Showing posts with label Sarah Beth Durst. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sarah Beth Durst. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Waiting on Wednesday #773, March 4th

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

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews
Expected Publication: March 31st, 2026
From Goodreads:
Outlander meets Game of Thrones in this blockbuster new epic fantasy series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author duo Ilona Andrews.

When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy, and naked in a gutter, it doesn't take her long to recognize Kair Toren, a city she knows intimately from the pages of the famously unfinished dark fantasy series she's been obsessively reading and re-reading while waiting years for the final novel.

Her only tools for navigating this gritty world of rival warlords, magic, and mayhem? Her encyclopedic knowledge of the plot, the setting, and the characters' ambitions and fates. But while she quickly discovers she cannot be killed (though many will try!), the same cannot be said for the living, breathing characters she's coming to love—a motley band that includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, various outrageous magical creatures, and a dangerously appealing soldier. Soon, instead of trying to get home, she finds herself enmeshed in the schemes—and attentions—of dueling princes, dukes, and villains, all while trying to save them and the kingdom of Rellas from the way she knows their stories will end: in a cataclysmic war.

For fans of Samantha Shannon, Danielle L. Jensen, Sarah J. Maas, and isekai and portal fantasy, This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me is the beginning of the most epic adventure yet from genre powerhouse author duo Ilona Andrews.

We Are All Monsters Hereby Kelley Armstrong
Expected Publication: March 31st, 2026
From Goodreads:
From cabins in the woods to post-apocalyptic cities, monsters lurk everywhere. Discover the sinister secret of a traveling carnival, spend a holiday with masked mummers, and visit a small town with unusual traditions and a penchant for gargoyles.

We Are All Monsters Here collects nineteen of Kelley Armstrong’s eeriest short stories published over the past two decades. Each tale features a cast of colorful—if at times unsettling—characters, including a physics student haunted by their past, an elderly author plotting a murder mystery, a young boy troubled by the screams of dragons, a reluctant preacher challenged by a stranger who can resurrect the dead, and survivors of the apocalypse searching for a safe place to call home.

Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, zombies, and other classic creatures are portrayed in refreshingly unique ways. A master of paranormal mystery, Armstrong subverts reader expectations with clever twists and turns; for while a monster is at the heart of every story, not all have claws or fangs or a thirst for blood—the most terrifying are the seemingly average people driven to monstrous acts.

The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst
Expected Publication: March 31st, 2026
From Goodreads:
After a devastating heartbreak, a teen girl decides to spend her summer helping her eccentric great aunt manage her quaint Vermont inn--but this fixer-upper is hiding a magical secret--in this cozy and irresistable new fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop.

Sixteen-year-old Calisa is desperate for a change of scenery after her lying ex ruins her perfect Brooklyn summer. When her parents suggest she head to rural Vermont to help her great-aunt run her cozy bed and breakfast for a few months, she jumps at the chance.

But when Calisa arrives at the B&B, she's shocked to find a rundown inn with only a handful of guests. And to make matters worse, upon meeting with her great-aunt it quickly becomes clear that Calisa was not invited. Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn…even if it is clear she needs the help.

To earn her keep, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundskeeper's (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the more it becomes evident that there is something strange about the B&B—and its residents. Something almost…otherworldly.

The inn is keeping a magical secret—but to protect the place she's come to love, Calisa must unravel the truth of it, and her aunt, before it's too late.

The Barn Identity by Diane Kelly
Expected Publication: March 31st, 2026
From Goodreads:
The eighth in the House-Flipper mystery series set in Nashville, TN, where the real estate market is to die for.

In Nashville, carpenter Whitney Whitaker is ecstatic when she discovers an abandoned barn perfect for her next project. However, since the surrounding former farmland has now developed into a shiny new shopping center, it seems the decrepit antebellum barn that once served as a livery stable should be torn down to make way for something more modern. Even so, Whitney can’t help but think the barn should be preserved. While unproven, it’s rumored the building once served as a hiding place for escaped slaves as part of the Underground Railroad. She convinces her cousin to take a chance on the old property. After all, the barn would make a unique retail space or, with its high ceilings and wide walls, could be turned into an arthouse cinema.

When a local print journalist reporting on the renovation is found dead on the property, investigators suspect he might have been murdered for any one of several exposés he’d published about local politicians, movers, and shakers. Whitney suspects there’s more to the story, and that the journalist’s fate might be tied directly to the stable renovation. Can she solve the murder and bring a killer to justice? Or might this goal be too lofty?

Divine Descent by Adrianne May
Expected Publication: March 31st, 2026
From Goodreads:
In this thrilling sequel to Exquisite Ruin, AdriAnne May’s darkly romantic reimagining of the Minotaur myth, Sadaré and Daesra are torn apart in the underworld—and new relationships may complicate their way back to one another.

