Friday Favorites: Urban Fantasy

 

Urban Fantasy is a genre that became more popular starting in the 1980s. In Urban Fantasy, the magical shares our world, but is often hidden in some way. It differs from Magical Realism in that in Magical Realism, the magic is accepted as a normal part of the world. Not everyone has magic, but those that do or those around them more or less accept it as part of the status quo. When you think of Urban Fantasy, think about perhaps some of the magical people/creatures living underground in old subway tunnels. Or perhaps inhabiting an arts studio where their eccentricities might be discounted rather than really noticed.

My introduction to Urban Fantasy came with the book Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint. It is a collection of short stories that take place in the fictional city of Newford. Since the birth of Newford, the author has gone on to write many more stories that take place there as well as in other locations. Newford is a favorite of fans as are some of the characters that inhabit there such as Jilly Coppercorn and The Crow Girls.

Terri Windling is also of note as she has been editor, writer, artist and more in the genre and beyond starting when it became more popular.

Some other favorites of mine include, but are not limited to:

C.E. Murphy - The Walker Papers

Faith Hunter - The Jane Yellowrock series and the Soulwood series

Seanan McGuire - The InCryptid series and October Daye series

SM Reine - Preternatural Affairs and more

Kim Harrison - The Hollows series

Patricia Briggs - The Mercy Thompson Series

Jennifer Estep - The Elemental Assassin Series

Jim Butcher - The Dresden Files 

Kevin Hearne - The Iron Druid Chronicles

If you enjoy contemporary fantasy, you will most likely enjoy urban fantasy. I remember being surprised at how many people chose to use a blend of Celtic and Native American beings. For example, in book one of the Walker Papers, Urban Shaman, Joanne Walker discovers that she is a shaman and must save people from the Wild Hunt. Some other authors design a magic system virtually from scratch - the Elemental Assassin series for example.

Question: Is it possible to have urban fantasy in a historical city setting such as Boston? An example here would possibly be The Whimbrel House series by Charlie N. Holmberg.

Please understand this is not a definitive list, but rather some Urban Fantasy authors I have enjoyed over the years. If you have a favorite you don't see here or have something you'd like to add, please feel free to do so in the comments. Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #611: Mr. & Mrs. Dixon Hide a Body by Jennifer Holdich

 

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: 

From the author of Julie Tudor is Not a Psychopath ("wickedly funny and darkly compelling") comes a twisted new thriller following one couple who will do anything to get away with murder, even frame each other. 

Daisy Dixon lives in a stately home, but the grandeur on the outside hides a leaking roof, dusty rooms and a failed marriage. But that isn't the only thing she has to worry about now. On the night before she plans to leave her abusive husband, James, Daisy accidentally runs a man over, with James in the passenger seat beside her. But at her husband's behest, instead of calling an ambulance, they take the man home.

When he dies, panic ensues, and the Dixon's do what any sane couple would: bury him in the family mausoleum, on the grounds of their rickety, tumbledown estate.

And that's where he lies, until a storm washes him out into the nearby village.

Her dreams of freedom postponed indefinitely, with James' help, Daisy covers up the crime and together, they seem to be doing a good job of it, until she learns that James has helped the police with their inquiries, and blamed it all on her.

Two can play games, and Daisy is very good at winning. What was once a cover-up is now a race to prison, and Daisy will do anything to make sure James gets their first.

Mr. & Mrs. Dixon Hide a Body by Jennifer Holdich is expected out July 21, 2026 from Sourcebooks Landmark.

Why am I waiting on this book? It sounds like a good read. Seems like it will have a lot of humor to it. Murder, mayhem, and mischief will abound. Well, a murder followed by mayhem and mischief anyway, 

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

Happy Book Birthday! Killer Vibes by Jack Friday and The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

Through Raspberry Colored Glasses wishes a Happy Book Birthday to Killer Vibes by Jack Friday and The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Like many people, they share the date, but couldn't be more different if they tried. And I'm looking forward to reading them both.

From the publisher:

A wild and wickedly funny series debut, introducing readers to the irresistible and irrepressible private investigator, Peter Key.

Meet Peter Key: self-proclaimed “laziest private investigator in Texas” (it’s harder than it looks), unapologetic bisexual, dedicated stoner, and the surprised recipient of a windfall inheritance from an uncle he barely knew. Peter’s life was a mess before, but now— as the owner of a dilapidated house in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Austin—he has a mountain of debt to deal with and pressure to sell from every side.

But Peter doesn’t like to be pushed around. And when he discovers a bag full of cash, he starts to suspect his uncle’s death wasn’t an accident. He soon finds himself pulled into a lethal game where not everybody plays by the rules.

Fortunately, Peter’s never been good at following rules.

Sexy, suspenseful, and packed with Austin’s quirks, Killer Vibes is a wild and wickedly funny romp that introduces us to the irresistible and irrepressible PI, Peter Key.

Killer Vibes by Jack Friday is released today from Minotaur Books.

From the publisher:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night comes a sizzling noir about desire, danger, and greed, in which seduction is the ultimate con.

“Lush and passionate with magnetic prose . . . The Intrigue will grab you by the throat and not let go until its earth-shaking finale!” —S. A. Cosby, author of King of Ashes

A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK: The New York Times, People, Book Riot, Southern Living, Marie Claire, Time

Handsome con artist Ulises has long charmed lonely women via letters in order to steal their money, but money is hard to come by in 1940s Mexico. Ulises knows his looks won’t last forever, and he’s desperate to get his hands on a real fortune.

He thinks he’s found it when he captivates his newest correspondent, Perla, the owner of a small-town boardinghouse in picturesque Veracruz. But when he meets her, he finds something he didn’t expect. The woman has a niece, Inés, who is as observant as she is desperate to escape her aunt’s household.

When Inés discovers Ulises’s true intentions, she wants in on the scheme. They’ll convince her aunt that Ulises is a great catch, Perla will marry him, and her money will vanish. Easy, fast, and clean. But Perla is not the desperate, silly spinster Ulises imagines. She harbors secrets. And although Ulises does not believe in true romance, Inés is more alluring than he bargained for. Suddenly, a simple plan may become perilously complicated.

Venture into the streets of a small town where a patina of convention and good manners conceals a cauldron of avarice and lust.

The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is released today from Del Rey.

Book Review: Dark Is When the Devil Comes by Daisy Pearce

From the publisher:

Full of creeping dread and suffocating unease, Dark Is When the Devil Comes is an atmospheric and chilling novel from Something in the Walls author Daisy Pearce.

The woods are known as the place to avoid. What goes in, doesn’t come out.

Hazel has been gone from her small hometown of Idless in the English countryside for years. Now returned in the wake of a traumatic divorce and crumbling personal life, her simple plans are to lay low at her parents’ vacated house, reconnect with her prickly sister Cathy, and slowly get back on her feet.

She's his captive but something has come home with her.

Cathy is surprised when Hazel doesn’t show. Their relationship strained from a fallout half a decade ago, she didn’t expect them to get back into a sisterly rhythm…though she hadn’t counted on Hazel bailing, either.

But something isn’t adding up. Other people in town whisper of a threat that can’t be shaken. The woods are known for being restless. And Cathy knows the old saying.

If you go looking for trouble, you just might find it.

Dark Is When the Devil Comes by Daisy Pearce was released April 28, 2026 by Minotaur Books.

My Thoughts: I was impressed with the ability of the author to create and maintain tension and suspense. I found myself holding my breath at times. Other times I became aware that I was all tensed up and had to put the book aside to relax a little. Not only does she maintain the sense of unease and increasing dread, but she is able to keep the book fast-paced.

The characters are interesting. Their interactions both through the present and flashbacks help to show what kind of people they are. And the author does well at showing how each grows.

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. The story and the characters have stuck with me for days after I finished the book. To be honest I almost DNF'd it because I was having trouble handling the tension and suspense. If you like books with a strong suspense, horror elements, and the paranormal then this would be a good book for you.

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

Friday Favorites: Beach Books

 

For Friday Favorites, I will be sharing some books or authors or genres that I find interesting and enjoy. Please feel free to leave a book/blog related comment.

This week's subject is Beach Reads.

If you were going to the beach today, what would you pack to read?

I ran a poll on Threads asking what genre people would read for their beach reads.

The results were interesting. I expected light reading material. That much was true. The genres were mixed . Keep in mind that this poll had a low turnout. I still found the results interesting. The winning genre was Romance followed closely by Science Fiction and Fantasy. Mystery came in third, and Horror last. I am wondering if people had a particular book or author in mind when they answered or if it was just a general answer. I should've included more genres in my poll as well.

I haven''t read a straight up romance book in ages. So, I will leave it to y'all to make suggestions. I've read some romantasy. Heather Fawcett's Emily Wilde trilogy is excellent. There's tons more out there.

As for light science fiction and fantasy, The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells make for good sci-fi on the light side. And for fantasy, I've read Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree and other books in the same world. And if you want something that is sometimes silly, sometimes serious, I would think the Fool series by Christopher Moore would make for good reading. There's Fool, The Serpent of Venice, and Shakespeare for Squirrels.

For mysteries, it depends on what kind of book you really like - light, cozy mystery, police procedural, etc. In the last year I discovered Caleb Wygal has a series that takes place in Myrtle Beach where a widowed bookstore owner tries his hand at solving mysteries. Other books and authors I've read or had recommended to me are Susan Boyer with her Low Country mystery series and Larissa Reinhart's Cherry Tucker mysteries. Those are pretty much cozies. Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn and the sequel Kills Well with Others are more of a thriller type mystery. There's these older women who were assassins and have been retired, but now someone is after them.

And, for horror,  Grady Hendrix's How to Sell a Haunted House or The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires are good horror beach reads. I've also had Preston & Child recommended to me in this category or the previous one. Maureen Kilmer has a few: Nightmare of a Trip, Suburban Hell, and Hexed all make for good reading on the lighter horror side.What kind of horror do you consider a good beach read? Do you prefer light horror, chilling horror, or something else?

Some older books I'd like to plug for beach reading are Elizabeth Peters's Amelia Peabody mysteries, Darynda Jones's Charley Davidson books, as well as the Southern Sisters mysteries by Anne George and Joan Hess's Arly Hanks or Claire Malloy mysteries.

What's in my beach bag? 

The most recent Elle Cosimano book - Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line, The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance by Chiara Bullen. and Rich Girl: a Country Club Murder Novella by Julie Mulhern.

What's in your beach bag? Please share it in a comment. Thank for stopping by and Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #610: Finlay Donovan Plays with Fire by Elle Cosimano

 

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:

When Finlay Donovan showed up at Stacey Pickens’s house to defend herself and her loved ones against Stacey’s vicious rumor mill, she uttered a veiled threat, never daring to imagine she might be one of the last people to see her busy-body neighbor alive.

News gets out that Stacey has vanished and there are signs of foul play. Her jacket and keys were found discarded in the woods behind the community playground, covered in blood. To make matters worse, the forensic photographer documenting the crime scene is none other than the ex-fiancée of Finlay’s hot cop boyfriend Nick. The only bright spot is that no one seems to know about Finlay’s altercation with Stacey, except Finlay’s loyal nanny, Vero, who’s hiding a combustible secret of her own.

As the missing persons investigation escalates to a possible homicide, Finlay and Nick become the top suspects when a dogged detective learns Nick had beef with Stacey too. Determined to get him off their back, Finlay, Nick, and Vero discover more than they bargained for when they launch their own investigation into Stacey’s disappearance—their quiet suburban street is a tinderbox of scandals, blackmail, and lies, and the former president of the neighborhood watch could be holding a lit match . . .

Pitted against a mountain of evidence against them—and backstabbing neighbors with plenty to hide—Finlay and Nick are in a race against the cops to solve Stacey’s case before they both go down for the crime.

Finlay Donovan Plays with Fire by Elle Cosimano is expected out March 16, 2027 from Minotaur Books. It will be the seventh installment in the Finlay Donovan series.

Why am I waiting on this book? I've been following Finlay and Vero's adventures for some time now. Nick has become increasingly involved in Finlay's life. This book sounds like there might be less Vero and more Nick than in past books. I'm looking forward to finding more out about Nick other than that he seems to have the patience of a saint, is good looking, and is a good cop. I'm expecting humor and hijinks as they try to solve what happened to Stacey.

What book are you waiting on? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: The Wild Wood by Charles de Lint

 

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!

 The paper was so virgin, so unnaturally white, that anything she placed upon it--graphite, ink, watercolor--seemed an intrusion, a desecration. Any line she might draw would seem no better than a child's crayon marks on a kitchen wall. 

p. 12  The Wild Wood by Charles de Lint

The Wild Wood was published in 1994 by Bantam Books.