January New Releases

January 12th

Waiting for the Night Song

Julie Carrick Dalton

A startling and timely debut, Julie Carrick Dalton's Waiting for the Night Song is a moving, brilliant novel about friendships forged in childhood magic and ruptured by the high price of secrets that leave you forever changed.

Harboring a dark secret, forestry researcher, Cadie Kessler returns home following a message from an old friend. Together they must face their joint secret that ended their friendship. With this she must decide on what is worth defending, sacrificing, and holding dear. Turmoil follows her throughout the book in different forms; wildfire, drought, foreclosures, and much more. 

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The Last Garden In England

Julia Kelly

Taking place through three different sets in time. The story follows five women and their journeys in preserving, protecting, and nurturing the famous gardens at the famed Highbury House Estate. 

Present Day follows Emma Lovett, who nurtures and gives life to run down gardens. Her personal idol is the creator of these esteemed gardens, Venetia Smith. While doing so, she discovers the hidden secrets of the past. 

1907 finds the creator Venetia Smith, a garden designer to the members of high society and industrialists. All of whom are looking to outwardly show off their wealth at their country houses. While working on the Highbury Estate, she meets people who change her life forever.

1944 introduces Beth Pedley, a land girl who arrives at a farm outside the town that houses the Highbury Estate. While trying to find a place where she belongs and can call home. The Cook at the Estate, Stella Adderton, wants to leave to pursue her own career. While the mistress of Highbury Estate Diana Symonds, desperately trying to hold onto old world ideals, is made to face her home becoming a convalescent home for injured soldiers. The three are thrown and bound together by secrets, which can only be kept for so long.

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Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World

Andrea Pitzer

Andrea Pitzer tells of the explorer William Barents’ three greatest expeditions in vivid detail. While enhancing the tales with first hand knowledge from her own adventures, and giving insights into the history of this amazing navigator. 

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Powell’s

The Perfect Guests

Emma Rous

The USA Today bestselling author of The Au Pair returns with another delicious, twisty novel--about a grand estate with many secrets, an orphan caught in a web of lies, and a young woman playing a sinister game.

Taking place in two different years with one central location, Ravens Hall. A rambling isolated manor in the East Anglian fens. In 1988 taken to stay at the Hall by her aunt, Beth Soames befriends the daughter of a family who lives there. Quickly becoming one of them and finding a place, everything seems perfect until they ask her help during a “harmless” game.

Sadie Langton, in 2019, is an aspiring actress who lands a well-paying job. Given instructions, clothing, and role outlines that seems like a murder mystery dinner. The location is no other than Ravens Hall. Fire damage from previous years adds to the already eerie feeling Sadie has, as more guests come to the hall. Something seems off and it becomes even darker when the realization hits...the host is unseen and playing games with them. 

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Powell’s

January 26th

If I Disappear 

Eliza Jane Brazier

When her favorite true crime podcast host goes missing, an adrift young woman plunges headfirst into the wild backcountry of Northern California and her own dangerous obsession

    Sera, an avid and lover of true crime podcasts, feels like they are preparing her for something bigger. When her favorite podcaster, Rachel, goes missing. Sera takes it upon herself to follow the clues and find her herself. The clues take her to an isolated ranch outside Rachel’s hometown when things begin to feel off. Rachel isn’t the first woman to go missing..

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Powell’s

Olive the Lionheart by Brad Ricca

    

    Olive the Lionheart is singlehandedly one of the best novels I have read in the past few years. It has everything one could ask for: adventure, love- new and lost, finding ones purpose, and success for almost everyone involved in the novel. It has rich history lessons throughout where you will learn new things with every turn of the page. The letters written to Olive and those written to her help propel the story along. As well as, give a deeper understanding of her mental state through her journey into the African wilderness. It was hard to put this down, reading every moment, stealing any time I could slip in a page or two. This book both inspired me to seek adventures and gave me a new role model- a woman who does not take "no" for an answer. 

    This novel follows a young aristocratic woman who received notice that her fiancee had died while abroad on an expedition in Africa. With tensions rising because of the ever-growing colonization of Africa and tensions of an invisible Islamic warlord. Olive began a journey to understand and gain knowledge of what truly had befallen her betrothed. Along the way sne the uncovers the truth, about what she truly came to Africa for but also deeper understanding of herself. 

    I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves adventure and travel. Please keep in mind this adventure took place in 1910. Therefore, a lot of language and situations are written as they were in the journals of both Olive and, her companions, the Talbots. Some of the views and language are not culturally correct for the current times we live in. 

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Doll Bones by Holly Black

 

Narrated by Nick Podehl

    This is actually the first audiobook I have ever listened to, even though it is a young adult/ middle school aged book, it was entertaining. Podehl did a fantastic job and was captivating throughout the entire book. While the writing was entertaining and for the most part enjoyed it, there was a disconnect through different aspects of the book. The main plot was the adventure the trio went through, but there was also Zach dealing with his issues with his father and puberty.

