Can't Wait Wednesday: The Bane Witch / O Sinners! / When the Moon Hits Your Eye

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings 

to spotlight upcoming release we are excited about that we have yet to read.

Here are three upcoming releases that caught my attention and immediately ended up on my wish list I am looking forward to reading all of them. 

The Bane Witch by Ava Morgyn
Release Date: March 18, 2025 by St. Martin's Griffin

Practical Magic meets Gone Girl in Ava Morgyn's next dark, spellbinding novel about a woman who is more than a witch - she's a hunter. Piers Corbin has always had an affinity for poisonous things - plants and men. From the pokeweed berries she consumed at age five that led to the accidental death of a stranger, to the husband whose dark proclivities have become… concerning, poison has been at the heart of her story. But when she fakes her own death in an attempt to escape her volatile marriage and goes to stay with her estranged great aunt in the mountains, she realizes her predilection is more than a hunger - it’s a birthright. Piers comes from a long line of poison eaters - Bane Witches – women who ingest deadly plants and use their magic to rid the world of evil men. Piers sets out to earn her place in her family’s gritty but distinguished legacy, all while working at her Aunt Myrtle’s cafe and perpetuating a flirtation with the local, well-meaning sheriff to allay his suspicions on the body count she’s been leaving in her wake. But soon she catches the attention of someone else, a serial killer operating in the area. And that only means one thing - it’s time to feed. In Ava Morgyn’s dark, thrilling novel, The Bane Witch, a very little poison can do a world of good. [from the Publisher]

Faking one's death, a legacy of poison eaters, secrets, and suspense . . . Of course I want to read this!

O Sinners! by Nicole Cuffy
Release Date: March 18, 2025 by One World

A journalist investigates a seductive and mysterious cult and its leader, an enigmatic Vietnam War veteran, in this not-to-be-missed novel.

Faruq Zaidi, a young journalist reeling from the recent death of his father, a devout Muslim, takes the opportunity to embed in a cult called The Nameless. Based in the California redwoods and shepherded by an enigmatic Vietnam War-veteran named Odo, The Nameless adhere to the 18 Utterances, including teachings such as “THERE IS NO GOD BUT THE NAMELESS,” “ALL SUFFERING IS DISTORTION,” and “SEE ONLY BEAUTY.” Faruq, skeptical but committed to unraveling the mystery of The Nameless, extends his stay over months, as he gets deeper into the cult's inner workings, compassionate teachings, and closer to Odo. Faruq himself begins to unravel, forced to come-to-terms with the memories he has been running from while trying to resist Odo's spell.

Told in three seamlessly interwoven threads between Faruq’s present-day investigation, Odo’s time before the formation of the movement as a Black infantryman during the Vietnam War, alongside three other Black soldiers, and a documentary script that recounts The Nameless’ clash with a Texan fundamentalist church, O SINNERS! examines both longing and belonging. Ultimately the novel What is it that we seek from cults and, inevitably, from each other? [from the Publisher]

I've been wanting to read something by Nicole Cuffy, and O Sinners! appeals to me on many levels, from the Vietnam War, to the lure of cults and coming to terms with the past for starters.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi
Release Date: March 25, 2025 by Tor

From the New York Times bestselling author of Starter Villain comes an entirely serious take on a distinctly unserious subject: what would really happen if suddenly the moon were replaced by a giant wheel of cheese.

It's a whole new moooooon.

One day soon, suddenly and without explanation, the moon as we know it is replaced with an orb of cheese with the exact same mass. Through the length of an entire lunar cycle, from new moon to a spectacular and possibly final solar eclipse, we follow multiple characters -- schoolkids and scientists, billionaires and workers, preachers and politicians -- as they confront the strange new world they live in, and the absurd, impossible moon that now hangs above all their lives. [from the Publisher]

I just want to read this because it is by John Scalzi, but it does sound fun and ridiculous.

Do any of these books interest you? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?

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© 2025, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Weekly Mewsings: My Recent Reading Frenzy & Remember to Spring Forward

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer and The Sunday Salon (TSS) hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz  where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking It's Monday! What Are you Reading? hosted by Kathryn of Book Date where readers talk about what they have been, are and will be reading.

Hello! It was quite a week here with band performances, rainy days and sunny days, school, work, visits with friends, and all the usual. I need to remember to set my clocks ahead this weekend. I hope your week has been going well. I have not been sleeping well, although that is nothing new. It just seems worse than before. I just cannot seem to shake this exhaustion I feel. We finally took down our Christmas tree and the cats are happy to have the couch back under the window so they can sit on the back of it and look out during the day. 

On the health front, my Great Aunt is back home after her brief hospital stay and even briefer stay in a rehab facility. She seems to be doing better and is being set up with in-home services. Thank you for all of the well wishes! My mom is hoping to return to California from Washington sometime this next week if everything works out. One of my uncles and aunts here in California recently came down with COVID, and my aunt hospitalized for a short time. While there, the doctors discovered a severe obstruction in an aortic artery valve, which will require surgery. She will likely have surgery soon after she recovers from COVID. We are all hoping for the best. 

What have you been up to this weekend and past week?  

This week I finished three books. One of which was a re-read for my upcoming Diverse Romance Book Club: The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava. I decided to try the audio version this time around since my library had a copy on CloudLibrary. I originally had read it in print last summer and it was among my favorite 2025 reads. The other two I read were Fate's Edge (The Edge #3) by Ilona Andrews and Haunting and Homicide (A Ghost Tour Mystery #1) by Ava Burke. I plan to post my thoughts on all three soon, but the short version: The Truth According to Ember was just as good the second time around; Fate's Edge is my favorite in the urban fantasy/romance Edge series so far; and I really enjoyed Haunting and Homicide--especially after just having gone on a real ghost tour this past weekend (my only regret is it wasn't in New Orleans where the book takes place)!

I am still reading Ida, In Love and In Trouble by Veronica Chambers. It took me a little bit to get into it, but I am enjoying it. It is a YA historical fiction novel about the great Ida B. Wells, and is the March selection for my Historical Mystery Book Club which meets in a couple of weeks. I also recently started Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott, a modern day re-imagining of Baga Yaga steeped in Jewish lore. 

What are you reading right now?

My TBR List was the idea of Michelle at Because Reading, and while Michelle has not been hosting this monthly event for some time now, it's one of my favorite traditions that I cannot bring myself to give up. It's just too much fun! The 1st Saturday of every month, I will list 3 books from my TBR pile I am considering reading and let you vote for my next read during that month. My review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise).

Thank you to everyone who voted in this month's TBR List Poll! The approaching spring has put me in the mood for fantasy and all of this month's choices reflected that. 

This will not be the month I finally read my first T. Kingfisher book, which is okay. It's time will come. A Sorceress Comes to Call came received four (4) only four votes. The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love (Love's Academic #1) by India Holton came in second with ten (10 votes). The winner this month is The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst, earning twelve (12) votes. The Spellshop made many people's favorites list last year and I am eager to read it finally!

Thank you  again to everyone for voting in this month's TBR List poll! 

What are you reading next? 

Following in the footsteps of Deb of Readerbuzz, who shares three good things in her Sunday Salon posts, I thought I would try to do the same. With all the worries and stressors in life, I want to highlight some of the good, even the seemingly small stuff. 

1. Seeing Mouse perform is always a joy. She plays the flute in her middle school band. They put on a good show for family and friends, showing off what they would be performing in an upcoming competition. 

2.  We had a fun time on the ghost tour last weekend, learning a little about the city's history and legends of haunts. We went out for a late night dinner after, which was a nice way to top off the night.

3. My cuddle buddy and shadow. She likes to follow me everywhere just about. Our morning routine recently has included her wanting me to pick her up and cuddle her to my chest as soon as I get out of bed. 

