Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #590: Spies, Lies, and Alibis by Natalie Walters

 

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 Spies, Lies, and Alibis by Natalie Walters.

From the publisher: They were each other's first love. Now they might be each other's last hope. Perfect for fans of Ally Carter, Spies, Lies, and Alibis is an unputdownable binge-fest, full of laughs, heart, and mischief.

Cybil Langford has spent years hiding behind her polished, professional facade as the executive assistant to a powerful real estate mogul, where she's perfectly positioned to collect intel on her boss's criminal network. But when her mission leads her into the path of Lorenzo Ramirez--a ruthless crime boss with deadly plans--she'll need every ounce of cunning and charm to stay one step ahead.

Then he walks back into her life.

Ben Bradley is deep undercover for the FBI, living under an alias, as a financial advisor with a reputation for helping the wealthy and corrupt launder their money. His target? Lorenzo Ramirez, a dangerous crime boss with his hands in everything from smuggling to murder. But when a familiar face from his past suddenly reappears, things get . . . complicated.

The last time Cybil saw Ben, he was an annoying prankster--and her first crush. The last time Ben saw Cybil, she stole a piece of his heart. Neither expected to run into each other at a high-stakes fundraising gala where crime, corruption, and undercover agendas collide.

Forced to work dangerously close, neither knows the other's true agenda. Cybil sees the boy who once broke her heart, now a man whose motives are deeply suspect. Ben sees the woman he never got over but can't determine if she's an innocent caught in the crossfire or a willing accomplice. As they navigate a world of spies, lies, and fragile alibis, they must dismantle the walls around their hearts.

The intel is classified. The trust is fragile. And their covers are one lie away from blowing wide open.

Spies, Lies, and Alibis by Natalie Walters is expected out May 19, 2026 from Thomas Nelson.

Why am I waiting on this book? It sounds like it will be both fast paced and funny. And we all could use a dose of funny these days. 

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!

Teaser Tuesday and Happy Book Birthday to Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson

 

Today is the release day for Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson from Ballantine Books.

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.

“Anderson has conceived of such a rich world, and such a textured mythology. I can’t remember a time when cryptids felt more . . . real.”—Justin McElroy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Adventure Zone series.

And a teaser for you:

Green dressed and Valentina led him to the makeshift structure she called “the laboratory.” Its walls were part corrugated metal, part wooden siding, part roofing shingles. It fit in with the rest of the camp insomuch as it didn’t break the pattern of vastly diverse, mismatched structures laid out like spilled Lego bricks in front of the library tree.

From Jarod K. Anderson's Strange Animals Kindle Edition about 52% into the story. Honestly, I have to say I'm really enjoying it. Check it out if you enjoy fantasies with cryptids.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #589: I'm Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig

 

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: After a decades-long stint in prison, former serial killer Carol is looking to kick back and relax in her new retirement home...until a fellow resident drops dead and Carol has to prove she actually didn't do it this time....

Carol is delighted to be leaving her tiny prison cell behind to take her place in a luxury retirement home. She's hoping her past as a serial killer won't come to light so she can make a few friends and find some murder-free hobbies. But it's not long before a fellow resident—who happens to be a former police commissioner—drops dead, and Carol's  true identity is leaked—making catching up over daily activities of bingo and baking rather awkward. 

Just her luck, Carol soon realizes that the victim wasn't the only former law enforcement officer at Sheldon Oaks—it's filled to the brim with former cops, barristers, and government representatives, her newfound friends included. And everyone thinks Carol's guilt is a no-brainer, but she is ready to prove them dead wrong...without killing anyone, for once.

I'm Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig is expected out February 17, 2026 from Berkley. We don't have to wait long for this one!

Why am I waiting on this book? I want to see what Fergus Craig does with the idea of a retired serial killer. Why did she retire? Was it solely to stay out of jail? Or was it that it was getting to be too much trouble at her age? What happens when she realizes there are multiple retired law enforcement officers in her home? And how does she ferret out another killer to prove her innocence? Needless to say, I have questions and I'm looking forward to seeing what the answers are. 

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!

Teaser Tuesday: Too Old for This by Samantha Downing

 

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!

This was the same. Like so many other things, murder began to feel like a chore instead of a joy. So I stopped. And I hardly ever thought of it, except in that nostalgic kind of way. (page 47) 

Too Old for This by Samantha Downing was released August 12th, 2026 from Berkley. What have you been reading? Share a teaser in the comments!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #588: Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous by Autumn K. England

 

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: STARDEW VALLEY meets STUDIO GHIBLI in a charming cozy fantasy about healing, redemption, and the subtle magic of simple living. Perfect for fans of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea and The Spellshop. Welcome home, weary traveler.

When Oaklin Nettlewood accidentally joined an evil world-ending cult, mind control magic forced them to do unspeakable things. Years later, the realm's heroes have finally saved the day, defeated the villain, and shattered the last remnants of the spell...leaving destruction in their wake. And so, with a spell-damaged memory and whole bushel of trauma, Oaklin escapes to a small farm on the edge of Mossley's Rest and swears an oath: After all the things they were forced to do with their magic, they will never use it again. Ever.

The no-nonsense ghost granny who lives in Oaklin's house has other ideas. As she coaxes Oaklin out of their shell and back into the world, they find companionship (a grumpy horse and a very good dog), friendship (a local bard and magical baker who should just kiss already), and tentative romance (a paladin-librarian who makes Oaklin's heart come alive for the first time in ages.) Magic even seems possible again—though strictly for foraging magical mushrooms and protecting the farm from bugs.

Healing comes in gentle waves, and Oaklin doesn't have to do it alone. So what does it mean when an inquisitor comes to town to hunt former cultists just as Oaklin begins to think that maybe, just maybe, they deserve a happy ending after all?

Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous is expected out June 2, 2026 from Poisoned Pen Press. This cover is from a special edition.

Why am I waiting on this book? Wondering how they accidentally joined a world-ending cult. I find the comparison with Studio Ghibli intriguing. And I love the idea of a paladin-librarian.

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. Happy Reading!

Book Review: Wreck Your Heart by Lori Rader-Day

 

From the publisher: 

From award-winning author Lori Rader-Day, Wreck Your Heart is an engaging, “wisecracking and wonderful” crime novel with a big heart, about a country and midwestern singer out to catch her big break before family—or murder—wrecks everything.

Dahlia “Doll” Devine had the kind of hardscrabble beginning that could launch a thousand broken-hearted country songs, but now she’s the star of her own stage at McPhee’s Tavern. As part of Chicago’s—yes, Chicago’s—country music scene, Dahlia is an up-and-coming singer in spangles and boots of classic country tunes. Up and coming, that is, until her boyfriend Joey up and went, taking the rent money with him.

So Dahlia is back to square one, relying on Alex McPhee—again. Alex helped her out of a bad situation when she was a kid living rough with her mother. Now he’s part landlord, part band booster, all-around rescuer. It’s just that Dahlia wishes she didn’t keep giving him reasons to have to do it.

Just as Dahlia suspects she’s scraped rock bottom, the mother she hasn’t spoken to in twenty years shows up with something to say. The next morning, a distraught young woman arrives at the bar, asking after her missing mother—Dahlia's mother, too, even if the missing suburban PTA mom the girl describes sounds pretty different from the one who let Dahlia down all those years ago.

Though no one is using the word sister any time soon, Dahlia lets herself be drawn into reuniting the family that might have been hers. But when a body is discovered outside McPhee’s Tavern, the crime threatens not just the place Dahlia has made into a home, but everything she’s believed about her past, her dreams for the future, and the people she was just, maybe, beginning to let into her heart.

Wreck Your Heart by Lori Rader-Day was published January 6, 2026 by Minotaur Books.

My Thoughts: The characters were interesting, some more than others. Dahlia was probably the most interesting character in the book which is apt since it's a book about her. When the book starts, we see her at close to her lowest moment. She has been evicted because her boyfriend Joey disappeared with the rent money. She's carrying her belongings in a trash bag going back to Alex McPhee's Tavern. Her life after this point has its ups and downs. More downs than ups. Honestly I felt for her much of the time, but there were occasions where she came across to me as difficult and a little bratty. As the book progresses, the reader can see her changing. She grows emotionally.

Second most interesting character would be Alex McPhee. He is the neurodivergent owner and bartender of McPhee's Tavern. I thought that the author did a pretty good job of portraying him without hitting the audience over the head with his differences.

Plot wise, it's slow at first. When it picked up though, it kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next. The closer to the end, the faster the plot runs. I was rooting for Dahlia and her friends and family to come out alive at the end. The mysteries that drive the plot are varied. There's something for everyone.

I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars. Overall it is well-written. The characters are interesting. The plot moves once it gets going. I would recommend this mystery for people who like found family stories, a variety of mysteries, and diversity in the characters. 

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

Book Review: King Sorrow by Joe Hill

 

From the publisher:

Arthur Oakes is a reader, a dreamer, and a student at Rackham College, Maine, renowned for its frosty winters, exceptional library, and beautiful buildings. But his idyll—and burgeoning romance with Gwen Underfoot—is shattered when a local drug dealer and her partner corner him into one of the worst crimes he can imagine: stealing rare books from the college library.

Trapped and desperate, Arthur turns to his closest friends for comfort and help. Together they dream up a wild, fantastical scheme to free Arthur from the cruel trap in which he finds himself. Wealthy, irrepressible Colin Wren suggests using the unnerving Crane journal (bound in the skin of its author) to summon a dragon to do their bidding. The others—brave, beautiful Alison Shiner; the battling twins Donna and Donovan McBride; and brainy, bold Gwen—don’t hesitate to join Colin in an effort to smash reality and bring a creature of the impossible into our world.

But there’s nothing simple about dealing with dragons, and their pact to save Arthur becomes a terrifying bargain in which the six must choose a new sacrifice for King Sorrow every year—or become his next meal.

King Sorrow by Joe Hill was published October 21, 2025 by William Morrow.

My Thoughts: When I started this book, I didn't realize that it was more than 800 pages long. By the time I found out, I was hooked on the characters and the plot and wanted to see what would happen. That desire to see what would happen next to the characters drove me to finish the whole book in a little over a week. For me, that's great. It had been a long time since I had read a Joe Hill novel. I had forgotten just how much of a master he is at grabbing your attention and keeping it. And that he has such a way with words.

The characters were interesting. There are 6 friends who are definitely individuals. My favorites would have to be Gwen and Arthur. I loved the way that they did the crossword puzzle together. There were other things, but their sweet feelings for each other shone through.

Plot and pace wise, the book is fantastic. It has momentum. And so much happens with and to the characters it keeps your attention. There is a huge twist at one point that was surprising to me, but it works. And while there are dragons, there are other fantastical creatures as well. This is definitely a dark story. Still, I would read it again if my TBR list wasn't so long. Who knows, I might reread it some day anyway.

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. The characters are real. There is plenty of action. The plot is interesting and well paced. If you have read and enjoyed Joe Hill, then this is a must read. Don't let the size deter you. You will want to finish it once you've started. It will get its talons into you and keep you reading to the end.

I borrowed my copy of King Sorrow from my local library. Check it out. You might love it too!