Rachel's bookshelf: all en-US Fri, 13 Jun 2025 11:49:33 -0700 60 Rachel's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Don't Sleep with the Dead 211636065
On the eve of the second World War, however, Nick learns that someone's been watching him pretend and that memory goes both ways. When he sees a familiar face at a club one night, it quickly becomes clear that dead or not, damned or not, Jay Gatsby isn't done with him.

In all paper there is memory, and Nick's ghost has come home.]]> 96 Nghi Vo 1250362628 Rachel 0 currently-reading 3.44 2025 Don't Sleep with the Dead
author: Nghi Vo
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/13
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> The Vaster Wilds 62952130
A servant girl escapes from a colonial settlement in the wilderness. She carries nothing with her but her wits, a few possessions, and the spark of god that burns hot within her. What she finds in this terra incognita is beyond the limits of her imagination and will bend her belief in everything that her own civilization has taught her.

Lauren Groff’s new novel is at once a thrilling adventure story and a penetrating fable about trying to find a new way of living in a world succumbing to the churn of colonialism. The Vaster Wilds is a work of raw and prophetic power that tells the story of America in miniature, through one girl at a hinge point in history, to ask how—and if—we can adapt quickly enough to save ourselves.]]> 256 Lauren Groff 0593418395 Rachel 0 to-read 3.72 2016 The Vaster Wilds
author: Lauren Groff
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Maybe This Time 7831608
When Andie meets the two children she quickly realizes things are much worse than she feared. The place is a mess, the children, Carter and Alice, aren't your average delinquents, and the creepy old house where they live is being run by the worst housekeeper since Mrs. Danvers. What's worse, Andie's fiancé thinks this is all a plan by North to get Andie back, and he may be right. Andie's dreams have been haunted by North since she arrived at the old house. And that's not the only haunting.

What follows is a hilarious adventure in exorcism, including a self-doubting parapsychologist, an annoyed medium, her Tarot-card reading mother, an avenging ex-mother-in-law, and, of course, her jealous fiancé. And just when she thinks things couldn't get more complicated, North shows up on the doorstep making her wonder if maybe this time things could be different between them.

If Andie can just get rid of all the guests and ghosts, she's pretty sure she can save the kids, and herself, from the past. But fate might just have another thing in mind....]]> 342 Jennifer Crusie 0312303785 Rachel 4 3.73 2010 Maybe This Time
author: Jennifer Crusie
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/06/06
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Ghost of a Chance (The Nightwatch #1)]]> 51151737 They say the dead don’t speak. That’s a lie. They speak to Kat Justice, but most of the time, she chooses not to hear them.

I’m a Nightwatch agent, a nightblood charged with enforcing the supernatural laws. Humans can’t know the shit that goes bump in the night is real. It’s sweaty, tough work, with crappy pay, but I love it.

Things would be perfect if not for my secret.

Pureblood Nightbloods can’t see or hear the dead. The fact that I can exposes my mixed breeding. I’m not meant to exist, and if the council find out about my secret it’s the executioners block for me.

Keeping a lid on my ghost whisperer ability is a must.

So, when my gramps orders me to head to the arse end of nowhere, a nowhere that just happens to be the most haunted place on the bloody map, I’m a little confused.

This transfer doesn’t jive with trying to keep the ghost chat to a minimum.

But with my golem partner and gargoyle companion in tow, I’m sure I can figure out why I’ve been sent to this weird coastal town. I mean, they even have a ghost bar.

You’d think the local souls would be eager to chew my ear off, right? Wrong.

For the first time in forever, the dead aren’t talking.

Now I need to know why...

A kick ass Urban Fantasy Adventure filled with fey, demons, vampires, gargoyles and golems.]]> 250 Debbie Cassidy Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.09 2019 A Ghost of a Chance (The Nightwatch #1)
author: Debbie Cassidy
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/21
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[An Insidious Inheritance (Clara Dawson, #1)]]> 218411324 Some secrets refuse to stay buried�

Upstate NY, 1933. When Clara Dawson learns of her estranged father's death, she’s relieved to close that chapter of her life for good. But as his only child, Clara unexpectedly inherits Hollowfield House, a remote inn at the edge of a small town that she didn’t even know existed. Selling it could help her escape her mounting financial troubles, but first, she must confront the chilling mysteries that haunt its halls.

Arriving at Hollowfield, Clara is unnerved by eerie encounters that leave her questioning her sanity—a mysterious locket, an unsigned letter, and the apparition of a young woman who seems tied to the inn's dark history. As these unsettling incidents escalate, Clara begins to suspect that her father's death may not have been as straightforward as she was led to believe.

Her search for answers draws her into the tangled web of the inn’s haunted past, revealing a truth more sinister than she could have imagined. Someone—or something—is determined to keep the past buried, and they will stop at nothing to silence Clara before she uncovers the truth of Hollowfield House.

For readers who crave historical fiction with romantic tension and gothic suspense, An Insidious Inheritance is a mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page.]]> 280 Amelie West 1738771172 Rachel 0 4.06 An Insidious Inheritance (Clara Dawson, #1)
author: Amelie West
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.06
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2025/05/04
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Grey Wolf (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #19)]]> 204174589
Relentless phone calls interrupt the peace of a warm August morning in Three Pines. Though the tiny Québec village is impossible to find on any map, someone has managed to track down Armand Gamache, head of homicide at the Sûreté, as he sits with his wife in their back garden. Reine-Marie watches with increasing unease as her husband refuses to pick up, though he clearly knows who is on the other end. When he finally answers, his rage shatters the calm of their quiet Sunday morning.

That's only the first in a sequence of strange events that begin THE GREY WOLF, the nineteenth novel in Louise Penny's #1 New York Times-bestselling series. A missing coat, an intruder alarm, a note for Gamache reading "this might interest you", a puzzling scrap of paper with a mysterious list—and then a murder. All propel Chief Inspector Gamache and his team toward a terrible realization. Something much more sinister than any one murder or any one case is fast approaching.

Armand Gamache, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, his son-in-law and second in command, and Inspector Isabelle Lacoste can only trust each other, as old friends begin to act like enemies, and long-time enemies appear to be friends. Determined to track down the threat before it becomes a reality, their pursuit takes them across Québec and across borders. Their hunt grows increasingly desperate, even frantic, as the enormity of the creature they’re chasing becomes clear. If they fail the devastating consequences would reach into the largest of cities and the smallest of villages.

Including Three Pines.]]> 432 Louise Penny 1250328144 Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.41 2024 The Grey Wolf (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #19)
author: Louise Penny
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> The Girl in White 59531814 Sweet Molly once loved the sea
Sweet Molly lost Liam to the shadows
Now Sweet Molly is coming for ye �

Mallory hasn't quite adapted to life in her new town of Eastport yet. Maybe it's because everyone is obsessed with keeping the town's reputation as one of the most haunted places to visit.

And thanks to the nightmares she's had since arriving, Mallory is having a hard time sleeping. Combined with the unsettling sensation of being watched and losing chunks of time, she’s worried that maybe the ghost stories she’s been quick to dismiss might actually be real.

When Mallory has a terrifying encounter with the same old woman from her dreams, she's not sure what to do. With Eastport gearing up to celebrate the anniversary of their first recorded legend Mallory is forced to investigate the one legend she's always secretly been afraid of . . . Sweet Molly.]]> 240 Lindsay Currie 172823655X Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.07 2022 The Girl in White
author: Lindsay Currie
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Forever Odd (Odd Thomas, #2) 59026309 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Dean Koontz's Deeply Odd.
Ěý
I see dead people. But then, by God, I do something about it. Odd Thomas never asked for his special ability. He’s just an ordinary guy trying to live a quiet life in the small desert town of Pico Mundo. Yet he feels an obligation to do right by his otherworldly confidants, and that’s why he’s won hearts on both sides of the divide between life and death. But when a childhood friend disappears, Odd discovers something worse than a dead body and embarks on a heart-stopping battle of will and wits with an enemy of exceptional cunning. In the hours to come there can be no innocent bystanders, and every sacrifice can tip the balance between despair and hope.
Ěý
You’re invited on an unforgettable journey through a world of terror and transcendence to wonders beyond imagining. And you can have no better guide than Odd Thomas.]]> 354 Dean Koontz Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.27 2005 Forever Odd (Odd Thomas, #2)
author: Dean Koontz
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Searching (Dragons of New York #1)]]> 63030763
Dr. Ian Chen, a sorcerer bonded to a powerful relic, works for the government treating supernatural citizens. He insists on investigating when his patient’s body is discovered completely drained of blood. His search leads him to the beautiful but frustrating Ravenna Drake, who refuses to stay away from the case or follow his instructions.

As more bloodless bodies surface, threats from secret societies and corrupt politicians force the dragon and the sorcerer to work together. If Ravenna and Ian can’t catch the killer, the people they love the most may be the next to die.]]> 477 Rachel Graves 1735025046 Rachel 5 4.41 Searching (Dragons of New York #1)
author: Rachel Graves
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.41
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/16
date added: 2025/04/16
shelves:
review:

]]> Camp Lanier 214080303
That's what Taylor thinks as she starts working as a camp counselor for the summer. The jobs are broken down by offenses or a thinly veiled class system. Since Taylor goes to private school, she's deemed good enough to work around the kids and main staff but offenders like Liam and Mia, who are from the College Park area, have grounds duty, picking up trash and fixing minor issues. Everything is fine except the crying that only Taylor hears at night. Then there's that one camper that no one seems to know, who is always sitting by the lake. And we can't forget the Atlanta Ripper, running around the woods looking for another victim. All totally random things, right?

When Mia goes missing and the owner reports her as one of the many runaways they've had throughout the years, Taylor and Liam start to think that maybe these stories are real and that maybe they'll be next if they're not careful. Taylor and Liam team up to solve a mystery from the past and figure out why have kids been "running away" from Camp Lanier for the past 52 years in a story that's like Get Out meets Friday the 13th, based on the urban legend of Lake Lanier in Georgia.]]> 204 Sylvester Barzey Rachel 5 3.71 Camp Lanier
author: Sylvester Barzey
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.71
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/04/11
shelves:
review:
Brilliant, scary, and eye opening. A great read that goes fast. The historic note at the end is the scariest part. Well definitely read more from this author.
]]> A Proposal to Die For 216247735 A fast-paced, witty, and delightful new mystery about a marriage proposal planner whose biggest job yet is threatened by a dead body (or two).

Jessamine Bricker loves a plan. Contingency plans and pros-and-cons lists are her love language, and because of that, her proposal planning business is thriving. But with rent costs rising at her office building, Jess jumps at the chance to plan a proposal between her snobby high school classmate, Diana, and her very wealthy boyfriend, Trenton Tillard…the Fourth.


Roped into joining Diana’s ”pre-bridalâ€� retreat at the exclusive Golden Ash resort, Jess hopes to fade into the background, get some work done, and maybe find some time to unwind.ĚýTheir first day is anything but Diana is furious about the mountain spa’s lack of cell phone reception, the couple next door argues constantly, and Jess swears she just saw a drug deal go down. To top it all off, she’s warned to stay out of the woods by the gruff and sexy chef, Dean Osbourne. Is this a retreat or a horror movie?


As Jess tries to do her job while placating the bride-to-be and her increasingly over-the-top demands, she spends more and more time withĚýtheĚýresort owners, finding herself much more in tune with the laid-back Osbourne family than her social climbing “boss.â€� Between a meditation garden-related drowning and Jess’s discovery of a body in a sauna, it's clearĚýthatĚýdeadlyĚýsecrets abound at the Golden Ash. Now it’s up to Jess to unravel the mysteries here in the mountains—before all her plans are cancelled…permanently.]]> 349 Molly Harper 0593817338 Rachel 4 4.10 2025 A Proposal to Die For
author: Molly Harper
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/09
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves:
review:

]]> American Housewife 216541860 For a beloved television star in 1950s America, image and reality clash in an insightful novel about fame, marriage, and secrets by the international bestselling author of The Light After the War.

New York City, 1950. Dreams come true for radio personality Maggie Lane when she gets her big break in the exciting new world of television. The Maggie Lane Baking Show is on the air.

All she has to do is act like the ideal housewife, create sumptuous desserts, charm the show’s sponsors, and sign a morality clause to ensure that her girl-next-door image remains untarnished. Although newlywed Maggie has never baked so much as a cookie, and knows even less about maintaining a home, keeping up appearances is a necessary ingredient for success. Easy. She has a supportive husband and a legion of fans who can’t wait to know her better and better, week after week.

