Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #223: Fiction Can Be Murder by Becky Clark

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

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Mystery author Charlemagne "Charlee" Russo thought the twisty plots and peculiar murders in her books were only the products of her imagination. That is, until her agent is found dead exactly as described in her new, unpublished manuscript. Suspicion swirls around her and her critique group, making her confidence drop as severely and unexpectedly as her royalty payments.

The police care more about Charlee's feeble alibi and financial problems than they do her panicky claims of innocence. To clear her name and revive her career, she must figure out which of her friends is a murderer. Easier said than done, even for an author who's skilled at creating tidy endings for her mysteries. And as her sleuthing grows dangerous, her imagination starts working overtime. Is she being targeted, too?

Fiction Can Be Murder by Becky Clark is due out April 8, 2018 from Midnight Ink.

Why am I waiting on this one? I enjoy a good cozy. And it's even better with humor. Even though it doesn't seem that funny from the synopsis, several other authors who have read the book mentioned the humorous aspect, like Diane Vallere who herself writes humorous cozy mysteries.

What book are you waiting on this week? 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!

Review: Murder on the Rocks by Shawn Reilly Simmons

Penelope, Arlena, and Nadia are having breakfast outdoors at a local cafe when it's robbed. Just prior to the attack, Penelope noticed a man across the street watching the cafe, or them, or both. She wonders if he is part of the crew that robbed the place.

Not long after, Penelope, Arlena, and Nadia meet again on location in Vermont. Arlene is the star of the film. Nadia is a consultant. And Penelope is in charge of catering on site. Penelope seems to be developing PTSD since the robbery. And the people in charge of the film are making unusual requests of her – that the food be locally sourced and no plastics be used among other things. The goal, they say, is to lessen the carbon footprint of the film. An attack befalls Nadia. Penelope wonders if there is a connection to the events at the cafe.

Penelope's boyfriend, Joey, is a detective with the police. He is looking into the robbery. But, he is also suggesting to Penelope that they might be ready to take their relationship to the next level.

This is a good mystery. It's well-written. It grabbed my attention and held it. The characters are well drawn and interesting. The romance between Penelope and Joey is a minor plot, but it all flows together.

My only complaint is that the title of the book seems to have little to do with the plot. Otherwise, it is an excellent cozy mystery.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. I liked it enough to look into other books in the series. It's written so that you could read it as a standalone, but if you like it you will want more of the characters. The incidental information about how a film set and catering service works is interesting. All in all, it's a good cozy read.

Murder on the Rocks by Shawn Reilly Simmons is expected to be published February 6, 2018 by Henery Press.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Henery Press via NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Teaser Tuesday: Murder on the Rocks by Shawn Reilly Simmons

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

Penelope glanced from Jeremiah to Arlena, taking in the expectant looks on their faces. A finger of unease slid down her spine, and she heard Lewis clear his throat again.

"We're capable," Penelope said confidently, despite her unspoken concerns. "And we're able to provide whatever is required to nurture the film family."

Murder on the Rocks is expected to be published February 6, 2018 from Henery Press.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Review: The Phantom of Oz by Cindy Brown

Ivy Meadows, actress and almost private-investigator, is at it again in the fifth installment in the series The Phantom of Oz by Cindy Brown. Ivy gets word that her close friend Candace Moon is going to be in town performing a space opera version of the Wizard of Oz. But, Candy isn't looking like her usual vibrant, voluptuous self. It looks like she's developed an eating disorder or an addiction to diet pills or perhaps both. A chandelier drops on some of the cast during a rehearsal. Then Candy up and disappears. The wicked witch who is auditioning the munchkins, Babette, doesn't seem too concerned. Candy's boyfriend hires Ivy to find Candy. Meanwhile, accidents continue to plague the production. People begin to wonder if the rumored theater ghost is real.

There are really 3 mysteries in this book. The first is about the accidents plaguing the production. The second is where has Candy gone? And the third is a murder mystery. Cindy Brown handles them all well. Entwined within the mysteries is a theme of body image and how mean people can be to those that differ from their ideal especially perhaps in the theater/film crowd. Ms. Brown promotes the idea of a healthy body image using the costumer for the company.

The mysteries are well-written. They all kept my attention. One scene has Ivy down in a room with a pool of water of unknown depth looking for Candace. The suspense and tension of the scene were such that I had trouble reading what happens even knowing that the heroine will most likely be okay in the end. It might not be a long scene, but it's definitely one that shows the talent the author has for creating suspense.

