Tuesday, August 26, 2025

Teaser Tuesday: Homemaker by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare


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 is 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 (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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.


"What she really believed, but hadn't said, was that she noticed things because she was a mom. Because a mom had to notice everything about the entire world, every single day, and question those things, every single day, so nothing bad would happen."
page 24
What are you reading? Share it with us in the comments. Happy reading!



Thursday, August 21, 2025

Book Review: Mayra by Nicky Gonzalez

 

From the publisher: 

An eerie, hypnotic debut about friendship, desire, and memory set against the sultry backdrop of Florida’s swamplands.

LONGLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE

It’s been years since Ingrid has heard from her childhood best friend, Mayra, a fearless rebel who fled their hometown of Hialeah, a Cuban neighborhood just west of Miami, for college in the Northeast. But when Mayra calls out of the blue to invite Ingrid to a weekend getaway at a house in the Everglades, she impulsively accepts.

From the moment Ingrid sets out, danger looms: The directions are difficult, she’s out of reach of cell service, and as she drives deeper into the Everglades, the wet maw of the swamp threatens to swallow her whole. But once Ingrid arrives, Mayra is, in many ways, just as she remembers—with her sharp tongue and effortless, seductive beauty, still thumbing her nose at the world.

Before they can fully settle into the familiar intimacy of each other’s company, their reunion is spoiled by the reemergence of past disagreements and the unexpected presence of Mayra’s new boyfriend, Benji. The trio spend their hours eating lavish meals and exploring the labyrinthine house, which holds as much mystery as the swamp itself. Indoors and on the grounds, time itself seems to expand, and Ingrid begins to lose a sense of the outside world, and herself.

Against this disquieting setting, where lizards dart in and out of porches and alligators peek from dark waters, Gonzalez weaves a surreal, unforgettable story about the dizzying power of early friendship and the lengths we’ll go to earn love and acceptance—even at the risk of losing ourselves entirely.

Mayra by Nicky Gonzalez was published July 22, 2025 by Random House.

My Thoughts: It's a good haunted house/gothic novel. The story is told from Ingrid's point of view. To me she came across as a pretty normal person. Not really happy with her job, looking for love, and she has family ties. Presented with an opportunity to revisit an earlier friendship that was very important to her, she feels ambiguous. Last time they saw each other didn't go spectacularly. Pushed together in this way out of the way place, Ingrid tentatively tries to bond with Mayra again. 

It's awkward with Mayra's boyfriend Benji around. He's doing everything for them - cooking, cleaning, laundry. Their happiness seems to be paramount to him to the point of being creepy. And as they explore the house, they keep finding creepy little details that make them wonder about the previous residents.

The narrative takes on a dreamlike tone the longer they are there. Ingrid feels like she is forgetting something, but not quite what. She is lulled into a false sense of security. It's at this point, you speculate what is causing the disconnect. I somewhat expected the source, but there were still surprises. I ended up staying up to finish it once I hit the 90% mark. I had to know what would happen next.

I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars. Dreamlike, the story is a little slow in a few places. It still moves the ladies further down the path to the conclusion. And it makes the ending feel positively manic. I enjoyed the book as a whole. I would recommend it for people who enjoy gothic literature and gothic horror.

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

Have you read Mayra? What did you think?

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #566: Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree

 

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:

Fern has weathered the stillness and storms of a bookseller’s life for decades, but now, in the face of crippling ennui, transplants herself to the city of Thune to hang out her shingle beside a long-absent friend’s coffee shop. What could be a better pairing? Surely a charming renovation montage will cure what ails her!

If only things were so simple…

It turns out that fixing your life isn’t a one-time prospect, nor as easy as a change of scenery and a lick of paint.

A drunken and desperate night sees the rattkin waking far from home in the company of a legendary warrior, an imprisoned chaos-goblin with a fondness for silverware, and an absolutely thumping hangover.

As together they fend off a rogue’s gallery of ne’er-do-wells trying to claim the bounty the goblin represents, Fern may finally reconnect with the person she actually is when nothing seems inevitable.

Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree is expected out November 11, 2025 from Tor Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I really enjoy Travis Baldree's writing. I like the characters and the world that it's set in. 

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


Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Teaser Tuesday: Mayra by Nicky Gonzalez

 


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 is 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 (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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.


She didn't like him, I told myself. She liked the story of him, the idea that someone could snatch her from her humdrum routine, even if it meant walking into the mouth of a monster.

--56% through on my Kindle

Mayra by Nicky Gonzalez was published July 22, 2025 by Random House.

What are you reading? Got a teaser to share? Leave a comment with it. Happy Reading!

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #565: Everyone in the Group Chat Dies by L.M. Chilton

 


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 breakout author of Swiped comes a compulsively readable, surprisingly funny, and genuinely thrilling pageturner about a TikTok true crime investigator, a ’90s serial killer that may not be as dead as everyone would like, a text thread from hell, and long buried secrets that just won’t stay in the grave where they belong.

Kirby Cornell needs a break from everything:

- Her crumbling apartment in the sleepy town of Crowhurst (famous for its bucolic countryside and a second-rate serial killer from the ’90s).
- Her dead-end job.
- Her sleazy landlord
- Her messy roommates.
- And, most of all, the terrible thing they all did.

