Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #426: Legacy Witches by Cass Kay

 

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: Coming from a long line of murderous witches hasn’t exactly been sunshine and rainbows for Vianna Roots. When she inherits the family’s haunted house after her mother dies, she decides flipping the rundown dump is her smartest move—but the ghosts that haunt her have a different plan.

When Vianna finds the ghost of her childhood friend Nancy, she’s drawn into the mystery surrounding her friend’s death. Her meddling attracts the attention of the oldest coven in Salem. In order to get her out of town, they make an offer on the house, but Vianna hesitates. She’s no longer sure she wants to abandon the demon familiar who possesses her home, the transgender outcast witch—who may just be the best friend she never knew she needed—and her high school crush, who now wants her in his life.

Vianna must find a way to solve the case of her murdered friend, stay out of the hands of the most powerful coven in Salem, and face the past she’s so desperately tried to run away from.

Legacy Witches by Cass Kay is expected out October 11th, 2022.

Why am I waiting on this book? It sounds interesting to me that initially she wants to flip the house she inherits, but things get more complicated. The complications are really what sells it. I expect to want her to succeed. I look forward to seeing how she reacts to what Salem throws her way.

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: Succulent Wild Woman by SARK

 

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!

We are richly connected by our stories.

Telling stories through letters, journals, books, by computer, or on the phone are all ways to connect with other creative souls.

Tell more stories! 

Your stories can teach, uplift, remind, give permission, reassure, inspire, give strength, allow humor. (p. 135)

Succulent Wild Woman : Dancing with Your Wonder-Full Self  by SARK was recently published in a 25th anniversary edition by Atria Books. The teasers come from that 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!

Book Review: Secret Identity by Alex Segura

 

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 was published March 22nd, 2022 by Flatiron Books.

My Thoughts:

Carmen, the main character, is interesting. She moved to New York from Florida and got into the comics industry as an administrative assistant. But, she aspires to more. She proves she is a talented writer, but gets none of the credit for her work. And soon the writer that was working with her is found dead. Carmen can't just accept that and move on. She starts her own investigation alongside the police investigation. And she is persistent. Much of the book is a noir style hunt for who is responsible for her coworker 's death.

It's also an interesting window into the world of comics at the time. It's well done. The pace of the book is good, not too many lulls. And the author wraps up the plot lines in a logical manner. 

I also liked the comic book pages of the Lethal Lynx that were inserted every so often. They helped to illustrate Carmen and what she was experiencing.

I give this book 5 stars. If you enjoy noir with a strong female lead then you will like this book.

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

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #425: Tales of Capes and Cowls

 

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:

"Look, up in the sky, it's Ultragod!"

Superheroes have conquered movies, television, video games, and (of course) the comic book. However, there's still a dearth of fantastic superhero literature out there. Tales of Capes and Cowls is a wonderful collection of nine short stories, novelettes, and a novella about the text-based adventures of superheroes.

Inside, you'll find stories about a supervillain recruited to kill Hitler before he wins WW2 using magic, a street level hero out to stop an insane AI, a group of young heroes befriending a powerful wizard, a daring jailbreak, and a 1960s romp with that era's modest heroes! Works by C.T. Phipps (Supervillainy Saga), David Niall Wilson (Hoods), Keith R.E. DeCandido (Super City Cops), Richard Roberts (Please Don't Tell My Parents I'm A Supervillain), and more!

Tales of Capes and Cowls is expected out June 30th, 2022 from Mystique Press.

Why am I waiting on this book? I 've read a few books with superheroes as the main characters, most recently Karma Girl by Jennifer Estep. And I enjoyed reading these types of stories. I think this anthology sounds interesting.  I haven't read any of the authors. So this could be a gateway to finding new books.

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: Heroic Hearts ed. by Jim Butcher and Kerrie Hughes

 

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!

On heroes from the introduction:

They’re the regular people in irregular circumstances who find themselves considering others first and standing up to do whatever needs to be done. 

Real heroes are created by fate— faced with a challenge that they must rise to overcome , and those who do so become our heroes, our stories, our legends. (2% through on my Kindle)

Heroic Hearts edited by Jim Butcher and Kerrie Hughes was published May 3rd, 2022 by Ace 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: Razzmatazz by Christopher Moore

 

Razzmatazz by Christopher Moore continues the story of Sammy and the Cheese and their friends from Noir. This time there's a lot going on. Sammy has been asked to look into the murders of drag kings by one notorious one named Jimmy. His friend Moo Shoes and his girlfriend are trying to open a driving school. Moo Shoes' Uncle Ho is trying to get Eddy and Sammy to retrieve a powerful relic he had stolen years before. Stilton (the Cheese) is using her welding skills to build something in secret at the moon man's request. And this group of Sammy and friends is trying to get a local Madame and her girls to a Christmas party at a state hospital. Like I said there's a lot going on including a bit of the old razzmatazz, but Christopher Moore manages to pull it off clearly, cleverly, and tie things together.

I really liked the characters in the book generally speaking, especially Sammy "Two Toes" Tiffin. The characters are definitely original. I liked and rooted for the good guys. And I grudgingly tolerated the bad guys since they're needed to advance the story.

The book moves along at a fast clip. There's always something going on, even if it's just a bit of the razzmatazz. 

I really enjoyed the book. I loved the originality of the characters and plot. I found it hard to put down. It could possibly be read as a standalone, but it's so much better if you've read Noir first. And Christopher Moore even managed to sneak in bits of history and period appropriate language.

All in all, I gave Razzmatazz 5 stars. If you enjoyed the first book, you've got to read this one. It's full of original characters and humor.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This didn't influence my opinion.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #424: A Haunted History of Invisible Women by Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes

 

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 notorious Lizzie Borden to the innumerable, haunted rooms of Sarah Winchester's mysterious mansion, this offbeat, insightful, first-ever book of its kind explores the history behind America’s female ghosts, the stereotypes, myths, and paranormal tales that swirl around them, what their stories reveal about us—and why they haunt us…

Sorrowful widows, vengeful jezebels, innocent maidens, wronged lovers, former slaves, even the occasional axe-murderess—America’s female ghosts differ widely in background, class, and circumstance. Yet one thing unites them: their ability to instill fascination and fear, long after their deaths. Here are the full stories behind some of the best-known among them, as well as the lesser-known—though no less powerful.
 
Tales whispered in darkness often divulge more about the teller than the subject. America’s most famous female ghosts, from from ‘Mrs. Spencer’ who haunted Joan Rivers’ New York apartment to Bridget Bishop, the first person executed during the Salem witchcraft trials, mirror each era’s fears and prejudices. Yet through urban legends and campfire stories, even ghosts like the nameless hard-working women lost in the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire —achieve a measure of power and agency in death, in ways unavailable to them as living women.
 
Riveting for skeptics and believers alike, with humor, curiosity, and expertise, A Haunted History of Invisible Women offers a unique lens on the significant role these ghostly legends play both within the spook-seeking corners of our minds and in the consciousness of a nation.

Afterword by Bram Stoker Award-winning author Linda D. Addison

A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America's Ghosts is expected out September 27th, 2022 from Citadel Press.

Why am I waiting on this book? I find ghost stories with a basis in history fascinating. I might find the tales in this book even more interesting since their focus is on ghosts of women in America. And the release date is perfect - just before October.

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: Demon Hunting with a Southern Sheriff by Lexi George

 

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!

Placing two fingers beneath her chin, Evan examined her face. "Damn, Red. You look like warmed-over shit in a two-bit pot. "

 

"I thank you, sir. Allow me to return the compliment. I find you vulgar, improper, and rude in the extreme." (16% through on my Kindle)

Demon Hunting with a Southern Sheriff by Lexi George was published April 12th, 2022 by Lyrical 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!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #423: Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse

 

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:

 Celeste, a card sharp with a need for justice, takes on the role of advocatus diaboli, to defend her sister Mariel, accused of murdering a Virtue, a member of the ruling class of this mining town, in a new world of dark fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of Black Sun, Rebecca Roanhorse.

The year is 1883 and the mining town of Goetia is booming as prospectors from near and far come to mine the powerful new element Divinity from the high mountains of Colorado with the help of the pariahs of society known as the Fallen. The Fallen are the descendants of demonkind living amongst the Virtues, the winners in an ancient war, with the descendants of both sides choosing to live alongside Abaddon’s mountain in this tale of the mythological West from the bestselling mastermind Rebecca Roanhorse.

Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse is expected out November 15th, 2022 from Gallery Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like weird westerns. This looks like a mashup of a western with a fantasy which falls under the weird western umbrella. It looks interesting to me. I haven't read one that sounds like it before. You can read the first chapter here: https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/rebecca-roanhorse-tread-of-angels-cover-excerpt 

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!