Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #618: I'm Not the Only Murderer at This Wedding by Fergus Craig

 

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: Fresh off a sentence for a murder she didn't commit (this time), retired serial killer Carol Quinn investigates a murder in the likeliest of places...a wedding.

Things are unexpectedly lively for the residents of Sherman Oaks Retirement Home. Carol's been wrongfully convicted and is back in prison, retired barrister Margaret is working to get her out, and ex-cop Geoffrey and ex-pathologist Catherine are set to marry. Luckily, Margaret gets Carol's sentence cut short just in time for her to attend the happy event.

Things don't stay happy for long, however, as the bride's disgruntled ex-husband, Nigel, turns up, warning her not to marry Geoffrey. Then, even more unfortunately, he's found murdered on the morning of the wedding with the spike used to hold the cake up. Can Carol and her friends solve the murder? Or will death do them part early?

I'm Not the Only Murderer at This Wedding by Fergus Craig is expected out February 16, 2027 from Berkley

Why am I waiting on this book? I enjoyed the first book, I'm Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home. It had humor and suspense as the 4 friends investigate the murder that Carol Quinn, retired serial killer, is suspected of doing. This book sounds equally as good. I thought the walker falling off the cake on the cover was a nice touch too.

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!

Teaser Tuesday: Monsters of Ohio (sneak peek) 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!

 It’s existential, and rabbits don’t do existential. Existential requires a big brain and time to just sit around and think. You have neither; your brain is the size of a walnut and if you just sat around thinking, something would probably find you and eat you.

Scalzi, John. Sneak Peek for Monsters of Ohio (p. 6). Kindle Edition. 

Currently the sneak peek is available at Amazon for free. The full edition is expected out November 3, 2026 from Tor Books.

Friday Favorites: Female Protagonist Action/Adventure Novel Series

 

Action and Adventure books are more than a mystery. There is a mystery of some sort of course, but the focus is on the actions and adventures of the characters more than the mysteries alone. In no particular order, the following are some of my favorite action and adventure books.

The Revenge Services Inc. Series

Currently there are 3 books in this series by Alex A. King. Kick the Bucket is the first book in the series with a main character who is 44 years old.  The second and third books in the series have main characters in their 30s. All three main characters work for Revenge Services Inc. Someone has wronged you and you want to get back at them with creativity, you consult the Revenge Services. 

A substantial part of all three books takes place in Greece. Come for the mystery, stay for the action, adventure, culture, and humor. All three books are available for purchase or through Kindle Unlimited. I really like that the women are not 20 somethings and that the plots show a good deal of creativity.  

Poppy Fields Adventures

Follow the adventures of Poppy Fields starting with Fields' Guide to Abductions by Julie Mulhern. Poppy is an influencer and rich "IT girl." People follow her on social media and in the news. Then one day her life is changed forever when she is abducted by a Mexican Cartel while on vacation. She rises to the occasion with some missteps. I don't think it's a spoiler to say she survives with plenty of humor and snark since there are 8 books in the series at this point. In each book we get to know her and the other characters better as we follow her increasingly wild adventures. Again, the books are available by purchase or Kindle Unlimited.

Killers of a Certain Age series
 

And just in case pretty, young protagonists aren't your thing, there are Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn.  Four attractive, older women who previously had worked as hitwomen find themselves on the other end of the gun. The women are in their 60s. They find out someone has taken a hit out on them. They must work together if they are going to survive. Book two is a lot of fun too. 

And More:

There are plenty more books that fall into this category that make for fun reads: The Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano, the Aunties series by Jesse Q. Sutanto, and the Confessions. of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman series by J.B. Lynn to name a few. 

What books in this category do you like to read? Share them in the comments so we can add them to our ever growing TBR list.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #617:The Mystic and the Missing Girl by Vikki VanSickle

 

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: Small town secrets, a reluctant psychic, and a cold case that could expose them all.

Drew Benson can read tarot cards and get impressions from objects—she just never expected to use her gifts to investigate an infamous cold case.

