thriller

Upcoming Releases Sunday – July 7, 2024

by Stefani

In all the hubbub of the 4th of July, preparing for the start of a new school year (I’m going to have a 4th grader! WHAT?!!), my little guy’s upcoming birthday, and it being 115 degrees outside I totally missed Friday Progress Updates too. Oopsie! (As my 3 year old would say). So, here is the upcoming releases that have caught my eye. What do you think of these?

The Estate by Sarah Jost

Expected publication: November 19, 2024 by Sourcebooks Landmark

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Not all art is safe.

Camille Lerray has spent her career as an art historian surrounding herself with fineries, learning how to appeal to the rich, and selling art for millions. But she harbors a secret that could ruin the life she has so meticulously she has the magic ability to enter the world of the art she surrounds herself with, and she can take others with her. But tapping into history comes at a great risk. 

And someone has been watching, someone who knows about her magic, and her mistakes…

After Camille ruins her career and reputation after misusing her powers, she vows to do anything to get her old life back, even if that means tamping down her magic. So when Maxime Foucault, an enigmatic aristocrat who owns a sprawling French estate, enlists her help in authenticating the statues of a mysterious artist who was deemed a madwoman, she knows this could be her chance to turn her career around and get the man of her dreams. But something isn’t quite right about the Foucault family and the grand chateau they inhabit, and as Camille gets sucked into its walls, she finds a world of luxury and greed, and risks losing herself, and everything she has ever known, forever.

Wicked by Maggie Giles (Twisted Truth series, book 2)

Expected publication: October 22, 2024 by Rising Action

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Detective Ryan Boone just can’t let this case go. While the mystery behind the robbery and murders in Twisted was uncovered a few months back, there is still a very large loose thread that Boone desperately wishes to tie up. He convinces his superiors to allow him to travel to Ottawa, where he’s uncovered a lead into a conspiracy that hints what happened in Toronto has nation-wide, and horrific, implications.

Former detective Cora Porter has moved to forensics, but when a strange case involving a murder, a runaway, and a case of mistaken identity hits close to home, she squeezes her way into the investigation. It also doesn’t help that a certain visiting detective has caught her eye, and is also willing to work with her on the case.

Their suspect, Blaine Roche, always seems to be one step ahead of Ryan and Cora. What they don’t know is that he’s not just trying to evade arrest, but take down the conspiracy for his own purposes. Given he’s already a wanted man, Blaine is willing to do whatever it takes to get revenge. He has nothing else to lose … or so he thinks. Wicked picks up where Twisted left off, but in a new location and with several new twists.

Trail to Treason by Patricia Clough

Expected publication: November 12, 2024 by Rising Action

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

In a world where love and duty collide, Florence finds herself wedded young to a stern man, her life a silent testament to obedience and sacrifice. Cast out into the cold from seeking solace in forbidden arms, she faces her exile with the weight of a shattered family – one son by her side, the other left behind in the grip of her unforgiving husband. With doors shut firmly by those she once called family and the church that promised sanctuary, Florence embarks on a humble journey as a nurse.

Just as hope begins to glimmer on the horizon, love blossoms anew with a wealthy widower. Yet fate deals a cruel hand, snatching her newfound happiness away. As the shadows of the First World War stretch across Europe, a desperate Florence is ensnared in a deadly game of espionage, coerced into spying for the Germans.

Bound by love, torn by duty, and haunted by the ghosts of choices past, Florence must navigate the treacherous waters of a world at war, where trust is a luxury and survival is a constant battle.

Will she emerge unscathed, or will the sacrifices demanded by her clandestine role shatter the fragile hope she’s clung to? Dive into the heart of an era where war rages not just across battlefields but within the very souls of those caught in its grasp.

New Releases – July 4, 2024

by Stefani

Happy Independence Day to my American readers! Welcome to this week’s New Releases….Not Wednesday! Oopsie. My week got away from me and all of a sudden it was Thursday, where did the time go? I found a really good bunch of new releases this week. All of them are on my TBR list. Any that I missed?

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Published: July 2, 2024 by Riverhead Books

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide

Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.

As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.

The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

Published: July 2, 2024 by Gallery Books

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

From the nationally bestselling author of the “powerful, heartbreaking” (Shelf Awareness) The Stationery Shop, a heartfelt, epic new novel of friendship, betrayal, and redemption set against three transformative decades in Tehran, Iran.

In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams of a friend to alleviate her isolation.

Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind, passionate girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions for becoming “lion women.”

But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives.

Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences.

The Haters by Robyn Harding

Published: July 2, 2024 by Grand Central Publishing

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

The bestselling author of The Party and The Drowning Woman returns with a twisted tale of fame, obsession, and the dark recesses of social media.

Camryn Lane is living her dream. After years of struggle and rejection, her first novel has finally been published. Her editor is happy; her teenage daughter is proud; and her boyfriend and friends are all excited for her. She’s on top of the world—until she receives a disturbing message from an unknown sender.

Rattled by the accusations she finds there, Camryn swallows the sick feeling in her stomach and resolves to put the missive out of her mind. But when she checks her ratings on a popular book site, she finds a scathing one-star review. The reviewer is so articulate and convincing that soon, Camryn’s book is flooded with bad reviews. Could the reviewer be the same person who sent the ugly email? And why do they want to ruin her?

As the online harassment creeps into Camryn’s personal life, she vows to find out who’s behind it. Is it really a disgruntled reader? Or could it be someone she knows? The troll’s actions are escalating, and when the abuse turns deadly, it will take everything Camryn has to unmask the enemy so intent on destroying her—and finally learn why she’s being targeted

Audiobook review: The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean

by Stefani

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean

Published: May 7, 2024 by Simon & Schuster Audio

Buy this book at: Audible / Barnes & Noble / AbeBooks

Synopsis:

Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life is turned upside down when she gets the call Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared years earlier, has resurfaced in the woods of Washington state—but Ellie’s reappearance leaves Chelsey with more questions than answers.

It’s been twenty years since Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister vanished when they were teenagers, and ever since she’s been searching: for signs, for closure, for other missing girls. But happy endings are rare in Chelsey’s line of work.

Then a glimmer: local teenager Ellie Black, who disappeared without a trace two years earlier, has been found alive in the woods of Washington State.

But something is not right with Ellie. She won’t say where she’s been, or who she’s protecting, and it’s up to Chelsey to find the answers. She needs to get to the bottom of what happened to Ellie: for herself, and for the memory of her sister, but mostly for the next girl who could be taken—and who, unlike Ellie, might never return.

The debut thriller from New York Times bestselling author Emiko Jean, The Return of Ellie Black is both a feminist tour de force about the embers of hope that burn in the aftermath of tragedy and a twisty page-turner that will shock and surprise you right up until the final page.

Rating:

Review:

Overall this audiobook was quite good. I enjoyed having a full cast of narrators. All of them were well done and it allowed me to easily tell which perspective we were telling and who was voicing that section of the book. Though, I do think this book had a few too many narrators in general. We got perspective from Chelsey, Ellie in the present, Ellie in the past, and a friend of Ellie’s. While the audiobook narrators did a good job in helping me keep it straight, unfortunately it started to make the narrative feel fractured. It started to feel like we were telling too many stories at once and the compelling pieces of the book got lost in the mix.

Like I mentioned in the progress update, this story is trying to be much bigger than the story of one missing girl. It wanted to be a societal commentary on missing/kidnapped women in general. It didn’t work as well as the author hoped. She made some good points about our society and missing women, but sometimes the point felt forced.

The actual story of Ellie Black was a great story. The story of her captivity was riveting, horrifying and made me yearn for her freedom. I wanted her to escape and regain her life. But I also was saddened because of the lingering trauma I knew she would carry. An integral part of this story is, who took Ellie? And why? I had hoped that we were slowly building to those clues along the way, but I don’t think we ever get any clues in the end. The ending seemed to come out of nowhere. The author gave us no stepping stones to get to this ultimate conclusion. And that left me feeling disappointed when the book concluded. The story was so good for most of the book. I wanted to see Ellie get justice, I wanted to find out why and who. But those answers weren’t satisfying. A satisfying ending is an important piece of my overall feelings about a book, so I can only give this three stars. It’s a good book, but don’t be surprised if you’re left feeling disappointed.

Upcoming Releases – June 30, 2024

by Stefani

My Darlings by Marie Still

Expected publication: October 8, 2024 by Rising Action Publishing Collective

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

No one was supposed to know. I’ve always been so careful. My Darlings, how did we get here?

Evil lurks behind the perfectly manicured lawns, ornate iron gates, and long winding driveways of affluent DC–but not for long.