Sadaré and Daesra’s struggles go beyond the deadly labyrinth as Sadaré is trapped in the underworld after a new enemy emerges, and Daesra will risk everything to rescue her.

But the god of death can be tempting. With every passing day, Sadaré grows closer to her captor. As she’s drawn deeper into his world, the memories of her past—of Daesra—begin to slip away. And the closer Daesra comes to saving her, the less she remembers wanting to be saved.

If Daesra can reach her in time, will she still remember him? Or will their love be the next piece of her to die?

Where No Shadow Stays by Sara Hashem
Expected Publication: March 31st, 2026
From Goodreads:
A homecoming queen and a bad-boy loner team up to break a generational curse in this YA supernatural horror from a talented American Egyptian voice.

Seventeen-year-old Mina is always focused on what comes exams, school dances, opportunities for a picnic by the lake. Filling up the future keeps her from lingering over how little she knows about her history or where she comes from. Anytime she asks her father questions about Egypt--or about her mother's mysterious death--he struggles to open up.

When Mina receives an invitation from an aunt she’s never met to visit the Haikal mansion, her mother’s childhood home in El Agamy, Mina accepts. She can’t resist the chance to learn more about her roots or what happened to her mother, even if it means lying to her loves ones for the first time in her life.

But when Mina returns from El Agamy, she doesn’t come back alone.

A sinister entity follows Mina from the Haikal mansion to her tiny California town. Mina is forced to abandon her friends, her father, and everything she loves in order to prevent the entity from violently possessing them. Isolated and fighting for her life, Mina must seek help from an unlikely Jesse Talbot, the mortician’s hostile son and the only person who proves immune to possession. Jesse would rather floss with barbed wire than team up with social butterfly Mina, but he doesn’t exactly have a choice—after all, he’s running from family secrets of his own.

As Mina and Jesse dig deeper into Mina's family lore, they uncover a bloody debt that must be satisfied if Mina wants to finish senior year alive.

Starside by Alex Aster
Expected Publication: March 31st, 2026
From Goodreads:
From Alex Aster, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Lightlark series, comes her first adult romantasy. Enter the world of Starside , where swords wield magic and power is not inherited...but claimed.

Hundreds of years ago, a brutal war split a land in two. Starside is the realm of magic and immortals—the descendants of the gods, living in a power-rich paradise. Stormside is where mortals fight for scraps of that magic.

Every fifty years, the gates between them open, and fifty challengers are allowed to journey across Starside on a deadly quest to access a pool of magic that can heal, grant wealth, or extend life. Everyone has their reasons for entering, but Aris has only vengeance. As a child, a goddess set fire to her village, killing her family. Aris isn’t after the gods’ magic—she’s going to kill them.

First, she must survive the Culling, the king’s deadly competition to choose his fifty challengers. An orphaned blacksmith’s apprentice, Aris doesn’t have the superior weapons of the heirs from the Great Houses. But the greatest swords—ones that contain power—are not inherited or bought, they are claimed, by both sides. And when Aris claims a great sword, it makes her not just a real competitor—but a target.

Getting past the gates is only the beginning. Starside is deadlier than it seems. If the ancient creatures, magic-wielding beasts, and bloodthirsty immortals weren’t dangerous enough, a new peril has even immortals fearing what rises from the ground at night. With a blade most would kill to claim, Aris can’t trust anyone. Especially not Harlan Raker, the merciless and mysterious king’s guard who betrayed her years ago—and who may now be the key to her survival.

But Aris is hiding a secret tied to her family’s death. And when it’s revealed, not even the gods will be able to stop what’s coming…

Game On by Navessa Allen
Expected Publication: March 31st, 2026
From Goodreads:
Book three in the No.1 New York Times bestselling Into Darkness series, following the dark rom-com sensations Lights Out and Caught Up. The game is on for these enemies-to-lovers with laugh-out-loud banter and scorching-hot brat play.

I hate that woman.

Tyler Neumann has spent years looking for his father, and not because he wants to meet the man. No, he wants to destroy him. And he'll manipulate whoever he can to exact his revenge.

Including Stella McCormick. She's everything Tyler hates. Her wealth and privilege have protected her for her entire life, and Tyler thinks it's time she finally paid the price. Whether she's ready to or not.

I hate that man.

Stella might not believe in love at first sight, but loathing at first sight - no question. From the moment she sets eyes on Tyler in her tattoo parlor, she knows he's the devil planning to make her life hell.

Forced to play the part of his girlfriend and invite him into her family's glittering circles, Stella quickly clocks Tyler's ulterior motives. But love and hate are two sides of the same coin, and soon she doesn't know which is being blackmailed by a man who wants to ruin her, or that they can't seem to keep their hands off each other.

Game On is an enemies-to-lovers dark romance with morally grey characters. Some themes and scenes may be disturbing to readers. Please check the content warning at the beginning of the book.

