Thank you to my friends at @crownpublishing and @prhaudio for the free #gifted copies of this book.

One way to kick my anxious nature into overdrive: a stranger giving me definitive details about something fated in my future.  Would I truly believe it?  Most likely, no.  And yet, the amount of overthinking that would churn in my brain!  

So... how did I come to ADORE a woman who goes around a plane midflight handing out predictions regarding people’s deaths? 

Moriarty’s newest novel begs the age-old question of free will versus determinism.  It’s a conundrum as fascinating as it can be uncomfortable.  Here, Moriarty unpacks the quandary with a fresh perspective and clever storytelling.  

From the start, we meet a whole host of characters who’ve received damning predictions.  Getting to know them and learning about their purported futures oftentimes felt jarring.  And yet, this methodically slow, character focused beginning allowed my mind to teem with questions regarding fate, as I suspect Moriarty preordained.  

Short snippets interspersed throughout the present-day narrative revealed the backstory of the elderly female who delivered the shocking predictions, the Death Lady.  Going unnamed for the first 20% of the book made it easy to pigeonhole her into the role of the villain.

But once named, Cherry’s life took on a fullness.  Her voice was compelling, and her life was relatable.  Long before the end of the book, Cherry definitively enamored me and became my favorite part of the story.  

Surprising connections between the characters were eventually revealed and the ending satisfied in a way I couldn’t have predicted.  For such a morbid premise, this book was unexpectedly hopeful and uplifting. I closed the last page with tears in my eyes, convinced that Moriarty’s storytelling is rooted in the truest kind of magic.  

🎧Oh, how I am smitten with an Aussie accent!  With dual narrators, one for Cherry and one for the rest of the storyline, I was fully charmed by this audiobook.  Caroline Lee and Geraldine Hakewill gave an expressive and heartwarming performance. 

 

 

Many thanks to my friends at @randomhouse @penguinrandomhouse @prhaudio for the free #gifted copies of this book.  

 “There was once a girl who became invisible so that her words might not be.” 

A sweeping tale rooted in centuries of history and yet deeply resonant of women’s struggles in the present.  

Even as I appreciate the feminist stances found in Shakespeare’s plays, I have never been a profound lover of his art.  So, I wasn’t quite sure how this storyline would land for me.  

But I immediately found myself lost within this premise wholly devoted to learning about Emilia Bassano and grappling with the provenance of Shakespeare’s plays.  

From the first lines, Picoult’s masterful storytelling absorbed me.  It’s a vibrantly told tale with a cinematic unfolding.  Fittingly, the prose was poetic, and cleverly placed lines from Shakespeare’s works added nuance.

I fell in love with Emilia from the onset.  Bold, educated, clever, spirited, full of fortitude, never backing down— her storyline was often tragic, and yet she fascinated and inspired!  Picoult painted her portrait with rich detail honed through meticulous research, exacting an adept blending of fact and fiction.  

Truly, this theme of women’s voices being silenced defies time and place.  And so, it mattered not that Emilia resided on another continent in another era.  Her longing to be fully heard and know spoke directly to my heart, and her resiliency and determination was powerfully relatable.    

Closing the pages of this beautiful tale, I couldn’t help wondering if maybe my “Shakespeare” problem had never been about the words but the way the person associated with them never felt fitting.  

Another literary masterpiece by Picoult.  

🎧 I had to snag a print copy of this one- just look at that cover! 😍 But the audiobook narration is exquisite.  Primary narrators, Billie Fulford-Brown and Laura Benanti, bring the two main characters to life with an easy authenticity.   The addition of a full cast for the play script creates a unique dynamic and drew me into the play.  This one is well worth the listen. 

“It was a triptych, three canvases hinged together to make one image when it was open, another image when it was closed.”

 

Dark.  Disturbing.  Bingeable.  Triptych was exactly what I’ve come to expect from Slaughter.  

I don’t make a habit of reading series.  My backlog of books is already too long.  But the last few books released in the Will Trent series have given me SUCH fomo!  So, here I am... a non-series reader, starting a series.  

 

Slaughter has a way with crafting sinister thrillers that always enthrall.  Her plots are twisty, and the complex characters always intrigue.  And that’s exactly what I got here.  

 

I finished the last bit of this story and immediately requested the next book in the series.  If that doesn’t count as high praise, I don’t know what does. 

Many thanks to my friends at @marinerbooks for the free #gifted copy of this read.

 

When a famous artist’s exhibit is believed to contain a human bone, suspicions arise.  Could that bone be a clue from her husband’s disappearance decades before?

And now, with the artist deceased, how far will her longtime companion go to protect and hone the artist’s legacy in light of the new suspicions?

 

More psychological suspense than thriller, Hawkins delivers a dark and chilling tale of twisted truths.  The writing is taut and edgy creating an intense moodiness that kept me entranced. 

 

The richly drawn characters intrigued.  None were particularly likeable, but each was complex and deeply flawed and full of passion.  They felt agonizingly realistic, and I was fascinated by the way they propelled the storyline with sharp focus and nuance.

 

The real star of the narrative, however, is Enis, the Scottish tidal island only accessible twice a day for six hours each.  Once inhabited by the enigmatic artist at the center of the mystery, the island boasts a rugged landscape as beautiful as it is ominous. This place, regularly battered by the elements, holds tight to its secrets and breathes anguish and despair over the storyline.  In truth, the storyline becomes secondary to the atmosphere even as the mood enhances the plotting.   

 

At times, the layered plot felt a bit overwrought.  And yet, that density allowed a casualness to the unfolding which, in the end, amplified the harshness of the conclusion in a way that stunned and satisfied.  

 

I finished this atmospheric mystery just as the calendar turned to October, and for me, it set the perfect mood for the month ahead.  

Many thanks to my friends at @macmillan.audio for the free #gifted copy of this book. 

 

Short and sweet?  That’s not my usual go-to when it comes to reading.  I prefer to sink my teeth into something with substance.  So, color me surprised to find that Roth delivered a vividly depicted-- short and sweet-- novella that I could sink my teeth into and feel fully satisfied. 

 

There was no easing into this storyline.  Immediately, Roth placed us within this magical world and amongst the richly drawn characters.  I was easily captivated by the vivid storytelling and vibrantly painted imagery.  

 

The sinister underbelly of modern-day Chicago felt a fitting setting for this hidden world full of mythical monsters.  It also made the world building easily accessible for those, like me, not readily familiar with Slavic folklore.    

 

At times the storyline takes on an intensity full of violence and terror with mythical beings fighting for control and determined to dominate.  But there are also notes of tenderness as the unlikely partnership embraces connection and friendship.  

 

For me, When Among Crows was a lesson learned.  Apparently... less can be more sometimes.  

 

🎧 This was a binge listen for me!  Narrators Helen Laser, James Fouhey, and Tim Campbell had me in the palm of their hand perfectly depicting this tale and breathing life into the characters.  The amazing accents and proper word pronunciations are an added bonus.  A phenomenal listen!

Many thanks to my friends at @berkleypub for the free #gifted copy of this book.  #berkleypartner

 

“Evil never really goes away. It just searches for its next opportunity to spread and possess and steal all our light. It relocates.”

 

Dark. Unsettling.  Medina delivers another riveting thriller as he reclaims the narrative surrounding native burial grounds.  

 

Told in dual perspective and timeline, Medina returns us to the fictional Takoda tribe from his debut.  In the present day, we follow Noemi’s journey through grief after learning of her boyfriend’s apparent suicide.  In the past timeline decades before, we meet teenage Louie, struggling to make sense of a series of mysterious deaths tied to the legend of the Takoda vampire.   

 

Medina’s powerful storytelling kept me on edge and fully engaged.  The slower pace and strong character focus enhanced the unnerving plot and heightened the wisdom found within the themes.  

 

There was a satisfying dichotomy between the oppressive heat and humidity of the Louisiana summer and the chilling atmosphere of the reservation that loomed with terror.  The setting itself became a living entity that breathed dread and tension over the storyline.

 

But most haunting was the unflinching look at generational curses- like poverty, suicide, and alcoholism- that plague the Indigenous community.  With a seamless blending of horror and lore, Medina crafted a narrative that was as relatable as it is humanizing.  

 

Rich in Native American mythology, Medina delivers another winning Indigenous horror/thriller, proving he has a strong future in this genre.  I can’t wait to see what he does next!

 

Many thanks to my friends at @berkleypub and @prhaudio for the free #gifted copies of this book.  #berkleypartner

 

1901 Dundee, Scotland

Nikki’s only solace comes in the form of mail each Monday.  Dealing with unbearable grief, her husband’s absence as he serves on the warfront is deeply felt.  But life turns much bleaker after being kidnapped and thrown aboard one of her father’s whaling boats.  

 

2023 Skúmaskot, Iceland 

Dominique’s interest in the shipwrecked Orman takes her to the deserted fishing village for one last exploration before the ship is dredged out to sea to be properly sunk.  

 

What you’ll find:

⚓️Creepy atmosphere

⚓️Scottish folklore

⚓️Exploration of trauma and grief

⚓️Blend of historical fiction and horror

Early on, I found myself easily engaged with Nikki’s storyline as she walked the streets of Dundee, often reminiscing over times before her husband left for war.  Then suddenly, her storyline turned dark and volatile.  It was hard to read the torture she suffered even as it highlighted the patterns of harassment women have always faced.  

 

The modern-day storyline never quite captured my attention the way Nikki’s historical one did.  The inconsistencies and implausibility of the unfolding hindered my enjoyment even as the mystery began to reveal its closely held secrets.  

 

The author’s aspiration to explore trauma and grief through hauntings was ambitious and something I generally enjoy.  However, I found the storyline prohibited the true exploration of these themes in a meaningful way.  

 

🎧 I am easily enamored by the Scottish brogue.  And the narrator for this read, Lucy Goldie, has quite a lovely one.  But given the switches in timeline and POV, I found the audiobook difficult to follow. It was more enjoyable when partnered with my print copy, but I still found this read more accessible in print format.  

 

Many thanks to my friends at @berkleypub and @prhaudio for the free #gifted copies of this book.  #berkleypartner

 

Some stories, like Chung’s vibrant historical fiction debut, are so compelling and important they become etched into my being.  

 

When a mother and her daughters are abandoned by their family, they must flee the upheaval of the Communist Revolution in China on their own with no resources.   

 

With a seamless blend of fact and fiction, Chung breathed life into her own family’s history in a way that captivated.  The attention to every detail proved her careful concern and meticulous research, and the way the storytelling brimmed with raw emotion made it obvious that she poured her heart and soul into this work.  That personal touch made me feel as though I was experiencing the grueling ordeal alongside the characters and made the overcoming feel all the sweeter in the end.  

 

What a harrowing journey!  Hai, her mother, and female siblings faced grueling conditions as they were forced to immigrate to foreign lands.  Homelessness, famine, disease, torture... there seemed no end to the suffering.  And yet, these females proved determined and fierce, never losing sight of their fight for survival and hope for a better future.  

 

Truly, this novel is a testament to the strength of women, in particular Chinese women devalued from birth.  It’s also a tribute to the overwhelming love of a mother and her unwavering fight to break generational holds and forge a new path for her daughters and their future lineage.  

 

Though not a light read, the empowering message made it one I won’t soon forget.  An extraordinary debut that well honors Chung’s grandmother. 

 

➡️As is almost always true, the author’s note is not to be missed.  

 

🎧 I partnered the audiobook with my print copy, and narrator Yu-Lin Alice Shen made it a fully immersive experience.  Her narration amplified the voice of Hai and heightened the emotion in a way that enriched.  

 

 

 

Many thanks to my friends at @avidreaderpress and @simon.audio for the free #gifted copies of this book.  

Hysterical.  Unique.  Genre bending.  

What an original concept!  With engaging writing, I gave myself fully to this wholly unexpected storyline, and I was rewarded with a humorous and thought-provoking narrative that delighted.

My favorite part of the read was its motley group of quirky and diverse characters.  Fastidiously crafted and brilliantly layered, there was a richness to each.  They were so easy to love, and I was completely enthralled by them.  

Beyond the characterization, the way the author mixed (embellished) historical figures with completely fictional ones from the current time created an interesting dynamic- often funny but always provocative.  The number of times I laughed out loud!  This unique dichotomy fascinated me, and I found it to greatly enhance the overall plot.  It also made my heart swell as I watched them become an unlikely family unit.

At times, I felt as though I was missing vital information, particularly regarding the time travel, and wished for a bit more definition.  But even when I didn’t quite understand what was happening, I remained entertained and dedicated to the unfolding.  

Brimming with wit and altogether creative, this was a banger debut.  I’ll be eager to see what Bradley produces next.  

🎧 The British accent is one of my favorites, and I could listen to it all day.  So, the dual narration by George Weightman and Katie Leung delighted from the onset.  But also, they did a spectacular job of bringing to life the characters and storyline.  It was an all-around engaging performance. I’d recommend partnering the audio with the print for a full-fledged experience.  

 

 

Many thanks to my friends at @berkleypub and @prhaudio for the free #gifted copies of this book.  

 

When Christa’s father turns up out of the blue after going missing decades before, she is thrust out of her quietly satisfying life into a stress filled media frenzy.  

 

This premise and the fact that I adored the Bookish Life of Nina Hill had me eager to get my hands on this book.

 

One thing is certain:  Waxman has a way with zany characters!  Christa, a scientist that studies snails, was living her best solitary life amongst the marine life on a remote island.  (Introverts unite!)  So, it was no surprise that she was a completely and totally awkward character, particularly in social circumstances. Her thought process, sometimes noted in the footnotes, often had me in stitches. 

 

Brimming with family drama, the dysfunction in this family was oftentimes comical.  But occasionally the antics went beyond the realistic into the absurd.  Still, it kept the storyline interesting and juicy. 

 

The title is spot on for this read.  Christa’s growth throughout the book is its strengths.  With a focus on leaving the past behind, I appreciated the way Christa evolved into herself and found her voice.  And by the end, she had definitely come out of her shell.  

 

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill is my favorite read by Waxman.  But this book continues to show Waxman’s talent for writing warm storylines that entertain.  

 

🎧 With dual narration from Jesse Vilinsky and Jonathan Todd Ross, the audiobook was a treat to listen to.  Vilinsky’s portrayal of Christa felt genuine and vibrant, adding to the eccentricities written into her character. Vilinsky’s depiction was engaging and kept me fully tuned in to the story.  The “In the News” segments were adeptly portrayed by Jonathan Todd Ross, making them feel authentic to an actual broadcast.  (Watch out Lester Holt!)