Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #593: We Already Dug the Grave by Emma C. Wells

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher: "This is the kind of book readers love to devour: family secrets, people trying to escape their predetermined roles, and a good dash of the supernatural all blended together in a story that's ultimately about love and loyalty." — Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestseller

From the USA Today bestselling author of This Girl's a Killer, comes a southern gothic thriller with the bite of Sharp Objects and a dash of Practical Magic, following two estranged sisters who will do anything to protect each other – even murder. Again.

Milly can't divine the future anymore, and maybe that's a good thing. Lately, her life has been bleak enough, she doesn't need the now-silent tea leaves to tell her. Meanwhile, her estranged younger sister thrives miles away in a shiny new life with a shiny new marriage. Milly doesn't blame Francis for wanting nothing to do with her. Not after what happened in that Tennessee meadow a decade before.

But when Francis shows up on Milly's doorstep with a black eye and a plea for help – Milly can't say no. Especially when the tea leaves are finally crystal clear: if the sisters don't kill Francis's husband, he'll kill her.

And if they're going to plot a murder, the sisters have no choice but to return to the one place they'd left behind. A place where another body – and a multitude of secrets – were buried. Because this isn't the first time the sisters have needed to dispose of a bad man. In fact, they might be pretty good at it.

We Already Dug the Grave by Emma C. Wells is expected out September 8, 2026 from Poisoned Pen Press.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like the way it sounds. I enjoy southern gothic literature. I am wondering about the first murder as well as the second one. What caused them to get rid of the first man? And just how good are they at it? Milly has a talent for tea leaves. Does Francis have a talent as well that will affect the plot?

What book are you waiting on? Leave a note in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever growing TBR lists. Thanks for stopping by! Happy Reading!

Happy Book Birthday to The Only One Who Knows by Lisa M. Matlin

 

Through Raspberry Colored Glasses wants to wish a Happy Book Birthday to The Only One Who Knows by Lisa M. Matlin.

From the publisher:

A disgraced TV news reporter returns to her violent hometown to investigate a series of deadly shark attacks in this nail-biting suspense novel from the author of The Stranger Upstairs.

“A gothic coastal noir about generational violence and the cyclical nature of predation, The Only One Who Knows is visceral, haunting, and impossible to look away from.”—Carter Wilson, USA Today bestselling author of Tell Me What You Did

Something is lurking below the surface . . . and it’s hungry.

With her polished persona as a morning show co-host, Minnow Greenwood seems to have it all. But behind the camera, something’s about to break. When a public meltdown shatters her facade, Minnow flees back to Kangaroo Bay—a grimy fishing town on Australia’s southern coast, where locals vanish and something deadly hunts in the water.

On her first night back, a horrifying shark attack rocks the town, adding another body to the unsettling list of deaths and disappearances. Then a former colleague arrives to investigate, so she reluctantly teams up with him to find answers for herself and keep her own dark secrets buried.

But with danger closing in, Minnow must unearth her town’s deadly past—and face the darkness festering inside her—before she becomes the next to disappear.

The Only One Who Knows by Lisa M. Matlin is out today from Bantam Books.

And a Teaser: 

Heath gives me a sidelong look, and I keep my eyes on the sand until Colleen snorts, “There was a fatal attack yesterday and he still wants to surf. God, he’s crazy.”

Lisa M. Matlin. The Only One Who Knows. Kindle Edition 

Book Review: Dollface by Lindy Ryan

 

From the publisher:

Barbie meets Scream with a 90s nostalgia twist in this horror romp from Bless Your Heart author Lindy Ryan.

Horror author Jill has just moved to suburban New Jersey, hoping to fit in with the new PTA moms and maybe not weird everyone out with her Final Girl coffee mug. You know. Make some real friends.

But then a plastic face-masked serial killer begins slashing their way through town, one overly made-up mom at a time. The police are incredulous. The moms are indignant. And Jill is slowly wrapped into a killer’s murderous spree, until she might just be the last woman standing.

A delightfully murderous novel that is equal parts scathing and salacious, Dollface will win you over with its gossip and gore, one body at a time.

"A juicy, irreverent and bloody twist on the genre." - Variety

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed the book. I've enjoyed other things that I had read by Lindy Ryan, so I went into it thinking that I might enjoy this book as well. I like my horror a little on the light side. This was perfect for me. There were some scenes that were horrifying to be sure, but it all came together to make one good book.

From the minute that Jill has to answer the door in her bathrobe for her overly friendly new neighbor to the final scene, the book delivers on its promise. There is 90s nostalgia and horror trivia. There are mean girls. All that Jilly wants is to fit in and get her book written. The attacks and the growing friendship she has with Darla keep the book moving forward. It moves along at a good pace, right up until the final scenes with the plot twists. While I did guess at some of what was going on, I didn't predict all of the twists. That makes it a good book. It was unique. 

I gave this book 5 stars. I would recommend it to people who enjoy light horror and aren't too squeamish. There are a few scenes that are rather descriptive when it comes to the actual attacks.If you enjoyed other writings by Lindy Ryan, you will most likely enjoy this as well. Also, if you enjoyed Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer, you might enjoy this one as well.

Dollface by Lindy Ryan was released February 24, 2026 from Minotaur Books.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinions.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #592: The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the Publisher:

In a desperate gamble to save her throne, a young monarch arranges a secret marriage, conceals it in the shadows of an enchanted forest, and unknowingly alters the fate of her world—in this dazzling novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale.

Anne of Brittany was a child when France invaded and drove her royal father to his death. Now she is a young woman, sovereign duchess of an occupied realm, and France means to crown their conquest by marrying her to their king. Such an alliance would put her title, her lands, and her body forever in the hands of her enemies.

But Anne refuses to be the last duchess of Brittany.

Her only hope of resisting conquest is another alliance sealed with marriage, so Anne arranges a daring last gambit: a secret betrothal to Charles of France’s greatest rival. But secrets are hard to keep in a world where rival courts spy on each other with diviners.

The forest of Brocéliande was once the haunt of Merlin the Enchanter and the long-lost faerie queen. But magic is long gone from Broceliande, except for the occasional sight of a unicorn and one critical quirk: This ancient forest is completely inimical to divination.

While pretending compliance with France, Anne plans a unicorn hunt in Brocéliande. A bit of pointless pageantry. A diversion so she can wed in secret.

Or so she thinks.

In this rich and epic novel, the author of the acclaimed Winternight trilogy turns the real history of a remarkable woman into an unforgettable tale of mystery, enchantment, and the price of power.

The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden is expected to be out June 2, 2026 from Del Rey.

Why am I waiting on this book? I loved Katherine Arden's Winternight trilogy. This story sounds interesting. The inclusion of magic makes it even more attractive. I want to know what happens in Brocéliande and what happens with the unicorn.

What book are you waiting on? Leave a note in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever growing TBR lists. Thanks for stopping by! Happy Reading!

Happy Book Birthday and a Teaser from Dollface by Lindy Ryan

 

From the publisher:

Barbie meets Scream with a 90s nostalgia twist in this horror romp from Bless Your Heart author Lindy Ryan.

Horror author Jill has just moved to suburban New Jersey, hoping to fit in with the new PTA moms and maybe not weird everyone out with her Final Girl coffee mug. You know. Make some real friends.

But then a plastic face-masked serial killer begins slashing their way through town, one overly made-up mom at a time. The police are incredulous. The moms are indignant. And Jill is slowly wrapped into a killer’s murderous spree, until she might just be the last woman standing.

A delightfully murderous novel that is equal parts scathing and salacious, Dollface will win you over with its gossip and gore, one body at a time.

"A juicy, irreverent and bloody twist on the genre." - Variety

Dollface by Lindy Ryan is available today from Minotaur Books.

A Teaser for you:

This is a lie. I will not be going anywhere near the furnace. Horror author or not, I don't do basements-- or dusty attics, or backyard pools. (location 177 on my Kindle)

What are you reading? Is there a book out today that you've been waiting for?

Book Review: Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson

 

From the publisher:

An ordinary man discovers a hidden world of supernatural creatures—and an unexpected home—in this enchanting contemporary fantasy debut.

Green trips on the curb, falls flat into the street, and sees the city bus speeding toward him. And then . . . blink. He’s back on the curb, miraculously still alive. A five-foot-tall crow watches him from atop a nearby sign, somehow unseen by the rushing crowd of morning commuters.

Desperate for answers and beset by more visions of impossible creatures, Green finds his way to a remote campsite in the Appalachian Mountains, where he meets a centuries-old teacher and begins an apprenticeship unlike anything he could imagine.

Under his new mentor’s grouchy tutelage, Green studies the time-bending rag moth, the glass fawn, and the menacing horned wolf. He begins to see past hidden nature’s terrors and glimpse its beauty, all while befriending fellow misfits—and finding connection and community.

Along the way come clues about the forces that set him on this path—and, most incredibly, a sense of purpose and fulfillment like nothing he’s felt before.

But Green’s new happiness promises to be short-lived, because alongside these marvels lurks a deadly threat to this place he’s already come to love.

Creepy, cozy, and beautiful, Strange Animals is a fantasy about home, belonging, and the fearfully wondrous nature all around us.

Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson was released February 10, 2026 from Ballantine Books.

My thoughts: The book kicks off with Green's death and not death as witnessed by a very large crow. This makes a lot of sense since crows are known to be something of a trickster spirit. And they can signify change as well. Change is definitely what the crow brings to Green. He is drawn to the mountains and to a particular campsite. And change continues to hound him in both good and bad ways (though I think mostly good) throughout the book.

I liked Green and his teacher as well as the camp owner Dancer. The characters all move him on his journey as do the events. There is seldom a dull moment even when it's quiet.

The pace of the book was well done. The ending was a little much, but it was foreshadowed and looking back could be seen that way. This is a standalone novel, but I am hoping that there will be more of these characters at some point in the future.

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. I felt it was a well-written debut novel. I would recommend it to people who enjoy contemporary fantasy, found family, and stories with cryptids. 

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinions.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #591: Poppy Montgomery Gets Even by Gordon Jack

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher: An elderly woman targets online scammers in this charmingly cozy caper from a “riotously funny” author (Publishers Weekly).

Eighty-year-old Poppy Montgomery has always taken a negative view of her life. Her father? A bully. Her husbands? Losers. Her daughter and grandson? Well, they’re probably her fault. And now the police have taken away her license, her daughter wants to put her in a retirement home, and the bossy new fitter-than-thou attendee at water aerobics is taking over her favorite class.

But enough is enough, and when her new friend, Ginny, is scammed on a dating site for seniors, Poppy decides it’s time to finally get even. With the help of Jeremy, her tech-savvy grandson, Poppy launches a vindictive little caper, scamming the scammers that prey on the elderly online. But when two women at Ginny’s retirement home seemingly meet unnatural ends and her newest target is implicated in the murder, suddenly Poppy’s fun online con job becomes a matter of life or death. It’s going to take the whole gang—Poppy’s two new best friends, her in-recovery daughter, and her basement-dwelling grandson—to pull off one last job, before one of them becomes the next victim.

A charmingly cozy crime story brimming with laughs and heart, Poppy Montgomery Gets Even shows that it’s never too late to turn over a new leaf, make new friends, and scam an international crime ring while solving some murders along the way.

Poppy Montgomery Gets Even by Gordon Jack is due out June 9, 2026 from The Mysterious Press.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like the idea of an 80 year old woman getting revenge on scammers, particularly those that prey on the elderly. And the fact that it's supposed to have some humor to it makes it more attractive.

What book are you waiting on? Leave a note in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever growing TBR lists. Thanks for stopping by! Happy Reading!