In My Mailbox... Advanced Reading Copies that Came My Way This Week and You'll Want to Know About!

I'm so excited about these two soon-to-be-published books! It's been a few years since we've heard from Richard Russo and Chang-Rae Lee. Both wonderful writers whose books I've devoured in the past...

Under The Falls by Richard Russo...
A spellbinding page-turner about a crime in a small town that exposes long-held secrets and betrayals among a group of lifelong friends.When Tyler Sinclair left Stone Mountain at eighteen, he had no plans of returning. With only a duffel bag full of clothes, a few bucks stolen from his father’s dresser, and a guitar, his most prized possession, Tyler disappeared without so much as a goodbye. Eighteen years later, Tyler, now the frontman of a famous band aptly named Stone Mountain, finds himself returning to his hometown for a one-night-only benefit concert to support his old friend, Doc, who lost feeling in his legs following a childhood accident. As Tyler ascends the mountain, memories of his childhood come rushing back—memories of his abusive father and despondent mother, of the friends he left behind—and he quickly learns that, for many people on Stone Mountain, the past does not feel like so long ago, and not everyone has been eagerly awaiting Tyler’s return.

At the concert, resentment simmers just beneath the surface, and Tyler finds himself confronted with faces new and old: there’s Curt, Tyler’s childhood best friend, now Stone Mountain’s chief of police, and his star officer, Deb, an out-of-towner who may have bitten off more than she can chew by accepting a job in Stone Mountain. And then there’s Freddi, Curt’s wife and Tyler’s former lover, a woman whose questionable dealings and fraught history with Tyler will become the catalyst for a tragedy that will upend each of their lives and threaten to validate Tyler’s worst fear: that “Stone Mountain is the kind of place you might escape from once, if you’re lucky, but not twice.”

Under the Falls is at once a propulsive thriller, a gut-wrenching portrait of a tight-knit rural community undone by the sins of its past, and an unflinchingly honest depiction of how porous the line between right and wrong, good versus evil, can become. This is a stunning, deeply empathetic novel, one that takes Russo’s penchant for character-driven drama to thrilling new heights. 

Richard Russo is a master storyteller and I've enjoyed all of his novels. When I heard he was coming out with a new standalong novel, I was excited and even more excited when I received an advanced digital copy of Under The Falls from the publisher, Knopf. Just add this to your TBR list. It will be published on August 11th.

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A Tender Age by Chang-Rae Lee... A story of guilt, innocence, and a boy on the cusp of adolescence. A spellbinding exploration of American masculinity and family dynamics as seen through the confused eyes of a prepubescent child of immigrants, A Tender Age joins the rich tradition of the American *bildungsroman (*a literary genre that focuses on the psychological, moral, and emotional growth of a protagonist from childhood to adulthood.) The natural descendent of characters like Huckleberry Finn and Holden Caufield, Korean-American Jeon-Gi is torn between competing ideas of himself. At home, his working-class parents dote on him. Outside, he is part of a roving pack of kids with dominion over a derelict baseball field, weedy parking lot, and rusty jungle gym. Getting into and out of trouble is all-consuming. But the summer he turns eleven, he becomes embroiled in a staggering series of events reverberating far beyond himself and his family.

Devastating in its emotional precision, A Tender Age captures a family and community in striking distance of the American dream, and a young person on the precipice of adult knowledge, looking at his own culpability and looking away—then thinking about it for the rest of his life.

Another great storyteller, Chang-Rae Lee has dived deep into his character's soul to share their lives. This sounds like a great coming-of-age story, and then some. I am excited to read this new novel from Chang-Rae Lee and was happy to received an advanced digital copy from the publisher, Riverhead. A Tender Age will also be published on August 11th!

 

New Book Release! Where Mountains Pierce The Highland Heart by Paula Quinn...

Paula Quinn and I go back a long way... at least her books and I do. Way back in 2010, I received a copy of Ravished by a Highlander by Paula Quinn to review. I loved it! And a week before I posted my review, I invited Paula to do a guest post on Chick with Books and she wrote about writing Highlander romances in the 21st century (which was a fun post and great insight into her writing process). Fast forward 16 YEARS and I receive Where Mountains Pierce the Highland Heart by Paula Quinn from Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and I am excited to catch up with Paula and her writing! 

Today is the official release date for Where Mountains Pierce The Highland Heart by Paula Quinn. It's book two in her Where Heaven and Earth Collide Series, but it can be read as a stand alone, which is what I'm doing since I haven't read book 1 (yet!).

Here's the blurb from the publisher: 

She saved his life and it cost her everything.

On a night meant for mercy, Elspeth Woodburn risks all to save a dying Highland prisoner in her father’s dungeon. By dawn, her home is ash, her family slaughtered, and the name burned into her soul is one she will never forget. Logan Cameron. For six long years, vengeance has been the only thing keeping her alive.

He should have died that night. Instead, he cannot forget the girl who saved him.

Logan Cameron remembers little of his rescue, only a fleeting glimpse of gentle hands and a soft voice that refused to let him die. He never expected to see her again, least of all as a lass with fire in her eyes and murder in her heart.

Trapped within the unforgiving Highlands, they are bound together by decree. She waits for the perfect moment to strike. He watches her with a growing awareness he cannot explain.

Because beneath her fury is the same compassion that once saved him. And beneath his control is a pull he cannot deny.

In a land shaped by blood and loyalty, where enemies are not meant to forgive, let alone desire each other, Elspeth must decide if vengeance will claim her heart…

Or if the man she swore to destroy is the only one who can reach it.

As I started reading Where Mountains Pierce the Highland Heart, I'm reminded of Paula Quinns great writing and enjoying the story. Of course I was warning Elspeth not to do what she was about to do, but she's young and naive... the result of which will change all of that in an instant! 

If you love a good Highlander story, put Where Mountains Pierce The Highland Heart on your TBR list! Better yet, put Paula Quinn on your TBR list! My full review will be coming soon... 

New Release Tuesday... Fresh Stories/New Obsessions

 

This week is loaded with great reads! A new book from Ann Patchett that has the book world buzzing and a new book by Mary Kay Andrews too! Let me tell you, (actually, I already did back in February) Road Trip is a fabulous read! I loved it! But let's get to them all...

Whistler by Ann Patchett... A moving, luminous novel that reminds us of the sweetness and impermanence of life and the power of connection to defy time.

When Daphne Fuller and her husband Jonathan visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they notice an older, white-haired gentleman following them. The man turns out to be Eddie Triplett, her former stepfather, who had been married to her mother for a little more than year when Daphne was nine. Now fifty-three, Daphne hasn’t seen Eddie for many years, not since the fateful event that changed the direction of both their lives. Meeting again, time falls away; while their relationship was brief, it had a profound impact on them both, and now that they are reunited, they have no intention of ever being separated again.

Whistler is a story about two adults looking back over the choices they made, and the choices that were made for them. It’s a story about bravery, memory, the often small yet consequential moments that define our lives, and the endless stream of loss that in time comes for us all. Beautiful in its simplicity, it is ultimately about how love endures, and how the feeling of being known by one other person, even for a short period of time, can change everything.

It's been a few years since we've gotten a new book by Ann Patchett and this one sounds wonderful. The kind of story we expect from her. And I have a copy sitting on my nightstand right now waiting for me to crack the spine! 

Published by Harper Collins

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The Children by Melissa Albert... The haunting new novel from New York Times bestselling author Melissa Albert, in which the estranged adult children of a legendary author, written into their dead mother’s beloved fantasy series, must contend with the vine-like creep of legacy, memory, and magic.

Guinevere Sharpe has two childhoods.

In one, she and her brother, Ennis, live in the wooded shadow of their family's isolated Vermont farmhouse; in the other, the pages of their mother’s world-famous Ninth City books, where their magical adventures have made them household names. In reality, Guinevere's childhood isn't the enchanted idyll her mother’s readers imagine: she and Ennis are growing up near-feral, unwashed and underfed, escaping each day to the wild woods they’ve made their playland. As Edith Sharpe’s books explode into epic popularity, the threats of a rural childhood give way to the escalating perils of fame—until the night it all goes up in flames, leaving Edith’s series unfinished and her children the sole survivors.

Now an adult coasting on her mother's name, Guinevere is mid-promotion for a ghostwritten memoir when her estranged brother, an artist who has until now spurned his family's legacy, announces an upcoming installation titled, simply, Mother. As rumors swirl around a death connected to his last show, unsettling recollections from Guinevere’s childhood begin to surface. Her public facade starts to crack, forcing her to confront the questions she's spent the last twenty years running from: What really happened the night of the fire? And what dark history lies behind their mother’s fantasy world?

The Children is wise to the mythic weight childhood memories gather over time, and the way our most beloved stories grow up with us. It's for anyone who's ever revisited an old favorite and found its pages cast in a darker light, the line separating magic from reality blurring as we discover the books that once comforted us carry shadows of their own.

This has gotten a lot of buzz because it is this month's Read with Jenna pick (Jenna Bush). I am intrigued! And I chose this as my June Book of the Month selection too. 

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Published by William Morrow.

Lies Between Us by Jessica Goodman... a razor-sharp murder-mystery set during the summer when a local teen's suspicious death exposes the devastating secrets three sisters keep.

Do you ever really know the people you love?

For the Gold sisters and Silver brothers, life has been idyllic, growing up in side-by-side waterfront mansions in a town where doors are never locked and the police do little more than issue speeding tickets. The Golds and Silvers have known each other their entire lives, as neighbors, as friends, as family.

But one carefree summer takes a dark turn when a beach party ends in tragedy and their perfect world cracks wide open. Suddenly, the bonds that tie these families together are strained by suspicion and fear. Painful secrets surface, revealing the fragile truths they've all been hiding.

Lucy, the oldest Gold girl, harbors a crushing secret from her boyfriend, one of the Silver boys. Millie, the middle sister, quietly yearns for the one person she can't have. And the youngest, Frankie, uncovers something that could blow their island apart. A gripping novel about the lies friends tell, the façade siblings build, and how one summer tests—and breaks—the bonds of family.

This sounds like a perfect summer read! And courtesy of the publisher, I have a copy to read and review! Stay tuned for that soon! Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons.

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The Jellyfish Problem by Tessa Young... A marine biologist makes the discovery of a lifetime when called to rescue the inhabitants of a small Maine island being menaced by a giant, glowing jellyfish in this richly imagined, wholly original debut.

Dr. Jo Ness prefers jellyfish to people. Her best friend, Aldo, was the exception, but he died seven months ago. So she spends her days hidden away at an underfunded aquarium with her specimens and a draft of the jellyfish guide she and Aldo had been working on together. His voice is alive in the notes in the margins, and it’s enough. Almost.

Until she receives a call from Nadia, one of the few other humans she’s loved but whom she hasn’t heard from in years, asking for her help. Nadia tells her a grand tale of a giant jellyfish terrorizing her tiny island off the coast of Maine and sends a grainy video of the creature. Frankly, the footage looks fake, but Jo drops everything to fly across the country to see Nadia again, and to find this supposed sea beast. She couldn’t save Aldo, but perhaps she can help Nadia.

But when Jo arrives on Shattering Point, Nadia is nowhere to be found, and the islanders she meets each have something different to say about the creature they’ve dubbed Clementine . . . a jellyfish who changes all who see it.

At turns an ode to classic sea monster stories and a vibrant tale of human connection, The Jellyfish Problem is an unforgettable debut that announces a new talent.

I was so intrigued by this book when I read about it! (and I have a digital copy courtesy of the publisher to read and review!... that's coming soon too!) 

Published by Berkley.

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Godbound by masha Sova... The Scarlet Letter meets the divine, deadly trials of The Games Gods Play in this dark, epic romantic fantasy where society weaponizes shame, gods weaponize survival, and love becomes the most dangerous rebellion of all.

They branded her a sinner.

She chose to become a threat.

In a kingdom where a forgotten goddess’s curse has become law—where purity is power and desire is a death sentence—Raylane has lived her life playing the perfect girl. Obedient. Untouched. Destined for the crown.

All so she might one day reshape a realm that damns cursed women like her mother… women who dared to fall in love.

Until one kiss ruins everything.

Branded impure and cursed with rot-magic that spreads by touch, Raylane is cast into the Trial of the Bound—a brutal arena where champions fight to the death, gods revel in blood, and power feeds on the prayers of the crowd.

Her only hope of survival? Swear fealty to the very goddess who cursed her. In return, the goddess tears a shadowbeast from another world and binds him to Raylane’s side—feral, unwilling, and the only one who can help her tame the power threatening to consume her.

He doesn’t want her. Doesn’t trust her. But their fates are entwined, and every step toward mastery binds them tighter.

As her power grows and their bond deepens, Raylane must make an impossible choice: win the trial, free the cursed, and unleash a forgotten goddess bent on reclaiming the world… or lose everything to save those who now pray for her death.

One path leads to love.

The other, to mercy.

Both end in ruin.

I've been kind of obsessed with Romantasy lately and this just sounds epic. Self published by the author, put this on your TBR list! It's being released on June 6th, and if you are a Kindle reader, it is available for pre-order for Kindle for $1.99. But as always, double check the price before you hit the buy button because prices change fast on Amazon. 

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Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews... Pack your bags for a summer journey shaped by family secrets, long-buried history, and charming men with Irish accents.

Maeve and Therese Dunigan haven’t spoken in years. Raised under the same roof in Savannah, the two sisters could not be more opposite―Maeve the rule follower, Therese the unapologetic rebel. But when their mother’s death pulls them back together, they inherit more than just grief: a mysterious painting that may be worth millions…if it’s real.

Determined to uncover the truth―and desperately in need of the money―the sisters set out on a journey to Ireland, tracing their family’s roots and the origins of the portrait. What begins as a search for answers soon becomes something deeper―a reckoning with the past, as they uncover secrets that span generations and reshape everything they thought they knew about their family.

With tensions simmering, the two hit the road and find themselves on twisty lanes, in colorful villages, at local pubs, and with handsome men whose gift of the gab is surpassed only by their charm.

Can Maeve and Therese actually survive the journey without killing each other? Join Mary Kay Andrews on a road trip that will entertain you for miles.

I received an early review copy of this book from the publisher and absolutely loved it! How can this be my first Mary Kay Andrews book?! Well, it is, but it definitely will not be my last. Great writing and a great story to go along! If you haven't read my review, here's a link for it on Chick with Books. And definitely put this on your TBR list!

I hope you found something new to put on your TBR list! All of these are either in my Kindle or on the nightstand (or soon to be on the nightstand!). Don't you just love summer reading!

Happy reading... Suzanne

Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter... A Deadly Duel. A Forbidden Love. One Jaw-Dropping Twist.

Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter

A centuries-old covenant forces the heir of the witches of Arturea to fight the heir of the dragon riders of Vatra… to the death.

Astrid—princess of Arturea—is powerful, proud… and not a warrior at heart.
Zryan—Vatra’s lethal champion—is a battle-hardened force of nature, bonded to a massive fire-breathing dragon… and completely obsessed with Astrid.

What should be a death sentence becomes something far more dangerous:
a forbidden, undeniable pull neither of them can resist. Blood Bound is the kind of romantasy that hooks you fast and doesn’t let go. 

The world-building? Incredible. From the witches’ distinct magic and their familiars to the dragon riders’ raw, elemental power—every detail feels vivid and immersive. I swear, I was living in Vatra the entire time. (Still waiting to find out if “reading” counts as a magical talent… I’m claiming it.)

What fills this story out even more is the political intrigue and the rebellion hiding in the shadows—adding layers of tension and depth that make the stakes feel even higher.

And the characters? I was in. Fully invested. Practically third-wheeling alongside Astrid. The friendships that develop are true and touching. I loved the way the female friendships unfolded.

But let’s talk about what really delivers:


Forbidden love…. Enemies to lovers….That slow burn tension…. Touch her and you’ll die… Dragons & Familiars… Political intrigue… Great banter!… Found family… Great female friendships… Magic & Potions… Did I say Dragons! And Familiars!
  

And then—THE TWIST. The kind that makes you stop, reread, and immediately need to talk about it with someone. I want to scream about it… but I won’t ruin it for you.

Just know: It’s big, it’s bold and it brings everything together in a jaw-dropping way. There is so much packed into the story - you’re going to love it. I know I did. This is the first book of a promised 3 book trilogy. 

And I am already whining that I want the second book! 

Published by Atria Books on April 28th! And available at your favorite bookstore right now! I want to thank Atria Books for an advanced copy of Blood Bound to read & review! I loved it!

 

In My Mailbox...

 

I've gotten some great books this week from publishers! Here they are...

June Baby by Shannon Garvey... Some summers never leave you. In this moving debut novel, set over the course of one transformative summer in the lush, beachy enclave of Block Island, a young woman reckons with love, loss, and the choices she must make to move forward. Published by Random House on May 12th. I can see this as being "THE" beach read of the summer!