Drew Benson has a secret. She gets visions, something she hasn’t tapped into since she was a teenager, when her late aunt, a TV psychic known as Hannah Mystic, became the scapegoat in the unsolved disappearance of a local teenager. Twenty years later, Drew is happy to ignore her gift, focusing instead on keeping the metaphysical shop she inherited from Hannah afloat, wrangling her sole, astrology-obsessed employee, and dodging local rake Foster Banks in her picturesque lakeside hometown.

But when Drew's arch-nemesis from high school, now a big city reporter, decides to investigate the cold case from all those years ago, it’s Drew’s ability that could finally make a break in the decades old mystery. With bills piling up, a disapproving mother laying on the guilt, and a local vandal who wants Drew and her witchy store gone, Drew has a lot to lose. But what she stands to gain—finding out what happened to the missing teen, clearing her aunt’s name, and a second chance at belonging—could change everything.

In The Mystic and the Missing Girl, Vikki VanSickle seamlessly draws readers into an utterly charming world in this unputdownable, small town mystery.

The Mystic and the Missing Girl by Vikki VanSickle is expected out September 8, 2026 from Minotaur Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? Tarot cards are fascinating. Couple that with the gift to get impressions from objects and you have some formidable talent. I'm curious about the main character tapping into her talents. And I want to know more about what happened to her aunt. I want to see a happy ending for her. The plot sounds 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!

Book Review: A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett

 

Ana and Din are called on to solve an unusual murder - one where the corpse isn't consistently at rest. Combine that with some Romeo and Juliet type plotting and you get two families at odds with each other threatening the peace of this area of the empire.

There is also more about how the empire works. This book talks about the keys to producing meat and keys for grain to feed the cattle. Din continues to be likable. Ana is weird as usual. Both Ana and Din have their observations and insights questioned before the surprising truth is revealed. I also liked the character of Fo, Din's sister. She was a surprise when he arrives in the canton. As the story goes on, the weirder things get. 

A Trade od Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett was released August 4, 2026 by Del Rey.

I gave the book 5 out of 5 stars. The world-building is excellent. With each new mystery,  new details of how the world works are revealed. The details of each mystery show wonderful imagination. 

While each mystery can be read as a standalone, the series reads better if you start at the beginning and work your way forward. The characters themselves are well detailed. And again with each new mystery, we learn more about each person. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy well-detailed people and complex characters as well as people who enjoy unusual mysteries and detailed world-building. It's defiitely worth a read. 

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review.

Friday Favorites: 2 Sides of One Coin: Reread or DNF

 

This week there are two questions: 1) Do you ever reread a book? and 2) Would you DNF a book? (DNF = Did not finish) Both questions are personal.

There are benefits to rereading a book. It can provide comfort. You've read it before. You pretty much know what happens. And yet you may see things you missed before. I rarely reread books. When I do reread, it's because I really enjoyed the book. It may be also be for comfort or because it had some ideas in it that I felt worth exploring again. Some examples of books that I've reread are Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach, The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal also by Christopher Moore, Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein, Mort by Terry Pratchett, and The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

Then there is the other side of the coin. Most of the time I muddle through, but sometimes I just can't stand it and don't finish a book. Again I find that most of the time I haven't finished a book it's because I didn't like it and I reached a point where I was avoiding reading it. Other reasons may be because of the mood I found it was putting me in or something happens in the book that I just didn't want to read - found repugnant. Examples of books I've DNF'd are Moby Dick by Herman Melville, and The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts by Kim Fu. There are lots of other people who enjoyed these books, but they just weren't for me for one reason or another.

So, tell me, do you reread books? And which ones do you reread? Have you DNF'd a book? Which book and why? Share your thoughts in comments. Thanks for coming by. Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs

The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs asks is what would you do if your husband had lost your retirement nest egg on an investment, has been making you miserable, but has a million dollar life insurance policy? For these women the answer is both simple and complex. You hire a hitman and hope to get away with murder.

Four women, best friends, find out through the death of one of the husbands about the life insurance policies. The men meanwhile are scared by the death of their friend. They suspect foul play. They turn to a member of the community with a plan. The plan is outrageous and creates crazy goings on.

