Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Waiting to Read Wednesday: A Peculiar Combination / Happy Endings / Drowned City


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.


A Peculiar Combination
(Electra McDonnell #1) by Ashley Weaver
Release Date: May 11, 2021 by Minotaur Books
The first in the Electra McDonnell series from Edgar-nominated author Ashley Weaver, set in England during World War II, A Peculiar Combination is a delightful mystery filled with spies, murder, romance, and the author's signature wit.

Electra McDonnell has always known that the way she and her family earn their living is slightly outside of the law. Breaking into the homes of the rich and picking the locks on their safes may not be condoned by British law enforcement, but World War II is in full swing, Ellie's cousins Colm and Toby are off fighting against Hitler, and Uncle Mick's more honorable business as a locksmith can't pay the bills any more.

So when Uncle Mick receives a tip about a safe full of jewels in the empty house of a wealthy family, he and Ellie can't resist. All goes as planned--until the pair are caught redhanded. Ellie expects them to be taken straight to prison, but instead they are delivered to a large townhouse, where government official Major Ramsey is waiting with an offer: either Ellie agrees to help him break into a safe and retrieve blueprints that will be critical to the British war effort, before they can be delivered to a German spy, or he turns her over to the police.

Ellie doesn't care for the Major's imperious manner, but she has no choice, and besides, she's eager to do her bit for king and country. She may be a thief, but she's no coward. When she and the Major break into the house in question, they find instead the purported German spy dead on the floor, the safe already open and empty. Soon, Ellie and Major Ramsey are forced to put aside their differences to unmask the double-agent, as they try to stop allied plans falling into German hands.
[Goodreads Summary]
Why I want to read this: A thief recruited by the government to help in the war effort? And a woman thief at that? I'm doubly interested in giving this new series a try. I love a good historical mystery and this one sounds like it will a winner.


Happy Endings
by Thien-Kim Lam
Release Date: May 18, 2021 by Avon
With her debut novel, Thien-Kim Lam serves up a sexy second-chance romance about exes with unfinished business. When working together reignites their passion, will these former flames sizzle or get burned all over again?

Trixie Nguyen is determined to make her sex toy business a success, proving to her traditional Vietnamese parents that she can succeed in a nontraditional career. She's made a fresh start in Washington DC, and her first pop-up event is going well—until she runs into the ex who dumped her. With a Post-it note.

The last person Andre Walker expected to see in his soul food restaurant was the woman he left behind in New Orleans. Their chemistry is still scorching, but he's desperately trying to save his family restaurant from gentrifying developers. The solution? Partnering with his ex to turn Mama Hazel’s into a vibrator pop-up shop for hungry and horny clients.

Thanks to their steamy truce, both businesses start to sizzle and their red-hot desire soon reignites deeper feelings. But when Trixie receives an incredible career opportunity, will pride ruin their second chance at happiness?  
[Goodreads Summary]
Why I want to read this: I hate the idea of Andre losing his family restaurant to gentrifying developers. I enjoy a good second-chance romance and hope this one will be a good one. 


Does either of these books interest you? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?


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!

Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans
by Don Brown
(HMH Books for Young Readers, 2015)
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina's monstrous winds and surging water overwhelmed the protective levees around low-lying New Orleans, Louisiana. Eighty percent of the city flooded, in some places under twenty feet of water. Property damages across the Gulf Coast topped $100 billion. One thousand eight hundred and thirty-three people lost their lives. The riveting tale of this historic storm and the drowning of an American city is one of selflessness, heroism, and courage—and also of incompetence, racism, and criminality.

Don Brown’s kinetic art and as-it-happens narrative capture both the tragedy and triumph of one of the worst natural disasters in American history. A portion of the proceeds from this book has been donated to Habitat for Humanity New Orleans.
[Goodreads Summary]
Why I want to read this: Hurricane Katrina was devastating to so many, not to mention brought to light systematic and societal problems that had long been ignored. This particular graphic novel came highly recommended about a time in America's history that I would like to know more about and so I added it to my TBR pile. Another neglected book I still really want to read.


