Literary Quote of the Month

"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies," said Jojen. "The man who never reads lives only one." - George R.R. Martin, A Dance With Dragons

Showing posts with label Poisened Pen Press. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Poisened Pen Press. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

New Release Tuesday (on Wednesday!?!) ... Dangerous Vampires, Second Chances & Sweet Revenge...

Tuesday brought us some great reading! 
Let's get right into them...

Dhampira by Amy Pennza... A long-lost noble of the ruthless vampire court discovers she might not need to choose between her two suitors.

Corinthe has spent a lifetime longing for excitement outside her sleepy human village. As a dhampir born of a human mother and vampire father, her unique abilities make her desired by those who lurk across the Feyline—the boundary that keeps the magical realm in perpetual twilight where vampires hold dominion. To stay safe, she’s concealed her supernatural strength and taste for blood from her human neighbors, but when her yearning for excitement accidentally exposes her gifts, she is captured to sell to the highest bidder.

Terrified, she expects the worst. But rescue comes in the form of Vander, a handsome stranger who whisks her from the auction stage and across the Feyline . . . where he reveals himself to be a vampire knight of King Rasimir’s court. Notorious for his cruelty, the deranged king is determined to extend his rule to the farthest reaches, and Vander has been tasked with delivering Corinthe to him.

Now a pawn in the vampire court, Corinthe learns that Rasimir intends to marry her off to the arrogant Prince Lorcan and exploit her daywalking abilities for his own gain. But a wedding isn’t the only obstacle in her path to freedom. While Vander burns with dangerous charm, Lorcan watches her with hungry eyes. And both men claim they can help her—if she can trust them.

I chose this as one of my Allurial book choses this month! And this romantasy sounds like quite the adventure! I loved that this book had vampires! Published by Ace Publishing.

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Tropesick by Lauren Okie... In this lush, slow-burning romance, two childhood neighbors, connected by a shared tragedy, unexpectedly reunite to ghostwrite a love story for a reclusive author. Spending the summer at her secluded Hamptons estate, they soon discover that dozens of classic romance tropes, including the ones they’re crafting on page, are mysteriously playing out in real life.

Katie Caruso is a completely normal twenty-five-year-old girl. At least, for the past eight years, she’s tried to be. She likes glitter and sequins and flirting with cute boys at New York City bars. She’s also a ghostwriter for Meredith Bradford, the bestselling romance novelist of all time. But then Tyler McNally walks back into Katie’s life, and that bedazzled facade crumbles at her platform-sneakered feet.

Katie and Tyler haven’t seen or spoken to each other since the overdose death of Katie’s older brother, a standout MLB pitching prospect. Tyler was her brother’s best friend, and Katie—naturally—was the girl next door. But now, Tyler is a sleeve-tattooed, Ivy League–educated aspiring literary fiction novelist, nine years sober . . . and Katie’s writing partner for the summer.

As genre conventions require, Katie and Tyler soon find themselves removed from Manhattan and instead writing their love story in “forced proximity” at Meredith’s isolated Southampton home. As the summer unfolds, the tropes Katie and Tyler have written into their novel begin to play out in their own lives. Call it destiny, fate, or magic itself: it’s clear their love story isn’t finished. This time, though, they’ll work through the pain that tore them apart—and fight for their happy ending.

Heart-wrenching and tender, Tropesick is a love letter to the romance genre. With a wink and a nod, Okie has packed the novel with readers’ favorite tropes:

Grumpy/Sunshine.. Brother’s best friend.. Girl next door.. Forced proximity.. Forbidden love.. Kissing in the rain.. Groveling hero.. Second-chance romance.. Slow burn.. Only one bed

When I read about this book and it said ALL those tropes were packed into it, I just had to put it on my TBR list! This sounds like fun! Published by Avon.

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Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood... A heartbroken romance novelist is forced to address her writer's block when the villainous cowboy character from her books shows up in the real world, desperately in need of his own Happily Ever After.

Gertie Bickerstaff writes happily-ever-afters for a living. . . . Or she did, until her own love life fell apart. Now her ex is thriving, her deadline is looming, and she can’t write a single word.

The last thing Gertie needs is more drama—like waking up to find a confused and rugged cowboy on her sofa. And not just any cowboy, but River Oakley, the villain from her unfinished novel. Somehow very real . . . and very shirtless.

River wants to go home. Gertie wants her life back. So they strike a deal: he’ll use his cunning ways to help her win back her ex, she’ll finish the novel, and, surely, he’ll return to whatever world he rode in from.

But as River Oakley proves to be so much more than just the bad guy, Gertie has to choose: the ending she thought she wanted . . . or the plot twist she never saw coming.

Okay, I can't resist characters coming off the page and when I read the premise of this book I HAD to put this on my TBR list too! We all know that the Cowboy probably gets the girl, but getting there will be the fun part! Published by Berkley.

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You Girls Play Nice by KD Aldyn... A chilling, "Good for Her" revenge thriller that paints a searing picture of friendship, justice, and vengeance, both imagined and actualized, that will leave you questioning how far would you go to avenge your friend?

Four friends. Four plans for revenge. One secret killer. 

Helen Wyatt is brutally murdered, her four best friends anxiously wait in the courtroom to ensure justice is served. But when her attacker is acquitted of all charges, the women decide to get revenge. 

Hypothetically, of course. 

The friends host a girl's night, each presenting a different way they would kill the culprit to avenge Helen. It's a silly thing, a way to ease their grief. Until, a week later, a murder is discovered that mirrors one of their imagined killings. Then another. What started as a cathartic exercise soon ends in carnage, with suspicion quickly falling on the four friends.

Someone has discovered their secrets. And now, the women will have to hunt down who is framing them for murder. Or, even more chillingly, question who among them may be capable of being a killer themselves…

Oh, we just had to have this in our new release tuesday list! Oh I love a good murder mystery and love the premise of this story! I can't wait to read it!! Published by Poisoned Pen Press. 

What are you adding to your TBR list??


Sunday, February 15, 2026

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

Professional Reader
Reviews Published
Professional Reader