Monthly ARC's Update 137

So I read my next book for Monthly ARC's and it was A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death by Maxie Dara from the December list, and Julia Song Is Undateable by Susan Lee from the October list.

Here's the link to this month's post with my journey.

How it Works: 

This is my monthly ARC accountability challenge, to list out the books that I have as ARC's that are being published in the coming month, rounding them up at the start of the month, and seeing how well I did at the end, as well as rounding up the next month's books.    

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #756, December 1st

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 #755
Teaser Tuesday #763
WWW Wednesday #763 
WOW #759
Will the Time Come #756
Third Sentence Thursday #746
Random Reads #732
First Lines Friday #759
Book Blogger Hop #425

Monthly ARC's January Round Up

Monthly Series December Round Up

Monthly ARC's Update 136
The Reward Challenge Update #741
Wheel of TBR #288
How Well I Stuck to It #593
Wrote that Review Update #590

Week 48 Reviews:

Watch Us Crack 

A Deadly Inheritance 

Peace Talks 

Battle Ground

The Law 

Seven All Alone

The Same Forward as Backward 

The Alchemary

Tear Me Apart 

Kingdom of Tomorrow 

How Girls Are Made

A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death

Julia Song Is Undateable

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

Update 81

Clear Your S**t Readathon: 

Update 17

Update 18

Next to be Published: 

Update 21

Update 22

Update 23

Update 24

Update 25

Update 26

Update 27

Update 28

Update 29

Update 30 and Wrap Up

Random:

Gabriella Lepore Author Page

Yuu Toyota Author Page

OK, so I got 42 posts in 7 days, and it was a pretty good week, I read some excellent books, and I'm looking forward for this year to end! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read whatever I want! 

Week 48 Review: A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death

From Goodreads:

When a determined killer targets her brother, a grim reaper risks everything to save him in this delightful cozy mystery.

Nora Bird works for S.C.Y.T.H.E., which might seem odd for someone as terrified of death as she is. But ever since her parents died in an accident when she was six, she's been obsessed with avoiding risk, and what better place to learn how to cheat death than the company that employs the nation's grim reapers?

The work enables Nora to learn all about the myriad ways you can kick the bucket, which is comforting...until one day, a file crosses her desk with a name she recognizes. Her twin brother's.

The twins haven't spoken in six months, but Charlie is all Nora has left. Completely against her cautious nature, Nora steals the file and flees, racing to her brother's house. She begs him to trust her that his death is imminent, and they hit the road (with his parrot, Jessica, who has plenty to say) in an attempt to evade both death and S.C.Y.T.H.E., whose sole mission of collecting souls has been disrupted by Charlie's continued existence.

Alas, every time Nora saves him, a new cause of death appears in his file. Someone is determined to take Charlie out, and Nora will have to use everything she's ever learned about death to discover the culprit.

My Review:


Author: Maxie Dara
Series: S.C.Y.T.H.E Mystery #2
Read: November 28th, 2025 
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love her writing and the first book, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book, Sophomore Challenge Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Berkley 
Expected Publication: December 2nd 2025 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Next to be Published November Update 26

So I've read my next book for the Next to be Published November, and it was A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death and I'll be reading Julia Song is Undateable next! 

My Reading Journey:

The Cuffing Game by Lyla Lee

Started On: November 1st

Finished On: November 1st, 4:01 PM

Pages Read: 368

Watch Me Disappear by Ross Armstrong

Started On: November 2nd

Finished On: November 2nd, 4:57 PM

Pages Read: 355

The Demon and the Light by Axie Oh

Started On: November 3rd

Finished On: November 3rd, 11:27 AM

Pages Read: 400

Cast in Blood by Michelle Sagara

Started On: November 4th

Finished On: November 4th, 7:13 PM

Pages Read: 512

The Fake Divination Offense by Sara Raasch

Started On November 5th

Finished On: November 5th, 5:58 PM

Pages Read: 336

Throwaway Girls by Andrea Contos

Started On: November 7th

Finished On: November 7th, 4:06 PM

Pages Read: 369

Silver Stars by Michael Grant

Started On: November 13th

Finished On: November 13th, 11:21 PM

Pages Read: 566

The Library of Fates by Margot Harrison 

Started On: November 15th

Finished On: November 15th, 2:44 PM

Pages Read: 320

An Archive of Romance by Ava Reid

Started On: November 15th

Finished On: November 15th, 8:35 PM

Pages Read: 251

The Others by Cheryl Isaacs 

Started On: November 16th

Finished On: November 16th, 1:56 PM

Pages Read: 336

Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher

Started On: November 16th

Finished On: November 16th, 7:32 PM

Pages Read: 305

Revenge, Served Royal by Celeste Connally

Started On: November 18th

Finished On: November 18th, 2:06 PM

Pages Read: 336

The Thorn Queen by Sasha Peyton Smith

Started On: November 18th

Finished On: November 18th, 7:51 PM

Pages Read: 368

A Matter of Murder by Tirzah Price

Started On: November 19th

Finished On: November 19th, 3:28 PM

Pages Read: 416

Crossing the Line by Simone Elkeles

Started On: November 19th

Finished On: November 19th, 8:59 PM

Pages Read: 352

When We Talk to the Dead by Ian Chorão

Started On: November 20th

Finished On: November 20th, 10:21 AM

Pages Read: 304

A Moment's Shadow by Anna Lee Huber

Started On: November 21st

Finished On: November 21st, 3:06 PM

Pages Read: 371

It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier

Started On: November 21st

Finished On: November 21st, 9:32 PM

Pages Read: 384

Watch Us Crack by Gabriella Lepore

Started On: November 22nd

Finished On: November 22nd, 4:04 PM

Pages Read: 336

A Deadly Inheritance by Kelley Armstrong

Started On: November 23rd

Finished On: November 23rd, 3:54 PM

Pages Read: 424

Seven All Alone by Kirsty McKay 

Started On: November 25th

Finished On: November 25th, 4:27 PM 

Pages Read: 352

The Alchemary by Rachel Vincent

Started On: November 26th

Finished On: November 26th, 3:15 PM

Pages Read: 512

Tear Me Apart by J.T. Ellison

Started On: November 26th

Finished On: November 26th, 9:27 PM

Pages Read: 513

Kingdom of Tomorrow by Gena Showalter

Started On: November 27th

Finished On: November 27th, 2:33 PM

Pages Read: 363

How Girls Are Made by Mindy McGinnis

Started On: November 27th

Finished On: November 27th, 6:42 PM

Pages Read: 384

A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death by Maxie Dara 

Started On: November 28th

Finished On: November 28th, 1:49 PM

Pages Read: 288

Julia Song Is Undateable by Susan Lee 

Started On: November 28th

Currently On: Page 0 of 336

Books Read: 26

Goal: 30 Books

Pages Read: 11199

First Lines Friday #759, November 28th

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!

"Statistically speaking, you're more likely to die on your birthday than any other day of the year. Unfortunately for Nora Bird, her parents beat the odds and died on her birthday instead. Eighteen years later and that gray mid-November air still weighed heavy as she shut the day behind her with the swing of a pigeon-graffitied glass door and began the daily trek up the stairs to her office."-A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death by Maxie Dara 

Oh, that sounds awful! To have a day where you're supposed to be celebrating, also becoming the anniversary of a loss, that's tough. Must read more now! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Next to be Published November Update 25

So I've read my next book for the Next to be Published November, and it was How Girls Are Made and I'll be reading A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death next! 

My Reading Journey:

The Cuffing Game by Lyla Lee

Started On: November 1st

Finished On: November 1st, 4:01 PM

Pages Read: 368

Watch Me Disappear by Ross Armstrong

Started On: November 2nd

Finished On: November 2nd, 4:57 PM

Pages Read: 355

The Demon and the Light by Axie Oh

Started On: November 3rd

Finished On: November 3rd, 11:27 AM

Pages Read: 400

Cast in Blood by Michelle Sagara

Started On: November 4th

Finished On: November 4th, 7:13 PM

Pages Read: 512

The Fake Divination Offense by Sara Raasch

Started On November 5th

Finished On: November 5th, 5:58 PM

Pages Read: 336

Throwaway Girls by Andrea Contos

Started On: November 7th

Finished On: November 7th, 4:06 PM

Pages Read: 369

Silver Stars by Michael Grant

Started On: November 13th

Finished On: November 13th, 11:21 PM

Pages Read: 566

The Library of Fates by Margot Harrison 

Started On: November 15th

Finished On: November 15th, 2:44 PM

Pages Read: 320

An Archive of Romance by Ava Reid

Started On: November 15th

Finished On: November 15th, 8:35 PM

Pages Read: 251

The Others by Cheryl Isaacs 

Started On: November 16th

Finished On: November 16th, 1:56 PM

Pages Read: 336

Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher

Started On: November 16th

Finished On: November 16th, 7:32 PM

Pages Read: 305

Revenge, Served Royal by Celeste Connally

Started On: November 18th

Finished On: November 18th, 2:06 PM

Pages Read: 336

The Thorn Queen by Sasha Peyton Smith

Started On: November 18th

Finished On: November 18th, 7:51 PM

Pages Read: 368

A Matter of Murder by Tirzah Price

Started On: November 19th

Finished On: November 19th, 3:28 PM

Pages Read: 416

Crossing the Line by Simone Elkeles

Started On: November 19th

Finished On: November 19th, 8:59 PM

Pages Read: 352

When We Talk to the Dead by Ian Chorão

Started On: November 20th

Finished On: November 20th, 10:21 AM

Pages Read: 304

A Moment's Shadow by Anna Lee Huber

Started On: November 21st

Finished On: November 21st, 3:06 PM

Pages Read: 371

It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier

Started On: November 21st

Finished On: November 21st, 9:32 PM

Pages Read: 384

Watch Us Crack by Gabriella Lepore

Started On: November 22nd

Finished On: November 22nd, 4:04 PM

Pages Read: 336

A Deadly Inheritance by Kelley Armstrong

Started On: November 23rd

Finished On: November 23rd, 3:54 PM

Pages Read: 424

Seven All Alone by Kirsty McKay 

Started On: November 25th

Finished On: November 25th, 4:27 PM 

Pages Read: 352

The Alchemary by Rachel Vincent

Started On: November 26th

Finished On: November 26th, 3:15 PM

Pages Read: 512

Tear Me Apart by J.T. Ellison

Started On: November 26th

Finished On: November 26th, 9:27 PM

Pages Read: 513

Kingdom of Tomorrow by Gena Showalter

Started On: November 27th

Finished On: November 27th, 2:33 PM

Pages Read: 363

How Girls Are Made by Mindy McGinnis

Started On: November 27th

Finished On: November 27th, 6:42 PM

Pages Read: 384

A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death by Maxie Dara 

Started On: November 28th

Currently On: Page 0 of 288

Books Read: 25

Goal: 30 Books

Pages Read: 10911

Waiting on Wednesday #758, November 19th

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

Kingdom of Tomorrow by Gena Showalter

Expected Publication: December 1st, 2025
From Goodreads:

From New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter comes a hauntingly beautiful dystopian fantasy, where ancient powers rise and a fearless young woman must choose between the ruthless prince who tempts her heart—and a destiny that could cost her soul.

When Arden Roosa returns to Fort Bala Royal Academy, nothing is as it was. No longer just a lady-in-training, she’s now the infamous girlfriend of High Prince Cyrus Dolion—and the woman who brought down a king. Her reward? Round-the-clock guards and the attention of a royal executioner with secrets. But Arden has secrets too. As a double agent slipping between worlds to decode forbidden prophecy, she knows what’s coming. Sleeping gods are stirring, and a war igniting. With only a spark, everyone will burn.

But nothing goes according to plan. Grueling trials consume her days, and dangerous questions stalk her nights. Worse, Cyrus—the fierce, unshakable warrior she might love—is unraveling, losing pieces of himself, becoming a stranger right before her eyes. Desperate to save him, Arden strikes a life-altering alliance…and everything spirals. Now the gods are no longer dreaming. They’re hunting. Time is running out, the end closer than anyone dares to admit. Unless Arden can stop what’s coming, Cyrus will open the door to true evil—and she’ll lose him forever.

Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher

Expected Publication: December 1st, 2025
From Goodreads:

From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award–winning author T. Kingfisher comes an enthralling contemporary fantasy seeped in horror about a woman trying to escape her past by moving to the remote US desert—only to find herself beholden to the wrath of a vengeful god.

With only a few dollars to her name and her beloved dog Copper by her side, Selena flees her past in the city to claim her late aunt’s house in the desert town of Quartz Creek. The scorpions and spiders are better than what she left behind.

Because in Quartz Creek, there’s a strange beauty to everything, from the landscape to new friends, and more blue sky than Selena’s ever seen. But something lurks beneath the surface. Like the desert gods and spirits lingering outside Selena’s house at night, keeping watch. Mostly benevolent, says her neighbor Grandma Billy. That doesn’t ease the prickly sense that one of them watches too closely and wants something from Selena she can’t begin to imagine. And when Selena’s search for answers leads her to journal entries that her aunt left behind, she discovers a sinister truth about her new It’s the haunting grounds of an ancient god known simply as “Snake-Eater,” who her late aunt made a promise to that remains unfulfilled.

Snake-Eater has taken a liking to Selena, an obsession of sorts that turns sinister. And now that Selena is the new owner of his home, he’s hell-bent on collecting everything he’s owed.

Kirkyards & Kindness by Kelley Armstrong

Expected Publication: December 2nd, 2025
From Goodreads:

Mallory Mitchell and Dr. Duncan Gray take a break from investigating murder to find the most famous dog in Victorian Scotland.

A year ago, twenty-first-century detective Mallory found herself in 1869 Edinburgh, in the body of Catriona Mitchell, a housemade working for Dr. Duncan Gray, pioneer in forensic science. Shortly after she arrived, she made the unfortunate acquaintence of Catriona’s former criminal mentor, Davina, an entanglement that nearly got Mallory killed. Now she’s about to meet Davina again.

Greyfriars Bobby has disappeared. The little terrier is already a legend, and Davina has made a tidy living showing him off on graveyard tours…while picking the pockets of her guests. When the elderly dog vanishes, Davina calls in a favor from her old student. Mallory agrees to help find Bobby in return for the one thing she’s been unable to get from Davina—the mysterious Catriona’s life story.

Note this is not a full-length novel. It's a novella set after Death at a Highland Wedding.

Tailored Realities by Brandon Sanderson

Expected Publication: December 2nd, 2025
From Goodreads:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson―creator of the Stormlight Archive, the Mistborn saga, and numerous smash-hit works of science fiction and fantasy―comes Tailored Realities, a new short fiction collection including the never-before-published novella “Moment Zero.”

Spanning the genres of fantasy and science fiction, Tailored Realities includes ten works of short fiction from the ingenious mind of one of the genre’s most beloved bestselling authors.

From futuristic detective thrillers to inventive space opera, superhero action, high-tech fantasy, and beyond, these gripping standalone reads have never before been gathered into one volume, with many available here in print for the first time.

Along with the thrilling new science fiction novella "Moment Zero," this collection

• “Snapshot”

• “Perfect State”

• “Defending Elysium” (from the world of Skyward)

• “Firstborn”

• “Mitosis” (from the world of the Reckoners)

• and four other stories

Also including author’s notes and stunning interior illustrations for each story, this visionary collection is a must-read whether you’re new to Sanderson or a longtime fan.

Better in Black by Cassandra Clare

Expected Publication: December 2nd, 2025
From Goodreads:

Ten original love stories by the reigning queen of romantasy, featuring fan-favorite couples from her #1 New York Times bestselling Shadowhunter Chronicles—one of the most popular series of all time, with more than 50 million copies in print worldwide!

Ten couples. United by love. Divided by danger.

Jace and Clary, seeking out an exiled Shadowhunter and learning that love can save the world—or destroy it. Will and Tessa, honeymooning in Paris when a séance sends them down an unexpected path. Simon and Izzy, observing increased demonic activity around New York, on a hilarious urban romp.

These are just a few of the beloved couples whose romantic escapades will have you on the edge of your seat across time and storylines from Cassandra Clare’s expansive Shadowhunters series. Don’t miss a chance to reunite with:

• Anna and Ari

• Emma and Julian

• Kieran, Mark, and Cristina

• James and Cordelia

• Thomas and Alastair

• Sebastian and the Seelie Queen

• Jocelyn and Luke

A love letter to every fan of the Shadowhunter Chronicles, this riveting story collection also includes a sneak peek at The Wicked Powers, the majestic trilogy that will be the grand finale of the entire series!

Tender Cruelty by Katee Robert

Expected Publication: December 2nd, 2025
From Goodreads:

I was his wife. His lover. His sworn enemy. The ice queen to Olympus’s most hated king.

*A scorchingly hot modern retelling of Hera and Zeus.*

The barrier that’s protected Olympus for generations has fallen. The enemy’s breached the gates and the Thirteen are scrambling to protect themselves, their loved ones, and the city they’ve sworn to protect. At least they would be if they weren’t at each others’ throats instead.

Hera has no intention of letting her husband, Zeus, survive the oncoming storm. But despite the white-hot hatred burning between them, when Hera and Zeus are forced to work together, enmity crystalizes into something brighter. Hotter. Too powerful to deny or destroy.

Hera never bartered on falling in love with the man she married―the man she once swore to kill. But now, standing back-to-back in the ruins of Olympus, she may be forced to admit that she’s been wrong about Zeus all these years…and there may be something about their marriage worth saving if they can survive long enough to turn sworn enemies into something more.

Hollow Gods by Marjorie Liu, Illustrated by Sana Takada

Expected Publication: December 2nd, 2025
From Goodreads:

The Defiled, a group of Monstra long confined to the prison planet Golga, have slipped through a rift between worlds and possessed anyone who has ever held the Mask of the Shaman-Empress--including Maika, Kippa, and Maika's father, the Lord Doctor. Without Zinn at her side, Maika will need to partner with the most unlikely of allies to fight this invasion--or risk losing everything and everyone she loves.

Collects MONSTRESS #55-60

The Dark is Descending by Chloe C. Peñaranda

Expected Publication: December 2nd, 2025
From Goodreads:

The explosive conclusion to New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Chloe C. Peñaranda's Nytefall trilogy.

The strongest light needs the deepest shadows.

Reeling from shocking betrayal, the Star Maiden Astraea must now race against time to break the curse imprisoning her lover, Nyte. She will have to decide if the hand of darkness, or that of her enemy, is an alliance that could bring him back.

But with the loss of daylight and the realm on the brink of ruin, Astraea and her companions must set off on their quests to retrieve the Maiden’s broken key, the only weapon that can kill the wrathful gods determined to rule the mortal world.

Dragons will fly and their bonds may choose friend or foe. Gods will face gods, fathers will face sons, and all will face the end of the world. Because when the blood that binds them becomes a weapon to end them, two star-crossed lovers must yield to fate or pay their greatest sacrifice yet.

A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death by Maxie Dara

Expected Publication: December 2nd, 2025
From Goodreads:

When a determined killer targets her brother, a grim reaper risks everything to save him in this delightful cozy mystery.

Nora Bird works for S.C.Y.T.H.E., which might seem odd for someone as terrified of death as she is. But ever since her parents died in an accident when she was six, she's been obsessed with avoiding risk, and what better place to learn how to cheat death than the company that employs the nation's grim reapers?

The work enables Nora to learn all about the myriad ways you can kick the bucket, which is comforting...until one day, a file crosses her desk with a name she recognizes. Her twin brother’s.