    It felt just thrown in there with no real connect and a weird overlap that was kind of..just there. There was also the fact that this book is targeted at 9-13 year olds and there is breaking and entering as well as stealing. Justifying it by saying they’ll return everything when done with it, there are absolutely no repercussions for their actions. Which I’m not sure is the message that should be shown to children. Overall, it was a good first audiobook and an entertaining story which was heightened by Podehl.

The book follows three children, Zach, Poppy, and Alice, who have a very vivid make-believe world. When the Queen of their land, which is a bone-porcelain doll. The dolls began haunting their dreams and revealing to the trio that she was a young girl, murdered who wants to be laid to rest. The friends quickly begin on a journey to try to grant her final ghostly wish.

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The Bloody Jack Series by L.A Meyer

 

  

    This series is the one that truly got me into reading. I read the first five books, but when they discontinued having the books in stores, I was unable to continue reading them. A few years ago, my love for strong female heroines was brought back by ACOTAR and TOG series. So, I was able to purchase the remaining books in the series from Thriftbooks for a decent price. Though I am still working my way through the series, because L.A Meyer was very prolific in his writing, there is a conclusion to the Jack Faber story. 

    The books follow a young orphan who runs the streets of England, wreaking havoc and mischief with her motley crew of orphans. As a child, she truly only possessed one marketable trait, reading. After weighing her options of living on the streets and begging, she signs up for a position on a naval ship as a ship’s boy and disguises herself as exactly what the title expresses, a boy. Able to get away with this betrayal for several years, she is eventually found out and left to fend for herself. Having to leave the life, family, and love she has found and created for herself behind. Jacky starts her new life where adventure and grandeur follow her everywhere she goes. 

    Every book and journey in Jacky's life gets even more incredible and fantastic. Finding herself become a pirate, a spy in the French war, and even traveling down the Mississippi River. Of course, no Jacky Faber story is complete without her searching and trying to be reconnected with her love, Jamie Fletcher. Even if her eyes and occasionally hands may wander, he is the one who truly has her heart. Her other true love is performing. Spewing amazing tales, songs, and dances from her travels in taverns and for her crew is what she was made for.

    This series is a true joy in my life and I very much look forward to completing it, and passing it down to future generations. It’s a wonderful period piece full of adventure and compelling narrative which immerses you fully into its world and story. I definitely recommend it to any reader who loved ACOTAR and TOG. 

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Powell’s 

Thrift books

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Kill Creek by Scott Thomas

 

    At first glance, you believe you know exactly what you are getting into. A spooky house, local lore, ghost stories, and six very different individuals brought to the same location. Thomas does an immaculate job throwing in plot twists exactly where they belong, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The characters, each with their unique background and inner demons, are called upon by unseen forces .After a two day stay in a off the beaten path murder house they cannot escape. They are propelled into writing a new manuscript, elevated by the need to stay relevant and own desires, they find they can only keep the demons at bay by writing. When you think things are about to get better the characters deeply dive into madness revealing a whole new level of paranormal goodness. Returning to the house, seen as a last resort and ultimately a necessity, the characters risk everything in order to defeat the evil within the house. 

    This novel is hauntingly delightful, twists at every page, and the last 100 pages are filled with anxiety and excitement. Thomas’ writing keeps you engaged until the last possible second. I could not put this book down, it was so spooky I was unable to read it at night...which led to it taking me three days to complete it. The hours seem to simply fly by while enjoying this wonderfully written horror novel. Three words you need to take away from this...Read The Epilogue. 

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Hiroshima by John Hersey

 

Hiroshima by John Hersey

I’ve always been interested in what happened in Hiroshima, not because of what we learned in school, but because of the stories my grandfather tells of when he was stationed there after the bombing. Being a science major, I’ve learned about the devastation a bomb of that magnitude can cause.  That mixed with the tales of woe and atrocity, seen by my grandpa nearly 10 years after, has painted a vivid picture of how horrific it must have been. 

That is until I read this book, and it is worse than I could have ever imagined. This book is simply haunting. The story follows six individuals who survived the bombing of Hiroshima, and their journeys through the devastation and re-building of Hiroshima. Hersey was able to in detail describe their lives and see what they had become 40 years after the bombing. 

Their individual stories are all unique, while some overlap, many went through these atrocities alone. The descriptions of ailments, of the survivors and victims’ alike, were horrifying and extremely vivid. Do not read this book if you are sensitive to mutilation or war subjects. Such an important read to truly understand the magnitude of what happened, so much of what we learn in school is glossed over, and this completely changed what I had previously known. 

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Bethany's August TBR

August TBR Pile

A mix between old and new releases

Of Mess and Moxie: Wrangling Delight Out Of This Wild and Glorious Life  by Jen Hatmaker

Blurb from Goodreads: 

“Jen Hatmaker believes backbone is the birthright of every woman. Women have been demonstrating

resiliency and resolve since forever. They have incredibly strong shoulders to bear loss, hope, grief,

and vision. She laughs at the days to come is how the ancient wisdom writings put it.

But somehow women have gotten the message that pain and failure mean they must be doing things

wrong, that they messed up the rules or tricks for a seamless life. As it turns out, every last woman

faces confusion and loss, missteps and catastrophic malfunctions, no matter how much she is doing

"right." Struggle doesn't mean they're weak; it means they're alive.

Jen Hatmaker, beloved author, Big Sister Emeritus, and Chief BFF, offers another round of hilarious

tales, frank honesty, and hope for the woman who has forgotten her moxie. Whether discussing the

grapple with change ("Everyone, be into this thing I'm into! Except when I'm not. Then everyone be

cool.") or the time she drove to the wrong city for a fourth-grade field trip ("Why are we in San

Antonio?"), Jen parlays her own triumphs and tragedies into a sigh of relief for all normal, fierce

women everywhere who, like her, sometimes hide in the car eating crackers but also want to get

back up and get back out, to live undaunted "in the moment" no matter what the moments hold.”

About the Author

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Amazon

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Olive the Lionheart: Lost Love, Imperial Spies, and One Woman’s Journey into the Heart of Africa

by Brad Ricca

Available August 11th 

Blurb from Goodreads: 

“In 1910, Olive MacLeod, a thirty-year-old, redheaded Scottish aristocrat, received word that her

fiancé, the famous naturalist Boyd Alexander, was missing in Africa.

So she went to find him.

Olive the Lionheart is the thrilling true story of her astonishing journey. In jungles, swamps,

cities, and deserts, Olive and her two companions, the Talbots, come face-to-face with cobras

and crocodiles, wise native chiefs, a murderous leopard cult, a haunted forest, and even two adorable

lion cubs that she adopts as her own. Making her way in a pair of ill-fitting boots, Olive awakens to

the many forces around her, from shadowy colonial powers to an invisible Islamic warlord who may

hold the key to Boyd's disappearance. As these secrets begin to unravel, all of Olive's assumptions

prove wrong and she is forced to confront the darkest, most shocking secret of all: why she really

came to Africa in the first place.

Drawing on Olive's own letters and secret diaries, Olive the Lionheart is a love story that defies all

boundaries, set against the backdrop of a beautiful, unconquerable Africa.”

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Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt 

Blurb from Goodreads:

“In this striking literary debut, Carol Rifka Brunt unfolds a moving story of love, grief, and renewal

as two lonely people become the unlikeliest of friends and find that sometimes you don't know you've

lost someone until you've found them.

1987. There's only one person who has ever truly understood fourteen-year-old June Elbus, and that's

her uncle, the renowned painter Finn Weiss. Shy at school and distant from her older sister, June can

only be herself in Finn's company; he is her godfather, confidant, and best friend. So when he dies,

far too young, of a mysterious illness her mother can barely speak about, June's world is turned upside

down. But Finn's death brings a surprise acquaintance into June's life—someone who will help her to

heal, and to question what she thinks she knows about Finn, her family, and even her own heart.

At Finn's funeral, June notices a strange man lingering just beyond the crowd. A few days later,

she receives a package in the mail. Inside is a beautiful teapot she recognizes from Finn's apartment,

and a note from Toby, the stranger, asking for an opportunity to meet. As the two begin to spend time

together, June realizes she's not the only one who misses Finn, and if she can bring herself to trust this

unexpected friend, he just might be the one she needs the most.

An emotionally charged coming-of-age novel, Tell the Wolves I'm Home is a tender story of love lost

and found, an unforgettable portrait of the way compassion can make us whole again.”

About the Author

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Amazon

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Powells

The Soul of Power by Callie Bates

Blurb from Goodreads:

“Sophy Dunbarron--the illegitimate daughter of a king who never was--has always felt like an

impostor. Separated from her birth mother, raised by parents mourning the loss of their true daughter,

and unacknowledged by her father, Sophy desires only a place and a family to call her own. But fate

has other ideas. Caught up in Elanna Valtai's revolution, Sophy has become the reigning monarch of

a once-divided country--a role she has been groomed her whole life to fill.

But as she quickly discovers, wearing a crown is quite a different thing from keeping a crown. With

an influx of magic-bearing refugees pouring across the border, resources already thinned by war are

stretched to the breaking point. Half the nobility in her court want her deposed, and the other half

question her every decision. And every third person seems to be spontaneously manifesting magical

powers.

When Elanna is captured and taken to Paladis, Sophy's last ally seems to have vanished. Now it is up

to her alone to navigate a political maze that becomes more complex and thorny by the day. And

worse, Sophy is hiding a huge secret--one that could destroy her tenuous hold on the crown forever.”

About the Author

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Amazon

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Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

Blurb from Goodreads: 

“It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capital,

eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games.

The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance

that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor

the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female

tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined --

every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena,

it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute...

and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.”

About the Author

Where to Buy: 

Amazon

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Powell’s

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