Have you read Drowned City? Does this book sound like something you would like to read? 


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38 comments:

  1. I've put myself on the wish list for the Ashley Weaver book. I would love to get hold of that one. I do not however, have much hope because wish lists so far have not yielded very much!!!

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    1. Mystica - It is so good! I hope you get a chance to read it. Thank you for visiting!

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  2. Drowned City sounds like an important read! I hope you enjoy it when you read it!

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    1. Eustacia - Doesn't it? I have had it for years and do not know why I haven't read it yet. Thank you for stopping by!

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  3. Happy Endings sounds brilliant -- and funny, and romantic! I love this pick!!!

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    1. Verushka - I think so too! I look forward to reading it!

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  4. I love the sound of A Peculiar Combination - and I've read quite a few historical whodunits and thrillers recently. So this one sounds right up my street. Thank you for sharing it, Wendy. Though Drowned City also has snagged my attention - it sounds like a wonderful approach for youngsters in particular, who regularly read graphic books.

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    1. Sarah - I finished it last week and really enjoyed it. So much fun. Thank you for stopping by!

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  5. I do enjoy stories with morally grey characters particularly when it is the heroine, so a female thief sounds like a great book. I do hope you enjoy these three reads.

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  6. A Peculiar Combination is really calling to me! Thanks for sharing:-)

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    1. Tammy - A Peculiar Combination was a good one! Thank you for visiting!

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  7. Oooh! All of these books sound interesting! Great picks!

    Here’s my WoW!

    Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog

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  8. Sophia is reading / reviewing the first one, A Peculiar Combination.

    Anne - Books of My Heart

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    1. Anne - I finished reading that one last week and really enjoyed it. I hope Sophia did too! Thank you for stopping by!

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  9. A Peculiar Combination sounds like it could be the beginning of a very fun series. :)

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  10. I didn't know Ashley Weaver has a new series out! Gotta check out "A Peculiar Combination".

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    1. Melody - I haven't read her other series but now I want to. Thank you for stopping by!

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  11. I'm sure I own several books by Ashley Weaver but I haven't seen that book. It looks fantastic! The Katrina book looks like a tough read. When we were in New Orleans in 2019 we went to a number of the towns in Mississippi that were just devastated and it was just stunning to see the damage.

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    1. Katherine - I would like to read more of her work.

      Drowned does sound like it will be an emotional one. I still remember all the stories coming out of New Orleans and the neighboring areas after Katrina. So much devastation and loss.

      Thank you for visiting!

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  12. looks like a nice variety. hope you enjoy them
    sherry @ fundinmental

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  13. I've got A Peculiar Combination, too. Neat how they put the history of Hurricane Katrina in graphic form.

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    1. Sophia -I hope you enjoy A Peculiar Combination too! Thank you for stopping by!

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  14. Peculiar Combination and Happy Endings appeal to me. Hope you enjoy them all!

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  15. Drowned City sounds like a book that I could read.

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    1. Mary - I hope you get a chance to read it! Thank you for visiting!

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  16. Happy Endings looks really good. I hope you enjoy the books!

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    1. Yvonne - It sounds like it will be a lot of fun. :-) Thank you for stopping by!

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  17. Happy Endings sounds like such a lovely read. I love a good second chance romance.

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    1. Suzanne - I hope you enjoy it if you do read it! Thank you for visiting!

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  18. You always seem to find the best books! I am really curious about the Hurricane Katrina graphic novel. I remember being emotionally devastated that our country couldn't take care of our people better than they did. I hope that you enjoy all of these!

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    1. Carole - It was awful the way the disaster was handled, I agree. So tragic all around. Thank you for stopping by!

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  19. I love the sound of A Peculiar Combination. It's definitely going on my wishlist. Thanks for sharing! :)

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    1. Ashley - I hope you get a chance to read it! Thank you for visiting!

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