The twins haven’t spoken in six months, but Charlie is all Nora has left. Completely against her cautious nature, Nora steals the file and flees, racing to her brother’s house. She begs him to trust her that his death is imminent, and they hit the road (with his parrot, Jessica, who has plenty to say) in an attempt to evade both death and S.C.Y.T.H.E., whose sole mission of collecting souls has been disrupted by Charlie’s continued existence.

Alas, every time Nora saves him, a new cause of death appears in his file. Someone is determined to take Charlie out, and Nora will have to use everything she's ever learned about death to discover the culprit.d

Crowntide by Alex Aster

Expected Publication: December 2nd, 2025
From Goodreads:

The highly anticipated fourth novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Lightlark Saga, by acclaimed author and #BookTok sensation Alex Aster

Some worlds deserve to be destroyed . . .

Isla Crown has charted a new destiny and leapt into the unknown, determined to defeat her insidious ancestor, Lark, no matter the cost. But Skyshade is nothing like she anticipated, and she’ll have to use all of her skills just to survive, let alone end Lark for good.

Meanwhile, Grim and Oro would sooner set fire to their own kingdoms than leave Isla stranded on a path toward certain death. But getting her back will involve forging an alliance—if they can find a way to forgive their long history of betrayals.

The key to Isla’s return—and the fate of the realms—lies close to her heart. But in the face of her most powerful enemy yet, will Isla be able to reconcile her past in order to carve a future of her own making?

The Obsession by Natasha Preston

Expected Publication: December 2nd, 2025
From Goodreads:

What if being famous was the most dangerous thing you ever did?#1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Natasha Preston is back with a twisted tale of social media, secrets, and survival.

SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING. 

Connie never asked to be famous—but thanks to her mother’s relentless vlogging, she and her sister Isla have spent their lives under a virtual microscope. Every smile, every moment curated for clicks. Every stranger online thinking they know them. 

Then local girls—girls who look just like Connie—start dying. One by one. As the bodies pile up and the spotlight turns sinister, Connie is forced to confront the terrifying someone isn’t just watching. They’re planning.

The Last Vampire by Romina Garber

Expected Publication: December 2nd, 2025
From Goodreads:

Pride & Prejudice meets Crave when Austen-loving Lorena Navarro attends a new boarding school expecting to find her own Mr. Darcy, but accidentally finds the world’s last vampire instead!

Pride comes before the fall.

When a boarding school opens in a once-condemned Victorian manor buried in the woods of New Hampshire, Austen-loving Lorena Navarro enrolls in hopes of finding her own Mr. Darcy. Instead, she stumbles across a coffin and accidentally awakens the world’s last vampire.

After hibernating for nearly three centuries, William Pride is desperate to find his family—and clueless about the modern world. Relying on Lorena for more than just blood, he enrolls at the school to catch up on all he’s missed.

Soon, William uncovers a chilling truth: He is the last hope for his kind’s return to power. Torn between protecting the humans around him and fulfilling his fate, William must make a choice that could change everything. Will he sacrifice his species for love . . . or will he embrace his dark destiny at last?

Seven All Alone by Kirsty McKay 

Expected Publication: December 2nd, 2025
From Goodreads:

From the author of The Assassin Game and Have You Seen My Sister? comes another gripping thriller that follows seven teens stranded together on a trip in the mountains, cut off from civilization, and hunted by an unknown killer who wants them dead. 

Maggie Atkins will never forget what happened in that cave ten years ago when she and six other elementary school kids were kidnapped by their bus driver and kept captive. She will never forget that her friends left her alone to escape, or the image of her kidnapper falling to his death, but she has done her best to put the ordeal behind her and move on.  

Her past catches up with her when she's forced to go on a school trip to the mountains with the very same people who abandoned her, and only a stone's throw away from the scene of her kidnapping. She's determined to suck it up and get through it though since it's only one night of her life. But then a brutal storm changes everything and separates her group from their chaperone. With no phones and a limited food supply, the group strategizes how they can survive the elements and make it back to safety.  

