Goodreads

Release date: October 8, 2024

Publisher: Zibby Books

Genre: Mystery

Synopsis:

An overwhelmed new mother gets entangled in the unsolved disappearance of a young girl from her Texas hometown—and unearths her own family’s dark secret. What sacrifices will a mother make to protect her own child?

Bee. It’s 2011 and disoriented new mom Bee is living in Portland, Maine when Leo, her childhood crush and twin brother Gus’ best friend, suddenly resurfaces to share news of Gus after years of silence. Bee’s predictable life is upended, pushing her back to Texas to dig into an unsolved disappearance that seems connected to her own family’s fracture. Mary. Twenty years earlier, Mary feels trapped, her only escape the local community theater. Despite her efforts to be a perfect homemaker, Mary’s lost her grip on her teenaged twins, Gus and Bee. Deeply lonely, Mary barely knows her neighbor, Diana—until a tragic discovery forces her to seek Diana’s help. Diana. Across the field, Diana, freshly divorced and facing an uphill battle as a woman in academia, worries constantly about her teenaged son, Leo, especially when a local girl goes missing. Told in multiple perspectives with two different timelines, The Undercurrent is a gripping portrait of female longing, thwarted ambition, and buried secrets.

Review:

This was a slow burn, character driven mystery that had many different layers and themes giving it tons of depth. It’s a quiet style of suspense, there’s not a ton of action but I still found the narrative to be compelling. I loved the themes of motherhood and the exploration of how far one would go to protect their children, this lead to so many secrets and fractures in both families and I was so curious to see how things would play out. You get two timelines, one in 2011 and one in 1987 and I was equally invested in both. The authors writing was strong and engaging and I’m impressed this was a debut, if you enjoy mysteries with some meat and substance with characters that will linger with you try this!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: October 15, 2024

Publisher: Dial

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis:

A charming queer holiday romance about three adult siblings, each at a personal and romantic crossroads, who reunite at their larger-than-life mother’s Catskills manor for an unforgettable Christmas, from the author of It Had to Be You.

It’s the most romantic time of the year.

The holidays are fast approaching, and the Belvedere siblings are a mess. Liz, a Hollywood showrunner and responsible eldest, has no idea how to follow up her hit show’s first season, or how to deal with her giant crush on its star, Violet Grace. Birdie turned her chronic middle child syndrome into a career as a stand-up comic, but since she spends more time wooing women than working on new material, she’s facing one-hit wonder status, especially once she gets axed by her manager. And Rafi, sensitive romantic and the baby golden boy, proposes to his coworker girlfriend in front of his entire company, only to be turned down by the woman he thought was the love of his life.

Born to three different fathers, the three adult children share one mother: famed actress and singer Babs Belvedere. Seeking direction and holiday cheer, all three siblings head up to their mother’s house in the Catskills, determined to swear off love and focus on themselves and their work. But the spirit of the season seems to have different plans for them, and their best intentions are quickly derailed in the most delightful and festive of ways.

Emotional, smart, and sexy, this queer holiday romcom celebrates love, family, and the wild creative life, and is perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Casey McQuiston.

Review:

It’s no secret I love and adore holiday romances and most of the time the ones I read tend to be light and fluffy with not much depth. That’s not a dig, it’s part of what I enjoy about them but this one was a nice change because while yes, it has light and fluffy moments it also deals with many serious issues and has a complexity that was a pleasant surprise for me. 

This follows three siblings and their mother in the weeks leading up to the holiday and then shortly after so you get all the cheerful vibes and wintertime charm. Each sibling has a romantic subplot and I so enjoyed all of their stories. I’ve seen some complaints that there was too much going on and it was hard to keep track of but I didn’t have any issues. The secondary characters were just as wonderful as the main ones and I was charmed by how quirky and likable they all were. If you like family dramas set around the holidays this was so much fun! 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: October 29, 2024

Publisher: Poisoned Pen

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Meet Cordelia Black. Cordelia loves exactly three things: her chosen family composed of her best friend Diane and her goddaughter; her hairdresser (worth every penny plus tip); and killing bad men.

