Tag: Lists

Highlights: June 2024

It’s official: Summer is here! Serena is planning to spend as much time outside as possible, as this season can feel all too short in Minnesota, and Kate is planning on also being outside, but shaded by an umbrella at the local pool. Oh, and the ALA Annual Conference is at the end of the month, and you know we will be there! But until then, we have some books that we are looking forward to this month!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King” by Carissa Broadbent

Publication Date: June 4, 2024

Why I’m Interested: The first book in this duology, “The Serpent and the Wings of Night,” is probably my favorite purely romantasy book I’ve read in a while! It also ended with some big reveals and then dropped readers with a massive cliffhanger. That being the case, I’ve been anxiously awaiting this sequel for a while! While I’m expecting the late-game reveals in the first book to greatly affect the political stakes and lead to much in-fighting and shifting, I’ll be honest: I’m mostly here for the romance and I can’t wait to find out how Raihn and Oraya navigate this shift in their relationship. How do you rebuild trust in this situation? I’d typically be more concerned going in, but Broadbent wowed me with the first book, so I feel fairly confident that she’ll be able to bring it all together here in the end!

Book: “Foul Days” by Genoveva Dimova

Publication Date: June 25, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I’m always on the lookout for a new author and an original-sounding story! And this book promises both! The story follows a witch who has spent her life fighting the monsters that plague here walled city. And for the last several, this fight has included a constant state of flight from the most powerful of them all, the Zmey. So when she finds herself caught up in a murder investigation alongside a frustratingly dedicated policeman, she’s dismayed to find their investigation drawing them closer and closer to this terrifying being. I have incredibly high hopes for this ones!

Book: “A Rivalry of Hearts” by Tessonja Odette

Publication Date: June 12, 2024

Why I’m Interested: This is another one coming out from an indie author whom I’ve never read before! But this book sounds so much like others I’ve enjoyed before (“Emily Wilde” and “Half a Soul” come to mind) that I knew I wanted to check it out the moment I saw it! The story follows an author who goes on a book tour in the land of Fae, a place she’s never been but where her romance books are incredibly popular. Only problem is that she must share the press with a rival author, a frustrating Fae himself. We can all see where this is going, right? I know I can, and I’m here for it!

Kate’s Picks

Book: “Horror Movie” by Paul Tremblay

Publication Date: June 11, 2024

Why I’m Interested: The most obvious reason is that it’s Paul Tremblay. But since I have to go into more detail than that, I will say that the idea of Paul Tremblay, one of my favorite horror authors, tackling a ‘cursed film’ story and no doubt bringing his own brand of creepy disturbing and pathos ridden terror to it is SO tantalizing. We meet a nameless man who had been the slasher in a hardcore art house horror film made on a shoe string budget with his friends, but it never saw the light of day due to on set tragedy. And then people involved in the film just kind of died over the years. When three scenes were posted online and the buzz and rumors of a cursed film made it go viral, Hollywood wants to make a reboot, and want him involved. And how can be do anything but accept? This is a most anticipated read of the year for me, and I’m sure it will destroy me.

Book: “Middle of the Night” by Riley Sager

Publication Date: June 18, 2024

Wby I’m Interested: One of the sure signs of summer is that Riley Sager has a new thriller coming out, which makes perfect sense because his thrillers are the PERFECT summer reads. So many twists, so many turns, so many messy protagonists! In this one we have a man still deeply haunted by the disappearance of his childhood friend when they were kids, living in a quiet community that was completely blindsided by the crime. When he returns to his childhood home decades later, he tries to keep it together. But in the middle of the night he hears strange noises outside, and sees a strange figure skulking around his yard. Could it be his friend? Or is something more sinister at work? I’m SO excited to find out!

Book: “Not In Love” by Ali Hazelwood

Publication Date: June 11, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I really love Ali Hazelwood’s romances, ever since I absolutely devoured “The Love Hypothesis”, so of course I’m excited for this book! I always enjoy her awkward and quirky (and potentially neurodivergent coded) protagonists, as well as the science-y themes even though I am not science minded in the least, and “Not In Love” sounds like it’s taking a forbidden romance trope and tossing some STEM on it! Rue is a biotech engineer for a promising startup run by a close friend and mentor. But when a corporate takeover by an outside group threatens her job, she is determined to stave it off as best she can…. the only problem is that one of the outsiders, Eli, is someone she knows and kind of connected with. And now they are sharing a heavy attraction to each other in spite of being on the opposite sides. I’m sure it will be spicy and humorous and charming.

What books are you looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!

Beach Reads: Summer 2024

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Back for 2024, here is a list of some more favorite beach reads! Perhaps a little early, but Memorial Day is the traditional kick off to Summer, after all, and that’s just a week away. “Beach read” is a very fast and loose term for books people read over the beautiful summer months when we really should be outside “doing things” but are instead reading…maybe outside. Some people see these months as an opportunity to slog through long classics (we’re looking at you “Moby Dick”) before the busy-ness of the fall starts up, but for the sake of this list, we’re limiting our choices to fast paced, mostly feel good books (though there’s some obvious leeway here for Kate’s horror tastes!) that could be easily brought along on vacations. So, still a very loose definition, but hey, we had to start somewhere! We will select one title for each of the genres we most read.

Serena’s Picks

Fantasy Title: “The Witchwood Knot” by Olivia Atwater

At this point, Atwater is pretty much my go-to author for cozy fantasy. It’s a tough subgenre for me, as I’ve discovered I’m often quite picky and find many cozy fantasies to be….well…a bit too cozy. Yes, yes, I want to sink into all the lovely feelings and cushy vibes as much as the next person, but I still need a solid plot, good world-building, and, most of all, some actual stakes to the story being told. Atwater always comes through for me! Not only are her books simply lovely and a delight to read, the perfect fantasy story to crack open on a sunny, carefree summer day, but her stories are never short on all of the other elements to make a great book. For example, this one is somehow both cozy and also an excellent gothic haunted house story. Should these things work together? No! But does she manage it? Absolutely! There’s also always a lovely romance at the center of the story, and this one is no different.

Science Fiction Title: “Heavenbreaker” by Sara Wolf

I have a full review of this one scheduled to come out in about a week and a half, but when compiling this review, I couldn’t resist including it for this genre! When I think of “beach reads” for science fiction, books like Pierce Brown’s “Red Rising” series always come to mind. And this book is an excellent read-alike for that story! The story follows a woman bent on revenge who enters a tournament in which she must face off against the noble houses of her space station riding a massive mecha type robot ala “Pacific Rim.” The story features all of the classic science fiction themes such as scheming politics, thrilling but dangerous new technology, as well as half-way understood alien enemies. It was a blast of read, and I definitely recommend it for those looking for a fun science fiction adventure!

Mystery Title: “The Tainted Cup” by Robert Jackson Bennett

Ok, so this is a bit of cheaty pick, because there’s no denying that this is also a fully-fledged fantasy novel at its heart. Gigantic beasts are crawling out of the ocean, for heaven’s sake. Not to mention the wacky, dangerous plants and magical memory powers of the main character. But, aside from all of that, the actual plot of the story is solidly a murder mystery. So much so that readers will quickly discover that not only is it a mystery, but it’s the sort that is leaning heavily on the “Sherlock and Watson” vibes of its central two characters: a seemingly all-knowing detective and her dutiful assistant. There were all of the good parts of mysteries that one could want, with numerous red herrings and plenty of clues that readers can piece together to form their own conclusions. I’ve always loved this author’s straight fantasy titles, but I’m always thrilled to find an author who can also mix and match genres, and this is a perfect example of that!

Historical Fiction Title: “The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch” by Melinda Taub

Sorry, not sorry, I’m doing it again! Yes, my “historical fiction” pick does have the word “witch” right there in the title, so there’s no hiding the fact that yet again I’ve picked a story that crosses genres. But what can I say, I’m a fantasy reader, so many of my subgenres will including that as well! Plus, this is the sort of story that while it includes a healthy dose of the fantastical, it also is best appreciated by those who have read “Pride and Prejudice” and other Jane Austen novels. As the title implies, it’s essentially a retelling of that novel but now seen through the eyes of Lydia. What’s most impressive is the way the author managed to create this fantasy version of Lydia and her story but also neatly lay it alongside the original story in a way that wouldn’t change that novel at all. As it stands, both could have existed side-by-side. It’s all quite clever and I enjoyed it immensely!

Kate’s Picks

Horror Title: “This Delicious Death” by Kayla Cottingham

I try not to go TOO scary for beach read horror picks, as sometimes something too frightful can bring down the mood of a frothy vacation setting. So I figured that the gal pal road trip tale that also happens to involve some sentient zombies would be a good choice for this, because woo! Summer and road trips go hand in hand! And zombies are just icing on the cake, baby! What I loved about “This Delicious Death” when I read it was how fun and genuine it felt, as four teenage friends go on a road trip while being ‘ghouls’, or people who underwent a transformation due to a mysterious illness who crave human flesh, but are pretty much satiated by the synthetic stuff. That is, until one of the friends goes feral and kills someone. Cottingham has fun dialogue and a keen eye for zombie tropes that she reinvents, and this one is a fun ride about friendship and sticking together through thick and thin.

Thriller Title: “Whalefall” by Daniel Kraus

Talk about an addictive LITERAL beach read! Well, ocean read, I suppose, but still, it’s close enough. I was completely taken in by “Whalefall”, Daniel Kraus’s thriller about a diver being swallowed by a sperm whale and trying to find his way out before he either a) runs out of air, or b) is digested. You want pulse pounding action? It has that. You want suspense? UH, YEAH, IT HAS THAT. But it also has an interesting examination of a strained/toxic father son relationship, and a tenacity about the will to survive in even the more dire of circumstances. I had a hard time putting this one down when I read it last year, and I think that it would be a great read for vacations because it just flows perfectly and keeps the adrenaline pumping.

Graphic Novel Title: “Wash Day Diaries” by Jamila Rowser

A slice of life narration that examines hair care days of four Black women who are best friends is my choice for this year’s graphic novel beach read because it just feels cozy while also feeling poignant in some ways. As Kim, Cookie, Nisha, and Devene go through the steps to work on their hair on the day set aside to do so, we get to learn a lot about each woman through what they are experiencing in that moment, as well as getting to see the bonds that they have with each other. Slice of life stories are sometimes tricky to get a handle on, but Rowser does a good job of giving the reader a true sense of all of these women and how they all complement each other. It’s a breezy read that has heart and depth, and I think it would be easy to hop in and out during a vacation.

Non-Fiction Title: “I’m Glad My Mom Died” by Jennette McCurdy

One cannot deny how eye-catching this title is, but once you read it you will wholly understand why Jennette McCurdy may feel this way in her runaway hit memoir about fame, abusive parental relationships, mental health, and finding one’s way after trauma after trauma. All with a serious wit and dark humor to it (the cover alone perfectly encapsulates this tone, trust me). Like many I tore through “I’m Glad My Mom Died” when it came out, as McCurdy, who was a child actor on a Nickelodeon show and pushed to success by her stage mother, who was also an abusive and cruel narcissist, recollects some very painful and horrible memories with a candor and tone that makes it highly readable AND laugh out loud funny without minimizing the pain she had to endure for so long. This one also feels a bit timely with the docuseries “Quiet on the Set” coming out this Spring, as McCurdy also makes reference to her time on a children’s show that was run by an abusive showrunner. I know this doesn’t sound like a beach read BUT I ASSURE YOU IT IS.