Then they realize there is someone else on the mountain. Someone who knows what really happened all those years ago. Someone who wants them dead and is willing to take them out one by one. Maggie thought she'd already survived the worst thing she would ever go through—she was wrong.

Friends and Liars by Kit Frick

Expected Publication: December 2nd, 2025
From Goodreads:

From “edge-of-your-seat suspense” (Booklist) author Kit Frick comes an insidious thriller about four estranged friends trapped in a powerful family’s deadly games at a luxe estate in the Italian countryside.

It’s been five years since heiress Clare Monroe tragically died on New Year’s Eve at her family’s opulent Italian palazzo. Since that time, her college friends have harbored a dark secret—their lies and betrayals led to Clare’s untimely death.

What happened that fateful night was a horrible accident, but Luca, Harper, Sirina, and David are guilty, nonetheless. And their desperate decision to conceal the truth destroyed their once-close bond.

Now, the estranged friends are each the recipient of an invitation from the Monroes to return to the lakeside palazzo for a long-overdue memorial for Clare. Accepting the Monroes’ invitation means playing with fire, but they can hardly refuse.

Luca, Harper, Sirina, and David have barely settled into their idyllic accommodations on Lake Como before someone at the memorial party begins targeting them. Haunted by little “gifts” left in their rooms, taunting notes, and the unshakable sense of being watched, it soon becomes clear that someone on the guest list knows the whole truth about the night Clare died—and the secrets her friends have been keeping. Nothing is as it seems at the palazzo on the lake, and under their tormentor’s vengeful gaze, their secrets—and their lives—are in danger.

December starts off with some really amazing books, I need to read them, and I need them to be out so I can do so! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Week 39 Review: A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer

From Goodreads:

Sometimes it takes working with the dead to start living.

Kathy Valence is forty-two, mid-divorce, and pregnant with her ex's baby. She's also a modern-day grim reaper employed by S.C.Y.T.H.E. (Secure Collection, Yielding, and Transportation of Human Essences), but frankly that's the easiest part of her life right now. Or at least it was, until her latest client's soul goes missing.

When she finally tracks down seventeen-year-old Conner Ortiz, he angrily denies he died of natural causes, despite what his file says. He insists that someone at S.C.Y.T.H.E. murdered him, and he demands Kathy find out who and why.

Kathy has only forty-five days to figure out what happened to Conner and help him move on before the boy's soul is doomed to roam the Earth as a ghost forever. She's forced to rely on the help of her retired mentor, her almost ex-husband—and some sneaky moves by Conner himself. This is the wildest case of her career. . .and one wrong move could cost Kathy her job, not to mention her life.

My Review:
I had such a fantastic time reading this book! The idea that reapers went through a rebrand and went corporate, was such an interesting idea, and to have this lady who works for S.C.Y.T.H.E. have a soul collection go awry and she has to investigate? Yeah, I had to read this book!

First off, the tone of this book was so much fun to read! If I were to describe it, I would say it's a kind of dry, situational kind of humor, which I really enjoyed. Like the fact that she's divorcing her husband because she can't tell him about her job, but they still love one another. Which is good, because she's pregnant with their kid. 

While that's going on in her personal life, in her professional one, the one place where she hasn't screwed anything up, things are going badly, with this soul that insists that he was murdered by one of her co-workers, and wants it solved before he'd move on. Which when the policy is to bring them in right away? Yeah, it was an upheaval for certain! 

The investigation was a lot of fun to read, she really had to go outsider of her comfort zone, and I loved watching as the time was ticking down and the pressure was mounting! The little family that they created, I really adored it, because Simon isn't a typical romance hero, he's just a typical middle-aged man. And I hoped that it would end the way that it did, and that was so cute! 

Loved reading this book and I can't wait to see where the series will go from here! 

Author: Maxie Dara
Series: SCYTHE Mystery #1 
Read: September 27th, 2024 
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a DAC Book and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book!
Publisher: Berkley 
Expected Publication: October 1st 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars