Book Review: Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley

 

From the publisher:

Jane and Dan have been married for nineteen years, but Jane isn’t sure they’re going to make it to twenty. The mother of two feels unneeded by her teenagers, and her writing career has screeched to an unsuccessful halt. Her one published novel sold under five hundred copies. Worse? She’s pretty sure Dan is cheating on her. When the couple goes to the renowned upscale restaurant La Fin du Monde to celebrate their anniversary, Jane thinks it’s as good a place as any to tell Dan she wants a divorce.

But before they even get to the second course, an underground climate activist group bursts into the dining room. Jane is shocked—and not just because she’s in a hostage situation the likes of which she’s only seen in the movies. Nearly everything the disorganized and bumbling activists say and do is right out of the pages of her failed book. Even Dan (who Jane wasn’t sure even read her book) admits it’s eerily familiar.

Which means Dan and Jane are the only ones who know what’s going to happen next. And they’re the only ones who can stop it. This wasn’t what Jane was thinking of when she said “’til death do us part” all those years ago, but if they can survive this, maybe they can survive anything—even marriage.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley was released March 11, 2025 from Berkley.

My thoughts: I really liked the book.

The characters of Jane and Dan are an interesting portrayal of a midlife marriage and some of the thoughts that can cross someone's mind at that point. I like that they were still capable of creating plot twists in both their marriage and in the situation they find themselves in.

The premise was different. I like books that are about bookish things. That in itself was good, but adding the tension of the situation made it better. It definitely kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next.

The pacing of the book was well done. There are some brief, but necessary, lulls. These allow us to see what the characters decide to do and more of how they are feeling and thinking. As the book progresses, the pace picks up until it is really rapid at the end. This helps to give the events a sense of urgency.

Overall, I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. I liked Jane and Dan and thought their characterization was well done. They paint a good picture of what marriage at midlife can be like against the chaotic backdrop of the events in the restaurant. And it had the humor I crave in the books I read. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy plots with action and humor. 

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

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #549: 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…

Don’t miss the new laugh-out-loud thriller from L.M. Chilton, Everyone in the Group Chat Dies—a murder mystery that fuses the comedy of Friends with the serial killer thrills of I Know What You Did Last Summer.

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? I like the sound of a thriller that also has humor to it. I'm wondering what terrible thing they all did. And the mashup comparison to Friends and I Know What You Did Last Summer is interesting.

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!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #548: Slayers of Old by Jim C. Hines

 

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:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Golden Girls in this humorous contemporary standalone fantasy about a group of former Chosen Ones coming out of retirement to save the world one last time

Three former Chosen Ones have joined together to spend their retirement in peace and quiet, running Second Life Books and Gifts in Salem, MA. A calm, peaceful, tourist-filled oasis, where they never have to worry about saving the world. Until some of the locals start summoning ancient creatures best left where they were . . . and they discover that their bookstore basement just may be the portal to the underworld. These ex-heroes may have thought they were done . . . but if they want to finish their retirement in peace, they’ll have to join together to save the world one last time.

Why leave saving the world to the young? Cozy mystery readers looking for an extra dash of magic will eat this story up: fun, funny, and heartwarming, it's a novel about community, second chances, and the healing power of scones.

Slayers of Old by Jim C. Hines is expected out October 21, 2025 from DAW.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like the mashup in the description of Buffy meets the Golden Girls. The rest of the description just makes me want to read it more. I love bookstores and Salem. And the ladies sound like fun.

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!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #547: If Wishes Were Retail by Auston Habershaw

 

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:

"Irresistibly fun and funny, with a ton of heart and depth! This is the kind of book that sneaks up on you and sticks with you!”
—Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

In this hilarious debut fantasy cozy, a rebellious—but enterprising—young woman and an ancient—but clueless—genie set up shop at the local mall.

Alex Delmore needs a miracle. She wants out of her dead-end suburban town, but her parents are broke and NYU seems like a distant dream.

Good thing there’s a genie in town—and he’s hiring at the Wellspring Mall.

It’d help if the Jinn-formerly-of-the-Ring-of-Khorad knew even one thing about 21st-century America. It’d help if he weren't at least as stubborn as Alex. It’d really help if her brother didn’t sell her out to her conspiracy theory-loving, gnome-hating dad.

When Alex and the genie set up their wishing kiosk, they face seemingly-endless setbacks. The mall is failing and management will not stop interfering on behalf of their big-box tenants.

But when the wishing biz might start working, the biggest problem of all remains: People are really terrible at wishing.

If Wishes Were Retail by Auston Habershaw is expected out June 17th, 2025 from Tachyon Publications.

Why am I waiting on this book? It sounds like a fun read. And people really do need to be careful what they wish for. Genie's are notorious for taking wishes literally in fiction. I am wondering if that will be the case here or if there's something else that will cause the problems they face. 

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!

Happy Book Birthday to Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd

 

We wish a Happy Book Birthday to Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd. It's the first in a new cozy series from Atria Books.

From the publisher:

From Jess Kidd, the bestselling author of Things in Jars who “is so good it isn’t fair” (Erika Swyler, nationally bestselling author), the first in a cozy mystery series about a former nun who searches for answers in a small seaside town after her pen pal mysteriously disappears.

I believe every one of us at Gulls Nest is concealing some kind of secret.

1954: When her former novice’s dependable letters stop, Nora Breen asks to be released from her vows. Haunted by a line in Frieda’s letter, Nora arrives at Gulls Nest, a charming hotel in Gore-on-Sea in Kent.

A seaside town, a place of fresh air and relaxed constraints, is the perfect place for a new start. Nora hides her identity and pries into the lives of her fellow guests. But when a series of bizarre murders rattles the occupants of Gulls Nest it’s time to ask if a dark past can ever really be left behind.

I've been waiting for this one to come out. I'm interested in how the sleuth will be written. And I'm wondering who all has the dark past they are trying to leave behind. This looks like a very promising series. It's on the TBR and review will follow.

Book Review: Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn

 

From the publisher:

"Much like fine wine, battle-hardened assassins grow better with age.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner

Four women assassins, senior in status—and in age—sharpen their knives for another bloody good adventure in this riotous follow-up to the New York Times bestselling sensation Killers of a Certain Age.

After more than a year of laying low, Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie are called back into action. They have enjoyed their time off, but the lack of excitement is starting to chafe: a professional killer can only take so many watercolor classes and yoga sessions without itching to strangle someone...literally. When they receive a summons from the head of the elite assassin organization known as the Museum, they are ready tackle the greatest challenge of their careers.

Someone on the inside has compiled a list of important kills committed by Museum agents, connected to a single, shadowy figure, an Eastern European gangster with an iron fist, some serious criminal ambition, and a tendency to kill first and ask questions later. This new nemesis is murdering agents who got in the way of their power hungry plans and the aging quartet of killers is next.

Together the foursome embark on a wild ride across the globe on the double mission of rooting out the Museum’s mole and hunting down the gangster who seems to know their next move before they make it. Their enemy is unlike any they’ve faced before, and it will take all their killer experience to get out of this mission alive.

Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn was released March 4th, 2025 from Berkley.

My Thoughts: 

It was nice to see the four 60 + ladies back in action. I appreciate that they are older than many characters in similar stories. And I like that they are active and not on the sidelines. They also have great chemistry as friends as well as killers.

The majority of the book is told from Billie's point of view. There are parts that are a flashback. And there are parts that are told from an omniscient point of view.I enjoyed the material told from Billie's point of view the best.

The book has a lot of action which is perfect for this sort of book. And the settings are are global which is interesting. This moves the plot along at a good pace. And afterwards I find myself curious about the places that they visited. The addition of a chicken to one location was funny and helped round out some of the characterization.

Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It's well written. The characters are interesting. And, the plot moves along at a good pace. If you enjoyed book one, do not miss book 2. If you are looking for an interesting, action packed story with older protagonists, this would be a good book for you. You could probably read this one as a standalone, but much background is given in book 1. Do yourself a favor and check out this series.

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

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #546: Dawn of Fate and Fire by Mariely Lares

 

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 stunning conclusion to the duology that began with the internationally bestselling Sun of Blood and Ruin, this Zorro reimagining weaves Mesoamerican mythology and sixteenth-century Mexican history into a swashbuckling historical fantasy filled with magic, intrigue, treachery, and romance.

They call her many things. Witch, Nagual Warrior, lady, Pantera. And after defeating the Obsidian Butterfly, Leonora carries a new title: Godslayer.

Peace in Mexico City is fragile. Rebellion brews in the North, and when the people’s safety is at risk, Pantera must once again become the demure viceregent Leonora to stop a war before it begins. But her friends are scattered, Tezca is gone, and one wrong move could seal her fate. Caution is her ally, for the real Prince of Asturias—her former betrothed—has arrived at court, reigniting rumors that Leonora and Pantera are one.

