Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #580: Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies byJenny Elder Moke

 

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: Juliette Winters is used to taking care of business alone. She has no time for petty things like romance, friendships, or emotional commitments. Love is for people who believe in reality TV dating and holding hands in public. She's too busy dominating the publishing world by single-handedly saving her company from financial ruin with the book deal of the century.

Business magnate Warren Ellingham has guaranteed Juliette exclusive rights to his explosive memoir that promises to expose the secrets of his ultra-exclusive country club, Pacific Pines. But when Warren drops dead of an apparent heart attack and the memoir is stolen, Juliette suspects that someone was willing to resort to murder to keep their secrets from being exposed.

Enlisting the help of Charlie Hawkins, a doctor with a heart of gold and abs of steel, Juliette dives into the glamorous and messy world of Pacific Pines Country Club. As the investigation heats up, so does the tension between Juliette and Charlie. But Juliette can't afford any distractions because the bodies keep dropping, and Juliette is tee-d up to take the blame. If she doesn't uncover Warren's killer soon, the thing that was supposed to secure her future might just be the thing that ends it.

Jenny Elder Moke's twisty mystery rom-com blend will delight readers with its outrageous characters, laugh-out-loud jokes, and opposites attract romance.

Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies by Jenny Elder Moke is expected out January 20th, 2026 from Minotaur Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? It sounds like it will be a fun read. The mystery seems interesting. I am curious to see how the rom-com affects the investigation of the mystery. And I like that it sounds like it will have some humor to it.

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 ever growing To Be Read lists. Thanks for coming by. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: Imogene's Grand Fiasco by David Putnam

 

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's 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 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Share the title and author so that other people can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teaser!

And now Lem, out of the kindness of his heart, had applied pressure on the parole system to keep her out of prison.This when everyone else wanted her back behind bars: state parole,the Secret Service, the mob (because it would be much easier to take her out, once on the inside), and most of all her old cellie, Ange. What kinda world was it that thought an old woman needed to be incarcerated? --page 24

Imogene's Grand Fiasco by David Putnam was released June 24th, 2025 by Level Best Books.

What are you reading? Have you read this book? Leave a note in the comments. Happy Reading!

Book Review: Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

 

Have you ever shopped in Ikea? Did you get lost trying to find the exit or the bathroom or the people you came with? Getting lost like that is horrifying enough. Grady Hendrix  starts with that and runs with it in his low budget knock off of Ikea called Orsk. On top of being difficult to navigate at times, strange things are happening in the store overnight. Things are being broken or otherwise desecrated. As the book goes on, so does the strangeness.

Management is having fits. People from corporate are coming to see the store. 3 employees volunteer to stay overnight and try and puzzle out what's going on. But, will they make it through the night?

My Thoughts: Haunted building stories are interesting. Like a good haunted house story, they can be satisfying and perhaps make you a little more grateful for the mundane homes and businesses. 

The main character of the book is Amy Porter. Her point of view is crucial to the success of the story. The other 2 employees that stayed are Basil (management) and Ruth Anne. In some ways they are stereotypes. Amy is the employee that wants to get by by doing the least she can. Basil wants everyone to toe the line and follow corporate rules. Ruth Anne is that employee who is nice to everyone - customer and fellow employee alike. I wasn't expecting it, but each character reveals more about themselves as the book goes on. They go from stereotypes to real people. And they are not always what you would expect them to be. The other thing that surprised me about some of them was that their characters showed growth and change as the story progressed.

The plot moves along fairly quickly once night has come to this Orsk store. At first everything is pretty normal. Then stuff hits the fan. One event leads to another and it snowballs to the conclusion.

I could suspend my disbelief for most things in the book because I was expecting a haunted building story and it delivered. The only thing that I couldn't quite buy was the very end of the book. It was set up in such a way that the author could have written a sequel if he wanted to do so. Otherwise, I loved the character development, setting, and pace of the novel.

I gave this book 5 out of  5 stars. It has stayed with me even after more than a week's time since my reading it. And I have to admit I am currently a little less likely to go shop in Ikea until this works its way out of my system. If you like a good haunted house story, especially one with a little humor, then this could be a good match for you. I think it's definitely worth a read.

Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix was published September 2014 by Quirk Books. I purchased my review copy.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #579: Last Night Was Killer by Mary Pauline Lowry

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher: A suspenseful, bighearted, and laugh-out-loud story of a single mom trying to do it all—including solve a murder she may or may not have committed…

When Tilly Turner signed up for an introductory pole-dancing class, she was looking for a distraction. Reeling from her mother’s passing, and with her career as a stand-up comedian in ruins, Tilly has just moved back to the Idaho hometown she was desperate to leave, with her twin daughters in tow.

But Tilly gets more than she bargained for after a night out with her new pole-dancing pals. She wakes to a raging hangover, no memory of the evening before, and a dead body in the trunk of her car.

Who was the dead man? And more importantly, who killed him? Tilly has no alibi and needs answers. But investigating a murder is complicated, especially with an old frenemy circling, childcare plans falling through, and pole-dancing classes to attend. And don’t even mention the sexy ATF agent who she’s trying (and failing) to keep at arm’s length.

As Tilly races to solve the mystery before the police come knocking, she finds herself implicated in a larger plot that includes political subterfuge and arms dealing. But who knows—maybe busting a criminal enterprise will be just the shake-up she needs.

Balancing both heart and hilarity, and with a witty take on the struggles of modern motherhood, Last Night Was Killer is a charming introduction to the most unlikely—and likable—of sleuths.

Last Night Was Killer by Mary Pauline Lowry is expected out July 7, 2026 from William Morrow.

Why am I waiting on this book? This sounds like a fun read. It reminds me of Elle Cosimano and Jesse Q. Sutanto in that it sounds funny and has a mysterious dead body. I'm guessing if you like books by those two writers, then you will probably like this one as well.

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 ever growing To Be Read lists. Thanks for coming by. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: Somewhere in the Night by Julie Mulhern

 

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's 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 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Share the title and author so that other people can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teaser!

"You know better than anyone in this family that there's more than blood. The family we choose can be more precious than the family we're born with."

-page 65

Somewhere in the Night:  A Country Club Murder Thanksgiving Novella by Julie Mulhern was released November 4th, 2025 from J & M Press. It's currently available from Amazon on Kindle for $2.99 

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #578: The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher: A disgraced bookseller journeys into a lush, wondrous world of magical books, deadly ink magic, and secret societies, in this darkly spellbinding standalone fantasy novel from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The City of Stardust.  

We are but story made manifest...

If you want a story that will change your life, Chiron’s bookshop is where you go. For those lucky enough to grace its doors, it’s a glimpse into a world of powerful bargains and deadly ink magic.

For Cassandra Fairfax, it’s a reminder of everything she lost, when Chiron kicked her out and all but shuttered the shop. Since then, she’s used her skills in less ethical ways, trading stolen books and magical readings to wealthy playboys and unscrupulous collectors. 

Then Chiron dies under mysterious circumstances. And if Cassandra knows anything, it’s this: the bookshop must always have an owner.

But she's not the only one interested. There's Lowell Sharpe, a dark-eyed, regrettably handsome bookseller she can't seem to stop bumping into; rival owners who threaten Cassandra from the shadows; and, of course, Chiron's murderer, who is still on the loose. 

As Cassandra tries to uncover the secrets her mentor left behind, a sinister force threatens to unravel the world of the magical bookshops entirely...

Why am I waiting on this book? It's a standalone fantasy taking place below an alternate London. I love the thought of magical bookshops under the city. I enjoy stories about bookstores anyway, so a magical bookstore is icing on the cake. And it's a mystery. What happened to Chiron? Who did it? It looks to me like it will be a satisfying, creative read.

The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers is expected out November 18th, 2025 from Redhook.

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 ever growing To Be Read lists. Thanks for coming by. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: Anima Rising by Christopher Moore

 

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's 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 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Share the title and author so that other people can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teaser!

"I taught her to fly," Raven said to Freud. "It's not my fault that she doesn't pay attention."

--page 174

Anima Rising: Klimt, Freud, and Jung Meet the Bride of Frankenstein by Christopher Moore was released May 13th, 2025 from William Morrow.

What are you reading? Share it or a teaser in the comments. Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #577: A Bride's Guide to Happiness and Homicide by Kristen Bird

 

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.

This week I'm waiting on:

From the publisher: When Dakota Green’s best friend asks her to be the maid of honor, she expects champagne toasts and bouquet tosses—not a dead priest in the holly bushes of The Rose Palace estate. But in Aubergine, Virginia, something borrowed and something blue might just include a corpse or two.

A winter getaway in the Blue Ridge Mountains should be wonderland bliss for pre-wedding festivities. Instead, it’s a blizzard of suspicion as the groom’s Texas relatives arrive with secrets as deep as the falling snow.

Just when Dakota thinks she can’t handle one more wedding disaster, the officiating priest takes a fatal plunge from the fourth floor, with a bullet through his heart and Dakota’s boyfriend Sheriff Charlie Strong becomes the prime suspect.

With Charlie behind bars and the wedding hours away, Dakota must clear his name while ensuring her best friend gets her perfect day. Between a gun-wielding father of the groom, a scandalous romance and a bride who refuses to postpone, Dakota faces her greatest challenge yet. Can she unmask a killer before the wedding march? Or will this matrimony end in mayhem?

If you love the humor of Janet Evanovich and Elle Cosimano, the charm of small-town secrets, and amateur sleuths with a flair for finding trouble, this maid-of-honor mystery is your perfect match.

A Bride's Guide to Happiness and Homicide by Kristen Bird is expected out January 23, 2026 from Storm Publishing. This is the third book in the Dakota Green Mystery series. Book one, A Beauty Queen's Guide to Murder and Mayhem, is currently available on Kindle Unlimited. I receive nothing for sharing this information with you.

Why am I waiting on this book? The cover is striking as is the title.The wedding she is to attend is plagued with murder and mayhem.  And I'm intrigued by the comparison to both Elle Cosimano and Janet Evanovich. Elle Cosimano in particular is a favorite of mine for the humorous mysteries she writes.

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 ever growing To Be Read lists. Thanks for coming by. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: 3 Days, 9 Months, 27 Years by John Scalzi

 

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's 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 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Share the title and author so that other people can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teaser!

We are told of the great fears of the dangers of time travel and whether traveling to the past would warp and change the present, and how, not unlike the pre-Trinity concern that a nuclear blast could ignite the earth's entire atmosphere, a human-scale test of time travel might wipe out the history of the planet. We did it anyway, because humans can't not stick their fingers into wall sockets (this is a personal observation, not an organizational conclusion). --page 6

3 days, 9 months, 27 years by John Scalzi was released November 1st, 2025 from Amazon Original Stories. It is part of The Time Traveler's Passport series.