Stay-at-home mom Eloise Williams is PTO president and a respected local philanthropist who sits on the boards of many distinguished charities. In addition to being a doting wife and mother, she is also a serial killer.

But Eloise isn’t the only lady of society playing a part. As the hidden lives of Eloise’s inner circle are exposed, the body count rises. When the stalker becomes the prey, Eloise desperately clings to remain in control.

Money and power can only buy influence and safety for so long. Eventually, the curtains lift, exposing the chilling reality hiding in plain sight.

Nothing Less than Magic by Stacy Finz

Expected publication: July 23, 2024 by Kensington

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

When a popular marriage counselor’s own marriage falls apart, she’s forced to question her methods—and discovers the magical ingredient she’s been missing all along—in the dreamiest possible way . . .

Just one year ago, Chelsea Knight was living the life she’d always wanted. Marriage to the perfect guy, a thriving career, and a gorgeous condo overlooking San Francisco Bay. Then out of nowhere, her husband, Austin, left her. Ironic, because Chelsea fixes marriages for a living. In fact, she’s famous for her techniques. Naturally, she’s been using her expertise to win back her ex—and when he invites her for drinks, she’s sure her work has finally paid off. Until he announces he’s engaged.

Devastated, Chelsea seeks refuge in the beloved small-town lake cabin she and Austin now take turns using. When she arrives, the streets are dazzlingly decked out for Halloween, the autumn leaves are exceptionally vibrant, and the locals are especially warm and welcoming. It’s downright magical—and so is Knox Hart, a talented jack-of-all-trades who’s fixing her roof. Chelsea is instantly drawn to him—and to the simplicity of country life. Slowly, she becomes immersed in the townspeople’s problems and finds a sense of belonging—leading her to reevaluate her own path . . .

But something about the idyllic hamlet—and Knox—seems too good to be true. A trick more than a treat. And when she ultimately learns the truth, her heart is shattered. Miraculously, Austin is there to mend it. It’s everything she’d hoped for. Or is it? On the cusp of making all her dreams come true, Chelsea must find the strength to make an impossible choice . . .

Progress Update Fridays – June 28, 2024

by Stefani

The Light Eaters by Zoe Schlanger

Progress: 199 of 304 pages

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Award-winning environment and science reporter Zoë Schlanger delivers a groundbreaking work of popular science that probes the hidden world of the plant kingdom and reveals the astonishing capabilities of the green life all around us. It takes tremendous biological creativity to be a plant. To survive and thrive while rooted in a single spot, plants have adapted ingenious methods of survival. In recent years, scientists have learned about their ability to communicate, recognize their kin and behave socially, hear sounds, morph their bodies to blend into their surroundings, store useful memories that inform their life cycle, and trick animals into behaving to their benefit, to name just a few remarkable talents.

The Light Eaters is a deep immersion into the drama of green life and the complexity of this wild and awe-inspiring world that challenges our very understanding of agency, consciousness, and intelligence. In looking closely, we see that plants, rather than imitate human intelligence, have perhaps formed a parallel system. What is intelligent life if not a vine that grows leaves to blend into the shrub on which it climbs, a flower that shapes its bloom to fit exactly the beak of its pollinator, a pea seedling that can hear water flowing and make its way toward it? Zoë Schlanger takes us across the globe, digging into her own memories and into the soil with the scientists who have spent their waking days studying these amazing entities up close.

What can we learn about life on Earth from the living things that thrive, adapt, consume, and accommodate simultaneously? More important, what do we owe these life forms once we come to understand their rich and varied abilities? Examining the latest epiphanies in botanical research, Schlanger spotlights the intellectual struggles among the researchers conceiving a wholly new view of their subject, offering a glimpse of a field in turmoil as plant scientists debate the tenets of ongoing discoveries and how they influence our understanding of what a plant is.

We need plants to survive. But what do they need us for—if at all? An eye-opening and informative look at the ecosystem we live in, this book challenges us to rethink the role of plants—and our own place—in the natural world.