Enemies-to-lovers
Forced proximity
Fake dating
Rom-com
Morally gray MMC
Black cat FMC
Blackmail
Kidnapping
Power imbalance
Age gap
Betrayal and redemption
Dark past
Revenge

Devious Prey by Scott Reintgen
Expected Publication: March 31st, 2026
From Goodreads:
A young woman must survive the deadly mythical creature she smuggled aboard an airship after a crash landing on a deserted island frees it to begin hunting the survivors in this thrilling fantasy adventure from New York Times bestselling author Scott Reintgen.

When an airship’s windmaster dies mid-flight, the crew and its passengers are swept out to sea by a violent storm. They crash on a desolate island, but they’re not alone. A dragoness had been stashed in the hold. After escaping a damaged cage, it begins preying on the surviving travelers in the hopes of remaining free.

The stranded group’s best chance of making it home alive is the young woman who smuggled the dragoness on board in the first place—and the mysterious teen boy who was led onto the ship in chains before takeoff. Both have secrets that could help them survive on the island…but those same secrets could deliver a death sentence if they ever make it home.

What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally
Expected Publication: March 31st, 2026
From Goodreads:
A vacation in paradise turns deadly when four teens' sailing charter hits stormy seas in this propulsive new thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Megan Lally!

Hannah is having an incredible spring break. A week at a resort in Mexico with her best friend Emmy and her family is perfect for de-stressing from senior year, even if it’s awkward being around Emmy's older brother, Jackson, who she’s had a crush on for as long as she can remember.

Still, the beach is gorgeous. So is the guy they meet in the surf. Except Hannah is now the third wheel in Emmy’s vacation romance.

Eager to impress Emmy, her wealthy new boyfriend charters a private sailboat to make the most of their last day in paradise, and Hannah and Jackson are invited along. As the clouds roll in and the skies darken, their boat is the only one leaving the marina. And the further they get into open water, the more unsettled Hannah becomes. A storm is brewing onboard that’s as deadly as the one racing toward them. Forget surviving graduation. Who will make it back to land alive?

The Geomagician by Jennifer Mandula
Expected Publication: March 31st, 2026
From Goodreads:
When a Victorian fossil hunter discovers a baby pterodactyl, she vows to protect him, with the help of a fellow scholar—her former fiancé—in this enchanting and transporting historical fantasy.

“Scholarly and clever but still full of heart . . . Five baby pterodactyls out of five.”—Heather Fawcett, New York Times bestselling author of the Emily Wilde series

Mary Anning wants to be a geomagician—a paleontologist who uses fossils to wield magic—but since the Geomagical Society of London refuses to admit women, she’s stuck selling her discoveries to tourists instead. Then an ancient egg hatches in her hands, revealing a lovable baby pterodactyl that Mary names Ajax, and she knows that this is a scientific find that could make her career—if she’s strategic.

But when Mary contacts the Society about her discovery, they demand to take possession of Ajax. Their emissary is none other than Henry Stanton, a distinguished (and infuriatingly handsome) scholar . . . and the man who once broke Mary’s heart. She knows she can’t trust her fellow scholars, who want to discredit her and claim Ajax for their own, but Henry insists he believes in the brilliant Mary and only wants to help her obtain the respect she deserves.

Now Mary has a new mystery to solve that’s buried deeper than any dinosaur She must uncover the secrets behind the Society and the truth about Henry. As her conscience begins to chafe against her ambition, Mary must decide what lengths she’s willing to go to finally belong—and what her heart really wants.

“Mary Anning, magic, politics, and a pterodactyl—with this intriguing mix, this delightful and clever book provides definitive proof that Victorian England needed more dinosaurs!”—Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

Book One of The Geomagician Duology

Oh man, the end of March is going to be epic for book releases! I love these authors, these series, and I can't wait for them all to be released! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Waiting on Wednesday #738, July 2nd

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

Atonement Sky by Nalini Singh
Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:
The hunt for a stealthy predator takes a damaged J-Psy to the heart of falcon territory in this new Psy-Changeling Trinity novel from New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh...

Justice-Psy Eleri Dias knows the end is near for her, her mind one step away from fatal psychic exposure. In the short time that remains, she is determined to atone for an act of omission that has haunted her for a long, cruel decade. But that decision not only means facing a powerful changeling wing leader, but also putting herself in the path of a serial killer.

Falcon wing leader Adam Garrett is fiercely protective of his family and his clan. After losing his parents as a teenager in a shocking act of malice, Adam has no forgiveness in him for the J-Psy who betrayed him, betrayed them, at the most painful moment of his life. But the evil that stalks his territory will allow him no respite, forcing him once more into contact with the J he has never been able to forget.

Everything that could've been between Eleri and Adam was lost years ago, a shimmering promise crushed. As they work to uncover a monster, the moment of reckoning looms ever closer. Soon, there may be no more time left for either atonement...or love...