Second Times A Charmy by Taylor Epperson... Returning

home after years away, Reece is going to have to avoid her assassin ex-boyfriend as she learns to care for the magical creatures now under her protection. Published by Grand Central Publishing on April 21st. How can you resist a place for magical creature?

Second First Dates by Gabriella Gamez... One bad date, shame on you. Two bad dates, shame on me ... Forever (Grand Central Publishing) on July 28th. This looks like a fun romance!

Somewhere Soft To Land by Kai Alonte... In this crackling portrayal of friendship in peril, a young woman’s world is upended when a tragedy in her best friend’s life tests the boundaries of their sisterhood—a sharp and compelling debut novel from a Ghanaian American writer. Published by Ballantine on April 21st. I love stories of Sisters and women's friendships. This looks like it's going to be so memorable!

Doomsdate... When a first date between a doomsday prepper and a nerdy film professor goes horribly, zombie-apocalypse-level wrong, the mismatched pair team up on a road trip to safety in this delightfully feral rom-com. Published by Ballantine September 15th. I can't resist a good zombie apocalypse story! I love the premise for this!

He's Back! Lincoln Rhyme will be in a new thriller... Set Your Alarms for November 17, 2026!

Lincoln Rhyme is back! A new thriller from Jeffery Deaver starring Lincoln Rhyme & Amelia Sachs is coming in November! Mark your calendars for November 17, 2026!... And I've got an ARC of The Collateral Heart in my Kindle right now! I'm so excited! Thank you to Putnam a division of Penguin Random House for sending along a review copy! Stay tuned for a review...

Fresh Off the Press: Three New Releases You’ll Want on Your Radar Today

Today's the day for these books you'll want to put on you TBR list! One yummy memoir, and 2 romances that will have you turning those pages as fast as you can.

Extra Sauce bby Zahra Tangorra... At twenty-two years old, Zahra Tangorra was trying on adulthood and attempting to find herself when a harrowing near-death experience stopped her in her tracks. It felt like a twisted version of a second chance. Who am I? she asked herself. What do I love? The answers started coming to her: Stuffed shells and giant meatballs at J&J’s, the Italian red sauce joint of her Long Island childhood. Her mother’s chocolate mousse pie and her father’s sweet and savory pea soup. The people, places, and experiences that made her her, the relationships both loving and fraught—they were all, for better and sometimes worse, inextricably bound up with food. In this memoir that celebrates both the delicious and the messy in life, Zahra reckons with the adrenaline-filled highs and devastating lows of opening cult-favorite Brooklyn restaurant Brucie and then closing it at the height of its popularity. From cooking her father his last meal and the unexpected yet beautiful things she found at the bottom of her grief to the relationships she couldn’t save through cooking, like her fractured family and the lover she had to leave in Tuscany, Zahra writes about the immense courage it takes to allow ourselves to be loved, extra sauce and all. Told with uproarious humor and tremendous insight, Extra Sauce is for anyone who yearns to embrace their whole self, who loves with abandon, and who eats with gusto.

Published by Dial Press and in my eReader as we speak. I'm always us for a memoir that has a cook and food in it!

Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell... Everybody knows that Cherry's husband, Tom, is in Hollywood making a movie . . . Almost nobody knows that he isn't coming home. Tom is the creator of Thursday—a semi-autobiographical webcomic that's become an international phenomenon. Semi-autobiographical. That means there's a character in this movie based on Cherry . . . "Baby." Wide-hipped, heavy-chested, double-chinned Baby. Cherry never wanted this. No fat girl wants to see herself caricatured on the page—let alone on the big screen. But there's no getting away from it. Baby looks so much like Cherry that strangers recognize her at the grocery store. While her soon-to-be ex-husband is in Los Angeles getting rich and famous and being the internet's latest boyfriend, Cherry is stuck in Omaha taking care of the dog he always wanted and the house they were going to raise a family in . . . and wondering who she's supposed to be without him. Cherry had promised to love Tom through thick and thin. She'd meant it. One night, Cherry decides to leave all her problems, including Tom's overgrown puppy, at home. She ventures out to see her favorite band play her favorite album . . . and someone recognizes her from across the room. Russ Sutton knew Cherry when she was a young art student with a fondness for pin-up dresses and patent leather heels. Before Tom. Russ knows Cherry. He likes Cherry. And best of all . . . he's never heard of Thursday.

Tender, funny, and utterly human, Cherry Baby is Rainbow Rowell's richest, most surprising—sexiest—novel yet.

This sounds like so much fun. I love a girl who holds her own and perserveres! Published my William Morrow and on my Wishlist!

Go Gentle by Maria Semple... Adora Hazzard has it all figured out. A Stoic philosopher and divorcée, she lives a contented life on New York City’s Upper West Side. Having discovered that the secret to happiness is to desire only what you have, she’s applied this insight to blissful effect: relishing her teenage daughter, the freedom of being solo, and her job as a moral tutor for the twin boys of an old-money family. She’s even assembled a "coven"—like-minded women who live on the same floor in the legendary Ansonia—and is making active efforts to grow its membership. Adora’s carefully curated life is humming along brilliantly until a chance meeting with a handsome stranger. Soon, her ordered world is upended by black-market art deals, secret rendezvous, and international intrigue . . . and her past—which she has worked so hard to bury—lands like a bomb in her present. Inflamed by unquenchable desire, Adora finds herself a woman wanting more: and she’ll risk everything to get it. Adora Hazzard’s journey of self-discovery will grip you from the start. Romantic, hilarious, intelligent, and bursting with the stuff of life, Go Gentle is a thrilling story of one woman’s mid-life transformation, cementing Maria Semple in the pantheon of our most exciting and important contemporary writers.