How it’s going:

Apparently I did not lose access to this book on my Nook. The library copy is gone, but it remains on my separate device. So that’s a benefit because he wait list is long to get it again. I really am loving this book. It reveals the potential for a much more complex web of life than we ever thought existed. Animals wouldn’t exist without plants, humans wouldn’t either. Prior to plants making their way out of the ocean the atmosphere was toxic to anything living. It was plants inhaling all those toxic chemicals and exhaling oxygen that made the atmosphere habitable. Without plants we never would have left the ocean. We couldn’t have. And so human evolution has been intrinsically intertwined with plan evolution ever since. But we are also just beginning to understand all the amazing things that plants can do. Right now I’m reading about a vine in the rainforest of Chile that can alter its leaves to camouflage itself and resemble the plant that it is growing next to. At first they thought that the vine was genetically recognizing the other plant’s structure through bacteria exchange. But then they found that this plant could mimic the leaves of plastic plants…so there would be no bacteria to exchange. So, how does it do it? Scientists still have no idea. They have a few theories but they don’t actually know. Maybe someday we will.

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean

Progress: 60% of 10 hours

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life is turned upside down when she gets the call Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared years earlier, has resurfaced in the woods of Washington state—but Ellie’s reappearance leaves Chelsey with more questions than answers.

It’s been twenty years since Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister vanished when they were teenagers, and ever since she’s been searching: for signs, for closure, for other missing girls. But happy endings are rare in Chelsey’s line of work.

Then a glimmer: local teenager Ellie Black, who disappeared without a trace two years earlier, has been found alive in the woods of Washington State.

But something is not right with Ellie. She won’t say where she’s been, or who she’s protecting, and it’s up to Chelsey to find the answers. She needs to get to the bottom of what happened to Ellie: for herself, and for the memory of her sister, but mostly for the next girl who could be taken—and who, unlike Ellie, might never return.

The debut thriller from New York Times bestselling author Emiko Jean, The Return of Ellie Black is both a feminist tour de force about the embers of hope that burn in the aftermath of tragedy and a twisty page-turner that will shock and surprise you right up until the final page.

How it’s going:

This is my audiobook for the week. So far it’s been very good. It has a slower plot than a lot of thrillers, which I like. I’m also enjoying the full cast of voices for the audiobook, it helps keep the different narrators straight. This book seems to be slowly leading me to the conclusion and engrossing me in the characters on our journey. It’s a character study almost. And a societal commentary also. This book isn’t just about Ellie Black, it’s about how society treats and views missing and kidnapped girls and women. I am enjoying this journey very much so far.

New Releases Wednesday – June 26, 2024

by Stefani

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

Published: June 25, 2024 by Del Ray

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

A chilling horror novel about a haunting told from the perspective of a young girl whose troubled family is targeted by an entity she calls “Other Mommy,” from the New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box
 
To eight-year-old Bela, her family is her world. There’s Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. But there is also Other Mommy, a malevolent entity who asks her every day: “Can I go inside your heart?”  
 
When horrifying incidents around the house signal that Other Mommy is growing tired of asking Bela the same question, over and over . . . Bela understands that unless she says yes, soon her family must pay. 
 
Other Mommy is getting restless, stronger, bolder. Only the bonds of family can keep Bela safe but other incidents show cracks in her parents’ marriage. The safety Bela relies on is on the brink of unraveling.  
 
But Other Mommy needs an answer. 
 
Incidents Around the House is a chilling, wholly unique tale of true horror told by the child Bela. A story about a family as haunted as their home.

Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong

Published: June 25, 2024 by Forever

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

A  fun romantic comedy about a woman writing under a male pseudonym and the man she hires to play the role in public.

Daphne McFadden is tired of rejection. After submitting her manuscript to dozens of agents, she’s gotten rejection after rejection, and now it’s time for something drastic. And so, Daphne submits her manuscript again… under a man’s name.

Imagine her surprise when it sells for big money at an auction and soon becomes a publicity darling. Only she needs a man to play her super macho alter ego Zane Remington. Enter Chris Stanton, who absolutely looks the part of a survivalist and has a talent for pressing her piss‑me‑off‑I‑dare‑you buttons while somehow being endearing at the same time. But Chris has a few secrets of his own, including the fact that he’s really an accountant who has no idea how to chop wood or paddle a canoe. When Daphne’s book becomes a bestselling sensation and they’re forced to go on tour together, Daphne finds herself wondering if this city‑boy geek is exactly what she needs to push her to claim her dreams.

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

Published: June 25, 2024 by Crown

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Mohammed Ali is fighting Joe Frazier. And in the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing.

When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges—Patch, a local boy with one eye, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake.

Patch and those who love him soon discover that the line between triumph and tragedy has never been finer. And that their search for answers will lead them to truths that could mean losing one another.

A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each, Chris Whitaker has written a novel about what lurks in the shadows of obsession, and the blinding light of hope.

Audiobook review: My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon

by Stefani

My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon

Narrated by: Hillary Huber and Kitty Hendrix

Published: October 3, 2023 by Simon & Schuster Audio

Buy this book at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / AbeBooks

Synopsis:

Alison has never been a fan of Christmas. But with it right around the corner and her husband busily decorating their cozy Vermont home, she has no choice but to face it. Then she gets the call.

Mavis, Alison’s estranged mother, has been diagnosed with cancer and has only weeks to live. She wants to spend her remaining days with her daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters. But Alison grew up with her mother’s alcoholism and violent abuse and is reluctant to unearth these traumatic memories. Still, she eventually agrees to take in Mavis, hoping that she and her mother could finally heal and have the relationship she’s always dreamed of.

But when mysterious and otherworldly things start happening upon Mavis’s arrival, Alison begins to suspect her mother is not quite who she seems. And as the holiday festivities turn into a nightmare, she must confront just how far she is willing to go to protect her family.

Rating:

Review:

This book can be summarized in one sentence: It was so good! Now that I got that out of my system, I will expand a little so that this isn’t the shortest review in history. I have never read this author before but she knows how to set a scene. This entire novel creeped me out. It made my skin crawl. It made me uncomfortable. It made my want to shout at the protagonist “No, don’t do that!”. And then the ending was one that I never saw coming.

I have to give a lot of credit to the narrators of this book. Their pacing was superb! This book is a slow burn, gradually ramping up the creepy factor and I feel like the narrators perfectly matched that tone and pace. Their voice work was also impressive. The subtle differences in tone for Mavis were perfect. Depending on who Mavis was having the conversation with, her entire tone changed and it was eerie.

For the plot, I really identified with Alison. Her story spoke to my own trauma in a lot of profound ways. But she escaped, she survived. She had a husband that adored her and two beautiful girls who had escaped their mother’s trauma. I was so proud of her. And then she got hit with the emotional wrecking ball. Her mother had cancer and wanted to spend her remaining weeks of life in Alison’s home trying to “make amends.” Alison was skeptical, and that made me even more proud of her. Unfortunately, her husband seemed to think it was a good idea! Why not let your horrendously abusive mother move in with us for a few weeks? What harm could it do? The more we learn about Alison and the abuse she suffered, the more angry I became at her husband. How dare he coerce her into letting her mother into their home. He knew the horrors of her childhood. The permanent scars (both physical and mental) that still haunted her. And he was willing to re-traumatize her all over again. Because “it’s your mom.” No sir, no it is not. You do not owe your family anything when they have abused you so thoroughly. Not a single thing. Alright, enough ranting, he really made me angry. But I recognize that if Mavis had never moved in then we wouldn’t have a book, so let’s move on.

The creep factor on this book was at an all time high. From the recollections of the abuse that Alison suffered to the creepy happenings in the present it was all fantastic. I was terrified for Alison and her children. Especially when it seemed like no one believed her. The ending was also shocking and creepy. The author laid out her red herrings perfectly, so I never saw it coming. It wasn’t a twist ending, it made complete and total sense, it was just executed really well. This author will definitely visit my bookshelf again.

Progress Update Friday – June 21, 2024

by Stefani

The Light Eaters by Zoe Schlanger

Published: May 7, 2024 by Harper

Progress: 37 of 304 pages

Check this book out at: Goodreads

How it’s going:

This book comes to us from an author who used to be a reporter, her main focus was on reporting about climate change. In her despondence about the state of the world she turned to botany and found that a lot of scientists had been making extraordinary discoveries about plants. For example that plants can recognize other plants that are related to them and won’t block the related plants from receiving sunshine or water, but will block plants that are not related. How they do that? We have no idea, but they do. And so, in her fascination, she started talking to be people about plants and wrote this book.

So far this book is utterly entrancing. I have seen a lot of review criticize the author for anthropomorphizing plants. And I understand their disagreement with it. But, at the same time, how exactly do you talk about the things plants do that defy our language to define it any other way? And we cant forget that historically humans are very bad at recognizing any “intelligence” that isn’t our own. Unfortunately, my time limit on this one from the library is nearly over, I will have to put it on hold again and finish it the next time.