I loved the characters of the women and found them relatable. Not so relatable that I would follow their plan, but they are very human. The men think they've thought things through, but they are mistaken. Between the plans of the husbands and wives there is plenty of humor.

I gave this book 5 stars for the humor and the plotting. I thought it was an excellent first book. I loved the humor, the plot, and in the end all the characters. Surprisingly, I felt this is a book I might read a second time. If you enjoy action/adventure type books with plenty of humor, then this might be a good book for you.

View all my reviews

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #616: Evil Ways by Julie Mulhern

 

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: No good deed goes unpunished.

Ellison agreed to one afternoon of bridge, one favor for a woman whose husband is having a heart attack. She doesn't ask who else is playing. She should have.

When Lavinia Denton dies at the bridge table, Ellison is sure she’s been murdered.

Ellison doesn’t mean to investigate. Really, she doesn’t. But people keep telling her things.

And all that information she didn’t ask for? It just might get her killed.

Evil Ways by Julie Mulhern is the 21st book in the Country Club Murders series. It's published by J & M Press. It's expected out September 1, 2026.

Why am I waiting on this book? I've read the other books in the series and have enjoyed them. They are cozy mysteries where Ellison investigates aided now by her husband, Anarchy, who is on the police force. The mysteries are well written. There are always wonderful twists. And there is light banter and some humorous situations. If you like your cozies with a side of humor, this series could be for you. Join Ellison in the kitchen as she talks to the coffee pot and tries to figure out who is responsible for the death she is looking into. Book one in the series is The Deep End and is available on Amazon for Kindle for $2.99. I receive no compensation for sharing this information.

What book are you waiting for? 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: A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett

 

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 attend this, ma'am," I said, "because the murder suspect is of another gentryclan. The two families are now on the verge of outright war. One death may become dozens, if not hundreds."

"But none would be interesting!"she said.

The I is the narrator, Din. The she is the brilliant investigator, Ana. And, Ana is complaining that the investigation into the death is too straight forward and not worthy of her brilliance and attention.

A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett was released August 4, 2026 by Del Rey. It is the third book in the Ana and Din mysteries series.

What have you been reading?

Friday Favorites: Any Author Living or Dead...

Today's topic:  If you could spend time with the author or authors of your choice, who would you choose?

I know most people who ask this question try to get you to limit it to one person. I've found that very seldom, though, can people actually do that. It's like once they start naming authors, they can't stop. 

For my part, the top three today that I chose are Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Terry Pratchett. Given the sense of humor and imagination that these men have,  I expect it would be a lively and fun time. And I say top 3 today because perhaps on another day, in another mood, I might pick different people to share my time with,

Top left on the graphic is Kurt Vonnegut. I've pretty much enjoyed everything I've read by him, but Slapstick has become a family favorite. Such things as heavy gravity days, inhaling Chinese, and the Church of Jesus Christ the Kidnapped have made it into the family lexicon.

In the middle, there is Douglas Adams. I've enjoyed the Hitchhiker's Guide "trilogy" as well as the Dirk Gently books and Last Chance to See. The man had a fantastic imagination. "Always know where your towel is," the one accessory every hitchhiker should carry with them. Don't listen to Vogon poetry willingly. What is 42? The only thing that travels faster then light is bad news. And, Douglas Adams actually spent some time working on Doctor Who.

The third author I chose was Terry Pratchett. Honestly, his Discworld novels and Good Omens are the extent of my reading experience with him so far. I've thoroughly enjoyed his creation of Discworld and the beings that populate it. Who else could conceive of a librarian as an orangutan at the Unseen University? A Death that speaks in all capital letters? A separate Death of Rats? A wonderful witch such as Granny Weatherwax? I've never tried to pick one book of his as a favorite, but say instead that I rather enjoy the series. Some books more than other books, of course, but there isn't one favorite above all else.

So tell us, who would you like to spend time with? And if you are so inclined tell us why?

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #615: Emily Wilde's History of Dark Faerie 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: Curmudgeonly scholar Emily Wilde must brave the beautiful but haunted Black Forest and open a portal to a long-lost, eldritch realm dreaded by the Folk, in this fourth installment of the New York Times bestselling series.

