inseparable, they guide one another toward their truest selves. But no matter how tightly they cling to one another, each has a role to play in the wizard Merlin's grand prophecies.

When Lancelot is forced to follow Merlin to Camelot, he fights to protect his heart while seeking the fabled grail alongside King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table. But when Roman legionaries encroach on their kingdom, their quest takes on new urgency, as does Lancelot's explosive secret - the truth of what he left behind on the Isle of Women.

Steeped in rich medieval lore, The Lost Book of Lancelot is at once an immersive, a poignant love story and an epic, unforgettable tale of a vulnerable boy who is forced to rise to the occasion amid a battle between the old world and the new."

I mean, the denizens of Camelot are always rife for a queer bent. I mean, just watch Lancelot in the musical...

Hana and Taru by Léo Schilling and Motteux 
Published by: Magnetic Press
Publication Date: May 12th, 2026
Format: Paperback, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Deep in an ancient forest, young Taru feels like a misfit among her tribe of hunter-warriors. As she tries to make her mark in the adult world, she finds herself marginalized as much for her naïveté as for her radical ideas, which are dismissed by her mother and peers as nonsense. She is responsible for watching a prisoner - Hana, a young human with a mysterious past who has been captured by Taru's own tribe. Hana provides Taru with both solace and an opportunity to find her own way. When Taru's village is once again attacked by giant rampaging forest beasts, the unlikely pair will work together to try to understand the uncontrollable and deadly force that threatens them. What is causing the beasts to rampage? And how can they be stopped?

This ecological fantasy tale by writer Leo Schilling and cartoonist Motteux unravels an exciting fantasy tale about finding your own purpose and a responsible balance with nature."

FernGully for the literary set.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Crissa-Jean Chappell, Elaine Kraf, Eloisa James, Emma Garman, Gentleman Jack, John Glynn, Léo Schilling, Lucy Andrew, Luke Jennings, Matt Dinniman, Motteux, Nicola Whyte, Oliver Darkshire, Rebecca Batley, Sarah Rees Brennan

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan
Published by: Orbit
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This adult epic fantasy debut from Sarah Rees Brennan puts the reader in the villain's shoes, for an adventure that is both "brilliant" (Holly Black) and "supremely satisfying" (Leigh Bardugo). Expect a rogue's gallery of villains including an axe wielding maid, a shining knight with dark moods, a homicidal bodyguard, and a playboy spymaster with a golden heart and a filthy reputation.

When her whole life collapsed, Rae still had books. Dying, she seizes a second chance at living: a magical bargain that lets her enter the world of her favorite fantasy series.

She wakes in a castle on the edge of a hellish chasm, in a kingdom on the brink of war. Home to dangerous monsters, scheming courtiers and her favourite fictional character: the Once and Forever Emperor. He's impossibly alluring, as only fiction can be. And in this fantasy world, she discovers she's not the heroine, but the villainess in the Emperor's tale.

So be it. The wicked are better dressed, with better one-liners, even if they're doomed to bad ends. She assembles the wildly disparate villains of the story under her evil leadership, plotting to change their fate. But as the body count rises and the Emperor's fury increases, it seems Rae and her allies may not survive to see the final page.

THIS IS A TALE FOR EVERYONE WHO'S EVER FALLEN FOR THE VILLAIN..."

But also a tale for everyone who has wanted to fall into their favorite series.

Confounding Oaths by Alexis Hall
Published by: Del Rey Books
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A nobleman must work with a dashing soldier to save his sister from a mystical bargain gone awry in this swoon-worthy romance from the bestselling author of Boyfriend Material.

It is the year 1815, and Mr. John Caesar is determined to help his sister, Mary, successfully navigate the marriage mart. A high-stakes endeavor at the best of times, this task is made slightly more difficult by his family's nontraditional background, the pernicious whims of the ton, and the ever-present complication of living in a world full of scheming fairies and capricious gods.

