Showing posts with label Iris Johansen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iris Johansen. Show all posts

Monday, July 7, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #735, July 7th

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week...and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well...you never know where that next "must read" book will come from!
What happened in the past week:

Weekly Memes:
It's Monday! What Are You Reading #734
Teaser Tuesday #742
WWW Wednesday #742
WOW #738
Will the Time Come #735
Third Sentence Thursday #725
Random Reads #711
First Lines Friday #738
Book Blogger Hop #404
Monthly ARC's Update 122
The Reward Challenge Update #720
Wheel of TBR #267
How Well I Stuck to It #572
Wrote that Review Update #569

Week 27 Reviews:
OK, so I got 38 posts in 7 days, and it was a pretty good week, though I have been sucked into playing a mobile game, and having less time for reading, let alone blogging, since I'm about a week behind right now, but I'm catching up! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Through Gates of Garnet and Gold! 

A fan-favorite character returns in this action-packed instalment of the Hugo Award-winning Wayward Children series.

After Nancy was cast out of the Halls of the Dead and forced to enroll at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children, she never believed she'd find her door again, and when she did, she didn't look back. She disappeared from the school to resume her place in the Halls, never intending to return.

Years have passed. A darkness has descended on the Halls, and the living statues who populate them are dying at the hands of the already dead. The Lord and Lady who rule the land are helpless to stop the slaughter, forcing Nancy to leave the Halls again, this time on purpose, as she attempts to seek much-needed help from her former schoolmates.

But who would volunteer to quest in a world where the dead roam freely?

And why are the dead so intent on adding to their number?
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Saturday, July 5, 2025

Week 27 Review: The Death Mask

From Goodreads:
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen comes a new thriller starring Eve Duncan as she races against time to protect her beloved family from a merciless killer.
  
World-renowned forensic sculptor Eve Duncan's skills frequently make her a target. And in this epic adventure, they make her the first choice to create an Egyptian death mask for a nefarious potential client. But Eve cannot be bought, not for all the riches in a gold mine. Her would-be employer soon realizes that he must threaten the lives of those she holds dear to procure Eve’s services and force her to travel to Africa to mold the priceless mask.

Eve knows that her husband, Joe Quinn, is out there somewhere, searching tirelessly for a way to help. Joe has back-up from Alex Dominic, a mercenary for hire, but nothing will make it easier to set his emotions aside in order to navigate the impenetrable jungle and mastermind a breathtaking escape.

Against an unpredictable enemy, Eve and Joe must each focus on their own unique abilities to get out alive. The future of their love and their family depends upon it.

My Review:


Author: Iris Johansen 
Series: Eve Duncan #31
Read: June 28th, 2025
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing 
Published: June 24th, 2025
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars
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Monday, June 30, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #734, June 30th

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week...and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well...you never know where that next "must read" book will come from!
What happened in the past week:

Weekly Memes:
It's Monday! What Are You Reading #733
Teaser Tuesday #741
WWW Wednesday #741
WOW #737
Will the Time Come #734
Third Sentence Thursday #724
Random Reads #710
First Lines Friday #737
Book Blogger Hop #403
Monthly ARC's Update 121
21 Books to Read in 2021 Update 45
The Reward Challenge Update #719
Wheel of TBR #266
How Well I Stuck to It #571
Wrote that Review Update #568

Week 26 Reviews:

Phase Out Your Seriesathon: 

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 
Random:

OK, so I got 43 posts in 7 days, and it was a pretty good week, I read some really fantastic books, and I did fall behind on blogging, I've gotten sucked into a mobile game, so instead of blogging I've been playing this game on my phone, so I've been playing catch up when I can, and I'm getting close to catching up! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Isles of the Emberdark and Tenderly, I Am Devoured!

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson comes a legendary standalone novel that navigates the seas and the stars of a far-future Cosmere. Illustrated by Esther Hi’ilani Candari.

All his life, Sixth of the Dusk has been a traditional trapper of Aviar—the supernatural birds his people bond with—on the deadly island of Patji. Then one fateful night he propels his people into a race to modernize before they can be conquered by the Ones Above, invaders from the stars who want to exploit the Aviar.

But it’s a race they’re losing, and Dusk fears his people will lose themselves in the effort. When a chance comes to sail into the expanse of the emberdark beyond a mystical portal, Dusk sets off to find his people’s salvation with only a canoe, his birds, and all the grit and canniness of a Patji trapper.

Elsewhere in the emberdark is a young dragon chained in human Starling of the starship Dynamic. She and her ragtag crew of exiles are deep in debt and on the brink of losing their freedom. So when she finds an ancient map to a hidden portal between the emberdark and the physical realm, she seizes the chance at a lucrative discovery.

These unlikely allies might just be the solution to each other’s crisis. In their search for independence, Dusk and Starling face perilous bargains, poisonous politics, and the destructive echo of a dead god.