My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon

Published: October 2, 2023 by Gallery

Progress: 60%

Check this book out at: Goodreads

How it’s going:

This is my first time reading a book from this author, but if this book sticks the landing it certainly won’t be the last. The premise of this book is that our protagonist escaped a horribly abusive childhood. Her mother was a complete monster, and her father committed suicide and wasn’t around to protect the children. She escapes, gets married and has two children of her own and then her mother calls. Her mother has cancer, and with her last weeks to live she wants to move into the protagonist’s home and “make amends”. But soon strange things begin happening and our protagonist starts to wonder if perhaps her mother is possessed by a demon.

I am listening to this one on audiobook and the narrator is remarkable. Her tonal shifts with each character are subtle, but they perfectly set the mood. The story is delightfully creepy. Our protagonist is just starting to put the pieces together and I am anxious to see how it ends.

Library Haul – June 20, 2024

by Stefani

Our Vengeful Souls by Kristi McManus

Published: June 6, 2023 by CamCat Books

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

When magical mermaid Sereia saves her little sister and overshadows brother and rightful heir, Triton, the position of next ruler of the sea is in question. Determined to keep his throne, Triton curses Sereia, transforming her into a human and stripping her of magic. Banishing her from their underwater kingdom, he gives her a final warning: if you should ever return, you will become a monster.

Left for dead, Sereia washes up on the shores of Atlantis, discovered by a kind merchant with a tragic past. Patient and charming, he helps her build a life on land, leaving her realizing that everything she was taught about humans may have been wrong. But legends are powerful forces, and mermaids are burned for their magic by humans who fear their power. Sereia is forced to keep her true identity a secret, even as her feelings for her savior deepen.

Channeling her skill with a blade, she finds a place within the ranks of the Atlantean army, finally giving her the chance to become the respected warrior she always desired. During her training, however, she discovers the legend of a trident of equal power to her father’s exists, and is within her grasp in Atlantis. With a way back to the sea in her grasp, she wavers between the pull of revenge and the possibility of love on land, all under the hateful eye of a vengeful enemy within her ranks. But when the fate of a friend is in the balance, she must make the hardest decision of all: be burned at the stake as a witch, or turn into a monster should she return to the sea.

In line with the classic fairy tale The Little Mermaid (Hans Christian Anderson) and the mythological adventure Lore (Alexandra Bracken), Our Vengeful Souls takes you on a journey of loss, love and vengeance, into the life of one of fairy tales most famous villains.

What caught my eye:

I first heard of this book when I was given access to the audiobook as an ARC by the publisher. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the audiobook to work. (Side note: NetGalley’s app really stinks and is barely functional. For audiobooks it is often not functional at all.) I was very disappointed because the cover is lovely. And the idea of an Ursula origin story? Love it! So I recommended that my local library purchase the title, and put it on hold once they did. And it’s finally here!

The Familiar by Leah Bardugo

Published: April 9, 2024 by Flatiron Books

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Ninth House, Hell Bent, and creator of the Grishaverse series comes a highly anticipated historical fantasy set during the Spanish Golden Age

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.

What caught my eye:

I’ve already mentioned this book once recently, but I’ll mention it again. Leah Bardugo is an automatic read for me. If she publishes it then I’m going to read it. This one sounds so fascinating. And I love the fact that it is based on a story from the author’s family history, that makes me want to read it even more.

When We Were Silent by Fiona McPhillips

Published: May 21, 2024 by Flatiron Books

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

An outsider threatens to expose the secrets at an elite private school in this suspenseful debut novel

Louise Manson is the newest student at Highfield Manor, Dublin’s most exclusive private school. Behind its granite walls are high-arched alcoves, an oak-lined library…and the dark secret Lou has come to expose.

Lou’s working-class status makes her the consummate outsider, until she is befriended by some of her beautiful and wealthy classmates. But after Lou attempts to bring the school’s secret to light, her time at Highfield ends with a lifeless body sprawled at her feet.

Thirty years later, Lou gets a shocking phone call. A high-profile lawyer is bringing a lawsuit against the school—and he needs Lou to testify. Lou will have to confront her past and discover, once and for all, what really happened at Highfield. Powerful and compelling, When We Were Silent is a thrilling story of exploitation, privilege, and retribution.

What caught my eye:

For some reason I cannot say no to books like this. I read a synopsis and see the words “elite school” and “secrets” and I just have to read it. It’s my weakness.

New Releases Wednesday – June 19, 2024

by Stefani

The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant

Published: June 18, 2024 by Minotaur Books

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

In this captivating novel of suspense, a wilderness guide must team up with the man who ruined her life years ago when the friend who introduced them goes missing.