A greater threat looms in the mountains, where a false king seeks to summon the god of night using a weapon of untold power. It’s up to the Godslayer to confront this enemy. . . and the one growing within her. Only by embracing her divine origins can Leonora triumph over the forces of darkness—and maybe even spark a revolution that could change Mexico’s fate forever.

But in doing so, she risks losing herself forever.

Dawn of Fate and Fire by Mariely Lares is expected out August 12, 2025 from Harper Voyager.

Why am I waiting on this book? It intrigues me that this is a Zorro retelling. I still need to read book one. From the descriptions of both books though, this is an imaginative duology I should definitely not miss.

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!

Happy Book Birthday to A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

 

Today is the day that the second Ana and Din mystery by Robert Jackson Bennett comes out from Del Rey! 

From the publisher:

The eccentric detective Ana Dolabra matches wits with a seemingly omniscient adversary in this brilliant fantasy-mystery from the author of The Tainted Cup.

In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, a Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—vanishing from a room within a heavily guarded tower, its door and windows locked from the inside.

To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial detective, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.

Ana soon discovers that they are investigating not a disappearance but a murder—and one of surpassing cunning, carried out by an opponent who can pass through warded doors like a ghost.

Worse still, the killer may be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud, where the Empire harvests fallen titans for the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.

Din has seen his superior solve impossible cases before. But as the death toll grows and their quarry predicts each of Ana’s moves with uncanny foresight, he fears that she has at last met an enemy she can’t defeat.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett is the first book in the series. It is inventive in terms of world building as well as the crime. It has some  good twists as well. I really enjoyed it and I expect that I will enjoy this one as well. 

Check out this series for intriguing fantasy mysteries!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #545: Fever Beach by Carl Hiaasen

 

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:

Another instant classic from Carl Hiaasen—laugh-out-loud funny, tackling the current chaotic and polarized American culture (following in the path of Squeeze Me), with two wonderful Hiaasen heroes

“The afternoon of September first, dishwater-gray and rainy, a man named Dale Figgo picked up a hitchhiker on Gus Grissom Boulevard in Tangelo Shores, Florida. The hitchhiker, who reminded Figgo of Danny DeVito, asked for a lift to the interstate. Figgo said he’d take him there after finishing an errand.”

Thus begins Fever Beach, with an errand that leads—in pure Hiaasen-style—into the depths of Florida at its most Floridian: a sun-soaked bastion of right-wing extremism, white power, greed, and corruption. Figgo, it turns out, is the only hate-monger ever to be kicked out of the Proud Boys for being too dumb and incompetent. On January 6, 2021 he thought he was defacing a statue of Ulysses S. Grant, but he wound up spreading feces all over a statue of James Zacharia George, a Civil War Confederate war leader.

Figgo's already messy life is about to get more complicated, thanks to two formidable adversaries. Viva Morales is a newly transplanted Floridian, a clever woman recently taken to the cleaners by her ex-husband, now working at the Mink Foundation, a supposedly philanthropic organization, and renting a room in Figgo’s apartment because there’s no place else she can afford. Twilly Spree has an anger management problem, especially when it comes to those who deface the environment, and way too many inherited millions of dollars. He's living alone a year after his dog died, two years after he sank a city councilman’s party barge, and three years after his divorce.

Viva and Twilly are plunged into a mystery—involving dark money and darker motives—they are determined to solve, and become entangled in a world populated by some of Hiaasen’s most outrageous characters: Claude and Electra Mink—billionaire philanthropists with way too much plastic surgery and a secret right-wing agenda—and Congressman Clure Boyette—who dreams of being Florida’s (and maybe America’s) most important politician. The only things standing in his way are his love for hookers and young girls, and his total lack of intelligence. We meet Noel Kristianson—a Scandinavian agnostic injured when Figgo thinks he’s a Jewish threat to humanity and runs him over with his car; Jonas Onus—Figgo’s partner in white power idiocy; and many, many more. Hiaasen ties them all together and delivers them to their appropriate fates, in his wildest and most entertaining novel to date.

Fever Beach by Carl Hiaasen is expected out May 13th, 2025 from Knopf.

Why am I waiting on this book? It's Carl Hiaasen. I think most of his stuff is funny. I thought Squeeze Me by him was pretty funny and this follows in the same vein according to the synopsis. I like it because it's not serious and pokes fun at the world.

