New hardbacks:
Trouble, by Non Pratt
When Mr. Dog Bites, by Brian Conaghan
Wicked Games, by Sean Olin
Push: The Game: Book 2, by Eve Silver
The Strange Maid: Book 2 of United States of Asgard, by Tessa Gratton
Born of Deception (Born of Illusion), by Teri Brown
(Don't You) Forget About Me, by Kate Karyus Quinn
The Fallen (An Enemy Novel), by Charlie Higson
Glory (The Dust Chronicles), by Maureen McGowan
Hexed, by Michelle Krys
I Become Shadow, by Joe Shine
Lies My Girlfriend Told Me, by Julie Anne Peters
The Murder Complex, by Lindsay Cummings
My Last Kiss, by Bethany Neal
On the Road to Find Out, by Rachel Toor
Pills and Starships, by Lydia Millet
Brazen, by Katherine Longshore
Inland, by Kat Rosenfield
The Merciless, by Danielle Vega
Starbird Murphy and the World Outside, by Karen Finneyfrock
Wings (A Black City Novel), by Elizabeth Richards
New paperbacks (that I've read):
The Secret Ingredient, by Stewart Lewis:
Despite all of the emotionally charged issues (adoption! cancer! dead dog! grief! first love! coming of age! unreliable parents! the meaning of life!) and interest-piquing details (mysterious psychic! stolen ice cream truck! vintage cookbook that includes intriguing personal notes! cameo by Jude Law!) and plotting that is moved along by many serendipitous events, The Secret Ingredient is just kind of...dull. Although her meditations on cooking and food have a nice placid sort of energy, the rest of Olivia’s narration plods, and despite the likable nature of most of the characters, the dialogue feels superscripted—heavy conversation after heavy conversation after heavy conversation, and none of the characters ever seem to have any trouble whatsoever articulating anything—and thus, unbelievable.
Crushed (Readers Circle), by Laura McNeal and Tom McNeal:
Here's a tip for all the fictional characters out there: If your book begins with a quote from Pride and Prejudice, don't go out with a guy named Wickham. You should know better than that. Go for the grouchy brooding guy. He'll be rad. I promise.
Far Far Away, by Tom McNeal:
Readers who stick with it will learn that McNeal knows exactly what he's doing: Jacob is on just as much of a journey as our young protagonist is, and as he changes and grows, his deepening connection to and affection for Jeremy & Co. makes that emotional distance shrink and disappear. As the story goes on, his voice grows steadily warmer and warmer...and then, when the darkness comes—AND HOO BOY, IT COMES—steadily more frustrated, worried, urgent and, as he has the benefit of hindsight: guilty.
The Lost Sun: Book 1 of United States of Asgard, by Tessa Gratton:
Fans of Gratton's work—if you haven't discovered her yet, you're in for a treat—have probably already read this one. It's another roadtrip story, this one about a berserker and a prophetess searching for Baldur, who's gone missing. While the relationship dynamics and the family secrets are totally compelling, and while Gratton does a great job of integrating familiar myths but keeping the plotting unpredictable, for me, this one was all about the worldbuilding, which was FANTASTIC.
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