Luckily, that hasn’t caught up with her just yet. Until a new message on their old group chat pops up: Everyone in the group chat dies.

It’s the first text her ex-roommate Esme has sent for ages, but that’s not the really weird thing.

The really weird thing is, Esme died twelve months ago…

Everyone in the Group Chat Dies by L.M. Chilton is expected out December 9th, 2025 from Gallery/Scout Press.

Why am I waiting on this book? It promises a blend of humor and thriller. I enjoy humor in other genres. I'm not sure if I've read this particular kind of mashup before. Generally speaking though, if you can laugh as well as feel the thrills and chills, it makes for a good book.

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

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Teaser Tuesday:The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs

 


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 is 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 (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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

"Hitmen were coming for them. From India! On Saturday. Yep. He was gonna end up one of those missing middle managers he'd read about on the internet. He hoped to God he wouldn't be hung naked from some bridge."

--page 118

I know it's more than 2 sentences, but it all fit so nicely together I had to share it that way. 

Why not drop a line in the comments and share with us what you're reading? 


Monday, August 11, 2025

Book Review: The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

From the publisher: 

“Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches”: That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva—stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that’s why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.

In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay’s most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay’s manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.

Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved.

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia was released July 15, 2025 by Del Rey.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. Told in 3 timelines, three women have experiences with witches that are different from what we typically read. They overlap a little bit throughout the book. Even though there are 3 timelines, in the end they are successfully tied together. 

My favorite character was Minerva. I also had a lot of respect for Nana Alba. I felt that they were the most well written. The book was kind of gross at times - some of the occurrences of witchcraft were both frightening and kind of disgusting. This did not in any way take away from the story. It just was a part of it.

The pace of the novel went well. Towards the end, Minerva's story really had me flipping pages and refusing to talk to people until I finished it. There were other similar points in the other stories too, but Minerva's was the strongest.

I gave The Bewitching 5 stars out of 5. It's very well-written. It has good characters and good pacing. If you are a fan of horror, or gothic literature, or Silvia Moreno-Garcia, this is not a book to be missed.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion nor my review.

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #564: Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

 


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: There are two kinds of people no one ever expects to be murderers: little girls and old ladies. Meet Mad Mabel.

Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is eighty-one years old. She's lived on her idyllic street, Kenny Lane, for sixty years--longer than anyone else. Aside from being a curmudgeon who minds everyone else's business, few would suspect that Elsie has a past that she has worked exceedingly hard at concealing. Because when it comes to murder, no one ever suspects little girls or old ladies. And Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick, once a little girl and now an old lady, has a strange history of people in her life coming to a foul end.

When a new little girl (talkative, curious, nosy) moves into the neighborhood and stops at nothing to befriend Elsie, her carefully-constructed life threatens to come crashing down as the secrets in Elsie's past start coming to light. Who was "Mad Mabel" fifty years ago? Who is Elsie Fitzpatrick today? And if the past has a habit of repeating itself, who has the most to lose?

Told with Sally Hepworth's twists, humor, charm, and heart, MAD MABEL is novel that weaves past and present together--through the power of justice and redemption, and all the way to its stunning conclusion.

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth is expected out April 21, 2026 from St. Martin's Press.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like interesting mysteries with humor. This promises to be just that. I want to know why she was called Mad Mabel and how she reverted to Elsie. I'm interested in what will happen to her and what has happened already which is good since it is told as a dual timeline story.

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

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Teaser Tuesday: How to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent

 



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 is 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 (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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.


I’m immediately dubious as Maisie’s idea of an ‘emergency’ doesn’t always tally with the rest of mankind’s. There was the time she got stuck in a dress in Comptoir des Cotonniers, for example, and refused to call a sales girl in.
Page 37

How to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent was published April 11, 2023 by Harper Collins. It's the first book in the Kitty Collins series. Book two, I Bet You'd Look Good in a Coffin, was released earlier this year. 

Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #563: Lit by Tim Sandlin

 


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: Tim Sandlin is back with a deliciously subversive take on a “cozy” mystery that deftly, shrewdly and humorously reflects our turbulent times.

In a small town in the woods of northwest Wyoming, Kasey Cobb lives alone in a cabin, runs a drive-through coffee kiosk, and hangs out at the library, reading the classics. He’s the least-likely guy to become the center of a culture clash… and death. Yet that’s what happens when he strays past a book-bonfire, ignited by a pastor and his hapless followers, and inadvertently rescues a self-important (drunk) author from being burned with his obscure novel.

From that moment on, Kasey’s life becomes a whirlwind that sweeps up a laconic lawman, a pissed off grizzly bear, a relentless podcaster, a sensuous librarian obsessed with death, a fierce female rancher and, most troublesome of all, a devious murderer. And yet, amidst the chaos, Kasey chases another shot at a lasting love, even if it might kill him.

"Tim Sandlin writes about falling down, screwing up, and climbing back to grace with more wit and heart than anyone writing today." Wally Lamb

Lit by Tim Sandlin is expected out December 2, 2025 from Brash Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like cozy mysteries. I think it's an interesting idea to have a subversive take on the genre. And I like that this author incorporates humor into his works.

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

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #562: An Unlikely Coven by AM Kvita

 

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: The outcast daughter of a powerful family of witches returns home to New York City and is immediately embroiled in a supernatural power struggle in this wickedly funny fantasy debut from AM Kvita.
 
After seven long years Joan Greenwood is finally returning home. Unfortunately, her family totally forgot about it.

Joan's homecoming is lukewarm at best, but soon turns disastrous when news hits that someone has created a spell that can turn an ordinary human into a powerful witch, threatening the balance of the magical world and the Greenwood’s place at the top of it.

When her best friend confesses that he has secretly, accidentally, saved this human-turned-witch from an uncertain fate, Joan is thrust headfirst into a desperate race to undo the spell before it does permanent damage to its unwilling host.
 
Soon, Joan finds herself drawn deeper into the heart of the city’s magic, into an uncertain alliance with a (very attractive) family rival, and far beyond the limits of everything she thought her own magic capable of.
 
Welcome home Joan Greenwood.

An Unlikely Coven by AM Kvita is expected out October 28th, 2025 from Orbit Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like witchy books. And I like that this one says it's funny too. It sounds like it will be a perfect read for the release date.

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

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Teaser Tuesday: Pants on Fire by Alex A. King

 


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 is 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 (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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.



"Exactly. So it's better if I come there and take care of it in person, in case I have to yell at someone or bribe them. Although don't tell anyone this, but I'm terrible at yelling. I'm more likely to say "please" a lot and slink away without getting what I want."

--15% through on my Kindle

Pants on Fire by Alex A. King is the tenth book in the Women of Greece series. It was released May 9, 2025.

Thursday, July 17, 2025

Book Review: Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano

 

From the publisher:

Finlay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet . . . but at least there's not a body in her backyard.

Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime, Vero, have not always gotten along with Finlay’s elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, the community busybody and president of the neighborhood watch. But when a dead body is discovered in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty needs their help. At first a suspect, Mrs. Haggerty is cleared by the police, but her house remains an active crime scene. She has nowhere to go . . . except Finlay’s house, right across the street.

Finlay and Vero have no interest in getting involved in another murder case—or sacrificing either of their bedrooms. After all, they’ve dealt with enough murders over the last four months to last a lifetime and they both would much rather share their beds with someone else.

When the focus of the investigation widens to include Finlay’s ex-husband, Steven, though, Finlay and Vero are left with little choice but to get closer to Mrs. Haggerty and uncover her secrets . . . before the police start digging up theirs. But who will solve the mystery first?

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano was published March 4th, 2025 by Minotaur Books. This is book 5 in the series.

My thoughts: was really looking forward to this book. I was not disappointed. There is a really good mystery. A little less Vero than I would have liked, but more Mrs. Haggerty. Mrs. Haggerty is often a scene stealer, but this book couldn't have happened without her.

Characterizations were well done. Finlay continues to grow in her relationship with Nick. Vero and Javi are struggling to grow as a couple. Mrs. Haggerty is gradually revealed as the plot goes on.

The story moves along at a good pace. It kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next. As in the other books some of the goings on are a stretch of the imagination, but overall it's a fun read.

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. I wasn't crazy about the cliffhanger at the end of the book, but I was happy with the way the mystery was resolved. I would recommend this series to people who enjoy humorous cozies. And it's better read from book one on. This series would make a great beach read.

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #561: The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J.R. Dawson

 


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:

The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World is a powerful and poignant contemporary Queer fantasy perfect for fans of Hadestown and Under the Whispering Door

At the edge of Chicago, nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan, there is a waystation for the dead. Every night, the newly-departed travel through the city to the Station, guided by its lighthouse. There, they reckon with their lives, before stepping aboard a boat to go beyond.

Nera has spent decades watching her father—the ferryman of the dead—sail across the lake, each night just like the last.

But tonight, something is wrong.

The Station's lighthouse has started to flicker out. The terrifying, ghostly Haunts have multiplied in the city. And now a person—a living person—has found her way onto the boat.

Her name is Charlie. She followed a song. And she is searching for someone she lost.

"Gorgeous, lyrical, heartfelt, and true in all the ways that matter! This is an achingly beautiful book that is as much about life as it is about death."—Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J.R. Dawson is expected out July 29th, 2025 from Tor Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? It sounds like a lot of things potentially: touching, scary, interesting, and well-written. I think the location for the waystation for the dead is interesting. The stories of both Nera and Charlie sound touching. And the Haunts in the city sound scary. I'd like to see how it's resolved. And I like the comparison to Under the Whispering Door.

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!

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Teaser Tuesday: Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano

 

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 is 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 (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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.



“I’m covered in tree sap, there’s a pinecone jabbing my ass, and a dead dude in fishnets is lying on top of me. Please tell me you have a plan!”

p. 250


I'm still reading Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano. I'm about 80% through. It's really a good and fun read. If you're looking for light reading for the summer, this series could be just the ticket.