I hope you have a great week! Let me know what you have been reading!

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© 2025, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Where Is My Bookmark: A Peek Into Ida, In Love and In Trouble & Other Friday Fun

If not for my historical book club, I likely would not have picked today's featured book to read. It is a nice change after our last two selections though, which were both on the heavier side (but both 5 paw reads for me--so no complaints here!). 

A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence of the book they are reading and say what they think. Hosted by Gillion of  Rose City Reader. Also linking to First Line Friday hosted by Carrie of Reading is My Super Power.

Ida perched languorously on the banister at the opera house, waiting for the curtain to rise. [opening of Ida, In Love and in Trouble]

 Not an attention-grabbing start, but I do not mind a novel that eases me into the story. 

A weekly meme in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading. Our host Freda of Freda's Voice is on a break, and Anne of My Head is Full of Books  has stepped in to host! 

The dichotomy of a tremulous present and a very present past sat uncomfortably side by side, in her heart, and she thought, Was this what Dickens meant when he said it was the best of and the worst of, at the same time?  [excerpt from page 96]

A couple paragraphs above this passage, Ida thinks "it was a strange and hazy time when freedom--the feeling of it, and the knowing of it--was as changeable as the weather." One moment she is making the most of her life as a Black woman in a free America and in the next, she is reading stories of lynch laws and white mobs murdering Black men without punishment.

There are more light moments in the novel than heavier ones. I am enjoying the novel, but I do not think it will end up on my favorites list this year. But I still have over half way to go, so that may change!

Ida, in Love and in Trouble by Veronica Chambers 

Before she became a warrior, Ida B. Wells was an incomparable flirt with a quick wit and a dream of becoming a renowned writer. The first child of newly freed parents who thrived in a community that pulsated with hope and possibility after the Civil War, Ida had a big heart, big ambitions, and even bigger How to be a good big sister when her beloved parents perish in a yellow fever epidemic? How to launch her career as a teacher? How to make and keep friends in a society that seems to have no place for a woman who speaks her own mind? And – always top of mind for Ida – how to find a love that will let her be the woman she dreams of becoming? Ahead of her time by decades, Ida B. Wells pioneered the field of investigative journalism with her powerful reporting on violence against African Americans. Her name became synonymous with courage and an unflinching demand for racial and gender equality. But there were so many facets to Ida Bell and critically acclaimed writer Veronica Chambers unspools her full and colorful life as Ida comes of age in the rapidly changing South, filled with lavish society dances and parties, swoon-worthy gentleman callers, and a world ripe for the taking.

Does this sound like something you would enjoy? If you have read it, what did you think? 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. It is hosted by Linda Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell and Jen from That’s What I’m Talking About. Join in by answering this week's question in the comments or on your own blog.

What are three things you'll never get tired of doing?

I cannot imagine ever tiring of hugging my husband and daughter, cuddling the cats, catching a show with my family, or glamping in the mountains (what is more peaceful than being surrounded by trees?). That's four things, isn't it? Oops. I would like to say I would never tire of reading, but the truth is, sometimes I need break even from that.

What about you?  

Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writer poses a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

What fantasy or Sci-Fi should be part of the literary canon? 

Is this where I recommend my favorite fantasy and science fiction novels or do I talk about books I think are essential to the fantasy and science fiction genres? I love Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books and think Ursula K. Le Guin's work deserves all the accolades it has received. Douglas Adams deserves more praise than he gets. The Grimm brothers and Homer are entrenched in Western culture and few would argue their spot in literary canon. But the problem with literary canons are that they tend to be subjective and limited, even to the point of sometimes being exclusionary. I think there is great value in stories from around the world, reflecting various cultures, folklore and mythologies. And that should be reflected in any literary canon. 