Highlights: May 2024

Flowers are blooming, allergies are settling in, and we’re all quietly dreading the return of the humidity of summer, even if we’re still happy about the sun and warm weather! But this is the perfect time to get out with a good book before the heat truly settles in, and here are few we’re looking forward to this month!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “When Among Crows” by Veronica Roth

Publication Date: May 14, 2024

Why I’m Interested: Veronica Roth is now a “must read” author for me, but even without that fact, I think I would have jumped at the chance to read her upcoming novella! It’s an urban fantasy story that pulls from Russian folklore and looks to promise much inner angst between its myriad of paranormal leading characters! I’m hopeful that this is one of those reading situations where my only complaint is that its a novella instead of a full-length book. Plus, the cover is just really fantastic!

Book: “Heavenbreaker” by Sara Wolf

Publication Date: May 21, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I’ve really loved the rise of “romantasy”(though I could perhaps write an entire series on popular subgenres and editing/quality decisions), but there are still few and far between romantic story that fall into the the larger science fiction genre! I read “Calamity” last year (and the sequel will likely show up on this list next month), but that’s about it. So I was very excited when I saw this book slated for release this May. The description for this one is a bit all over the place, but it sounds like a revenge plot that involves a should-be-dead young woman pairing up with a war machine to take on her enemies. And, of course, she may fall for one of those very same enemies. Crossing my fingers that this one is as good as it sounds!

Book: “The Fireborne Blade” by Charlotte Bond

Publication Date: May 28, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I mean, it’s probably no surprise that this one is on my list! Look at that cover! A dragon! A female main character with a sword! All right up my alley. This is another novella, so that seems to be a theme for me this month. The story follows a disgraced knight as she seeks to reclaim her honor by killing one of the legendary dragons of the realm. But to do so she must venture into its magic-infused lair and survive. This sounds like a classic fantasy in all of the best ways, and I’m super excited to check it out!

Kate’s Picks

Book: “Lore Olympus: Volume Six” by Rachel Smythe

Publication Date: May 7, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I’m still absolutely head over heels for this re-imagining of the Hades and Persephone love story, and Smythe has made such a creative, emotional, and at times quite funny adaptation that this is obviously going to be a high priority for me. When we last left off, Persephone had fled into hiding in the Underworld, just as Zeus has declared her and her mother Demeter as wanted by Olympus due to Persephone’s meltdown that ended with the death of many mortals, and which was covered up by Demeter to hide it from Zeus. Now Hades, desperate to find her, confronts Zeus, creating a rift between the brothers that could shake up the peace of the heavens and the Underworld. When Hades finds her, he wants to hear her side, in hopes of helping her, and Persephone has to decide if she is ready to open up, and tell her side of the story. I just love seeing where Smythe takes these characters and look forward to seeing where my favorite mythological love birds go next.

Book: “My Darling Dreadful Thing” by Johanna van Veen

Publication Date: May 14, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I’m already on board when a book has some themes about séances and spiritualism, but when it also has a vague possession element, and it’s one that MAY actually upend the trope, I’m even more excited! “My Darling Dreadful Thing” follows Roos, a young woman in 1950s Netherlands, whose abusive mother has forced her into phony séances because of her attachment to a spirit named Ruth, who is obsessed with Roos and can enter her body to act as anyone a client wants to be speaking to. And when a mysterious widow meets Roos at a séance and finds her intriguing enough to whisk her away to her Gothic mansion, Roos thinks that maybe she’s finally finding her freedom. But there are secrets in the mansion, and Roos’s new freedom may be a cage of another kind. This has been on my radar awhile and I am sure it will have lots to offer.

Book: “When She Was Me” by Marlee Bush

Publication Date: May 7, 2024

Why I’m Interested: Sisters with secrets? An isolated cabin? A missing girl? All of these things are very much up my alley, so “When She Was Me” by Marlee Bush was almost guaranteed to make my must read list. Twins Cassie and Lenora have isolated away from the world in a cabin off the beaten path, hoping that they will be left alone by nosy people and fans of salacious true crime tales. But when a teenager at a cabin nearby goes missing, and it sets off a frenzy, they start to worry that eyes will be back on them in no time, and that they will have to face some things that they did and were hoping they could just walk away from. It sounds vague and it sounds strange, so obviously it has my attention

What books are you most looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!

Another Take: Spring 2024

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Don’t just take it from us, other readers like these books, too! And we have decided that we would like to showcase other reviewers and bloggers that have their own thoughts and feelings about books that we have loved. Here are a few of the books we’ve enjoyed recently and what other bloggers have to say about them.

Book: “The Reformatory” by Tananarive Due

Book Description: Gracetown, Florida. June 1950

Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens, Jr., is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, a reformatory, for kicking the son of the largest landowner in town in defense of his older sister, Gloria. So begins Robbie’s journey further into the terrors of the Jim Crow South and the very real horror of the school they call The Reformatory.

Robbie has a talent for seeing ghosts, or haints. But what was once a comfort to him after the loss of his mother has become a window to the truth of what happens at the reformatory. Boys forced to work to remediate their so-called crimes have gone missing, but the haints Robbie sees hint at worse things. Through his friends Redbone and Blue, Robbie is learning not just the rules but how to survive. Meanwhile, Gloria is rallying every family member and connection in Florida to find a way to get Robbie out before it’s too late.

The Reformatory is a haunting work of historical fiction written as only American Book Award–winning author Tananarive Due could, by piecing together the life of the relative her family never spoke of and bringing his tragedy and those of so many others at the infamous Dozier School for Boys to the light in this riveting novel.