Driven by an insatiable scientific curiosity, Emily Wilde has made a name for herself as the world’s foremost scholar of faeries. Along the way, she’s rescued a faerie kingdom and helped her now-husband—fellow professor Wendell Bambleby, dashing and infuriating in equal measure—regain his throne. And while understanding her fellow mortals has never been her strong suit, she’s also made a small number of friends.

But two years later, one of those friends goes missing in the beautiful but faerie-haunted Black Forest in Germany, a region of picturesque villages and sinister Folk. And if she’s to save him, Emily will have to reckon with the darker side of her own nature, and how ruthless she’s prepared to be to solve the most tantalizing of scholarly mysteries: the history of the ancient and long-lost realm she’s named Dark Faerie, the only place the Folk fear.

But Emily is not alone—she has her beloved Wendell, and her niece Ariadne, who hopes to follow in her footsteps. Told from the perspective of all three characters, this installment of the Emily Wilde series opens a magical portal to the most wondrous and dread faerie realm of all.

Emily Wilde's History of Dark Faerie by Heather Fawcett is expected out January 19th, 2027 from Del Rey.

Why am I waiting on this book? Heather Fawcett writes well. Her characters are interesting and the plot and world building is awesome. I've read the first three books in the series and enjoyed them. I want to know who gets in trouble. And I want to know what's next for Emily, Wendell, and Ariadne.

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 ever-growing TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Book Review and Teaser: Killer Vibes by Jack Friday

 

From the publisher: 

Meet Peter Key: self-proclaimed “laziest private investigator in Texas” (it’s harder than it looks), unapologetic bisexual, dedicated stoner, and the surprised recipient of a windfall inheritance from an uncle he barely knew. Peter’s life was a mess before, but now— as the owner of a dilapidated house in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Austin—he has a mountain of debt to deal with and pressure to sell from every side.

But Peter doesn’t like to be pushed around. And when he discovers a bag full of cash, he starts to suspect his uncle’s death wasn’t an accident. He soon finds himself pulled into a lethal game where not everybody plays by the rules.

Fortunately, Peter’s never been good at following rules.

Sexy, suspenseful, and packed with Austin’s quirks, Killer Vibes is a wild and wickedly funny romp that introduces us to the irresistible and irrepressible PI, Peter Key.

Killer Vibes by Jack Friday was released July 14, 2026 by Minotaur Books. It's the first book in a new series. Praise for the novel included a blurb by Elle Cosimano: "Peter Key is my new favorite amateur sleuth."

The teaser: (Peter is talking about pictures he is packing.) 

"Here was my sister Jenn getting her bachelor's. Here was Aunt Sylvie at my birthday a few years back, both of us burdened by party hats and looking as thrilled as a dog in a cone."

My thoughts: It's a good book. It was not quite as funny as I expected, but still a good book. I had not read a mystery with a character quite like Peter before. He definitely doesn't play by other people's rules. His independent streak sometimes gets him into trouble, other times out of it. He is a sympathetic character. I wanted to see him succeed and not get hurt. He was kind and smart. Some of the other characters were notable as well. I really liked his boss, Grady. And I liked his boyfriend Carlos and dog Brutus.

As in all good mysteries, things aren't always what they seem to be. There were plausible red herrings and twists. And of course some of the biggest twists came near the end. 

Generally speaking, the pace of the book was well done. There were some lulls, but only to deliver more information.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's well-written with interesting characters. I'd recommend this book to fans of mysteries with a private investigator lead. Also the reader should know that Peter Key, the main character is bisexual. If that bothers a reader, then they should skip the book rather than complain about it later. 

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

Friday Favorites: Autobuy/Autoread Authors: Alex A. King

 

A question I've seen a lot asked of book readers and. book bloggers is, "Who do you autobuy?" I can understand that because it indicates which authors are deemed precious enough to part with money to be able to read them at your leisure. But some of us can't afford it as much as we'd like to.

I'd like to know, who do you autoread? Which authors' new books do you reserve from the library, or buy - first or second hand? Everyone has a few authors that they look forward to reading no matter what they are writing. And who it is, doesn't always remain the same, Sometimes it changes according to mood or life circumstances.

For me currently, one of my autoreads and autobuys is Alex A. King. She has written at least 5 different series. The first one I ran across was the Kat Makris series. Book one is titled Disorganized Crime. Kat grew up hearing tales from her father about Greece's boogeyman. Come to find out there is some truth to his tales and Kat must confront the somewhat familiar monster. Family Ghouls is the first book in the Greek Ghouls series. It's another fun series. The main character can see ghosts and has been tasked by her friend and neighbor to find out who killed her. Kick the Bucket is the first in the Revenge Services series. Each book focuses on a different character that works for the service. I thought the concept of an agency that helps people get revenge on others was interesting and a fun thing to read about. I also have enjoyed the Women of Greece series. Pants on Fire is the latest one. They are fun to read too. More romance, which I seldom read, than anything else. Each book focuses on a different woman and man. It came out last May and focuses on a woman who inherits half a house from her grandmother. The Penny Post Myth Agent series is still funny, but for some reason I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the other series. When I find out that she has something new coming out, I either read it on Kindle Unlimited or purchase the Kindle version.

What draws me to her writing is the humor and descriptions.  

“She did sarcasm like other people did breathing.― Alex A. King, Family Ghouls

“She's the most outgoing of them all and lives life without a backspace key. Or a volume button.”
― Alex A. King, Pride and All This Prejudice

"The fifty-something principal, who was never an educator herself, has the complexion of an old leather canteen and the personality of razor wire." -- Alex A. King, Pants on Fire

So, tell me one of your autoread or autobuy authors. Who is it that you can't wait to read when you've heard a new book is coming out or is out already?

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #614: The Murder Planner by L.C. Tyler

 

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: Sable Knight, owner and commissioning editor at the publishing house Day & Knight, knows a thing or two about crime fiction. But behind the glossy covers and gripping blurbs lies a darker enterprise. Her ‘special editorial services’ are far more lucrative than the average publishing deal. Some clients, let’s call them authors, need a little help plotting their entirely fictional killings. For the right price, Sable secretly commissions struggling writers to devise purely hypothetical murder plots — blueprints for the perfect crime. But when one secretive client’s plan to murder her wealthy husband goes off script, Sable discovers that the line between editor and accomplice is thinner than she thought. 

The Murder Planner by L.C. Tyler is expected out October 22, 2026 from Allison & Busby.

Why am I waiting on this book? I want to see what happens with Sable. Does she know all along that these "clients" are using the plots she provides for nefarious reasons or is it a surprise to her when someone does? One reviewer said, "Sharp, cynical, and very funny, Tyler's The Murder Planner is a dark comedy about the thin red line between plotting a murder and committing one," G.M. Malliet. I'm curious as to how funny it is. I like some humor to the books I read when I can get it. And I wonder if she will get away with murder...

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 ever-growing TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

 

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!

Book 2

 "You know, you are not a stupid person, Din." "Thank you, ma'am," I said, pleased. "Or rather, not an unusually stupid person." "Thank you, ma'am," I said, far less pleased.

Ana talking to Din. This is 10% through on my Kindle.

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett was released April 1, 2025 by Del Rey. This is book 2 in the Shadow of the Leviathan series. Book 3, A Trade of Blood, is out today from Del Rey.

Book 3

Friday Favorites: Personifications of Death

 

Death has been around forever. Most cultures have a personification of Death and cultural traditions associated with him. For example, putting coins on the eyelids of a dead person to make sure they have the fee to give the ferryman to pass over the river Styx into the realm of the dead.

Death is still very much present in modern literature. Today I'd like to talk to you about two of my favorite representations of Death. The first one is from the book Mort by Terry Pratchett. It is part of the Discworld series. Death's appearance is familiar - black cloak, skeletal body, and scythe. Where Death differs is in how he speaks and what all he wants. Death speaks in all caps, all the time. And Death takes on an apprentice because he wants to experience the world he hasn't fully known. What follows are some quotations from the book.

"It was the sort of smile that lies on the sandbanks waiting for incautious swimmers."

