Can't Wait Wednesday: The Paris Widow / The Forgotten Names / Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books / Code Black

The New

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by the marvelous 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 Paris Widow by Kimberly Belle
Release Date: June 11, 2024 by Park Row

A dream vacation turns deadly when secrets from the past catch up to a married couple in Paris in this new edge-of-your-seat thriller from USA Today bestselling author, Kimberly Belle.

When Stella met Adam, she thought she had finally found a nice, normal guy—a welcome change from her previous boyfriend and her precarious jetsetter lifestyle with him. But her secure world comes crashing down when Adam goes missing after an explosion in the city square. Unable to reach him, she panics.

As the French police investigate, it’s revealed that Adam was on their radar as a dealer of rare and stolen antiquities with a long roster of criminal clients. Reeling from this news, Stella is determined not to leave Paris until she has the full story. Was Adam a random victim or the target of the explosion? And why is someone following her through the streets of Paris?

An irresistible, fast-paced read set in some of Europe’s most inviting locales, The Paris Widow explores how sinister secrets of the past stay with us—no matter how far we travel.[Goodreads Summary]

The Forgotten Names by Mario Escobar
Release Date: June 11, 2024 by Harper Muse

Based on the true story of one ordinary woman who risked everything to reunite Jewish children with the true names they hadn't even realized they'd lost.

France, 1992. Law student Valérie Portheret is in the middle of researching her thesis on the Klaus Barbie trials when she stumbles across an unexplained list of 108 names. Curious, she investigates further and discovers that the list contains the names of Jewish children who were smuggled out from under the Nazi regime during WWII by receiving new names, new lives, and hiding in plain sight by "boarding" in homes like the Chateau de Peyrins. While visiting the Chateau, the son-in-law of the original owner shows Valérie the meticulous hidden records of the children who found safety behind the castle's walls. She finds it difficult to distinguish between the names of the legitimate French children who boarded and the changed names of the Jewish children, but Valérie resolves to locate each of the original children--who are now adults--in order to hear their stories and shed light on their true origins.

Facing escalating opposition from people who would prefer to forget the Holocaust ever happened or even deny it outright, Valérie embarks on a twenty-five-year quest to right the extreme wrongs of history and reunite individuals with their birthright heritages.

The Forgotten Names reminds the world of the impact that one person can have in the face of overwhelming odds. [Goodreads Summary]

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller
Release Date: June 18, 2024 by William Morrow

The provocative and hilarious summer read that will have book lovers cheering and everyone talking! Kirsten Miller, author of The Change, brings us a bracing, wildly entertaining satire about a small Southern town, a pitched battle over banned books, and a little lending library that changes everything.

Beverly Underwood and her arch enemy, Lula Dean, live in the tiny town of Troy, Georgia, where they were born and raised. Now Beverly is on the school board, and Lula has become a local celebrity by embarking on mission to rid the public libraries of all inappropriate books—none of which she’s actually read. To replace the “pornographic” books she’s challenged at the local public library, Lula starts her own lending library in front of her home: a cute wooden hutch with glass doors and neat rows of the worthy literature that she’s sure the town’s readers need.

But Beverly’s daughter Lindsay sneaks in by night and secretly fills Lula Dean’s little free library with banned books wrapped in “wholesome” dust jackets. The Girl’s Guide to the Revolution is wrapped in the cover of The Southern Belle’s Guide to Etiquette. A jacket that belongs to Our Confederate Heroes ends up on Beloved. One by one, neighbors who borrow books from Lula Dean’s library find their lives changed in unexpected ways. Finally, one of Lula Dean’s enemies discovers the library and decides to turn the tables on her, just as Lula and Beverly are running against each other to replace the town’s disgraced mayor.

That’s when all the townspeople who’ve been borrowing from Lula’s library begin to reveal themselves. It’s a diverse and surprising bunch—including the local postman, the prom queen, housewives, a farmer, and the former DA—all of whom have been changed by what they’ve read. When Lindsay is forced to own up to what she’s done, the showdown that’s been brewing between Beverly and Lula will roil the whole town...and change it forever. [Goodreads Summary]

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

The Old(er) 

Carole of Carole's Random Life in Books has given me the perfect excuse to spotlight those unread books on my TBR in her Books from the Backlog feature, reminding me what great books I have waiting for me under my own roof still to read!

