Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #434: How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

 

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 Louise finds out her parents have died, she dreads going home. She doesn’t want to leave her daughter with her ex and fly to Charleston. She doesn’t want to deal with her family home, stuffed to the rafters with the remnants of her father’s academic career and her mother’s lifelong obsession with puppets and dolls. She doesn’t want to learn how to live without the two people who knew and loved her best in the world.
 
Mostly, she doesn’t want to deal with her brother, Mark, who never left their hometown, gets fired from one job after another, and resents her success. But she’ll need his help to get the house ready for sale because it’ll take more than some new paint on the walls and clearing out a lifetime of memories to get this place on the market.
 
Some houses don’t want to be sold, and their home has other plans for both of them…

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix is expected out January 17th, 2023 from Berkley.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like  haunted house stories. I like the premise of this one. It sounds like the house will be like a character in the book. And the situation is one that a lot of people can identify with - clearing out a parent's home. The additional tension between her and her brother will no doubt add to the suspense. I wonder if their relationship will change as they deal with the house.

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: Of Claws and Fangs by Faith Hunter

 

From the publisher:

Collected together for the first time, this volume contains shorter works featuring heroines Jane Yellowrock and Nell Ingram, as well as a host of other characters from the Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood series. Faith Hunter is “an expert at creating worlds filled with intriguing supernatural elements and exciting scenarios”* and her skills are on full display in this collection. From a vampire-filled Halloween evening in New Orleans to the searing tale of how a certain were-leopard first got his spots, this collection has something for everyone, and each story is sure to put the super in supernatural.
 
With eighteen stories in all, Of Claws and Fangs will enrich and entertain—it’s a must-have for Faith Hunter’s readers and all lovers of fantasy.

Of Claws and Fangs was published May 3rd, 2022 by Ace.

My thoughts:

The stories may have been previously published, but not all of them are readily available elsewhere. Faith Hunter puts a note at the beginning of the collection about this as well as brief notes before each story explaining its origin and where it might fall in the timeline of things. 

I thought all of the stories were excellent which is often unusual in a collection or anthology. While I enjoyed them all, the story "Bound into Darkness" stood out to me. It's a little longer than the rest, but it held me rapt. It's got Liz Everhart and Eli Younger as the main characters. It's told in alternating points of view between the two. There's plenty of action and magic. And there's loads of suspense.

Overall, I give this collection 5 out of 5 stars. I agree with the publisher that this is a must read for anyone who enjoys Faith Hunter's books. Other fans of urban fantasy might enjoy the book as well. It could serve as an introduction to Jane Yellowrock, Nell Ingram, and other characters and elements of their world.

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

Book Review: Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer

 

From the publisher: 

A Chicago cul-de-sac is about to get a new neighbor...of the demonic kind.

    Amy Foster considers herself lucky. After she left the city and moved to the suburbs, she found her place quickly with neighbors Liz, Jess, and Melissa, snarking together from the outskirts of the PTA crowd. One night during their monthly wine get-together, the crew concoct a plan for a clubhouse She Shed in Liz’s backyard—a space for just them, no spouses or kids allowed.
 
    But the night after they christen the She Shed, things start to feel . . . off. They didn’t expect Liz’s little home-improvement project to release a demonic force that turns their quiet enclave into something out of a nightmare. And that’s before the homeowners’ association gets wind of it.
 
    Even the calmest moms can’t justify the strange burn marks, self-moving dolls, and horrible smells surrounding their possessed friend, Liz. Together, Amy, Jess, and Melissa must fight the evil spirit to save Liz and the neighborhood . . . before the suburbs go completely to hell.

My thoughts:

The story is told from Amy's point of view. Once Liz has been possessed, it's Amy's drive that keeps the ladies going seeking a way to save her. And while all this is going on, she somehow volunteered to organize a school carnival. Amy is a devoted parent, spouse, and friend. 

The book is well-written. The plot moves along at a good rate. There's plenty going on. And in addition there is building suspense and a good dose of humor.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I love the combination of horror and humor. It made me think of both The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix and the program Desperate Housewives. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy light horror with a good infusion of humor. I will definitely be looking for Maureen Kilmer's next book.

Suburban Hell is expected out August 30th, 2022 from G.P. Putnam's Sons.

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

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #433: Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

 

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:

Older women often feel invisible, but sometimes that’s their secret weapon.
 