That’s what she’s afraid of. Off camera, cracks are showing in her marriage, an old lover makes an unexpected return, and there are secrets from the past that could ruin everything Maggie has worked for. With every dream on the line, Maggie wonders if she can still have it all when the truth about what it really means to be an American housewife comes to light.]]> 268 Anita Abriel 1662525524 Rachel 0 currently-reading 3.62 2025 American Housewife
author: Anita Abriel
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Artist of Blackberry Grange]]> 216541861 For a young caregiver in the Ozarks, an old house holds haunting memories in a ghostly novel about family secrets, sacrifice, and lost loves by the author of The Devil and Mrs. Davenport.

In the summer of 1925, the winds of change are particularly chilling for a young woman whose life has suddenly become unbalanced.

Devastated by her mother’s death and a cruel, broken engagement, Sadie Halloran learns that her great-aunt Marguerite, a renowned artist now in the throes of dementia, needs a live-in companion. Grasping at newfound purpose, Sadie leaves her desolate Kansas City boardinghouse for Blackberry Grange, Marguerite’s once-grand mansion sitting precariously atop an Arkansas bluff. Though Marguerite is a fading shell of the vibrant woman Sadie remembers, Marguerite is feverishly compelled to paint eerie, hallucinatory portraits of old lovers—some cherished, some regretted, and some beastly. All of them haunting.

With each passing night, time itself seems to shift with the shadows at Blackberry Grange. As truth and delusion begin to blur, Sadie must uncover the secrets that hold Marguerite captive to her past before reality—and Marguerite’s life—slips away entirely.]]> 327 Paulette Kennedy 1662524145 Rachel 4 4.14 2025 The Artist of Blackberry Grange
author: Paulette Kennedy
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/04
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Miss Percy's Pocket Guide to the Care and Feeding of British Dragons (Miss Percy Guide, #1)]]> 58613937
Ah, but we’ve already got ahead of ourselves�

Miss Mildred Percy is a spinster. She does not dance, she has long stopped dreaming, and she certainly does not have adventures. That is, until her great uncle has the audacity to leave her an inheritance, one that includes a dragon’s egg.

The egg - as eggs are wont to do - decides to hatch, and Miss Mildred Percy is suddenly thrust out of the role of “spinster and general wallflower� and into the unprecedented position of “spinster and keeper of dragons.�

But England has not seen a dragon since� well, ever. And now Mildred must contend with raising a dragon (that should not exist), kindling a romance (with a humble vicar), and embarking on an adventure she never thought could be hers for the taking.]]> 421 Quenby Olson Rachel 4 4.29 2021 Miss Percy's Pocket Guide to the Care and Feeding of British Dragons (Miss Percy Guide, #1)
author: Quenby Olson
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/21
date added: 2025/03/21
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Wolf Vs The Witch (The Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth, #4)]]> 223421550 "I can't open up. Don't you understand? I'm literally a box. If I open up to anyone, this whole world could be destroyed..."

My worst fear has come to pass. A vicious, sadistic witch has seen the darkness inside me, and he wants it for himself. Christopher Jupiter - the man responsible for the Great Suffocation, the reason why thousands and thousands of my people are dead - he saw the evils. And he wants them.

He's not a powerful witch, but he's smart. Too smart. He already knows what he needs to do to crack me open. Now, it's a deadly race against time to find the artefact he needs so I can destroy it.

But I can't do this by myself. How can I stop Christopher, if I can't even tell Romeo what is inside of me?

The Wolf Vs The Witch is book four in the Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth, a hot new Urban Fantasy series by bestselling author Lauretta Hignett.]]> 404 Lauretta Hignett Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.55 2025 The Wolf Vs The Witch (The Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth, #4)
author: Lauretta Hignett
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.55
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Gnome Sweet Gnome (Lawn Ornament Shifters, #2)]]> 63214101 As the brains behind Wilson Kinetic’s rocket to success, Tobias Underhill measures up in every way but height. He’s got money, connections, and any woman he wants. But he knows his success is hollow without someone to share it with.

Gnomes might not have fated mates, but when Tobias spies the gorgeous and fascinating Harriet Slade, he's sure that she's just the woman to make his house a home.

Owl shifter and jewel thief Harriet Slade doesn't bargain on meeting her mate at the holiday gala that she crashes, or getting caught with her hand in the cookie jar. But she's no prize to be won, and she's absolutely determined to be the one that got away.

Feathers fly in this fast-paced, hilarious, short shifter romance romp, with a sizzling happy ending and a lot of heart. An early draft of this book was previously published episodically in Vella.]]> 136 Elva Birch Rachel 5 4.37 Gnome Sweet Gnome (Lawn Ornament Shifters, #2)
author: Elva Birch
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.37
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/12
date added: 2025/03/12
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Maple Sugar and Magic (Crescent Moon Mysteries)]]> 221792110
Life's been a struggle recently for fifty-four-year-old witch Renee Zinn. But when she returns to her Vermont hometown for Thanksgiving, her everyday troubles are turned upside down by glowing sap, enchanted fireflies, and trees that refuse to lose their leaves.

Despite her sister's push to sell the family’s general store, Renee finds herself drawn back to Hemlock Hollow. But there's more to the old shop than meets the eye, as Renee soon discovers � in a whirlwind of magic, misadventure, singing wildlife, and endless cups of maple-infused everything.

A small town with endless secrets, strange phenomena, and forever friends�

This book is for you if you

� Mysteries set in magical New England towns

� Witches, talking animals, and maple-flavored mayhem

� The idea of a general store that's also a witchy supply shop

� Gentle magic woven into everyday life

� Whimsical world-building with a Vermont twist

� Paranormal women's fiction

� A midlife main character rediscovering her roots

� A big dose of humor and heart!



MAPLE SUGAR AND MAGIC is a spin-off novella to the Crescent Moon Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone. Enjoy with your favorite warm beverage and a cozy blanket…]]> 104 Tara Lush Rachel 3 4.59 Maple Sugar and Magic (Crescent Moon Mysteries)
author: Tara Lush
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.59
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/06
date added: 2025/03/06
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Pride and Premeditation (Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries, #3)]]> 44077911
Mina’s excited to attend the annual Argleton Jane Austen Experience at the stately Baddesley Hall. It’s just what she needs after all the recent murders � a whole weekend of dancing with Morrie, attending poetry readings with Quoth, and helping Heathcliff field marriage proposals from adoring fans.

But murder and intrigue follow Mina everywhere. When an eminent Austen scholar is run through with his own sword, Mina and her boys must solve the mystery before the killer claims another victim.

The Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries are what you get when all your book boyfriends come to life. New from USA Today bestselling author Steffanie Holmes, this book bursts with petticoats and plots, steamy scenes and scandalous liaisons, manners and mystery, magical books and time-traveling rooms, and a healthy dose of Jane Austen humor. Read on only if you believe one hot book hero isn’t enough!]]> 308 Steffanie Holmes 0995122237 Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.07 2019 Pride and Premeditation (Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries, #3)
author: Steffanie Holmes
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/02
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dead in the Frame: A Pentecost and Parker Mystery]]> 212810925 The most dramatic installment yet in the Nero Award-winning Pentecost and Parker series, as Will scrambles to solve a shocking murder before Lillian takes the fall for the crime.

NEW YORK CITY, 1947:ĚýWealthy financier and ghoulish connoisseur of crime, Jessup Quincannon, is dead, and famed detective Lillian Pentecost is under arrest for his murder. Means, motive, and a mountain of evidence leave everyone believing she's guilty. Everyone, that is, except Willowjean “Willâ€� Parker, who knows for a fact her boss is innocent. She just doesn’t know if she can prove it.

With Lillian locked away in the House of D–New York City’s infamous women’s prison–Will is left to root out the real killer. Was it a member of Quincannon’s murder-obsessed Black Museum Club? Maybe it was his jilted lover? Or his beautiful, certainly-sociopathic bodyguard? And what about the mob hit-man who just happened to disappear after the shots were fired?Ěý

With the city barreling toward the trial of the century, each day brings fresh headlines and hints of long-buried scandals from Lillian’s past. Will is desperate to get her boss out from behind bars before her reputation is destroyed. Because the House of D is no kind place, especially for a woman with multiple sclerosis. Or one with so many enemies. Her health failing and targeted by someone who wants her dead, Lillian needs to survive long enough to take the stand.Ěý

With time running out on both sides of the prison walls, Will and Lillian must wager everything to uncover who put their thumb on the scales and a bullet in Quincannon’s head. Before Lady Justice brings her sword down, ending Pentecost and Parker's adventures once and for all.]]> 367 Stephen Spotswood 0385550472 Rachel 5 4.43 Dead in the Frame: A Pentecost and Parker Mystery
author: Stephen Spotswood
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.43
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/22
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Cat Who Saved Books (The Cat Who..., #1)]]> 58726366 From the #1 bestselling author in Japan comes a celebration of books, cats, and the people who love them, infused with the heartwarming spirit of The Guest Cat and The Travelling Cat Chronicles.

Bookish high school student Rintaro Natsuki is about to close the secondhand bookstore he inherited from his beloved bookworm grandfather. Then, a talking cat appears with an unusual request. The feline asks for—or rather, demands—the teenager’s help in saving books with him. The world is full of lonely books left unread and unloved, and the cat and Rintaro must liberate them from their neglectful owners.

Their mission sends this odd couple on an amazing journey, where they enter different mazes to set books free. Through their travels, the cat and Rintaro meet a man who leaves his books to perish on a bookshelf, an unwitting book torturer who cuts the pages of books into snippets to help people speed read, and a publishing drone who only wants to create bestsellers. Their adventures culminate in one final, unforgettable challenge—the last maze that awaits leads Rintaro down a realm only the bravest dare enter . . .

An enthralling tale of books, first love, fantasy, and an unusual friendship with a talking cat, The Cat Who Saved Books is a story for those for whom books are so much more than words on paper.]]> 207 SĹŤsuke Natsukawa Rachel 5 3.95 2017 The Cat Who Saved Books (The Cat Who..., #1)
author: SĹŤsuke Natsukawa
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/16
date added: 2025/02/16
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Haunted Ever After (Boneyard Key, #1)]]> 202101521 It's love at first haunting in a seaside town that raises everyone’s spirits from USA Today bestselling author Jen DeLuca.

Small Florida coastal towns often find themselves scrambling for the tourism dollars that the Orlando theme parks leave behind. And within the town limits of Boneyard Key, the residents decided long ago to lean into its ghostliness. Nick Royer, owner of the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop, embraces the ghost tourism that keeps the local economy afloat, as well as his spectral roommate. At least he doesn’t have to run air-conditioning.

Cassie Rutherford possibly overreacted to all her friends getting married and having kids by leaving Orlando and buying a flipped historic cottage in Boneyard Key. Though there’s something unusual with her new home (her laptop won’t charge in any outlets, and the poetry magnets on her fridge definitely didn’t read “WRONG� and “MY HOUSE� when she put them up), she’s charmed by the colorful history surrounding her. And she's catching a certain vibe from the grumpy coffee shop owner whenever he slips her a free slice of banana bread along with her coffee order.

As Nick takes her on a ghost tour, sharing town gossip that tourists don't get to hear, and they spend nights side-by-side looking into the former owners of her haunted cottage, their connection solidifies into something very real and enticing. But Cassie's worried she’s in too deep with this whole (haunted) home ownership thing� and Nick's afraid to get too close in case Cassie gets scared away for good.]]> 352 Jen DeLuca 0593641221 Rachel 0 currently-reading 3.77 2024 Haunted Ever After (Boneyard Key, #1)
author: Jen DeLuca
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/09
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Angel of Vengeance (Pendergast, #22)]]> 201763310 Preston & Child continue their #1 bestselling series featuring FBI Special Agent Pendergast and Constance Greene, as they take a final stand against New York’s deadliest serial killer: Pendergast’s own ancestor…and Constance’s greatest enemy. Ěý

A desperate bargain is broken�

Constance Greene confronts Manhattan’s most dangerous serial killer, Enoch Leng, bartering for her sister's life � but she is betrayed and turned away empty-handed, incandescent with rage.

A clever trap is set�

Unknown to Leng, Pendergast’s brother, Diogenes, appears unexpectedly, offering to help � for mysterious reasons of his own. Disguised as a cleric, Diogenes establishes himself in New York's notorious Five Points slum, manipulating events like a chess master, watching Leng’s every move…and awaiting his own chance to strike.