These past few months I have been featuring books on the losing end of my TBR List Poll, which includes all books on my TBR shelves. This one was one of the options in my July 2016 poll that I still haven't gotten to. Yet. 

Code Black (Paranormal Crimes Division #1) by Tina Moss 

(City Owl Press, 2015)

Heat Up the Night...Heed the Call.

Gossip mag reporter Sera Benenati knows a thing or two about unearthing secrets...and burying them. As an unregistered supernatural, her freedom depends on keeping her fire-wielding abilities contained. Yet, the threat of a little flame isn’t enough to snuff out her journalistic pursuits. She’s determined to claw her way to the top and land a spot with a real paper.

When she tracks a lead on a string of gruesome paranormal murders to the small town of Buckhorn, Arizona, she’s certain she’s landed the perfect scoop. But, as the crime scene reveals victims with bite marks, torn flesh, and battered bodies, Sera may have smoked out more than she can burn. As the investigation grows hot and Sera winds up in the crosshairs, she’ll need the help of a sexy shifter, special agent Talon Rede, to unmask the murderers before she becomes the next victim. [Goodreads Summary]

Have you read Code Black?  Does this book sound like something you would like to read? 

---

© 2024, 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: School's Out / An Author Talk / Time To Choose My Next Book (Please Vote in My TBR Poll!)

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.  

Summer is here! Well, almost. Mouse's last day of school was this past week and she has sleeping in as much as possible on her agenda. So does my husband who gets her to school on time during the school year (his work day starts later than mine). Unfortunately, I still have to get up early. I am happy for them though. 

My mom invited me to attend a book talk with author Susan Straight earlier in the week. One of the many book clubs in my mom's neighborhood/community recently read her memoir, In the Country of Women, and she shared stories from her childhood and of the influential women in her life. Susan grew up locally, and although I didn't, many of the places she talked about are familiar and I enjoyed hearing more about the area's history. 

Another of the neighborhood book clubs recently read Susan's novel, Mecca, and although Susan was not there to talk about that book specifically, she did open up about the inspiration behind the novel and teased us with news of a sequel coming next year. I haven't read anything by Susan Straight, but after hearing her talk, I am very tempted to pick up one of her books! 

The bee dilemma continues . . . Someone is coming this next week to open up the wall to see if they can locate the bee hive. Fingers crossed they are able to find it and remove it without having to do too much damage. 

Somehow I hurt a muscle in my neck and it's been slow in healing. It's hard to rest a body part that I use without trying, and just when I think it's starting to feel better, I move in such a way that it reminds me it isn't completely better. 

In other news, my husband got us tickets to see the musical Hamilton this coming September for my birthday. I am so excited! 

Books Read in May

What a great reading month May was! I finished reading Menopause Manifesto at the start of the month. I was sad to come to the end of the Aunties trilogy with The Good, The Bad, and the Aunties by Sutanto, but it ended on a high note. It's such a fun series. Perfect for an escape. Yangsze Choo has earned a permanent spot on my favorite author's list with The Fox Wife, yet another amazing book she's written. Nosy Neighbors pulled at my heartstrings and Happily Never After fed my craving for romance. I picked up Octavia E. Butler's Kindred on a whim after finishing David Copperfield, hoping to stretch it out a little and read it before bed. I figured out quickly that Kindred is not bedtime reading material, the subject matter being too heavy. It also wasn't a book that could be stretched out--I had a hard time putting it down. The Secret Keeper of Main Street proved to be a satisfying historical novel with a dash of mystery and romance. I topped off the month with the graphic novel Ghost Roast (because I was still recovering from Kindred). I love a good ghost story!

• Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
• The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo
• David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
• Ghost Roast by Shawnee & Shawnelle Gibbs, illustrated by Emily Cannon
• The Menopause Manifesto by Jen Gunter
• Happily Never After by Lynn Painter
• Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson
• The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties (Aunties #3) by Jesse Q. Sutanto
• The Secret Keeper of Main Street by Trisha R. Thomas

My favorite and least favorite reads in May: While I found Menopause Manifesto informative and came away with some new insights, I was hoping for more. It falls in the "liked it" category but not the "loved it" one. Both Kindred and The Fox Wife were compelling, imaginative and moving reads that were rich in history and culture. Yet also very different from one another. I really do not want to have to choose between the two as to which was my favorite May read, so I won't. 

