Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #599: My Dog is Better at This Than Me by B.K. Larrikin

 


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:

You have spent the last decade trying to learn presence, calm, and joy. Your dog was born with all three and has been napping through your efforts.

Rosie is a sixty-pound rescue mutt who has never read a self-help book, never set an intention for her afternoon, and never once questioned whether she belongs on the couch. She greets every morning like it’s the best news she’s ever received. She naps without guilt, plays without purpose, and forgives without being asked. She has figured out everything you’re still Googling — and she did it without Wi-Fi.

Her human is... working on it.

My Dog Is Better at This Than Me is what happens when a stressed, scrolling, over-caffeinated human stops reading about mindfulness and starts watching it — in the form of a creature who practices it every waking moment (and, if the dream-twitching is any indication, several sleeping ones too).

Across ten chapters, B.K. Larrikin chronicles the lessons Rosie teaches without trying: how zoomies are a masterclass in presence, how a squeaky hedgehog is always the right prescription, how a frisbee faceplant can teach you more about letting go than a decade of therapy, and how a fire hydrant — examined properly — is an art gallery.

Each chapter pairs a true (and frequently humiliating) personal story with real psychology and neuroscience, delivered in a voice that is warm, honest, and laugh-out-loud funny. Each chapter ends with a short practical exercise that takes three minutes, costs nothing, and requires no app, no cushion, and absolutely no sitting cross-legged until your foot falls asleep.

The lessons are simple. The exercises are simpler. The dog is smarter than all of us.

But this book goes deeper than you expect. Beneath the comedy is a story about depression and recovery, about the specific loneliness of a Saturday afternoon with no one expecting you, and about a rescue dog who showed up at the exact moment a human needed a reason to get out of bed. Chapter Five will make you laugh for four pages and then land somewhere so honest it changes the temperature of the room. The epilogue — about the math we try not to do when we love something that won’t outlive us — will stay with you long after you close the book.

Part memoir. Part self-help. Part love letter to a dog who ate a sock and showed zero remorse.

Featuring charming original illustrations of Rosie the Couch Cushion Philosopher, a book club discussion guide, practical cheat sheet, and curated reading list — plus a sneak peek at Book Two in the series.

Perfect for dog lovers, recovering over-achievers, anyone who’s been told to “just meditate,” gift-givers who want to be remembered, and every human who suspects their pet has life figured out better than they do.

Sit. Stay. Read.

My Dog Is Better at This Than Me by B.K. Larrikin is out as of yesterday, April 14, 2026.

Why was I waiting on this book? I didn't realize that this book came out yesterday. I've been waiting for it because I can relate to some of what it mentions in the blurb. People will tell me things like you need to meditate more. And I see people struggling to be present and not care what other people think. I'm hoping the comparisons to dog behavior help the "lessons" to stick.

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!

 

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #598: Brian Froud’s Green Women

 


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: 

The long-awaited new book―with gorgeous, all-new art―by Brian Froud, the “grandfather of faerie art"

In this compelling collection, acclaimed women writers from around the world share words and stories of fantasy and myth alongside Brian Froud’s provocative portraits of more than 70 Green Women. There are a range of voices, some humorous and witty, others nurturing and maternal, others dark and threatening.

New York Times bestselling and award-winning artist Brian Froud, who brought to life Trolls and Faeries, is also beloved for his conceptual design work with Jim Henson on the classic films The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. With Green Women, his gorgeous art illuminates an entirely new universe.

Open the pages of this gorgeous gift-ready book to meet the Green Women.

"While the Green Men peer down from their church roof bosses, and through their tendrils of oak and ivy, the Green Women move among us. Brian Froud has met more than a few of them. It's their eyes―deep wells of wisdom, stories and the slow, ancient song of the forest." ―Alan Lee, artist and concept designer of the film adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit

“I have always been fascinated by the carvings of ‘foliate heads’ that peer out of the shadows of medieval churches and cathedrals, generally known as the Green Man, yet their origins, meaning, and purpose remain elusive. As I attempted to capture them on canvas, however, I became aware of a deeper mystery. There are so many Green Man figures, but where was the Green Woman? Why had she been relegated to the spiritual shadows? I started to paint again. Faces emerged from the darkness of the unknown: Green Women in multiple forms, all insisting that they should be seen and heard.” ―Brian Froud

Contributors include:

  • Sharon Blackie
  • C. S. E. Cooney
  • Maria DeBlassie
  • Carolyn Dunn
  • Sarah Beth Durst
  • Amal El-Mohtar
  • Kate Forsyth
  • Wendy Froud
  • Claudine Glot
  • Theodora Goss
  • Elizabeth Hand
  • Frances Hardinge
  • Joanne Harris
  • Kat Howard
  • Angela Mi Young Hur
  • Ai Jiang
  • Kathleen Jennings
  • Alaya Dawn Johnson
  • T. Kingfisher
  • Ellen Kushner
  • Katherine Langrish
  • Carolyne Larrington
  • Karen Lord
  • O. R. Melling
  • Jeannette Ng
  • SofĂ­a Rhei
  • Lisa Schneidau
  • Delia Sherman
  • Angela Slatter
  • Shveta Thakrar
  • Tiffany Trent
  • Lisa Tuttle
  • Catherynne M. Valente
  • Kris Waldherr
  • Jo Walton
  • Kit Whitfield
  • Terri Windling

Brian Froud's Green Women: with Original Contributions by Extraordinary Women Writers of Fantasy and Myth is expected out October 6, 2026 from Abrams Books. It is currently available for pre-order on Amazon as well as other places.

Why am I waiting on this book? I love Brian Froud's art. I find the premise of the book interesting. And that is an all-star lineup of contributors.

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!

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Teaser Tuesday: Pushing Daisies by Alex A. King

 


Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR! You can also just share what you are currently reading. We make it very easy to play along. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Ambrosia at the Purple Booker.

1: Grab your current read. 2: Open to a random page. 3: Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Share the title and author so that other people can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teaser!

 Olives. A house like this meant they sold a lot of olives. More than I could eat in one sitting, for sure, and I could eat my weight in Greece’s pieces. (p. 50)

Pushing Daisies by Alex a. King was published March 27, 2026. It is the third book in the Revenge Services Inc. series.

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #597: The Blue Moon Cafe & 24-Hour Occult Emporium by Lexie Sharabianlou

 


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: magical witness protection program, a town in need of saving, and a sorceress-in-training . . . oh, and the human woman she’s not supposed to fall for. The Blue Moon CafĂ© has a little bit of everything (except, you know, decent coffee).

In the tiny town of Pine Hollow, barista and fledging sorceress Talula Smith runs The Blue Moon CafĂ© & 24-Hour Occult Emporium, aka the worst coffee shop in town. The cafĂ©’s horrible reputation hides its true purpose: providing new identities and safe passage to at-risk magical beings while keeping humans far, far away. That is, except for town local Dahlia. Dahlia’s devastating dimples, addiction to Talula's cocoa recipe, and keen observation skills keeps the smitten barista scrambling to ensure that her magical abilities (or, lack thereof) stay a secret.

But when big game hunters start preying on magical beings, her powerful sorceress mother is called away to track them down, leaving Talula and her barely-there magic in charge of The Blue Moon. With the impending Samhain festival to organize, magical refugees to help, half of the town turning against her, and her ever-growing feelings for Dahlia, Talula’s magical destiny feels further away than ever. But as the hunters set their sights closer to home, it’ll be up to Talula to master her craft, trust her heart, and bring her magical and human communities together . . . before she loses everything she loves.

The Blue Moon Cafe & 24-Hour Occult Emporium by Lexie Sharabianlou is expected out August 18, 2026 from Dell Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like the title. It piques my interest. I suspect that by the time this one comes out, I will be ready for a lighter read. This is a romantasy and a mystery.  And it definitely strikes me as a light read. Probably has some humor to it as well.

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!

Tuesday, March 31, 2026

Teaser Tuesday: Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

 


Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR! You can also just share what you are currently reading. We make it very easy to play along. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Ambrosia at the Purple Booker.

1: Grab your current read. 2: Open to a random page. 3: Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Share the title and author so that other people can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teaser!


 He held her gaze for a second, still managing to dodge an arrow that whizzed by without breaking eye contact. Evie was jealous. She couldn’t dodge a dead tree if she was staring right at it.

Maehrer, Hannah Nicole. Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain Book 1) (p. 9) Kindle Edition. 


There are 4 books in the series. The fourth book, Adversary to the Villain, will be available August 4, 2026. The first book in the series was published August 28, 2023 by Entangled Publishing: Red Tower Books.

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #596: Dead Beat by Leigh Bardugo

 


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.

This week I'm waiting on Dead Beat by Leigh Bardugo. It's the third book in the Alex Stern/Ninth House trilogy.

From the publisher: The highly anticipated, explosive conclusion to the Ninth House trilogy from #1 New York Times bestselling author Leigh Bardugo.

Hell is empty and all the devils are here…

Alex Stern made it to hell and back more than once, but this time she left the door open behind her. Demons are creeping through the streets of New Haven and the Yale campus, feeding on the souls of the living, terrifying the dead. Alex and her allies can hunt them, but it’s only a matter of time before the gates to the underworld open and they face a war they cannot win. To stop it, they’ll have to reach deep into the secrets of Yale and its societies, and discover the truth hidden in Alex’s own blood.

While she struggles to hold onto the dream of a future Yale once offered, Alex must contend with the machinations of a corrupt Lethe Board and a deadly vampire with his own connection to the societies. But for the first time in her life, she won’t have to face the fight alone. Dawes, Turner, Mercy, and even Tripp will have a role to play, none more so than Alex’s mentor Darlington, the golden boy who lived so long in her head, now back in the flesh and cursed with dangerous powers of his own. Hell itself is stalking the delegates of Lethe House, and they’re all about to learn that demons don’t play by human rules.


Dead Beat by Leigh Bardugo is expected out September 9, 2026 from Flatiron Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I've read the first two books in the trilogy. I'd like to find out what happens to these college kids. I would love to see them come out of it relatively unscathed. But, being Dark Academia, Urban Fantasy, and Contemporary Dark Fantasy, it's hard to predict just what will happen.

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!

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Teaser Tuesday: The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts by Kim Fu

 


Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR! You can also just share what you are currently reading. We make it very easy to play along. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Ambrosia at the Purple Booker.

1: Grab your current read. 2: Open to a random page. 3: Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Share the title and author so that other people can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teaser!


She felt certain she wouldn't get the house. She'd been gone for only a couple of hours, not long enough to have made such a momentous decision, the largest purchase of her life. It was like coming home married from a first date. 

(7% through on my Kindle)

The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts by Kim Fu was published March 3, 2026 by Tin House.