Maria Semple is know for her smash hit, Where'd You Go Bernadette, and her newest book sounds just as wonderful as her last! Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons and on my Wishlist! (BTW, I love pink, but hate this cover 😐)

Putting any of these books on your TBR list?

 

Coming Soon... A NEW Romantasy by Masha Sova... Godbound!

I'm so excited that I just received an ARC of Godbound by Masha Sova! I can't wait to dive in! Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and Net Galley for the review opportunity! And thank you Masha Sova for writing what sounds like a delicious read! Here's the book blurb:

The Scarlet Letter meets the divine, deadly trials of The Games Gods Play in this dark, epic romantic fantasy where society weaponizes shame, gods weaponize survival, and love becomes the most dangerous rebellion of all.

They branded her a sinner.

She chose to become a threat.

In a kingdom where a forgotten goddess’s curse has become law—where purity is power and desire is a death sentence—Raylane has lived her life playing the perfect girl. Obedient. Untouched. Destined for the crown.

All so she might one day reshape a realm that damns cursed women like her mother… women who dared to fall in love.

Until one kiss ruins everything.

Branded impure and cursed with rot-magic that spreads by touch, Raylane is cast into the Trial of the Bound—a brutal arena where champions fight to the death, gods revel in blood, and power feeds on the prayers of the crowd.

Her only hope of survival? Swear fealty to the very goddess who cursed her. In return, the goddess tears a shadowbeast from another world and binds him to Raylane’s side—feral, unwilling, and the only one who can help her tame the power threatening to consume her.

He doesn’t want her. Doesn’t trust her. But their fates are entwined, and every step toward mastery binds them tighter.

As her power grows and their bond deepens, Raylane must make an impossible choice: win the trial, free the cursed, and unleash a forgotten goddess bent on reclaiming the world… or lose everything to save those who now pray for her death.

One path leads to love.

The other, to mercy.

Both end in ruin.

Mark your calendars... Coming June 6th, 2026

 

It's New Book Release Day! And it is Stacked!

It's an exciting day! Why? Because it's "New Book Release Day"! Here are the books on my TBR list....

Rites Of The Starling by Devney Perry...
A princess journeys across a cursed realm to find the truth about her family, only to discover her quest intertwines with the fate of a lost warrior.

Calandra’s five kingdoms are on the verge of destruction. The crux migration is coming. And in the wake of a devastating attack, I’ve been separated from the man who owns my heart. I’m lost. Terrified. Homesick. Hunted by monsters, driven to exhaustion, and kidnapped by a powerful priest, the only thing keeping me going is the little girl counting on me to keep her safe. It’s my turn to become the Guardian. Our lives change one fateful night. A night of death. A night of monsters. A night of truths. That night, I learn the real meaning of fear—and the depth of my own strength. Everyone wants me to be something I’m not—a queen, a spy, a sacrifice. But what if I embrace my crown? What if the secrets I uncover save our realm? What if my sacrifice means salvation for the man I love? For too long, I’ve feared the monsters we make. It’s time to discover the monster within.

Sequel to the Shield of Sparrows. This is a HUGE anticipated release! I've got Shield of Sparrows in my TBR pile and this one on order. I pre-ordered this during that big buy2/get1 one day sale at Target, but was notified yesterday it's on BACKORDER!!! Published by Entangled Publishing.

American Fantasy by Emma Straub...
When the American Fantasy cruise ship sets sail for a four-day themed voyage, aboard are all five members of a famous 1990s boyband, and three thousand screaming women who have worshipped them for thirty years.

Newly divorced and with an empty nest, Annie is on board as a lark to appease her sister. Once a diehard fan of the band as a teen, her tastes have matured, and she feels out of place amid the sea of bedazzled, air-brushed t-shirts bearing the singers’ faces. Yet when the lights come up and the idols of her youth begin to sing before her, something is unlocked. “Maybe that was nostalgia after all, the music a direct vein to her childhood, the least complicated part of her life. A short cut to happiness.” Between the slushy alcoholic drinks, the music of her youth, and the thousands of middle-aged women acting like lovesick teenagers, Annie finally reconnects to a long-submerged part of herself. By the time she befriends one of the band members -- not just a celebrity but someone also in need of a friend -- she feels like anything is possible. But a lot can go wrong on a ship ruled by hormones and hope, frustration and fantasy.

Packed with wisdom, heart, and laugh-out-loud reflections on fame, youth, nostalgia, marriage, and middle age, Emma Straub delivers a richly textured, uplifting story about the magic of revisiting youthful feelings, and the even greater magic of starting anew.

This book has gotten so much positive buzz and sounds like a fun read for us "girls of a certain age". Sounds like a cruise I would want to go on! Definitely on my wishlist. Published by Riverhead Books.

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke... A traditional American woman, a beautiful wife and mother who sells her pioneer lifestyle of raw milk and farm-fresh eggs to her millions of social media followers, suddenly awakens cold, filthy, and terrified in the brutal reality of 1805—where she must unravel whether this living nightmare is an elaborate hoax, a twisted reality show, or something far more sinister in this sensational debut novel.

My name was Natalie Heller Mills, and I was perfect at being alive.

Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle. Her charming farmhouse is rustic, her husband a handsome cowboy, her six children each more delightful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers behind the scenes, her kitchen hiding industrial-grade fridges and ovens, her husband the Republican equivalent of a Kennedy? What Natalie’s followers—all 8 million of them—don’t know won’t hurt them. And The Angry Women? The privileged, Ivy League, coastal elite haters who call her an antifeminist iconoclast? They’re sick with jealousy. Because Natalie isn’t simply living the good life, she’s living the ideal—and just so happens to be building an empire from it.

Until one morning she wakes up in a life that isn’t hers. Her home, her husband, her children—they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Her kitchen is warmed by a sputtering fire rather than electricity, her children are dirty and strange, and her soft-handed husband is suddenly a competent farmer. Just yesterday Natalie was curating photos of homemade jam for her Instagram, and now she’s expected to haul firewood and handwash clothes until her fingers bleed. Has she become the unwitting star of a brutal reality show? Could it really be time travel? Is she being tested by God? By Satan? When Natalie suffers a brutal injury in the woods, she realizes two things: This is not her beautiful life, and she must escape by any means possible.

A gripping, electrifying novel that is as darkly funny as it is frightening, Yesteryear is a gimlet-eyed look at tradition, fame, faith, and the grand performance of womanhood.

There has been so much anticipation for the release date for Yesteryear! OMG, I read this back at the end of January and was totally enthralled! I just couldn't stop reading! Read my review and add this to your TBR list! Published by Knopf.

Just Announce this morning... Reese's Book Club pick for April is Into The Blue by Emma Brodie which was also released today. Here's the publisher's blurb: “The truth is there’s no such thing as a normal life. There’s just the time you get and how you spend it.”

In the summer of 2000, AJ Graves dreams of writing for Saturday Night Live; instead, she’s stuck working in a video rental store, with slim odds of escaping her small Massachusetts town. Then in walks Noah Drew, the enigmatic and intense scion of the Drew acting dynasty, and her life changes forever. Despite wildly different upbringings, the two forge a deep, cosmic bond, first as friends, then as acting partners—until one day, Noah disappears without a word.

Seven years later, in New York City, AJ is shocked to find herself cast in the same intergalactic TV production as Noah, by then a well-known Hollywood heartthrob. As their on-screen characters grow closer every day, the lines between reality and acting begin to blur. Unable to stay away from each other, AJ and Noah are forced to confront the truth of what happened years ago—and the devastating secret that will send their lives careening apart, even as fate continues to draw them together.

Blending unforgettable characters, explosive chemistry and yearning, and profound emotion, Into the Blue is a journey unlike any other—one that asks: What does it mean to diverge from the script to forge your own story?

I know nothing about this book, except that Reese announced it as her pick for April and that it was published today by Ballantine Books. I usually like her picks though and sounds like a good read. On my radar now and putting it on my wishlist.

What new books are you reading today?

 

Listening to this Curmudgeonly Old Lady...

 I just downloaded the audiobook courtesy of Macmillan Audio! I'm already hooked! The narration is great, l'm loving snarky Mabel and I can't wait to see where the story goes...

Originally I was thinking Mad Mabel was the female version of A Man Called Ove, but I think Mabel has a lot more to her than just being a curmudgeon... I think she's got some secrets buried somewhere...

Book and audiobook coming April 21st! Stay tuned for a review soon...

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the Advanced copy of the audiobook!

Indie Next Pick for April... and You Don't Want to Miss This One!

 I love finding out what the Indie Next pick is every month! Do you know what the Indie Next pick is? It is the book picked from "the top nominations from independent booksellers across the country, showcasing the best of the best debuts and new releases in all categories and genres."

This month is Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke and let me tell you it is a "OMG, really?!" read. You just have to read it! In January I reviewed Yesteryear, you can read it by following this link. I loved it, and was so happy I was able to get an early review copy from the publisher, Penguin Random House!

Here's the blurb from the publisher...

A traditional American woman, a beautiful wife and mother who sells her pioneer lifestyle of raw milk and farm-fresh eggs to her millions of social media followers, suddenly awakens cold, filthy, and terrified in the brutal reality of 1855—where she must unravel whether this living nightmare is an elaborate hoax, a twisted reality show, or something far more sinister in this sensational debut novel.

My name was Natalie Heller Mills, and I was perfect at being alive.

Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle. Her charming farmhouse is rustic, her husband a handsome cowboy, her six children each more delightful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers behind the scenes, her kitchen hiding industrial-grade fridges and ovens, her husband the heir to a political dynasty? What Natalie’s followers—all 8 million of them—don’t know won’t hurt them. And The Angry Women? The privileged, Ivy League, coastal elite haters who call her an antifeminist iconoclast? They’re sick with jealousy. Because Natalie isn’t simply living the good life, she’s living the ideal—and just so happens to be building an empire from it.

Until one morning she wakes up in a life that isn’t hers. Her home, her husband, her children—they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Her kitchen is warmed by a sputtering fire rather than electricity, her children are dirty and strange, and her soft-handed husband is suddenly a competent farmer. Just yesterday Natalie was curating photos of homemade jam for her Instagram, and now she’s expected to haul firewood and handwash clothes until her fingers bleed. Has she become the unwitting star of a ruthless reality show? Could it really be time travel? Is she being tested by God? By Satan? When Natalie suffers a brutal injury in the woods, she realizes two things: This is not her beautiful life, and she must escape by any means possible.

Mark your calendars for April 7th because that's when you can find Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke at your favorite local bookstore!

And if you'd like to find all the nominees for this month's Indie Next pick, you can find them on the American Booksellers Association website.

The Sunday Salon... with Books to Add to Your TBR List NOW!

Welcome to The Sunday Salon! It's the place where Book Bloggers from around the world share their bookish finds with one another in a virtual place called The Sunday Salon. Thank you to for Deb at ReaderBuzz keeping us all together on Sundays and hosting The Sunday Salon now! I also visited with Kim at The Caffeinated Reader, another Sunday gathering place for us bookish people called The Sunday Post!

It's been a crazy couple of weeks in South Carolina. 2 weeks ago, we had unbelievable cold weather AND lost our power for a few days because of the freezing rain we had. Freezing rain means ice on power lines and that means power lines coming down, along with trees. Dressing in lots of layers and under plenty of blankets got us through that, but it was not fun. And then a week later the temps got up into the 30's and this past week we saw 65! So, I have had enough of winter... Let's talk books.

