Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #415: Evil Woman by Julie Mulhern

 

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 Ellison Russell Jones returns from her honeymoon, she’s ready for a restful summer.

But while she was away, an older woman was murdered in her bed. And the police have questions only Ellison and her friends can answer.

She gets to be a sleuth. A real one! But with a new husband, her mother in the hospital (targeted by the murderer?), her sister as a house guest, one too many animals, and a full social calendar, Ellison can’t catch a break, much less a killer.

She’d better focus, or she may be the next victim.

Evil Woman by Julie Mulhern is expected out April 26th, 2022 from J & M Press.

Why am I waiting on this book? I've enjoyed all of the other books in this series. This is the 14th book in the Country Club Murder series. The books have humor as well as a good mystery. And I've grown fond of the characters.

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!

Book Review: The Quarter Storm by Veronica G. Henry

 

From the publisher:

Haitian-American Vodou priestess Mambo Reina Dumond runs a healing practice from her New Orleans home. Gifted with water magic since she was a child, Reina is devoted to the benevolent traditions of her ancestors.

After a ritual slaying in the French Quarter, police arrest a fellow vodouisant. Detective Roman Frost, Reina’s ex-boyfriend—a fierce nonbeliever—is eager to tie the crime, and half a dozen others, to the Vodou practitioners of New Orleans. Reina resolves to find the real killer and defend the Vodou practice and customs, but the motives behind the murder are deeper and darker than she imagines.

As Reina delves into the city’s shadows, she untangles more than just the truth behind a devious crime. It’s a conspiracy. As a killer wields dangerous magic to thwart Reina’s investigation, she must tap into the strength of her own power and faith to solve a mystery that threatens to destroy her entire way of life.

My Thoughts: 

I like the character of Reina. She believes strongly in what she does. She has a good nature and wants to help and guide people for the best possible outcome. She gets tied into a murder because a woman visits her the day before it happens. Reina feels a strong need to get involved and find the truth. 

The plot involves a lot of investigation and deduction on Reina's part. The other characters she interacts with are interesting, but I can't say I liked her ex much. I enjoyed the parts with Vodou and Reina's magic. The plot slows occasionally during the investigation, but overall progresses at a good rate. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. It has interesting characters, a good plot, and makes interesting use of magic and Vodou. I look forward to the next book in the series. 

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #414: A Hard Day for a Hangover by Darynda Jones

 

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:

Some people greet the day with open arms. Sheriff Sunshine Vicram would rather give it a hearty shove and get back into bed, because there’s just too much going on right now. There’s a series of women going missing, and Sunny feels powerless to stop it. There’s her persistent and awesomely-rebellious daughter Auri, who’s out to singlehandedly become Del Sol’s youngest and fiercest investigator. And then there’s drama with Levi Ravinder—the guy she’s loved and lusted after for years. The guy who might just be her one and only. The guy who comes from a family of disingenuous vipers looking to oust him—and Sunshine—for good.

Like we said, the new day can take a hike.

The final novel in a three-arc trilogy, A Hard Day for a Hangover is the finale to the Sunshine Vicram series that will have you laughing and cheering all the way to the end.

A Hard Day for a Hangover by Darynda Jones is expected out December 6th, 2022 from St. Martin's Press.

Why am I waiting on this book?  I really enjoyed the first two books in the trilogy. I love Sunshine and her daughter Auri. I'm wondering how things will end up with Levi. And Darynda Jones writes well and with plenty of humor. 

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: Secret Identity by Alex Segura

 

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!

She  knew New York City was dangerous. Yet she felt a strange, probably false, sense of security--because she was surrounded by so many people of so many different stripes and shapes and sizes, she would be okay. It made her feel alive. (8% through on my Kindle)

Secret Identity by Alex Segura was published March 15th, 2022 by Flatiron Books. 

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!

Book Review: Hold My Place by Cassondra Windwalker

 

From the publisher:

When librarian Sigrun falls head-over-heels for the sophisticated and very married Edgar Leyward, she never expects to find herself in his bed—or his heart. Nevertheless, when his enigmatic wife Octavia dies from a sudden illness, Sigrun finds herself caught up in a whirlwind romance worthy of the most lurid novels on her bookshelves.

Sigrun soon discovers Octavia wasn’t Edgar’s first lost love, or even his second. Three women Edgar has loved met early deaths. As she delves into her beloved’s past through a trove of discovered letters, the edges of Sigrun identity begin to disappear, fading into the women of the past. Sigrun tells herself it’s impossible for any dark magic to be at play—that the dead can’t possibly inhabit the bodies of the living—but something shadowy stalks the halls of the Leyward house and the lines between the love of the present and the obsessions of the past become increasingly blurred—and bloody.

Hold My Place by Cassondra Windwalker was published January 25th, 2022 by Black Spot Books.

My Thoughts: 

I really liked the character of Sigrun the gothic librarian. Edgar, I didn't trust almost from the start. I kind of expected a Bluebeard's wife kind of story going in, but it seems as the story goes on, nothing is out of bounds when it comes to his former wives. He is sort of disturbingly open on that topic. Sigrun finds herself reading a cache of letters from each of the former wives to Edgar. The more she reads, the creepier it feels.

Much of the book has a dreamlike quality. It's definitely gothic in nature. The book gains momentum as the end nears. And there is quite a twist to the plot. 

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. Sigrun makes a good main character. It's set during Covid times. I did not see the twist coming. If you enjoy gothic type stories, you will probably enjoy this one.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #413: Mothers of Enchantment edited by Kate Wolford

 

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:

We remember her best as the generous fairy who dresses Cinderella and handles transportation while she’s at it. But that’s just the most famous fairy godmother’s tale. With a little imagination, you’ll find that fairy godmothers and godfathers appear in many varied forms. The authors in this anthology have crafted new tales that re-imagine the fairy godmother and her role.

A young fairy grapples with imposter syndrome as she takes up her new appointment as godmother. Immortal sisters bestow blessings and curses on princesses as a way to battle the patriarchal fairy godfathers. A struggling artist receives a godmother’s help to impress at her high school reunion. Sparing the life of a moth leads to magical help from an unexpected protector.

Retellings of Pinocchio, Rumpelstiltskin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Frog Prince show the magic of these stories in a whole new light. Infused with modern sensibilities but honoring the tradition of fairy tales, these dozen stories will enchant and inspire you.

Mothers of Enchantment ed. by Kate Wolford is expected to be published April 19th, 2022 by World Weaver Press.

Why am I waiting on this book?  I enjoy retellings of fairy tales. While some tackle the theme that way,  I like the idea that some of the stories are re-imaginings of the fairy godmother and her role. For example, there is one story where a new fairy godmother has imposter syndrome. 

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: Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian

 

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!

The façade was straight out of a fairy tale, with two mismatched towers resembling the turrets of a castle. As was common in the American version of the Queen Anne school of architecture, the towers were asymmetrical. It was a style Tempest had always thought of as a Scooby-Doo haunted house. (8% through on my Kindle)

Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian has been published today by Minotaur Books.

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 #412: The Wild Hunt by Emma Seckel

 

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:

A transporting, otherworldly debut of a young woman’s fated return to a wind-battered island off the coast of Scotland, and the dark forces—old and new—that she finds there

The islanders have only three rules: don’t stick your nose where it’s not wanted, don’t mention the war, and never let your guard down during October.

Leigh Welles has not set foot in on the island in years, but when she finds herself called home from a disappointing life on the Scottish mainland by her father’s unexpected death, she is determined to forget the sorrows of the past—her mother’s abandonment, her brother’s icy distance, the unspeakable tragedy of World War II—and start fresh. Fellow islander Iain MacTavish, a RAF veteran with his eyes on the sky and his head in the past is also in desperate need of a new beginning. A young widower, Iain struggles to return to the normal life he knew before the war.

But this October is anything but normal. This October, the sluagh are restless. The ominous, bird-like creatures of Celtic legend—whispered to carry the souls of the dead—have haunted the islanders for decades, but in the war’s wake, there are more wandering souls and more sluagh. When a local boy disappears, Leigh and Iain are thrown together to investigate the truth at the island’s dark heart and reveal hidden secrets of their own.

Rich with historical detail and a skillful speculative edge, Emma Seckel’s propulsive and pulse-pounding debut The Wild Hunt unwinds long-held tales of love, loss, and redemption. 

The Wild Hunt by Emma Seckel is expected to be published August 2nd, 2022 by Tin House. 

Why am I waiting on this book?  I haven't read a story like this in a while involving the Wild Hunt. I like the idea of blending the fantasy elements with a mystery.

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 Quarter Storm by Veronica G. Henry

 

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 nodded at the earless ghost of Louis Congo. In Haiti the spiritual was pervasive, but since my initiation, some places, like the cemetery or this park, brought the spirits even more to the forefront. The wraith floated among the parishioners, his back bent, sadness tugging at his diaphanous eyes. He raised a hand. A slow flutter of fingertips, like encumbered wings.

(16%% through on my Kindle)

The Quarter Storm by Veronica G. Henry was published March 1st, 2022 by 47North.

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 #411: Secret Identity by Alex Segura

 

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 Anthony Award-winning writer Alex Segura comes Secret Identity, a rollicking literary mystery set in the world of comic books.

It’s 1975 and the comic book industry is struggling, but Carmen Valdez doesn’t care. She’s an assistant at Triumph Comics, which doesn’t have the creative zeal of Marvel nor the buttoned-up efficiency of DC, but it doesn’t matter. Carmen is tantalizingly close to fulfilling her dream of writing a superhero book.

That dream is nearly a reality when one of the Triumph writers enlists her help to create a new character, which they call “The Lethal Lynx,” Triumph's first female hero. But her colleague is acting strangely and asking to keep her involvement a secret. And then he’s found dead, with all of their scripts turned into the publisher without her name. Carmen is desperate to piece together what happened to him, to hang on to her piece of the Lynx, which turns out to be a runaway hit. But that’s complicated by a surprise visitor from her home in Miami, a tenacious cop who is piecing everything together too quickly for Carmen, and the tangled web of secrets and resentments among the passionate eccentrics who write comics for a living.

Alex Segura uses his expertise as a comics creator as well as his unabashed love of noir fiction to create a truly one-of-a-kind novel--hard-edged and bright-eyed, gritty and dangerous, and utterly absorbing.

Secret Identity by Alex Segura is expected out March 15th, 2022 from Flatiron Books.

Why am I waiting on this book?  It sounds interesting - a noir based in the comic book business. And I like that there is a female lead character.

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: Family Crime by Alex A. King

 

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!

 

 "Stavros and Takis are already busy snooping through Chris Floro's place."

   Christ in a cup, that figured. No doubt Grandma had issued the order seconds after Elias and I left this morning.

 "What are they hoping to find?"

 " Proof that he is a serial killer, I think. "

 "He'd be more welcome in the family if he was." (p. 23)

Family Crime by Alex A King was released yezterday. This is the 13th book in the Kat Makris Greek Mafia series.

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!