Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller

Feel free to jump on this book for it’s cover alone-it’s just as stunning as the story itself. I got sucked in to this book a few days ago and I still can’t stop thinking about it.

After the world finally turns against us, leaving the earth covered in water, a floating city in the Arctic Circle is constructed. Geothermal heating and greener, more sustainable sources of energy are now the new normal. But even with all the amazing technology that allows humans to survive in the ocean, humanity still has it pretty rough. Living spaces are hard to come by and most are too expensive for everyday people with Landlords holding rents high to stay rich. Added to the stress of poverty is a mysterious illness called the breaks, that is spreading throughout the city and causing those inflicted to get lost in the memories of others.

Everything changes the day a woman is seen approaching the city on the back of an orca whale. With a polar bear.

Yep. Riding an orca whale with a polar bear.

Her arrival draws together four individuals who seemingly have nothing in common but once they meet, they begin a defiant battle against the political corruption of the city.

Reading Friends-this book is completely bonkers and I loved every single minute of it. There is political intrigue, mob syndicates, shady landlords, and genetic manipulation. Once again I’ve fallen into a book about the disastrous effects of unchecked climate change and it’s not a pretty picture of our future. I want nothing to do with living on a floating city in the Arctic Circle. No. Thank. You.

But noodle stands? I want those, and their frequent mentions made me very hungry.

This book offers a very interesting look in to what actually makes people a family and how lifetimes of deceit, regret, and abandonment can still allow for hope. How people can be so different from one another and still have so much in common.

I loved this book. It keeps popping into my thoughts with it’s incredible and terrifying world building.

Loved it.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

What happens when the taps run dry? When you turn the faucet handle and nothing comes out? How long can the human survive without water?

Be warned-this book will cause intense feelings of hoarding, stockpiling, and doomsday prepping.

Alyssa remembers where she was on the day of the Tap-Out. At home with her family, they initially thought the odd noises from the faucet were just a plumbing issue. Instead, it was their worst nightmare. Water to their home was shut off, rerouted to critical locations such as hospitals. An emergency run to Costco is chaotic with people scrambling and fighting for the last of the bottled water and other beverages. When Alyssa’s parents learn about a water desalination unit operating on a local beach, they set off in hopes of bringing back water. But as the hours drag on, Alyssa can’t reach her parents and they don’t show up. Now on their own, it’s up to Alyssa to keep Garrett safe.

Back in Alyssa’s neighborhood, her neighbors aren’t used to rationing anything, let alone critical resources. All but her next door neighbor Kelton, whose family takes survival prepping to the next level. Living off the grid in a fortified house, Kelton and his family have known a day like this would come. When the neighbors begin to notice how little the Tap-Out is affecting Kelton’s family, they stage a revolt. An unspeakable tragedy follows with Kelton, Alyssa, and her little brother Garrett left running for their lives.

What starts as an inconvenience turns into a fight for their very survival.

This book made me want to stock up on pallets of water, hand sanitizer, antibiotics, MREs, and anything else that might be critical. In the novel, it takes only days for people to completely turn on each other instead of working together to solve the problem. With all the talk of climate change currently in the news, this book felt even more scary.

Dry is listed as Young Adult but don’t let that stop you-it’s fast paced and gritty and I loved every word of it.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Stuck in Manistique by Dennis Cuesta

Stuck in Manistique is a funny and heartwarming look at how seemingly simple decisions can lead to big consequences.
When Mark, an only child without any family, receives word that his only aunt has passed away heads to northern Michigan to handle the details of her estate. Mark's childhood was filled with stories of his adventurous and world traveling aunt who worked with Doctors Without Borders and lived in war zones. But what his life was not filled with was actual interactions and memories of his aunt. Without any contact for decades, Mark has no idea what he's getting himself in to.
Emily, a recent medical school graduate is getting ready to start her residency at a prestigious Chicago hospital and is planning on a romantic getaway with her boyfriend when a deer derails her plans. Stuck without a car and seriously considering her future, Emily ends up at the Manistique Victorian, a bed and breakfast formerly owned by Mark's Aunt Vivian. While Mark thinks he's only helping out a stranded woman for one night, he instead sets off a series of events that leads to friendships, break-ups, humor and sadness.
There was something about the beginning of this book that kept nagging at me and it took a while to figure out what it was-the dialogue is completely real and believable. There are no flowery speeches or quick come-backs. The characters have very real conversations with misunderstandings and jokes that fall completely flat.
Stuck in Manistique is full of quirkly characters. Mark meets Bear Foot, a local handyman who was both a friend to Aunt Vivian and her go-to guy to get things done. After learning of her death, he builds a fire to help guide her spirit and borrows a boat to take Mark out on the lake to spread Vivian's ashes. But of course, the fire doesn't go as planned and the boat doesn't start. There's George, an elderly man who has a fight with is wife and leaves his casino tour for a night of peace. But of course, George's wife died years ago and his struggles with dementia leave Mark and Emily constantly worrying about his safety. There's the couple who are trying to be the first to circle the lake in an electric car-but are they a couple?
Stuck in Manistique is a series of "what-else-can-go-wrong" that is equal parts humorous and heartbreaking. I really enjoyed this book and I'd definitely recommend it for when you're in the need of some great, light reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Stuck in Manistique by Dennis Cuesta is available October 29, 2018 from Celestial Eyes Press.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

House of Gold by Natasha Solomon

House of Gold is a rich and sweeping tale of the Goldbaum family during the early 20th century.   Wealthy, beautiful, and full of rich-people problems, the Goldbaums are one of the wealthiest families in the world with the ability to make or break entire countries.  With all of that power comes impossibly high expectations of all members of the family. Greta, daughter to the head of the Austrian house is set to marry her cousin Albert.  Not only has she never met Albert, she has no say in the matter. Greta’s big brother Otto is brought up to lead his family and take his father’s place at the bank and has just as much say in his future as his little sister.  

As the years pass, Greta learns to tolerate her marriage, fall in love with her husband, become a mother, and learns the strength to survive a war.  With her family’s money being both a blessing and a burden, Greta lives her life as close to her own terms as possible.

This is one of those vast, multi-layered stories that is great for when you want to really immerse yourself for days on end.  The e-book version of House of Gold that I read clocked in at nearly 450 pages and takes you all the way from the wedding planning of Greta and Albert’s wedding to the birth of their second child.  It’s full of history, politics, religion, and the way that money really does rule the world. The detail given to the dresses, dinner menus, furnishings, and gardens is incredible. And the rich people problems-it’s a wonderful escape. Greta frets for months on how to plan a garden.  Who to hire, what to plant, the significance of every little stone-all while the Goldbaum kitchens are handing out food to the poor and starving. There is a side story of Karl, a young man who lives in the sewers of the city and stays as close to the Goldbaum mansion as possible because the food they give away is the best in the country.  

House of Gold also gives us insight into high-society arranged marriages.  I find the separate bedrooms, lack of communication, and the way they act more like a business partnership than a life partnership absolutely fascinating.  

I really enjoyed this one.  If you want to get lost for days in someone else’s life, I highly recommend this one.  

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:  

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

In the Vanisher's Palace by Aliette de Bodard

When an Elder’s daughter becomes ill, magic is the only cure. But drawing on the magic of the Dragons comes with a steep price. Yên, daughter of the village healer, is the one chosen to become the payment of the village’s magical debts. Assuming she will be given to the Dragons for their amusement, she is shocked to discover that she will be playing a different role-as tutor to the feisty and mischievous young dragon children of the dragoness Vu Côn. Now living in the spirit world in a magical palace that reshapes itself to suit the needs of the inhabitants, Yên worries that her death is always one misstep away. But it’s not her life that is at stake, it’s her heart. Vu Côn is more than a magical dragon, she is also a beautiful and powerful woman.

Dark and beautifully written, In The Vanisher’s Palace is a dark retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast story. From the mysterious and powerful Dragon to the palace that is constantly changing shape, it has many of the elements of the original tale with a notable twist.

I loved the Dragon characters-they’re magical, powerful, and the children are still very much children, learning their boundaries and the consequences of their magic. There’s a magical medical ward where the children Liên and Thông definitely don’t see eye-to-eye with their mother.