By day she’s a successful pharmaceutical rep with a pristine reputation and a designer wardrobe. By night she’s culling South Louisiana of unscrupulous men—monsters who always seem to evade justice, until they meet her. It’s a complicated yet fulfilling life that requires complete and total control at all times. But when the evening news starts throwing around the words “serial killer,” pressure heightens for her in the South, and it’s only exacerbated when Diane starts dating a man Cordelia isn’t sure is a good person—someone who might unravel everything Cordelia has worked for. Soon Cordelia’s world spirals, and she loses her grip on those tightly held threads that keep her safe.

Review:

I loved the sound of this, a vigilante serial killer with plenty of female rage sounded too good to pass up for me. Cordelia was a fascinating character, sometimes you can understand why she is the way that she is and others you’re like ok this bitch is just unhinged but I thought that was fun. This is darkly comedic, Cordelia is acerbic and sharp but when she’s around her best friend Diane and Diane’s daughter there is a softer side to her. While I felt this was a little long and rambling at times the suspense was solid and the tension kept amping up as the book went along. The ending was a bit anticlimactic and there were some loose ends but overall I had fun with this one and think it will be popular once it’s released.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: September 24, 2024

Publisher: Macmillan

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

A feel-good novel as delightful and comforting as a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night, The Christmas Inn is bestselling author Pamela Kelley’s most heartwarming and magical book yet.Riley Sanders didn’t plan on losing her job as a content marketing manager right before Christmas. When she calls her sister Amy to vent, she learns that their mother has broken her leg and could really use some help at the inn. Riley decides to head home to the inn, nestled along the shores of Cape Cod, in time for the Christmas rush. She is happy to help and needs something to distract her as mistletoe is hung and snowflakes begin to fall.When she gets there, she not only finds delicious cookies and a crackling fire to lift her spirits, but also the sense of family she’s been missing all along. There’s Franny, a woman who has just lost her sister and has four unopened letters from her that she plans to use to open her up to new experiences on the Cape. And there’s Aidan, her high school sweetheart, now a widower, who is staying at the inn with his nine year-old son, Luke. What begins as a quick stay over the holidays to help her mom turns into something that means much more—a second chance at romance, a deeper sense of found family, and all the joy and wonder that comes with Christmastime on Cape Cod.

Review:

Give me all the holiday romance, yes even in September, I’m always a sucker for a Hallmark style read and this one delivered exactly that vibe. I loved the Cape Cod setting which was primarily at an inn and I really enjoyed the cast of characters. Riley and her mom interact with a sweet group of characters who are staying at the inn and I liked them all but Franny the most, she was such a sweet woman. There were lots of food descriptions, I feel like people either love or hate that and I enjoy it so heads up there but overall this was a delightful little holiday romance that was fantastic on audio and provided me with such a sweet escape. The narrator is a longtime favorite for me and she was so engaging and entertaining.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: September 17, 2024

Publisher: Mulholland Books

Genre: Thriller, Horror

Synopsis:

A new mom in need of help opens her door to her long-estranged mother—only to invite something much darker inside—in this “fast-paced and frightening debut” (Rachel Harrison) about the long shadows cast by family secrets, perfect for readers of Grady Hendrix or Ashley Audrain.

Flora is a new mom enamored of her baby girl, Iris, even if she arrived a few weeks early. With her husband still deployed, Flora navigates the newborn stage alone. But as the sleepless nights pass in the loneliness of their half-empty home, the edges of her reality begin to blur. 

Just as Flora becomes convinced she is losing her mind, a surprising guest shows up: Flora’s own mother, to whom she hasn’t spoken in years. Can they mend their fraught relationship? Or is there more Flora’s mother isn’t telling her about the events that led to their estrangement? 

As stranger and scarier events unfold, Flora begins to suspect the house is not as empty as she once thought. She must determine: is her hold on reality slipping dangerously away? Or is she, in fact, the only thing standing between a terrifying visitor and her baby? 

Review:

Wow this one was wild! I don’t read much horror but every year around this time I try to read a few and then the description of this one just sounded really good to me and it totally was. I loved that it was a balance between really strange and bizarre happenings and the regular occurrences of being a new mother, it made it all the more frightening to me because it seemed like the crazy shit that was happening to Flora may actually be possible. This was very creepy and pretty gory, think descriptions of gross stuff and you definitely get that here, but it is horror so I expected to be grossed out and I was. The author captured some of those unique experiences that new mothers face but she did it with a supernatural twist and I have to say, it was clever. If you don’t mind dark and disturbing this was pretty good!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: October 1, 2024

Publisher: Bantam

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

When a young woman is found dead on her college campus, her sister doesn’t believe it was an accident—and her search for answers leads her closer to home than she ever would have imagined in this thrilling debut novel from an exciting new talent.

Maya can’t wait to return to Princeton for Reunions—it’s been a decade since she graduated, but she is looking forward to seeing old faces and reminiscing about her college days. And this year is even more special because her little sister, Naomi, is graduating.

But what should have been a dream weekend becomes Maya’s worst nightmare when she gets a call no one ever wants—Naomi is dead. The police are saying it’s an accident, but Maya suspects there is more to the story than they are letting on.

As Maya pieces together the months leading up to her sister’s death, she starts to realize how much Naomi hid from her. Naomi had joined Sterling Club, the most exclusive social club on campus—the same one Maya belonged to—despite Maya’s warnings. And if she had to guess, she’d say Naomi was also tapped for the secret society within it. 

The more Maya uncovers, the more terrified she becomes that Naomi’s decision to follow in her footsteps might have been what got her killed. Because Maya’s time at Princeton wasn’t as wonderful as she always pretended it was—after all, her sister wasn’t the first young woman to turn up dead. Now every clue is leading Maya back to the past…and to the secrets she’s kept all these years.

Review:

If you like to read somewhat seasonally and tend to gravitate towards dark academia in the fall this would be an excellent choice for you! I love a campus novel and add in secret societies, sisters and some mysteries and I’m hooked. This flips between sisters Maya in the past and present and Naomi in the months leading up to her death and while the chapters were mostly short, the pacing was more steady. This isn’t a one sitting type of read, it’s the kind where you wanna sink your teeth into it and spend some time with it which is exactly how I read it. Though there is one core mystery there are several other threads making this such a multifaceted read and the author also explored race and privilege in this setting in such a smart and gripping way. It had a ton of depth and substance so if you like mysteries with layers try this.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: September 18, 2024

Publisher: Boldwood

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

Welcome to the town of Starr’s Fall, where Autumn can feel like it goes on forever, and two people have a chance to fall in love… The leaves are falling, with a crispness to the air, along with the scents of coffee and pumpkin spice, past a half-empty street of shuttered storefronts and a bandstand that has seen better days…

Just like the whole town of Starr’s Fall, thinks Laurie Ellis – as she and her beloved dog Max head to collect the store keys. Maybe she has seen better days, too, but she’s certainly ready for a new start—and to leave her past behind. Still Laurie wonders whether she made a terrible mistake in coming to lovable but shabby Starr’s Fall. Will she even find customers for her pet store and bakery, never mind a community to welcome and accept her?

Not according to Joshua Reilly, the handsome but grumpy manager of the bookstore across the road, who claims he’s never heard of anything so ridiculous as a bakery for dogs.

But Laurie remains stubbornly undeterred. She’s starting over, right here. Not least because she has another secret reason for being here… one she isn’t telling anybody, at least not yet, as it involves her own tragic past.

What she doesn’t yet know is that a clue to the mystery is hidden deep in Joshua’s bookstore. And he doesn’t yet realize that Laurie herself might be the key to mending his own battered heart… for Laurie and Joshua and the whole town, it’s going to be a fall to remember.

Review:

I don’t know about you but I’m so ready for some cooler temperatures, yes I’m wishing summer away but I’m so over the heat. If you are feeling like you’re ready for fall this was a delightful little seasonal read that I enjoyed. I wanted the feeling of a cozy fall in a quaint town and that’s exactly what I got. Things aren’t exactly perfect in Starr’s Fall though and I appreciated that it wasn’t exactly your typical small town romance, it still delivered in its own unique way. Laurie was the sweetest character with some sad trauma in her past and I really like the journey the author took her on. Her relationship with Joshua was a slow burn and this one is closed door so just a little kissing which made this one really sweet and tender. Definitely recommended if you want a cute romance, fun fall activities and a charming and quirky small town.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: September 3, 2024

Publisher: Dial Press

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

Is love on the small screen better than the real thing?

Brynn’s happy ending has gone up in flames. She’s newly divorced and living with a roommate – Josh – to afford her mortgage. At least she’s got Carson’s Cove to binge – her beloved 90s teenage soap.

So when a birthday cake shows up on her and Josh’s doorstep, Brynn makes a wish for her own happily-ever-after.

The next morning, she doesn’t wake up in her apartment. She’s in Carson’s Cove… and Josh is there too. Except they’re not Brynn and Josh; they’re the sweetheart and the bad boy.

Will they stick to the script, or will real love change the story forever?

A young divorcee finds herself in the ideal world of her favourite 90s nostalgia TV show, in this second-chance romantic comedy from the author of This Spells Love.

Review:

I was so charmed by the authors last book, This Spells Love and I was charmed once again with this one, just in a different manner. I’m loving the trend of more romances with magical realism being traditionally published, there’s something so whimsical and fun about them that provides a true escape for me, so I hope this is a trend that continues because it really works for me. If you were a fan of 90s teen soaps/dramas on TV like I was you will enjoy the nostalgia this one brought! The idea that Brynn gets to not only visit the fictional show and town that brought her so much comfort over the years, but that she may be able to change the ending? SO fun and such a cute concept that totally delighted me. There’s nothing here that’s too heavy, it’s light and fun but also has depth in the characters and a solid romance that I was rooting for.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: August 27, 2024

Publisher: Boldwood

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

What happens when a getaway becomes the holiday from hell? 

Dean and Amber are on vacation in a secluded lakeside resort, hoping to fix the cracks in their marriage. Their only companions are the couple next door, Sophie, a beautiful redhead, and the mysterious Marc, who appears to be hiding something.

Before long Amber begins to suspect the couple aren’t who they say they are. Obsessed with uncovering the truth, she digs into the couple’s past.

As she struggles to rekindle her marriage while investigating the couple next door, Amber soon realises that she can’t trust anyone.

Just who is the enigmatic couple next door? And are some secrets better off staying buried?

Review:

This was one of those entertaining and fast paced reads that was enjoyable enough, as long as you don’t mind a far fetched plot, which I don’t. Amber gets a sense right off that the couple staying next door to them is hiding something and I found myself siding with her husband when he just wanted her to leave them alone, so it was a little hard for me to connect with her at the start. She is a determined woman though and once she really started digging into Marc and Sophie things got interesting and I found myself more engaged and connected to her. Things spiral and again, go a bit off the rails but I had fun with the direction the author took and thought for pure entertainment purposes this was a twisty and enjoyable read.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: August 13, 2024

Publisher: Blackstone

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Former track star Sean Kenney has been gone far too long. Two years ago, unable to bear the weight of his own failures, he left a wife, two daughters, and the rest of his family in his hometown of East Carlisle, New Jersey. But now the unthinkable has called him home. Grasping at an opportunity to seek forgiveness from his children, Sean struggles to make sense of the devastating death that has shaken the Kenney family to its core. Ignoring the advice of his sister and his old track coach, Sean follows clues that only he seems to see, fighting toward the truth of what really happened that day, after he received a final call from the one person he always looked up to. Part family saga, part thrilling mystery, The Brothers Kenney ponders questions of nostalgia and the meaning of home — and pursues truth and redemption as assiduously as it pursues the identity of a killer.

Review:

This is way less thriller than I expected it to be, it does have a mystery but it’s more family saga than anything else so heads up there. I even found the mystery aspect to be a little lacking for me in the end, but where this worked well for me was in the characters themselves. The exploration of the Kenney families complex dynamics was interesting to me and the addition of some pretty shocking secrets and lies helped to maintain my attention. If you’re in the mood for a character driven mystery try this!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.