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!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #544: The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols

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 perfect summer read, full of charm and heart, written in the vein of The Thursday Murder Club or Only Murders in the Building but with a southern California twist.

Mrs. B, the landlady of The Marigold Cottages is a stubborn idealist who only rents to people she cares about: Sophie, an anxious young playwright with a dark past; Hamilton, an agoraphobe who likes to overshare; Ocean, a queer sculptor raising two kids alone; the perfectionist Lily-Ann; and Nicholas, a finance bro who’s hiding secrets.

The tenants live contentedly in their doll-house bungalows in Santa Barbara, just minutes from the beach, until their peace is shattered when Anthony, a quiet, hulking, but potentially violent ex-con moves in. Three weeks later, a dead body is discovered on the streets of the peaceful neighborhood. Anthony is arrested, and the tenants heave sighs of relief. Until Mrs. B, convinced that he's innocent, marches down to the police station and confesses to the crime herself. The tenants band together and form “The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective” to save their beloved landlady. As clues are unearthed and secrets are revealed, the community of misfits only grows more tight-knit...until a second body is found. Full of eccentricity, humor, community, The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective will keep you hooked until the last page.

The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols is expected out August 19th, 2025 from Minotaur Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like that it is supposed to be "full of eccentricity, humor, and community." And I like that in the description it refers to Only Murders in the Building. It sounds to me like it will be a light, fun read.

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!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #543: The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen

 

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:

Saunas, love and a ladleful of murder…

A cold-blooded killer strikes at the hottest moment: the new head of a sauna-stove company is murdered … in the sauna. Who has turned up the temperature and burned him to death?

The evidence points in the direction of Anni Korpinen – top salesperson and the victim’s successor at Steam Devil.

And as if hitting middle-age, being in a marriage that has lost its purpose, and struggling with work weren’t enough, Anni realizes that she must be quicker than both the police and the murderer to uncover who is behind it all – before it’s too late…

From the international bestselling author of The Man Who Died and The Rabbit Factor, comes a darkly funny, delightfully tense new thriller that showcases humanity at its most bare – in middle age, suspected of murder and, of course, in a sauna…

'Finnish criminal chucklemeister Tuomainen is channelling Carl Hiassen’ Sunday Times

The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen is expected out April 29th, 2025 from Orenda Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I've not read this author before. I'm interested because of the combination of humor and thriller. Also I find the comparison to Carl Hiassen intriguing. 

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!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #542: Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

 

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: Dark Lord Davi rules the kingdom, but she must now break the time loop that binds her in this hilariously bloody conclusion to the Dark Lord Davi duology.

 
After countless failures (let’s not dwell on it), Davi has finally saved the kingdom from evil–by becoming the Dark Lord herself. But now, the hordes of wilders are at her command, and they still want blood. Human blood. And Davi’s not sure she can commit to the total extermination of humanity.  
 
With restless armies at her doorstep, a treasonous duke scheming for power, and the legend of an ancient magician looming over her shoulder, Davi must find a way towards peace and uncover the truth behind her time loop if she is to bring harmony to the kingdom. Also, her girlfriend is mad at her. So, there’s that too.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler is expected out May 27th, 2025 from Orbit Books. This is the second in the Dark Lord Davi duology. The first one was entitled How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying.

Why am I waiting on this book? I'm hoping to read both the first book that came out last year and this book. I feel like these books will have some interesting viewpoints. I expect that it will have some humorous moments. I'd like to know if she is able to achieve peace without destroying the human race. And I'm hoping she will be able to break the time loop and reunite with her girlfriend.

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!

Happy Book Birthday to Wizard of Most Wicked Ways by Charlie N. Holmberg

 

Through Raspberry Colored Glasses wants to wish Wizard of Most Wicked Ways by Charlie N. Holmberg a Happy Book Birthday!

When dead enemies rise, grave matters of the heart, mind, and body clash in the fantastical fourth Whimbrel House novel by Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.

Whimbrel House is changing. Merritt and Hulda are raising a family. Owein has signed a marriage contract with the magically compatible Lady Cora, a heavyweight of British nobility who’s an ocean away. And the lovely shape-shifting druid Fallon makes a distractingly fetching friend for Owein. But another change is in the air, and this time it’s something wicked.