Overall I give this mystery 4 stars out of 5. It's well-written. The characters are believable. The mysteries are suspenseful and resolved well. I liked the theme of body image woven into the story. It's an important and timely topic. I was able to read and enjoy this book without having read the earlier books in the series. I liked the story and writing enough to look into them at a future date though.

The Phantom of Oz is due to be released January 30, 2018 from Henery Press.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Review: City of Endless Night by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

In City of Endless Night by Preston and Child, we see another side of Pendergast. At the beginning of the tale, he comes across as apathetic to the case he has been assigned and we are left to deduce for ourselves the why behind this behavior. The case itself is different. There is a body of a woman sans head. And it would seem that there were perhaps two different people involved - one that did the actual killing and another that removed the head at a later date. Soon there are more headless bodies and the question is one killer or more? Vincent D'Agosta hopes that involvement in this case will put Pendergast back into his normal frame of mind.
It will, of course, take all of their wits to solve the case and stay alive.

This, the 17th entry in the Pendergast series, is not the strongest. It is slow in parts. And Pendergast's apathy is a little hard to take because it seems so out of character to me. The reason for it is eventually revealed. I will not reveal it here because spoilers.

The characters of D'Agosta and Pendergast are the most well developed. The reporter, Harriman, also is fairly well fleshed out. The killer we come to know through actions.

Some people have complained that they were able to deduce the killer(s) early on in the book as well as the motive. Not me. It kept my attention and kept me guessing until the reveal.

City of Endless Night was published January 16, 2018 from Grand Central Publishing.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. Even though it was problematic in parts, overall it kept my attention and made me want to know who was responsible for the crimes and what their motivation might be. While it can be read as a standalone, I think it's better digested if you've read at least the previous book.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #222: These Vengeful Souls by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas

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

Synopsis from Goodreads:

England, 1883. On the run with the grieving Sebastian Braddock, Evelyn wants two things: to be reunited with her friends and to get revenge on the evil Captain Goode. Not only has he misused his and Sebastian's powers to rack up a terrible death toll, but he's also completely destroyed any hope of Evelyn or her friends regaining the life they once knew.

Evelyn is determined to make Captain Goode pay for what he's done, but is her revenge worth risking the lives of Sebastian and her friends? Or is it better to flee the city and focus on staying alive? And with the Captain spreading lies about Sebastian in an attempt to flush them out of hiding and turn the populace against them, does she even have a choice at all?

These Vengeful Souls by  Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas is due to be released February 20, 2018 from Swoon Reads.

Why am I waiting on this one? I've read the first two books in the trilogy and enjoyed them. The endings of the books were on the bleak side and I want to see where they go from there. 

What book are you waiting on this week? 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: Phantom of Oz by Cindy Browm

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

But now, the soft Southern lilt in her voice was gone replaced by something hard and fast, like her Louisiana accent had up and moved to Brooklyn.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"Fine and dandy."

3% through on my Kindle

The Phantom of Oz by Cindy Brown is a cozy due to be released January 29. 2018 from Henery Press.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Review: Flame in the Dark by Faith Hunter

Nell Ingram is no longer a "churchwoman." She has grown into being a probie in Unit 18 of the PsyLed division of Homeland Security. PsyLed specializes in policing the paranormals - witches, vampires, werewolves, and more.

Nell is also growing into her powers as whatever she is paranormally speaking. She is able to draw on the earth for various reasons and to read its current state in a given area.

The PsyLed unit is called to the site of an assassination attempt on a senator because Ming of Glass, a vampire, is on site. Also, the attempt has a weirdness to it. There seems to be a pyro aspect as well as wondering how the assassin was able to approach the house unseen when there was security personnel on site.There are further attacks on the senator and his family. PsyLed continues to be involved in the investigations.

There is a romance subplot. Nell and Occam seem to be getting closer. And her mama sets her up with someone as well.

The characters in the novel are well developed and multifaceted for the most part. They feel like real people who just happen to have these different abilities. Especially well developed are the PsyLed team and Mud, Nell's little sister.

The plot is well written. The pace is good. There is more than one seemingly climactic scene. The further on I read, the more hooked I was. I needed to know what happened next.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. If you like urban fantasy that is a little on the dark side, the Soulwood series is a good one for you. I also like that Faith Hunter stretches to have more than the typical paranormal characters. She has a lovely imagination. I've read Flame in the Dark twice now and enjoyed it both times.

Flame in the Dark by Faith Hunter was released December 5, 2017 by Ace Books. For a taste of the series, you can read a short story, "Black Friday Shopping with Nell and Occam," which takes place right before this book here.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #221: Sea Witch by Sarah Henning

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

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Everyone knows what happens in the end.
A mermaid, a prince, a true love’s kiss.
But before that young siren’s tale, there were three friends.
One feared, one royal, and one already dead.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned, Evie has been an outcast in her small fishing town. A freak. A curse. A witch. 

A girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears offshore and, though the girl denies it, Evie is convinced that her best friend actually survived. That her own magic wasn’t so powerless after all. And, as the two girls catch the eyes—and hearts—of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at her own happily ever after.

But her new friend has secrets of her own. She can’t stay in Havnestad, or on two legs, unless Evie finds a way to help her. Now Evie will do anything to save her friend’s humanity, along with her prince’s heart—harnessing the power of her magic, her ocean, and her love until she discovers, too late, the truth of her bargain. 

The rise of Hans Christian Andersen’s iconic villainess is a heart-wrenching story of friendship, betrayal, and a girl pushed beyond her limits—to become a monster.

Sea Witch is due to be released July 31, 2018 from Katherine Tegen Books.

Why am I waiting on this one? I love retellings. And retellings that humanize the villain of a story or are from an alternate point of view, I find particularly interesting. This one takes on the witch in the Little Mermaid. 

What book are you waiting on this week? 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: Second Teaser from Flame in the Dark by Faith Hunter

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

Occam started laughing, a purring chuff of sound that brought a smile to my face and made me tease further. "You cat-boys are hard to get along with in your time of the month."

"Time of the-- Nell, sugar, that is an appalling insult." Occam was still laughing as he got in the truck beside me and we drove off together. (76% through on my Kindle)

Occam is a wereleopard. Nell is the main character in the novel. The story is told from her perspective.

This is my second teaser from Flame in the Dark by Faith Hunter. It was released December 5, 2017 from Ace. I am enjoying the book.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #220: Noir by Christopher Moore

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

Synopsis from Goodreads:

It’s not every afternoon that an enigmatic, comely blonde named Stilton (like the cheese) walks into the scruffy gin joint where Sammy "Two Toes" Tiffin tends bar. It’s love at first sight, but before Sammy can make his move, an Air Force general named Remy arrives with some urgent business. ’Cause when you need something done, Sammy is the guy to go to; he’s got the connections on the street.

Meanwhile, a suspicious flying object has been spotted up the Pacific coast in Washington State near Mount Rainer, followed by a mysterious plane crash in a distant patch of desert in New Mexico that goes by the name Roswell. But the real weirdness is happening on the streets of the City by the Bay.

When one of Sammy’s schemes goes south and the Cheese mysteriously vanishes, Sammy is forced to contend with his own dark secrets—and more than a few strange goings on—if he wants to find his girl.

Noir by Christopher Moore is expected to be published April 17, 2018 by William Morrow.

Why am I waiting on this one? I love Christopher Moore's writing. It's offbeat and humorous. And I kind of like noir style writing as well. I'm thinking that the combination of Christopher Moore with noir will be fun to read.

What book are you waiting on this week? 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: Flame in the Dark by Faith Hunter

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

I had fed Soulwood twice, the first time when a man had tackled me in the woods and tried to have his way with me, to get both my body and the land that came with it. I hadn't known the first man's name, had never even seen his face. But he died fast and his essence had fed my land, making my trees grow strong and swiftly, so much that the forest now looked like old-growth trees. (11% through on my Kindle)

Flame in the Dark by Faith Hunter was released December 5, 2017 from Ace. 

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Review: Murder on the Sugarland Express by Angie Fox

It's time to get away from Frankie and the other ghosts and have a nice peaceful vacation. Ellis, Verity Long's boyfriend, has surprised her with tickets on the maiden voyage of the Sugarland Express, a historic train.

The ghosts have another idea. Frankie is determined to tag along to provide a romantic getaway for his girlfriend. Little do they know that the Sugarland Express was the scene of a murder oh so many years ago and that the detective that investigated it is still investigating.

As if that wasn't enough mystery, someone in the present day is also murdered on the train while it is stuck in the mountains and the wifi and communications equipment have been destroyed. It becomes a very busy trip for Verity as Ellis and Verity spring into action trying to solve the present day murder before anyone else gets killed. And Frankie and Verity get sucked into trying to solve the mystery from the past before the ghost train version of the train is derailed and plunges into the river once again.

This is a hat tip to Murder on the Orient Express. Someone on the train must have committed the murder in the present day as well as some ghost committed the murder in the past.

This book can be read as a standalone even though it is the sixth book in the Southern Ghost Hunter series. Enough information is given for you to follow along. It's better, though, if you've had some exposure to the characters prior to this though. It's just more enjoyable knowing their history.

Overall, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's well-written and paced well. There are two mysteries for the price of one and the author even manages to connect them in a way. The characters are interesting. There is a good sense of humor that shines through even though the mysteries are tough to solve. If you enjoy humorous cozies with some paranormal involvement, then this would be a good reading choice for you.

Murder on the Sugarland Express by Angie Fox was published November 25, 2017 by Moose Island Books.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #219: The Merry Spinster by Mallory Ortberg

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

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

From Mallory Ortberg comes a collection of darkly mischievous stories based on classic fairy tales. Adapted from her beloved "Children's Stories Made Horrific" series, "The Merry Spinster" takes up the trademark wit that endeared Ortberg to readers of both The Toast and her best-selling debut Texts From Jane Eyre. The feature became among the most popular on the site, with each entry bringing in tens of thousands of views, as the stories proved a perfect vehicle for Ortberg’s eye for deconstruction and destabilization. Sinister and inviting, familiar and alien all at the same time, The Merry Spinster updates traditional children's stories and fairy tales with elements of psychological horror, emotional clarity, and a keen sense of feminist mischief.

Readers of The Toast will instantly recognize Ortberg's boisterous good humor and uber-nerd swagger: those new to Ortberg's oeuvre will delight in her unique spin on fiction, where something a bit mischievous and unsettling is always at work just beneath the surface.

Unfalteringly faithful to its beloved source material, The Merry Spinster also illuminates the unsuspected, and frequently, alarming emotional complexities at play in the stories we tell ourselves, and each other, as we tuck ourselves in for the night.

Bedtime will never be the same. 

The Merry Spinster by Mallory Ortberg is expected to be published March 13, 2018 by Holt McDougal.

Why am I waiting on this one? I love retellings. And this collection looks to be a little different from most of the retellings I've read. 

What book are you waiting on this week? 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 Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

I stepped back. Then kept stepping, and turned and began running down the street, my bag hanging from my fingers and bouncing against my leg. An old woman wearing fur and pearly lipstick tried to scowl at me, but Botox took all the mean out of it. (p.50)

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert is due out January 30, 2018 from Flatiron Books. The above teaser comes from an advance reading copy and may differ in the final edition.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Review: The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

Vasya is back in this follow up to The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. The Girl in the Tower is the second book in the Winternight trilogy.

The first part of the book is mostly about Sasha and Olga. They are Vasya’s siblings. At the close of part one, Sasha and Vasya have just met up for the first time in years.

The second part of the book is told mostly about Vasya and what is happening in her life after the close of The Bear and the Nightingale. Vasya feels that her life is in danger if she stayed in the small village she was raised in. She goes to Morozko, the frost demon, and asks for help. She wants some of the dowry he promised to her so that she can go out and find her place in the world. Adventures ensue.

The third part of the book is mostly about Vasya and Sasha and their cousin Dimitri. There is also a little about Olga. Vasya must keep up the charade that she is a boy. Not only does her life depend on it, but her sister’s and brother’s lives are deeply affected by this as well. There are more adventures and conflict. I don’t want to give away spoilers.

Vasya continues to have her bond to the supernatural throughout the book. She can see the spirits of the bathhouse and the hearth as well as others. This puts her at both an advantage and disadvantage. They can be helpful at times, but she can’t tell anyone that they are there or else she will be marked as crazy and perhaps a witch as well. Only her young niece can also see them and has been warned by her mother, Olga, not to mention this to other people.

The story is well written. This is a crucial time period for the spirits as many of them are disappearing or losing power as the Christian God gains followers. Medieval Russia is an interesting backdrop for the story. The pace of the story is good as well. There are ups and downs throughout, but by about 50% on my Kindle, the story is becoming very dangerous for Vasya and her siblings. The tension continues to mount for the rest of the book until the ending.

My favorite characters in the book are Vasya, her horse Solovey, and Morozko, the frost demon. It was hard sometimes watching Vasya’s missteps. But they were necessary for character building and plot advancement.

Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It’s well written. The character of Vasya grows and develops as the book progresses. The adventures are interesting. And the book is well-paced. I can’t recommend this series enough. And, I can’t wait for the third book in the trilogy. The Girl in the Tower was published December 5, 2017 by Del Rey.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.