Despite all that, John knows that his parents wish to see his sister comfortably settled. He also knows that the sooner he sees Mary's future secured, the sooner he can get his own wish - returning to an aristocratic life of leisure. And as for Mary? Sweet, sensitive Mary just wishes gentlemen would pay as much attention to her as they do to her younger sister.

When Mary's all-too-literal wish puts her squarely in the sights of a malicious fairy godmother, John sets out to save her. This choice throws him into the path of Captain Orestes James - the handsome up-from-the-ranks hero of Wellington's armies - and his ragtag band of misfits. Together, John and the captain will venture into a vicious world of fey bargains and sacrificial magic as they draw ever closer to rescuing Mary - and to each other. While John is no stranger to casual dalliances with soldiers, until now he's never expected one to last - or wanted one to. He and the captain come from different worlds, and even if Orestes feels the same, John knows there's no point in wishing for something more between them.

After all, John has learned firsthand that getting what you wish for can be a dangerous thing...."

Regency Magic in the house! Yes, I am dancing! And?

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
Published by: Ace Books
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman - now with bonus material exclusive to this print edition.

You know what's worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what's worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That's what.

Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world - or just get to the next level - in a video game-like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that's actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly, drug-dealing llamas. This ain't your ordinary game show.

Welcome, Crawler. Welcome to the Dungeon. Survival is optional. Keeping the viewers entertained is not.

Includes part one of the exclusive bonus story "Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret.""

I mean, come on, Princess Donut demands your attention!

Sunderworld, Vol. I: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry by Ransom Riggs
Published by: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The much-anticipated new fantasy series from Ransom Riggs, his first since introducing the #1 global phenomenon Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series.

Seventeen-year-old Leopold Berry is seeing weird things around Los Angeles. A man who pops a tooth into a parking meter. A glowing trapdoor in a parking lot. A half-mechanical raccoon with its tail on fire that just won't leave him alone. Every hallucinatory moment seems plucked from a cheesy 1990s fantasy TV show called Max's Adventures in Sunderworld - and that's because they are.

Not a good sign.

In the blurry weeks after his mother's death, a young Leopold discovered VHS tapes of its one and only season in a box headed for the trash - and soon became obsessed. Losing himself in Sunder was the best way to avoid two things: grieving his mother and being a chronic disappointment to his overbearing father. But when the strange visions return - at the worst possible time on the worst possible day - Leopold turns to his best friend Emmet for help. Together they discover that Sunder is much more than just an old TV show, and that Los Angeles is far stranger than they ever imagined. And soon, he'll realize that not only is Sunderworld real, but it's in grave danger.

Certain he's finally been chosen for greatness, Leopold risks everything to claim his destiny, save the world of his childhood dreams, and prove once and for all that he's not the disappointment his father believes him to be. But when everything goes terribly, horribly, excruciatingly wrong, Leopold's disappointments prove to be more extraordinary than he ever could have imagined.

How do you battle darkness when no one believes in you - not even yourself?

Visionary storyteller Ransom Riggs weaves the familiar with the peculiar in a stunning tale of loss, triumph, friendship and magic, reminding readers everywhere that true heroes are made, not born - and that when you're never the chosen one, sometimes you have to choose yourself.

Welcome to Sunderworld."

Oh my, cheesy vintage TV shows that are all but forgotten and hold a secret is so my jam.

Houses of the Unholy by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 144 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Houses of the Unholy is a riveting horror thrill-ride from bestselling creators Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, the award-winning team behind Criminal (soon to be a TV series on Amazon Prime), Reckless, Night Fever, and Where the Body Was.

In this new tale, an FBI agent from the cult crime beat and a woman with a past linked to the Satanic Panic are drawn into a terrifying hunt for an insane killer hiding in the shadows of the underworld.

This pulse-pounding story asks: can you ever escape your past, or are all your bad decisions just more ghosts to haunt you, wherever you go?"