They’ve spent their lives as the deadliest assassins in a clandestine international organization, but now that they're sixty years old, four women friends can’t just retire – it’s kill or be killed in this action-packed thriller by New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have worked for the Museum, an elite network of assassins, for forty years. Now their talents are considered old-school and no one appreciates what they have to offer in an age that relies more on technology than people skills.
 
When the foursome is sent on an all-expenses paid vacation to mark their retirement, they are targeted by one of their own. Only the Board, the top-level members of the Museum, can order the termination of field agents, and the women realize they’ve been marked for death.
 
Now to get out alive they have to turn against their own organization, relying on experience and each other to get the job done, knowing that working together is the secret to their survival. They’re about to teach the Board what it really means to be a woman—and a killer—of a certain age.

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn is expected out September 6th, 2022 from Berkley.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like the idea of four older, experienced women working as assassins. And I like the idea of them working together to save their lives. I'm looking forward to reading about their cooperation in the face of danger.

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: Big 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!

 "I'll be fine. Greece is just a lot. No, Greece is fine. It's my family and everything else. I've been shot at, abducted multiple times, lied to, a serial killer tried to kill me, and that's just the tip of the crimeberg. What I need to do is stuff everything down and weld a lid on it, until I have time and room to unpack." ( 57% through on my Kindle)

Big Crime: a Kat Makris Greek Mafia Novel by Alex A. King was published August 17th, 2022.

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: The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

From the publisher:

Carlota Moreau: A young woman growing up on a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of a researcher who is either a genius or a madman.

Montgomery Laughton: A melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his scientific experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.

The hybrids: The fruits of the doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.

All of them live in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Dr. Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.

For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and, in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno -Garcia was published July 19th, 2022 by Del Rey Books. 

My thoughts:

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is "loosely inspired" by The Island of Doctor Moreau by HG Wells, but has a different focus. The hybrids and Doctor Moreau have roles to play, but the central characters are his daughter Carlota and his majordomo Montgomery. The story is told in chapters that alternate between Carlota's and Montgomery's point of view. As they grow and change from age and events, it kept my interest.

We meet Carlota as a pliant teenager eager to please her father without question. She becomes a young adult at 20 testing and stretching boundaries. This is especially apparent when they have visitors. 

Montgomery finds a home there with the hybrids, Doctor Moreau, and his daughter. Throughout he battles alcoholism. He becomes a more sympathetic character as his backstory is revealed.

The pace of the book is fairly steady until they have visitors. After that the pace picks up until very nearly the end. When the pace drops again, I felt like some things in the book had come full circle emphasizing how far the characters have come.

While I liked Carlota and Montgomery, there were also characters I didn't like or outright couldn't stand. Isidiro Lizalde, Eduardo's cousin was one of the latter. He comes across as self righteous, mean, sneaky, and manipulative. I think the author did a great job portraying him.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I found the characters interesting. I wanted to know what would happen next. The historical setting was a good choice by the author which she explains in the Afterword. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. I would recommend it to fans of the author, people who enjoy retellings, and those who enjoy science fiction in a historical setting.

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

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #432: Death and Croissants by Ian Moore

 

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:

Richard is a middle-aged Englishman who runs a B&B in the fictional Val de Follet in the Loire Valley. Nothing ever happens to Richard, and really that's the way he likes it.

One day, however, one of his older guests disappears, leaving behind a bloody handprint on the wallpaper. Another guest, the exotic Valérie, persuades a reluctant Richard to join her in investigating the disappearance.

Richard remains a dazed passenger in the case until things become really serious and someone murders Ava Gardner, one of his beloved hens... and you don't mess with a fellow's hens!

Death and Croissants is an unputdownable, hilarious mystery perfect for fans of Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club.

"A very funny page-turner. Fantastique!" —Adam Kay, author of This Is Going to Hurt

Death and Croissants by Ian Moore is expected out March 14th, 2023 from Poisoned Pen Press.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like the light, humorous sound of this book. Mysteries are good, but if they're somewhat funny, even better.

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 Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

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!

Moreau's daughter was forever supposed to remain a girl, like the dolls that watched her intently. But she was restless; she felt as if she'd overgrown her skin and must molt. (51% through on my Kindle)

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia was published July 19th, 2022 by Del Rey.

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 #431: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

 

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:

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party—or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily’s research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones—the most elusive of all faeries—lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all—her own heart.

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett is expected out January 10th, 2023 from Del Rey.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like the sound of the protagonist as I sit here amid my books with my dog. I find the premise interesting - a faery expert researching elusive fae hindered by a colleague with mystery and a touch of romance.

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 House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

 

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!

“Sometimes,” Mr. Parnassus said, “our prejudices color our thoughts when we least expect them to. If we can recognize that, and learn from it, we can become better people. " (24% through on my Kindle)

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune was published March 17th, 2020 by Tor 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: Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian

 

From the publisher: 

An impossible crime. A family legacy. The intrigue of hidden rooms and secret staircases.

After a disastrous accident derails Tempest Raj’s career, and life, she heads back to her childhood home in California to comfort herself with her grandfather’s Indian home-cooked meals. Though she resists, every day brings her closer to the inevitable: working for her father’s company. Secret Staircase Construction specializes in bringing the magic of childhood to all by transforming clients’ homes with sliding bookcases, intricate locks, backyard treehouses, and hidden reading nooks.

When Tempest visits her dad’s latest renovation project, her former stage double is discovered dead inside a wall that’s supposedly been sealed for more than a century. Fearing she was the intended victim, it’s up to Tempest to solve this seemingly impossible crime. But as she delves further into the mystery, Tempest can’t help but wonder if the Raj family curse that’s plagued her family for generations—something she used to swear didn’t exist—has finally come for her.

My thoughts: 

I think it's worth a read. It's the first book in a new series and can be read as a standalone. It's a cozy locked room mystery. Gigi Pandian writes this sort of story well.

I had a little trouble getting into the story, but it was worth it. I didn't anticipate the who or why of the mystery. And I'm still a little foggy on the how. But, a magician never shares her secrets.

The concept of a contracting company that specializes in making secret rooms and staircases is interesting. The company is Tempest's Dad's bread and butter. Their home is full of these types of things. 

I liked the characters. Tempest grew up in a very nurturing multi generational home. If you've read her Jaya Jones series, you will recognize Sanjay the Hindi Houdini. And I liked that some of the characters actually showed growth before the end of the book.

All in all, it's an interesting mystery and a good start to a new series. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. If you've enjoyed other works by Gigi Pandian you will most likely enjoy this book. I would also recommend it to people who enjoy locked room mysteries. This book was published March 15th, 2022 by Minotaur Books.

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

Book Review: The Omega Factor by Steve Berry

 

From the publisher:

The Ghent Altarpiece is the most violated work of art in the world. Thirteen times it has been vandalized, dismantled, or stolen. Why? What secrets does it hold?  
 
Enter UNESCO investigator, Nicholas Lee, who works for the United Nations’ Cultural Liaison and Investigative Office (CLIO). Nick’s job is to protect the world’s cultural artifacts—anything and everything from countless lesser-known objects to national treasures. 

When Nick travels to Belgium for a visit with a woman from his past, he unwittingly stumbles on the trail of a legendary panel from the Ghent Altarpiece, stolen in 1934 under cover of night and never seen since. Soon Nick is plunged into a bitter conflict, one that has been simmering for nearly two thousand years. On one side is the Maidens of Saint-Michael, les Vautours—the Vultures—a secret order of nuns and the guardians of a great truth. Pitted against them is the Vatican, which has wanted for centuries to both find and possess what the nuns guard. Because of Nick the maidens have finally been exposed, their secret placed in dire jeopardy—a vulnerability that the Vatican swiftly moves to exploit utilizing an ambitious cardinal and a corrupt archbishop, both with agendas of their own.  

From the tranquil canals of Ghent, to the towering bastions of Carcassonne, and finally into an ancient abbey high in the French Pyrenees, Nick Lee must confront a modern-day religious crusade intent on eliminating a shocking truth from humanity’s past. Success or failure—life and death—all turn on the Omega Factor.

My thoughts: 

This standalone novel is worth a read. The characters are interesting. I like that the main male character was reluctant to use guns which would have been an easy out in many situations. And both Nick and Kelsey come across as being of good character - responsible, loyal, caring and more. On the other hand, it never seizes to amaze me the evil people will perpetrate in the name of religion. 

The novel has plenty of action. It's fast paced generally speaking with occasional lulls that explain why some of what is happening is happening.

I think the basis for the novel is creative. I like the way the author blends fiction and history. In the author's note, he explains how much is history and which parts are fiction. It makes for an interesting read.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's really good. I'd recommend it to people who enjoy some truth mixed with their fiction. And I would recommend it to people who enjoy adventure books. The book is currently available.

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