Emlyn doesn’t let herself think about the past.

How she and her best friend, Janessa, barely speak anymore. How Tyler, the man she thought was the love of her life, left her freezing and half-dead on the side of the road three years ago.

Her new life is simple and safe. She works as a fishing and hunting guide, spending her days in Idaho’s endless woods and scenic rivers. She lives alone in her Airstream trailer, her closest friends a handsome and kind Forest Service ranger and the community’s makeshift reverend, who took her in at her lowest.

But when Tyler shows up with the news that Janessa is missing, Emlyn is propelled back into the world she worked so hard to forget. Janessa, it turns out, has become a social media star, documenting her #vanlife adventures with her rugged survivalist boyfriend. But she hasn’t posted lately, and when she does, it’s from a completely different location than where her caption claims to be. In spite of their fractured history, Emlyn knows she might be the only one with the knowledge and tracking skills to save her friend, so she reluctantly teams up with Tyler. As the two trace Janessa’s path through miles of wild country, Emlyn can’t deny there’s still chemistry crackling between them. But the deeper they press into the wilderness, the more she begins to suspect that a darker truth lies in the woods―and that Janessa isn’t the only one in danger.

Poignant, suspenseful, and unforgettable, THE NATURE OF DISAPPEARING explores what it takes to start over―and the cost of letting the past pull you back in.

Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

Published: June 18, 2024 by William Morrow

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

The provocative and hilarious summer read that will have book lovers cheering and everyone talking! Kirsten Miller, author of The Change, brings us a bracing, wildly entertaining satire about a small Southern town, a pitched battle over banned books, and a little lending library that changes everything.

Beverly Underwood and her arch enemy, Lula Dean, live in the tiny town of Troy, Georgia, where they were born and raised. Now Beverly is on the school board, and Lula has become a local celebrity by embarking on mission to rid the public libraries of all inappropriate books—none of which she’s actually read. To replace the “pornographic” books she’s challenged at the local public library, Lula starts her own lending library in front of her home: a cute wooden hutch with glass doors and neat rows of the worthy literature that she’s sure the town’s readers need.

But Beverly’s daughter Lindsay sneaks in by night and secretly fills Lula Dean’s little free library with banned books wrapped in “wholesome” dust jackets. The Girl’s Guide to the Revolution is wrapped in the cover of The Southern Belle’s Guide to Etiquette. A jacket that belongs to Our Confederate Heroes ends up on Beloved. One by one, neighbors who borrow books from Lula Dean’s library find their lives changed in unexpected ways. Finally, one of Lula Dean’s enemies discovers the library and decides to turn the tables on her, just as Lula and Beverly are running against each other to replace the town’s disgraced mayor.

That’s when all the townspeople who’ve been borrowing from Lula’s library begin to reveal themselves. It’s a diverse and surprising bunch—including the local postman, the prom queen, housewives, a farmer, and the former DA—all of whom have been changed by what they’ve read. When Lindsay is forced to own up to what she’s done, the showdown that’s been brewing between Beverly and Lula will roil the whole town…and change it forever.

A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson

Published: June 11, 2024 by William Morrow

Check this book out at: Goodreads

Synopsis:

A newlywed librarian begins to suspect the man she married might be a murderer—in this spectacularly twisty and deviously clever novel by Peter Swanson, New York Times bestselling author of The Kind Worth Killing and Eight Perfect Murders.

Martha Ratliff conceded long ago that she’d likely spend her life alone. She was fine with it, happy with her solo existence, stimulated by her job as an archival librarian, constantly surrounded by thought-provoking ideas and the books she loved. But then she met Alan, a charming and sweet-natured divorcee with a job that took him on the road for half the year. When he asked her to marry him, she said yes, even though he still felt a little bit like a stranger.

A year in and the marriage was good, except for that strange blood streak on the back of one of his shirts he’d worn to a conference in Denver. Her curiosity turning to suspicion, Martha investigates the cities Alan visited over the past year and uncovers a disturbing pattern—five unsolved cases of murdered women.

Is she married to a serial killer? Or could it merely be a coincidence? Unsure what to think, Martha contacts an old friend from graduate school for advice. Lily Kintner once helped Martha out of a jam with an abusive boyfriend and may have some insight. Intrigued, Lily offers to meet Alan to find out what kind of man he really is . . . but what Lily uncovers is more perplexing and wicked than they ever could have expected.