No one else is in the room, so she allows herself the pleasure of running her hands across the spines, listening to the little voice in her head that chatters their contents to her. She's always been good at this language -- it's why Chiron had been so eager to put her to work so young. As a thief, it's been indispensable. (pp 66-67)
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Teaser Tuesday: The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers
No one else is in the room, so she allows herself the pleasure of running her hands across the spines, listening to the little voice in her head that chatters their contents to her. She's always been good at this language -- it's why Chiron had been so eager to put her to work so young. As a thief, it's been indispensable. (pp 66-67)
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #578: The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers
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!
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #506: The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois by Ryan Graudin
From the publisher: In this lush and lyrical fantasy, Ryan Graudin transports readers to the hidden magical pockets of early 1900s Paris, a place of enchanted salons, fortune tellers who can change your stars, and doorways that can take you to the most unexpected places—and introduces readers to the delightful Céleste Artois, a con artist who will make a deal with the devil in exchange for her life...and change the fate of the world. ,
Céleste Artois had dreams of being an artist. But when the creative elite of Paris dashed those plans, she turned her talents to forgery and cons. She and the Enchantresses—her two fellow thieves and best friends—see Paris as a rich hunting ground for marks. Yet even though their hideout in Peré Lachaise cemetery is bursting with francs, Céleste cannot rest. There is always more to take. And the blood she has begun to cough into her handkerchief means her time is running out.
But everything changes when she encounters Rafe, a mysterious and beautiful stranger who leads her to an enchanted salon—a place where artists can bring wondrous imaginations to life. Céleste is captivated by this establishment, and learns of the existence of magical Paris, hidden in the pockets and alleys of the ordinary world, if one only knows where to look.
Rafe offers Céleste an irresistible deal: the gift of time in exchange for lending him and his benefactor her forging talents. But one must be careful making deals with devils, and there's more to this hidden world than meets the eye. Shadows have begun to circle Paris. And soon, the Enchantresses will find that true magic is far more powerful, and deadly, than they ever imagined.
The Enchanted Lies of Celeste Artois by Ryan Graudin is expected out August 27th, 2024 from Redhook Books.
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #496: Daughter of the Merciful Deep by Leslye Penelope
From the publisher:
A woman journeys into a submerged world of gods and myth to save her home in this powerful historical fantasy that shines a light on the drowned Black towns of the American South.
“Our home began, as all things do, with a wish.”
Jane Edwards hasn’t spoken since she was eleven years old, when armed riders expelled her family from their hometown along with every other Black resident. Now, twelve years later, she’s found a haven in the all-Black town of Awenasa. But the construction of a dam promises to wash her home under the waters of the new lake.
Jane will do anything to save the community that sheltered her. So, when a man with uncanny abilities arrives in town asking strange questions, she wonders if he might be the key. But as the stranger hints at gods and ancestral magic, Jane is captivated by a bigger mystery. She knows this man. Only the last time she saw him, he was dead. His body laid to rest in a rushing river.
Who is the stranger and what is he really doing in Awenasa? To find those answers, Jane will journey into a sunken world, a land of capricious gods and unsung myths, of salvation and dreams made real. But the flood waters are rising. To gain the miracle she desires, Jane will have to find her voice again and finally face the trauma of the past.
Why am I waiting on this book: I like the idea of mixing gods and myths with a plot based on historical happenings. And of course, I'm wondering who is this strange man and what will happen because of his presence.
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!
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #430: The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope
From the publisher:
A woman able to communicate with spirits must assemble a ragtag crew to pull off a daring heist to save her community in this timely and dazzling historical fantasy that weaves together African American folk magic, history, and romance."Never make a deal with shadows at night, especially ones that know your name.”
Washington D. C., 1925: Clara Johnson can talk to spirits—a gift that saved her during her darkest moments, now a curse that’s left her indebted to the cunning spirit world. So when a powerful spirit offers her an opportunity to gain her freedom, Clara seizes the chance, no questions asked. The task: steal a magical ring from the wealthiest woman in the District.
Clara can’t pull off this daring heist alone. She’ll need the help of an unlikely team, from a handsome jazz musician able to hypnotize with a melody to an aging actor who can change his face, to pull off the impossible. But as they race along DC’s legendary Black Broadway, conflict in the spirit world begins to leak into the human one—an insidious mystery is unfolding, one that could cost Clara her life and change the fate of an entire city.
"Set in an enchanting 1920s Washington DC full of mesmerizing magic, The Monsters We Defy weaves together threads of real history with bits of the utterly fantastic." ―P. Djèli Clark, author of A Master of Djinn
The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope is expected out August 9th, 2022 from Redhook Books.
Why am I waiting on this book? I enjoy books set in the 1920s. And I like the sound of a mystery that blends history with folk magic.
What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!
Wednesday, August 18, 2021
Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #384: The Great Witch of Brittany by Louisa Morgan
Return to the world of A Secret History of Witches with the bewitching tale of Ursule Orchiere and her discovery of magical abilities that will not only change the course of her life but every generation that comes after her.
Brittany, 1741
There hasn’t been a witch born in the Orchière clan for generations. According to the elders, that line is dead, leaving the clan vulnerable to the whims of superstitious villagers and the prejudices of fearmongering bishops.
Ursule Orchière has been raised on stories of the great witches of the past. But the only magic she knows is the false spells her mother weaves over the gullible women who visit their fortune-telling caravan. Everything changes when Ursule comes of age and a spark of power flares to life. Thrilled to be chosen, she has no idea how magic will twist and shape her future.
Guided by the whispers of her ancestors and an ancient grimoire, Ursule is destined to walk the same path as the great witches of old. But first, the Orchière magical lineage must survive. And danger hovers over her, whether it’s bloodlust of the mob or the flames of the pyre.
The Great Witch of Brittany by Louisa Morgan is expected to be released February 15th, 2022 from Redhook Books.
Why am I waiting on this book? I enjoy reading stories about witches. I'm behind when it comes to books by Louisa Morgan. This one sounds good. There will be magic and danger. And I'm curious about what will happen to Ursule as she adjusts to having magic.
What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!