The Nightshade God by Hannah Whitten
Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:
The Nightshade Crown is in the hands of a ruthless god. Lore will stop at nothing to defeat him and save the troubled prince and tortured priest ensnared in his wicked plot, in this final installment of this lush, romantic, New York Times bestselling fantasy series from breakout star Hannah Whitten.

Lore has failed. She couldn’t save King Bastian from the rotten god speaking voices in his mind. She couldn’t save her allies from being scattered across the continent—their own lesser gods whispering to them in their dreams. She couldn’t save her beautiful, corrupt city from the dark power beneath the catacombs. And she couldn’t save herself.

Banished to the Burnt Isles, Lore must use every skill she earned on the streets of Dellaire to survive the prison colony and figure out a way to defeat the power that’s captured everything and everyone she holds dear. When a surprise ally joins her on the Burnt Isles she realizes the way forward may lie on the island itself. Somehow, her friends must help her collect the far-scattered pieces of the broken Fount—the source of all the god’s powers—and bring them back together on the Burnt Isles, returning all magic to its source and destroying, once and for all, the gods corrupting the land.

But as Lore gets closer to her goal, her magic grows stronger… and to a woman who’s always had to fight for survival, that kind of power may be hard to give up.

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst
Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:
New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst invites you to her new standalone novel nestled on a far-away island brimming with singing flowers, honey cakes, and honeyed love. The hardcover edition features beautiful sprayed edges.

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.

But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.

This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances—to others and to yourself.

The Jasad Crown by Sara Hashem
Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:
In the thrilling conclusion to the Egyptian-inspired Scorched Throne duology, a fugitive queen may be the key to restoring her lost kingdom of Jasad, but it could cost her everything and everyone she loves.

Held deep in a mountain refuge, Sylvia has been captured by the Urabi, who believe she can return their homeland to its former power. But after years of denying her legacy and a forbidden alliance with Jasad's greatest enemy, Sylvia must win the group's trust while struggling to keep control of both her magic and her mind.

In the rival kingdom, Arin is caught between his father's desire to put down the brewing rebellion and the sacred edicts he's sworn to uphold. Arin must find Sylvia before his father's army, but his search will call into question the very core of Arin's beliefs about his family and the destruction of Jasad.

War is inevitable and Sylvia cannot abandon her people again. The Urabi plan to raise the Jasadi fortress, and it will either kill Sylvia or destroy the humanity she's fought so hard to protect. For the first time in her life Sylvia doesn't just want to survive. She wants to win.
The fugitive queen is ready to come home.

Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland
Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Some betrayals cut deeper than blades.

The Blades were never supposed to survive this long. But after the battle in Quu Harbor, escaping is no longer enough. The most dangerous liars in the four realms have one last mission―return to Yusan and finish what they started.

But now a usurper sits on the serpent throne. And he may be more dangerous than the god-king.

With three relics of the Dragon Lord in their possession, the Blades will face the might of the four realms. Enemies will become allies. Allies will become traitors. And the ones they love most? They’ll be the ones to break them.

Grief will carve the Blades into something ruthless and unrecognizable. But only by losing everything can they win this game of kings and crowns.

No Body No Crime by Tess Sharpe
Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Murder either bonds you or breaks you.

Rural PI Mel Tillman knows this well. She's seen her fair share of bloody cases and botched cover-ups. But killing with someone? That is a different kind of mess all together, and Mel's got real experience with it.

No one's heard from Toby Dunne since Chloe Harper's sweet sixteen party--because the birthday girl and sixteen-year-old Mel buried him so deep in the backwoods, no one's ever finding him. Mel loses little sleep over it--Toby had been terrorizing them.

What she does lose sleep over is Chloe, the girl with whom she survived that horrible night in the woods. Chloe, the girl she fell in love with. Chloe, the girl who disappeared and hasn't been seen in more than six years.

Tasked with locating Chloe by her family, Mel can't resist the call of a good chase, or finding the one who got away with her heart (and with murder). When Mel finds an armed and vigilant Chloe living off-grid in a highly booby-trapped patch of Canadian wilderness, she realizes that Chloe had been expecting someone other than her ex to come looking for her. The thing that's kept Chloe going for years is that she's kept Mel safe by running. Now, the truth must come out as they run for their lives once again.

Because when they buried Toby Dunne in the backwoods, they buried something else, too. Something Toby took. And the powerful family he stole it from? They'll do anything to get it back.

Fateless by Julie Kagawa 
Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Deep in the forgotten city of the Deathless Kings, an ancient relic of untold power waits—for one bold enough to steal it.

When seventeen-year-old Sparrow joined the Thieves Guild she made a vow of binding loyalty to their cause. So when a mission comes along from The Circle, a group of mysterious, dangerous beings who control the Thieves Guild from the shadows, Sparrow is determined to cement her place in the guild.

