The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Available Now

Readers, I´m not going to lie, I was in the mood to read exactly like this when I discovered this gorgeous book in my inbox. I am a huge fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and each book I have read is better than the last. I fell in love with her writing in Mexican Gothic and immediately checked out Certain Dark Things from the Library. Fun fact! Certain Dark Things is going to be re-released this fall and it has a gorgeous cover.

In The Beautiful Ones, we are transported to Loisail and the glamorous homes of the wealthy who reside there. In a world where magic is considered ¨common” and for mere performers, a young socialite´s debut in the Grand Season is threatened when her uncontrolled powers jeopardize her ability to catch the eye of a wealthy gentleman. Antonina ¨Nina¨ Bealieu is overwhelmed by the enormity of the crowds and expectations of the Grand Season. She would much rather spend her days researching and cataloging her extensive insect collection. When she happens upon the great magical performer Hector Auvray in the Library during a ball, she is immediately smitten with his fame and charm. When Nina accepts his offer of a dance, she is completely unaware that she is now a pawn in Hector´s grand plan to win back her cousin´s wife, Valérie, a woman who was once engaged to Hector and still holds his heart.

As Hector maneuvers his way in to Nina´s life to gain access to Valéire, Nina develops feelings that grow from friendship to true love. As the two begin a genuine a courtship, Hectors quest to win back his love exposes dark and lurid secrets that have the ability to put everyone in danger.

This book is amazing! It´s a gorgeous combination of magical fantasy, historical romance, and intense drama. It´s perfect for fans of historical romance who want to branch out from the traditional story and discover a fresh and insightful take on the genre. The magical system is wonderfully developed and adds another layer of complexity to the societal expectations of the characters in this world. I loved how magic was used in this story. Nina is currently living with her adoring and wonderful cousin Gaétan Beaulieu and his critical and harsh wife Valérie during her debut. She is indebted to both of them and needs their contacts to find a suitable husband. Luckily for Nina, Gaétan is more progressive in his thinking and wants love and happiness for his younger cousin. Valérie, on the other hand, wants her married and out of the house. She has no desire to waste any of her time on someone else´s needs and actively despises her husband. When Hector comes back into her life, Valérie seems to genuinely enjoy toying with him and wants nothing more than to bring torment to everyone around her. She is a truly diabolical character and is written perfectly as the foil to Nina´s genuine kindness and curiosity of life and science.

This is the definition of a slow burn romance and watching the three main characters circle around and around each other had me on the edge of my seat the entire book. Over and over again Hector had the opportunity to realize how his love was really obsession and he yet he just kept stumbling in the wrong direction. Nina in all of her naivete, uses romance novels as her guide to courtship and is constantly confused when Hector doesn´t act as the novel´s heroes do and you just want to pat her on the head and have ¨The Talk¨ with her.

I absolutely loved this book and cannot recommend it highly enough. Moreno-Garcia weaves together an intricate and gorgeous story of love, betrayal, and the complexities of societal and familial expectations.

If you want to add this gorgeous book to your shelf, you can find ordering information here:

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 also contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.

New Releases for April 27, 2021

Happy New Book Day!

It´s a bit of a light release day but have no fear! There are still some really great titles out today. Also, if you make it all the way to the end, you´ll get rewarded with some freebies. This is a great way to discover a new-to-you author or try out a new genre without any guilt. Click on the covers for more book details and ordering information.

For the Kids:

For the Adults:

Freebies!

These were all free as of 4/27.

Burnout, The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski, PhD and Amelia Nagoski, DMA (Repost)

This has been a stressful, depressing, and frustrating year for so many people and I find myself coming back to this book over and over again. There is something so comforting about having another person give you permission to do things for yourself to not only maintain your own health and wellbeing, but because your own happiness really matters. Burnout is one of the most accessible books on stress that I’ve come across and I found it both helpful and enjoyable to read. I previously posted last year but I just want to share it again as many of us are returning to working in-person, and some of us are dealing with changing school schedules, both of which can be extremely stressful. Also, it’s out in paperback so let’s celebrate that!

If you are the type of person who enjoys sitting around with your best friends, having a coffee or cup of tea, and getting into a deep and emotional conversation, this book will be a perfect fit for you.  The further I got into this book, the more it felt like I was right there with the authors and their best friends. It’s an incredibly accessible look at how women, and men but the book focuses on women, get caught up in a cycle of trying to meet everyone’s needs, be everything to everyone, and then got lost to the burnout that follows.  

Twin sisters Emily and Amelia Nagoski combine real life stories from their own friends and statistics to provide a path to completing the stress cycle that affects so many women.  At the end of each chapter, there is a “tl;dr” list-that wonderful abbreviation for “too long, didn’t read”. In this section, the authors provide a short list of key facts and questions to help summarize the chapter-as someone who doesn’t read as much nonfiction as she should, I found this very helpful.  

I found this book to be very helpful and insightful.  There are so many layers to our stress-and how we deal with it-that we don’t necessarily think about or know what to do with.  The authors provide practical tips on how to cope with stress, how to set limits for yourself, and how in creating boundaries and limits with others we can improve our relationships with those that stress us out.  As a person who deals with chronic pain, when the authors discuss the connection between chronic illness and chronic stress, it was like, Yes! You get it! Thank you!

Guess what else contributes to burnout in women-the patriarchy.  Not surprised? I wasn’t either. I found myself nodding along as the authors discussed how the constant stress of worrying about sexual violence, body image, gaslighting and work success is ingrained in women from the day of their birth.  I initially thought that this section was just preaching to the choir-but I do think there are a lot of women out there who may not realize how deeply established these ideas were in their own upbringing and that it is ok to draw boundaries, especially to preserve your own health and happiness.  

Now, this book will not eliminate all the stress in your life.  Life is stressful. What this book will do is help with completing that stress cycle and to find that balance that we all seem to be seeking.   

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Full Disclosure time: Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Blog Tour! The Marriage He Demands by Brenda Jackson

If you are finding yourself overcome with wanderlust, then do I have the book for you! Set in the gorgeous wilds of Wyoming, The Marriage He Demands will transport you to the romance and beauty of the Blazing Frontier Ranch. Amongst the apple orchards and mountains, a family’s legacy will lead two people to discover the real treasure the property holds is the beginning of their life-long love. I spent a gloomy and rainy afternoon swept away by the beauty of the scenery as well as the decadence of the private planes, lavish hotels, and the luxury that deep pockets can bring. I fell in love with the secretly romantic Cash Outlaw and his quest to make the love-shy and independent Brianna Banks fall head over heels for him. This is a beautiful and incredibly sweet love story that is full of family love, long held secrets, and hidden desires and I am so excited to be a part of Harlequin’s Spring Fling Blog Tour!

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In the wilds of Wyoming ranch country, he needs something only she can give him. What price is too high to pay? Find out in this sizzling contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson!

This ranching heir wants it all, including the woman who stands in his way!

Businessman Cash Outlaw has inherited almost all of his late mother’s Wyoming ranch…but still needs the fifty acres left to her former caretaker. As negotiations with beautiful, determined Brianna Banks become much more intimate, she reveals she’ll only sell him the property…if he gives her a baby! Cash’s counteroffer? That the mother of his child must become his wife!

From Harlequin Desire: Luxury, scandal, desire—welcome to the lives of the American elite.

Love triumphs in these uplifting romances, part of the Westmoreland Legacy: The Outlaws series.

Book 1: The Wife He Needs

Book 2: The Marriage He Demands

Book 3: What He Wants for Christmas

Buy Links:

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Bless a man in blue jeans :)

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Want a sneak peek at this amazing new romance? Here’s an excerpt just for you:

THE MARRIAGE HE DEMANDS by Brenda Jackson

Blog tour excerpt

Two days later, Cash flew his Cessna to the Laramie Regional Airport. He’d ordered a rental car to be there when he arrived, and it was. Shifting his cell phone to the other ear, he tossed his overnight bag in the back seat as he continued his conversation with his sister, Charm. She was calling from Australia with her condolences.

Charm had tagged along with Garth’s best friend, Walker Rafferty, and his wife, Bailey, on a trip to visit Bailey’s sister, Gemma, who lived in Australia.

“Thanks, Charm, but you know the real deal with this. It’s not like me and Ellen had a close relationship. Like I told Garth, I’m surprised she remembered I existed long enough to put me in a will.”

Cash glanced at his watch before starting the car and switching the phone call to the vehicle’s speaker system. He would get a good night’s sleep, and be at the meeting with the attorney in the morning at eleven. Then he would leave, head back to the airport and fly home to Fairbanks.

“I need to end the call, Charm, so I can concentrate on following the directions to Black Crow. I’ll talk to you later, kid.”

As Cash headed for the interstate, he thought about the conversation he’d had with his father be- fore leaving. Bart was typical Bart. Even with six adult offspring, their old man still assumed it was his God- given right to stick his nose into their business when it didn’t concern him.

Cash had put Bart in his place just that morning when he’d tried telling Cash to make sure he got everything his mother owned because it was rightly due him. Cash had made it clear to Bart that he didn’t want a single thing. He’d even seriously thought about not showing up for the reading of the will. As far as he was concerned, it was too late for Ellen to make up for the years she had been absent from his life. The only reason he had decided to come was for closure.

The drive from Laramie to Black Crow took less than an hour. He couldn’t help wondering when his mother had moved to Wyoming. According to Bart, when she left Fairbanks thirty-four years ago, she had moved to New York.

Cash saw the marker denoting the entrance into Black Crow’s city limits, and recalled all he’d learned from doing an internet search last night before going to bed. It had first been inhabited by the Black Crow Indian tribe, from which the town derived its name. The present population was less than two thousand people, and most fought to retain an old-town feel, which was evident by the architecture of the buildings. He’d read that if any of the inhabitants thought Black Crow wasn’t progressive enough for them, they were quickly invited to leave. But few people left and most had lived in the area for years. It was a close-knit place.

He came to a traffic light and watched numerous people walking around, going into the various shops. As he sat there, tapping his hand on the steering wheel, his gaze homed in on a woman who was walking out of an ice-cream shop. She was strikingly beautiful. He couldn’t help noticing how she worked her mouth on her ice-cream cone, and he could just imagine her working her mouth on him the same way.

Cash drew in a deep breath as he shifted in the seat. She looked pretty damn good in her pullover sweater and a pair of jeans. If she was a sampling of what Black Crow had to offer, then maybe he needed to hang around for another day or two and not be so quick to leave town tomorrow.

He chuckled, thinking it would take more than a beautiful face and a gorgeous body to keep him in this town. Besides, he doubted that even if he stayed he’d be able to find her. He had more to do with his time than chase down a woman. Chances were, she was wearing some guy’s ring. There was no way a woman who looked like her was not spoken for.

The driver behind him beeped his horn to let Cash know the traffic light had changed and it was time to move on. Not able to resist temptation, he glanced back for one final look at the woman and saw she was gone.

Just as well.

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Heartfelt or thrilling, passionate or uplifting—our romances have it all. Visit TryHarlequin.com to sample FREE books from among 12 different series. It’s just a taste of the new books published each month—every story a journey guaranteed to leave you with That Harlequin Feeling.

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Brenda Jackson is a New York Times bestselling author of more than one hundred romance titles. Brenda lives in Jacksonville, Florida, and divides her time between family, writing and traveling. Email Brenda at authorbrendajackson@gmail.com or visit her on her website at brendajackson.net.

Want more from Brenda Jackson? You can find her here:

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Thank you to Harlequin Desire for sharing this title with me! All opinions and mistakes are definitely my own and this post contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.

Blog Tour! Twin Games in Music City by Jules Bennett

I am so excited to share this steamy, witty, and decadent new book from Jules Bennett and Harlequin Desire! I started this book intending to spend just a few minutes getting to know the characters and was immediately captivated by their explosive chemistry. Needless to say, I finished the book in one sitting and my family had leftovers for dinner-sorry, not sorry.

Hannah Banks is a successful and very talented country singer who is taking a big gamble in leaving her record label and signing with Elite Records. What she doesn’t count on is gambling with her heart when she has an instant attraction to her new producer Will Sutherland. I am not usually one for boss/employee romances but Hannah’s immediate desire for Will and her own success and power she carries as a talented singer completely leveled the playing field and put me at ease. I loved how sassy and smart Hannah was and the way that she disarmed Will over and over again. Twin Games in Music City is a fun and glamourous story set in the elite world of country music singers.

It’s a twin swap, Nashville-style, in the launch of the Dynasties: Beaumont Bay series from USA TODAY bestselling author Jules Bennett!

Country singer Hannah Banks wants what she shouldn’t have.

The owner of her new label—the man in charge of her career—is way too hot. So hot he’s all she can think about… So to put distance between them, she poses as her quieter twin sister. That should keep temptation away…

Except Will Sutherland doesn’t play games. He wants the real Hannah—in his studio and in his bed—as long as what’s between them stays their secret. But when an old rival uncovers the truth, Will must choose between playing the press or playing for keeps…

From Harlequin Desire: Luxury, scandal, desire—welcome to the lives of the American elite.

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Jules Bennett has penned more than 50 novels during her short career. She's married to her high school sweetheart, has two active girls, and is a former salon owner. Jules can be found on Twitter, Facebook (Fan Page), and her website julesbennett.com. She holds contests via these three outlets with each release and loves to hear from readers!

If you want to hear more from Jules Bennett, you can find her here:

Website

Goodreads

Facebook

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Isn’t this the most gorgeous cover!

Intrigued? I knew you would be so here’s an excerpt just for you:

TWIN GAMES IN MUSIC CITY by Jules Bennett

Blog tour excerpt

Will Sutherland settled into the corner leather booth and watched as Hallie Banks wound her way through the tables at Rise and Grind.

This little meeting shouldn’t already have him irritated, but it did. Will didn’t want to meet with Hallie—he wanted to meet with her twin sister, Han- nah.

But obviously, Hannah Banks, country superstar and America’s sweetheart, couldn’t be bothered with such mundane things as setting up her recording schedule for the next album or going over the tour dates and venues.

He’d only met her a handful of times in passing at various events within the industry. Will had al- ways found her attractive; he’d have to be dead not to. Hannah Banks could make any man do a double take and he was no different.

As far as knowing her personally, he couldn’t re- ally say much, but this first official meeting wasn’t going as planned.

Her selfish way of thinking might have worked for her old record label, but now that she’d signed with Elite, she was going to have to accept the very real fact that she wasn’t in charge. He was.

Hallie offered a soft smile and reached to shake his hand. “Good morning. Have you been waiting long?”

Will came to his feet and gripped her hand, sur- prised by how soft and delicate she seemed. He didn’t recall noticing Hallie’s hands before...and he shouldn’t be noticing them now.

He’d already found himself fantasizing about Hallie’s sister, Hannah. The last thing he needed was an attraction to twins. That wouldn’t be good for business, and being attracted to either of them didn’t fit his professional style.

Hallie was more conservative in her wardrobe than her usual blinged-out sister. Perhaps that’s because Hallie was the manager and worked behind the scenes in a quieter, calmer setting. Whereas Hannah was in-your-face, sparkly, over-the-top...and not at all the type of woman he should have been drawn to. Yet, he found himself noticing his new star more and more.

He needed to get his thoughts under control.

“I just got here myself.” He gestured to the seat across from him. “Please, sit.”

She put her bag in the vacant seat and settled into the chair with curved arms. A barista came right over to take their orders before leaving them alone again.

“So where did you say Hannah was and why couldn’t she make it today?” he asked, hoping to get a direct answer this time.

Hallie blinked up at him. “Oh, I didn’t say. She just asked me to meet you. After we talk, I will go over the schedule with her. She did request that she record in her home studio, so that was the main thing I’m supposed to tell you.”

Of course. Will shouldn’t have been surprised, though. Since that horrific storm had swept through Beaumont Bay only a few weeks ago, the town was still trying to recover. It was all hands on deck in this Nashville bedroom community to rebuild the multimillion-dollar homes that had taken a hit and the few businesses that had been affected.

The Bay wouldn’t stay down long. This lakeside community was where Nashville came to play, where all the deals were done, where the country music elite hid their juiciest secrets. And it was a town that legendary music producer Mags Dumond pretty much owned...or thought she did.

He’d give Mags her due. She’d built up Beaumont Bay with her late husband and former mayor. It had been her foresight—and her insistence on hosting all her parties here over the decades—that had made a home, or second home, in the Bay a necessity for anyone who was anyone in Nashville.

Will’s family had been born here, and not to a country music bloodline. Travis and Dana Sutherland were in the real estate industry and owned nearly everything...unless Mags had claim on it.

But the Sutherland brothers had made a name for themselves in the music industry by pulling themselves up by the bootstraps...and staying out of Mags’s way for the most part. The woman had been a thorn in his family’s side for decades, but he refused to think about that now. The next step in building his family’s music empire was his new star, Hannah Banks, and finishing the renovations to the studio that had been damaged.

The reconstruction was taking much too long, although even a one-day delay was too long in this industry. He had music to make and singers relying on him, not to mention the trickle-down effect of the tours that were already being promoted to celebrate albums that were releasing soon.

The whole damn situation was a nightmare and Hannah Banks—the superstar he’d stolen from Mags, whom he needed to make this whole plan a reality—couldn’t find the time for a courtesy, in- person meeting. Sending her sister/manager/twin wasn’t the same.

“I would have to check out Hannah’s recording studio before I could commit to that agreement,” Will informed Hallie. “We are going to have to start the production process next week to keep up with the deadlines. Tell Hannah I’ll be at her house first thing in the morning to check out this recording room of hers.”

Hallie pursed her pale pink lips and shook her head. “Tomorrow morning won’t work.” She pulled out her phone and scrolled, then tapped her finger on the screen. “How about Tuesday at ten?”

Considering this was Friday, there was no way in hell he was waiting until Tuesday. Will pulled in a deep breath and sighed. Was Hallie going to be just as difficult as the country diva? The pout of her lips said yes, and something hard and dark moved inside him.

And that’s when he knew something was off here.

“I’m not sure how things went when she worked for Mags at Cheating Hearts, but now that she’s with Elite, I run the schedule and say when things are going to get done.”

Hallie’s eyes narrowed. “Is that right? Well, maybe I should’ve just stayed with Cheating Hearts.” Will inched forward, resting his hands on the table. “Hannah? Are you kidding me?”

She cursed beneath her breath and Will gritted his teeth. He’d known something felt off, but he’d never thought for a second his newest artist would play such a childish game as to pretend to be her twin. No way in hell would he fall for this swapped-twin trap. Hannah Banks was about to learn who was in charge real quick.

***

Heartfelt or thrilling, passionate or uplifting—our romances have it all. Visit TryHarlequin.com to sample FREE books from among 12 different series. It’s just a taste of the new books published each month—every story a journey guaranteed to leave you with That Harlequin Feeling.

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From Harlequin Desire: Luxury, scandal, desire—welcome to the lives of the American elite.

Love triumphs in this uplifting romance, part of the new Dynasties: Beaumont Bay series.

Book 1: Twin Games in Music City by Jules Bennett

Book 2: Second Chance Love Song by Jessica Lemmon

Heartfelt or thrilling, passionate or uplifting—our romances have it all. Visit TryHarlequin.com to sample FREE books from among 12 different series. It’s just a taste of the new books published each month—every story a journey guaranteed to leave you with That Harlequin Feeling.

Want a copy for yourself? You can find one here:

Buy Links:

Harlequin

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Amazon

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Thank you to Harlequin Desire for sharing this title with me! All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghvi Vo

Available Now

I am an entire year behind in finally getting my hands on this darkly beautiful novella. You may have seen all the well deserved buzz about it’s gorgeous cover and it’s sequel, When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain, also has an equally lovely cover. But even more gorgeous is the writing. It’s an absolutely captivating tale of royal intrigue, true friendship, and the force of female anger.

When a young girl named Rabbit is sold to the Emperor’s palace to make up for missing baskets of dye, she forms an unlikely bond to the Emperor’s new wife. This new empress, sent from the North to create a political alliance, finds herself lonely and mostly dismissed by the other wives and staff. When she is exiled after the birth of her son, Rabbit accompanies the empress In-yo to her new home.

Years later, an old woman has a chance encounter with a young cleric named Chih and shares her tales of the life she lived with the Empress. A life, that turned out to be far more adventurous than she had ever believed possible.

This is a fascinating story and I loved every single page. Chih, as a cleric, is drawn to stories and preserving historical records and Rabbit’s character keeps her enthralled with tales of courtly gossip and machinations. It soon becomes clear that there is far more to Rabbit than her simple upbringing and In-yo shows herself to be a cunning and insightful empress. I don’t want to give away any more of the plot, but know that it’s an excellent way to spend a few hours and I absolutely loved it.

If you would like to add this to your collection, click the book cover for ordering information. Big bonus, as of 4/8, this is only $3.99 US on Kindle.

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

The Conductors by Nicole Glover

This is a phenomenal debut novel full of mystery, magic, and history. Hetty Rhodes, along with her husband Benjy, are conductors on the Underground Railroad. Using their magical gifts to aid in the rescue of many enslaved people, Hetty and Benjy find themselves also serving as the unofficial detectives and investigators for their community. When an old friend of the couple is murdered, the investigation into his death will uncover a tangled web of magic, lies, and devastating secrets. As the couple dive deeper into the mystery of the murder, Hetty continues her years-long search for her missing sister, and discovers that there may be more to her and Benjy’s relationship than she previously believed.

The Conductors is a compelling and engrossing story that effortlessly blends magic and history with the suspense of a mystery. The magic system draws on the powers of the stars and the sigils depicting the constellations. As with our history, white people hold the majority of the magical power and consider their use of it as “good” while they consider the magic held and practiced by Black people to be wrong and dangerous. It’s a gross and unjust system and there’s a very disturbing use of magical collars to control the magic of Black people, but it’s also in line with all the grossness and injustice that white people have inflicted over the centuries. Please don’t think I’m justifying it, I’m not, I just don’t want it to seem that I’m calling the author’s intentions gross. The magical sigils could be embroidered into clothing and handkerchiefs to provide protection, as well as be painted and etched into walls and floors and I love how the beauty of the stars could be translated into magic.

Hetty and Benjy were both great characters and I loved Hetty and Benjy’s unconventional relationship provided a layer of conflict and complexity to the story and to their interactions with friends and the community. They are both driven and steadfast in their mission to protect others, and led to their unconventional marriage. Just like in our own history, Hetty and Benjy couldn’t be seen together, unchaperoned, over and over again without raising eyebrows and creating gossip. To stem some of this, they got married but never had real feelings for each other. As the latest mission brings them closer and closer, forcing out long-held secrets, the two grow into a new relationship that was really lovely to watch develop.

While I would have like a faster pace to the storytelling, I found The Conductors to be an engaging read and look forward to more from this author. 

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

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 contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.

New Releases for April 6, 2021

It’s New Book Day!

Hey all! Welcome to Spring! Where I’m at, it’s an election day so be sure to exorcise your right to vote if it’s a voting day for you. This is one of those release weeks where there is an absolute ton of books coming out. I don’t have nearly enough time to share them all but here’s the ones I am most interested in. As always, you can click on the covers for book details and ordering information.

For the Kids:

For the Adults:

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

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

Available April 6, 2021

Content warnings for child abuse, suicide, child abduction, child death

Not going to lie, I was in the mood for a book exactly like this when I picked it up and it couldn’t have been more perfect for my mood. This is a deliciously creepy and twisted fairy tale-like story of three sisters who disappear in the blink of an eye from a street in Scotland, only to return one month later with no memory of their time gone. Their story instantly became a news frenzy with the girls at the center of the storm. They were stalked, assaulted, accused of lying, and threatened. When their parents are proven by authorities to have nothing to do with their disappearance and winning a large defamation suit from a newspaper, the girls begin attending an expensive and prestigious private school where the abuse continues. Grey and Vivi quickly leave school to pursue modeling and musical careers, but Iris stays and tries to be both the perfect daughter and perfect student. But there’s nothing perfect about any of the sisters. Upon their return on that cold, rainy night, the girls changed. Their hair turned white and their eyes became an inky black and they developed a constant hunger. The girls know they are strange but only Iris tries to fit in.

Now, ten years after their reappearance, Grey, the oldest of the Hollow sisters is missing. Leaving behind a bizarre set of clues, Iris and Vivi must find their sister before it’s too late for all of them. Along the way, they discover that their connection to the supernatural is far greater than they realized and they are far from the only ones looking for their sister.

I thoroughly enjoyed every single page of this gruesome thriller. It’s dark and twisty and plays with the concept of power so well. These sisters know they are different and strange but it’s so much darker than that. They have the ability to compel people which sounds like an incredible power to have, until it goes too far and makes people obsessed with them. This power helps both Grey and Vivi in their modeling and music careers, but for someone who is quiet and mild-mannered like Iris, it’s frightening. This book is incredibly dark. Very quickly we learn the girls’ father dies by suicide and was obsessed with the idea that the girls were not his daughters. Cate, their mother, is estranged from both Grey and Vivi is hyper protective of Iris. This dynamic makes it incredibly difficult for Iris to maintain relationships with her sisters and she is constantly pulled between the two relationships. All three girls are also incredibly beautiful and they use that beauty to manipulate others. When the girls discover that Grey found where they were held during their disappearance, they also discover more about their time there and it’s the darkest thing possible. I cannot emphasize enough how dark this book is, but if you can handle it, you won’t be disappointed.

This is a fast read. I was immediately engrossed in the story and intrigued about where the girls had disappeared and what happened to them while they were there. I couldn’t wait to see how everything was tied together and how far the author was willing to take this story. Iris and her sisters were great characters. You can feel how abrasive Vivi and Grey found their home life and how much of a mediator Iris plays for the family. Cate, their mother, seems so cold and distant but you soon realize how much she has to cope with and it’s all a defense mechanism. I really liked how the author made Grey’s boyfriend completely immune to her supernatural charm. It made for a great and snarky dynamic between him and the other two sisters.

If you love dark fantasy, twisted fairy tales, and deliciously dark YA, this is definitely one to try. If you would like to add this book to your shelf, you can find ordering information here:

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 contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.

New Releases for March 30, 2021

It’s New Book Day!

We made it to the end of another month so let’s celebrate! Click on the covers for more detail and ordering information. As always, if you see something that looks interesting, pass the title along to your local Librarian. We love getting book requests.

For the Kids:

For the adults:

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The Lost Village by Camilla Sten

Available Now

Obsessed over the long-ago disappearance of an entire mining town, Alice and her production team set out to the abandoned village create a documentary. Camping in the village square, cooking over a portable grill, and bathing in the nearby river are far from glamorous, but everyone on the team is dedicated to helping Alice make her dream documentary a reality. Everyone knows that part of Alice’s fascination with the village is her grandmother’s ties to the village. Her grandmother moved away shortly before her family and the entire village disappeared. But not the entire village, a lone baby was found nearby. What the team doesn’t know, is that Alice isn’t the only person with a connection to the village.

As the team searches the village for clues, they encounter strange occurrences that quickly escalate to violence. With no way to contact the outside world for help, Alice and her team must fight to stay alive. But what are they fighting?

This is such a great thriller! I loved how the author includes two time lines, the present day with Alice and her team and Alice’s family from 1959, the year of the disappearance. While you would think that Alice’s grandmother and great-grandmother would provide all the clues to the disappearance, the author doles out the information in small bits, constantly keeping you guessing. But that’s not to mean this a slow book, it actually flies by as the team seems under constant threat from the mysterious force that is trying to force them away from the village. The “Lost Village” is a character itself. While it was once a prosperous mining town full of young families, it held it’s own dark secrets. Gossip spreads quickly in a small town and the village church was a huge influence on the villagers. A young woman named Birgitta, left on her own after her mother’s death, is cared for by Elsa, Alice’s great-grandmother. Birgitta’s difficulties to care for herself, from what appears to be a cognitive deficiency of some kind, causes the village to pity her, but not enough to provide her with proper housing and decent food. As a new pastor gains influence over the villagers, they grow to fear and despise Birgitta, much to Elsa’s disbelief. As the village becomes more hostile towards Birgitta, everyone’s true colors come to light. The same occurs with Alice’s production team. The more danger they find themselves in, the more they become suspicious and fearful of each other. It was really interesting watching the two storylines overlap in that way.

This is an excellent thriller filled with horror elements and an intriguing mystery. It’s a compelling and fast paced story that will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat. I can’t wait to see more from Camilla Sten!

If you would like to add this creepy and thrilling book to your shelves, you can find ordering information here:

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 also contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.

Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell

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Content warning for partner abuse.

All the positive hype and joyful squeeing you are hearing about this book is extremely well deserved. I first heard of this book through a podcast, surprising I know, that was listing off all the modern Shakespeare retellings and Winter’s Orbit was getting some rave reviews in that episode. As someone who could care less about Shakespeare retellings, I was actually curious how it would translate into a sci-fi novel set in space. Also, don’t ask what play this was inspired by-I don’t have a clue.

Winter’s Orbit would be a perfect gateway book for romance readers who want to add in a new genre to their reading. We have two characters who are forced to marry each other to uphold an important treaty between two worlds. Add in a boatload of physical attraction, major pining, fake dating, only-one-bed, trapped-in-the-snow, and a lot of tip-toeing around situations because of diplomacy reasons and you have the perfect romance novel, it’s just set in space. 

Prince Kiem is the palace playboy who fills his days enjoying life and ending up in the gossip pages. When his cousin dies in a tragic shuttle accident, he is forced to marry the now widowed Count Jainan, the diplomat from Thea, to maintain a decades-long treaty. While Kiem has known his whole life that he would marry for duty, he never believed that marriage would be forced on someone who just lost their partner and is still grieving. But what Kiem doesn’t know is that Count Jainan didn’t have a fairytale marriage and is just as uncertain at how to approach this new relationship. As the two negotiate how to become friends and balance their new royal duties, they discover that there is a real attraction between the two but there is an evil force who wants to sabotage their relationship and even more, the treaty between the two worlds. Now, the two men must try to find out how Jainan’s husband really died and who is trying to pin the murder on Jainan. 

I flew through this book. It is such a wonderful, fast-paced political thriller with a ton of romance elements thrown in. If you are a fan of watching two characters pine over each other for hundreds of pages, this is definitely your book. These two have some serious feelings for each other from the first moment they meet but because Kiem is convinced that Jainan had this amazing marriage and is grieving, he tries to do his best to respect his space and feelings. Jainan sees all this as Kiem not being interested in him and disappointed in having to marry him and feels like a failure as a husband. Trust me, there are so many times I yelled at both of them to just talk about what is going on but for very important political reasons, they really can’t. Prince Kiem is an actual Prince and Count Jainan is a very important diplomat so neither wants to upset the other. So. Much. Pining. 

Prince Kiem’s homeworld of Iskat has an interesting way of distinguishing genders amongst their people. Women wear flint jewelry, men wear wood, and some people choose to wear neither, which I interpreted as everyone got to choose their gender. Throughout the book,both Kiem and Jainan make some goofs in missing those cues but it doesn’t seem like that was a huge deal as there was such a wide range of people in very high and important positions of power. It also meant that when Kiem and Jainan finally realize that there is only one bed and they’re just going to have to share it, it all fades to black and I think that was such a smart choice. 

There is far more focus on the relationship between Kiem and Jainan than on the political and planet world-building, but I still thought there was  more than enough to make the story very interesting. Also, Bel Siara, the assistant to Kiem, is a complete badass with a shady past and I think this would make an excellent series with her as the next main character. Her book would be the perfect vehicle to give us more background on the Empire and how it came to be. 

This is a fantastic debut from Everina Maxwell and I can’t wait to see what they put out next. If you would like to add this to your collection, or finds more information to rec it to your Library, you can do that here:

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

New Releases for March 23, 2021

It’s New Book Day!

The new Dogman comes out today, that’s all you need to know for kid’s books. Not really, but this series has delighted every kid at the Library and what more can you ask for? Click on the covers for more detail and ordering information. As always, request these from your Library! Librarians love to hear what people are interested in.

For the kids:

For the adults:

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

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

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In a secret apothecary shop, Nella spends her days providing simple cures for her neighbors as a cover for her more secret services. The women in the area know who to come to for help with abusive and oppressive husbands, and Nella saves those services only for women. When a young woman seeks help for her mistress, Nella’s apothecary services are put in danger. 

In the present day, Caroline finds herself in London celebrating her tenth wedding anniversary alone. On a whim, she joins a mudlarking group combing the banks of the Thames and discovers a unique apothecary bottle. As her historian instincts kick in, Sarah finds herself lost in the research of the bottle’s origins, she discovers the truth behind the bottle and the truth about herself. 

Lushly told through alternating timelines, The Lost Apothecary is a beautiful blend of history, mystery, and the dark secrets of women and medicine. Caroline’s journey of self discovery blended beautifully with the dark tale of Nella’s apothecary. The Lost Apothecary also highlights the value of female friendships. Nella rescues Eliza from the gaze of her employer through an apprenticeship at the apothecary and Caroline strikes up a friendship with the Librarian who helps her research the bottle’s origins and reignite her spark for history and academia. Through those friendships, the women find the strength they need to make life-altering decisions for themselves. 

Combining the history of London with the history of Nella’s apothecary, Penner provides a gripping story of women’s survival. Whether it be an abusive marriage, a brutish employer, or a cheating and manipulative spouse, all three women survive and learn to grow within their own new realities.  

I really enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to anyone who loves history, a good mystery, and tales of found family and deep friendship.  Nella’s story was really interesting and while I know she was helping commit murder, it was very easy to find sympathy for all involved. Except the men. They really should have been nicer. Caroline’s story running parallel to Nella’s did feel a little too on the nose at times, but overall, her marriage difficulties were easy to relate too. Nothing had ever really gone Caroline’s way and all of her major life decisions were to help her family or husband. Her husband was a major jerk and I was so proud of her every time she stood up for herself and did something she wanted to do. Overall, this was a very interesting blend of genres and I really liked it. Also, isn’t that most gorgeous cover? I love the color choices and since I have a new office to decorate, this cover is starting to spark some inspiration.

If you want to add this book to your collection, you can find ordering information here:

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 links, including Amazon Associate Links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

New Releases for March 16, 2021

New Book Day!!!

Readers, my kid became a full-fledged teenager yesterday and I survived. Barely, but I survived. In celebration, let’s give a warm welcome to all the new books releasing today. Click on the covers for more detail and ordering information.

For the kids:

For the adults:

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

Root Magic by Eden Royce

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Reader Friends, this book is amazing. While it's audience is 8-12 year-olds, this 30-something, I have a couple years left, was absolutely enthralled from start to finish.

Set in 1963, Jezebel and her twin brother Jay have just lost their grandmother days before their eleventh birthday. Struggling with their grief, their small family has to deal with harassment from the local police and stares and whispers from the neighbors and classmates who don't understand their use of root magic. As Jezebel and Jay begin root magic lessons with their uncle, they discover there was more to the stories their grandmother would tell them, and the simple cures and potions their uncle mixes up for neighbors are just the beginning of their powerful heritage.

This books truly has everything. There is history, family drama, school drama, two children coming of age, magic, and adventure. These characters are written with such love and care you can feel it pouring from the page. Jezebel and Jay are very close and have a very realistic relationship. Many children will be able to see themselves in the studious and kind Jezebel as well as in the fun-loving and practical Jay. I really loved how the author showed the strain on their relationship when Jezebel was asked to skip a grade while her brother was not. While you know Jay is proud of his sister, it has to hurt to know that your twin is better at something than you. This dynamic is shown again as the twins discover more about their magical gifts and develop those gifts in different ways.

I loved how the author really focused on family and history in telling the adventures of Jez and Jay. Their deep connection to their family's practice in root magic grounds and guides both children. As the twins discover more and more about the magical world around them, knowing that they have a connection to their family gives them courage and hope to deal with some very scary situations.

If you have a middle grade reader who loves magic and adventure, this will be a perfect book for them. I absolutely love and adore it and I can't wait for more children to discover it.

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

This post contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases. I read my Library's copy of this book and as always, request books from your Library. Librarians love to buy books.

Baby Goats!

It’s been a busy few weeks on the Fat Farm. After many false starts and a huge miscalculation on our parts, our two oldest goat mama’s, Emma and Emily finally gave birth. We’ve been lucky with these two mamas before and I had my fingers crossed for smooth sailing from both of them. Sure enough, we caught Emily in the early stages of labor so I was able to monitor her pretty closely. In less than two hours, she had birthed twin boys. I can emphasize enough what a relief it is for a smooth labor. I’ve helped with a goat c-section and I still have nightmares about it. ***the goat was fine, the vet was amazing, it’s just a weird, bloody event, ok?***

The next evening, Emma was apparently feeling left out and wanted our attention focused on her so she gave birth to twin girls. As I was doing the evening check on the mama’s and babies, we realized that she had a secret baby hidden away and the farm’s tiniest member was born. Not twins, but triplets! Triplets sound wonderful: more babies to sell, more money to be made, why not? Because then you get itty bitty little runts and you have to name them Little Bit. Little Bit was far too small to latch on to her mother to nurse so she’s currently, and luckily our only only baby, needing bottle feedings.

Bottle feeding goat babies is pretty much like bottle feeding human babies. Your counters are covered with bottles, nipples, measuring bowls and whisks. There’s formula powder everywhere because you’re not sleeping through the night and forgot to make a bottle earlier when you were more clear headed. Goat babies also cry, like really cry, and it breaks your heart because you weren’t outside sooner to get them a bottle before they started crying. Just like a human baby but luckily there are no diapers to change.

These are just the first two to have kids. We should have the other four mamas giving birth before too much longer but I’m awful about tracking pregnancy so every day is belly watch around here.