What was your favorite book read in May? Did you have a good reading month?

My bookmark is currently in Etta Easton's The Kiss Countdown, which I just started--and already loving. I also am reading my first Daphne du Maurier book,  Don't Look Now & Other Stories. I thought this would be a good way to sample her writing before diving into her full length novels. 

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! These three are all very different from one another, but all are high on my TBR. Which one do you think I should read next? 

An Inheritance of Magic (#1) by Benedict Jacka

The super-rich control everything—including magic—in this thrilling and brilliant, contemporary fantasy from the author of the Alex Verus novels.

The wealthy seem to exist in a different, glittering world from the rest of us. Almost as if by... magic.

Stephen Oakwood is a young man on the edge of this hidden world. He has talent and potential, but turning that potential into magical power takes money, opportunity, and training. All Stephen has is a minimum wage job and a cat.

But when a chance encounter with a member of House Ashford gets him noticed by the wrong people, Stephen is thrown in the deep end. For centuries, the vast corporations and aristocratic Houses of the magical world have grown impossibly rich and influential by hoarding their knowledge. To survive, Stephen will have to take his talent and build it up into something greater—for only then can he beat them at their own game. [Goodreads Summary]

The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay

Near the end of the Cold War, a CIA code breaker discovers a symbol she recognizes from her childhood, which launches her across the world to the heart of Berlin just before the wall comes tumbling down.

November 1989 —After finding a secret cache of letters with intelligence buried in the text, CIA cryptographer Luisa Voekler learns that not only is her father alive but he is languishing in an East German Stasi jail. After piecing together the letters with a series of articles her grandfather saved, Luisa seeks out journalists Bran Bishop and Daniel Rudd. They send her to the CIA, to Andrew Cademan—her boss.

Luisa confronts Cademan and learns that nothing is a coincidence, but he will not help her free her father. So she takes matters into her own hands, empties her bank account, and flies to West Berlin. As the adrenaline wears off and she recognizes she has no idea how to proceed, Luisa is both relieved and surprised when a friend shows up with contacts and a rudimentary plan to sneak her across the wall.

Alternating storylines between Luisa and her father, The Berlin Letters shows the tumultuous early days of the wall, bringing Berlin, the epicenter of the Cold War, to life while also sharing one family’s journey through secrets, lies, and division to love, freedom, and reconciliation. [Goodreads Summary]

Murder Road by Simone St. James

A young couple find themselves haunted by a string of gruesome murders committed along an old deserted road in this terrifying new novel.

July 1995. April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn. They’re looking for the small resort town where they plan to spend their honeymoon. When they spot what appears to a lone hitchhiker along the deserted road, they stop to help. But not long after the hitchiker gets into their car, they see the blood seeping from her jacket and a truck barreling down Atticus Line after them.

When the hitchhiker dies at the local hospital, April and Eddie find themselves in the crosshairs of the Coldlake Falls police. Unexplained murders have been happening along Atticus Line for years and the cops finally have two witnesses who easily become their only suspects. As April and Eddie start to dig into the history of the town and that horrible stretch of road to clear their names, they soon learn that there is something supernatural at work, something that could not only tear the town and its dark secrets apart, but take April and Eddie down with it all. [Goodreads Summary]

Thank you for voting!

New to my shelves:

Bookstore gift cards make the best gifts, don't they? And I sure do love spending them! The first three of these are actually Mouse's, which she bought with gift cards she received for her birthday and Easter. The others were my recent gift card purchases. 

The Wolf's Curse by Jessica Vitalis

The Otherwoods by Justine Pucella Winans

The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. by David Levithan

Hell Bent (Alex Stern #2) by Leigh Bardugo

Ninth House (Alex Stern #1) by Leigh Bardugo

Notorious Sorcerer (Burnished City #1) by Davinia Evans

The Briar Book of the Dead by A.G. Slatter

The City We Became (Great Cities #1) by N.K. Jemisin

Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis

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

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

---

© 2024, 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 Your Bookmark: A Peek Into The Secret Keeper of Main Street & Other Friday Fun

A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence of the book they are reading and say what they think. Hosted by the amazing Gillion Dumas of Rose City Reader.