What ensues is a death-defying adventure that has Sparrow and her band of thieves venturing into the heart of the forgotten city of the Deathless King. The fate of Sparrow, her companions, and Raithe, the enigmatic yet alluring assassin Sparrow is forced to join forces with during their quest, all hang in the balance as they find themselves battling ancient forces within the tombs and facing the unwavering hold of fate.

Perfect for fans of Alexandra Bracken and Sabaa Tahir, this new fantasy trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Julie Kagawa will sweep readers into a bold and exciting new world, where a twisted game of destiny has far-reaching consequences.

Matchmaking for Psychopaths by Tasha Coryell
Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Love is a dangerous game when your clients are killers…from the bestselling author behind Love Letters to a Serial Killer.

When Lexie's fiancé runs off with her so-called best friend on her birthday, her carefully crafted fairy-tale life shatters. Having survived horrors in her past, she was determined to finally get her happily-ever-after—and she's not giving up yet.

To distract herself, Lexie throws herself into her unusual matchmaking psychopaths (a specialty her clients are blissfully unaware of). But the loneliness is crushing. So when a gorgeous, overprotective new client named Aidan insists they're soulmates, and another intriguing client, Rebecca, seems perfect to fill the best-friend-shaped hole in her life, Lexie can't help but find the attention comforting—despite her own professional boundaries.

Then a human heart appears on Lexie's doorstep. As more threatening packages arrive and her fiancé mysteriously disappears, she must confront a terrifying did she inadvertently match herself with a killer? Between Aidan's claims that her fiancé will never return, Rebecca's growing presence in her life, and her own dark past resurfacing, Lexie's matchmaker instincts are being tested like never before.

Because someone is determined to ensure her story ends with a funeral.


A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:
A whimsical and heartwarming novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers—and her life—back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps her aunt run an enchanted inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests' shenanigans, tries to keep said talking fox in check, and longs for the future that seems lost to her. But then she finds out about an old spell that could hold the key to restoring her power…

Enter Luke Larsen, handsome and icy magical historian, who arrives on a dark winter evening and might just know how to unlock the spell’s secrets. Luke has absolutely no interest in getting involved in the madcap goings-on of the inn and is definitely not about to let a certain bewitching innkeeper past his walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he agrees to help Sera with her spell. Worse, he might actually be thawing.

Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera Swan is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone...and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.


The Bewitching by Silvia Morena-Garcia
Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multigenerational horror saga from the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.

“Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches”: That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva—stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that’s why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.

In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay’s most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay’s manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.

Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved.

Oh, some really amazing books coming in the middle of the month, the ones that I've read are so amazing, and I can't wait for these books to be released! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Clean Sweep ARC Challenge Update 30

Ok, so I read my next book for Clean Sweep ARC Challenge, and it was The Enchanted Greenhouse and I'll be reading My Funny Demon Valentine next! 

My Reading Journey:

Atonement Sky by Nalini Singh
Started On: May 1st 
Finished On: May 1st, 6:19 PM
Pages Read: 432

Soul of Shadow by Emma Noyes
Started On: May 2nd
Finished On: May 2nd, 10:27 AM
Pages Read: 368

The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. Anrum
Started On: May 2nd
Finished On: May 2nd, 4:03 PM
Pages Read: 384

Queen Demon by Martha Wells
Started On: May 3th
Finished On: May 3rd, 3:38 PM
Pages Read: 400

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

Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang
Started On: May 6th
Finished On: May 6th, 9:04 AM
Pages Read: 176

Enigma by RuNyx
Started On: May 7th
Finished On: May 7th, 11:48 AM
Pages Read: 496

Chase the Dark by Annette Marie
Started On: May 9th
Finished On: May 9th, 10:28 AM
Pages Read: 320

Murder Land by Carlyn Greenwald
Started On: May 10th
Finished On: May 10th, 3:04 PM
Pages Read: 339

You've Awoken Her by Ann Dávila Cardinal
Started On: May 10th
Finished On: May 10th, 8:37 PM
Pages Read: 288

They Fear Not Men in the Woods by Gretchen McNeil
Started On: May 11th
Finished On: May 11th, 2:47 PM
Pages Read: 278

Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzales
Started On: May 12th
Finished On: May 12th, 11:01 AM
Pages Read: 352

Much Ado About Hating You by Sarah Echavarre Smith
Started On: May 13th
Finished On: May 13th, 9:13 AM
Pages Read: 307

A Fated Vow by Amanda Aggie 
Started On: May 14th
Finished On: May 14th, 10:24 AM
Pages Read: 384

The Jasad Crown by Sara Hashem 
Started On: May 17th
Finished On: May 17th, 3:47 AM
Pages Read: 692

Ruthless Devotion by Rebecca Kenney
Started On: May 18th
Finished On: May 18th, 11:46 PM
Pages Read: 384

House of Night by Celia Aaron
Started On: May 19th
Finished On: May 19th, 10:04 AM
Pages Read: 342

I Bet You'd Look Good in a Coffin by Katy Brent
Started On: May 20th
Finished On: May 20th, 9:48 PM
Pages Read: 368

Blind Date With a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs 
Started On: May 21st
Finished On: May 21st, 1:03 PM
Pages Read: 288

The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
Started On: May 22nd
Finished On: May 22nd, 11:43 AM 
Pages Read: 432

The Summer War by Naomi Novik
Started On: May 23rd
Finished On: May 23rd, 2:41 PM
Pages Read: 144

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong
Started On: May 24th
Finished On: May 24th, 8:32 PM
Pages Read: 320

The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso
Started On: May 25th
Finished On: May 25th, 2:53 PM
Pages Read: 400

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

I Killed the King by Rebecca Mix and Andrea Hannah
Started On: May 26th
Finished On: May 26th, 7:28 PM 
Pages Read: 400

Marked by Moonlight by Sophie Jordan
Started On: May 26th
Finished On: May 26th, 10:49 PM
Pages Read: 320

I Think I'm in Love with an Alien by Ann Aguirre 
Started On: May 27th
Finished On: May 27th, 1:48 PM
Pages Read: 400

Mystery in the Title by Ian Ferguson and Will Ferguson
Started On: May 27th
Finished On: May 27th, 6:02 PM
Pages Read: 400

The Looking Glass by Janet McNally
Started On: May 27th
Finished On: May 27th, 10:04 PM
Pages Read: 336

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst
Started On: May 28th
Finished On: May 28th, 11:28 AM
Pages Read: 384

My Funny Demon Valentine by Aurora Ascher
Started On: May 28th
Currently On: Page 0 of 369

Books Read: 30
Goal: 25 Books
Pages Read: 10966

WWW Wednesday #737, May 28th

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you'll read next?

Thanks to MizB of Should Be Writing now A Daily Rhythm for starting this meme! And thanks now to Taking on a World of Words for reviving it! 

I'm currently listening to The Enchanted Greenhouse, and I'm loving it! 


I'm also reading Heir of Light, and it's so good! 

I read Mystery in the Title, and it was another great mystery! 


I'm going to be reading My Funny Demon Valentine, and I can't wait, it sounds really good! 

What about you guys? Happy reading!

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Clean Sweep ARC Challenge Update 29

Ok, so I read my next book for Clean Sweep ARC Challenge, and it was The Looking Glass and I'll be reading The Enchanted Greenhouse next! 

My Reading Journey:

Atonement Sky by Nalini Singh
Started On: May 1st 
Finished On: May 1st, 6:19 PM
Pages Read: 432

Soul of Shadow by Emma Noyes
Started On: May 2nd
Finished On: May 2nd, 10:27 AM
Pages Read: 368

The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. Anrum
Started On: May 2nd
Finished On: May 2nd, 4:03 PM
Pages Read: 384

Queen Demon by Martha Wells
Started On: May 3th
Finished On: May 3rd, 3:38 PM
Pages Read: 400

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

Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang
Started On: May 6th
Finished On: May 6th, 9:04 AM
Pages Read: 176

Enigma by RuNyx
Started On: May 7th
Finished On: May 7th, 11:48 AM
Pages Read: 496

Chase the Dark by Annette Marie
Started On: May 9th
Finished On: May 9th, 10:28 AM
Pages Read: 320

Murder Land by Carlyn Greenwald
Started On: May 10th
Finished On: May 10th, 3:04 PM
Pages Read: 339

You've Awoken Her by Ann Dávila Cardinal
Started On: May 10th
Finished On: May 10th, 8:37 PM
Pages Read: 288

They Fear Not Men in the Woods by Gretchen McNeil
Started On: May 11th
Finished On: May 11th, 2:47 PM
Pages Read: 278

Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzales
Started On: May 12th
Finished On: May 12th, 11:01 AM
Pages Read: 352

Much Ado About Hating You by Sarah Echavarre Smith
Started On: May 13th
Finished On: May 13th, 9:13 AM
Pages Read: 307

A Fated Vow by Amanda Aggie 
Started On: May 14th
Finished On: May 14th, 10:24 AM
Pages Read: 384

The Jasad Crown by Sara Hashem 
Started On: May 17th
Finished On: May 17th, 3:47 AM
Pages Read: 692

Ruthless Devotion by Rebecca Kenney
Started On: May 18th
Finished On: May 18th, 11:46 PM
Pages Read: 384

House of Night by Celia Aaron
Started On: May 19th
Finished On: May 19th, 10:04 AM
Pages Read: 342

I Bet You'd Look Good in a Coffin by Katy Brent
Started On: May 20th
Finished On: May 20th, 9:48 PM
Pages Read: 368

Blind Date With a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs 
Started On: May 21st
Finished On: May 21st, 1:03 PM
Pages Read: 288

The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
Started On: May 22nd
Finished On: May 22nd, 11:43 AM 
Pages Read: 432

The Summer War by Naomi Novik
Started On: May 23rd
Finished On: May 23rd, 2:41 PM
Pages Read: 144

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong
Started On: May 24th
Finished On: May 24th, 8:32 PM
Pages Read: 320

The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso
Started On: May 25th
Finished On: May 25th, 2:53 PM
Pages Read: 400

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

I Killed the King by Rebecca Mix and Andrea Hannah
Started On: May 26th
Finished On: May 26th, 7:28 PM 
Pages Read: 400

Marked by Moonlight by Sophie Jordan
Started On: May 26th
Finished On: May 26th, 10:49 PM
Pages Read: 320

I Think I'm in Love with an Alien by Ann Aguirre 
Started On: May 27th
Finished On: May 27th, 1:48 PM
Pages Read: 400

Mystery in the Title by Ian Ferguson and Will Ferguson
Started On: May 27th
Finished On: May 27th, 6:02 PM
Pages Read: 400

The Looking Glass by Janet McNally
Started On: May 27th
Finished On: May 27th, 10:04 PM
Pages Read: 336

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst
Started On: May 28th
Currently On: Page 0 of 384

Books Read: 29
Goal: 25 Books
Pages Read: 10582

Friday, March 7, 2025

Monthly ARC's Update 109

So I read my next book for Monthly ARC's and it was We Were Warned by Chelsea Ichaso, The Warbler by Sarah Beth Durst, and When the Bones Sing by Ginny Myers Sain from the March list, and All Fired Up by M. K. England from the April 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.    
  

Monday, March 3, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #717, March 3rd

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 #716
Teaser Tuesday #724
WWW Wednesday #724
WOW #720
Will the Time Come #717
Third Sentence Thursday #707
Random Reads #693
First Lines Friday #720
Book Blogger Hop #386
Monthly ARC's Update 108
The Reward Challenge Update #702
Wheel of TBR #249
How Well I Stuck to It #554
Wrote that Review Update #551

Week 9 Reviews:

Phase Out Your Seriesathon: 
Update 16

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

Polarthon Readathon: 

Random:

OK, so I got 41 posts in 7 days, and I had a good time on my vacation, and I'm still off today, but it always goes by so quickly, and doesn't feel like anything gets done, which isn't great, but yeah, I mainly slept in, which was needed. What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Queen of Shadows and Ruin and The Ragpicker King!

Zarya must become the darkness…

Soaring through the sky to the frozen mountains of Andhera, Zarya knows that only she can save her home from annihilation. Ruthless armies hunt her friends and toxic dark magic spreads through the land, consuming all it touches. To fight back, she and Rabin must find dangerous new allies.

In a palace of black marble, Zarya finally meets her father—the mysterious Raja Abishek. She approaches warily. For years she was told to fear this man, that he seeks to steal her power. But Abishek welcomes her with open arms, with gifts and lavish celebrations.

Rabin is sure the king can help them, turning the tide of war and decay. And when the magic binding Zarya's heart to Rabin begins to fail, only Abishek can offer a cure. Zarya dreads the thought of placing their lives in his hands… But can she hesitate, when Rabin might be torn from her forever?

As Zarya makes her choice, ancient magic breaks loose, and her world shatters. In a ruined and long forgotten city, her love for Rabin will be tested to its limits. An army of shadows marches against her, destroying all in its path, and everything Zarya loves will be lost, unless she can face the darkness inside her—and release its devastating power.

An absolutely gripping fantasy romance that's perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Rebecca Yarros, and Carissa Broadbent, Queen of Shadows and Ruin is the epic final volume in the Nightfire Quartet.
In the epic follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Sword Catcher, praised by George R. R. Martin as “everything I look for in fantasy,” Lin and Kel must chart a perilous course between love and lies.

Kel Saren, body double to Conor, crown prince of the dazzling city of Castellane, is caught between two worlds. In order to protect his beloved prince, Kel must find the culprits responsible for a massacre at the royal palace—and the only clues are held by the Ragpicker King, the notorious criminal who rules Castellane’s underworld. The trail Kel follows leads back to the Hill, where among decadent nobles and glittering parties a dark conspiracy to destroy the royal family has taken hold—a conspiracy headed up by the monstrous Artal Gremont, the man engaged to marry the woman Kel adores.

Meanwhile, Lin Caster must face the aftermath of the greatest risk she’s ever taken. To save the life of a dying friend, Lin has falsely claimed to be the Goddess Reborn, the legendary heroine destined to save her people. Now the terrifying—but strangely magnetic—leader of her people has arrived to test her powers. The price of failure is exile, and only through her alliance with the Ragpicker King can she continue to access the magic that may save her.

Then Prince Conor reappears in her life, demanding that she use her healing powers to cure the madness of his father, the King. Lin soon realizes the King is gripped by an ancient and terrible magic, one whose lure she cannot deny any more than she can deny her growing passion for Conor.

As the simmering tensions in Castellane reach a fever pitch, Lin and Kel must decide who to trust when any false move means death—or worse.

Saturday, March 1, 2025

Week 9 Review: The Warbler

From Goodreads:
From the author of The Lies Among Us comes a magical tale about mothers and daughters, choices and consequences, and the real meaning of home when every place feels like a cage.

Ten months. That's the longest Elisa has stayed anyplace, constantly propelled by her fear that if she puts down roots, a family curse will turn her into a tree.

But she's grown tired of flitting from town to town and in and out of relationships. When she discovers a small town in Massachusetts where mysterious forces make it impossible for the residents to leave, she hopes she can change her fate.

As Elisa learns about the town's history, she understands more about the women in her family, who seem doomed to never get what they want. Now she believes she's stuck, too—is that a patch of bark on her arm? But her neighbor's collection of pet birds sings secrets that Elisa can almost understand—secrets she must unravel in order to be truly alive.

My Review:


Author: Sarah Beth Durst 
Read: February 28th, 2025  
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love her writing and it sounded really good, and it's a SAC 2025 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Published: March 1st 2025
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Waiting on Wednesday #718, February 12th

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

The Warbler by Sarah Beth Durst
Expected Publication: March 1st, 2025
From Goodreads:
From the author of The Lies Among Us comes a magical tale about mothers and daughters, choices and consequences, and the real meaning of home when every place feels like a cage.

Ten months. That’s the longest Elisa has stayed anyplace, constantly propelled by her fear that if she puts down roots, a family curse will turn her into a tree.

But she’s grown tired of flitting from town to town and in and out of relationships. When she discovers a small town in Massachusetts where mysterious forces make it impossible for the residents to leave, she hopes she can change her fate.

As Elisa learns about the town’s history, she understands more about the women in her family, who seem doomed to never get what they want. Now she believes she’s stuck, too—is that a patch of bark on her arm? But her neighbor’s collection of pet birds sings secrets that Elisa can almost understand—secrets she must unravel in order to be truly alive.

Just one book that seems to be coming out on an irregular day, but I can't wait to read it, I love her books! I have an ARC copy of it, so I really need to read it! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Monday, June 17, 2024

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #680, June 17th

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 #679
Teaser Tuesday #687
WWW Wednesday #687
WOW #683
Will the Time Come #680
Third Sentence Thursday #670
Random Reads #656
First Lines Friday #683
Book Blogger Hop #349
24 Books to Read in 2024 Update 4
22 Books to Read in 2022 Update 18
Monthly ARC's Update 77
The Reward Challenge Update #665
Wheel of TBR #212
How Well I Stuck to It #517
Wrote that Review Update #514

Week 24 Reviews:
Other Words for Smoke
I Was Born to Bake

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 
Update 32

Clear Your S**t:

Camp SeasonAthon:

Random:

OK, so I got 30 posts in 7 days, and the reading was good, the personal life, not so much. Jax, who is 11 years old, has had one thing or another for the past month. It started with a problem with his anal glands, and he was taken to the vet and got care. A few days after the antibiotics were finished, he started pooping blood, which had me scared because it reminded me of Dobby, and the infection in his bladder that caused him to pee blood, and is why he was put down, since he wasn't getting better, and it had been months and he was suffering, but it still hurt. It took a bit, including 2 vet visits because it didn't clear right away. He was getting better, he had more energy. But he's been coughing, and he's fainted twice now, which is scary. The vet has been monitoring him for a heart murmur, which the internet is saying could cause his symptomes. So he's going to the vet for the 4th time in a month's period, to see what treatment he can have. So I've been worrying over him and trying to spend as much time as possible with him. I'm really hoping that the vet can help him, and that it's all the stress of all that he's been going through, and he'll get better, but I don't know yet. But if we lose him now, it's been less than a year since we lost Dobby, which I'm still dealing with. So that's been my week. What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Winter Lost!

Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, must stop a disaster of world-shattering proportions in this exhilarating entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

In the supernatural realms, there are creatures who belong to winter. I am not one of them. But like the coyote I can become at will, I am adaptable.

My name is Mercy Thompson Hauptman, and my mate, Adam, is the werewolf who leads the Columbia Basin Pack, the pack charged with keeping the people who live and work in the Tri-Cities of Washington State safe. It's a hard job, and it doesn't leave much room for side quests. Which is why when I needed to travel to Montana to help my brother, I intended to go by myself.

But I'm not alone anymore.

Together, Adam and I find ourselves trapped with strangers in a lodge in the heart of the wilderness, in the teeth of a storm of legendary power, only to discover my brother's issues are a tiny part of a problem much bigger than we could have imagined. Arcane and ancient magics are at work that could, unless we are very careful, bring about the end of the world. . . .