The greatest wizard of the millennium, Silas Hogwood, is back—after five years dead. New body, same foul scent, and driven by madness and revenge. Owein, fearing he isn’t strong enough to fend off Silas, seeks Cora’s help and influence in England. Alarms ringing, Queen Victoria dispatches her League of Magicians, including her personal necromancer, to aid in Owein’s defense.

As magic, both good and evil, converges on Blaugdone Island, Owein realizes how harrowing the forces against them are. Combating them will require some digging—literally—for half-formed secrets of magic Hulda doesn’t want him to have. But no promise, lock, or government red tape will keep Owein from doing what’s necessary to protect those he loves. One way or another, Silas will only take Whimbrel House over Owein’s third dead body.

Wizard of Most Wicked Ways by Charlie N. Holmberg is released today from 47North.

I've been eagerly awaiting this one. I started reading it and already I find myself engaged. If you enjoy historical fantasy, this would be a good book/series for you. Honestly I would have to recommend reading the series in order so as not to miss a thing. Silas Hogwood was a villain in earlier books as well. And then Owein wasn't quite the same as he is now either.

Check it out!

Book Review: Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett

 

From the publisher:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The third installment in the heartwarming and enchanting Emily Wilde series, about a curmudgeonly scholar of folklore and the fae prince she loves

Emily Wilde has spent her life studying faeries. A renowned dryadologist, she has documented hundreds of species of Folk in her Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Now she is about to embark on her most dangerous academic project yet: studying the inner workings of a faerie realm—as its queen.

Along with her former academic rival—now fiancé—the dashing and mercurial Wendell Bambleby, Emily is immediately thrust into the deadly intrigues of Faerie as the two of them seize the throne of Wendell’s long-lost kingdom, which Emily finds a beautiful nightmare filled with scholarly treasures.

Emily has been obsessed with faerie stories her entire life, but at first she feels as ill-suited to Faerie as she did to the mortal world: How can an unassuming scholar such as herself pass for a queen? Yet there is little time to settle in, for Wendell’s murderous stepmother has placed a deadly curse upon the land before vanishing without a trace. It will take all of Wendell’s magic—and Emily’s knowledge of stories—to unravel the mystery before they lose everything they hold dear.

Emily Wlde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett was released February 11th, 2025 from Del Rey.

My Thoughts: In this third book in the series, the story is told from Emily's point of view. We see her worries and her joys as she and Wendell claim his throne in Faerie. This is the perfect point of view for the book considering it is pretty much Emily and her adventures for a good portion of the book. Nothing wrong with that. 

Former Queen Arna has put a curse on the land. It's harming groves of trees and killing both plants and Folk that happen to be within the area it strikes. Together Wendell and Emily must find a cure for the blight and a suitable punishment for the former Queen.

Wendell's assuming the throne and having to deal with such problems allows us to see how far he's grown since meeting Emily. And Emily consults her books to find the best path forward that will yield the best results.

There is some travelling around the kingdom with Emily and Wendell. Once the problem escalates though, it's mostly Emily and ever-faithful Shadow on the road together. I think she shows great bravery and strength of character.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a little slow in places, but it didn't stop me from wanting to know what was going to happen next. I would recommend reading the books in the series in order to get the most out of this one. There are previous characters who have parts in this book. And there are some references to previous adventures. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy a good fantasy based on the Folk. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review. All opinions therein are my own.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #541: I Bet You’d Look Good in a Coffin by Katy Brent

 

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:

Your favourite anti-heroine, Kitty Collins, is back! Expect more wit, sass, and, of course, murder…

My name is Kitty Collins and I’m a serial killer.

I don’t want to kill. It’s just so hard to resist. Some men really, really deserve it.

Men like Blaze Bundy, an anonymous influencer spreading misogyny online. He’s making it very hard for me to control my murderous urges.

Meanwhile I’m in the South of France to watch my mother marry a man I’ve never met. I should be drinking cocktails and focusing on my tan, not plotting a murder.

But a woman’s work is never done. Surely one more teensy little kill wouldn’t hurt, would it?

Darkly hilarious… Come for the sharp-tongue prose and pitch-black comedy, stay for the careful dismantling of toxic masculinity' Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

I Bet You'd Look Good in a Coffin by Katy Brent is due out June 10th, 2025 from Harper 360.

Why am I waiting on this book? It's different from most of the other mysteries I've read. A female serial killer story told with dark humor sounds interesting. I want to know more about what motivates her. And I look forward to the humor in the book, even if it is dark humor.

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!