Sanderson expands his thrilling novella “Sixth of the Dusk” into a mythic novel of legends, lore, and warring galactic superpowers.
Perfect for fans of Saltburn, For the Wolf, and House of Hollow, Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a moody, monstrously Gothic romantasy in which a young woman must bind herself to a dangerous chthonic demon with the help of the son of a rival family to save her family's legacy―and herself―from ruin.

Expelled from her prestigious boarding school following a violent incident, eighteen-year-old Lacrimosa Arriscane returns home in disgrace to discover her family on the point of financial ruin. Desperate to save them, she accepts a marriage of convenience… to Therion, the chthonic god worshipped by Lark’s isolated coastal hometown.

But when her betrothal goes horribly wrong, Lark begins to vanish from the mortal realm. Her only hope is to seek help from Alastair Felimath: the brilliant, arrogant boy who was her first heartbreak, and his alluring older sister, Camille. As the trio delve into the folklore of gods, Lark falls under the spell of the Felimath siblings.

Ensnared by a fervent romance, they perform a bacchanalia with hopes the hedonistic ritual will repair the connection between Lark and her bridegroom. Instead, they draw the ire of something much darker, which seeks to destroy Therion―and Lark as well.
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Saturday, June 28, 2025

Phase Out Your Seriesathon Update 48

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your Seriesathon, and it was The Death Mask which is for the prompt Adapted, and I'll be reading I Don't Know next! 

My Reading Journey:
Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong
Prompt Fulfilled: Features Major Event
Started On: January 18th
Finished On: January 18th, 2:28 PM
Pages Read: 441

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
Prompt Fulfilled: Title has J, Q, X, Z-X
Started On: January 21st 
Finished On: January 21st, 9:41 PM
Pages Read: 554

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani 
Prompt Fulfilled:  Last Letter First
Started On: January 22nd
Finished On: January 22nd, 4:28 PM
Pages Read: 355

Surrender of the Brutal King by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 1 Book 1
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 4:31 PM
Pages Read: 205

Sacrifice of the Brave King by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 1 Book 2
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 8:26 PM
Pages Read: 289

The Dryad Storm by Laurie Forest
Prompt Fulfilled: Big Book
Started On: January 28th
Finished On: January 28th, 9:47 PM
Pages Read: 752

Return of the Vengeful Queen by C.J. Redwine 
Prompt Fulfilled: Finish
Started On: January 30th
Finished On: January 30th, 11:04 AM
Pages Read: 400

I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea
Prompt Fulfilled: All 5 Vowels In Title
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 2:00 PM
Pages Read: 336

The Bond That Burns by Briar Boleyn
Prompt Fulfilled: 75% Cover Must Be Fav Color
Started On: February 13th
Finished On: February 13th, 4:27 PM
Pages Read: 583

Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert
Prompt Fulfilled: Exactly 2 POVS
Started On: February 13th
Finished On: February 13th, 8:42 PM
Pages Read: 336

Charming Devil by Rebecca Kenney
Prompt Fulfilled: Excited For
Started On: February 14th
Finished On: February 14th, 2:17 PM
Pages Read: 384

The Dragon King by Penelope Barsetti
Prompt Fulfilled: Favorite Color
Started On: February 14th
Finished On: February 14th, 11:41 PM
Pages Read: 436

Gabriel's Rapture by Sylvain Reynard
Prompt Fulfilled: No If, Of, And, An, But, Or, The
Started On: February 16th
Finished On: February 16th, 11:46 AM
Pages Read: 449

Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 3 Book 1
Started On: February 19th
Finished On: February 19th, 2:41 PM
Pages Read: 416

Chaos King by Kacen Callender
Prompt Fulfilled: BIPOC Rep
Started On: February 19th
Finished On: February 19th, 9:31 PM
Pages Read: 400

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler
Prompt Fulfilled: Building
Started On: March 1st
Finished On: March 1st, 7:17 PM
Pages Read: 384

Shadow's Heart by Kresley Cole
Prompt Fulfilled: Pub In Last 3 Months
Started On: March 8th
Finished On: March 8st, 6:41 PM
Pages Read: 386

Lessons With the Mothman by Kathryn Moon
Prompt Fulfilled: 6 Or More Colors
Started On: March 12th
Finished On: March 12th, 7:58 PM
Pages Read: 295

The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 1
Started On: March 15th
Finished On: March 15th, 10:25 PM
Pages Read: 560

The Ending Fire by Saara El-Arifi
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 2
Started On: March 16th 
Finished On: March 16th, 9:17 PM
Pages Read: 512

Holy Terrors by Margaret Owen
Prompt Fulfilled: Finish A Series
Started On: March 24th 
Finished On: March 24th, 12:21 PM
Pages Read: 560

Rebel in the Deep by Katee Robert 
Prompt Fulfilled: LGBTQIA+ Rep
Started On: March 24th
Finished On: March 24th, 2:27 PM
Pages Read: 352