Fantasy and science fiction of today are just as worthy (in some cases even more so) as many of the older works that generally make the lists. Octavia E. Butler's work is amazing and continues to be relevant. Some would argue she is already part of the literary canon. I wouldn't be surprised if  N.K. Jemisin and Nalo Hopkinson one day make that list--their works are already notable. I would like to see books like Marjorie Liu's Monstress added to the canon as well. Too often graphic novels are dismissed as lesser literature, but I full-heartedly disagree. 

There really is not just one literary canon that is the end all, be all. There are many lists that claim the title, and while they may have some of the same authors or books on their lists, they include different ones too. Personally, I enjoy fantasy and science fiction of all kinds. Just as much as I love Lord of the Rings, Mercedes Lackey has also earned a place on my list of greats.

If you were making your own list of fantasy and science fiction greats (books or authors), who would be on it?

 I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Be sure and tell me what you are reading and are up to!

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© 2025, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Malinalli / Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder / The Anatomy of Magic / The Winter Goddess

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings 

to spotlight upcoming release we are excited about that we have yet to read.

Here are three upcoming releases that caught my attention and immediately ended up on my wish list I am looking forward to reading all of them. 

Malinalli by Veronica Chapa
Release Date: March 11, 2025 by Atria Books 

An imaginative retelling of the triumphs and sorrows of one of the most controversial and misunderstood women in Mexico’s history and mythology, perfect for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Gods of Jade and Shadow and Zoraida Córdova’s The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina.

A real-life historical figure, the woman known as Malinalli, Malintzin, La Malinche, Doña Marina, and Malinalxochitl was the Nahua interpreter who helped Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés communicate with the native people of Mexico. When indigenous leaders observed her marching into their cities, they believed she was a goddess—blessed with the divine power to interpret the Spaniards’ intentions for their land. Later, historians and pop culture would deem her a traitor—the “Indian” girl who helped sell Mexico’s future to an invader.

In this riveting, fantastical retelling, Malinalli is all of those things and more, but at heart, she’s a young girl, kidnapped into slavery by age twelve, and fighting to survive the devastation wrought by both the Spanish and Moctezuma’s greed and cruelty. Blessed with magical powers, and supported by a close-knit circle of priestesses, Mali vows to help defend her people’s legacy. In vivid, compelling prose, debut author Veronica Chapa spins an epic tale of magic, sisterhood, survival, and Mexican resilience. This is the first novel to reimagine and reinterpret Malinalli’s story with the empathy, humanity, and awe she’s always deserved. [from the Publisher]

This sounds fascinating and is about a part of history I know little about. I imagine this is one of those books that will have me researching the actual history of Malinalli as I read--or at least when I finish it.

Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder by Bellamy Rose
Release Date: March 18, 2025 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books

A spoiled heiress must investigate her grandmother’s death in order to gain back her trust fund, all while discovering how to be her own person and maybe even in falling in love in this rom-com meets murder mystery.

When Pomona Afton, Upper East Side hotel heiress, stumbles out of a gala and upon the scene of her grandmother’s murder, her first thought is that the society queen won’t be missed for her kind, cookie-baking ways. In fact, she was mean, greedy, and paranoid—so paranoid that she secretly slipped a clause into her will mandating that, should she die an unnatural death, all the family assets get frozen. And if the “unnatural death” isn’t explained? Those accounts stay frozen.

Practically overnight, Pomona is locked out of her penthouse with no other option than to move in with a Gabe, the irritable (yet handsome) son of her former nanny. Not only is his apartment cramped, but it doesn’t even have a doorman. Or a chef! Pom needs someone to solve this murder, like, yesterday, so she can get her trust fund back.

And Gabe? He needs this murder solved because that’s the only way his mother, who toiled for the Afton family for years, will ever get the retirement money she deserves. As Pom’s family clams up, blocking the police at every turn, Pom quickly realizes that if she wants her glamorous life back, she’s going to have to put on her big-girl Manolos and do it herself…with the help of Gabe, who she’s falling for more and more by the day.