I was going to write something really insightful about the authors but I'm so excited about the Amazon Prime news that I can't contain my joy!

Come Out, Come Out by Natalie C. Parker
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A spine-tingling LGBTQIA+ YA horror about queer teens who accidentally invoke a twisted spirit who promises help but delivers something sinister.

Perfect for fans of Kayla Cottingham, Andrew Joseph White, and Ryan La Sala.

It's never been safe for Fern, Jaq, or Mallory to come out to their families. As kids their emerging identities drove them into friendship but also forced them into the woods to hide in an old, abandoned house when they needed safety. But one night when the girls sought refuge, Mallory never made it back home. Fern and Jaq did, but neither survivor remembered what happened or the secrets they were so desperate to keep.

Five years later, Fern and Jaq are seniors on the verge of graduation, seemingly happy in their straight, cisgender lives - until a spirit who looks like Mallory begins to appear, seeking revenge for her death, and the part Fern and Jaq played in it. As they're haunted, something begins to shift inside them.

They remember who they are.

Who they want to love.

And the truth about the vicious secrets hiding in their woods.

This delightfully dark and pointed novel calls out the systems that erase gay and queer and trans identity, giving space to embrace queerness and to unleash the power of friendship and found family against the real monsters in the world."

Be loud! Be proud! Fight the monsters who try to take that away from you!

The Lies of Alma Blackwell by Amanda Glaze
Published by: Union Square and Co.
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Atmospheric and sweepingly romantic, this Gothic mystery tells the story of a girl poised to inherit a famously haunted California mansion and a stranger who arrives with a dark warning...

For over a century, the Blackwells have protected the town of Hollow Cliff from vengeful spirits.

Seventeen-year-old Nev is ready to take over for her ailing grandmother as the town's witch protector - unlike her mother, who left when Nev was a child and never looked back.

When a stranger arrives at Blackwell House of Spirits to fill a tour guide opening, Nev reluctantly offers him the job.

Nev doesn't trust Cal. He knows more than he's letting on about Blackwell House - and about Nev herself.

But Nev soon learns that she has been lied to her whole life. By following the trail of clues left behind in Blackwell House by her most powerful witch ancestor, Nev uncovers an unspeakable legacy of murder and lies...and realizes that a stranger may be the one person she can trust."

It's like the Winchester Mystery House with witches!

Return to Midnight by Emma Dues
Published by: Thomas and Mercer
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"On the anniversary of a savage mass murder, a survivor returns to the scene of the crime - and all its buried secrets - in a twisting novel of suspense.

Nearly ten years ago, five Ohio university students were murdered in an off-campus Victorian home. The media dubbed it the Midnight House Massacre. Ever since, survivor and novelist Margot Davis has wanted to forget it, and never again utter the killer's name. Until she's compelled to write her side of the story. To do that, she's returning to Midnight House.

It'll be a chance for Margot to reconnect with other survivors, heal the trauma, and dispel the ugly conspiracy theories of obsessed true crime fanatics. But when news of Margot's book gets out, she receives a threatening note that demands she stop lying. Or else. It chills Margot's blood. Because she hasn't been telling the whole truth.

As the threats continue, each more sinister than the last, a journalist comes to Margot with new suspicions about that brutal October night. Now, to save her own life, Margot must reveal her well-guarded secrets - ones that, for good reason, she's been too terrified to share."

Oh, so much to love here, there's a Black Christmas meest true crime vibe I can't wait to sink my teeth into!

Fyrebirds by Kate J. Armstrong
Published by: Nancy Paulsen Books
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"With tensions rising and their powers no longer a secret, the Nightbirds must decide for whom and for what they are willing to fight for and how far they will go in the spellbinding sequel to the international bestseller Nightbirds.

The Nightbirds were once their city's best-kept secret, but now the secret's out. What's more, they can do feats of magic no one has seen in centuries. They're like the Fyrebirds of old: the powerful women who once moved mountains, parted seas, and led armies. Some say that when four join together, they become a force that shakes the earth and sends magic rippling through it. It does seem as if something has awoken in Eudea, but the four girls responsible don't want the world to know the full extent of what they can do - at least not yet.

As the new leader of Eudea works to lift the prohibition on magic, the churchmen who do not support it - and the gang lords who profit from it - whisper rebellion. The secret resistance who once sheltered the Nightbirds is rallying, too. Smelling blood in the water, an ambitious Farlands king threatens to take Eudea. As war looms, and the empire's fate hangs from a knife's edge, the Nightbirds have to decide if becoming more than that are - Fyrebirds - to protect Simta is worth losing themselves entirely and the lives and loves they might have had."

Damn. I loved the cover of Nightbirds, and while this is an entirely different style this cover for Fyrebirds is also on fire.

Truly Madly Magically by Hazel Beck
Published by: Graydon House
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A witch cursed to tell the truth, and the man who won't let her lie to herself anymore...

Cursed by her own mother to always tell the truth and one of the only half-witches around, Ellowyn Good has never considered herself an equal part of the Riverwood coven. But when the Joywood, the evil rulers of the witching world, target her directly, she begins to wonder why they want her gone.

She'll need to work with her newly formed coven to survive, which includes dealing with her first love, past wreckage and a whole new complication she didn't see coming. With their fates in the balance, Ellowyn will have to learn to trust Zander again - or be doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. Assuming they all survive the Joywood's latest bid for absolute power over the witching world..."

It's the last week of August, time to plan your fall reading... And this better be on your TBR pile!

A Swarm of Butterflies by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett
Published by: Embla Books
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Kindle, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When Finchmere's first summer fete turns fatal, Nell has more than just a killer to net...

Since their YouTube channel, Following Finchmere, has taken flight, showcasing Dr Nell Ward's sustainability transformation at her family's Finchmere estate, it's her partner and colleague, Rav, who's become the star.

Amongst Rav's fan mail and gifts, Nell makes the chilling discovery that one person's obsession with him has metamorphosed into a deadly threat.

Just as Finchmere flings open its gates to welcome swarms of visitors to their idyllic summer fete - celebrating rewilding, artisan produce and local crafts - Nell realises the disguised peril has already wormed its way into the heart of Finchmere itself, and the path of destruction soon leads to murder.

DI James Clark's and Nell's powers of observation are put to the test to detect the camouflaged predator. With everyone as a suspect, who can Nell really trust when those she loves are in danger?

A Swarm of Butterflies is the sixth book in the Dr Nell Ward series. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood and Janice Hallett!"

I mean, of course the murder is already in the offing!

The House of Graveyard Lane by Martin Edwards
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
""I want you to solve my murder," said the woman in white.

Rachel Savernake gave a sardonic smile. "Quite a challenge."

The woman in white - surreal artist Damaris Gethin - has invited a select group to the opening of her exhibit "Artist in Crime," held in the eerie subterranean Hades Gallery. As costumed models reenact famously violent deaths, the artist herself portrays Marie Antoinette on the day of her execution, complete with a guillotine on the stage. It's not a prop; within ten minutes of Rachel's promise to solve Damaris's future murder, the artist slips her neck into the collar of the device and the very real blade sends her head rolling at the feet of her horrified audience.

As everyone reels from the shock, Rachel quickly learns that Damaris herself accomplished the deed with the push of a button - a suicide. So then why did she ask Rachel to solve her "murder?"

Keen for the hunt, Rachel begins sniffing around the other invited guests, including a former lover with shady financial dealings, his widowed sister-in-law, and her has-been songwriter friend. Meanwhile, crime reporter Jacob Flint - also in attendance, in hopes of meeting celebrated French beauty Kiki de Villiers, allows his fascination with her to endanger his own life when a ruthless gangster returns to London, looking to take back what's his.

Equal parts thriller and whodunit, The House on Graveyard Lane leads Rachel and Jacob into a viper's pit of suspects, each sneakier and more venomous than the last."

Yes, I'm sure you too want to know how a suicide is murder...

Red River Road by Anna Downes
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Anna Downes's extraordinary next thriller Red River Road follows a woman desperate to discover what happened to her sister on a solo road trip through the Australian outback.

Katy Sweeney is looking for her sister. A year earlier, just three weeks into a solo vanlife trip, her free-spirited younger sister, Phoebe, vanished without a trace on the remote, achingly beautiful coastal highway in Western Australia. With no witnesses, no leads, and no DNA evidence, the case has gone cold. But Katy refuses to give up on her.

Using Phoebe's social media accounts as a map, Katy retraces her sister's steps, searching for any clues the police may have missed. Was Phoebe being followed? Who had she met along the way, and how dangerous were they?

And then Katy's path collides with that of Beth, who is on the run from her own dark past. Katy realizes that Beth might be her best - and only - chance of finding the truth, and the two women form an uneasy alliance to find out what really happened to Phoebe in this wild, beautiful, and perilous place.

Anna Downes takes us on a twist-filled journey into the dark side of solo female travel, in this gripping novel that explores what drives us to keep searching for those we have lost, the family bonds that can make or break us, and the deception of memory."

One, I'm Australia obsessed, and two, solo female travel could be it's own subgenre of crime. 

The Dark Wives by Ann Cleeves
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: August 27th, 2024
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"As New York Times bestseller Ann Cleeves's beloved Vera series explodes in popularity in print and on TV, this stunning eleventh book explores the web of secrets surrounding a young man's death.

The man's body is found in the early morning light by a local dog walker in the park outside Rosebank, a home for troubled teens in the coastal village of Longwater. The victim is Josh, a staff member, who was due to work the previous night but never showed up.

DI Vera Stanhope is called out to investigate the death, with her only clue being the disappearance of one of the home's residents, fourteen-year-old Chloe Spence. Vera can't bring herself to believe that a teenager is responsible for the murder, but even she can't dismiss the possibility.

Vera, Joe and new team member Rosie Bell, are soon embroiled in the case, and when a second connected body is found near the Three Dark Wives monument in the wilds of the Northumberland countryside, superstition and folklore begin to collide with fact. Vera knows she has to find Chloe to get to the truth, and the dark secrets in their community that may be far more dangerous than she could have ever believed possible."

Now that the show is ending, might I persuade you into reading the books? Come join us, there's folklore colliding with fact! Which is my catnip.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alexis Hall, Amanda Glaze, Ann Cleeves, Ed Brubaker, Hazel Beck, Kate J. Armstrong, Martin Edwards, Matt Dinniman, Natalie C. Parker, Ransom Riggs, Sarah Rees Brennan, Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, Sean Phillips

Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella
Published by: Random House
Publication Date: May 5th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 480 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A Harvard freshman becomes obsessed with her schizophrenic brother’s suicide. Then she starts hearing voices.

Cadence Archer arrives on Harvard’s campus desperate to understand why her brother, Eric, a genius who developed paranoid schizophrenia took his own life there the year before. Losing Eric has left a black hole in Cady’s life, and while her decision to follow in her brother’s footsteps threatens to break her family apart, she is haunted by questions of what she might have missed. And there’s only one place to find answers.

As Cady struggles under the enormous pressure at Harvard, she investigates her brother’s final year, armed only with a blue notebook of Eric’s cryptic scribblings. She knew he had been struggling with paranoia, delusions, and illusory enemies - but what tipped him over the edge? Voices fill her head, seemingly belonging to three ghosts who passed through the university in life, or death, and whose voices, dreams, and terrors still echo the halls. Among them is a person whose name has been buried for centuries, and another whose name mankind will never forget.