It was a gift, seeing what most people were afraid to see. It took her Aunt Charlene to teach Bailey she wasn't hexed. "But did the visions have to be with naked bodies?" twelve-year-old Bailey asked one evening as she sat on the porch swing, watching fireflies. [opening of The Keeper of Secrets of Main Street]

I imagine at the age of twelve, it would have been quite startling to see naked people in her visions. I don't think I would have taken that well either. 

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

Ingrid's voice rose to a shriek. "In the midst of my worrying about where you'd run off to, again, I hear about this from Vera, who, by the way, wanted to know if you perhaps knew what the fight was about, since Niles didn't want to talk about it." [excerpt from 56% of The Secret Keeper of Main Street]  

The communication between Elsa and her mother, Ingrid, is far from good. It sounds like it has reached the tipping point for Ingrid in this scene, doesn't it? There's nothing like finding something out about your daughter via gossip rather than directly from the source. Although, to be fair, Elsa has good reason not to be open with her mother. 

I just finished an early e-release copy of The Secret Keeper of Main Street by Trisha R. Thomas (my bookish mewsings to come).  The author is going to be at my favorite local bookstore this coming week, and I can't wait to meet her! I have already pre-ordered a final copy of the book for her to sign. 

Acclaimed author Trisha R. Thomas delivers a masterful new tale of scandal and intuition. In 1950s oil-rich Oklahoma, Bailey Dowery, a dressmaker with the gift of “second sight,” reluctantly reveals the true loves and intentions of her socialite clients, making her a silent witness to a shocking crime.

1954: In the quaint town of Mendol, Oklahoma, Bailey Dowery is a Black dressmaker for the wives and daughters of local oil barons. She earns a good living fitting designer gowns and creating custom wedding dresses for the town’s elite. But beyond her needle and thread lies a deeper talent, one passed down from her the gift of insight. With just a fleeting touch or brush against the skin, Bailey has sudden flashes of intuition— witnessing the other person’s hopes, dreams, and nightmares, as well glimpses of their past and future. To protect herself, she wears gloves to keep from grazing the skin of her clients as she pins them into their gowns.

Brides have whispered that Bailey can see if their true love is faithful, or if their marriage will be a success. Her aunt Charlene has always warned her, “It’s safer to stay out of White folks’ business.” But Bailey will reluctantly provide a reading during a fitting, as long as the bride promises to be discreet.

Now Elsa Grimes, daughter of one of the richest oil men in Oklahoma, has come to the Regal Gown as the least joyful bride Bailey has ever seen. Elsa’s big society wedding is imminent and her gown is gorgeous, but what Bailey’s intuition uncovers when she touches Elsa’s hand horrifies her. Against her better judgment, she’s determined to help Elsa in whatever way she can. But when the son of a prominent family turns up dead on the eve of Elsa’s wedding, and the bride-to-be is arrested for his murder, Bailey is suddenly at the center of a firestorm that threatens to overtake her and everyone she loves. [Goodreads Summary]

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.

Which books are you looking forward to reading this summer?

So many! And probably most I will not be able to fit in. That and I am terrible at planning my reading ahead of time. I am too much of a mood reader. Here are some of the books I am considering reading in the next few months: 

The Wrong End of the Telescope by Rabih Alameddine

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Legendborn (#1) by Tracy Deonn

Black Sun (Between Earth & Sky #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse 

Artificial Condition (Murderbot Diaries #2) by Martha Wells

A Botanist's Guide to Society and Secrets (Saffron Everleigh Mystery #3) by Kate Khavari

Murder Road by Simone St. James

One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin

American Demon (Hollows #14) by Kim Harrison

Ill-Fated Fortune (Magical Fortune Cookie #1) by Jennifer J. Chow

Daughter of the Moon Goddess (Celestial Kingdom Duology #1) by Sue Lynn Tan

And of course I am thinking of more after listing these . . . 

Which of the books I mentioned do you think I should make sure to read? What books are you looking forward to reading this summer?

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

---

© 2024 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: It's a Tie!

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.

Just a quick check in to say hello and wish everyone well this weekend! It was another busy work week. I took some time off to take Mouse to the orthodontist's to get her expander and braces put in. If one has to endure braces, being able to wear brackets in a favorite color makes it a little more bearable. For all the mothers out there, I hope you have a happy Mother's Day! We have plans to take my mom out for lunch, do a little shoe shopping for Mouse, and I need to get some laundry done. There will be some quality reading time too, of course! 

Sleepy Cat

Nina is keeping me company

My Mother's Day Flowers

.

This past week I finished reading Dr. Jen Gunter's Menopause Manifesto, which was informative, although I was hoping for more. I also finished The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo. This wasn't a fast paced book, but one I wanted to savor  with its rich fox folklore and history, set in Manchuria and Japan in 1908. I hated to see the book come to an end as I was so invested with the characters. 

It is hard sometimes to pick up a book after reading such an amazing one like The Fox Wife, and so I decided to jump into something very different by another favorite author: The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties (Aunties #3) by Jesse Q. Sutanto. I can always count on this series to make me laugh. I love Meddy, her mom and her aunties. They find themselves in such outrageous situations. I continue to fit in my chapter a night of David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. Let me just say, I do not like Uriah Heep at all. 

Next up, will be my TBR List Poll winners. Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan received 4 votes (Mouse was really hoping for that one to win). Tying with 8 votes each was Happily Never After by Lynn Painter and Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson. I was hoping someone would come along and break the tie, but it was not meant to be. I will do my best to fit both books in this month! I am looking forward to reading both.

Thank you again to all who voted!

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).  

We finished the 10th season of Doctor Who, starring Peter Capaldi today. I grow so attached to each of the Doctors and am always sad to see them go. But I am so excited to finally have reached the Jodie Whittaker episodes (for those not familiar with the show, she is the first to play a female version of the Doctor).

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

---

© 2024, 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: April Wrap Up and It's Time to Pick My Next TBR Book (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.

May snuck up on me. April had its ups and downs. We are still dealing with the bees in our wall problem, the pressure and volume at work has been relentless, and then all the health stuff. About the middle of April, we went to see my mom perform in a skit at her neighborhood community's Masquers Club variety show. She did a great job and it was a fun show. Anjin had jury duty this past week and spent a good part of four days listening to the lawyers question people as part of the selection process. I think he was relieved when he was finally dismissed. Today we attended a self-defense class with Mouse and her Girl Scout troop. One of the troop members attends the dojo where they held the class, and Mouse's troop invited several other local troops to attend as well. They had quite the turn out! Anjin even got to take part in some of the exercises as a target. It made for an educational and fun afternoon.

Gracie took advantage of the open drawer as is her right as a cat

May means the end of the school year for Mouse is close at hand--a little less than four weeks left. It will be a busy month! I hope you all have a wonderful May! 

.

Books Read in April

April proved to be a more average reading month for me quantity-wise, but I made it through another month without a bummer in the bunch. I revisited the second book in the Innkeeper Chronicles, this time in graphic audio version. That was quite fun! I also listened to the science fiction classic, Dune, a book which lived up to the hype and then some. I was sad to see the end come to the Heirs of Chicagoland series, but I thought the characters got a good send off in Cold Curses. I love books about books and reading, and Why We Read definitely got me thinking more about my reading habits and the types of books I read. I jumped back into my daughter's favorite middle grade fantasy series and had a great time reading about Sophie and friends in Legacy. One of my most anticipated reads was An Inconvenient Wife by Karen E. Olson, a modern re-imagining of the Tudors, which did not disappoint. I loved Olson's characterizations of the wives. In fact, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Three of the books I currently am reading have carried over from April into May.  

• Sweep in Peace (Innkeeper Chronicles #2) by Ilona Andrews (re-read/audio)
• Dune (#1) by Frank Herbert (audio)
• Legacy (Keeper of the Lost Cities #8) by Shannon Messenger
• Cold Curses (Heirs of Chicagoland #5) by Chloe Neill
• An Inconvenient Wife by Karen E. Olson
• Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out by Shannon Reed

Like last month, I had a hard time selecting a least favorite and favorite book of the books I read in April. They all were good in their own ways. I decided on Why We Read by Shannon Reed as my least favorite. While I highlighted quite a few quotes from this book that resonated with me and came away with a few book and essay recommendations, there was also the occasional essay I did not care for as much as others. As for my favorite book of the month, it came down to two, and picking just one of those was soooo hard! I am going to with Frank Herbert's Dune. From the world building to the characters, to the depth and complexity of the novel, I found it entertaining and thought provoking.

What was your favorite book read in April? Did you have a good reading month?

I am farther in David Copperfield by Charles Dickens than I expected to be at the moment. I am just past the 60% mark. David is all grown up and trying to make his way in the world. I try to read a chapter a night, which isn't too hard given the chapters are not very long. In early April, I decided to finally pick up Menopause Manifesto by Jen Gunter, which, like Dickens' book, I am slowly making my way through, reading about a chapter a day.

Although I got to it later than I anticipated, I am also reading Yangsze Choo's The Fox Wife. Everyone! It is so good! I really hate that I have not been feeling well and so have not been able to make more progress in it.  

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). 

I cannot decide what I am in the mood for. Something light with a good dose of humor would be good. These three books all came to mind: romance, mystery, or horror. Please help me choose which of these I should read next!  

.

Happily Never After by Lynn Painter

Their name? The objectors.

Their job? To break off weddings as hired.

Their dilemma? They might just be in love with each other.

When Sophie Steinbeck finds out just before her nuptials that her fiancé has cheated yet again, she desperately wants to call it off. But because her future father-in-law is her dad’s cutthroat boss, she doesn’t want to be the one to do it. Her savior comes in the form of a professional objector, whose purpose is to show up at weddings and proclaim the words no couple (usually) wants to hear at their ceremony: “I object!”

During anti-wedding festivities that night, Sophie learns more about Max the Objector’s job. It makes perfect sense to her: he saves people from wasting their lives, from hurting each other. He’s a modern-day hero. And Sophie wants in.

The two love cynics start working together, going from wedding to wedding, and Sophie’s having more fun than she’s had in ages. She looks forward to every nerve-racking ceremony saving the lovesick souls of the betrothed masses. As Sophie and Max spend more time together, however, they realize that their physical chemistry is off the charts, leading them to dabble in a little hookup session or two—but it’s totally fine, because they definitely do not have feelings for each other. Love doesn’t exist, after all.

And then everything changes. A groom-to-be hires Sophie to object, but his fiancée is the woman who broke Max’s heart. As Max wrestles with whether he can be a party to his ex’s getting hurt, Sophie grapples with the sudden realization that she may have fallen hard for her partner in crime. [Goodreads Summary]

Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan

Rise and shine. The Evans women have some undead to kill.

It’s 1999 in Southeast Texas and the Evans women, owners of the only funeral parlor in town, are keeping steady with…normal business. The dead die, you bury them. End of story. That’s how Ducey Evans has done it for the last eighty years, and her progeny―Lenore the experimenter and Grace, Lenore’s soft-hearted daughter, have run Evans Funeral Parlor for the last fifteen years without drama. Ever since That Godawful Mess that left two bodies in the ground and Grace raising her infant daughter Luna, alone.

But when town gossip Mina Jean Murphy’s body is brought in for a regular burial and she rises from the dead instead, it’s clear that the Strigoi―the original vampire―are back. And the Evans women are the ones who need to fight back to protect their town.

As more folks in town turn up dead and Deputy Roger Taylor begins asking way too many questions, Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and now Luna, must take up their blades and figure out who is behind the Strigoi’s return. As the saying goes, what rises up, must go back down. But as unspoken secrets and revelations spill from the past into the present, the Evans family must face that sometimes, the dead aren’t the only things you want to keep buried.

A crackling mystery-horror novel with big-hearted characters and Southern charm with a bite, Bless Your Heart is a gasp-worthy delight from start to finish. [Goodreads Summary]

Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson

Two neighbors-at-war band together to stop a dangerous criminal in their midst in this enthralling new novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Lost Ticket.

Twenty-five-year-old Kat Bennett has never felt at home anywhere, and especially not in crumbling Shelley House. According to her neighbors, she’s prickly and unapproachable, but beneath her tough exterior, Kat is plagued by guilt from her past.

Seventy-seven-year-old Dorothy Darling is Shelley House’s longest resident, and if you believe the other tenants, she’s as cantankerous and vindictive as they come. Except there’s a good reason Dorothy spends her days spying on her neighbors—a closely guarded secret that no else knows and the reason Dorothy barely leaves her beloved home.

When their building faces demolition, sworn enemies Kat and Dorothy become unlikely allies in their quest to save their historic home. But when someone starts to play dirty and viciously targets one of the residents, Dorothy and Kat suspect foul play in their community. After the police close the investigation, it's up to this improbable pair to bring a criminal to justice.  [Goodreads Summary]

Thank you for voting!

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

---

© 2024, 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.