The worlds are very complex and they blend history, contemporary elements and magic. The hospital beds in the spirit world are cryogenic chambers but the dragons still use magic to heal them. It can be a bit disorienting but the story moves on quickly enough for all to make sense and seem completely natural. I mean, why wouldn’t the walls just begin to shift and add windows? Of course we use magical spells to cure viruses.

Yên and Vu Côn begin as slave as master but quickly realize that there is much more going on. Even Vu Côn’s children can see that she is instantly smitten with their new teacher. They’re relationship is built on more than attraction-there is trust and also genuine concern for each other’s well being.

In the Vanisher’s Palace is dark but beautifully written. I really enjoyed dropping in to this world and I’d love to see what this author comes up with next.

Thank you to the author for the advanced copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here;

Series Starters-Paranormal Edition

I’m a big paranormal/sci-fi/fantasy/urban fantasy fan. I have great respect for an author who can weave together magic and reality and create a new and intricate world. Getting lost in Post-Shift Atlanta or the dark streets of Caldwell is my favorite way to escape from reality. Vampires, faeries, shifters, witches and warlocks-I love them all. Full disclosure-I do own all of these books. Full disclosure- I hate when a publisher changes a cover style half way through a series. It makes my head spin. Just keep a cover consistent. That’s not too much to ask.

If you have any series that you love, please drop them in the comments!

This was my first introduction to the Steampunk genre and the entire series is great. It’s full of vampires, political intrigue, mechanical devices, and steam of all kinds!

From the Publisher: Most people avoid the dreaded Whitechapel district. For Honoria Todd, it's the last safe haven as she hides from the Blue Blood aristocracy that rules London through power and fear. Blade rules the rookeries-no one dares cross him. It's been said he faced down the Echelon's army single–handedly, that ever since being infected by the blood–craving he's been quicker, stronger, and almost immortal. When Honoria shows up at his door, his tenuous control comes close to snapping. She's so...innocent. He doesn't see her backbone of steel-or that she could be the very salvation he's been seeking.

These books are proudly displayed behind glass in my living room. If we ever have a fire, someone better save all my boys! You can start your obsession for only $2.99 on Kindle.

From the Publisher: The only purebred vampire left on the planet and the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who killed his parents centuries ago. But when his most trusted fighter is killed—orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate—Wrath must put down his dagger and usher the beautiful female into another world.

Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn’t there before, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of the Brotherhood and blood frighten her. Yet his touch ignites a dawning new hunger—one that threatens to consume them both...

This series just wrapped up with Magic Triumphs, book #10 and is absolutely amazing. Plus, book 1 is only $2.99 on Kindle!

From the Publisher: When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.
 Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta’s magic circles.
 The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate’s guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she’s way out of her league—but she wouldn’t have it any other way...

This series is hot!!! It’s also a great story about finding your inner badass.

From the Publisher: When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone—Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed—a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae. . . .
As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane—an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women–closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book—because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands. . 

This is only $1.99 on Kindle!

I just discovered this series this year and I really enjoyed it. If you loved Harry Potter, give this one a shot.

From the Publisher: Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain the foul deeds are the work of the kind of creature whose very existence the local authorities--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--seem adamant to deny.

Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman

I have an apology to make to the YA community. I used to think that YA was overrated, dumbed-down, fluffy teen angst. It’s not. Some of the best books I have read lately have fallen under the YA marketing category-I do still believe that’s all it is-and I want to throw them into the hands of every adult patron who comes into the Library. The latest title to completely captivate me is Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman. I read this at the kitchen table, in one setting, with my husband literally knocking down the walls around me. Home renovation is fun for one of us.

Rumi Seto’s entire life changes in an instant. Her best friend and sister Lea dies next to her in a tragic car accident. Overcome with grief and sadness, her mother sends her away to her aunt’s house in Hawaii for the rest of the summer. Feeling lonely and abandoned, Rumi struggles with the basic of tasks-getting out of bed, showering, eating. Her Aunt has never had children and her already strained relationship with her niece is made even more volatile as the two try to navigate life around each other.

Her new next door neighbor, a handsome and charming surfer named Kai, tries to become her friend and show her the sights of Hawaii but Rumi isn’t ready. Without her sister and the music they wrote together, Rumi has lost both her heart and moral compass. Her other neighbor, an eighty year old grump named George Watanabe is only slightly more successful in forming a friendship with Rumi. Laying on his living room floor listening to old records provides Rumi with the closest thing to peace she can find.

It is through her new friendships and her music that slowly allow Rumi to find her way back to herself.

Reader friends-grab your tissues and read this book. It’s incredibly emotional and raw. Rumi’s character already struggles with friendships and understanding how to react to social situations. Her relationship with her sister is what gave her life direction. When her mom ships her off to Hawaii, the betrayal and abandonment is more than she can handle and I spent most of this story crying my eyes out because she feels so lost.

Akemi Dawn Bowman writes her characters with such love-each character felt so real. I’d love for their to be a sequel to this story so I know everyone is living their best life. I really liked the way the author wrote about Rumi’s attempts to figure herself out. Rumi was very aware that she thought differently than others but even with that awareness, the way she view relationships really troubled her. Trying to decipher her sexuality was incredibly frustrating to her and the conversations about sexuality being fluid were really well written. This story really covers a broad range of difficult topics-death, grief, relationships, sexuality, mental health, abandonment. While that seems to be a lot of heaviness, it’s also full of hope.

I really enjoyed this one and I’m looking forward to see what the author puts out next.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Diet for a Changing Climate by Christy Mihaly and Sue Heavenrich

Just this week, the United Nations released a report on climate change that was filled with dire warnings. I won’t go in to the details because I am the furthest thing from an expert you will find. I did this article from the New Yorker to be the most accessible to my non-expert brain. Now that everyone is sufficiently scared, let’s take a more lighthearted approach to our problem.

Let’s eat bugs.

Diet for a Changing Climate is an interesting and informative read on how we can adapt our diet to positively impact our environment. This book is full of facts on "unusual" food sources such as insects, kudzu and foraging for wild greens. Who knew some of the most nutritious additions to our dinner salad are right in our yard? Unfortunately, most of us use toxic chemicals to remove those pesky dandelions and chickweed from our yards. Kudzu, which has taken over the southern states of the U.S. is also a tasty sandwich wrap, tea, and can be used to make jelly.

Did you know stinkbugs taste like apples? No clue. Crickets in your protein bars? I guess…just don’t tell me? I don’t think I’m ready to jump on the bug protein wagon, but if the idea sounds good to you, this book is full of recipes. From how to identify your insect, harvesting, and cooking, this book covers it all.

The authors have included some really great and colorful graphics in this book. There’s plenty of recipes, tips and tricks to incorporating climate friendly food sources into our daily lives.

Equal parts gross and fascinating, this book will show how to change the way we look at invasive species. This would be perfect for the science nut or a budding climatologist in your life. Diet for a Changing Climate: Food for Thought by Christy Mihaly and Sue Heavenrich is available October 1, 2018.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Full disclosure: I received an advanced copy of this book from the Netgalley and the Publisher, all opinions are my own.

Consumed by J. R. Ward

J. R. Ward has given us another hot one! Full disclosure-I own the entire Black Dagger Brotherhood, Fallen Angel, and Bourbon Kings series. I fell in love with her writing with Dark Lover and I have been a devoted fan ever since.

Another full disclosure-I’m married to a firefighter. To The Chief. Of course I bought this book. He also dropped everything to grab his gear so I could play around with my camera.

Ann Ashburn comes from a family of firefighters and she has the skills and courage to be one of the very best. During a sketchy warehouse fire, Ann makes the decision to leave her partner and venture out on her own. Not only is this completely dangerous, it’s against protocol. When the building begins to collapse, Ann becomes trapped. Luckily, Ann is saved by her fellow firefighter Danny Maguire, but it’s how he saves her that changes them both forever.

Spoiler-not-a-spoiler: He cuts her hand off! With an ax! Her hand was completely trapped and there was no other way to get her out before the flames completely took them over.

But once Ann is safe, things become incredibly dangerous for Danny. After handing Ann out to the fellow crew members for medical treatment, the building collapses on Danny. When Danny is finally found, his injuries are so severe that no one can understand how he survived.

Both Ann and Danny required months and months to recover. Now that Ann has only the one hand, she can no longer work as a firefighter with her crew. Unable to leave the profession completely, she throws herself into her new career-arson investigator. Nearly a year later, Ann is investigating a series of suspicious fires that forces her to cross paths with her old crew, and most importantly, Danny.

This book was everything I was hoping it would be! Ward writes very strong female characters I really enjoyed Ann’s character. Ann is smart, tough, resourceful, and is willing to work to get what she wants. She’s fearless as an investigator and refuses to be intimidated. On her first investigation, she rescues a stray dog that is hurt and hungry. I love the way the relationship between Ann and Soot, the pup, is written.

Danny’s character is a little predictable-tough but injured guy is medicating himself with alcohol and OTC meds. After Ann’s accident, the two of them don’t speak for nearly a year but she is constantly on his mind. He becomes more and more dangerous and is constantly putting himself in danger. With that said, the way he is with Ann completely redeems all that. He is never pushy, never overbearing, and he completely appreciates Ann for her strengths and her mind and not just for her amazing abs.

If you’ve never read Ward before, I would highly recommend you start. Consumed just came out last week so you’ll have plenty of time before the next book comes out. If you’re into paranormal romance her Black Dagger Brotherhood books are amazing. They’re almost soap opera-ish ( I truly mean this in the best way) and follow a great group of characters across almost 20 books. Definitely start with the first one, Dark Lover.

Have you read this yet? Let me know what you thought of this one.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

Water. It is everywhere in this book. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book more suited for a rainy, stormy night than this one. The atmosphere is so dark, dreary, gray, and just down right wet. There are constant rain showers, pounding a thunderstorms and horrific accident involving the backyard pond. Grab a rain coat and some tissues-this book is an adventure.

Moving to the countryside to escape an appalling-and it’s a doozy- scandal doesn't save the Montrose family from heartache and devastation. Lydia Montrose, the middle daughter with secrets of her own, does her best to keep the family peace by caring for her younger sister Emeline while also trying to save her family from her older sister Catherine’s scandalous antics.

In Catherine’s defense, the book is set during a time where smiling at a man could ostracize you from society. But that’s her only defense-the girl has some serious issues to deal with. Also, I really don’t like getting negative on here-we have way too much of that everyday-but the scandal they’re running from? I could really do without that. There are so many ways that society has deemed women’s behavior scandalous that the options were endless. I did not like this option. I just didn’t.

The family's new home has completely unnerved their neighbor, John Barrett. Barrett is very upset after finding out that the family has decided to stay in the house full time but doesn’t provide any reasoning for his reaction. Even more unsettling to Lydia is the house seems to be home to a malevolent spirit that calls to Lydia and her younger sister and fighting it is proving exhausting.

When the family attempts to gain the good graces of their neighbors by hosting a town hall and party, the family suffers a horrible loss. In that loss, Lydia discovers a power in her that is both frightening and alluring. It’s a power that has been hidden since her earliest memories. But is it real?

If Lydia isn't careful, she will lose not only those that she loves, but herself as well.

A dark and troubling story of sibling rivalry, family tragedy, and deceit. Richly told with twists and turns that will have you questioning your own sanity.

This read like it could be the first in a series-and I hope it does continue because more information needs told about many of the different plot points. It’s published by Graydon House for YA audiences but besides the age of the main character, it didn’t feel like a YA novel at all so don’t let that keep you from giving it a shot.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

After the Fire by Will Hill

This one is amazing!

After the Fire by Will Hill is a riveting story of how one girl survives a deadly cult in the deserts of Texas. Inspired by the events in Waco, Texas with the Branch Davidian religious sect, After the Fire follows the life of Moonbeam, a seventeen year old who has only known life surrounded by her Brothers and Sisters inside the walls of the Lord’s Legion base. Moonbeam spends her days working in the gardens, training, and helping the other Legionnaire’s keep the Base running smoothly.

But then comes the fire.

Now, Moonbeam’s life is a series of Before and Afters. Before the fire, she lived inside the fence. After the fire, she lives in a hospital. Before the fire, she was a promised wife to the Prophet. After the fire, she has to learn what real truth is.