Kate’s Review (10 Rating)

Punk Ass Book Jockey

Horror World (5/5 Stars)

Bonnie Reads and Writes (5 Stars)

Book:”Holly” by Stephen King

Book Description: Stephen King’s Holly marks the triumphant return of beloved King character Holly Gibney. Readers have witnessed Holly’s gradual transformation from a shy (but also brave and ethical) recluse in Mr. Mercedes to Bill Hodges’s partner in Finders Keepers to a full-fledged, smart, and occasionally tough private detective in The Outsider. In King’s new novel, Holly is on her own, and up against a pair of unimaginably depraved and brilliantly disguised adversaries.

When Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency hoping for help locating her missing daughter, Holly is reluctant to accept the case. Her partner, Pete, has Covid. Her (very complicated) mother has just died. And Holly is meant to be on leave. But something in Penny Dahl’s desperate voice makes it impossible for Holly to turn her down.

Mere blocks from where Bonnie Dahl disappeared live Professors Rodney and Emily Harris. They are the picture of bourgeois respectability: married octogenarians, devoted to each other, and semi-retired lifelong academics. But they are harboring an unholy secret in the basement of their well-kept, book-lined home, one that may be related to Bonnie’s disappearance. And it will prove nearly impossible to discover what they are up to: they are savvy, they are patient, and they are ruthless.

Holly must summon all her formidable talents to outthink and outmaneuver the shockingly twisted professors in this chilling new masterwork from Stephen King.

Kate’s Review (Rating 10)

Happy Goat Horror

Emma Young Writes

Book Chatter

Book: “The Angel of Indian Lake” by Stephen Graham Jones

Book Description: The final installment in the most lauded trilogy in the history of horror novels picks up four years after Don’t Fear the Reaper as Jade returns to Proofrock, Idaho, to build a life after the years of sacrifice—only to find the Lake Witch is waiting for her in New York Times bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones’s finale.

It’s been four years in prison since Jade Daniels last saw her hometown of Proofrock, Idaho, the day she took the fall, protecting her friend Letha and her family from incrimination. Since then, her reputation, and the town, have changed dramatically. There’s a lot of unfinished business in Proofrock, from serial killer cultists to the rich trying to buy Western authenticity. But there’s one aspect of Proofrock no one wants to confront…until Jade comes back to town. The curse of the Lake Witch is waiting, and now is the time for the final stand.

New York Times bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones has crafted an epic horror trilogy of generational trauma from the Indigenous to the townies rooted in the mountains of Idaho. It is a story of the American west written in blood.

Kate’s Review (9 Rating)

Books, Bones, & Buffy. (4.5 Stars)

Grimdark Dad

MegsBookRack (5 Stars)

Book: “The Tainted Cup” by Robert Jackson Bennett

Book Description: In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible.

Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears–quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home.

Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

Serena’s Review (9 Rating)

Snow White Hates Apples (5 Stars)

Fantasy Book Critic

Tar Vol (17/20 Rating)

Book: “A Feather So Black” by Lyra Selene

Book Description: In a kingdom where magic has been lost, Fia is a rare changeling, left behind by the wicked Fair Folk when they stole the High Queen’s daughter and retreated behind the locked gates of Tír na nÓg.

Most despise Fia’s fae blood. But the queen raises her as a daughter and trains her to be a spy. Meanwhile, the real princess Eala is bound to Tír na nÓg, cursed to become a swan by day and only returning to her true form at night.

When a hidden gate to the realm is discovered, Fia is tasked by the queen to retrieve the princess and break her curse. But she doesn’t go with her is prince Rogan, Fia’s dearest childhood friend—and Eala’s betrothed.

As they journey through the forests of the Folk, where magic winds through the roots of the trees and beauty can be a deadly illusion, Fia’s mission is complicated by her feelings for the prince…and her unexpected attraction to the dark-hearted fae lord holding Eala captive. Irian might be more monster than man, but he seems to understand Fia in a way no one ever has.

Soon, Fia begins to question the truth of her mission. But time is running out to break her sister’s curse. And unraveling the secrets of the past might destroy everything she has come to love.

Serena’s Review (9 Rating)

Cosmic Circus (9 Rating)

Lore of the Books (4 Stars)

Sheaf and Link (4 Stars)

Book: “The Familiar” by Leigh Bardugo

Book Description: In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family’s social position.

What begins as simple amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain’s king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England’s heretic queen—and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king’s favor.

Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the line between magic, science, and fraud is never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition’s wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santangel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.

Serena’s Review (10 Rating)

Courtney Reads Romance (4 Stars)

Before We Go Blog

Book Brows (5 Stars)

Highlights: April 2024

We may never have really gotten the snow of a real winter, we definitely had the short days, with darkness setting in as early as 4:30. Too early! But now, joy of joys, the time change has happened we now have an entire extra hour of daylight by which to read every evening. And, of course, we have more than enough books to get to! Here are a few we’re looking forward to this month!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “The Familiar” by Leigh Bardugo

Publication Date: April 9, 2024

Why I’m Interested: It seems like if you’re a fantasy reader, you’re required to be interested in this book! But, of course, there’s pretty good reason for that. Bardugo is probably one of the biggest superstar fantasy authors to be writing today, and it’s incredibly exciting whenever she announces a new book. Even more so when it’s one seemingly very out of her wheelhouse from what she’s written before. Here we have an adult historical fantasy novel that takes place during the Inquisition in Spain, a story that follows a chambermaid whose “small miracles” draw the eyes of powerful patrons. I, and pretty much every other fantasy reviewer out there, will be posting my thoughts on this one soon!

Book: “The Hemlock Queen” by Hannah Whitten

Publication Date: April 9, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve read by Hannah Whitten, and the first book in this duology was no exception! Indeed, it went above and beyond and proved to be one of those rare books where I wasn’t completely turned off by the love triangle at the heart. With betrayals, new kings, and the power of the long-dead gods ever-growing, this books has a lot of ground to cover after the events of the last. This is also one of those rare sequels where I’m really not sure where the story is even going in the long run; but I can’t wait to find out!

Book: “A Letter to the Luminous Deep” by Sylvie Cathrall

Publication Date: April 24, 2024

Why I’m Interested: After reading and loving the two “Emily Wilde” books over the last few years, I’m seriously reconsidering my previously-held belief that I don’t really like epistolary stories. With that in mind, this book, billed as a similar read to “Emily Wilde,” that features to academics piecing together what happened to their respective siblings by perusing their letters, suddenly sounded much more interesting! I also am intrigued by the underwater setting and a world made up largely of oceans. Doesn’t hurt that I think the cover is lovely as well!

Kate’s Picks

Book: “Immortal Pleasures” by V. Castro

Publication Date: April 16, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I am a pretty big V. Castro fan, as I find her horror stories to be compelling and intriguing twists on expected themes. So I am, of course, amped as hell to read her take on a vampire tale. And not just any vampire tale, but one that makes La Malinche, the Nahua woman who acted as a translator for Cortés during the Spanish massacre of the Aztecs. After her death, La Malinche is reborn as immortal Malinalli, whose new power drives her around the world to reclaim artifacts stolen from her people. And while in Ireland she starts to explore a more sensual side of herself when she meets two mortal men. This has the potential to be insane in a good way, and given that the cover is just SCREAMING Salma Hayek in “From Dusk Til Dawn” I’m even more on board.

Book: “First Light” by Liz Kerin

Publication Date: April 23, 2024

Why I’m Interested: Another vampire book? Sure, why not!! Especially because this is the follow up to one of my favorite reads last year, “Night’s Edge”, where a young woman had to deal with taking care of her vampiric mother and all the codependence and baggage that came with it. After the events of that book, Mia, set in her grief, has decided that it’s time to track down and take revenge on the man who turned her mother into a vampire. Her need for vengeance is driving her, but the closer she gets to those she hunts, the more she starts to wonder if perhaps she herself is being hunted. I loved Mia in the previous book and couldn’t wait to see how her story was going to keep going, and now it’s finally time to find out.

Book: “Against the Darkness” by Kendare Blake

Publication Date: April 9, 2024

Why I’m Interested: Another vampire story?! AND another highly anticipated sequel?! This month clearly has a theme, and we are now coming to the end of the “In Every Generation” series, where Kendare Blake has written a follow up to “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” with a new slayer, new scoobies, and familiar faces. And while I’m not ready to say goodbye, I have been waiting for this. Frankie Rosenberg and her friends have been holding things together in Sunnydale, with her being a slayer witch as they hope that Buffy and the other slayers will find their way back from a parallel dimension. But with The Darkness starting to take over, friendships fracturing, and her mother Willow starting to fall into old disturbing patterns, Frankie may have to rely on herself to stop a new Hellmouth from taking over. Will Frankie save the day? Will Willow be able to stave off the dark magic? WILL SPIKE AND BUFFY BE REUNITED?!?! I guess we will have to see. I can’t wait.

What books are you most looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!

Not Just Books: March 2024

While we do love us some books, believe it not, we do have a life outside of reading. So to highlight our other pop culture interests, on the last Monday of each month, we each will highlight three other “happenings” from the last month. Big events on favorite TV shows, new movies we’ve watched, old movies we’ve “discovered,” etc. Pretty much whatever we found of particular interest outside of the book world during the last month. Share your own favorite things in the comments!

Serena’s Picks

Movie: “Dune: Part Two”

I had to patiently wait for a night that we had the boys off at their grandparents, but I did finally get to see this one! It was always going to be a priority to see it in the theater, and boy, am I glad that I did! I loved it so much! Not only were the visuals and soundtrack amazing (well worth the ticket price), but every single actor was knocking it out of the park. Frankly, it was a relief to finally come across a good movie again. I feel like too many of the recently released films have all felt like cardboard cut-outs of stories, with nothing really new to say. But this felt like a return to excellence. In many ways, these first “Dune” movies have reminded me of the LOTR trilogy, both being sets of films where it truly feels like everyone involved really cared about the story they were telling and you could see that in every little detail. Definitely check this one out, especially in the theater if it’s feasible for you!

Apple TV+ Movie: “Greyhound”

Apparently, my husband and I have embraced middle age a bit early, in that somehow we’ve found ourselves watching a number of WWII movies and shows back-to-back. I haven’t joined a “WWII” bookclub yet, so I think I’m holding complete middle-age-dom at bay, but…it’s getting dicey. Mostly, I wanted to watch this one purely because of Tom Hanks. There are certain actors who just sell you on pretty much any story, and Hanks is that actor for many of us! The story was also exciting and nerve-wracking, focusing on one of the many perilous crossings of troops across the Atlantic during the war. It’s impressive how much tension could be built simply by staring out across an empty ocean, worrying about submarines. If you enjoy wartime movies, this is definitely one to check out.

Kate’s Picks

TV Show: “Shōgun”

I first read the epic historical fiction novel “Shōgun” the summer after my freshman year of college, and I was OBSESSED with it. I loved the melodrama, I loved the sweeping descriptions, I loved the way that it evoked a time and place I was wholly unfamiliar with. So when I saw that FX had a new show coming out based on the book, I wondered how it would translate. And let me tell you, “Shōgun” the show is phenomenal. The story takes place in 1600 Japan, when an English Pilot named Blackthorne and his crew run aground in Japan, which at this point was very isolationist outside of doing trading with Portugal and the Jesuits. There he meets Toranaga, a daimyo who is trying keep his power while his rivals threaten his life and stature, as well as Mariko, a cunning woman samurai who is trying to prove her loyalty to Toranaga. Toranaga soon realizes that this ‘barbarian’ may be a great asset. The show is gorgeous, it has a great cast, and my favorite thing about it is that while the book is very centered on Blackthorne and a Western lens, the show has instead centered Toranaga, Mariko, and the other Japanese characters. I am once again obsessed, and have my husband along for the ride this time.

Podcast: “Oh, That’s Just My Autism”

So for the past few years my family has been on something of a neurodivergence journey, as my daughter has been receiving educational services and occupational therapy for potential ASD and we are slowly getting our ducks in a row to seek out a medical evaluation and diagnosis. While working through all of this I’ve been noticing my own neurodivergence (ADHD) more, and have also been considering getting my own evaluation for ASD the more I’ve learned (and the more I’ve seen similar behaviors and traits in myself). I’ve been reading up on various things, but I also found a chill (and in many ways SUPER relatable) podcast called “Oh, That’s Just My Autism”. It’s hosted by Melissa, a woman who received her ASD/ADHD diagnosis in her early 40s, and who put together a podcast to kind of parse through that process and the way she has processed her diagnoses. She tackles subjects like anxiety, parenting as a neurodivergent person, rejection sensitivity, and going on a self discovery journey later in life that can take you by surprise. It’s easy to digest and I relate to it pretty well, so it’s been a fun listen.

Joint Pick

Documentary: “Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God”

I blame Kate for this. Once again, she pulled me into watching another horrific cult show (ok, I’m a pretty willing victim). This one pulls no punches, hitting viewers over the head with the horrific end of “Mother God” right in the first few minutes of the story. I won’t spoil it for you, but I’ll never look at Christmas lights the same way again. But, overall, this was another fascinating documentary that had us both glued to the screen. It was like a car crash that we couldn’t stop staring at! There are a few versions of this story out there, so you have choices, but if you enjoy documentaries about crazy cults, this is definitely one to add to the list. Just don’t be eating dinner during the first episode, as I was.

Highlights: March 2024

While it feels a bit rich to say we ever really had a “winter” here, spring definitely feels like it’s in the air with a few sunny, warmer days. Of course, you never can know with these things and we can be wallowing back in the teens or in the middle of a blizzard at any moment…at least books are always constant! Here are a few we’re looking forward to this month!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “A Feather So Black” by Lyra Selene

Publication: March 12, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I’m so excited about this one! My sister and I both really loved “The Swan Princess” movie when we were little, and when I realized that this was re-telling of that tale, I immediately placed a request. Plus, this is one of the lesser re-told fairytales, where popular stories like “Cinderella” and “Beauty and the Beast” have seen a million re-imaginings. I’m a bit nervous about the hints of a love triangle, but then again, I’ve found exceptions to even this preference in the past! I’m also a bit wary that it’s being marketed as the first in a series, as I feel like the original fairytale is pretty compact. But who knows, this could be a “more of a good thing” situation!

Book: “The Encanto’s Daughter” by Melissa de la Cruz

Publication Date: March 5, 2024

Why I’m Interested: Well, this one might be a bit of a surprise, as the last book I read by this author was…not a favorite. And I’ll be honest, if I hadn’t been confusing her with another author, I may have had second thoughts with this one. But, on the other hand, there have been authors I’ve initially written off in the past who have come out with books that I absolutely loved (“Bonesmith” comes to mind!). Plus, this one just sounded fun with lost royal heirs, boarding school drama, and the promise of a story pulling from Phillipino mythology. Fingers-crossed that this little experiment turns out well!

Book: “The Last Bloodcarver” by Vanessa Le

Publication Date: March 19, 2024

Why I’m Interested: This is another fantasy title that is pulling from a rich mythology of which I know very little currently, this time Vietnam. The story follows a young woman with the power to manipulate the bodies and life forces of others. However, her kind are feared and hunted and she has been forced to live her life in the shadows. Until, one day, she is discovered and drawn into a complicated murder mystery that she must solve. Beyond that super intriguing book description, the cover on this one is also fantastic! Can’t wait to see what’s in store here!

Kate’s Picks

Book: “The Angel of Indian Lake” by Stephen Graham Jones

Publication Date: March 26, 2024

Why I’m Interested: The saga of Final Girl Jade Daniels is coming to an end, and that both excites and saddens me. I love Stephen Graham Jones as we all know, and “The Angel of Indian Lake” is sure to be an emotional read, even if it is decked out in slasher movie tropes and references. Jade is back in Proofrock, having a new job as a teacher at the school and trying to keep her head down. But, unsurprisingly, she finds herself once again in a slasher movie-esque situation, and as citizens start to die, she has to come through to save the day. Again. And perhaps for the last time. I’ve been loving this series and this one has been highly, highly anticipated for a long time.

Book: “Forgotten Sisters” by Cynthia Pelayo

Publication Date: March 19, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I really enjoy Cynthia Pelayo’s unique voice in the horror genre, and seeing her speak at ALAAC23 got me very excited for this dark fantasy novel that takes inspiration from “The Little Mermaid” and the darker histories of Chicago. Sisters Anna and Jennie are living together in the family home on the banks of the Chicago River, enmeshed in a codependent relationship and possibly living in a haunted house as Anna grasps for the outside world through creating a podcast about Chicago. Meanwhile two detectives are on the case of multiple men drowning in the river under strange circumstances, their investigation about to lead them to the sister’s door. Pelayo is always a treat and this one sounds strange and dreamy along with the creepy.

Book: “Thirst” by Marina Yuszczuk

Publication Date: March 5, 2024

Why I’m Interested: Vampire stories are always going to be a high priority for me, and when “Thirst” by Marina Yuszczuk ended up in my inbox I was very interested to say the least. An unnamed woman vampire, after living for centuries, lands in 19th century Buenos Aires in a hope of finding a new place to lay low, just in time to see the city fall victim to Yellow Fever. In modern day Buenos Aires, a recently divorced woman inherits a mysterious crypt that has passed down through her family as he mother lays dying. Two paths converge. I love Sapphic stories, and this one sounds a bit like “The Hunger”, which absolutely excites me.

What books are you most looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!

Puffin in Bloom: Jane Austen Editions

Every once in a while, a publisher will reach out to us with the opportunity to promote upcoming titles or new editions of books. Sometimes this will include book reviews, book excerpts, or simply highlights of the books in question. We are always happy to bring all things books to our readers!

You can never have enough copies of Jane Austen novels (or any great novels, really!) Doing a quick mental count, I believe I have around 4-5 copies of “Pride and Prejudice” alone! One of those is included in a beautiful Barnes and Noble Jane Austen omnibus; one I bought simply because it has the 1995 BBC miniseries cover; another was my original paperback from college; etc., etc. All of this to say, I was super excited to see that Puffin in Bloom was releasing beautiful, new editions of “Pride and Prejudice” (thank you to the publisher for sending me this copy as pictured above!), “Emma,” and “Sense and Sensibility.” The floral covers fit perfectly with Austen’s themes, and my current copy looks great on my shelves! Here they are and I’ll throw in some links to my own reviews of these books/adaptations from my “Year with Jane Austen” series I did a few years ago.

Book: “Pride and Prejudice”

Book Review: Part I & Part II

Movie Reviews: 1995 BBC Mini Series, 2005 Movie, “Bridget Jones’s Diary”, & “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries”

Book Description: The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen’s radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England.

Book: “Emma”

Book Review: Part I & Part II

Movie Reviews: 1996 Movie, 2009 BBC Mini Series, “Clueless”, & “Emma Approved”

Book Description: Emma Woodhouse is one of Austen’s most captivating and vivid characters. Beautiful, spoilt, vain and irrepressibly witty, Emma organizes the lives of the inhabitants of her sleepy little village and plays matchmaker with devastating effect.

Book: “Sense and Sensibility”

Book Review: Part I and Part II

Movie Reviews: 1995 Movie & 2008 BBC Mini Series

Book Description: Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve, and when she falls in love with the dashing but unsuitable John Willoughby she ignores her sister Elinor’s warning that her impulsive behaviour leaves her open to gossip and innuendo. Meanwhile Elinor, always sensitive to social convention, is struggling to conceal her own romantic disappointment, even from those closest to her. Through their parallel experience of love—and its threatened loss—the sisters learn that sense must mix with sensibility if they are to find personal happiness in a society where status and money govern the rules of love.

Highlights: February 2024

It’s the month of romance! The month of candy! The month of feeling like Winter has been dragging on awhile, though in all honesty we haven’t had much of a Winter here in Minnesota this year. Add on top of that an extra day due to the leap year and it’s definitely February. And with a new month comes a new group of books that are coming out. Here are the ones we have our eyes on.

Serena’s Picks

Book: “The Butcher of the Forest” by Premee Mohamed

Publication Date: February 27, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I’m always interested in any book that hints at quests into deep, dark forests. This is the aspect of dark fantasies that intrigue me the most, those stories that brush up against the gruesome nature of many original fairytales. This story promises much of the same, with a woman tasked to enter a dangerous forest to fetch back two wayward children. But with secrets and dangers around every corner, is this task even possible? I can’t wait to check this one out!

Book: “The Tainted Cup” by Robert Jackson Bennet

Publication Date: February 6, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I really enjoyed Bennet’s “Divine Cities” trilogy when I read it a few years ago and have been looking for an excuse to start up with one of his series again. And this one sounded like a match made in heaven! Not only is the world-building intriguing, with a land plagued by Kiaju-like creatures, but the story also seems to be genre-blending between high fantasy and mystery, with its two main characters serving as Sherlock/Watson stand-ins. I also love the gender-swapped version of these characters with the Sherlock-like character being an older woman. Definitely excited for this one too!

Book: “A Tempest of Tea” by Hafsah Faizal

Publication Date: February 20, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I haven’t read any of Fiazal’s other fantasy books, but I know she’s a very popular author. I’m also very interested in this kind of random-seeming resurgence of vampire stories, and this one seems even more odd than most! Vampires but also a “Six of Crows” style heist and also a tea house? Lots going on there, how will it all come together? I, for one, can’t wait to find out!

Kate’s Picks

Book: “Almost Surely Dead” by Amina Akhtar

Publication Date: February 1, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I really loved Akhtar’s previous book “Kismet” and how it was the perfect blend of slow burn thriller and satirical critique of the wellness industry, so I am OF COURSE amped for her newest thriller novel, “Almost Surely Dead”. After Dunia is nearly killed by a stranger on a subway platform, she thinks that things couldn’t possibly get worse. But between a volatile ex, more attacks, and an escalation in the sleepwalking she has done since she was a child, Dunia starts to wonder if something else is as play. Something not so human. This has been a highly anticipated read for me so I can’t wait to dive in!

Book: “The Hollow Dead” by Darcy Coates

Publication Date: February 13, 2024

Why I’m Interested: The newest entry in Darcy Coates’s “Gravekeeper” Series is out this month, and considering how much I love Coates “The Hollow Dead” is totally a must read for me. Now that Keira is starting to piece together her past and her connection to the malevolent corporation Artec, she finds herself closer than ever to uncovering her forgotten past, and how she ended up with no memories in Blighty. And when Artec’s devious ploy to use the dead targets someone that is close to one of Keira’s loved ones, it becomes all the more personal for her to uncover her past and her connection to them. I am very much eager for answers, and I hope that “The Hollow Dead” delivers!

Book: “Earthdivers (Vol. 2): Ice Age” by Stephen Graham Jones

Publication Date: February 27, 2024

Why I’m Interested: I really loved “Earthdivers (Vol. 1): Kill Columbus”, and re-reading it for book club solidified that love for this time travel historical fiction series. And now “Earthdivers (Vol. 2): Ice Age” is coming out this month, and let me tell you, it’s a great follow up and I NEED highlight it here. After she wanders into a cave with the promise of finding her children, Tawny suddenly finds herself sent back in time to the Ice Age. Alone, unprepared, and also encountering dangerous animals (AND dangerous people), Tawny must try to survive in hopes of finding her missing children, even if she is lost in time. Look for a full review at the end of the month, but know that this is another winner from Stephen Graham Jones.

What books are you most looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!

Another Take: Winter 2024

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Don’t just take it from us, other readers like these books, too! And we have decided that we would like to showcase other reviewers and bloggers that have their own thoughts and feelings about books that we have loved. Here are a few of the books we’ve enjoyed recently and what other bloggers have to say about them.

Book: “The Witchwood Knot” by Olivia Atwater

Book Description: Victorian governess Winifred Hall knows a con when she sees one. When her bratty young charge transforms overnight into a perfectly behaved block of wood, she soon realises that the real boy has been abducted by the Fair Folk. Unfortunately, the lord of Witchwood Manor is the only man in England who doesn’t believe in faeries—which leaves Winnie in the unenviable position of rescuing the young lord-to-be all by herself.

Witchwood Manor is bigger than its inhabitants realise, however, and full of otherworldly dangers. As Winnie delves deeper into the other side of the house, she enlists the aid of its dark and dubious faerie butler, Mr Quincy, who hides several awful secrets behind his charming smile. Winnie hopes to make her way to the centre of the Witchwood Knot through wit and cleverness… but when all of her usual tricks fail, who will she dare to trust?

Serena’s Review (9 Rating)

Lynn’s Book Blog (4 Stars)

Queen’s Book Asylum (4 Crowns/Stars)

Before We Go Blog (4 Stars)

Book: “The Serpent and the Wings of Night”

Book Description: The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

Serena’s Review (9 Rating)

All the Books I Can Read (8 Rating)

Alicia Jeanne (5 Stars)

Girl in the Pages (5 Stars)

Book: “A Fragile Enchantment” by Allison Saft

Book Description: Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.

But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible.

Transporting readers to a Regency England-inspired fantasy world, A Fragile Enchantment is a sweeping romance threaded with intrigue, unforgettable characters, and a love story for the ages.

Serena’s Review (8 Rating)

All About Romance (B Rating)

Back Shelf Books (5 Stars)

Tea Time Lit (3.5 Stars)

Book: “My Roommate Is A Vampire” by Jenna Levine

Book Description: Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.

Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean…

Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.

Kate’s Review (8 Rating)

Books, Bones, & Buffy (3.5 Stars)

NeverImitate

The Neverending TBR (3.5 Hearts)

Book: “Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror” by Jordan Peele & John Joseph Adams (Eds.)

Book Description: The visionary writer and director of Get Out, Us, and Nope, and founder of Monkeypaw Productions, curates this groundbreaking anthology of all-new stories of Black horror, exploring not only the terrors of the supernatural but the chilling reality of injustice that haunts our nation.

A cop begins seeing huge, blinking eyes where the headlights of cars should be that tell him who to pull over. Two freedom riders take a bus ride that leaves them stranded on a lonely road in Alabama where several unsettling somethings await them. A young girl dives into the depths of the Earth in search of the demon that killed her parents. These are just a few of the worlds of Out There Screaming, Jordan Peele’s anthology of all-new horror stories by Black writers. Featuring an introduction by Peele and an all-star roster of beloved writers and new voices, Out There Screaming is a master class in horror, and—like his spine-chilling films—its stories prey on everything we think we know about our world . . . and redefine what it means to be afraid.

Featuring stories by: Erin E. Adams, Violet Allen, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Maurice Broaddus, Chesya Burke, P. Djèlí Clark, Ezra Claytan Daniels, Tananarive Due, Nalo Hopkinson, N. K. Jemisin, Justin C. Key, L. D. Lewis, Nnedi Okorafor, Tochi Onyebuchi, Rebecca Roanhorse, Nicole D. Sconiers, Rion Amilcar Scott, Terence Taylor, and Cadwell Turnbull.

Kate’s Review (Rating 8)

Ginger Nuts of Horror

Nerds of a Feather, Flock Together (8/10)

Life of a Female Bibliophile (4 Books)

Book: “The Intern” by Michele Campbell

Book Description: A young Harvard law student falls under the spell of a charismatic judge in this timely and thrilling novel about class, ambition, family and murder.

Madison Rivera lands the internship of a lifetime working for Judge Kathryn Conroy. But Madison has a secret that could destroy her career. Her troubled younger brother Danny has been arrested, and Conroy is the judge on his case.

When Danny goes missing after accusing the judge of corruption, Madison’s quest for answers brings her deep into the judge’s glamorous world. Is Kathryn Conroy a mentor, a victim, or a criminal? Is she trying to help Madison or use her as a pawn? And why is somebody trying to kill her? As the two women circle each other in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game, will they save each other, or will betrayal leave one of them dead?

Kate’s Review (9 Rating)

Novel Gossip (4/5)

Jen Ryland Reviews

Always With A Book