The Dark Days Pact by Alison Goodman
Prompt Fulfilled: Complete
Started On: March 25th
Finished On: March 25th, 3:42 PM
Pages Read: 512

Seduced by a Rogue by Amanda Scott
Prompt Fulfilled: Backlist
Started On: March 28th
Finished On: March 28th, 5:19 PM
Pages Read: 373

Blacksouls by Nicole Castroman
Prompt Fulfilled: Black & White Cover
Started On: March 31st
Finished On: March 31st, 2:01 PM
Pages Read: 400

The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy 
Prompt Fulfilled: Wheel Spin 1
Started On: April 1st
Finished On: April 1st, 7:29 PM
Pages Read: 496

My Savage Empire by Steffanie Holmes
Prompt Fulfilled: 3 Or More POVS
Started On: April 3rd
Finished On: April 3rd, 3:04 PM
Pages Read: 398

The Nightshade God by Hannah Whitten
Prompt Fulfilled: Multi POV
Started On: April 4th
Finished On: April 4th, 8:39 PM
Pages Read: 480

Of Mice and Murder by Steffanie Holmes
Prompt Fulfilled: 5 Or More Books 1
Started On: April 5th
Finished On: April 5th, 1:47 PM
Pages Read: 266

Pride and Premeditation by Steffanie Holmes
Prompt Fulfilled: 5 Or More Books 2
Started On: April 5th
Finished On: April 5th, 7:17 PM
Pages Read: 308

Memoirs of a Garroter by Steffanie Holmes
Prompt Fulfilled: 5 Or More Books 3
Started On: April 6th
Finished On: April 6th, 2:52 PM
Pages Read: 278

Prose and Cons by Steffanie Holmes
Prompt Fulfilled: 5 Or More Books 4
Started On: April 6th
Finished On: April 6th, 6:19 PM
Pages Read: 288

A Novel Way to Die by Steffanie Holmes
Prompt Fulfilled: 5 Or More Books 5
Started On: April 6th
Finished On: April 6th, 10:35 PM
Pages Read: 286

Fearless by Lauren Roberts
Prompt Fulfilled: New
Started On: April 9th
Finished On: April 9th, 12:28 PM
Pages Read: 608

Alchemy and a Cup of Tea by Rebecca Thorne
Prompt Fulfilled: Cozy
Started On: April 11th
Finished On: April 11th, 10:49 AM
Pages Read: 320

Poison Flower by Steffanie Holmes
Prompt Fulfilled: Disability Rep
Started On: April 16th
Finished On: April 16th, 4:17 PM
Pages Read: 620

Express Male by Elizabeth Bevarly
Prompt Fulfilled: Starts & Ends With Same Letter
Started On: April 17th
Finished On: April 17th, 6:48 PM
Pages Read: 376

Much Ado About Murder by Steffanie Holmes
Prompt Fulfilled: 5 Or More Books
Started On: April 18th
Finished On: April 18th, 12:28 PM
Pages Read: 230

Crime and Publishing by Steffanie Holmes
Prompt Fulfilled: Animal
Started On: April 18th
Finished On: April 18th, 3:51 PM
Pages Read: 238

The Charlie Method by Elle Kennedy
Prompt Fulfilled: Wheel Spin 2
Started On: April 19th
Finished On: April 19th, 5:58 PM
Pages Read: 528

Reluctant Witch by Melissa Marr
Prompt Fulfilled: Rep
Started On: April 26th
Finished On: April 26th, 1:28 PM
Pages Read: 320

Children of Fallen Gods by Carissa Broadbent
Prompt Fulfilled: Random Number
Started On: April 27th
Finished On: April 27th, 3:38 PM
Pages Read: 636

Atonement Sky by Nalini Singh
Prompt Fulfilled: In Progress
Finished On: May 1st, 6:19 PM
Pages Read: 432

Silver and Lead by Seanan McGuire
Prompt Fulfilled: Single POV
Started On: May 4th
Finished On: May 4th, 2:17 PM
Pages Read: 400

A Curse Carved in Bone by Danielle L. Jensen
Prompt Fulfilled: Free
Started On: May 17th
Finished On: May 17th, 10:38 PM
Pages Read: 416

The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam by Megan Bannen
Prompt Fulfilled: Want To Visit
Started On: May 25th
Finished On: May 25th, 7:10 PM
Pages Read: 432

Heir of Light by Michelle Sagara
Prompt Fulfilled: Birthday Month
Started On: May 28th
Finished On: May 28th, 6:03 PM
Pages Read: 496

The Death Mask by Iris Johansen
Prompt Fulfilled: Adapted
Started On: June 29th
Finished On: June 29th, 5:12 PM
Pages Read: 371

Prompts Left: Nature, Colourful Cover, People, Small Book, TBR Vet, Title has J, Q, X, Z-J, Title has J, Q, X, Z-Q, Title has J, Q, X, Z-Z, Translate, In Progress, Series You Avoid 1, Series You Avoid 2, Poll Pick, TBR Vet By Pub Date
Books Read: 48
Pages Read: 20421
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Week 26 Review: On the Hunt

From Goodreads:
#1 New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen introduces a bold new heroine—and her search-and-rescue dog—as Kira Drake begins an international search for an elusive killer.

