Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig

Available September, 26, 2023

He did it again! Chuck Wendig has gifted us all with another terrifying, enthralling, and completely irresistible novel. This time, instead of causing an irrational fear of groups of people walking down a street, Wendig has instilled in me an irrational fear of apples and their glorious homes, apple orchards. I currently have six apple trees on my property, just one tree shy of the notorious Ruby Slipper apple tree from Paxson Family Orchards, and after reading this book, I can’t look at them the same way. I just can’t.

From the Publisher:

It’s autumn in the town of Harrow, but something besides the season is changing there.

Because in that town there is an orchard, and in that orchard, seven most unusual trees. And from those trees grows a new sort of apple: strange, beautiful, with skin so red it’s nearly black.

Take a bite of one of these apples, and you will desire only to devour another. And another. You will become stronger. More vital. More yourself, you will believe. But then your appetite for the apples and their peculiar gifts will keep growing—and become darker.

This is what happens when the townsfolk discover the secret of the orchard. Soon it seems that everyone is consumed by an obsession with the magic of the apples . . . and what’s the harm, if it is making them all happier, more confident, more powerful?

Even if something else is buried in the orchard besides the seeds of these extraordinary trees: a bloody history whose roots reach back to the very origins of the town.

But now the leaves are falling. The days grow darker. It’s harvest time, and the town will soon reap what it has sown.

This book has everything. It has small town drama, teen angst, a mysterious magical element, creepy woods, diverse characters, and all set over a frighteningly realistic timeline. In our story, we follow Calla Paxson, high school senior who is willing to do anything to get her and her boyfriend Marco out of her small town. Her father, Dan Paxson, carries a grudge against all the townspeople who helped steal his father’s farm and push him towards an untimely death. Emily and her wife Meg have moved from the big city to start over in the small town of Doyle’s Tavern only to let the Unspoken Thing fester between them. Joanie Moreau grew up the tough chick from the wrong side of town, only to come back to a wealthy and confident businesswoman. Lastly, John Compass, military veteran turned apple hunter, who is on a mission to find his former best friend.

And what ties all of these characters together? The Ruby Slipper Apple. An apple so dark red it’s almost black. An apple that makes you feel like you can conquer anything. An apple with power. The paranormal elements are brilliantly interwoven with the real world, small town drama that our poor characters are caught up in. I found myself completely invested in their survival and was so stressed out, in a very good way, I read this in just two days. I HAD TO KNOW how this book ended.

I thoroughly enjoyed how the history of the apple was woven into the story. It added a richness to the setting and a real depth to the characters without feeling like you were in a history lesson.

Black River Orchard is a compelling and terrifying novel full of dark humor and enthralling horror. I can’t wait to see what Wendig brings us next!

If you would like to add this amazing novel to your shelf, you can click on the cover above or here for ordering information.

This post may contain affiliate links, such as Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

Reading Randomness

I thought, silly me, that after having survived The Kid’s freshman year of high school, I knew what to expect. But no, sophomore year seems even busier and overwhelming and my reading time just hasn’t made it very high on the priority list. And no, The Kid is not overwhelmed, I am. He is doing fabulous and loves all the extra time with his friends and the fun side of school and his various clubs. I just have to find the time to take him everywhere, make sure the Farm Friends are content, fit in a job, and you know, sleep.

But, I have been able to fit in a few series books! Normally I don’t find it very useful to review books in long running series because it’s hard not to spoil earlier books and if you’re really interested to know if book #26 is worth reading, you’re going to read it anyways because you already the first 25.

But with that said…

Heir of Uncertain Magic by Charlie N. Holmberg is just as delightful and engaging as Keeper of Enchanted Rooms. It picks up right after book 1 ends and I loved it just as much as the first. Boy of Chaotic Making, book 3 in the Whimbrel House series is scheduled to come out February 13, 2024 and I’ve already pre-ordered it. Both book 1 and 2 are available in KU and it looks like book 3 will be as well.

Dark Olympus Book #5! Just as hot and steamy as the rest of the series with even more mystery surrounding the actual magical workings of the city of Olympus itself. I really love how Katee Robert isn’t afraid to explore non-traditional romantic pairings and includes a diverse range of characters. Everyone is interesting, everyone has a secret, everyone wants to sleep with everyone and we get to see it all! This one did leave me wanting a little more in the “how did we go from pants feelings to heart feelings” area, but overall I really enjoyed it.

If you’re looking to start your Spooky Season reads and don’t know where to start, here are two books coming out soon to add to your pre-order list! Full reviews will come soon.