For the past two weeks I have gotten some great books from some of my favorite publishers! Two of these books are from favorite authors and two are publishing their debut novels...

The Final Target by Nora Roberts... from the publisher: He showed up at Arden Bowie’s debut author appearance with a copy of her novel and an eager smile. He showered her with compliments and got her autograph. Then he came to her next event. And the one after that. Dustin was just an aspiring writer who wanted advice, Arden reassured herself. But after giving in to one of his incessant invitations and chatting with him over coffee, she discovered that ignoring her inner alarm bell had been a terrible mistake… An introvert at heart, Arden had long craved solitude—but now, after a harrowing assault, she finds herself hiding behind locked doors and startling at every sound. And her relief at his imprisonment is tempered by anxiety when Dustin’s wealthy mother helps to get him a paltry five-year sentence at a psychiatric facility. Arden decides to write a new story for herself, moving to a tiny Oregon town and befriending Gideon, an ex-LAPD detective. But while she learns to thrive, Dustin remains his delusional, twisted self, as fixated as ever and now seething with anger. He still believes Arden's purpose on earth is to serve and please him. And his job is to protect her. But who will protect her from him?

Nora Roberts never, and I mean never, fails to draw me into her stories. From the first few pages I knew this was going to be a great read! If you are a Nora Roberts fan, add this to your TBR list! St. Martin's Press will be releasing this on May 26th! And look for my full review in the next few weeks! (BTW, Did you know that Nora Roberts has written 225 novels!?!) Thank you St. Martin's Press for the ebook of The Final Target to read and review!

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Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews... from the publisher: Maeve and Therese Dunigan are sisters--but the two have been estranged for years. They could not be more opposite: Maeve is the rule-follower and Therese is the rebel. But when their mother's death brings the family back together, the two find that they have inherited a painting--one that could be worth millions and could save each of them from the wolves at their door. The only issue is whether it’s real or a fake --and the only way they can prove that theirs is the real McCoy is to solve the mystery of how this portrait of an Anglo-Irish aristocrat made its way to their childhood home in Savannah, GA. This means a road trip--to Ireland, to their family roots, and to a mysterious crime that occurred generations ago. With tensions simmering, the two hit the road and find themselves on twisty lanes, in colorful villages, at local pubs, and with handsome men whose gift of the gab is surpassed only by their charm. Can Maeve and Therese actually survive the journey without killing each other? 

Believe it or not, this is my first Mary Kay Andrews book! And after reading over half this book in the last few days, she is now one of my favorite writers! OMG, this book is just great! I love the story, the characters the setting. Why haven't I read her before?! Another book coming from publisher St. Martin's Press on June 2nd. So after you finish reading The Final Target by Nora Roberts, you need to read Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews. And then I need to start reading the Mary Kay Andrews backlist. Thank you again St. Martin's press for the eBook to read and review!

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A Fate Worse that Drowning by Sarah L. Hawthorn... from the publisher: A year ago, Elle made a deal with the devil to save her sister. Now, they live on a desolate spit of land beyond Halifax harbor. Elle, as lighthouse keeper, steers unsuspecting sailors to their destruction; those are the terms of her bargain. Liney need never know the cost. Her safety is worth every drop of blood. But a sinner's pact is not so simple. When the devil returns, demanding more – more shipwrecks, no survivors – Elle knows what she must do to keep Liney safe... Another ship. Another crew killed in the devil's name. Then a woman washes ashore. Is she a soul to be sacrificed, or part of a darker design? As Liney and the stranger grow closer, Elle faces an impossible choice: kill, and break Liney's heart, or forfeit her own soul.  Danger arises from all sides: the merciless sea, ruthless men on the mainland, and the infernal bargain itself…

Wow, talk about atmospheric and eery. Like a gothic ghost story, the author really captures the mood of the story and pulls you in. The writing is so fluid. Hard to believe this is a debut novel. I'm almost finished with this and can't believe how quickly I was turning those pages. This book will be published by Poisened Pen Press , a division of Sourcebooks, on July 21st. Review coming soon... Thank you Poisened Pen Press for a copy of the ebook to read and review!

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Dear Missing Friend by Susan McGuirk... from the publisher: Through letters exchanged across oceans and Manhattan streets, Irish immigrant Catherine McGuirk navigates love, ambition, and heartbreak. Torn between her seafaring husband, the suitor she once refused, and her own dreams, Catherine’s fate unfolds in an intimate, epistolary saga of passion, resilience, and 19th-century life.

Epistolary novels seem all the rage these days. I've always loved that style of book. AND this book is wonderful! Omg, the writing, the story, and the characters and all so well written, you feel as though you are taken back in time and living life thru the eyes of Catherine. If you love historical fiction, this book is for you. More about the book, and writer Susan McGuirk, when I review it (coming soon too!) Dear Missing Friend will be published by Sea Cow Press on May 19th! Thank you, Sea Cow Press, for the ebook to read and review!

I was reading a post on substack about reading more than one novel at a time. Different books for different moods. With all these books finding their way into my Kindle this past week, I was reading more than one book, alternating between Kindle and Kobo (I had to buy the later because I had an epub book I wanted to read). I'm finishing up Road Trip right now, and then I'll move on to finish the other books this week too. It was kind of interesting having more than one book going at a time.

 Do you have more than one book going at a time?

Weekly Wrap-up... (really 2 weeks!)

January 19th... Memoir Monday... It's a bit unusual to call a book of poetry a memoir, but in Billy Collins' case, his book of poetry Water, Water feels that way to me. Read about it by following this link to Memoir Monday.

January 21st...Review of Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burk.

