Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Can't Wait Wednesday: Hidden/I Was Told It Would Get Easier/American Demon/Saving Ruby King



The Old(er) 
I have an embarrassing number of unread books sitting on the shelves in my personal library. Carole of Carole's Random Life in Books has given me the perfect excuse to spotlight and discuss those neglected books in her Books from the Backlog feature. After all, even those older books need a bit of love! Not to mention it is reminding me what great books I have waiting for me under my own roof still to read!

Hidden by Paul Jaskunas ( Free Press, 2005)
As unnerving as it is mesmerizing, Hidden is an evocative, emotionally charged domestic drama -- a willful and traumatized woman's painful search for the truth about the man who assaulted her one summer night.

Six years after the attack, Maggie Wilson receives a call from the prosecutor who helped put her husband in jail after Maggie identified him as the man who nearly killed her. Told that another inmate has confessed to the crime and that her ex-husband will be freed, the shock plunges Maggie into memories of her stormy marriage to Nate Duke, the ambitious heir to a real estate company. Secluded in an old farmhouse that was her marital home, Maggie relives her marriage to Nate and his abusive treatment of her. But in her present, a very different man is haunting her -- the born-again convict who has confessed to the crime. As his story competes with hers, Maggie pores through trial transcripts, old journals, and photo albums, trying fruitlessly to remember exactly what happened.

Written in spare, elegant prose, Paul Jaskunas's novel reads like a waking dream as Maggie is torn by the question -- was it Nate? Or was it this stranger who seems to know intimate details? And what will it cost her to discover the truth? A work of searing suspense written in the heroine's brave voice, Hidden is ultimately about a woman confronting the betrayal of her body and the ambiguity of her mind. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: Yet another book that has been sitting on my TBR shelf for years now whose origin I am not quite sure about. Did it come recommended? Did I receive it as a gift or find it while browsing at the bookstore? All I know is this sounds like an emotional roller coaster of a domestic thriller. 

Have you read Hidden? Does it sounds like something you would enjoy? 


The New
Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by the marvelous Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss upcoming release we are excited about that we have yet to read.


I Was Told It Would Get Easier by Abbi Waxman
Release Date: June 16, 2020 by Berkley
Squashed among a bus full of strangers, mother-daughter duo Jessica and Emily Burnstein watch their carefully mapped-out college tour devolve into a series of off-roading misadventures, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.

Jessica and Emily Burnstein have very different ideas of how this college tour should go.

For Emily, it’s a preview of freedom, exploring the possibility of her new and more exciting future. Not that she’s sure she even wants to go to college, but let’s ignore that for now. And maybe the other kids on the tour will like her more than the ones at school. . . . They have to, right?

For Jessica, it’s a chance to bond with the daughter she seems to have lost. They used to be so close, but then Goldfish crackers and Play-Doh were no longer enough of a draw. She isn’t even sure if Emily likes her anymore. To be honest, Jessica isn’t sure she likes herself.

Together with a dozen strangers–and two familiar enemies–Jessica and Emily travel the East Coast, meeting up with family and old friends along the way. Surprises and secrets threaten their relationship and, in the end, change it forever. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: I enjoyed The Bookish Life of Nina Hill and when I saw the author has a new book coming out, I knew right away it would go on my wish list. Although it's been am embarrassingly long time ago, I still remember when my mom, brother and I went on a road trip to tour prospective colleges for me and the adventure we had. I look forward to reading this one.


American Demon (Return to the Hollows #1) by Kim Harrison
Release Date: June 16, 2020 by Ace
A thrilling return to the #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series, continuing Rachel Morgan’s story.

RACHEL MORGAN IS BACK–AND THE HOLLOWS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.
What happens after you’ve saved the world? Well, if you’re Rachel Mariana Morgan, witch-born demon, you quickly discover that something might have gone just a little bit wrong. That the very same acts you and your friends took to forge new powers may have released something bound by the old. With a rash of zombies, some strange new murders, and an exceedingly mysterious new demon in town, it will take everything Rachel has to counter this new threat to the world–and it may demand the sacrifice of what she holds most dear. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: I have only read the first book in the original Hollow's series, and I loved it. I need to pick up the rest of the series and read it before I jump into this one, but I cannot resist adding this to my wish list. 


Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West
Release Date: June 16, 2020 by Park Row
Set in the South Side of Chicago, an epic, enthralling story of a young woman determined to protect her best friend while a long-buried secret threatens to unravel both their families.

Family. Faith. Secrets. Everything in this world comes full circle.

When Ruby King’s mother is found murdered in their home in Chicago’s South Side, the police dismiss it as another act of violence in a black neighborhood. But for Ruby, it means she’ll be living alone with her violent father. The only person who understands the gravity of her situation is Ruby’s best friend, Layla. Their closeness is tested when Layla’s father, the pastor of their church, demands that Layla stay away. But what are his true motives? And what is the price for turning a blind eye?

In a relentless quest to save Ruby, Layla comes to discover the murky loyalties and dark secrets tying their families together for three generations. A crucial pilgrimage through the racially divided landscape of Chicago, Saving Ruby King traces the way trauma is passed down through generations and the ways in which communities can come together to create sanctuary.

Saving Ruby King is an emotional and revelatory story of race, family secrets, faith and redemption. This is an unforgettable debut novel from an exciting new voice in fiction and a powerful testament that history doesn’t determine the present, and that the bonds of friendship can forever shape the future. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: After that description, how can I not want to read this one? I want to know more about Ruby and Layla, and I am hoping the two young women will come out on top of this one.


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


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40 comments:

  1. These all sound really good especially I Was Told It Would Get Easier!

    My CWW

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    1. Jenea - I am looking forward to reading them! Thank you for visiting.

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  2. Oooh, Hidden sounds amazing! I hope you get to read it soon!

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    1. Eustacia - I think so too! I'm always finding gems on my shelves that have gone unnoticed for too long. Thank you for stopping by!

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  3. I love the sound of American Demon, Wendy - I was a real fan of the Hollows series, so I will be looking out for this one. Though probably when it hits the library shelves - it's FAR too expensive to consider buying... I also like the sound of I Was Told It Would Get Easier - mother and daughter dynamics are often a tad fraught and this sounds like a lovely exploration of that relationship. Happy reading!

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    1. Sarah - I need to dive back into the Hollows series. This new series sounds like it will be good too. Thank you for visiting!

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    1. Jenclair - I think so too! Thank you for stopping by.

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  5. Hidden sounds like a good read to me! Will check it out! :)

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  6. Fun books! I have yet to read Kim Harrison book, but I may try her new series instead of going back. Thanks for linking up!

    Tressa @ Wishful Endings

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    1. Tressa - I'm excited about American Demon, but think I want to try to catch up with the first series. I believe though they can be reads as stand alones so starting with this one shouldn't be a problem. Thank you for stopping by!

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  7. I Was Told It Would Get Easier looks funny. And I could use a bit of funny in my life right about now. :)

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    1. Lark - It does sound funny. I look forward to reading it! Thank you for visiting.

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  8. i recognize kim harrison, the rest are new to me. thanks for sharing
    sherry @ fundinmental

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  9. These sound really good! I especially like the sound of I Was Told It Would Get Easier. Thanks for sharing! :)

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    1. Ashley - I hope they will be! Thank you for visiting!

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  10. I have an Abbi Waxman that I desperately need to read. It looks great but somehow I've never managed to get it to the top of the list. These all look interesting but are all new to me!

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    1. Katherine - I really enjoyed Nina Hill, and if that's the one you have waiting on your TBR, I do hope you enjoy it! Thank you for stopping by.

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  11. Great picks! That American Demon book looks interesting!

    Here’s my WoW!

    Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog

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  12. Hidden sounds really good, but dark. I've never heard of it before, but now I want to read it😁

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    1. Tammy - I hope it will be good. I need to move it up on my TBR pile. I hope you get a chance to read it too! Thank you for stopping by.

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  13. I love the variety in this list! Abbi Waxman's title and Saving Ruby King are two standouts for me that I would adore reading!

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    1. Verushka - I am excited about both, and hope they will be good! Thank you for visiting.

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  14. Yay, great minds think alike on the new Abbi Waxman book!

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    1. Angela - Doesn't it sound good? I can't wait to read it. I hope we both love it. Thank you for stopping by!

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  15. I can't wait for American Demon even though I am not caught up on the series either. Hidden sounds really good. There are a lot of books on my shelf that I have no idea how they ended up there.

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    1. Carole - I really need to get caught up on the series. I have all the books, so there's no excuse. Thank you for visiting!

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  16. I hope you enjoy them when you get a chance to read them.

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  17. Oh my goodness all of these sound good! It would be hard to decide on one but if I had to choose, right now I'd go for Saving Ruby King. Hope you get to check these out and tell us about it!

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    1. Iliana - I thing Saving Ruby sounds good--and emotional. I look forward to reading it. Thank you for stopping by!

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  18. Lots of great books. I need to catch up on the Kim Harrison series. I think I am three behind. I am also really curious about Saving Ruby King and it's the first time I've seen this one.

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    1. Barb - Hopefully I can get caught up on it sooner than later. I think you are farther ahead than I am though. Thank you for visiting!

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  19. I'm really excited for the new Abbi Waxman book too. I've heard good things about it so I hope it's a great read for both of us. :)

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    1. Suzanne - I am glad you are hearing good things about Waxman's new book! That is very promising. Thank you for stopping by!

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  20. Hidden sounds like it could be really good! I'm off to check it out.

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