I’m about 60% through Black River Orchard, which comes out 9/26/23. One of the darkest, creepiest, most enthralling books I’ve read in a while! I am absolutely loving this one! If you loved Wendig’s other books, you’ll love this one. It’s about a man who plants seven apple trees in his family’s orchard and then the whole town becomes obsessed with the fruits. Very, very disturbing to read as I am currently working my way through our own apple harvest…

Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson comes out 10/3/23 and is absolutely terrifying! One of the most beautifully written horror novels I’ve ever read. It’s quietly chilling and utterly compulsive. I read it in one sitting because I couldn’t tear myself away. I read this several months ago and I still think about it at least once a day. Definitely pre-order if you’re a horror fan.

This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions and mistakes are my own. Both digital copies of Black River Orchard and Bloom were advanced copies I received from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Deephaven by Ethan M. Aldridge

Available now

Ages 8-12, 288 pages

I was first introduced to Aldridge’s work with his graphic novel Estranged. The Kid selected that one during one of our many bookstore runs and I fell instantly in love with his art style. When I saw the news about Deephaven, I immeadiately went to all the usual ARC request sites and placed my request. Yes, I was sent an advanced digital copy and yes, life got in the way and I’m late getting the review out.

From the Publisher:

When Guinevere "Nev’" Tallow receives an acceptance letter to Deephaven Academy, an exclusive and secluded school, they know it’s the fresh start that they’ve been looking for.

But things are strange from the moment they arrive—the house itself seems to breathe, students whisper secrets in dark corridors, and the entire east wing of the academy is locked away for reasons no one wants to explain. And Nev knows something strange and ragged stalks the shadowy corridors, something that sobs quietly and scratches at the walls, waiting to be released.

With the help of another first-year student, Nev takes it upon themself to unravel the mysteries hidden in Deephaven's halls. But will they risk their fresh start to bring the academy’s secret to light?

Deephaven is a beautifully written coming of age story set in a magical boarding school. If you have a young fantasy reader in your life, this book is a perfect addition to their bookshelf. It's the perfect balance of compelling story, quiet character development, and a gentle spookiness perfect for young readers. There are several parts that involve some fantasy violence and scariness, but it’s all age appropriate and written with care for the readers.

You can feel the love and care Aldridge has put into his characters and their story. Nev is struggling with a complicated home life and knows that Deephaven could be their way to a happier life. But with a fresh start comes other complications that many readers will readily identify with: finding new friends, the stress of a new environment, and wanting to fit in. Anyone who has been the new kid knows how scary that can be.

I loved this book and if you want to add it your shelf, you can click on the cover above, or here, for ordering information.

Thanks to Edelweiss and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post may also contain associate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg

Narrated by Amanda Leigh Cobb, Graham Halstead, and Nicholas Boulton

Available now

CW: murder, child abuse. It is kept pretty brief and matter of fact, with the majority of the story being quite light, but there are a handful of violent scenes.

I don’t remember adding this to my KU library but Past Me has excellent taste! This book was the perfect field mowing companion and I immeadiately downloaded the second book in the series as soon as I finished it. It’s so sweet, a little silly, and incredibly compelling. If you’re looking for a light, magical, cozy fantasy read with a dash of romance, this book is perfect.

From the Publisher:

Rhode Island, 1846. Estranged from his family, writer Merritt Fernsby is surprised when he inherits a remote estate in the Narragansett Bay. Though the property has been uninhabited for more than a century, Merritt is ready to call it home—until he realizes he has no choice. With its doors slamming shut and locking behind him, Whimbrel House is not about to let Merritt leave. Ever.

Hulda Larkin of the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms has been trained in taming such structures in order to preserve their historical and magical significance. She understands the dangers of bespelled homes given to tantrums. She advises that it’s in Merritt’s best interest to make Whimbrel House their ally. To do that, she’ll need to move in, too.

Prepared as she is with augury, a set of magic tools, and a new staff trained in the uncanny, Hulda’s work still proves unexpectedly difficult. She and Merritt grow closer as the investigation progresses, but the house’s secrets run deeper than they anticipated. And the sentient walls aren’t their only concern—something outside is coming for the enchantments of Whimbrel House, and it could be more dangerous than what rattles within.

It’s so good! This one is hard not to spoil, so apologies for the brief and excited squealing. Keeper of Enchanted Rooms is incredibly fun. It begins with dual narratives. One is from a wealthy wizard who has a tragic childhood and the other is Merritt Fernsby, bachelor writer who inherits Whimbrel House. The magic found within Whimbrel House is quite whimsical in the beginning, balancing out the darkness of the story of our tortured wizard. There is a light romantic element that is full of pining and Great Concern for Propriety but isn’t the main focus of the story, more of a delightful bonus. There is delightful banter amongst all the characters, as well as some found family elements. The magic system, widely known to all in the world, is simple and easy to follow and provides some great comedic moments. Hulda holds an important and respected position within the BIKER, the magical agency that oversees enchanted homes. I love a heroine with an interesting job and Hulda definitely has an interesting job! She’s incredibly competent and I don’t remember her dealing with any type of patriarchal b.s. It could be there, but I don’t remember. Quite refreshing, to be honest.

I found the Keeper of Enchanted Rooms to be delightful and engrossing story with a fantastic mystery. I listened to the audio version and the performances were absolutely fantastic. If you would like to add this magical mystery to your shelf, you can click on the cover above, or here, for ordering information.

This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Dead Eleven by Jimmy Juliano

Available now

CW: child death, grief

Picture this: You’re overcome with grief over the death of your child. You find a name mysteriously written on the floor of your child’s room. When you discover the name is actually that of a real island, you travel there and find something really, really strange. Time has stopped. People dress like it’s 1994. The cars are all pre-1994, there’s very little tech, cell phones aren’t allowed, the O.J. car chases is everywhere, and people seem very, very odd.

And then you go missing.

That’s Dead Eleven.

This is a weird, twisty tale with so many twists and turns that I really don’t want to spoil anything. This will be a quick, and hopefully, spoiler-free review!

It’s a strange, quirky novel that explores the complexities of grief, family dynamics, and how teenagers will always mess up a decades long cover-up. The characters were well written and interesting, even if a few felt like horror novel stereotypes. While a dark power taking over a small island isn’t exactly breaking new ground, I really liked the originality of how the residents tried to battle it and keep it contained. The mystery of Clifford Island was strong enough to keep my interested in the story and while the plot moved along pretty quickly, there were a few sections that felt repetitive and the ending seemed a bit rushed. Overall though, I really enjoyed it and found it to be a solid debut novel.

If you’d like to add this dark and compelling novel to your shelf, you can click on the cover above or here for ordering information.

This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

The St. Ambrose School for Girls by Jessica Ward

Available now

CW: mental illness, suicidal ideation, gaslighting, murder, child abuse, sexual abuse, self harm, homophobia, bullying. Read with care.

Reader Friends, my favorite author has released a new book that doesn’t include my all-time, hands down, favorite group of fictional people in Caldwell! It left me a little wary but a whole lot of intrigued.

And she left me emotionally wrecked. This book is going to twist you up in so many ways and take you right on back to the emotional roller coaster that is high school. This book tackles some extremely heavy topics like suicide and mental illness and Ward lays out her writing process in her Author’s Note and I felt the care and love she has for her characters. Definitely check the content warnings on this one and I realize how wild it is to love a book that is this dark and heavy.

Oh, and Jessica Ward is J.R. Ward, aka The Warden, author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

From the Publisher:

When Sarah Taylor arrives at the exclusive St. Ambrose School, she’s carrying more baggage than just what fits in her suitcase. She knows she’s not like the other girls—if the shabby, all-black, non-designer clothes don’t give that away, the bottle of lithium hidden in her desk drawer sure does.

St. Ambrose’s queen bee, Greta Stanhope, picks Sarah as a target from day one and the most popular, powerful, horrible girl at school is relentless in making sure Sarah knows what the pecking order is. Thankfully, Sarah makes an ally out of her roommate Ellen “Strots” Strotsberry, a cigarette-huffing, devil-may-care athlete who takes no bullshit. Also down the hall is Nick Hollis, the devastatingly handsome RA, and the object of more than one St. Ambrose student’s fantasies. Between Strots and Nick, Sarah hopes she can make it through the semester, dealing with not only her schoolwork and a recent bipolar diagnosis, but Greta’s increasingly malicious pranks.

Sarah is determined not to give Greta the satisfaction of breaking her. But when scandal unfolds, and someone ends up dead, her world threatens to unravel in ways she could never have imagined. The St. Ambrose School for Girls is a dangerous, delicious, twisty coming-of-age tale that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

This book contains so many of my favorite tropes: boarding school, scandal, mean girls getting what they deserve (not that anyone really deserves murder,) dark secrets, and strong female friendships. All of the characters felt real and fully developed, especially Sarah. You could feel how desperately she wanted away from her home, but also how much she knew she didn’t fit in with the rich girls at the elite St. Ambrose. She was so aware of her mental illness and how tightly she had to keep it in control to guard her secret from everyone. When all of that stress, exacerbated by the horrible bullying from Greta and her girlfriends, leads to Sarah making some very dark and misguided decisions, my heart broke. You could feel how lonely and isolated she felt, even when she was constantly surrounded by her teachers, roommate, and advisors.

This is one of those novels where every character has a dark secret to hide. It seemed like every secret was darker and more disturbing than the last. (Like I said, it’s real doozy of a book!) All of those layers of secrets really added to the impact of the plot twist and made the ending one of the most explosive I’ve read. I absolutely loved it and flew through it in just one sitting.

If you want to add this dark and explosive thriller to your shelf, you can click on the cover above, or here, for ordering information.

This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions and mistakes are my own. Like those commas. I never get those right.

What Never Happened by Rachel Howzell Hall

Available now

This book is amazing!

From the Publisher:

Colette “Coco” Weber has relocated to her Catalina Island home, where, twenty years before, she was the sole survivor of a deadly home invasion. All Coco wants is to see her aunt Gwen, get as far away from her ex as possible, and get back to her craft—writing obituaries. Thankfully, her college best friend, Maddy, owns the local paper and has a job sure to keep Coco busy, considering the number of elderly folks who are dying on the island.

But as Coco learns more about these deaths, she quickly realizes that the circumstances surrounding them are remarkably similar…and not natural. Then Coco receives a sinister threat in the mail: her own obituary.

As Coco begins to draw connections between a serial killer’s crimes and her own family tragedy, she fears that the secrets on Catalina Island might be too deep to survive. Because whoever is watching her is hell-bent on finally putting her past to rest.

I thoroughly enjoyed this twisty, gothic thriller set on the exclusive and idyllic Catalina Island. There is a lot going on in this novel - lots of characters, lots of side plotlines, lots of back story - and it all weaves together seamlessly to create a dark and sinister story of racism, gentrification, entitlement, and greed.

This book made me realize that nearly every gothic thriller I have ever read was historical. There is something about the contemporary setting that makes it feel far more scary and terrifying. The writing is so descriptive that you feel like you are sitting alongside Coco, questioning your own sanity and jumping at every noise in your own home. I never would have thought that a golf cart could feel ominous or an important tool in a person’s survival…but that' is how good the writing is.

What Never Happened is a compelling, haunting, thriller that will stick with you long after you turn the last page.

If you’re interested in adding this amazing book to your collection, you can click on the cover image above, or here, for ordering information.

Thank you the author and Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Available now

Reader friends! It’s a spooky ghost story set during the 90s in Mexico City! And it’s so, so good.

From the Publisher:

Montserrat has always been overlooked. She’s a talented sound editor, but she’s left out of the boys’ club running the film industry in ’90s Mexico City. And she’s all but invisible to her best friend, Tristán, a charming if faded soap opera star, though she’s been in love with him since childhood.

Then Tristán discovers his new neighbor is the cult horror director Abel Urueta, and the legendary auteur claims he can change their lives—even if his tale of a Nazi occultist imbuing magic into highly volatile silver nitrate stock sounds like sheer fantasy. The magic film was never finished, which is why, Urueta swears, his career vanished overnight. He is cursed.

Now the director wants Montserrat and Tristán to help him shoot the missing scene and lift the curse . . . but Montserrat soon notices a dark presence following her, and Tristán begins seeing the ghost of his ex-girlfriend.

As they work together to unravel the mystery of the film and the obscure occultist who once roamed their city, Montserrat and Tristán may find that sorcerers and magic are not only the stuff of movies.

I absolutely love this book! Moreno-Garcia has a real talent for crafting characters that feel incredibly real and relatable. Many ghost stories involve silly people who make silly decisions for silly reasons. Not in this book. Montserrat and Tristán get caught up in a decades old magical mystery purely by knowing a great deal of horror movie trivia and stumbling across a once famous horror director. What starts as a friendly chat between a director and devoted fans, quickly becomes a terrifying adventure into the dark occult underground in Mexico City. It’s beautifully written, incredibly complex, and perfectly paced.

I really liked how the author set this in 1993-no internet or cell phones-and how it impacted the characters’ actions and ability to research the history of our occult characters. At several points, Montserrat has to go to an actual bookstore to find books for research and to me, it’s such a fun detail. There’s also something about Tristán carrying around a pager and being tied to his apartment awaiting a phone call that was quite charming.

Montserrat is a very interesting character. She grew up being bullied for a disability but never let it stop her from pursuing her love of film and sound editing. As an adult, she has to put up with sexism at work and unwanted advances from coworkers and other men connected to the business. But Montserrat stays strong and true to herself and was a great character to follow on this dark adventure.

I truly loved this book and if you want to add this dazzling dark adventure to your shelf, you can click on the cover or here for ordering information.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

Available now

CW: homophobia, conversion therapy, religious trauma, emotional abuse, gaslighting, violence

Buckle up friends! Chuck has gifted us with a wild, horrifying nightmare inducing novel!

From the Publisher:

Welcome to Neverton, Montana: home to a God-fearing community with a heart of gold.

Nestled high up in the mountains is Camp Damascus, the self-proclaimed “most effective” gay conversion camp in the country. Here, a life free from sin awaits. But the secret behind that success is anything but holy.

And they’ll scare you straight to hell.

I really, really loved this book. I’ve read many a fun and quirky Chuck Tingle novella and if you have as well, please know that this is nothing like those zany erotic novellas. Camp Damascus is a terrifying and frank look at the ways the people closest to us can end up being the most dangerous to us. It’s fast paced, engrossing, and has complex characters.

At 20, Rose still lives at home with her extremely religious and god-fearing parents. Her religious beliefs guide her every thought, every decision, and every interaction with others. As she enters her final summer of high school, Rose begins to see terrifying images of a woman watching her from the woods. After the death of a dear friend, her memories become unreliable and Rose struggles to understand her parents’ motives and reactions to her grief and stress. It’s as Rose tries to find answers to the strange apparition haunting her that she discovers that there is a darker side to her church, her town, and her family.

If you would like to add this horror novel to your shelf, you can click on the cover or here for ordering information.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

Available now

Reader Friends, sometimes I pull a bonehead move so bonehead it surprises even me. This delightfully horrifying book came out in March, which I read in January, and I didn’t tell you about it! Seriously?

From the Publisher:

"Mom seems off."

Her brother's words echo in Sam Montgomery's ear as she turns onto the quiet North Carolina street where their mother lives alone.

She brushes the thought away as she climbs the front steps. Sam's excited for this rare extended visit, and looking forward to nights with just the two of them, drinking boxed wine, watching murder mystery shows, and guessing who the killer is long before the characters figure it out.

But stepping inside, she quickly realizes home isn’t what it used to be. Gone is the warm, cluttered charm her mom is known for; now the walls are painted a sterile white. Her mom jumps at the smallest noises and looks over her shoulder even when she’s the only person in the room. And when Sam steps out back to clear her head, she finds a jar of teeth hidden beneath the magazine-worthy rose bushes, and vultures are circling the garden from above.

To find out what’s got her mom so frightened in her own home, Sam will go digging for the truth. But some secrets are better left buried.

As always, T. Kingfisher knocks it out of the park. Kingfisher has this way of making a book incredibly funny and incredibly scary all at the same time. The characters are remarkably relatable which makes the book even scarier. Sam is just an ordinary person who is going to visit her mom. It’s so ordinary! But what’s not ordinary is the way her mother has redecorated the house, ridding it of the eclectic clutter and replacing it with boring white walls and unsettling family portraits of unlikeable relatives. And the jar of teeth. The jar of teeth is definitely not ordinary.

The longer Sam stays with her mother, the more the house feels wrong and the more Sam becomes convinced that something is trying to harm them. And she’s not wrong. But it’s so easy to brush many of the experiences off, which is the scariest part to me! Kingfisher’s skill at making the mundane horrifying is a sight to behold.

It’s such a fun reading experience to have a book be both incredibly dark and unsettling, as well as genuinely funny and relatable. I found the story to be incredibly compelling and fast paced. The mystery was well plotted and all of the characters were fantastic.

If you would like to add this dark and twisted tale to your shelf, you can click on the cover above or here for ordering information.

As always, this post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran

Available now

From the Publisher:

When Jade Nguyen arrives in Vietnam for a visit with her estranged father, she has one goal: survive five weeks pretending to be a happy family in the French colonial house Ba is restoring. She's always lied to fit in, so if she's straight enough, Vietnamese enough, American enough, she can get out with the college money he promised.

But the house has other plans. Night after night, Jade wakes up paralyzed. The walls exude a thrumming sound while bugs leave their legs and feelers in places they don't belong. She finds curious traces of her ancestors in the gardens they once tended. And at night Jade can't ignore the ghost of the beautiful bride who leaves cryptic warnings: Don't eat.

Neither Ba nor her sweet sister Lily believe that there is anything strange happening. With help from a delinquent girl, Jade will prove this house--the home they have always wanted--will not rest until it destroys them. Maybe, this time, she can keep her family together. As she roots out the house's rot, she must also face the truth of who she is and who she must become to save them all.

Look at that cover! Isn’t it incredible!

This book comes to you from not just me, but also recommend by my two fabulous, real-life teenage interns at the Library! It’s definitely one of the most compelling, horrifying, and imaginative books I’ve read this summer. It delves into the complexities of colonialism, identity, belonging, and intergenerational trauma. Jade is a very complex character that is dealing with SO MUCH. Her relationship with her father is strained even more with her bargain to stay in Vietnam with him for the summer in exchange for tuition money. She’s scared to come out to her mother but also wants to live her life as she wishes. She feels the need to protect her siblings as much as she possibly can. She also has a house that is actively trying to do her harm. You know, life stuff.

It’s beautifully written, incredibly compelling, and very fast paced. The highly descriptive writing makes you feel like you are right beside Jade as she’s learning more about her ancestors and the horrors they faced. Also, don’t read this book hungry! The food descriptions alone are worth reading for. I learned so much about Vietnamese culture from this book and for that, I’m so grateful.

I loved this book, as did my fabulous interns, and if you want to add it to your shelf, you can click on the cover or here for ordering information.

As always, this post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Pride Reads: Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune

There are numerous lists (yay!) of amazing books to read during Pride Month, and all year long! Here is one of my favorites!

Available now

I finished this book last night and I’m still devastated. Be sure to keep the tissues handy during this one! If you loved The House on the Cerulean Sea, you are going to love Under the Whispering Door. Not only does Klune have a way with long, whimsical titles, but he has crafted another heartfelt and emotional story about being a human and finding love.

Wallace Price has lived his life consumed by his career. Demanding perfection from his employees and spending each day working until the point of exhaustion has been his M.O. until, one day, he finds himself dead. Standing over his body, bewildered about his situation, and then suddenly, at his own funeral. What should be a well-attended, proper, and expensive affair, turns out to only be attended by his ex-wife and his partners from the law firm. There were no kind words, no tears, and to Wallace’s astonishment, a remarkable amount of sports talk. But there is one person at his funeral that Wallace has never met. And even more startling, she can see Wallace. Mei, Wallace’s reaper, has come to guide him to his next place and Wallace isn’t having it.

Finally relenting, Wallace and Mei make their way to a tea shop run by Mei and Hugo. But of course, this is no ordinary tea shop. It’s a way station for those newly departed before they make their way to other side. Residing in the tea shop with Mei and Hugo are Hugo’s faithful pup Apollo and Hugo’s grandfather, the deceased Nelson. Slowly, day by day, Wallace learns from this remarkable team the ins and outs of ghost life, and begins to realize how little he actually lived.

This is an emotional, tender, funny, and remarkable story of life and love and I was immediately caught up in Wallace’s story and his journey to the afterlife. Wallace experiences all the stages of grief over his own death and does so in a way that felt incredibly real and relatable. His journey to discovering how to be a friend and to become part of a family never felt forced, it was a gentle progression that we saw every step of the way. Klune has given us beautiful characters with full lives and distinct personalities. Every character is crucial to the story and grows within the book. Klune has created an interesting take on the Reaper mythos and I really loved how The Manager, no spoilers!, was imagined. The characters were so well thought out and imagined that it made the story really compelling and I was unable to put it down.
No lie, I finished this while eating dinner with my guys and sobbed over my mac ‘n cheese. The Kid was quite worried.

I cannot express how much I love this book. It’s compelling, beautiful, heartfelt, and just really, really lovely. If you would like to add this story to your collection, you can find ordering information here:

Thank you to Netgalley and TOR Books for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

This post also contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.

Pride Reads: Fantasy Quickie: Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk

There are numerous lists (yay!) of amazing books to read during Pride Month, and all year long! Here is one of my favorites!

Available now

CW: homophobia, magical violence, aversion therapy

Even Though I Knew the End is a magically charged noir thriller that doesn’t hold any punches. Helen, a private investigator and warlock who sold her soul to save her brother’s life, is quietly putting her affairs in order so Edith, her longtime love, will be able to live out her dream of moving to California. When someone offers her one last job-a job that could get Helen her soul back, she can’t refuse.

Discovering the identity of the White City Vampire, a prolific and magical serial killer, places Helen and everyone she loves in danger. Helen and Edith race against time to save their lives, their souls, and their love.

Coming it at just 133 pages in the print version, Polk does a masterful job at creating an interesting and intricate alternate 1930’s Chicago. There’s romance, pain, magic, mystery, and a stark look at the hate and discrimination the queer community faced then, and now. It’s a brilliant story that I hope becomes the start of a new magical mystery series.

Grab our tissues, you’re going to need them.

If you’d like to add this magical sapphic mystery to your shelf, you can click on the cover or here for ordering information.

As always, this post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Pride Reads: The Honeys by Ryan La Sala

There are numerous lists (yay!) of amazing books to read during Pride Month, and all year long! Here is one of my favorites!

Available Now

Hey all! This week is the #TransRightsReadathon and I’m rounding up some of my favorite books by, or featuring, trans people. If you’d like more information about the origins and goals of this movement, you can find it here.

Reader Friends! Buckle Up! This is a glorious, captivating wild ride through the lives of the rich and elite.

When Mars’ sister dies under mysterious and bizarre circumstances after unexpectedly returning home from her elite summer camp, Mars becomes consumed with the need to find answers to their twin’s death. On the night of Caroline’s death, she brutally attacked Mars, seemingly intent on ending their life. But in a moment of clarity, she apologizes to them before tragically dying. After her death, a brain tumor seems to be the cause of her erratic behavior but Mars is convinced there is more to the story.

After convincing their parents to let them take Caroline’s place at Aspen, the exclusive summer camp for the children of the wealthy and connected, Mars returns to the place that is a great source of trauma and pain. Mars’ gender fluidity and nonbinary identity goes against the very core of Aspen and it’s incredibly gendered values. Once at Aspen, Mars does their best to get in with the girls from Cabin H, better known as the Honeys. Caroline was a part of the Honey’s and they are convinced they have all the answers. But the Honey’s exist outside of the rules of Aspen and Mars is constantly shadowed by Wyatt, a leader in training and nephew to the camp’s director. As Mars gets closer to the answers they seek, they discover a world where people disappear, memories are altered, and the power of the Honeys seems to know no bounds.

This is a dark, twisting, captivating story of love, power and betrayal. I was so enthralled by the darkness in the story that I flew through this book in one sitting. The Honeys is a perfect blend of the horror, mystery, and paranormal genres told through the eyes of a grieving twin. It’s so much more than a story of a mysterious death. It’s an examination of greed, wealth, family expectations, toxic masculinity, and the way societal expectations about gender and generational wealth impacts teens. Nearly every activity at Aspen is based on gendered roles and expectations and how someone like Mars, a nonbinary teen who refuses to change for others, is forced into unsafe situations and ridicule when they reject the pressure to conform.

It’s also a lesson in underestimating the next generation-they are terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.

This book is fantastic-definitely give it a shot. If you’d like to add this book to your shelf, you can click on the book cover or here for ordering information.

This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases. As always, these are just my opinions and ramblings and all mistakes are my own.

Pride Reads: A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow

There are numerous lists (yay!) of amazing books to read during Pride Month, and all year long! Here is one of my favorites!

Available Now

I absolutely loved this story! LOVED IT! If you love fairy tale retellings, especially ones that point out every sexist and problematic element, then is the perfect book for you.

On Zinnia Gray’s twenty-first birthday, she finds herself dying, surrounded by rose petals, at the top of a tower. Now, Zinnia has been dying since the day she was born. Genetic abnormalities caused by environmental pollutions has caused irreparable damage to her body and Zinnia knows she has maybe one more year left to live. After a birthday party thrown by her absolute best friend Charm, Zinnia finds herself faced with a spinning wheel just like a real-life Aurora.

What Zinnia doesn’t anticipate, is finding herself transported to a fairy tale world with another Aurora-like character, Princess Primrose who is destined to fall into a deep sleep for 100 years on her twenty-first birthday.

So what happens when you combine two real-life Sleeping Beauties who don’t feel compelled to follow the story written for them? They set out to write their own.

This is a short little novella that packs a huge emotional punch. I loved this book from the very first page and found myself laughing out loud and cheering on Zinnia and Primrose as they fought for their freedom. I’m a huge sucker for books with awesome friendships and Zinnia finds a fast ally in Primrose but also has the world’s best friend in Charm, her friend since elementary school. They are all fiercely protective of each other and have no problem calling each other on their nonsense. Charm doesn’t let Zin get too down and Zin doesn’t let Charm get too lost in searching for an answer to Zin’s illness. I found myself relating to the overprotectiveness of Zin’s parents and Zin’s need to break away and become her own person with the little time she had left. Some tears were definitely shed during this book but it was easily balanced by all the amazing one-liners and banter between the characters.

A Spindle Splintered is an excellent feminist retelling of one our most loved and problematic fairy tales. It’s subversive, funny, dark, and full of wildly beautiful illustrations.

If you would like to add this novella to your shelf, you can find ordering information here:

This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon, and I may earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

Pride Reads: Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

There are numerous lists (yay!) of amazing books to read during Pride Month, and all year long! Here is one of my favorites!

Available now

If you are looking for a low stakes, soothing, warm hug of a book, this is it. It’s the perfect way to spend a few hours, lost in a world that is just discovering the joys of coffee and pastries, and the community that can be built around the mysterious concept of café.

This book is lovely.

Set in a fantasy world, Viv is an orc who is tired of fighting and pillaging. Determined to make a fresh start, she follows the ley lines to discover the perfect location for her next business venture: a café. But not just any café, it will be the first café in the area. With the help of some new friends, and a purse full of coins, Viv begins to turn a ramshackle stable into a place of warmth and community. But, not everything goes smoothly. People from her past are determined to make life difficult and there’s a pesky mob group demanding protection money.

Reader Friends, this book is perfect! I love it so, so much. I was looking for something light and you can’t get any lighter than this one. It is just a delightful account of people coming together as they transform a run down stable into a beautiful little shop. It’s full of shopping lists, shopping trips, and thoughts on decorations. It’s about making menus and arranging furniture. It’s about discovering new foods and the processes needed to make those foods. It’s about people becoming friends and being oblivious when the friendship develops into something more.

It’s just so lovely. If you are looking for something light that is both humorous and sweet, I highly, highly recommend this one.

If you would like to add this delightful book to your shelf, you can find ordering information here:

This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Pride Reads: Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall

There are numerous lists (yay!) of amazing books to read during Pride Month, and all year long! Here is one of my favorites!

Available now

This is such a wild ride of a romance! I loved every madcap, ridiculous scenario found within these pages and I can’t wait to see what comes next!

Set in the old fashioned England Times, Valentine Layton, the Duke of Malvern (and don’t you forget it) has finally fulfilled his duty and proposed to the woman he has been betrothed to since childhood. What should have been a romantic proposal quickly turned into a frantic chase across the countryside to find his fiancé, Arabella, after she ran away screaming. Accompanied by her twin brother Bonaventure, Bonny to his friends, Valentine is forced to rise too early, dress without a valet, ride for an uncomfortably long time, and face feelings that he didn’t know were possible.

Something Fabulous is equal parts ridiculous romp and heartfelt journey to discovery. Valentine has lived his life exactly as he thought he should. He has tried to fulfill what he believes are his parent’s wishes and live his life as properly and respectfully as he can. All of that is thrown out the window, extremely reluctantly, by proposing to Arabella. Valentine hasn’t seen Arabella or Bonny since childhood and is woefully unprepared for their reaction to him and what he has seen is an inevitable proposal of marriage. While Valentine was raised in wealth, the twins were raised by an uncle after their parent’s death without the luxuries he is so used to. Valentine also lacks the incredible imagination the twins have developed from their childhood of crafting their own novels when their uncle supplied them with only boring nonfiction.

As Valentine and Bonny travel across the countryside pursuing Arabella and her maid, Valentine is forced to realize that things are not all that he believes. Bonny is unapologetic in his love for men and bedroom delights and Valentine is completely thrown by his exuberant personality. As Valentine finds himself feeling…something for Bonny, his entire world view is thrown upside down.

Something Fabulous is a funny, heartwarming, and steamy adventure through the countryside. Highly, highly recommend it.

If you would like to add this amazing book to your collection, you can find ordering information here:

This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Pride Reads: The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros

There are numerous lists (yay!) of amazing books to read during Pride Month, and all year long! Here is one of my favorites!

Available Now

Set during the wonderous and enthralling Chicago World’s Fair, The City Beautiful is a beautifully written story of young love, self discovery, and the barriers of social class. Alter Rosen came to America to help his father build a business empire, but their hopes and dreams ended with his father’s unexpected death. Now, Alter works at the newspaper as a typesetter and barely earns enough to share a small apartment with four other men, let alone enough to bring his mother and sisters to America. When young men from the neighborhood go missing, the local police claim they are runaways but Alter believes there is more to the story. When his roommate Yakov is found dead on the fairgrounds, Alter is convinced it was more than an accident. While helping with Yakov’s burial ceremony, Alter becomes possessed by Yakov’s dybbuk and finds himself in the middle of a dark conspiracy.

Now Alter must race against the clock to find Yakov’s murderer while battling against horrific racism and threats against himself and his friends. When an old friend resurfaces and offers his help, Alter finds himself battling his own desires and attraction to the handsome and mysterious Frankie.

This is a fascinating story. As someone who is not Jewish, I learned so much about the history of the Jewish community in Chicago and appreciated such an intimate look at the religion and their way of life. Alter lived a complex yet simple life. He came to America on the belief that his father had created a successful business and was going to set his family up with wealth and standing. What he found instead was an incredibly ill father and mountains of debt. All he wants is to make enough money to bring his mother and sisters over from Romania and provide a comfortable life for them. But along with that familial duty, Alter is facing his own inner conflicts over his attraction to other men. Trying to reconcile his true feelings with societal expectations is incredibly difficult. What I really loved, were Frankie’s explanations of how their relationship was completely fine in the eyes of their religion and gave evidence from their religious text. I completely understand that is probably only new information to me, but I hope that it also helps provide comfort for anyone else who may find themselves in Alter’s position.

Polydoros provides such vivid detail of the fair and Alter’s neighborhood that it made you feel like you were walking through the exhibits with Alter. You could feel the wonder that everyone felt at the technical and engineering advancements being created, but that was also balanced against the racism and degradation of many of the exhibits. This is a wonderfully written and well-researched novel that will keep any reader completely engrossed from start to finish.

Highly, highly recommend.

If you would like to add this amazing story to your collection, you can find ordering information here:

Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post also contains affiliate links and as an Amazon associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases.