Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #454: What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

 

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 Mummy meets Death on the Nile in this lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race.

Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who frequently leave her behind.

When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and a golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe.

With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez is expected out November 14th, 2023 from Wednesday Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I haven't been reading much YA, but this one appeals to me. It sounds like it will be part adventure and part mystery with a helping of magic. The idea intrigues me. I want to know what happens to her when she gets to Egypt.

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!

Book Review: The Last Kingdom by Steve Berry

 

From the publisher: 

King Ludwig II of Bavaria was an enigmatic figure who was deposed in 1886, mysteriously drowning three days later.  Eccentric to the point of madness, history tells us that in the years before he died Ludwig engaged in a worldwide search for a new kingdom, one separate, apart, and in lieu of Bavaria.  A place he could retreat into and rule as he wished.  But a question remains:  did he succeed? 

Enter Cotton Malone.  After many months, Malone’s protégé, Luke Daniels, has managed to infiltrate a renegade group intent on winning Bavarian independence from Germany.  Daniels has also managed to gain the trust of the prince of Bavaria, a frustrated second son intent on eliminating his brother, the duke, and restoring the Wittelsbach monarchy, only now with him as king.  Everything hinges on a 19th century deed which proves that Ludwig’s long-rumored search bore fruit--legal title to lands that Germany, China, and the United States all now want, only for vastly different reasons.  

In a race across Bavaria for clues hidden in Ludwig’s three fairytale castles--Neuschwanstein, Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee--Malone and Daniels battle an ever-growing list of deadly adversaries, all intent on finding the last kingdom.

The Last Kingdom by Steve Berry was published February 21st, 2023 by Grand Central Publishing.

My Thoughts:

The premise was interesting and creative regarding the missing land deed. And the book accurately portrayed which groups would be interested in it. One group did surprise me, but the reasoning and reality for its involvement made perfect sense. There was a lot of history and a touch of current events. Action packed, the plot generally moved forward at a brisk pace.

For me this was a 4.5 star read which I rounded up to 5 stars. The number of characters involved in the intricate plot had my head spinning a little at times. I almost felt as if I should take notes to follow who was doing what aligned with which group on the surface and in reality. The afterword is interesting and detailed. If you enjoy reading where ideas come from and what's real and what's not, it is not to be missed.

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

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #453: Playing the Witch Card by KJ Dell'Antonia

 

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:

Two exes. One misbehaving mother. Surprising magic. The perfect recipe for Halloween chaos.

Flair Hardwicke knows the deal: Magic is real, love isn’t, and relying on either ends in disaster. She’s seen the havoc romance and witchcraft wreaked on her mother’s life, and Flair swore off all of it long ago, after the boy she thought was her destiny ditched her. But then her strictly no-magic life falls apart, and Flair inherits her grandmother’s home and bakery in Rattleboro, Kansas.

When the cookies Flair decorates as Tarot cards unleash the magic of the family deck she stole as a child, luring Flair’s mother to town, tempting Flair’s magic-obsessed daughter, ensnaring Flair’s ex in a curse she can’t break, and bringing Flair’s first love back to town, Flair has to accept that while she may have given up on magic, it refuses to give up on her.

As Flair’s attempts to control the Tarot cards play into the hands of a powerful witch, Flair must find a way to accept her magical heritage in order to save those she loves from a danger she’d never anticipated. Part Gilmore Girls, part Practical Magic, this romp of a tale is KJ Dell’Antonia at her very best.

Playing the Witch Card by KJ Dell'Antonia is expected out September 12th, 2023 from G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Why am I waiting on this book? I love a good witchy book. And I find tarot cards fascinating. The combination of the two in a magical story sounds perfect.

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!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #452: In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune

 

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:

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots--fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They're a family, hidden and safe.

The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled "HAP," he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio-a past spent hunting humans.

When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio's former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic's assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.

Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?

In the Lives of Puppets is expected out April 25th, 2023 from Tor Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I've read two books by T.J. Klune and I've enjoyed them both. I haven't been reading much of what you might call science fiction for a while, but the premise here intrigues me.

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!

Book Review: The Haunting of Ivy May by Nancy Basile

 

From the publisher:

Renovating a haunted house isn't part of the plan. When Ivy May moved to Mistwick, West Virginia, she was starting over after the divorce from her cockroach of an ex-husband.

Although she's ready to remodel her cozy Victorian fixer-upper, known as Buttercup Cottage, the locals' strange behavior is a mystery and none of the contractors will work with her, except a feisty and fashionable newcomer willing to take a chance on her.

But Ivy's first night in Buttercup Cottage is a nightmare starring the ghost of a wailing woman. Ivy can't shake the feeling that her nightmare was more than just a vision. The reality of living with a terrifying ghost could ruin her dream of a magical midlife re-invention.

The local tea shop owner seems helpful -- too helpful -- but even she seems secretive when she mentions that Ivy has a gift. What gift? A gift for picking loser husbands is the only gift she possesses.

And who is the handsome mystery man hanging around Buttercup Cottage? Is the the one leaving threatening notes in her mailbox? Or is he the partner she's always dreamed of?

Ivy has to face down a ghost, a greedy ex-husband, and a town full of skeptics to make her dream a reality. Otherwise, every penny of her inheritance will be wasted and she'll have to admit she can't make it on her own.

It's not until Ivy realizes she doesn't have to do it alone that her story looks like it might have a happy ending.

The Haunting of Ivy May by Nancy Basile was published January 19th, 2023 by Media Medusa LLC.

My Thoughts:

This is a paranormal mystery. And it was an easy read. Once I started it, I wanted to know what would happen next. It spurred me on to finish it quickly. There is very little romance. The people focus is on building relationships with the townsfolk. The people who live in Mistwick are reluctant to trust her at first thinking she is just there to flip the house.

No one mentions the ghost to Ivy before she sees it for the first time. And it scares the crap out of her. She dedicates herself to finding out what she can do to get rid of it after it appears to her again and others actually see it as well. 

The pace is good. There are some strategic lulls, but they still advance the plot. The parts with the ghost go quickly.

The characters feel nice. I especially liked seeing the relationship between Izzy and Ivy flourish. And I disliked the cockroach of Ivy's ex-husband.

I did find the romance slightly unbelievable. The guy keeps accidentally insulting her and is handsome. Don't want to say more because of spoilers, but it didn't seem like much to build a romance on.

I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars. It's an interesting story and a light read which I really needed after reading the heavier Our Share of Night. If you like light mysteries with a paranormal aspect and a touch of romance, this would be a good book for you.

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

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #451: Lone Women by Victor LaValle

 

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: Adelaide Henry carries an enormous steamer trunk with her wherever she goes. It’s locked at all times. Because when the trunk opens, people around Adelaide start to disappear.

The year is 1915, and Adelaide is in trouble. Her secret sin killed her parents, forcing her to flee California in a hellfire rush and make her way to Montana as a homesteader. Dragging the trunk with her at every stop, she will become one of the “lone women” taking advantage of the government’s offer of free land for those who can tame it—except that Adelaide isn’t alone. And the secret she’s tried so desperately to lock away might be the only thing that will help her survive the harsh territory.

Crafted by a modern master of magical suspense, Lone Women blends shimmering prose, an unforgettable cast of adventurers who find horror and sisterhood in a brutal landscape, and a portrait of early-twentieth-century America like you’ve never seen. And at its heart is the gripping story of a woman desperate to bury her past—or redeem it.

Lone Women by Victor LaValle is expected out March 28th, 2023 from One World.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like so called weird westerns - westerns that have a fantasy or paranormal element to them. This book seems to fit the bill. Also I've read other books by Victor LaValle and enjoyed them.

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!

Book Review: Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez

 

From the publisher:

A young father and son set out on a road trip, devastated by the death of the wife and mother they both loved. United in grief, the pair travel to her ancestral home, where they must confront the terrifying legacy she has bequeathed: a family called the Order that commits unspeakable acts in search of immortality.

For Gaspar, the son, this maniacal cult is his destiny. As the Order tries to pull him into their evil, he and his father take flight, attempting to outrun a powerful clan that will do anything to ensure its own survival. But how far will Gaspar’s father go to protect his child? And can anyone escape their fate?

Moving back and forth in time, from London in the swinging 1960s to the brutal years of Argentina’s military dictatorship and its turbulent aftermath, Our Share of Night is a novel like no other: a family story, a ghost story, a story of the occult and the supernatural, a book about the complexities of love and longing with queer subplots and themes. This is the masterwork of one of Latin America’s most original novelists, “a mesmerizing writer,” says Dave Eggers, “who demands to be read.”

My thoughts:

I felt sorry for Gaspar. His mother dies when he is very young. His father, while trying to protect him, is also abusive at times. The Order and his grandmother want to use him to try and obtain immortality of consciousness. 

The pace of the book is uneven. It is very slow in parts which gives it a dreamlike or should I say nightmarish quality. 

The book jumps around with different sections focusing on different characters. I liked the parts that focused on Gaspar the best. I was puzzled about the inclusion of a section from a journalist's point of view. The only reason I can think of for it is to point out again the horrors of some of the time period the book is set in.

It is definitely a horrifying story. From the Darkness to the way that Mercedes treats and mistreats others as nothing but tools to serve her, it is an unsettling read. 

The book does deserve trigger warnings for the body horror and the mentions of abuse of all kinds. The horrors of war and the AIDS epidemic could also be triggering for some people. But seriously, this is a horror book. 

I was a little unsatisfied with the ending. I don't want to say more because of spoilers.

Overall, I give this book 4 stars. I liked Gaspar. And even in the slow parts I wanted to know what would happen next and ultimately how things would turn out. If you enjoy your horror with a historical setting mostly in the 80s, in particular Argentina, then this might be a good book for you.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not influence my opinions.