Kira Drake has come to Paris with her highly trained Golden Retriever, Mack, to investigate the horrific bombing of a museum in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.  What she doesn't know is that one powerful man has a special reason to find the person responsible.
 
Jack Harlan has all the money in the world, but it can't bring his brother back. His sibling was murdered during the theft of a scientific discovery that could have made the world a better place. Now, after a four-year search, Harlan learns that this bombing was the work of the same twisted man. 
 
Kira and her dog are in demand from law enforcement agencies all over the world, but Harlan convinces her to continue the investigation for his own purposes, wherever it may lead. So against her better judgment, Kira finds herself on the hunt, placing her trust in Harlan. For what she hopes is justice. When what he may be seeking is vengeance.

My Review:


Author: Iris Johansen 
Series: Kira Drake #1
Read: June 27th, 2025 
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Love her writing and it sounded really good, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing 
Published: September 3rd 2024
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars
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Friday, June 27, 2025

First Lines Friday #737, June 27th

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. We encourage all of our fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

-Grab your current read(s)
-Share the first line(s)
-Include the title and author so that other FLF participants can add the book to their TBR Lists!

"Damn, it was still burning. Kira Drake and her dog, Mack, moved through the fiery rubble of what was once one of the most beautiful museums in Paris. There was almost nothing left of the glass buildings and picturesque grounds. It had been more than thirty-six hours since a string of explosions had decimated the museum, and a dark haze still lingered, almost completely obscuring the Eiffel Tower, which loomed over the scene from just blocks away. The tower and the businesses within a radius of almost a mile were closed, and the surrounding neighborhoods were cordoned off to everyone except investigators and rescue workers." -On the Hunt by Iris Johansen 

That doesn't sound good! Must read more now! What about you guys? Happy reading! 
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Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Waiting on Wednesday #735, June 11th

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating! 

Writing Mr. Wrong by Kelley Armstrong 
Expected Publication: June 24th, 2025
From Goodreads:
The #1 New York Times bestselling author delivers a fun romantic comedy about a woman reconnecting with her high school ex after writing him into her latest romance book. 
Gemma hasn’t written in years, but post-divorce, she dove back into writing romance. When her proposal didn’t sell, she became convinced it was because no one wanted her nice-guy heroes and decided to write and absolute Mr. Wrong…based on her first crush, Mason Moretti, now a star hockey player. She’s sure no one will make the connection between her highland laird and an NHL enforcer. Of course, someone does, and her secret is out. 

Mason is going through some drama of his own as an aging hockey player, and when his “reunion-cute” with Gemma goes viral, he proposes some media-worthy fake dating to help her book. Which is so sweet and not at all to help solve his own image problem. Gemma reluctantly agrees. Mason convinces Gemma to go away with him so she can finish her overdue second book while giving him anti-asshole lessons. And if he really just wants to get time away with her, that’s not an bad move, right? Or is it? 

The Death Mask by Iris Johansen
Expected Publication: June 24th, 2025
From Goodreads:
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen comes a new thriller starring Eve Duncan as she races against time to protect her beloved family from a merciless killer.
  
World-renowned forensic sculptor Eve Duncan’s skills frequently make her a target. And in this epic adventure, they make her the first choice to create an Egyptian death mask for a nefarious potential client. But Eve cannot be bought, not for all the riches in a gold mine. Her would-be employer soon realizes that he must threaten the lives of those she holds dear to procure Eve’s services and force her to travel to Africa to mold the priceless mask.

Eve knows that her husband, Joe Quinn, is out there somewhere, searching tirelessly for a way to help. Joe has back-up from Alex Dominic, a mercenary for hire, but nothing will make it easier to set his emotions aside in order to navigate the impenetrable jungle and mastermind a breathtaking escape.

Against an unpredictable enemy, Eve and Joe must each focus on their own unique abilities to get out alive. The future of their love and their family depends upon it.

Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman
Expected Publication: June 24th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Set in the world of New York Times bestseller Seraphina, a boy on the run from a dragon — among other dangers — seeks refuge in a haunted abbey in this wholly original YA ghost story about what haunts us, and what connects us.

A few things to know about the town of St. Muckle' It's too out-of-the-way to interest greedy lords, and too damp and muddy for marauding dragons to burn. And anyone, from a humble serf to a runaway nun, may earn their freedom by living for a year and a day within the town walls. Seven years ago, Charl and his mother fled to St. Muckle's and made it their safe-haven, building a new life in this so-called Peasant's Paradise. But when Charl sees something impossible — a ghost — soon the embers of his past are threatening to engulf his world in flames. A tragic accident is quickly followed by murder, a deadly plague, and a mercenary dragon. 