Does she share Eric’s illness, or is she tapping into something else? Cady doesn’t know how or why these ghosts are contacting her, but as she is drawn deeper into their worlds, she believes they’re moving her closer to the truth about Eric, even as keeping them secret isolates her further. Will listening to these voices lead her to the one voice she craves - her brother’s - or will she follow them down a path to her own destruction?"

The hallowed ivy halls with a ghostly Gothic bent. 

The Ghost of Eden Park by Karen Abbot
Published by: Broadway Books
Publication Date: May 5th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 3448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the early days of Prohibition, long before Al Capone became a household name, a German immigrant named George Remus quits practicing law and starts trafficking whiskey. Within two years he's a multi-millionaire. The press calls him "King of the Bootleggers," writing breathless stories about the Gatsby-esque events he and his glamorous second wife, Imogene, host at their Cincinnati mansion, with party favors ranging from diamond jewelry for the men to brand-new cars for the women. By the summer of 1921, Remus owns 35 percent of all the liquor in the United States.

Pioneering prosecutor Mabel Walker Willebrandt is determined to bring him down. Willebrandt's bosses at the Justice Department hired her right out of law school, assuming she'd pose no real threat to the cozy relationship they maintain with Remus. Eager to prove them wrong, she dispatches her best investigator, Franklin Dodge, to look into his empire. It's a decision with deadly consequences. With the fledgling FBI on the case, Remus is quickly imprisoned for violating the Volstead Act. Her husband behind bars, Imogene begins an affair with Dodge. Together, they plot to ruin Remus, sparking a bitter feud that soon reaches the highest levels of government - and that can only end in murder.

Combining deep historical research with novelistic flair, The Ghosts of Eden Park is the unforgettable, stranger-than-fiction story of a rags-to-riches entrepreneur and a long-forgotten heroine, of the excesses and absurdities of the Jazz Age, and of the infinite human capacity to deceive."

Because right now, for me, I'm ALL about the twenties!

Close Up by Amanda Quick
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: May 5th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Welcome to Burning Cove, California where 1930s Hollywood glamour conceals a ruthless killer...

Vivian Brazier never thought life as an art photographer would include nightly wake-up calls to snap photos of grisly crime scenes or headshots for aspiring male actors. Although she is set on a career of transforming photography into a new art form, she knows her current work is what’s paying the bills.

After shooting crime scene photos of a famous actress, the latest victim of the murderer the press has dubbed the “Dagger Killer,” Vivian notices eerie similarities to the crime scenes of previous victims - details that only another photographer would have noticed - details that put Vivian at the top of the killer’s target list.

Nick Sundridge has always been able to “see” things that others don’t, coping with disturbing dreams and visions. His talent, or as he puts it - his curse - along with his dark past makes him a recluse, but a brilliant investigator. As the only one with the ability to help, Nick is sent to protect Vivian. Together, they discover the Dagger Killer has ties to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood royalty and high society. It is a cutthroat world of allure and deception that Vivian and Nick must traverse - all in order to uncover the killer who will stop at nothing to add them to their gallery of murders."

THIS! This is what I love! Hollywood glamour with murder! 

The Paris Hours by Alex George 
Published by: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: May 5th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"One day in the City of Light. One night in search of lost time.

Paris between the wars teems with artists, writers, and musicians, a glittering crucible of genius. But amidst the dazzling creativity of the city’s most famous citizens, four regular people are each searching for something they’ve lost.

Camille was the maid of Marcel Proust, and she has a secret: when she was asked to burn her employer’s notebooks, she saved one for herself. Now she is desperate to find it before her betrayal is revealed. Souren, an Armenian refugee, performs puppet shows for children that are nothing like the fairy tales they expect. Lovesick artist Guillaume is down on his luck and running from a debt he cannot repay - but when Gertrude Stein walks into his studio, he wonders if this is the day everything could change. And Jean-Paul is a journalist who tells other people’s stories, because his own is too painful to tell. When the quartet’s paths finally cross in an unforgettable climax, each discovers if they will find what they are looking for.

Told over the course of a single day in 1927, The Paris Hours takes four ordinary people whose stories, told together, are as extraordinary as the glorious city they inhabit."

Ever since I saw the film Night on Earth in high school I've loved the conceit of following one single night in characters lives.

The Betrothed by Kiera Cass
Published by: HarperTeen
Publication Date: May 5th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A would-be queen. A handsome young king. A perfect match...or is it?

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Selection series comes The Betrothed, a glittering royal romance sure to captivate her legion of loyal readers and lovers of courtly intrigue alike.

When King Jameson declares his love for Lady Hollis Brite, Hollis is shocked - and thrilled. After all, she’s grown up at Keresken Castle, vying for the king’s attention alongside other daughters of the nobility. Capturing his heart is a dream come true.

But Hollis soon realizes that falling in love with a king and being crowned queen may not be the happily ever after she thought it would be. And when she meets a commoner with the mysterious power to see right into her heart, she finds that the future she really wants is one that she never thought to imagine."

I'd so choose a commoner over a king!

Death of a Cheerleader by Micol Ostow
Published by: Scholastic Inc
Publication Date: May 5th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Betty and Veronica's cheerleading retreat with the River Vixens was supposed to be fun - not deadly.

Betty, Veronica, Cheryl, and the rest of the River Vixens are heading out of town for the weekend on a cheerleading retreat. So Archie, Jughead, and the rest of the guys decide to have a poker night at La Bonne Nuit. But a storm causes the power to go out, and the speakeasy goes into lockdown. When the lights come back on, all of the cash is gone. The thief has to be someone the guys know - but who?

A few hours away, the River Vixens are ready to enjoy a few days of nature and team bonding. But when they arrive at the cheerleading camp, there are two other feuding squads already there. The team from Stonewall Prep claims that the Greendale girls are the reason one of their teammates went missing two years ago.

Betty and Veronica volunteer to investigate after creepy things start happening all over camp. And when one of the cheerleaders nearly drowns in the lake, B and V know they have to find out the truth before anyone else gets hurt - or worse.

This original Riverdale novel features a story not seen on the show!"

Because this week's finale is sure to leave everything up in the air, so to hold you over until we finally see the gang graduate and the possible five year time jump, this will have to tide you over. 

Path of Night by Sarah Rees Brennan
Published by: Scholastic Inc.
Publication Date: May 5th, 2020
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Half-witch, half-mortal 16-year-old Sabrina Spellman has made her choice: She's embraced her witchy roots, and her power is growing daily. But will it come at too high a price?

It's not easy being half-mortal, half-witch. At least, not for Sabrina Spellman. She just discovered that her dad is Satan... and that it's her destiny to rule Hell.

As usual, Sabrina's got other plans for her future. She's figured out a way to trap her father...but he's caged in the body of her boyfriend, Nick Scratch. Now the love of her life is stuck in Hell... with Satan stuck inside him.

Sabrina knows there's a way to get Nick back while also keeping dear old dad out of commission. She just has to figure out what it is. Unfortunately, her loyal cousin Ambrose is unavailable because he's off hunting Father Blackwood, the evil former head of the Church of Night.

Fortunately, Sabrina's still got her mortal friends, Roz, Harvey, and Theo. So when her aunt Zelda, now the church's high priestess, mentions an ancient quest that might help open the gates of Hell, Sabrina and her friends are all in. But Zelda failed to mention that the quest has some perils of its own..."

And once you've finish all of Rivderdale and caught up on Sabrina's adventures, now you have this new book!

Network Effect by Martha Wells
Published by: Tor.com
Publication Date: May 5th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Martha Wells' New York Times and USA Today bestselling Murderbot series exploded onto the scene in 2017, and the world has not been the same, since.

Murderbot returns in its highly-anticipated, first, full-length standalone novel, Network Effect.

You know that feeling when you’re at work, and you’ve had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this second or the world will end, but all you want to do is go home and binge your favorite shows? And you're a sentient murder machine programmed for destruction? Congratulations, you're Murderbot.

Come for the pew-pew space battles, stay for the most relatable A.I. you’ll read this century."

I hope you're like me and have downloaded all the previous stories from the Tor newsletter over the last week in anticipation of today!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 1920s, Alex George, Amanda Quick, Francesca Serritella, Ghosts of Harvard, Karen Abbot, Kiera Cass, Martha Wells, Murderbot, Riverdale, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Sarah Rees Brennan, The Ghosts of Eden Park

A Dead End Christmas by Alyssa Day
Published by: Holliday Publishing, LLC
Publication Date: December 25th, 2019
Format: Kindle
To Buy

The official patter:
"It's Christmas time in Dead End.

And this year Santa's bringing...murder!

Join Tess, Jack, and the gang for the craziest Christmas since Fluffy the taxidermied alligator was still alive and got into Otis's moonshine.

Because in Dead End, that reindeer you thought you saw might have been Bigfoot in disguise … and you never, ever want to see elves. Christmas might be merry after all, if Tess can investigate Santa and Jack can use his tiger's eye to see the truth.

Warning: This book contains a taxidermied alligator, shapeshifters, Santa, elves, a dead body, magic, hideously bad singing, horrible puns, a slow-burning romance, mystery, mayhem, and "I laughed so hard I almost peed myself"* humor.

Read at your own risk.

*From a reader review of the Tiger's Eye Mysteries."

For when you need to escape your relatives. Just sneak upstairs and download this book onto you're Kindle and your sanity will be saved!

Daughter of Chaos by Sarah Rees Brennan
Published by: Scholastic Inc.
Publication Date: December 26th, 2019
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Half-witch, half-mortal sixteen-year-old Sabrina Spellman has made her choice: She's embraced her dark side and her witchy roots. Now her power is growing daily...but will it come at too high a price?

Sabrina Spellman has just made the hardest decision of her life: She's leaving behind her beloved friends at Baxter High. Now it's time to follow the path of night and find her way among the witches and warlocks at the Academy of Unseen Arts.

Sabrina has always been good at the school thing, but now she has a whole new world to navigate. Her power is growing daily, but it comes with a high price. She must always remember her new allegiances and the cost they have on her friends...and on herself.

And then there's her new classmates. Prudence, Dorcas, and Agatha are friends, kind of, but can Sabrina trust them? And what about Nick Scratch? He's as charming as ever, but will his feelings for Sabrina last?

Based on the hit Netflix show, this original YA novel tells an all-new, original story about Sabrina."

For me I didn't ever really "feel" the new series until the Christmas episode last year, so lucky for me I'm getting something Sabrina for Christmas! 

Jim Henson's The Storyteller: Sirens by Jim Henson et al
Published by: Archaia
Publication Date: December 24th, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 128 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A collection of stories of sirens and mermaids, inspired by folklore from around the world and told in the spirit of Jim Henson’s beloved television series.

It’s not the stories you tell, but how they are told. The critically acclaimed Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Sirens showcases four alluring tales of mermaids and the sea, inspired by folklore from around the world and told in the spirit of Jim Henson’s beloved television series.

Featuring beautiful stories told by some of today’s most exciting voices, including Jakub Rebelka (Judas) with Sztybor Bartosz, Chan Chau (Elements), Sarah Webb (Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: Under the Spell), and Aud Koch (The Wicked + The Divine), this stunning hardcover edition also includes an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the process and care taken in adapting each of the these timeless tales."

I get nostalgic around Christmas, and nothing takes me back quicker to my childhood that something Jim Henson...

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Dead End Christmas, Alyssa Day, Christmas, Comics, Graphic Novels, Jim Henson, Sabrina, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Sarah Rees Brennan, Sirens, The Storyteller, Tuesday Tomorrow