A vengeful angel will not be deterred�

Meanwhile, as Pendergast focuses on saving the unstable Constance in her fanatical quest for vengeance, she strikes out on her own: to rescue her beloved siblings from a tragic fate and take savage retribution on Leng. But Leng is one step ahead and has a surprise for them all…]]> 416 Douglas Preston Rachel 3 4.52 2024 Angel of Vengeance (Pendergast, #22)
author: Douglas Preston
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/08
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[The Hawthorne Legacy (The Inheritance Games, #2)]]> 56442293
As the mystery grows and the plot thickens, Grayson and Jameson, the enigmatic and magnetic Hawthorne grandsons, continue to pull Avery in different directions. And there are threats lurking around every corner, as adversaries emerge who will stop at nothing to see Avery out of the picture - by any means necessary.]]> 369 Jennifer Lynn Barnes Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.23 2021 The Hawthorne Legacy (The Inheritance Games, #2)
author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/07
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Of Mice and Murder (Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries, #2)]]> 43692161 Join a brooding antihero, a master criminal, a cheeky raven, and a heroine with a big heart (and an even bigger book collection) in this hot new steamy reverse harem paranormal mystery series.When the local Banned Book Club lose their meeting room, Mina volunteers to host the group at Nevermore Bookshop (against Heathcliff’s muttered protests, of course). Little does she know this old biddies book club is about to turn murderous.First, someone poisons Mrs Scarlett, then members of the book club start dropping like flies. Who in the village will turn to murder just to stop people reading a few dusty old books? Mina’s got to figure it out quick, or her beloved teacher Mrs Ellis is next to die.Luckily, she’s got Moriarty, Heathcliff, and Quoth to help. That is, if she can figure out her feelings for her three fictional men before the magical bookshop is torn apart by sexual tension.They want her. She can’t choose.But maybe� she doesn’t have to.The Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries are what you get when all your book boyfriends come to life. New from USA Today bestselling author Steffanie Holmes. Read on only if you believe one hot book hero isn’t enough!]]> 266 Steffanie Holmes Rachel 4 4.08 2019 Of Mice and Murder (Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries, #2)
author: Steffanie Holmes
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/01
date added: 2025/02/01
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]]> <![CDATA[A Dead and Stormy Night (Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries, #1)]]> 43594238 Book boyfriends may do it better, but they're more trouble than they're worth.

After being fired from my dream fashion job, I return home to my village under a cloud of failure and take a job at the quaint Nevermore Bookshop. I'm hoping for an easy few months while I get my life together.

But this is no ordinary bookshop.

A mysterious curse on Nevermore brings infamous fictional villains from classic literature to life in the real world.

My "easy" job involves rescuing customers from a 6foot4, grumpy, tattooed Heathcliff, drinking tea and evading the authorities with sophisticated villain Moriarty, and making art with Edgar Allen Poe’s shy, cheeky, raven shifter, Quoth.

As if that isn’t crazy enough, my ex-best friend shows up dead with a knife in her back, and I’m the chief suspect. I’m going to have to Agatha Christie this shiz if I want to clear my name.

Oh, and those three fictional villains?

They like to share�

The Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries are what you get when all your book boyfriends come to life. Join a brooding antihero, a master criminal, a cheeky raven, and a heroine with a big heart (and an even bigger book collection) in this spicy cozy fantasy series by USA Today bestselling author Steffanie Holmes.

Love interests are famous villains from classic literatureMagical bookshopDisabled rep from a blind authorGrumpy/sunshine, they fall firstRaven shifterMysteries to solveMorally grey book boyfriendsKooky, spooky humor]]> 302 Steffanie Holmes 1991160461 Rachel 5 3.94 2019 A Dead and Stormy Night (Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries, #1)
author: Steffanie Holmes
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/27
date added: 2025/01/27
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review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fangs for Nothing (The Nevermore Murder Club and Smutty Book Coven 1)]]> 215963754 He’s a hot, grumpy, reclusive vampire, and the last thing he wants is an interfering human tidying his castle…until her.

Lord Alaric Valerian has a problem. His mother is visiting his castle for the first time, but she doesn’t know that Alaric has filled every room with his centuries of artistic passions and creative pursuits.

Desperate, he hires professional organiser Winnie Preston to help him tame the mess. But Alaric isn’t prepared for bubbly, passionate Winnie to show up at his castle and ram a metaphorical stake through his cold, vampire heart. Winnie sets his fangs on edge, but the more closely he works with her, the more he wishes she could be his.

So when Alaric’s mother arrives with a new bride-to-be in tow, Alaric convinces Winnie to pretend to be his fiance. He may be causing all kinds of scandal in the vampire court by being engaged to a human, but at least he doesn’t have to give up his reclusive life.

But Winnie still doesn’t know Alaric’s a vampire, and Alaric didn’t count on Winnie’s meddling book club pinning him for a mysterious murder in the village. Will their maybe-not-so-fake-marriage survive once Winnie discovers the monster that lurks beneath his fangs?

Fangs for Nothing is a kooky, spooky, vampire romance full to the cauldron-brim with fake dating, a meddling smutty book club, murder and mystery aplenty, endless cups of tea, quirky characters, and a broody vampire with an ass so fine, Geralt of Rivia comes to him for fitness tips.]]> 496 Steffanie Holmes 1991099762 Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.08 Fangs for Nothing (The Nevermore Murder Club and Smutty Book Coven 1)
author: Steffanie Holmes
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.08
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/24
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Wolf Vs The Shifter (The Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth, #3)]]> 221800731 The hunt begins�

I’ve been on lockdown in the Hidden City for weeks now. Everyone thinks I’m hiding from the Alpha because I disobeyed his orders one too many times. And, well� I have. He’s coming for me; I know that.

But he’s also coming for Myf, my mysterious agoraphobic pantry-dwelling Welsh friend, and I can’t let him take her. She’s hiding a dangerous secret � one I need her to share with me so I can protect her.

It might be too late. The Alpha is coming, and I’m not ready to face him.

And the worst part is, he’s not coming alone.

The Wolf Vs The Shifter is book three in the Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth, a hot new Urban Fantasy series by bestselling author Lauretta Hignett.]]> 263 Lauretta Hignett Rachel 5 4.60 2025 The Wolf Vs The Shifter (The Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth, #3)
author: Lauretta Hignett
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/19
date added: 2025/01/19
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]]> The God of the Woods 199698485 When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide

Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.

As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.]]> 490 Liz Moore Rachel 5 4.14 2024 The God of the Woods
author: Liz Moore
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/12
date added: 2025/01/12
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]]> <![CDATA[The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games, #1)]]> 52501482
Avery Grambs has a plan for a better survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why � or even who Tobias Hawthorne is.

To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch � and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a conwoman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.]]> 384 Jennifer Lynn Barnes 1368053246 Rachel 5 4.20 2020 The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games, #1)
author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/08
date added: 2025/01/08
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]]> <![CDATA[The Duke Who Didn't (Wedgeford Trials, #1)]]> 55012301
Except now he’s back. Jeremy Wentworth, the Duke of Lansing, has returned to the tiny village he once visited with the hope of wooing Chloe. In his defense, it took him years of attempting to be serious to realize that the endeavor was incompatible with his personality.

All he has to do is convince Chloe to make room for a mischievous trickster in her life, then disclose that in all the years they’ve known each other, he’s failed to mention his real name, his title� and the minor fact that he owns her entire village.

Only one thing can go wrong: Everything.]]> 352 Courtney Milan Rachel 0 currently-reading 3.90 2020 The Duke Who Didn't (Wedgeford Trials, #1)
author: Courtney Milan
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/07
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review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth, #1)]]> 38213103 355 N.K. Jemisin Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.39 2015 The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth, #1)
author: N.K. Jemisin
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/07
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]]> <![CDATA[Marriage & Masti (If Shakespeare Were an Auntie #3)]]> 202397287
Deepak Datta hasn’t had the best luck either. To secure enough board votes for the CEO position at his family's company, Illyria Media, he’s ready to marry board member and famous beauty influencer, Olivia Gupta. That is until he wakes up to a get ready with me video announcing their separation. Despite his immediate relief, Deepak needs to do something fast to repair his image.

After a series of convenient mishaps bring them together again—including a literal shipwreck, way too many drinks, and a sunset elopement on the beach—Deepak and Veera realize their accidental wedding might be the solution to their career aspirations. Together, they plot against the very company that ruined their lives in the first place.

As they try to convince the world their friendship was a ruse for romance they’ve felt all along, the line between fake and real begins to blur. Now Veera and Deepak must ask themselves the terrifying question that has haunted them since the first time they met: will love ruin everything?]]> 379 Nisha Sharma 0063001195 Rachel 5 4.08 2024 Marriage & Masti (If Shakespeare Were an Auntie #3)
author: Nisha Sharma
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/27
date added: 2024/12/27
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]]> <![CDATA[The Library of the Dead (Edinburgh Nights, #1)]]> 52205603
When a child goes missing in Edinburgh's darkest streets, young Ropa investigates. She'll need to call on Zimbabwean magic as well as her Scottish pragmatism to hunt down clues. But as shadows lengthen, will the hunter become the hunted?

When ghosts talk, she will listen...

Ropa dropped out of school to become a ghostalker. Now she speaks to Edinburgh's dead, carrying messages to the living. A girl's gotta earn a living, and it seems harmless enough. Until, that is, the dead whisper that someone's bewitching children--leaving them husks, empty of joy and life. It's on Ropa's patch, so she feels honor-bound to investigate. But what she learns will change her world.

She'll dice with death (not part of her life plan...), discovering an occult library and a taste for hidden magic. She'll also experience dark times. For Edinburgh hides a wealth of secrets, and Ropa's gonna hunt them all down.]]> 336 T.L. Huchu 1250767776 Rachel 0 currently-reading 3.82 2021 The Library of the Dead (Edinburgh Nights, #1)
author: T.L. Huchu
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/25
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Dating Dr. Dil 57144693
Hi! I’m Kareena Mann. As cheesy as it sounds, I’m looking for my soulmate. In four months. And he must gain the approval of my meddling aunties.

Kareena dreams of having a perfect love story like her parents did. That’s why on the morning of her thirtieth birthday, she’s decided to suit up and enter the dating arena. When her widowed father announces he’s retiring and selling their home after her sister’s engagement party, Kareena makes a deal with him. If she can find her soulmate by the date of the party, he’ll gift her the house, and she’ll be able to keep her mother’s legacy alive.

Hi, I’m Dr. Prem Verma, host of the Dr. Dil Show. Prem means love, Dil means heart, and I’m a cardiologist. Don’t let my name fool you. I only fix broken hearts in the literal sense.

Prem doesn’t have time for romance, which is why it’s no surprise when his first meeting with Kareena goes awry. Their second encounter is worse when their on-air debate about love goes viral. Now Prem’s largest community center donor is backing out because Prem's reputation as a heart-health expert is at risk. To get back in his donor’s good graces, he needs to fix his image fast, and dating Kareena is his only option.

Even though they have warring interests, the more time Prem spends with Kareena, the more he thinks she’s might actually be the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. In this Taming of the Shrew re-imagination, for Prem and Kareena to find their happily ever after, they must admit that hate has turned into fate.]]> 373 Nisha Sharma 006300111X Rachel 5 3.73 2022 Dating Dr. Dil
author: Nisha Sharma
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/25
date added: 2024/12/25
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]]> Episode Thirteen 61054281 From the macabre mind of Bram Stoker Award nominated author Craig DiLouie, Episode Thirteen is a heart pounding novel of horror and psychological suspense that takes a ghost hunting reality TV crew into a world they could never have imagined possible. A beautiful Russian doll of a story... Episode Thirteen hooks you, creeps you out, and then it overwhelms you. It's House of Leaves meets Haunting of Hill House, in all the best possible ways. -- Peter Clines, NYT bestselling author of The Broken Room Fade to Black is the newest hit ghost hunting reality TV show. Led by husband and wife team Matt and Claire Kirklin, it delivers weekly hauntings investigated by a dedicated team of ghost hunting experts. Episode Thirteen takes them to every ghost hunter's holy grail: the Paranormal Research Foundation. This brooding, derelict mansion holds secrets and clues about bizarre experiments that took place there in the 1970s. It's also famously haunted, and the team hopes their scientific techniques and high tech gear will prove it. But as the house begins to reveal itself to them, proof of an afterlife might not be everything Matt dreamed of. A story told in broken pieces, in tapes, journals, and correspondence, this is the story of Episode Thirteen -- and how everything went terribly, horribly wrong. An epistolary descent into a living nightmare . . . well-written and genuinely unsettling. Fans of paranormal documentaries, ghost-hunting shows, and found-footage horror will lose their minds over this one. - Kealan Patrick Burke, Bram Stoker Award winning author of Kin For more from Craig DiLouie, check out: The Children of Red Peak Our War One of Us]]> 467 Craig DiLouie 0316443204 Rachel 1 3.59 2023 Episode Thirteen
author: Craig DiLouie
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2023
rating: 1
read at: 2024/12/24
date added: 2024/12/24
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]]> Mexican Gothic 52873094
Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.

Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.

And NoemĂ­, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.]]> 304 Silvia Moreno-Garcia Rachel 3 3.76 2020 Mexican Gothic
author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/12/08
date added: 2024/12/18
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]]> <![CDATA[The Wolf vs Santa (The Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth, #2.5)]]> 222092163
This year, Santa’s on the naughty list.

It’s two days before Christmas, and the kids of the Hidden City have suddenly gone on a crime spree after writing their letters to Santa. Has the jolly red guy turned evil?

Or is it� the other guy?

Join Daphne, our wolfy sleuth, and Dwayne, the Lord of Chaos, as they solve the mystery of the Hidden City Evil Santa.

The Wolf vs Santa � A Little Christmas Mystery is a novella in the world of Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth, a hot new Urban Fantasy series by bestselling author Lauretta Hignett.]]> 97 Lauretta Hignett Rachel 5 4.67 2024 The Wolf vs Santa (The Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth, #2.5)
author: Lauretta Hignett
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.67
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/13
date added: 2024/12/13
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]]> The Forest Demands Its Due 60317294 A Lesson in Vengeance meets The Taking of Jake Livingston in this page-turning YA horror/fantasy set in dark academia about a queer Black teen who discovers the sinister history of his boarding school and the corrupt powers behind it all.

Regent Academy has a long and storied history in Winslow, Vermont, as does the forest that surrounds it. The school is known for molding teens into leaders, but its history is far more nefarious.

Seventeen-year-old Douglas Jones wants nothing to do with Regent's king-making; he's just trying to survive. But then a student is murdered and, for some reason, by the next day no one remembers him having ever existed, except for Douglas and the groundskeeper's son, Everett Everley. In his determination to uncover the truth, Douglas awakens a horror hidden within the forest, unearthing secrets that have been buried for centuries. A vengeful creature wants blood as payment for a debt more than 300 years in the making--or it will swallow all of Winslow in darkness.

And for the first time in his life, Douglas might have a chance to grasp the one thing he's always felt was power. But if he's not careful, he will find out that power has a tendency to corrupt absolutely everything.

A high-octane mystery of murder and magic for fans of Ace of Spades, House of Hollow, and Get Out!]]> 426 Kosoko Jackson Rachel 0 3.63 2023 The Forest Demands Its Due
author: Kosoko Jackson
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2024/12/11
date added: 2024/12/11
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]]> <![CDATA[Hunt the Dawn (Fatal Dreams Book 2)]]> 31428743
An explosive, romantic tale that's not for the faint of heartYou can't hide your secrets from Lathan Montgomery—he can read your darkest memories. And while his special abilities are invaluable in the FBI's hunt for a serial killer, he has no way to avoid the pain that brings him. Until he is drawn to courageous, down-on-her-luck Evanee Brown and finds himself able to offer her something he's never offered another human himself.

Nightmares are nothing new to Evanee Brown. But once she meets Lathan, they plummet into the realm of the macabre. Murder victims are reaching from beyond the grave to give Evanee evidence that could help Lathan bring a terrifying killer to justice. Together, they could forge an indomitable partnership to thwart violence, abuse, and death—if they survive the forces that seek to tear them apart.

Fatal Dreams Race the Darkness (Book 1) Hunt the Dawn (Book 2)Never Let Me Fall (Book 3)]]> 354 Abbie Roads 1492639214 Rachel 0 to-read 4.30 2016 Hunt the Dawn (Fatal Dreams Book 2)
author: Abbie Roads
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Dratsie Dilemma: The San Andreas Shifters]]> 218561380 A heartwarming urban fantasy from New York Times best selling author Gail Carriger about redemption, destiny, and the enduring strength of found family (and caffeine).

Once upon a time, Trick went up against the sea and lost. Badly. Or so he thought.

What the sea decides to keep, it keeps forever.

Trick is a dratsie shifter, a river otter. He is charming, loads of fun, and just a little bit slippery. He’s running from a past he can’t forget, and he’s landed unexpectedly in the chaotic comforting embrace of a small town cafe and the world’s queerest pack of werewolves.

Unfortunately, it turns out the past has also refused to forget Trick. It washes up on his doorstep and gets instantly tangled up in marine biology conferences, twelve mermaids thrift shopping, and specialty cappuccinos. That past is grumpy, sexy, and wearing a very sparkly tail. (Don’t you dare call him a fish.)

Trick was just starting to feel like it was all going to be okay. But sometimes the sea decides to spit up a merman who has been looking for Trick for over a decade. And Trick will have to decide whether he starts running all over again or faces up to heartbreak and the childhood best friend who betrayed him.

"Carriger manages to keep things fresh and progressive in not only the contemporary urban landscape but in the diversity, humor and warmth she uses to complement some of the weightier elements..." ~ The Novel Approach (The Sumage Solution)

"Carriger has created a world that’s uniquely her own in the shifter-verse that I thoroughly enjoy visiting and can’t wait to see what comes next." ~ Boy Meets Boy reviews (The Omega Objection)

This delightful gay shapeshifter series is perfect for fans of TJ Klune, Alexis Hall, or R Cooper. The San Andreas Shifter books stand alone and do not need to be read in any order, but if you’re a stickler, this book comes after The Enforcer Enigma (and newsletter exclusive short story Vixen Ecology).

Delicate Sensibilities?

This paranormal romance contains M/M sexy times, horrible puns regarding oceanography, and clumsy mermaids in high heels. If you get offended easily, then you probably will. The San Andreas Shifter stories include blue language, dirty deeds, and outright admiration for the San Francisco Bay Area. Not for the faint of heart (or mouth or tongue).


By G L Carriger
The San Andreas Shifter series (start with The Sumage Solution)

The 5th Gender

As Gail Carriger
The Tinkered Starsong series (start with Divinity 36)

Crudrat

The Finishing School series (start with Etiquette & Espionage)

The Delightfully Deadly stories

The Parasol Protectorate series (start with Soulless)

The Supernatural Society stories

The Custard Protocol series (start with Prudence)

The Claw & Courtship stories]]> 388 G.L. Carriger 1944751491 Rachel 5 4.44 The Dratsie Dilemma: The San Andreas Shifters
author: G.L. Carriger
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.44
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/01
date added: 2024/12/01
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]]> <![CDATA[The Wolf Vs The Warlock (Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth #2)]]> 220156628
My natural optimism has taken a serious beating lately. I’ve been working my butt off, drafting a series of outreach programs to help the poor, lost supe kids of the Hidden City before they fall through the cracks in our society and end up in our Otherworld Child Protective system. There’s one thing I desperately need, and that’s funding.

But there’s no money to be had. Nobody wants to invest in these kids; it’s enough to break your heart. The rejection letters are ruining my morning, and that’s before I slipped on the bloated corpse at the bottom of my step.

Things take a turn when I’m summoned to the Jupiter mansion to have tea with Mina, the matriarch of the Jupiter coven � my ex-boyfriend's mom. She’s offering me exactly what I need.

She's got a job for me. One that I'm not sure if I want to do anymore.

The Wolf Vs The Warlock is book two in the Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth, a hot new Urban Fantasy series by bestselling author Lauretta Hignett.]]> 314 Lauretta Hignett Rachel 4 4.61 2024 The Wolf Vs The Warlock (Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth #2)
author: Lauretta Hignett
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/30
date added: 2024/11/30
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]]> <![CDATA[The Wolf vs The Vampire (Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth #1)]]> 219321381 Everyone thinks I’m sweet and innocent� but I’m the one who ate the big bad wolf.

I’ve been searching for a place that feels like home my whole life, and I think I’ve found it. I’m in the big city, on a mission to save vulnerable supernatural kids � just like I used to be � in my new job as an Otherworld Child Protection caseworker.

Because after our magical apocalypse, there’s a lot of kids that need saving.

I just need to avoid Romeo Zarayan, the Lord of Shadows and heir to the Jupiter fortune.

He murdered my Aunt. One day, when I’m strong enough, I’ll get my revenge.

When one of my clients � Bonnie, a girl with strange-smelling blood � goes missing, the hunt takes me a little too close to the Warlock for comfort.

If I want to save Bonnie, I’ll have to set my quest for vengeance aside and work with him. But if I get the chance, I'll kill him.

If he doesn’t kill me first�

The Wolf Vs The Vampire is book one in the Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth, a hot new Urban Fantasy series by bestselling author Lauretta Hignett.


]]> 322 Lauretta Hignett Rachel 3 4.58 2024 The Wolf vs The Vampire (Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth #1)
author: Lauretta Hignett
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/30
date added: 2024/11/30
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]]> Weyward 57823095 I am a Weyward, and wild inside.

2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she begins to suspect that her great aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.

1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. As a girl, Altha’s mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against Altha, she knows it will take all of her powers to maintain her freedom.

1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family's grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.

Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.]]> 408 Emilia Hart Rachel 4 4.21 2023 Weyward
author: Emilia Hart
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/15
date added: 2024/11/15
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]]> <![CDATA[Axing at the Antique Store (Nightmare, Arizona #7)]]> 213682708

It’s never good when a banshee senses a death on the horizon. When that death coincides with the arrival of a frightening new supernatural creature in Nightmare, Arizona, everyone at Nightmare Sanctuary Haunted House is on high alert.




Olivia Kendrick and her friends just wanted to go shopping at the local antique store. Instead, they wind up embroiled in a murder investigation that hints at some sinister dealings in the old mining town. It seems like everyone had a reason to want the owner of the antique store dead.




While Olivia tracks down clues with the help of her growing conjuring skills, she also makes an important discovery about Damien Shackleford’s supernatural abilities. Will Olivia’s boss be able to use his powers to find his missing father, Baxter?




Before he can do that, though, Damien will have to keep Olivia safe when she becomes the target for a vengeful suspect�




Axing at the Antique Store is book seven in the Nightmare, Arizona paranormal cozy mystery series. This lighthearted series is about starting over, found family, and solving murders in a quirky old mining town with a secret supernatural community.]]> 214 Beth Dolgner 1958587192 Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.59 Axing at the Antique Store (Nightmare, Arizona #7)
author: Beth Dolgner
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.59
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/03
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Mortuary Manor (Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper, #21)]]> 211117331 to death!

Open now through Halloween, Mortuary Manor is a walk-through haunted house offering frights and fun for those seeking a serious scare. The dead have taken over this lunatic labyrinth of a funeral home that's absolutely guaranteed to make you scream! (No refunds.)

Don't forget to visit our ghoulish gift shop and supernatural snack stand, if you dare!

UPDATE: This attraction is temporarily closed. Rumors of strange disturbances and injuries to our valued customers and scare actors have been greatly exaggerated, but we've brought in local experts to help with the recent problems. We'll reopen as soon as possible, and we'll be thrilled to resume tormenting you with the most terrific terrors anywhere in the greater Savannah area.]]> 323 J.L. Bryan Rachel 5 4.56 Mortuary Manor (Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper, #21)
author: J.L. Bryan
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.56
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/27
date added: 2024/10/27
shelves:
review:

]]> Pike Island 195945934 From the bestselling author of Just Stay Away comes a haunting thriller about a rising politician whose shadowy past threatens to end his career—and his future shot at the presidency.

What happens at the cabin stays at the cabin. Right?

Andrew Harrison “Harry� Leonard is destined for politics. Getting his start on the Rochester City Council, he quickly rose to become the youngest representative in Congress. Now the up-and-comer from Minnesota is on the brink of something big. If all goes well, he’ll be in perfect position to aim for the presidency.

Then a postcard arrives, blank except for the name on the Andy Leonard. Harry hasn’t used that name since high school. Krista Walsh, Harry’s chief of staff, recognizes his old moniker, and when he dodges questions about it, she wonders what he’s trying to hide. She soon discovers the lake pictured on the postcard holds secrets too.

Krista’s investigation into Harry’s past uncovers the truth of what happened one fateful teenage summer. But as disturbing details come to light, how far will Krista go to keep Harry’s career—and her own—headed to the top?]]> 267 Tony Wirt 1662519885 Rachel 3 3.88 2024 Pike Island
author: Tony Wirt
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/27
date added: 2024/10/27
shelves:
review:

]]> Dragon Gods 220796862
Born in the slums, Sofia joined the resistance with a sole focus: find the lost dragons and eliminate the chief commander and kingdom that stole everything from her.

As a Dereyan soldier, Fox has never questioned his place in the kingdom. Every resistance fighter he kills brings him one step closer to avenging his brother’s death.

When their fates collide, they find themselves lost in the wilds where dark faeries hunt in the shadows and magic thrives. In a world where vengeance is the only currency, Sofia and Fox must decide if giving up on their hate is worth the price. And as they grapple with their own fates, darker things are brewing on the horizon.

Dead gods don’t stay buried.

Dragon Gods is an enthralling slow burn enemies-to-lovers romantic fantasy for fans of Spark of the Everflame and A Broken Blade. This book is for readers who love a true enemies to lovers stories with broken but determined heroes, sizzling romantic tension that burns bright but slowly, and stakes as high as the gods.Ěý]]> Kiersten Michele Rachel 0 to-read 4.43 2025 Dragon Gods
author: Kiersten Michele
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Tastes Like Shakkar 63291301
Bobbi Kaur is determined to plan a celebration to remember for her best friend’s wedding. But she has two problems that are getting in her

1.ĚýThe egotistical, and irritatingly sexy, chef Benjamin “Buntyâ€� Padda is supposed to help her with the menu since he’s the groom’s best friend, and

2.ĚýSomeone is trying to sabotage the wedding.

With aspirations of taking over her family’s event planning business, Bobbi knows that one misstep in managing the Kareena Mann and Prem Verma (#Vermann) party, along with the other weddings on her plate, will only give her uncle another reason not to promote her. That means Kareena’s big day and Bobbi's future career are on the line.

Bunty will do anything for his best friend, even though he has his hands full in finding a new location for his next restaurant while also playing mediator between his brother and father, the celebrated Naan King. When Prem asks Bunty to help with the wedding menu, he agrees, especially since it puts him in close proximity to the delicious Bobbi Kaur. When a mystery shaadi saboteur starts leaving threatening notes, and cancelling cake orders, Bunty and Bobbi have no choice but to call a truce and face the volatile attraction they have for each other.

Through masquerade fundraisers and a joint bachelor-bachelorette trip to Vegas, this chef and wedding planner explore their growing connection all while trying to plan a wedding at Messina Vineyards in a time crunch. But once the shaadi saboteur is caught and the wedding is over, will their love story have a happily ever after?

With the return of the meddling aunties (who are scary good at finding information) and a lot of hilarity and hijinks, Bobbi and Bunty’s romance is an event you don’t want to miss.]]> 350 Nisha Sharma Rachel 3 3.99 2023 Tastes Like Shakkar
author: Nisha Sharma
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/18
date added: 2024/10/18
shelves:
review:

]]> The New Couple in 5B 126058992 A couple inherits an apartment with a spine-tingling past in this binge-worthy thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six.

Rosie and Chad Lowan are barely making ends meet in New York City when they receive life-changing news: Chad’s late uncle has left them his luxury apartment at the historic Windermere in glamorous Murray Hill. With its prewar elegance and impeccably uniformed doorman, the building is the epitome of old New York charm. One would almost never suspect the dark history lurking behind its perfectly maintained facade.

At first, the building and its eclectic tenants couldn’t feel more welcoming. But as the Lowans settle into their new home, Rosie starts to suspect that there’s more to the Windermere than meets the eye. Why is the doorman ever-present? Why are there cameras everywhere? And why have so many gruesome crimes occurred there throughout the years? When one of the neighbors turns up dead, Rosie must get to the truth about the Windermere before she, too, falls under its dangerous spell.]]> 406 Lisa Unger Rachel 4 3.92 2024 The New Couple in 5B
author: Lisa Unger
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/17
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Ruse of Shadows (Lady Sherlock, #8)]]> 199212571 Charlotte Holmes is accustomed to solving crimes, not being accused of them, but she finds herself in a dreadfully precarious position as the bestselling Lady Sherlock series continues.

Charlotte’s success on the RMS Provence has afforded her a certain measure of time and assurance. Taking advantage of that, she has been busy, plotting to prise the man her sister loves from Moriarty’s iron grip.

Disruption, however, comes from an unexpected quarter. Lord Bancroft Ashburton, disgraced and imprisoned as a result of Charlotte’s prior investigations, nevertheless manages to press Charlotte into service: Underwood, his most loyal henchman, is missing and Lord Bancroft wants Charlotte to find Underwood, dead or alive.

But then Lord Bancroft himself turns up dead and Charlotte, more than anyone else, meets the trifecta criteria of motive, means, and opportunity. Never mind rescuing anyone else, with the law breathing down her neck, can Charlotte save herself from prosecution for murder?]]> 368 Sherry Thomas 0593640446 Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.31 2024 A Ruse of Shadows (Lady Sherlock, #8)
author: Sherry Thomas
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/04
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Such Charming Liars 201381778 The newest mystery from the author One of Us Is Lying, the Queen of thrillers, Karen M. McManus! When mother-daughter grifters set out on their final job, the heist gets deadly and dangerously personal.

For all of Kat’s life, it’s just been her and her mother, Jamie—except for the forty-eight hours when Jamie was married and Kat had a stepbrother, Liam. That all ended in an epic divorce, and Kat and Liam haven’t spoken since.

Now Jamie is a jewel thief trying to go straight, but she has one last job—at billionaire Ross Sutherland’s birthday party. And Kat has figured out a way to tag along. What Kat doesn’t know, though, is that there are two surprise guests at the dazzling Sutherland compound that weekend. The last two people she wants to run into. Liam and his father—a serial scammer who has his sights set on Ross Sutherland’s youngest daughter.

Kat and Liam are on a collision course to disaster, and when a Sutherland dies, they realize they might actually be in the killer’s crosshairs themselves. Somehow Kat and Liam are the new targets, and they can’t trust anyone—except each other.

Or can they? Because if there’s one thing both Kat and Liam know, it’s how to lie. They learned from the best.]]> 400 Karen M. McManus 0593485076 Rachel 5 3.84 2024 Such Charming Liars
author: Karen M. McManus
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/08
date added: 2024/09/08
shelves:
review:

]]> Bad Reputation 204222579 In this whip-smart workplace romance from the author of Chick Magnet, a former teen star and an accidental intimacy coordinator have a plan to fix their images—and falling in love would ruin everything.

Cole James’s reputation as Hollywood’s favorite himbo no longer suits him. His fans can’t separate the real man from the character he played on a soapy teen drama decades ago. But that’s going to change with Waverley, the hit streaming historical romance series.

Maggie Niven hates her own notoriety. Fired for directing a divisive play, Maggie takes her fight against censorship public. When Hollywood comes calling, she becomes the new intimacy coordinator for Waverley. But it’s harder than she imagined to focus on the job.

Cole isn’t what she expected—and Maggie is more than he dreamed of. As filming gets underway, the cast’s old traumas lead to real intimacy, and Cole and Maggie struggle with feelings they shouldn’t have. Having an affair on set could destroy his comeback and her new career.

The show must go on. But if Cole and Maggie want a happy ending, they’ll have to start doing things their own way.]]> 316 Emma Barry 1662520840 Rachel 0 currently-reading 3.56 2024 Bad Reputation
author: Emma Barry
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/08
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> When No One Is Watching 51202607
Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but the neighborhood she loves is being erased before her very eyes. FOR SALE signs are popping up everywhere, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To preserve the past, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour: “Displaced: A People’s History of Brooklyn,� and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block � her neighbor Theo.

But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the suburbs after all, and the efforts to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised.

When does coincidence become conspiracy? Where do people go when gentrification pushes them out? Can Sydney and Theo trust each other � or themselves � long enough to find out, before they too disappear � permanently?]]> 364 Alyssa Cole Rachel 0 currently-reading 3.67 2020 When No One Is Watching
author: Alyssa Cole
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/08
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life]]> 8117684 "A warm, generous and hilarious guide through the writer's world and its treacherous swamps." �Los Angeles Times

Advice on writing and on life from an acclaimed bestselling

Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he'd had three months to write. It was due the next day. We were out at ourĚýĚýfamily cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother's shoulder, and said, 'Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.']]> 272 Anne Lamott 0307424987 Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.35 1994 Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
author: Anne Lamott
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.35
book published: 1994
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/27
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Lavender House 57568015 A "Best Of" Book Amazon * Buzzfeed * Rainbow Reading * Library Journal * CrimeReads * BookPage * Book Riot * Autostraddle

A delicious story from a new voice in suspense, Lev AC Rosen's Lavender House is Knives Out with a queer historical twist.

Lavender House, 1952: the family seat of recently deceased matriarch Irene Lamontaine, head of the famous Lamontaine soap empire. Irene’s recipes for her signature scents are a well guarded secret—but it's not the only one behind these gates. This estate offers a unique freedom, where none of the residents or staff hide who they are. But to keep their secret, they've needed to keep others out. And now they're worried they're keeping a murderer in.

Irene’s widow hires Evander Mills to uncover the truth behind her mysterious death. Andy, recently fired from the San Francisco police after being caught in a raid on a gay bar, is happy to accept—his calendar is wide open. And his secret is the kind of secret the Lamontaines understand.

Andy had never imagined a world like Lavender House. He's seduced by the safety and freedom found behind its gates, where a queer family lives honestly and openly. But that honesty doesn't extend to everything, and he quickly finds himself a pawn in a family game of old money, subterfuge, and jealousy—and Irene’s death is only the beginning.

When your existence is a crime, everything you do is criminal, and the gates of Lavender House can’t lock out the real world forever. Running a soap empire can be a dirty business.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.]]> 256 Lev A.C. Rosen Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.05 2022 Lavender House
author: Lev A.C. Rosen
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/22
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Just Stab Me Now 195500935
Caroline Lindley is determined that her new romance novel will be her best one yet. Fantasy! Formal gowns! Fencing! And, of course, a twentysomething heroine to star in an enemies-to-lovers plot with all of Caroline’s favourite tropes.

But Lady Rosamund Hawkhurst is a thirty-six-year-old widow with two children, her sole focus is facilitating a peace treaty between her adopted nation and her homeland, and she flatly refuses to take the correct approach to there being Only One Bed.

What’s an author to do?

Based on her popular Fantasy Heroine YouTube Shorts series, Jill Bearup’s debut novel brings us the best of worlds both meta and medieval-inspired. Terry Pratchett aficionados will enjoy the political intrigue paired with convivial, tongue-in-cheek satire. And then there's the slow-burn, fade-to-black romance too . . .

If you loved Stranger Than Fiction and The Princess Bride, you will soon find yourself cheering on enemies-to-BFFs Rosamund and Caroline as together they learn what it means to be the hero of your own story.]]> 309 Jill Bearup Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.28 2024 Just Stab Me Now
author: Jill Bearup
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/18
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> One of Us Knows 56197501 From the critically acclaimed and New York Times bestselling author of When No One Is Watching comes a riveting thriller about the new caretaker of a historic estate who finds herself trapped on an island with a murderer—and the ghosts of her past.

Years after a breakdown and a diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder derailed her historical preservationist career, Kenetria Nash and her alters have been given a second chance they can’t refuse: a position as resident caretaker of a historic home. Having been dormant for years, Ken has no idea what led them to this isolated Hudson River island, but she’s determined not to ruin their opportunity.

Then a surprise visit from the home’s conservation trust just as a Nor’easter bears down on the island disrupts her newfound life, leaving Ken trapped with a group of possibly dangerous strangers—including the man who brought her life tumbling down years earlier. When he turns up dead, Ken is the prime suspect.

Caught in a web of secrets and in a race against time, Ken and her alters must band together to prove their innocence and discover the truth of Kavanaugh Island—and their own past—or they risk losing not only their future, but their life.]]> 352 Alyssa Cole 006311495X Rachel 3 3.09 2024 One of Us Knows
author: Alyssa Cole
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.09
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/08/08
date added: 2024/08/13
shelves:
review:

]]> Remarkably Bright Creatures 59710157 For fans of A Man Called Ove, a charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus

After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.

Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.]]> 362 Shelby Van Pelt 0063204177 Rachel 5 4.51 2022 Remarkably Bright Creatures
author: Shelby Van Pelt
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.51
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/09
date added: 2024/08/11
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Bollywood Bride (Bollywood, #2)]]> 18938929
Ria and Vikram spent childhood summers together, a world away from Ria's exclusive boarding school in Mumbai. Their friendship grew seamlessly into love--until Ria made a shattering decision. As far as Vikram is concerned, Ria sold her soul for stardom and it's taken him years to rebuild his life. But beneath his pent-up anger, their bond remains unchanged. And now, among those who know her best, Ria may find the courage to face the secrets she's been guarding for everyone else's benefit--and a chance to stop acting and start living.

Rich with details of modern Indian-American life, here is a warm, sexy, and witty story of love, family, and the difficult choices that arise in the name of both.]]> 304 Sonali Dev 1617730157 Rachel 0 did-not-finish 3.54 The Bollywood Bride (Bollywood, #2)
author: Sonali Dev
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.54
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: did-not-finish
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Clawing at the Corral (Nightmare, Arizona #6)]]> 208552214
Olivia Kendrick has dĂ©jĂ  vu. The star of Nightmare’s popular Wild West Stunt Show is found dead after a heated argument, and it looks like an animal attack. Olivia knows better, though. The scene is eerily similar to the first murder she ever investigated in Nightmare.Ěý

There’s a young new stunt rider eager to take over the starring role, but he’s not the only one with a motive for murder. As clues mount about money problems, old grudges, and unbridled ambition, the suspect list only gets longer.Ěý

To make things worse, someone from Olivia’s past unexpectedly shows up in Nightmare, and he’s one of the suspects. The newcomer throws Olivia’s boss, Damien Shackleford, into a psychic crisis. Can Olivia help him control his power before someone gets hurt?

Clawing at the Corral is book six in the Nightmare, Arizona paranormal cozy mystery series. This lighthearted series is about starting over, found family, and solving murders in a quirky old mining town with a secret supernatural community.]]> 214 Beth Dolgner 1958587176 Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.61 2024 Clawing at the Corral (Nightmare, Arizona #6)
author: Beth Dolgner
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Peace, Blood, and Understanding (Half-Moon Hollow, #7)]]> 44150256 The “enchanting� (Publishers Weekly) Jane Jameson series returns with this fun and witty paranormal romance following a vampire consultant who has nefarious plans to oust Jane from her role as the head of Half-Moon Hollow’s vampire council.

Ever since Jane Jameson took over running the Vampire Council for Half-Moon Hollow, things have been a little unorthodox and that doesn’t sit well with the head office. Who would have thought vampires were so into bureaucracy and tradition?

Enter a vamp from corporate who’s determined to unseat Jane and get the council back on track—which means no more of this Kentucky neighborliness and mixing with humans, werewolves, witches, or anything else.

But Jane’s not interested in going back to the bad old days when the council was mired in corruption and tended to “accidentally� eat people now and again, but she might be in over her head this time. Good thing there’s a pretty new face in town who just might be the perfect distraction and help save Jane’s career.]]> 204 Molly Harper 150115138X Rachel 3 4.16 2019 Peace, Blood, and Understanding (Half-Moon Hollow, #7)
author: Molly Harper
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2020/06/27
date added: 2024/08/05
shelves:
review:

]]> One of Us Knows 59811267 From the critically acclaimed and New York Times bestselling author of When No One Is Watching comes a riveting thriller about the new caretaker of a historic estate who finds herself trapped on an island with a murderer--and the ghosts of her past.

Years after a breakdown and a diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder derailed her historical preservationist career, Kenetria Nash and her alters have been given a second chance they can't refuse: a position as resident caretaker of a historic home. Having been dormant for years, Ken has no idea what led them to this isolated Hudson River island, but she's determined not to ruin their opportunity.

Then a surprise visit from the home's conservation trust just as a Nor'easter bears down on the island disrupts her newfound life, leaving Ken trapped with a group of possibly dangerous strangers--including the man who brought her life tumbling down years earlier. When he turns up dead, Ken is the prime suspect.

Caught in a web of secrets and in a race against time, Ken and her alters must band together to prove their innocence and discover the truth of Kavanaugh Island--and their own past--or they risk losing not only their future, but their life.]]> 344 Alyssa Cole 0063114968 Rachel 0 currently-reading 3.29 2024 One of Us Knows
author: Alyssa Cole
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.29
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/02
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Blood at the Root 198701013
Ten years ago,ĚýMalik's life changed forever the night his mother mysteriously vanished and he discovered he had uncontrollable powers. Since then, he has kept his abilities hidden, looking out for himself and his younger foster brother, Taye. Now, at 17, MalikĚýis finally ready to start a new life for both of them, far from the trauma of his past. However, a daring act to rescue Taye reveals an unexpected connection with his long-lost a legendary conjurer with ties to a hidden magical university thatĚýMalik’s mother attended.

At Caiman University, Malik’s eyes are opened to a future he never could have envisionedĚýfor himselfâ€� one that includes the reappearance of his first love, Alexis. His search for answers about his heritage, his powers, and what really happened to his mother exposes the cracks in their magical community as it faces a reawakened evil dating back to the Haitian Revolution. Together with Alexis, Malik discovers a lot beneath the surface at feuding covens and magical politics, forbidden knowledge and buried mysteries.Ěý

In a wholly unique saga of family, history and community, Malik must embrace his legacy to save what's left of his old family as well as his new one. Exploring the roots and secrets that connect us in an unforgettable contemporary setting, thisĚýheart-pounding fantasy series opener is a rich tapestry of atmosphere, intrigue, and emotion.]]> 421 LaDarrion Williams 0593711955 Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.23 2024 Blood at the Root
author: LaDarrion Williams
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/02
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dispelled (A Null for Hire, #1)]]> 32601795
I don’t let it bother me. Much.

My name is Holly James, and what they say is true. I’m a freak of nature—a null. My mere presence zaps the magic from Others, rendering them powerless. That’s why they hate me. But here’s the kicker: I’ve found a way to profit from my lack of mojo.

Whether it’s acting as a mystical wet blanket in a dispute between pyromancers or keeping hormonal shifters from changing during a sweet sixteen party, I provide a highly specialized service. For a hefty fee.

When a young witch turns up dead, clutching an amulet cursed with black magic, my estranged grandfather asks for my help. In return for nullifying the necklace, Gramps promises to find my missing mother—a witch who vanished after my birth. Of course there’s a catch. He wants me to assist Cade McAllister, the arrogant sorcerer in charge of investigating the case.

Cade resents my existence, let alone my attempts to help. Still, I’ll do whatever it takes to find my mom. For my own peace of mind I have to know what happened to her, and I won’t allow anything to get in my way. Not even this crazy, irrational longing I feel for a hot sorcerer with the sexiest scowl I’ve ever seen.

]]> 265 Terri L. Austin 1946066001 Rachel 0 3.74 2016 Dispelled (A Null for Hire, #1)
author: Terri L. Austin
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at: 2017/05/14
date added: 2024/07/29
shelves:
review:

]]> The House on Biscayne Bay 186847211 As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s atmospheric new novel.

With the Great War finally behind them, thousands of civilians and business moguls alike flock to South Florida with their sights set on making a fortune. When wealthy industrialist Robert Barnes and his wife, Anna, build Marbrisa, a glamorous estate on Biscayne Bay, they become the toast of the newly burgeoning society. Anna and Robert appear to have it all, but in a town like Miami, appearances can be deceiving, and one scandal can change everything.

Years later following the tragic death of her parents in Havana, Carmen Acosta journeys to Marbrisa, the grand home of her estranged older sister, Carolina, and her husband, Asher Wyatt. On the surface, the gilded estate looks like paradise, but Carmen quickly learns that nothing at Marbrisa is as it seems. The house has a treacherous legacy, and Carmen’s own life is soon in jeopardy . . . unless she can unravel the secrets buried beneath the mansion’s facade and stop history from repeating itself.]]> 336 Chanel Cleeton Rachel 3 3.88 2024 The House on Biscayne Bay
author: Chanel Cleeton
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/14
date added: 2024/07/14
shelves:
review:

]]> The Monsters We Defy 60376516
In the summer of 1925, along Washington, DC’s “Black Broadway�, a malevolent entity has begun preying on Negro residents. Twenty-three-year-old Clara Johnson is determined to discover what’s going on in her community. Using her natural ability to talk with spirits, she begins to investigate, but a powerful spirit tasks her with a difficult quest: steal an ancient, magical ring from the finger of a wealthy socialite.

When Clara meets Israel Lee, a supernaturally enhanced jazz musician also vying for the ring, the two decide to work together. They put together an unlikely team including a former circus freak, a pickpocketing Pullman Porter, and an aging vaudeville actor to pull off an impossible heist.

But a dangerous spirit interferes at every turn and conflict in the spirit world is leaking out into the human world. With different agendas, even if Clara and Israel pull off the heist, only one of them can truly win.]]> 349 Leslye Penelope 031637802X Rachel 0 4.10 2022 The Monsters We Defy
author: Leslye Penelope
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2024/07/13
date added: 2024/07/13
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[Brimstone Burglar (Riley Cruz, #2)]]> 199408353
I’m about to go from scrounging up enough tip money to make rent to pulling six figures. I’ll finally put those years stealing for my old alpha to good use. Only this time, I’ll be the one calling the shots. My crew. My way.

When a witch starts dabbling in forbidden magic, the Enclave sends me after the demon artifact fueling her power. The job should be simple, except they can’t point me to the culprit or tell me what I’m after.

To make matters worse, they’ve teamed me up with the alpha tracking the witch. Max Volkov was supposed to be my no-strings-attached one-night stand, not my partner. He likes making the rules almost as much as I like breaking them. To get this job done though, we’ll have to work together.

With vampires after my prize, an old enemy gunning for me, and someone trying to take out my crew, I need to find that artifact fast. Something tells me it’s going to take a lot more than a fancy new job title and the Enclave’s backing to keep us all alive.

Brimstone Burglar is the second book in the Riley Cruz series. If you like fun, fast-paced urban fantasy with quirky characters and a dose of slow-burn romance, this is the book for you.]]> 260 L.A. McBride 1957445149 Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.48 2024 Brimstone Burglar (Riley Cruz, #2)
author: L.A. McBride
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/07
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet (The Secret Life of Mary Bennet, #1)]]> 54571610 In Jane Austen’s revered Pride and Prejudice, Mary, the middle sister, is often passed over. Until now�

Upon the death of her father, Mary Bennet’s life is thrown into turmoil. With no fortune or marriage prospects, Mary must rely on the kindness of her relatives. When a mysterious late-night visit by an unknown relative—a Lady Trafford from Castle Durrington—leads to an extended stay and the chance for an education, Mary gratefully accepts the opportunity.

But even as she arrives at the castle, she’s faced with one mystery after another. Who is Lady Trafford really and what is she hiding? Do her secrets and manipulations place the small seaside community at risk of an invasion by Napoleon Bonaparte? Always curious, Mary sets out to discover the truth. But when she discovers the dead body of a would-be thief she outed prior to her father’s funeral, Mary jeopardizes her position at the castle and her family’s good name in her quest for the truth.

Never underestimate the observation skills of a woman who hides in the background.]]> 344 Katherine Cowley Rachel 3 4.05 2021 The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet (The Secret Life of Mary Bennet, #1)
author: Katherine Cowley
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/04
date added: 2024/07/04
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]]> <![CDATA[The Gentleman's Gambit (A League of Extraordinary Women, #4)]]> 74045822 Una joven que sueña con ser escritora; un extraño atractivo que no busca lo que parece. Un amor improbable que tal vez no lo sea tanto. Catriona Campbell, la tímida y obstinada hija de un noble escocés devenido profesor en Oxford, quiere ser escritora. Sin embargo, sufre un bloqueo creativo que no le permite seguir adelante. Atrapada en Applecross, la ruinosa hacienda escocesa de su padre, este le pide que acompañe a su atractivo visitante, Elías Khoury, a Oxford, para la catalogación de una serie de objetos antiguos.

Elías no tiene intención alguna de catalogar lo que de verdad quiere es que esa colección de antigüedades regrese de donde vino, a su Líbano natal. Cuando Catriona descubre su plan, lo apoya ampliamente y se ofrece a ayudarlo� siempre y cuando dicha ayuda no se interponga en sus planes y los de sus amigas sufragistas para lograr que el Parlamento acepte sus postulados. Poco a poco, se irán acercando, pero ¿cómo atraer a una joven que desconfía del amor?]]> 429 Evie Dunmore Rachel 0 currently-reading 3.78 2023 The Gentleman's Gambit (A League of Extraordinary Women, #4)
author: Evie Dunmore
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/03
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Savage Daemons (The Waif in the Wilds #4)]]> 205123729
A Lightbringer has crept into our realm, slithering in before the deadline, with brand-new sinister plans. Chloe must face her past, her deepest fears, and survive a trek through the darkest depths of all the realms to get her true love back.

And Dwayne ... well, let's not spoil his story. Although the "King of Chaos" has a nice ring to it.]]> 266 Lauretta Hignett Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.32 2024 Savage Daemons (The Waif in the Wilds #4)
author: Lauretta Hignett
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/30
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Winter Lost (Mercy Thompson, #14; Mercy Thompson World, #20)]]> 201182779 Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, must stop a disaster of world-shattering proportions in this exhilarating entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

In the supernatural realms, there are creatures who belong to winter. I am not one of them. But like the coyote I can become at will, I am adaptable.

My name is Mercy Thompson Hauptman, and my mate, Adam, is the werewolf who leads the Columbia Basin Pack, the pack charged with keeping the people who live and work in the Tri-Cities of Washington State safe. It’s a hard job, and it doesn’t leave much room for side quests. Which is why when I needed to travel to Montana to help my brother, I intended to go by myself.

But I’m not alone anymore.

Together, Adam and I find ourselves trapped with strangers in a lodge in the heart of the wilderness, in the teeth of a storm of legendary power, only to discover my brother’s issues are a tiny part of a problemĚýmuch bigger than we could have imagined. Arcane and ancient magics are at work that could, unless we are very careful, bring about the end of the world. . . .]]> 416 Patricia Briggs 0593439007 Rachel 5 4.35 2024 Winter Lost (Mercy Thompson, #14; Mercy Thompson World, #20)
author: Patricia Briggs
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/19
date added: 2024/06/19
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]]> Spiked (Sundance, #1) 51924437 A telepath with a lethal twist.

My name is Neely and I'm a telepath-spiker. Not only can I read a person's thoughts, I can also spike deadly power straight into their brain.

But don't worry, I have strict rules about that sort of thing.

I'm hiding again. This time in a California desert truck stop town run by Lucas Blacke, a tiger shifter and alpha leader who's as handsome as Lucifer and twice as slippery. I've been running from alphas like him my whole life. They either want to own me or kill me—there is no middle ground.

Now a homicidal alpha from my past is threatening everything I care about and I know I can't fight him alone. Lucas Blacke is dangerous, and his intentions are murky at best, but I've run out of options. If I want to live, I'm going to have to put my faith in a man I know I can't trust.

If you like urban fantasy with a side order of romance, fast-paced action and slow-burn love, you'll love SPIKED.

2017 Best Banter Paranormal Award Winner 2017 Future, Fantasy, Paranormal On the Far Side Award Finalist 2017 Pages From The Heart Paranormal Romance Award Winner
]]> 334 C.P. Rider Rachel 5 4.08 2019 Spiked (Sundance, #1)
author: C.P. Rider
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/17
date added: 2024/06/17
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]]> <![CDATA[Deadly Curiosities (Deadly Curiosities, #1)]]> 22573827 464 Gail Z. Martin Rachel 0 currently-reading 3.77 2014 Deadly Curiosities (Deadly Curiosities, #1)
author: Gail Z. Martin
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/03
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Miracle Mountain (Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper #20)]]> 193503030
Today, tourists visit to see the legendary falls along with the blazing colors of the Appalachian forests in autumn. The rustic, antiquated Highwater Inn welcomes them, but specters from the past haunt the halls and terrify the guests and staff. Paranormal investigator Ellie Jordan arrives to help the owners, who are desperate to clear away the evil influences before they're forced to close down and abandon the struggling hotel.]]> 284 J.L. Bryan Rachel 5 4.56 2024 Miracle Mountain (Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper #20)
author: J.L. Bryan
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/05/01
date added: 2024/05/01
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]]> <![CDATA[Glory Be (Glory Broussard Mystery, #1)]]> 164023318 The first in a vivid and charming crime series set in the Louisiana bayou, introducing the hilariously uncensored amateur sleuth Glory Broussard. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club.

It’s a hot and sticky Sunday in Lafayette, Louisiana, and Glory has settled into her usual after-church routine, meeting gamblers at the local coffee shop, where she works as a small-time bookie. Sitting at her corner table, Glory hears that her best friend—a nun beloved by the community—has been found dead in her apartment.

When police declare the mysterious death a suicide, Glory is convinced that there must be more to the story and, with her reluctant daughter, with troubles of her own, in tow, launches a shadow investigation in a town of oil tycoons, church gossips, and a rumored voodoo priestess.

As a Black woman of a certain age who grew up in a segregated Louisiana, Glory is used to being minimized and overlooked. But she’s determined to make her presence known as the case leads her deep into a web of intrigue she never realized Lafayette could harbor. Danielle Arcenaux’s riveting debut brings for an unforgettable character that will charm and delight crime fans everywhere and leave them hungry for her next adventure.]]> 271 Danielle Arceneaux Rachel 0 currently-reading 3.99 2023 Glory Be (Glory Broussard Mystery, #1)
author: Danielle Arceneaux
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/30
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]]> A Haunting on the Hill 105736336 Ěý
Holly Sherwin has been a struggling playwright for years, but now, after receiving a grant to develop her playĚý The Witch of Edmonton , she may finally be close to her big break. All she needs is time and space to bring her vision to life. When she stumbles across Hill House on aĚýweekend getaway upstate, she is immediately taken in by the ornate, if crumbling, gothic mansion, nearly hidden outside a remote village. It’s enormous, old, and ever-so eerie—the perfect place to develop and rehearse her play.
Ěý
Despite her own hesitations, Holly’s girlfriend, Nisa, agrees to join Holly in renting the house out for a month, and soon a troupe of actors, each with ghosts of their own, arrive. Yet as they settle in, the house’s peculiarities are made strange creatures stalk the grounds, Ěýdisturbing sounds echo throughout the halls, andĚýtime itself seems to shift. ĚýAll too soon, Holly and her friends find themselves at odds not just with one another, butĚýwith the house itself. It seems something has been waiting in Hill House all these years, and itĚýno longer intendsĚýtoĚýwalk alone . . .Ěý
Ěý]]> 336 Elizabeth Hand 031652798X Rachel 3 3.59 2023 A Haunting on the Hill
author: Elizabeth Hand
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/26
date added: 2024/04/27
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]]> <![CDATA[Still Life (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #1)]]> 30918623
But Gamache knows that evil is lurking somewhere behind the white picket fences and that, if he watches closely enough, Three Pines will start to give up its dark secrets...]]> 321 Louise Penny Rachel 0 4.12 2005 Still Life (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #1)
author: Louise Penny
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at: 2024/02/11
date added: 2024/03/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[What Abigail Did That Summer (Rivers of London, #5.3)]]> 55855546
It is the summer of 2013 and Abigail Kamara has been left to her own devices. This might, by those who know her, be considered a mistake. While her cousin, police constable and apprentice wizard Peter Grant, is off in the sticks chasing unicorns Abigail is chasing her own mystery. Teenagers around Hampstead Heath have been going missing but before the police can get fully engaged the teens return home � unharmed but vague about where they’ve been.

Aided only by her new friend Simon, her knowledge that magic is real and a posse of talking foxes that think they’re spies, Abigail must venture into the wilds of Hampstead to discover who is luring the teenagers and more importantly � why?

Limited: 2500 signed numbered hardcover copies

Lettered: 26 signed leatherbound copies, housed in a custom traycase]]> 232 Ben Aaronovitch Rachel 5 4.14 2021 What Abigail Did That Summer (Rivers of London, #5.3)
author: Ben Aaronovitch
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/19
date added: 2024/03/22
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]]> <![CDATA[Foxglove Summer (Rivers of London, #5)]]> 20499240
Travelling west with Beverley Brook, Peter soon finds himself caught up in a deep mystery and having to tackle local cops and local gods. And what's more all the shops are closed by 4pm ...]]> 377 Ben Aaronovitch 0575132507 Rachel 5 4.16 2014 Foxglove Summer (Rivers of London, #5)
author: Ben Aaronovitch
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/08
date added: 2024/03/22
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]]> <![CDATA[Moon Over Soho (Rivers of London, #2)]]> 10381195 Body and Soul. The song. That's what London constable and sorcerer's apprentice Peter Grant first notices when he examines the corpse of Cyrus Wilkins, part-time jazz drummer and full-time accountant, who dropped dead of a heart attack while playing a gig at Soho's 606 Club. The notes of the old jazz standard are rising from the body - a sure sign that something about the man's death was not at all natural but instead supernatural.

Body and soul - they're also what Peter will risk as he investigates a pattern of similar deaths in and around Soho. With the help of his superior officer, Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, the last registered wizard in England, and the assistance of beautiful jazz aficionado Simone Fitzwilliam, Peter will uncover a deadly magical menace - one that leads right to his own doorstep and to the squandered promise of a young jazz musician: a talented trumpet player named Richard "Lord" Grant - otherwise known as Peter's dear old dad.]]> 375 Ben Aaronovitch 0575097604 Rachel 5 4.05 2011 Moon Over Soho (Rivers of London, #2)
author: Ben Aaronovitch
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2024/02/22
date added: 2024/03/22
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]]> <![CDATA[Rivers of London (Rivers of London, #1)]]> 9317452 392 Ben Aaronovitch 0575097566 Rachel 5 3.83 2011 Rivers of London (Rivers of London, #1)
author: Ben Aaronovitch
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/29
date added: 2024/03/22
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]]> <![CDATA[The Furthest Station (Rivers of London, #5.5)]]> 31626329
Enter PC Peter Grant junior member of the Metropolitan Police's Special Assessment unit AKA The Folly AKA the only police officers whose official duties include ghost hunting. Together with Jaget Kumar, his counterpart at the British Transport Police, he must brave the terrifying the crush of London's rush hour to find the source of the ghosts.

Joined by Peter's wannabe wizard cousin, a preschool river god and Toby the ghost hunting dog their investigation takes a darker tone as they realise that a real person's life might just be on the line.

And time is running out to save them.

With this new novella, bestselling author Ben Aaronovitch has crafted yet another wickedly funny and surprisingly affecting chapter in his beloved Rivers of London series.]]> 144 Ben Aaronovitch 1473222443 Rachel 5 4.05 2017 The Furthest Station (Rivers of London, #5.5)
author: Ben Aaronovitch
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/22
date added: 2024/03/22
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]]> <![CDATA[Broken Homes (Rivers of London, #4)]]> 16078584
Before PC Peter Grant can get his head round the case a town planner going under a tube train and a stolen grimoire are adding to his case-load.

So far so London.

But then Peter gets word of something very odd happening in Elephant and Castle, on a housing estate designed by a nutter, built by charlatans and inhabited by the truly desperate.

Is there a connection?

And if there is, why oh why did it have to be South of the River?]]> 357 Ben Aaronovitch 0575132469 Rachel 4 4.13 2013 Broken Homes (Rivers of London, #4)
author: Ben Aaronovitch
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/14
date added: 2024/03/15
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Still Life (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #1)]]> 338691
But Gamache knows that evil is lurking somewhere behind the white picket fences and that, if he watches closely enough, Three Pines will start to give up its dark secrets...]]> 293 Louise Penny 0312948557 Rachel 5 3.86 2005 Still Life (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #1)
author: Louise Penny
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2005
rating: 5
read at: 2024/02/20
date added: 2024/03/06
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Fatal Grace (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #2)]]> 352921
No one liked CC de Poitiers. Not her quiet husband, not her spineless lover, not her pathetic daughter—and certainly none of the residents of Three Pines. CC de Poitiers managed to alienate everyone, right up until the moment of her death.

When Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, of the Sûreté du Québec, is called to investigate, he quickly realizes he's dealing with someone quite extraordinary. CC de Poitiers was electrocuted in the middle of a frozen lake, in front of the entire village, as she watched the annual curling tournament. And yet no one saw anything. Who could have been insane enough to try such a macabre method of murder—or brilliant enough to succeed?

With his trademark compassion and courage, Gamache digs beneath the idyllic surface of village life to find the dangerous secrets long buried there. For a Quebec winter is not only staggeringly beautiful but deadly, and the people of Three Pines know better than to reveal too much of themselves. But other dangers are becoming clear to Gamache. As a bitter wind blows into the village, something even more chilling is coming for Gamache himself.]]> 311 Louise Penny 0312352565 Rachel 4 4.04 2006 A Fatal Grace (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #2)
author: Louise Penny
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/06
date added: 2024/03/06
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[City of Betrayal (Counterfeit Lady #7)]]> 123193281
Elizabeth’s ability to interact with difficult men and to persuasively explain all the advantages of allowing women to vote—all skills she perfected as a grifter—have made her a valuable member of the team. But she would never have expected the lengths to which some would go to keep the vote out of women's hands. She'll need to devise the perfect con or the suffragists' life's work could all be for nothing.]]> 320 Victoria Thompson 0593440625 Rachel 0 currently-reading 3.80 2023 City of Betrayal (Counterfeit Lady #7)
author: Victoria Thompson
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/17
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Blood and Bones (Legion, #1) 56667764 Artemus Steele is many things. The world's foremost yet least celebrated expert on all things ancient and arcane. A metalsmith with unusual skills. The owner of an antique shop and a switchblade that is more than just a knife. What he doesn’t want to be is a hero. When the monster he first met on the night he turned six appears on his doorstep, Artemus suspects his life is about to go from strange to hell in a handbasket.ĚýAnd he isn’t too happy about that.

Callie Stone arrives in Chicago with one purpose in mind: to sell one of her dead husband’s prized possessions. When the auction house gets attacked by fiendish creatures and the relic goes missing, Callie realizes that the life she has known is a lie and the world is full of frightening things straight out of her worst nightmares.

Moments after snatching a priceless artifact from one of the most securely guarded private functions in the country, Drake Hunter is confronted by enemies he thought he’d left in his past. Brought face to face with the mysterious organization after the relic, Drake knows he is dealing with something evil. Because the devil inside him is stirring once more.

With no option but to join forces with a pair of ruthless mercenaries, the reluctant associates are cast into a race to uncover the organization’s dark intentions and the true nature of the artifact. To survive, they will need more than brute strength and wit. They will have to figure out what twisted Fate links them. And they will have to embrace powers they never knew they possessed.

From the author of bestselling supernatural thriller series Seventeen comes a spin-off series like no other. Get the spellbinding book fans have been waiting for and enter a world you won’t want to leave!Ěý

]]> A.D. Starrling Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.22 2019 Blood and Bones (Legion, #1)
author: A.D. Starrling
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/11
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Lies You Wrote (Raisa Susanto, #1)]]> 86497148 For a brilliant forensic linguist, crimes of the past hold clues to new series of murders in a twisting novel of suspense by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of A Familiar Sight.

The double murder of a married couple in a small Washington town draws FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto into an investigation that mirrors a decades-old crime. Twenty-five years ago—to the day—Alex Parker murdered his parents, then took his own life, leaving behind a note admitting everything.

Raisa, paired with forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny, uses her skills to read between the lines. Especially now that paranoid postings on a conspiracy thread suggest that Alex was a victim himself—theories that have piqued the interest of a perceptive content moderator and a true-crime podcaster eager for a big break.

As old and new crimes converge, messages from the living and the confessions of the dead take on new meaning for Raisa. Something more sinister than a copycat crime is at play, and plundering the darkest corners of a killer’s mind leaves her vulnerable to a deadly twist even she never saw coming.]]> 350 Brianna Labuskes 1662511353 Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.09 2024 The Lies You Wrote (Raisa Susanto, #1)
author: Brianna Labuskes
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/11
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Almost Surely Dead 180320288
Dunia Ahmed lives an ordinary life—or she definitely used to. Now she’s the subject of a true crime podcast. She’s been missing for over a year, and no one knows if she’s dead or alive. But her story has listeners obsessed, and people everywhere are sporting merch that demands “Find Dunia!� In the days before her disappearance, Dunia is a successful pharmacist living in New York. The daughter of Pakistani immigrants, she’s coping with a broken engagement and the death of her mother. But then something happens that really shakes up her someone tries to murder her. When her would-be killer winds up dead, Dunia figures the worst is over. But then there’s another attempt on her life…and another. And police suspect someone close to her may be the culprit. Dunia struggles to make sense of what’s happening. And as childhood superstitions seep into her reality, she becomes convinced that someone—or some thing —is truly after her.]]> 298 Amina Akhtar 1662507593 Rachel 0 currently-reading 3.68 2024 Almost Surely Dead
author: Amina Akhtar
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/11
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Whispers Underground (Rivers of London, #3)]]> 25865807
We found one.

And that was that, I thought come Monday. First case of the day: Person Unknown has been stabbed to death on the tracks at Baker Street Underground. Magic may have been involved. Sure enough, the weapon turns out to be saturated in the tell-tale traces left by magic.

But Person Unknown turns out to be the son of a US senator, so before you can say "international incident", FBI agent Kimberley Reynolds and her firmly held religious beliefs are on my case.

And down in the dark, in the Tube tunnels of London, along with the buried rivers and remnants of Victorian sewer systems, I'm hearing some really strange things...]]> 418 Ben Aaronovitch 1407243179 Rachel 4 3.99 2012 Whispers Underground (Rivers of London, #3)
author: Ben Aaronovitch
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/01
date added: 2024/02/01
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Ravenous Beasts (The Waif in the Wilds, #3)]]> 202560973
Even Dwayne is driving me insane. There's no training in this world that could prepare me for dealing with a love-sick battle goose.

The only person who I want to have a piece of me, the only person who I want to get closer to...

The Vampire Lord. He's suddenly keeping me at arms length. There's a traitor in our midst, a troublemaker, someone lurking in the background, keeping him away.

And I'm making things worse. I can't tell him the truth. Not yet.]]> 244 Lauretta Hignett Rachel 5 4.50 2024 Ravenous Beasts (The Waif in the Wilds, #3)
author: Lauretta Hignett
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/20
date added: 2024/01/20
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]]> The Real Deal 193771976 Is it harder to keep a secret when the world is watching � or to tell the truth when no-one is listening?

Belle Simon was just 12 years old when she was one of six girls plucked from obscurity to star in reality TV sensation The Real Deal. Under the wing of dazzling star Donna Mayfair, she and the other five girls were meant to become world-famous actresses, singers and dancers.

But at 26, Belle is trying to live anonymously, away from being loved or loathed. The public eye has never fully shut, however, and when a producer offers Belle a big paycheck to join a reunion special for The Real Deal, she finds it hard to say no. If people are going to talk about that shocking final episode anyway, maybe this is an unexpected opportunity.

Everyone watching thinks they know what happened, but only Belle knows what really occurred away from the cameras and outside the editing room. Is she ready to go back and confront her past? And will anyone believe her if she reveals the truth?]]> 359 Caitlin Devlin 1662518242 Rachel 3 3.42 2024 The Real Deal
author: Caitlin Devlin
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.42
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/14
date added: 2024/01/14
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1)]]> 60400995
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?]]> 433 Laini Taylor Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.05 2011 Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1)
author: Laini Taylor
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/13
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Bridge Over Shallow Water (Murky Midlife Waters #1)]]> 111171758
With the help of a goddess bff and a marshmallow-obsessed talking alligator, Misty uncovers the powerful siren's call to her mermaid heart. But her tail isn't exactly cooperating, and a shady troll has his sights set on her family home.

Will a lifelong sense of abandonment deprive Misty of the inner do-over she desires, or can she bridge the gap between magic and the mundane?

Bridge Over Shallow Water is the enchanting first short in the Murky Midlife Waters paranormal women’s fiction series. If you like relatable middle-aged snark, tales of starting from scratch, and mystically magical thrills, then you’ll love JB Lassalle’s dive into mermaid mayhem.

Buy Bridge Over Shallow Water to plunge into empowerment today!]]> 86 J.B. Lassalle Rachel 3 4.15 Bridge Over Shallow Water (Murky Midlife Waters #1)
author: J.B. Lassalle
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.15
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/13
date added: 2024/01/13
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Evil in Emerald (Harriet Gordon Mystery, #3)]]> 58502677
Between working at her brother’s school and typing up Inspector Robert Curran’s police reports, Harriet Gordon has little time for personal pursuits and she has been enjoying the rehearsals for her role in the Singapore Amateur Dramatic and Musical Society’s latest production � Pirates of Penzance. But Harriet quickly discovers tensions run deep within the theatre company and when the leading man is found murdered, suspicions abound, exposing scandalous behavior as well as some insidious crimes.

Inspector Curran once again turns to Harriet for help with this difficult case, but his own life begins to unravel as a mysterious man turns up on his doorstep claiming to know more about Curran’s painful past than he himself does. And after the one person he has always counted on delivers him some devastating news, the line between his personal and professional life begins to blur. Now, more than ever, Curran needs Harriet’s steadfast assistance, and when another cast member meets a violent end, Curran and Harriet will have to close in on a killer determined to make this case their final curtain call.]]> 347 A.M. Stuart 0593335481 Rachel 0 4.10 2022 Evil in Emerald (Harriet Gordon Mystery, #3)
author: A.M. Stuart
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/13
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Begin in Blood (Death Witch, Supernatural Investigative Unit)]]> 144078079 313 Rachel Graves 1735025054 Rachel 5 3.99 Begin in Blood (Death Witch, Supernatural Investigative Unit)
author: Rachel Graves
name: Rachel
average rating: 3.99
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/12
date added: 2024/01/12
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Murder in Williamstown (Phryne Fisher, #22)]]> 86219947 272 Kerry Greenwood 1728279259 Rachel 4 4.42 2022 Murder in Williamstown (Phryne Fisher, #22)
author: Kerry Greenwood
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/08
date added: 2024/01/08
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Murder at the Motel (Nightmare, Arizona #4)]]> 197727930
Murder hits close to home for Olivia Kendrick when her annoying neighbor at Cowboy's Corral Motor Lodge turns up dead. Did one of the other guests hold a grudge against Leonard Evers?

Even while she's eyeing a few shady suspects, Olivia can't help but blame herself. Maybe she really is a conjuror, and maybe she accidentally killed her downstairs neighbor with magic.

With the help of her supernatural friends at Nightmare Sanctuary Haunted House, Olivia will spy on a plumber, get an eerie prediction from a psychic, and face veiled threats.

At the same time, Olivia's jerk boss, Damien Shackleford, learns a secret that will change the way he thinks of his family forever. Olivia must help Damien deal with the life-altering news, even while she tries to find the killer . . .]]> 200 Beth Dolgner 1958587133 Rachel 5 4.50 Murder at the Motel (Nightmare, Arizona #4)
author: Beth Dolgner
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2023/12/22
date added: 2023/12/31
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Ghost of a Threat (Betty Boo, Ghost Hunter #1)]]> 56941343
A violent haunting forces Betty to team up with her rival ghost hunter, the arrogant Carter Lansford. When the violence is turned toward her, though, Betty knows she needs additional expertise. She enlists the help of a handsome stranger, who introduces himself simply as Maxwell, Demon.

Betty’s ghost hunting is cut short when she’s threatened and, finally, attacked. Either someone wants her to stay away from an investigation, or a demon hunter is targeting her. As Betty begins to fall for Maxwell’s mysterious charm, she starts to wonder if her life—and her soul—are worth the risk.]]> 225 Beth Dolgner Rachel 0 currently-reading 4.31 2011 Ghost of a Threat (Betty Boo, Ghost Hunter #1)
author: Beth Dolgner
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/30
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Murder Crossed Her Mind (Pentecost and Parker #4)]]> 123193230
Vera Bodine, an elderly shut-in with an exceptional memory, has gone missing and famed detective Lillian Pentecost and her crackerjack assistant Willowjean “Will� Parker have been hired to track her down. But the New York City of 1947 can be a dangerous place, and there’s no shortage of people who might like to get a hold of what’s in Bodine’s head.

Does her disappearance have to do with the high-profile law firm whose secrets she still keeps; the violent murder of a young woman, with which Bodine had lately become obsessed; or is it the work she did with the FBI hunting Nazi spies intent on war-time sabotage? Any and all are on the suspect list, including their client, Forest Whitsun, hot-shot defense attorney and no friend to Pentecost and Parker.

The clock is ticking to get Bodine back alive, but circumstances conspire to pull both investigators away from the case. Will is hot on the trail of a stick-up team who are using her name–and maybe her gun–for their own ends. While Lillian again finds herself up against murder-obsessed millionaire Jessup Quincannon, who has discovered a secret from her past–something he plans to use to either rein the great detective in . . . or destroy her.

To solve this mystery, and defeat their own personal demons, the pair will have to go nose-to-nose with murderous gangsters, make deals with conniving federal agents, confront Nazi spies, and bend their own ethical rules to the point of breaking. Before time runs out for everyone.]]> 384 Stephen Spotswood 0385549296 Rachel 5 4.35 2023 Murder Crossed Her Mind (Pentecost and Parker #4)
author: Stephen Spotswood
name: Rachel
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/12/29
date added: 2023/12/29
shelves:
review:

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