Charl manages to escape to an abandoned abbey outside of town, but finds no safety within those ruined walls. A treacherous nun, a chorus of murdered girls, and the fearsome Battle Bishop await, ready to ensnare him in a complex web of history, magic, and fate. For some things should never be forgotten, however much they haunt us, and Charl will need all his wisdom and resiliency if he is to fight for the world he knows . . . and the people he calls home.

Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow
Expected Publication: June 24th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Discover the magical world of Nevermoor and the adventures of Morrigan Crow in this bestselling, award-winning series for fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society and His Dark Materials . Enter a place of hope and imagination in this Wundrous series...

Morrigan Crow is ready for a new adventure. In  The Mystery of Morrigan Crow , we will travel to places in Nevermoor that we've never seen, we'll meet people from Morrigan's past who will be very important in untangling the mystery of who she is...as she sides with someone very dangerous to learn more of the Wundrous Arts.


Heiress Among Thieves by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
Expected Publication: June 24th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Stealing from her rich family was supposed to be a fun winter getaway for teen mastermind Olivia Owens, but when a rival thief, a love triangle, and a murder suspect interfere, she’ll have to decide how far she’s willing to go for the vault full of gold—and for the boy she loves.

When teen heiress and heist leader Olivia Owens receives an invitation for her cold-hearted grandmother’s seventieth birthday at the family’s inherited Swiss castle, only one thing entices her to the vault full of gold waiting in the castle’s frigid dungeons. Assembling her old crew of high school criminals, now including her boyfriend Jackson, Olivia feels more prepared than ever for grand theft.
 
But not everything is what it seems when they arrive. For starters, the reunion turns out to be less of a party and more of a wake. Her grandmother announces that she’s dying … and plans to be buried with her fortune. Suddenly the entire greedy Owens clan turns their eyes toward Olivia’s target. It’s hard enough to steal something everyone’s looking at, but an old backstabber, a new suitor, and an uninvited guest add fuel to the fire until Olivia is desperately trying to hold the pieces of her plan—and her crew—together.
 
As Olivia faces her family’s dark legacy of deceit, grift, and maybe even murder, she's forced to weigh how deeply she loves Jackson with how her love might destroy him. She didn’t choose her family, but now she has to choose—who she loves, who she trusts, and who she’s willing to risk to get what she wants. In a family of thieves, this might cost her everything.

A Happy Marriage by A.R. Torre
Expected Publication: June 24th, 2025
From Goodreads:
What holds a strong and loving marriage together? Lies and secrets in a novel of twisting psychological suspense by a New York Times bestselling author.

Los Angeles homicide detective Dinah Marino may have a complicated relationship with her family, but her psychiatrist husband, Joe, makes her feel safe, secure, and happy. She couldn’t want for a more loving or trusting man. But throughout their ten-year marriage, she’s been keeping a secret from him—a secret she’d take to the grave.

Dr. Joe Marino loves his wife more than anything in this world, but there are things he’s learned to keep close to the chest. When a missing woman tied to his wife’s latest case is admitted to his hospital, doctor-patient confidentiality lands their marriage on some new and uneven ground.

As Dinah digs deeper into her case, tension works its way inside their picture-perfect home. Now the carefully constructed lies between them don’t just simply threaten the delicate balance of their marriage—they could kill.

A Legionnaire's Guide to Love and Peace by Emily Skrutskie
Expected Publication: June 24th, 2025
From Goodreads:
In this charming fantasy with a swoony friends-to-lovers romance, two soldiers must decide the futures they want in the wake of a last-chance hook-up on the night before the world was supposed to end.

On the eve of the battle that will decide the realm of Telrus’s fate, Katrien takes a hard look at her prospects. A mere legionnaire, she and her spear will be at the fore in the morning, facing off against the Demon Lord and his wretched army, and it’s all but certain she’ll perish in the fight. But if the end of the world is mere hours away, there’s no reason not to hook up with her handsome, dedicated battle partner Emory—despite any anti-fraternization policies their centurion may have in place.

Only, the world doesn’t end the next day. Instead, an insufferable prince raised in hiding comes out of nowhere with a plucky band of heroes, defeats the Demon Lord, and seals the rift to the hellish plane. The realm is saved. The war is over. And Kat suddenly has a lot more future than she knows what to do with. It’s a future that could include Emory . . . if only he weren’t so set on staying enlisted with the very army Kat was unwillingly drafted into.

And while the Demon Lord has been destroyed, peace is still a long march away. When Kat inadvertently draws the eye of the prince, she, Emory, and the rest of their motley unit are pulled to the fore of the formation—and the heart of the danger—as the army embarks on one last campaign. The mission: laying a road as a foundation for the prince’s future rule. The real mission: scouring the last of the Demon Lord’s servants from the material plane.

As Kat and Emory work to secure a lasting peace, they’ll have to decide what they want their futures to look like—and if there’s room for love at the end of the road.

The end of June has some really good anticipated reads, and I need them to be released! What about you guys? Happy reading! 
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Monday, July 29, 2024

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #686, July 29th

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week...and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well...you never know where that next "must read" book will come from!
What happened in the past week:

Weekly Memes:
It's Monday! What Are You Reading #685
Teaser Tuesday #693
WWW Wednesday #693
WOW #689
Will the Time Come #686
Third Sentence Thursday #676
Random Reads #662
First Lines Friday #689
Book Blogger Hop #355
Monthly ARC's Update 82
The Reward Challenge Update #671
Wheel of TBR #218
How Well I Stuck to It #523
Wrote that Review Update #520

Week 30 Reviews:
Apples Dipped in Gold

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

Phase Out Your TBR: 

OK, so I got 39 posts in 7 days, and it was a pretty good week, though I did get a migraine on Sunday, so I pretty much lost that day. But this coming week has some really great releases that I need to read now! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read The Grandest Game, The Mirror of Beasts, and Sanctuary!

Get caught up in the puzzles, games, danger, romance, and riches of this lush new chapter in the #1 bestselling Inheritance Games saga.

Seven tickets. An island of dreams. The chance of a lifetime.

Welcome to the Grandest Game, an annual competition run by billionaire Avery Grambs and the four infamous Hawthorne brothers, whose family fortune she inherited. Designed to give anyone a shot at fame and fortune, this year's game requires one of seven golden tickets to enter. With millions on the line, those seven players will do whatever it takes to win.

Some of the players are in it for the money. Some for power. Some for reasons all their own. Every single one of them has secrets. Amidst it all is Grayson Hawthorne, tasked with a vital role in this year's game. But as tensions rise and the mind-bending challenges push the players to their limits—physically, mentally, and emotionally—it soon becomes clear that not everyone is playing by the rules.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Lynn Barnes delivers a brand-new series in the world of The Inheritance Games, where fan-favorite and new characters collide in a game you’ll never forget.

Do you have what it takes to play?
With the dream of Avalon in ruins, Tamsin and her friends are all that stands in the way of Lord Death's plans to unleash the horrors of Anwnn on the world of the living. As the Wild Hunt carves a bloody path across continents, Tamsin is mustering allies, tracking down powerful artifacts, and traversing into new otherlands in search of a way to stop him.

Legend tells of a "Mirror of Beasts," powerful enough to trap even Lord Death in its accursed glass, but the mirror is not all that it seems. Tamsin must confront her own darkest secrets if she hopes to tap the mirror's strength to defeat her enemies.

Arthurian legend bleeds into contemporary action, and scars of the past are torn open anew by a starcrossed love that refuses to go quietly. This riveting conclusion to the Silver in the Bone duology will hold you in its thrall until the very last page.
It's not easy serving the Chernobog, the God of Destruction, Darkness and Death…especially during the holidays; and especially when you're out of eggnog and one of your pesky, freeloading mythic creatures has eaten your last cookie.

Roman would like nothing more than to be left alone, but when a wounded boy stumbles into his yard and begs for sanctuary, Roman takes him in. Now elite mercenaries are camped out on his property, combat mages are dousing the house with fire, and strange priests are unleashing arcane magic. They thought Roman was easy pickings, just a hermit in the woods, but they chose the wrong dark priest to annoy. For while Roman might be patient, he is the Black Volhv, filled with the love of his terrible god. For his adversaries, it's a fight to the death, but for him, it's just another day in the neighborhood.
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Saturday, July 27, 2024

Week 30 Review: Flashback

From Goodreads:
Kendra Michaels uses her heightened powers of deduction to draw out a serial killer who has not been seen or heard from in over fifteen years. Chloe and Sloane Morgan were only children when their mother was the second victim of the Bayside Strangler. Now, after spending fifteen years trying to discover his identity, the sisters have suddenly vanished. Were they getting too close to the truth? The police consider their interest in the crime to be just a coincidence and have little motivation to pursue the cold case.

Armed with the box of photos, videos, police reports, and notes gathered by the sisters over the years—plus the extraordinary senses from being blind before recovering her sight via a revolutionary surgical procedure—Kendra follows the sisters' trail of clues. Little does she realize that her search is about to unleash a long-dormant killer on San Diego. With help from government agent-for-hire Adam Lynch and private eye Jessie Mercado, Kendra must race to discover the identity of an infamous killer, not only to save the lives of the two sisters but also untold others.

My Review:


Authors: Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen  
Series: Kendra Michaels #11
Read: July 20th, 2024
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love their writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: June 25th 2024
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars
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Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Waiting on Wednesday #681, May 29th

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!
 
Know to the Victim by K.L. Armstrong
Expected Publication: June 25th, 2024
From Goodreads:
From nationally bestselling author K.L. Armstrong comes a new heartstopping, propulsive, race-against-the-clock thriller.

How far will you go to protect the only family you have?

When Amy Gibson's mother is brutally murdered by her boyfriend, Amy's world is completely undone. Overcome with grief and heartache, she withdraws from everything around her—college, her friends, her entire life. Until her estranged half-brother, Oliver, saves her, pulling her back into her life and giving her family. Giving her a home.

Eight years later, she's picked herself up and has worked hard to move forward. She’s the host of a popular true crime podcast that focuses on crimes against women committed by their partners and is finding purpose and healing through helping women in ways she couldn't help her mother.

And then Oliver is accused of the unthinkable—something that is so unlike him. Something that horrifies Amy. But desperate to save the only family she has, she sets out to prove her brother's innocence.

But as the days pass and more information about Oliver and his past slowly comes to light, Amy begins realizing that nothing is ever as it seems—especially when it comes to family.

Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong
Expected Publication: June 25th, 2024
From Goodreads:
#1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong delivers 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 already knows that as a female author, the cards are stacked against her. Now she knows just how much. Because her sudden whim to pose as an “outdoorsy hunk of masculinity” male author for her new book just resulted in the a bidding war, a huge book deal, and the kind of fame every author dreams of. Now she’s in big trouble. Because she needs to convince the world that Zane Remington actually exists . . . but how? By hiring an actor, of course. Only Chris Stanton is not an actor—not officially. He’s used to balancing the books, not pretending he wrote one. Still, he’s mostly certain he can pose as some overly macho bro-author. But when the media descend on Daphne’s gorgeous remote home in the Yukon, it’s not enough for Chris to just be the face of Zane Remington—he’ll have to become him. All while hilariously balancing the terrifying dangers of the wilderness, a massive femme fandom, and a serious crush on Daphne. But as the hype circus gets more out of control, it’s just a matter of time before someone discovers their little write lie . . .

A Ruse of Shadows by Sherry Thomas
Expected Publication: June 25th, 2024
From Goodreads:
Charlotte Holmes is accustomed to solving crimes, not being accused of them, but she finds herself in a dreadfully precarious position as the bestselling Lady Sherlock series continues.

Charlotte’s success on the RMS Provence has afforded her a certain measure of time and assurance. Taking advantage of that, she has been busy, plotting to prise the man her sister loves from Moriarty’s iron grip.

Disruption, however, comes from an unexpected quarter. Lord Bancroft Ashburton, disgraced and imprisoned as a result of Charlotte’s prior investigations, nevertheless manages to press Charlotte into service: Underwood, his most loyal henchman, is missing and Lord Bancroft wants Charlotte to find Underwood, dead or alive.

But then Lord Bancroft himself turns up dead and Charlotte, more than anyone else, meets the trifecta criteria of motive, means, and opportunity. Never mind rescuing anyone else, with the law breathing down her neck, can Charlotte save herself from prosecution for murder?

A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston
Expected Publication: June 25th, 2024
From Goodreads:
A professor of literature finds herself caught up in a work of fiction…literally, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Year Slip and The Dead Romantics.

Eileen Merriweather loves to get lost in a good happily-ever-after. The fictional kind, anyway. Because at least imaginary men don’t leave you at the altar. She feels safe in a book. At home. Which might be why she’s so set on going to her annual book club retreat this year—she needs good friends, cheap wine, and grand romantic gestures—no matter what.

But when her car unexpectedly breaks down on the way, she finds herself stranded in a quaint town that feels like it’s right out of a novel…

Because it is.

This place can’t be real, and yet… she’s here, in Eloraton, the town of her favorite romance series, where the candy store’s honey taffy is always sweet, the local bar’s burgers are always a little burnt, and rain always comes in the afternoon. It feels like home. It’s perfect—and perfectly frozen, trapped in the late author’s last unfinished story.

Elsy is sure that’s why she must be here: to help bring the town to its storybook ending.

Except there is a character in Eloraton that she can’t place—a grumpy bookstore owner with mint-green eyes, an irritatingly sexy mouth and impeccable taste in novels. And he does not want her finishing this book.

Which is a problem because Elsy is beginning to think the town’s happily-ever-after might just be intertwined with her own.

Flashback by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen
Expected Publication: June 25th, 2024
From Goodreads:
Kendra Michaels uses her heightened powers of deduction to draw out a serial killer who has not been seen or heard from in over fifteen years. 

Chloe and Sloane Morgan were only children when their mother was the second victim of the Bayside Strangler. Now, after spending fifteen years trying to discover his identity, the sisters have suddenly vanished. Were they getting too close to the truth? The police consider their interest in the crime to be just a coincidence and have little motivation to pursue the cold case.

 Armed with the box of photos, videos, police reports, and notes gathered by the sisters over the years—plus the extraordinary senses from being blind before recovering her sight via a revolutionary surgical procedure—Kendra follows the sisters’ trail of clues.  Little does she realize that her search is about to unleash a long-dormant killer on San Diego.  With help from government agent-for-hire Adam Lynch and private eye Jessie Mercado, Kendra must race to discover the identity of an infamous killer, not only to save the lives of the two sisters but also untold others. 

Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren
Expected Publication: June 25th, 2024
From Goodreads:
A witty and deeply romantic modern reimagining of Disney’s Tangled, by the New York Times bestselling author duo Christina Lauren, part of the acclaimed and bestselling Meant to Be collection.

She has a dream. He has a plan. Together they’ll take a leap of faith.

Ren has never held an iPhone, googled the answer to a question, or followed a crush on social media. What she has done: read a book or two, or three (okay, hundreds). Taught herself to paint. Built a working wind power system from scratch. But for all the books she’s read, Ren has never found one that’s taught a woman raised on a homestead and off the grid for most of her twenty-two years how to live in the real world. So when she finally achieves her lifelong dream of attending Corona College, it feels like her life is finally beginning.

Fitz has the rest of his life mapped out: graduate from Corona at the top of his class, get his criminal record wiped clean, and pass himself off as the rich, handsome player everyone thinks he is. He’s a few months short from checking off step one of his plans when Ren Gylden, with her cascading blonde hair and encyclopedic brain, crashes into his life, and for the first time Fitz’s plan is in jeopardy.

But a simple assignment in their immunology seminar changes the course of both their lives, and suddenly they’re thrown out of the frying pan and into the fire on a road trip that will lead them in the most unexpected directions. Out on the open road, the world somehow shifts, and the unlikely pair realize that, maybe, the key to the dreams they've both been chasing have been sitting next to them the whole time.

Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi
Expected Publication: June 25th, 2024
From Goodreads:
New allies rise.
The Blood Moon nears.
Zélie faces her final enemy.
The king who hunts her heart.

When Zelie seized the royal palace that fateful night, she thought her battles had come to an end. The monarchy had finally fallen. The maji had risen again. Zélie never expected to find herself locked in a cage and trapped on a foreign ship. Now warriors with iron skulls traffic her and her people across the seas, far from their homeland.

Then everything changes when Zélie meets King Baldyr, her true captor, the ruler of the Skulls, and the man who has ravaged entire civilizations to find her. Baldyr’s quest to harness Zélie’s strength sends Zélie, Amari, and Tzain searching for allies in unknown lands.

But as Baldyr closes in, catastrophe charges Orïsha’s shores. It will take everything Zélie has to face her final enemy and save her people before the Skulls annihilate them for good.

Market for Murder by Heather Graham
Expected Publication: June 25th, 2024
From Goodreads:
In the alleys of Edinburgh, someone is killing for profit…

Scotland has a dead body problem. Another one. And in the wake of a similar spate of tribute killings, Special Agents Luke Kendrick and Carly MacDonald know they have their work cut out for them. Working alongside a new team of agents, the partners have more questions than answers when the crime scenes yield little evidence. In the style of infamous killers Burke and Hare, it appears victims are being moved to a secondary location, where they’re dissected and sold for spare parts.

With the clock ticking on every organ being harvested, the members of Blackbird know the killers must be near at hand, and soon discover that they’re also being closed in on. As questions begin to arise about the newest additions to their team, Luke and Carly are running out of time—and people they can trust—to catch the killers before the agents themselves are the next to be put on ice.  

Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell
Expected Publication: June 25th, 2024
From Goodreads:
An aimless young woman starts writing to an accused serial killer while he awaits trial and then, once he’s acquitted, decides to move in with him and take the investigation into her own hands in this dark and irresistibly compelling debut thriller.

Recently ghosted and sick of watching her friends fade into the suburbs, thirty-something Hannah finds community in a true-crime forum that’s on a mission to solve the murders of four women in Atlanta. After William, a handsome lawyer, is arrested for the killings, Hannah begins writing him letters. It’s the perfect outlet for her pent-up frustration and rage. The exercise empowers her, and even feels healthy at first.

Until William writes back.

Hannah’s interest in the case goes from curiosity to obsession, leaving space for nothing else as her life implodes around her. After she loses her job, she heads to Georgia to attend the trial and befriends other true-crime junkies like herself. When a fifth woman is discovered, the jury has no choice but to find William not guilty, and Hannah is the first person he calls upon his release. The two of them quickly fall into a routine of domestic bliss.

Well, as blissful as one can feel while secretly investigating their partner for serial murder…

There's some really amazing books coming out at the end of the month, though it's funny that Kelley Armstrong has 2 books coming out on the 25th under the two names! What about you guys? Happy reading! 
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