Why did the Prophet change his name? What was inside the mysterious packages that the Prophet received. Why were the Servants of the Serpent after them? Why did they want them dead?

Moonbeam’s harrowing story is told through flashbacks and therapy sessions at the hospital she is sent to after the fire. Brought to the Base when she was only a year old, her parents were trying to find a better and simpler life. What began as a group of people trying to live purely for the Lord, quickly becomes something much darker when a new Prophet joins their ranks. Father John, Prophet of the Lord has declared that the Base must begin to train for the End Times. With Armageddon close, Father John imposes harsh punishments against those that refuse his orders. Training with guns become part of everyone’s daily life. Hand to hand combat is taught to children with severe consequences for anyone who doesn’t train hard enough. Young girls are promised as wives to the Prophet-the only father to future children.

This story is incredibly well told. From the first page I was completely sucked in. The story is raw and emotional, but because it’s told through Moonbeam’s point of view, the author does a wonderful job of not making her pain-or any other character’s-gratuitous. We find out at the very beginning that Moonbeam has a terrible secret-one so big that she can’t let anyone find out what it is. Her constant fear of someone discovering her secret impacts her healing and that of those around her. After the Fire is an incredible look at how easily power can corrupt and affect the lives of innocent people.

An amazing story-I can’t recommend it enough. After the Fire by Will Hill is available from Sourcebooks Fire on October 2, 2018.

Sincere thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Nightingale by Amy Lukavics

I could not put this book down! Suspenseful, terrifying, and with a mind-bending ending, this book kept me up way past my bedtime.

It’s 1951 and June Hardie wants to do more with her life than learn how to cook, clean, and be a good little wife. While her mother is determined to keep June powdered and lipsticked, June dreams of being a writer. Instead of supporting June’s dreams, her parents are using her to date the son of a potential business partner as a way to further her family’s place in society. But before June is able to leave town and pursue her goals, a horrible betrayal completely upends her life.

Now June finds herself in a mental institution surrounded by troubled young women. How did she get here? Why hasn't her family come to visit? Why don't the other women remember their lives before the institution? Why does she receive treatments without ever seeing the doctor? Will she ever leave? June is left with more questions than answers as she tries to survive in her new surroundings all while trying to investigate how she ended up in the institution in the first place.

This book was amazing! All of the twists and turns really keep the story moving. As it becomes more difficult to tell the truth from June’s delusions, the story goes from creepy to truly terrifying.

Nightingale by Amy Lucaviks is available September 25th from Harlequin TEEN. Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Changeling by Molly Harper

This was such a fun adventure! This is the first book by Molly Harper that I’ve read and it’s just delightful. It’s also the first in the Sorcery and Society series.

When Sarah Smith, housemaid to a magical Guardian household nearly knocks over a priceless vase, her world is completely turned upside down. Instead of the vase shattering, Sarah sets the vase spinning in midair. Only Sarah doesn't have magic powers. She is part of the Snipes, the non-magical working class of servants and caretakers. In order to avoid a complete scandal Mrs. Winters, the intimidating matriarch of the Winter household, invents a new identity for Sarah, a distant cousin named Cassandra Reed.

Now Cassandra must prove herself to be a haughty, well educated lady of the upper class. Sent to Miss Castwell’s Institute for the Magical Instruction of Young Ladies, Cassandra must hone her powers, avoid dancing at all cost, survive the social complexities of the upper class, and learn where her magical powers came from.

Cassandra has so much to deal with in this book. If anyone finds out that she comes from a Snipe family, her family could be in danger and the Winters could lose everything. Her sister Mary is madly in love with Owen Winters, heir to the Winter household and completely out of her league. When Cassandra and Mrs. Winters meet with the headmistress on the first day of school, Cassandra is dismissed to the library to write a lengthy essay. Left alone and without further direction, she sets off to explore other parts of the large library only to be attacked by a book. Only in a magical library would one need to worry about books attacking you. Only, Cassandra isn’t being attacked. She has been chosen by the Mother Book to become it’s Translator- a sort of magical interpreter of the spells within the book. Now she’s covered in magical tattoos and a mysterious metal dragonfly appears on her palms. Not only is she the mysterious new girl, she’s the Translator.

Luckily for Cassandra, she meets two girls, Ivy and Alicia, both of whom are the school’s social outcasts. Both girls come from wealthy and prominent families, but they have little desire to play the part in petty gossip and school drama. Together, the girls take on the school bullies, an evil Guardian, and learn the value of true friendship.

Full of witty dialogue, magic, and strong female characters, Changeling is a fun look at friendship and the power of kindness.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Thank you to Netgalley and INscribe Digital for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

I'd Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel

I’d Rather Be Reading:  The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life is a love letter to readers everywhere. It’s a reassurance that it’s ok to have overflowing bookshelves and never ending piles of books that we couldn’t let languish on a sale rack. It’s an affirmation that no matter how you read-audio, physical, e-reader, book club,in a coffee shop or in line at the store-it’s all equally important.

And, perfectly ok. 

Anne covers everything reading related. From how to select books, proper shelving techniques, and how to not force books on others no matter how good your intentions are. Oh, and how to rearrange your books because the first shelving system didn’t work. And then, change it again. 

Her words on never ending TBR piles spoke volumes to me. I have 37 physical books I want to read on the two shelves next to me right now. 37! That I have paid for and can’t wait to get to. I also have 7 advance digital copies and 4 paperbacks that come out next month to read-and hopefully they’re great so I can share them with you. Not to mention Book of the Month and oh, yeah, I work at a library. So I completely understand never ending TBR lists.

Anne writes of her love of the library and how living next door to one shaped her as a reader and an adult. How a library can help fuel passions and help discover new interests. 
I’d Rather Be Reading is a slim volume about the true love of reading life.

Anne has another book, Reading People:  How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything, that was published last year and definitely worth checking out.  Not only does Anne have a thing for long titles, she has a gift for gorgeous book covers that look amazing on your shelves.  

You can also find her on one of my favorite bookish podcasts, What Should I Read Next, where she provides book recommendations to readers facing the biggest obstacle-what should I read next?  It's actually the first book related podcast I started listening to and it is truly a delight to listen to other readers gush about the books they love.  

I'd Rather Be Reading is available now, and available wherever you buy books. You can get your copy, and help support the site, here: 

Also, as of this morning, Anne's book Reading People is available on Kindle for $2.99 this morning!  

Sheets by Brenna Thummler

Marjorie Glatt has a lot on her plate.  School, taking care of her brother, running the family laundry business, sleazy businessmen, and ghosts.  She definitely doesn’t have time for ghosts.

After the death of her mother, Marjorie’s father shut down and began drinking away his grief.  This leaves Marjorie to deal with everything on her own. She’s left to care for her little brother, the housework, and the stress of high school.  

If the family is to stay afloat, Marjorie has to become the sole employee of the family laundry.  Hurrying home from school, Marjorie has to deal with impatient customers who have no sympathy for a high schooler trying to run a business and go to school.  Not only does Marjorie have to work long in to the night to get all the orders completed, she has to deal with the most disgusting and juvenile of sleazy businessmen.  Mr. Saubertuck has dreams of turning the Glatt’s Laundry in to a spa resort. True to his gross form, he doesn’t want to provide an actual business offer, instead he tries to sabotage the business by spreading rumors and tainting the laundry detergent with dye.  Unfortunately for Marjorie, his attempts at sabotage are beginning to work.

With her business constantly threatened by a shady businessman, Marjorie is at the breaking point and the last thing she needs is a ghost named Wendell. Wendell died when he was only 11 and is very lonely living in the land of ghosts.  When he discovers that Saubertuck is trying to ruin Marjorie’s business, he tries to help her out. But his attempts at helping don’t go as planned. When the other ghosts learn that he has made contact with a living person, he is faced with devastating consequences.  

Full disclosure:  I received a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own. 

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Toil & Trouble edited by Jessica Spotswood and Tess Sharpe

Toil & Trouble introduces us to 15 young women just coming in to their magical powers.  From love spells and healing hands to magical spells that write plays, this collection tells the stories of strong and powerful young women.  Covering different time periods and locations, the different stories in Toil & Trouble are both unique and unified.  