January 29th... Review of Sisterhood: A Hydde St. Story by Maytal Zchut

Feb. 4th... Review of A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumbar

Feb. 6th... First Lines Friday (follow the link to read the first lines of a Romantasy the has all the word abuzz!)

Feb. 13th... First Lines Friday (follow the link to a Romantasy with a enemies to lover twist!)

What new books have you picked up lately?

Lots of great reading the last few weeks and it isn't even Spring yet! . I Hope you found something that piqued your interest! All of these books today have piqued mine. Come back this week for some reviews, First Lines and a great Monday Memoir!

Happy reading... Suzanne

Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story by Maytal Zchut... A Review

It’s a friendship to die for… or at least everyone else will.

Writer Maytal Zchut delivers a beautifully dark, atmospheric story about toxic friendships, revenge, and pure evil. Add in horror and the supernatural, and you get Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story. The artwork by Leila Leiz is absolutely gorgeous and perfectly complements the haunting tale of Sophie and Violet—lifelong friends, closer than sisters—until a tragic accident leaves Violet dead.

Sophie is devastated beyond measure. Her life unravels… until she stumbles into the hands of the Sisterhood, who promise to help her heal. But as always, be careful what you wish for.

That’s when the story truly takes off. I was flying through the pages, completely hooked. I loved these girls and their story—dark, tragic, and yes, violent. It begs the question: how far would you go for your BFF?

Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story collects all five original comics in the series and includes a chilling bonus story, It Happened on Hyde Street: Devour, where it’s “get fit or die trying.” It’s an equally twisted tale that tackles body shaming taken to horrifying extremes.

Put this on your TBR list! You'll have to wait a few months though... Image Comics will be releasing this on April 28th, 2026! 

I want to thank Image Comics for the eGalley of Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story! I really loved it.

Yesteryear by ..... a Review

Wow, my head is spinning a bit after reading the final pages of Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. Here's the dirt (Literally)...

Meet snarky Natalie Heller Mills, pioneer woman/tradwife, and social media influencer who shows her millions of followers how life is so much better on Yesteryear Ranch, with traditional values, hard work (those cows aren't going to milk themselves) and farm fresh produce. No one need know that the kitchen is actually a top of the line kitchen with all the modern conveniences a girl could want, that she has two nannies for her "perfect" children, and that the crops aren't quite organic. And to top it off, she hires a producer to make all her content absolutely perfect... then one day, Natalie wakes up to find herself pulled back in time to the 1850's, where Yesteryear Ranch is an honest to goodness working farm, with no electricity, no modern plumbing and no modern conveniences. Plus, she has children that call her Mama, but she has no idea who they are. But she remembers children, just not these children. The one constant in all this, is her husband Caleb... who seems the same, but doesn't seem "right". What the heck is going on?! Is this a bad dream? Is she going crazy? You'll be desperate to find out.

Yesteryear is dark, funny at times, and it's also very sad. Want to know the price of fame and an Instagram account with a zillion followers? Ask Natalie. The story goes back and forth between both "worlds", with Natalie as our narrator. As she navigates both stories, we see the struggle she has with being perfect for the camera and for the people around her. As the reader, we get to see the persona behind her mask... and it's a doozy! I found her snarky, judgmental, and conniving. I didn't like her at first because of all those things, but eventually she drew me into her world and I couldn't stop turning the pages. She is a really interesting character! What a story! (BTW, we also get to learn about Natalie before all the fame, and that's a story in itself.)

This is definitely a must read for 2026. The way the story played out, in what seemed like two parallel worlds, was so interesting. And you're going to want to meet Natalie for sure... P.S. Lots of great discussion for any book club. 

Put this on your TBR list! You'll have to wait a few months... 

Yesteryear will be published on April 7th, 2026 by Penguin Random House

Thank you Penguin Random House for the early access and eBook! I really enjoyed it!

#Yesteryear #Netgalley

Memoir Monday... Billy Collins Shares Memories... and I Share a Review for Water, Water

Water, Water poems by Billy Collins

 

Memoirs are basically the memories of someone's life. For Billy Collins, his poems are snippets of observations and memories, which makes me conclude that each one of his books of poetry are like small memoirs. We find him casually looking at a girl at a bus stop, experiencing a spring afternoon, observing that a crow has a birthday. What makes Billy Collins a brilliant poet is that he writes about everyday things. He is accessible... we can read one of his poems and smile at how he points out to us something we've never thought about or seen before. 

In the poem Fire, he reflects on how he's "enjoying reading Lonesome Dove", but he wouldn't be grabbing it if he were running out of the house during a fire. In Ode to Joy, he points out how "she visits him on a regular basis", how it doesn't take much for that to happen, and tells us of some of the simple things that make him happy, like "just eating a banana". And these simple comparisons, and even the not so simple comparisons, will make you think about these things in your life.

In Water, Water, Billy Collins is definitely at his best. His wry humor (about not having any Grannies to write about) or his casual observances (how it takes two hours for a snowflake to fall to the ground and see all the things you can do in that time) make this collection of poems wonderful. I don't want to ruin the experience of reading these poems for the first time and the little surprises you get by doing so, by talking too much about them individually. You'll have to trust me that Billy Collins is brilliant and knows how to take pen to paper.  

If you're not a "poetry person", a person who has been turned off in the past by poetry (Maybe you burned out on Robert Frost?), please ignore all of that and open Water, Water by Billy Collins. You will smile and you will change your mind about poetry too. It's not a book you'll want to rush thru, it's the kind of book where you'll enjoy a poem or two every day, when you first get up in the morning or in the quiet of the evening when the world stands still just for a moment while you read. 

Here is a link to the preview of the book and the poem, Winter Trivia...

Published November 19, 2024 by Random House Publishing. I want to thank the publishers for sending along the eBook of Water, Water! I loved it! 

#NetGalley