"How do you get all these coins?" asked Mort. "IN PAIRS."

It is a fact that although the Death of Discworld is in his own words, an ANTHROPOMORPHIC PERSONIFICATION, he long ago gave up using the traditional skeletal horses, because of the bother of having to stop all the time to wire bits back on."

Death was standing behind a lectern, pouring over a map. He looked at Mort as if he wasn't entirely there. "YOU HAVEN'T HEARD OF THE BAY OF MANTE, HAVE YOU?" he said. "No sir," said Mort. "FAMOUS SHIPWRECK THERE." "Was there?" "THERE WILL BE IF I CAN FIND THE DAMN PLACE."

"I USHERED SOULS INTO THE NEXT WORLD. I WAS THE GRAVE OF ALL HOPE. I WAS THE ULTIMATE REALITY. I WAS THE ASSASSIN AGAINST WHOM NO LOCK WOJULD HOLD."

"Yes, point taken, but do you have any particular skills?" - Death consulting a job broker.

"I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU," he said, "BUT I COULD MURDER A CURRY."

The other personification of Death I enjoy comes from the book A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. Charlie Asher's wife passes away unexpectedly. When Death comes to.call he is able to see him. After that it seems that Charlie has been tasked with the job of being Death. Chaos ensues. 

He finds a publication: "So Now You're Death: Here's What You'll Need."

"In order to hold off the Forces of Darkness, you will need a number two pencil and a calendar, preferably one without pictures of kitties on it."

"Funny how the illusion of safety can make us careless." 

"Know what I like about mysteries? They're mysterious."

"He realized, with no little sense of irony, that until he became Death, he'd never felt so alive."

"Sometimes, a man must muster all of his courage simply to sit still. How much humanity has been spoiled for the confusion of movement with progress, my friend? How much?"

"He crossed against the light, limping slightly under the weight of the subtext."

And this one from his daughter Sophie, "Kitty!"

I hope you've enjoyed the Friday Favorites. Do you have a favorite Death character? Let us know in the comments. Make sure to add the book name so we can add it to our TBR. Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #613: Hell to Pay by Kylie Lee Baker

 

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 new book from Kylie Lee Baker, the critically acclaimed, USA TODAY bestselling, New York Times Top 100, Shirley Jackson Award–winning author of Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng and Japanese Gothic.

A riveting, darkly humorous, and deeply strange story of three roommates whose everyday struggle to survive in New York is complicated by the intestine-eating demon who haunts their apartment.

Leni was kidnapped and almost sacrificed to the devil as a child, but now she’s perfectly fine. Aside from the fact that she has three reflections in the mirror…and one of them wants her to poison people.

Emerson was a leading heart surgeon until The Incident that left his patient dead. Now he’s too sick to work, keeps finding severed fingers in his water bottles, and is followed around by a faceless Girl Scout with a creaky red wagon.

Jasper is a line cook with a criminal record, just trying to keep his chosen family together. Sure, he sees a man in the shadows who likes the taste of blood, but he’s very good at ignoring that. He would do anything for Leni and Emerson. Anything.

They’re fine. They’re normal. They’re roommates making it work in New York City. 

That is, until a demon leaves his sigil on their wall. 

Now, they have seven days to bring Sychar a sacrifice, or he’ll tear off their skin. Who knew demon-slaying wasn’t a valid excuse to miss work? Why are murder supplies so expensive? Just how is a low-income household supposed to afford a human sacrifice?

As their personal ghosts grow louder and Sychar’s deadline draws nearer, Leni, Emerson, and Jasper discover just how far they’ll go to protect each other.

Hell to Pay by Kylie Lee Baker is expected out March 30, 2027 from Hanover Square Press.

Why am I waiting on this book? From what I've read, this book is supposed to appeal to fans of Grady Hendrix and Stephen King. I have enjoyed reading both of those authors. I am hoping it will have a lot of humor as it is described as "darkly humorous and deeply strange." It certainly sounds weird and appealing from the synopsis. And just a little bit, it reminds me of the plot of King Sorrow by Joe Hill, which I also enjoyed.

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 ever-growing TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!