Can Pomona Afton (who previously couldn’t solve a crossword in the bath on a hungover Sunday) actually solve this murder? And if she does return to her former life of luxury, will it be worth the possibility of losing Gabe? [from the Publisher]

This sounds like it will be a fun mix of romance and mystery!

The Anatomy of Magic by J.C. Cervantes

Release Date: March 11, 2025 by Park Row

A young woman learns to embrace all the messy imperfections of life and love with some help from her magical family in this next novel by New York Times bestselling author J.C. Cervantes.

Lilian Estrada seemingly has it all: an ob-gyn star on the rise, a master at balancing work with whirlwind romances and part of a family of fiercely loyal and exceptional women, all bound together by an extraordinary secret. The Estrada women each possess a unique power, and Lily shines with the rare gift to manipulate memories. Yet not even her mystical abilities can shield her from a harrowing event at the hospital, one that sends her powers—and her confidence—spiraling out of control.

Seeking solace, Lily retreats to her family's ancestral home in Mexico, only to find herself face-to-face with a ghost from her past—Sam, the first love she never forgot. Nearly a decade since she last saw him, Sam is hardly the boy she once knew, and as old flames spark to life, Lily must navigate the mysteries of their shared history and the depths of her own heart if she hopes to control her unpredictable magic. [from the Publisher]

What an interesting gift to have--being able to manipulate memories. I want to know more about the Estrada women, and I really hope things work out for Lily!

The Winter Goddess by Megan Barnard
Release Date: March 11, 2025 by Penguin Books

A goddess is cursed to endlessly live and die as a mortal until she understands the value of human life, in this inventive, moving reimagining of Gaelic mythology.

Cailleach, goddess of winter, was not born to be a blight on humanity, but she became it. If anyone asked her, she would say with scorn that it was their own humans were selfish, thoughtless, and destructive, bringing harm to each other and the Earth without cause or qualms.

One day, Cailleach goes too far. Thousands die, lost to her brutal winter. In punishment, her mother Danu, the queen of the gods, strips the goddess of her powers and sends Cailleach to Earth, to live and die as the mortals she so despises, until she understands what it is to be a human. Though determined to live in solitude, Cailleach finds that she cannot help but reach for the people she once held in such disdain. She loves and mourns in equal measure, and in opening herself to humanity, hears tales not meant for immortal ears—and a secret long-buried, that will redefine what it means to be a god.

I am super excited about this one and cannot wait to read it!

Do any of these books interest you? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?

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© 2025, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Weekly Mews: Wrapping up February & It's Time for My March TBR List Poll! (Please Vote)

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer and The Sunday Salon (TSS) hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz  where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking It's Monday! What Are you Reading? hosted by Kathryn of Book Date where readers talk about what they have been, are and will be reading.

I am linking up Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently.  

March promises to be a busy month at work and on the personal front. I am putting most of my energy and focus into that right now. We have plans this weekend to go on a Ghost Tour here in town, which should be fun! Mouse has wanted to go on one for awhile now, and it seemed a good way to start off her birthday month. 

What have you been up to this week? 

Books Read in February

I upped my blogging game in February, but will be scaling back this month because of everything I have going on in my offline life. Because I was blogging more, I felt like I had less time for reading. But I still managed to read ten books--and they were all good. 

The first book I finished in February was Home and Away, which was an enjoyable dual narrative novel mostly set in the South. I also read the first in a new mystery series by Holly Stars called Murder in the Dressing Room, which could become a favorite series if this first book is anything to go by. And I read February's TBR Winner, A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage. That was one wild book! Thank you to everyone who voted for it! 