We meet Esperanza, a fashion icon who uses her social media prowess to spread her gift of astrology who finds her scientist soulmate during an online debate.  Deliverance Pond, a midwife in the 1600’s who witnesses an extraordinary birth. Mattie, a Priestess who uses her gift to solve a mystical crime. Our young and powerful witches use their gifts to empower, heal, and protect.

Consent, domestic abuse, sexual identity, family, school, boyfriends, girlfriends, best friends, body image-it’s all in here.  Each story was powerful and engaging and I was unable to put it down. Excellent collection!

Full disclosure:  I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review-all opinions are mine. This was an excellent book! 

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here: 

Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles by Mark Russell

Available in comic book shops August 22nd and everywhere else August 28th

 I am definitely not an expert on comics or their history, but a quick interweb search provided a very brief background on DC Comics putting out reimagined stories for some of the older Hanna-Barbera characters.  I wasn’t aware they had new comics out about the Flintstones and after reading Exit Stage Left,  I can’t wait to find them and check them out.  

Exit Stage Left:  The Snagglepuss Chronicles is set in 1953 but feels as though it could be written for today.  Snagglepuss is under investigation by the House Committee on Un-American Activities for involvement with Russian spies.  Married to a woman but secretly in love with a man, Snagglepuss hides his true identity from the public and all but his closest of friends.  Writer Mark Russell gives us a Snagglepuss, or SP as he is commonly referred to, that is a wildly successful playwright and his latest play is a huge hit on Broadway.  But even with all of his fame and money, Snagglepuss is still forced to hide his relationship to Pablo. Snagglepuss isn’t the only one with secrets- Huckleberry Hound makes an appearance as well.  Best friend to SP, Huckleberry is a once-successful novelist who lost everything when a scandalous affair cost him his marriage and relationship with his son. Now, unemployed and wandering the country, he has stopped in New York long enough to see his old friend.  But Huckleberry is allowed a short time of happiness. He falls in love with a police officer but the Stonewall riots reveal a darker side to their relationship.

Exit Stage Left:  The Snagglepuss Chronicles is full of secrets, lies, and betrayals that are revealed through court hearings, flashbacks, and an autobiographical play produced by Snagglepuss.  This was a great read that combined amazing artwork from artist Mike Feehan and an engaging story.

Exit Stage Left:  The Snagglepuss Chronicles will be available in comic shops on August 22nd and everywhere else on August 28th.  

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle

August Book of the Month Pick

If you could have dinner with any five people, living or dead, who would they be?  It's a question I can't seem to answer.  I honestly can't make up my mind.  Would there be hard feelings if I chose J.R. Ward over my husband?  Probably.  He knows about the Black Dagger Brotherhood.  Are you obligated to pick your own child?  Your parents?  Bill Murray would be amazing, as would Amy Schumer.  Would they be as interesting to talk to as Nnedi Okorafor or John Scalzi?  Should I think bigger?  Queen Victoria or King Arthur?  Can they be fictional?  If so, definitely King Arthur.  Or Odin.  

Like I said, I can't make up my mind.  

Sabrina Nielsen arrives at her birthday dinner to find Audrey Hepburn, her deceased father, longtime roommate and best friend Jessica, her college professor, and her ex-lover Tobias.  How?  No one has any idea how they got there, why they are there, and how much time they have.  What follows is a sometimes uncomfortable look at how our many relationships can shape our lives and possibly our own destiny.  

Turning 30 hasn't been what Sabrina thought it would be.  Her decade long relationship with Tobias hasn't led to marriage.  She hasn't climbed as far up the ladder in publishing as she'd like.  Her best friend is now married and a mother in the suburbs with a completely different life than her own.  Added to her stress, her birthday dinner includes her long deceased father who left the family when Sabrina was still little.  Will learning his side of the story bring closure?  Why is her former professor at the dinner?  How did Audrey end up here and what does she have to teach Sabrina about love and life?

A look at life, love, and forgiveness, Rebecca Serle explores it all with grace and sensitivity.  Told through a combination of memories and present day, Sabrina reflects on her life and relationships and what she needs to be fulfilled. 

This was my third Book of the Month pick and I have yet to be disappointed.  While this story did start a bit slow, I really wanted to learn how and why her list of five was able to be at the dinner.  

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here: