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!

Happy Book Birthday to Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett and I'm Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig

 

Today is the book birthday for two books that couldn't be more different, but are both good reads.

The first is:

From the publisher:

A woman who runs a cat rescue in 1920s Montréal turns to a grouchy but charming magician to help save her shelter in this heartwarming cozy fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of the Emily Wilde series.

Agnes Aubert leads a meticulously organized life, and she likes it that way. As the proudly type-A manager of a cat rescue charity, she has devoted her life to finding forever homes for stray cats.

Now it’s the shelter that needs a new home. And the only landlord who will rent a space to a cat rescue is a mysterious man called Havelock—who also happens to be the world’s most infamous magician, running an illegal magic shop out of his basement. Havelock is cantankerous and eccentric, but not not handsome, and no, Agnes absolutely does not feel anything but disdain for him. After all, rumors swirl about his shadowy past—including whispers that his dark magic once almost brought about the apocalypse.

Then one day a glamorous magician comes looking for Havelock, putting the magic shop—and the cat shelter—in jeopardy. To save the shelter, Agnes will have to team up with the magician who nearly ended the world . . . and may now be trying to steal her heart.

Havelock is everything Agnes thinks she doesn’t need in her life: chaos, mischief, and a little too much adventure. But as she gets to know him, she discovers that he’s more than the dark magician of legend, and that she may be ready for a little intrigue—and romance—in her life. After all, second chances aren’t just for rescue cats. 

Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett is available today from Del Rey.

The second book is: 

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 available today from Berkley.

What book have you been waiting for? What are you reading?

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!