I fit in my four book club reads as well. My Diverse Romance Book Club read Hearts Unbroken, featuring a Native Muscogee protagonist as she navigates through her senior year of high school. There's romance and friendship drama on top of the more serious topics of racism and discrimination. For my Cellar Door Book Club, we read and discussed Isabel Allende's The Wind Knows My Name, a very timely novel tackling the subjects of immigration and refugees, spanning continents and time from 1938 Vienna to present day America. The Mystery Book Club selection for February was The Tainted Cup. Most of the regular members of the mystery club didn't make the meeting, and we wondered if perhaps they were put off by the strong fantasy element in the novel. A couple of new people joined us (one from the Science Fiction/Fantasy Book Club) though, and we had a great discussion about the book. The Reformatory was the Historical Fiction Book Club pick. It had been the favorite read by the Philosophical Horror group a couple years ago and was recommended to our group. It did not disappoint!

With one Bingo (see below) space left toward the end of the month, I scoured my bookshelves looking for a book with wings on the cover. I was specifically looking for something short, like a manga, graphic novel or poetry collection so I could fit it in. When I couldn't find anything right away, I turned to my husband and daughter for help. They dropped everything they were doing and rushed to their own bookshelves to see if they could find a book for me. Mouse came back with three. Anjin pointed out I actually did have a graphic novel with wings on the cover, and I finally found a poetry book with a few tiny birds flying on its cover. Because how could I not, I decided to read one of my daughter's picks, and that was A Fire Among Clouds, the first in a historical fantasy graphic novel series, set in Mesoamerica. It was a good choice!

I listened to three audiobooks in February, which has to be a record. One of them, I went back and forth with between the print and audio, but mostly read the audio. That was Allende's novel. The other two audio books were Bayou Moon, the second book in the Edge urban fantasy/paranormal romance series, and a memoir, Finding Me, which I finished off the month with--and what an inspiring way to end February!

The book titles with links below will take you to my bookish mewsings:

Home and Away by Rochelle Alers  

Murder in the Dressing Room (Misty Divine #1) by Holly Stars

The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende, translated by Frances Riddle 

Bayou Moon (The Edge #2)  by Ilona Andrews

Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith

The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due 

A Fire Among Clouds (Codex Black #1) by Camilo Mocada Lozano, Oniria Hernandez Vargas (Inker), & Angel De Dantiago (Colorist)

A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage by Asia MacKay

Finding Me by Viola Davis

Format pie chart from Storygraph

I am always curious to see the break up of formatting of the book I read. In January, print took the lead, but in February it was digital. And three audiobooks! While I did read some of Isabel Allende's novel in print, I leaned more heavily on the audio version and so counted it as an audio in my stats.

Rating Scale: 5 Paws=Outstanding; 4 Paws=Very Good; 3 Paws=Good; 2 Paws=Okay; 1 Paw=Didn't Like

Overall it was a great reading month. My average rating was 4.15, which I think is slightly higher than last month. I usually give out 5 paw ratings sparingly, but I had two 5 paw reads two months in a row. How awesome is that? The two books that stood out for me in February are very different from one another: a fantasy mystery and the other a historical horror novel. I highly recommend both The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett and The Reformatory by Tananarive Due. I loved them both so much. 

My February 2025 Reading Moods (according to Storygraph)

Let's take a look at how I did with my February Chapter Break Bookish Bingo card. I filled in all the spaces! Way to go me! 

What was your favorite book read in February? Have you made progress with your reading challenges? Did you have a good reading month?

I currently am reading Fate's Edge (The Edge #3) by Ilona Andrews for the COYER Ilona Andrews' Edge and Inn Keeper read-a-long and have just started Ida, in Love and in Trouble by Veronica Chambers for my March Historical Fiction Book Club, which I am not anticipating to be a quick read. This week I am also reading Haunting and Homicide (A Ghost Tour Mystery #1) by Ava Burke (seemed a fitting choice since we're going on that Ghost Tour this weekend!).

What are you reading right now?

My TBR List is hosted by Michelle at Because Reading. The 1st Saturday of every month, I will list 3 books from my TBR pile I am considering reading and let you vote for my next read during that month. My review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise).  

Please help me select my next read! As we kick off March, I find myself in a fantasy mood. Perhaps a romantic fantasy cozy or a a historical fantasy rom-com? Or what about a re-telling of Grimm's Goose Girl? Which of these three books do you think I should read next? 

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

The Spellshop is Sarah Beth Durst’s romantasy debut–a lush cottagecore tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams, and even sweeter love.

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite.

When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who can’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home.

In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries.

But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop.

Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul. [from the publisher]

The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love (Love's Academic #1) by India Holton

Rival ornithologists hunt through England for a rare magical bird in this historical-fantasy rom-com reminiscent of Indiana Jones but with manners, tea, and helicopter parasols.

Beth Pickering is on the verge of finally capturing the rare deathwhistler bird when Professor Devon Lockley swoops in, capturing both her bird and her imagination like a villain. Albeit a handsome and charming villain, but that's beside the point. As someone highly educated in the ruthless discipline of ornithology, Beth knows trouble when she sees it, and she is determined to keep her distance from Devon.

For his part, Devon has never been more smitten than when he first set eyes on Professor Beth Pickering. She's so pretty, so polite, so capable of bringing down a fiery, deadly bird using only her wits. In other words, an angel. Devon understands he must not get close to her, however, since they're professional rivals.

When a competition to become Birder of the Year by capturing an endangered caladrius bird is announced, Beth and Devon are forced to team up to have any chance of winning. Now keeping their distance becomes a question of one bed or two. But they must take the risk, because fowl play is afoot, and they can't trust anyone else—for all may be fair in love and war, but this is ornithology. [from the publisher]

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

A dark retelling of the Brothers Grimm's Goose Girl, rife with secrets, murder, and forbidden magic.

Cordelia knows her mother is unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors between rooms, and her mother doesn't allow Cordelia to have a single friend—unless you count Falada, her mother's beautiful white horse. The only time Cordelia feels truly free is on her daily rides with him. But more than simple eccentricity sets her mother apart. Other mothers don’t force their daughters to be silent and motionless for hours, sometimes days, on end. Other mothers aren’t sorcerers.

After a suspicious death in their small town, Cordelia’s mother insists they leave in the middle of the night, riding away on Falada’s sturdy back, leaving behind all Cordelia has ever known. They arrive at the remote country manor of a wealthy older man, the Squire, and his unwed sister, Hester. Cordelia’s mother intends to lure the Squire into marriage, and Cordelia knows this can only be bad news for the bumbling gentleman and his kind, intelligent sister.

Hester sees the way Cordelia shrinks away from her mother, how the young girl sits eerily still at dinner every night. Hester knows that to save her brother from bewitchment and to rescue the terrified Cordelia, she will have to face down a wicked witch of the worst kind.[from the publisher]

Thank you for voting!

New to my shelves in February:

The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig

Drop of Venom (Venom #1) by Sajni Patel (autographed)

Touch of Blood (Venom #2) by Sajni Patel (autographed)

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott 

Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa 

All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers

The Five Stage of Courting Dalisay Ramos by Melissa De La Cruz

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

Mouse's Additions:

Our Dark Duet (Monsters of Verity #2) by V.E. Schwab

Sixteen Souls (#1) by Rosie Talbot

Never Believe a Lie Twice by Kathleen Troy

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think? 

Following in the footsteps of Deb of Readerbuzz, who shares three good things in her Sunday Salon posts, I thought I would try to do the same. With all the worries and stressors in life, I want to highlight some of the good, even the seemingly small stuff. 

1. My Great Aunt is doing better health wise and is now in a rehab facility getting physical and occupational therapy. Her prognosis is good and she should hopefully be able to return home soon! Thank you to everyone for your positive thoughts and prayers.

2. My daughter's friend is visiting today, and I am enjoying listen to them sing and laugh together as I sit here visiting with you. 

3. Signs of spring - the purple blossoms on our tree in the front yard are so pretty!

What have you been up to this past week? 

I hope you have a great week! Let me know what you have been reading!

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