Thursday Thriller Audio: For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing

Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Penguin Audio (July 20, 2021)

Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Narrator: David Pittu

Samantha Downing proves once again that she is an expert at crafting tales of psychological suspense. I’m loving everything this woman writes! For Your Own Good is my third book by the author after My Lovely Wife and He Started It, and while it might not be my favorite of the three, I appreciated the fact that it was quite different. In fact, all of Downing’s books have brought something new to the table, what doesn’t change is the relentless fun and thrills.

In this one, the story takes at Belmont Academy, one of the most exclusive secondary schools in the country. Wealthy parents send their kids here for some serious education, and some won’t tolerate anything less than perfect. After Zach brings home a B+ on his English paper, his mom and dad immediately meet with his teacher Teddy Crutcher to discuss a way for him to make up the grade to save his 4.0. What they don’t realize though, is that Crutcher is a psychopath. Zach knows this, and he’s also aware he’s on his English teacher’s shitlist and that it wouldn’t have mattered how good his paper was, he’d never have gotten a fair grade anyway. Crutcher is just out to make his life a living hell, and Zach has no idea why.

But the truth is, Teddy Crutcher is out get more than just Zach. He has a serious beef with pretty much everyone at the school, from the bratty kids and their snooty rich parents to the other meddlesome teachers, many of whom are Belmont alumni. It’s a tightly knit family, which sometimes makes Teddy feel like an outsider, having grown up in poverty. He’s sure they all look down on him, and not even winning a Teacher of the Year award could change that. Still, he has his ways of dealing with people he doesn’t like, his own ways of teaching them a lesson. Like making up lies about a student’s integrity in a reference letter, for example, killing any chance of them getting into their college of choice. Children need to learn they can’t always get everything they want, after all, so it’s for their own good! Or what about testing out the toxic effects of his homegrown plants and herbs using his colleague’s drinks in the faculty lounge, because hey, what’s a little mild poisoning? In the end, they’d all deserve it.

And therein lies the reason why Samantha Downing’s books are so unputdownable. She has a remarkable talent for writing these completely batshit, over-the-top insane characters who nonetheless feel like they could exist—at least for a while anyway, which is enough. Also, someone like Teddy will inevitably make a ton of enemies, no matter how well he tries to mask his insincerity and evil intentions. While he’s easily the most twisted of them all, there were plenty other characters dealing with their own bizarre issues who could give him a run for his money. Throw all these fragile emotions, insecurities and suspicions in with the phoniness and overblown egos at a place like Belmont, and what do you get? A powder keg, just waiting for the perfect spark.

And when it explodes, I have to say, it does so spectacularly. I’m not going give anything away, but there were plenty of unexpected plot twists and jaw-dropping surprises. My only criticism is that after a while, some of these “bombshells” became slightly repetitive and felt a little contrived, as there’s a limit to how much I’m willing to be jerked around. Still, to be fair, I never felt like I was truly pushed to this point even if I did come close. Mostly, it was due to all the different POVs and how they were used, leaving no room for any guessing games or the delicious intrigue that comes with a good mystery, though ultimately, I do understand this was never meant to be that kind of book.

So just sit down, buckle up and enjoy the wild ride as Samantha Downing unleashes another nonstop thriller that will have you gasping for breath. Wish I could say more, but I won’t…for your own good! Kudos also to narrator David Pittu for pulling off all the different POV voices for the audio edition. I remember his amazing performance in My Lovely Wife as well and was definitely happy to see him return for another one of the author’s books.

Waiting on Wednesday 07/14/21

Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!

Mogsy’s Pick

Soul Taken by Patricia Briggs (March 8, 2022 by Ace)

Bring on book 13! And seriously, just how gorgeous is that cover? Dan dos Santos is so damn talented.

“Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, must face her greatest fears in this chilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

The vampire Wulfe is missing. Since he’s deadly, possibly insane, and his current idea of “fun” is stalking Mercy, some may see it as no great loss. But when he disappears, the Tri-Cities pack is blamed. The mistress of the vampire seethe informs Mercy that the pack must produce Wulfe to prove their innocence, or the loose alliance between the local vampires and werewolves is over.

So Mercy goes out to find her stalker—and discovers more than just Wulfe have disappeared. Someone is taking people from locked rooms, from the aisles of stores, and even from crowded parties. And these are not just ordinary people but supernatural beings. Until Wulfe vanished, all of them were powerless loners, many of whom quietly moved to the Tri-Cities in the hope that the safety promised by Mercy and Adam’s pack would extend to them as well.

Who is taking them? As Mercy investigates, she learns of the legend of the Harvester, who travels by less-trodden paths and reaps the souls that are ripe with a great black scythe. . . .”

Review: Come With Me by Ronald Malfi

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Come With Me by Ronald Malfi

Mogsy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Horror

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Paperback: Titan Books | Audiobook: Tantor Audio (July 20, 2021)

Length: 352 pages | 11 hrs and 25 mins

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Narrator (Audiobook): Joe Hempel

Come With Me by Ronald Malfi is a haunting, harrowing, breath-holding stay-up-all-night chiller of a novel about one man’s journey to uncover the hidden secrets of his late wife’s past. I loved this one to bits, and mark my words, while this may be my first book by the author, he’s just earned himself a fan for life.

Five weeks ago, when Aaron Decker first heard about the mass shooting at the mall near his Maryland home, his only thought had been for his wife Allison, who’d gone to shop there earlier in the day. After hours of torturous uncertainty and frantic unanswered calls to her cellphone, Aaron’s fears were finally confirmed: his wife had been among the victims gunned down by the crazed killer. Consumed with grief, our protagonist’s fragile state of mind is further threatened when, upon receiving his wife’s belongings from the local newspaper at which she worked, he finds a receipt in her name for stay at a North Carolina motel he’d never known about. Aaron had been out of town on business at the time, and Allison had paid in cash, leaving no evidence on their credit card statements. After her boss informs him that Allison had not been given any out-of-state assignments during that time frame, Aaron is forced to face the gut-wrenching possibility that his wife may have been having an affair.

However, this suspicion is soon dispelled, as Aaron travels to the motel in North Carolina and finds no evidence that Allison had been cheating on him. Instead, he is left with even more questions and a disturbing theory that his wife may have been conducting her own investigations into a string of mysterious deaths going back the last two decades or so. Inside a locked chest that belonged to Allison, Aaron finds a thick file containing her notes and information on the victims, all of them young, blond women. Other than that though, there appears to be nothing else linking the cases which are spread out over different states all along the east coast. Might this simply be research for a work project, or even a book Allison had been working on? But if so, why didn’t she tell Aaron, or any of her friends and colleagues at the newspaper? Why did she keep it to herself, doing all her traveling and information gathering in secret? As Aaron sets out to retrace the path Allison took, following the clues she left behind, he begins to wonder what else she had been keeping from him, and just how well did he know his wife?

Some might categorize Come With Me as horror, and indeed, there’s maybe just the slightest hint of ghostliness to this tale. Still, as far as paranormal elements go, that’s probably the extent. Rather, the novel reads more like a mystery or thriller-suspense with just a tinge of the supernatural, but under Malfi’s talented pen, I think just about anyone can enjoy this no matter which of the aforementioned genres you prefer.

In fact, the first thing that drew me in was the writing. Told via the second-person perspective which should have been jarring, this narrative mode instead had the effect of pulling me in straight away. Feeling adrift and lonely without Allison, a devastated Aaron tells this story to his late wife who was torn from him so suddenly, but whose spirit is with him still. The result was this immensely powerful, personal experience which brought the pain of the main character’s internal conflicts to the surface. Grief and loss are prominent themes, as you can imagine, and Aaron’s voice is tormented and raw as he initially struggles with survivor’s guilt, followed next by the shock of finding out that Allison had been living a double life behind his back. After that, there is also the determination to finish what she’d started, perhaps as a way to connect with his beloved wife one last time—regardless of who she’d been in her past life, or what she’d hidden from him.

The mystery plot is also extremely well crafted, rivaling and even surpassing the work of more established authors I’ve read from this genre. I loved the twists and turns, the red herrings and the subtly dropped clues, and best of all, despite its speculative elements, this story required no great leaps of logic or any over-the-top suspension of disbelief. It was, in essence, an intelligent and convincing contribution to the mystery-thriller genre, dark and suspenseful while steeped in genuine emotion and the complexities of loss and love.

Needless to say, this book has my highest recommendation. Come With Me is a multilayered mystery with haunted vibes that will appeal to thriller and suspense fans, but there’s also so much more about it to love, and you can be sure Ronald Malfi has now been added to my list of must-read authors.

Audiobook Challenge 2021: 2nd Quarter Update

It’s that time again! Summer is in full swing, and I know this update is a bit overdue, but better late than never. The 2nd quarter of the 2021 Audiobook Challenge wrapped up last month, so it’s time for another look at my progress as well as a list of the audiobooks I listened to in the last three months. But first, here’s a quick refresher on what the challenge is all about:

Challenge Details

  • Runs January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021. You can join at any time.
  • The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2021 than you did in 2020.
  • Books must be in audio format (CD, MP3, etc.)
  • ANY genres count.
  • Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
  • You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, Facebook, LibraryThing, etc.
  • If you’re a blogger grab the button and do a quick post about the challenge to help spread the word. If you’re not a blogger you can help by posting on Facebook or Tweet about the challenge.
  • Updates plus a giveaway will be posted twice during the year. The first update will be July 2, 2021, and the last update will take place on December 30, 2021.

Levels

  • Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5
  • Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
  • Stenographer (can listen while multitasking) 10-15
  • Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
  • Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
  • My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30+
  • Marathoner (Look Ma No Hands) 50+
  • Over-Achiever (Power Listener) 75+
  • The 100 Club (Audiobook Addict) 100+

Another 19 audiobooks added to the tally, bringing my current total up to 37! As a reminder, I’m going for the Over-Achiever (Power Listener) level this year, which requires 75. It’s going to be close, but at this pace, I should reach my goal.

Are you doing the 2021 Audiobook Challenge? If so, how are you doing?

Bookshelf Roundup: 07/10/21: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads

Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.

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I’m preparing this post ahead of time because we’ll be at the beach this weekend, and I’m looking forward to getting lots of sun and reading time in! If you’re in the US I hope you had a lovely Fourth of July holiday, and to everyone I hope you are all having a lovely summer. I’ve got plenty of posts scheduled but will probably be light with comments in the coming days, though I look forward to catching up on the blogosphere with what everyone’s been reading and reviewing once I get back. In the meantime, let’s see what I’ve added to my bookshelves this week!

Received for Review

My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!

Earlier this week, a gorgeous hardcover of The Empire’s Ruin by Brian Staveley arrived with thanks to the amazing folks at Tor Books. It is the start of a new series by the author called Ashes of the Unhewn Throne. It’s based in the same world of his Chronicle of the Unhewn Thrown trilogy, which I adored, so I’m very excited to start this one.

With thanks to Tordotcom I also received an ARC of Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo, a novel described as a Southern Gothic horror combined with “dark academia” and “Appalachian street-racing.” Well, that’s certainly hooked my attention.

Speaking of which, here’s another new-to-me arrival that piqued my curiosity when pitched to me recently: City On Fire by Don Winslow is the first book of an epic saga about the clash of crime syndicates in 80s to 90s America. It’s been catching a lot of buzz lately, and looks like it even got a blurb from Stephen King and some comparisons to The Godfather. It does sound good, but hopefully  it’ll be worth the hype! Huge thanks to William Morrow for the galley.

 

It’s the first week of the month, which means lots of new audiobook ALCs! With thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for listening copies of Such A Quiet Place by Megan Miranda and Falling by T.J. Newman, satisfying my unending craving for more thriller and suspense (though I doubt I’ll be going anywhere near Falling if I have any upcoming flights).

But that’s not all, from the amazing team at Penguin Random House Audio I also received We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz and I’m especially excited for For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing. From their YA/Children’s imprint Listening Library I also received a listening copy of Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim. I’ve already heard such great things about this book, and the audio is narrated by Emily Woo Zeller, one of my favorite readers.

With thanks to Hachette Audio, I snagged another YA title this week, It Ends in Fire by Andrew Shvarts, whose Royal Bastards trilogy I so enjoyed. And finally, with thanks to the publisher I also grabbed Rovers by Richard Lange, which sounds like quite an interesting take on vampires.

Reviews

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri (4 of 5 stars)
A Dark and Secret Place by Jen Williams (3.5 of 5 stars)
Darling by K. Ancrum (3.5 of 5 stars)

What I’ve Been Reading

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Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read!

Friday Face-Off: A Wicked Grin

Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme created by Books by Proxy! Each Friday, we will pit cover against cover while also taking the opportunity to showcase gorgeous artwork and feature some of our favorite book covers. If you want to join the fun, simply choose a book each Friday that fits that week’s predetermined theme, post and compare two or more different covers available for that book, then name your favorite. A list of future weeks’ themes are available at Lynn’s Book Blog.

This week’s theme is:

~ a cover featuring A WICKED GRIN

Bite Me by Christopher Moore

Because who doesn’t love Christopher Moore? His vampire series is certainly no Twilight, but it was where I went hoping to find myself some covers featuring fanged smiles. I was not disappointed.

From left to right:
William Morrow (2010) – Sphere (2011) – German Edition (2011)

Polish Edition (2010) – Hungarian Edition (2010) – Russian Edition (2013)

Winner:

The William Morrow, without a doubt. It’s bold, simple, and quirky without being too weird. Actually, a lot of Moore’s covers are done in this style and I love them.

But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?

Thursday Thriller: A Dark and Secret Place by Jen Williams

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

A Dark and Secret Place by Jen Williams

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (June 8, 2021)

Length: 304 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

I always love it whenever authors I’ve enjoyed jump genres, and Jen Williams has proven she can navigate the stormy waters of mystery and thriller just as effectively as she does fantasy.

A Dark and Secret Place follows Heather Evans, who returns to her hometown after getting the distressing news that her estranged mother had committed suicide. It was unexpected, and even more puzzling in light of the note she left behind. Still, the most shocking moment comes as Heather, when going through her mother’s belongings, comes across a stack of old letters from Michael Reave, also known as the “Red Wolf”, a notorious serial killer who is currently serving a life sentence. As Reave as has been in prison for over twenty years, their correspondence goes back a long way, but the contents of the letters also seem to hint at a relationship that goes back even further than that.

Then, a body of a young woman is found, dismembered and posed inside the trunk of a tree, with flowers meticulously planted and placed around her corpse—the same thing the Red Wolf used to do. But with Reave in prison, who is committing these murders now? Of course, Reave has always insisted on his innocence, despite all the damning evidence against him. It’s possible they may be dealing with a copycat, or someone with intimate knowledge of the Red Wolf’s murders. Then there’s the third option, that’s too disturbing to contemplate. Shaken by the discovery of the letters, Heather decides to take them to the police to see if they can provide any insight into the case. Seeing a possible lead, the detectives arrange for her to speak with Michael Reave to see if she can use his relationship with her mother as a way to extract information about his past. Heather agrees, but secretly, she has her own personal agenda. Coming back home has made her realize how little she knew her mother, and it is her hope that an interview with the Red Wolf will reveal some answers into why she might have killed herself.

Does Williams bring anything all that new to the genre? Maybe not, but A Dark and Secret Place is nonetheless a perfectly serviceable thriller, and I loved that there was also a hint or horror and an element involving dark folklore and fairy tales. The main premise is intriguing, and the details behind the Red Wolf murders are disturbing and chilling. Right away, the author establishes a hook and a reason for readers to want to keep reading and find out what happens next. While it’s true that some of the more usual tropes were being employed, they were dependable and effective. The first half of this book had me completely riveted.

That said, it’s hard to say how long this momentum lasted. I think part of the reason for this slight drag is the split in attention, with one thread focusing on Heather’s own investigation into her mother’s past, while the other (in my opinion, the more neglected) thread focused on solving the resumed murders. The hunt for the new killer struck me as lackadaisical and hardly urgent, as Heather returns to the prison to speak with Michael Reave again and again without making much headway, and bizarrely the detectives on the case seemed just perfectly fine with this questionable use of time and resources. To be fair though, this mystery is probably just as much about Heather’s mother as it is about the Red Wolf killings, and ultimately these two plotlines do converge. Still, with so much going on, I just wish everything had been better balanced.

Nothing confirmed this more for me more than the ending, which was, in a word, overwhelming. In most thrillers this is usually the point where everything starts coming together, but in this case, Williams introduces even more details and clues. Like a burst dam, all the information held back suddenly came in a flood, and while it wasn’t a dealbreaker by any means, the overload still felt jarring. However, I did enjoy the late addition of Heather’s good friend Nicki as her sleuthing partner towards the end, so there were some positives and high points. I just wish the two women had teamed up sooner!

All told, I had a good time with A Dark and Secret Place. Balancing the different plot threads as well  the overall pacing seemed to be Jen Williams’ biggest struggle. However, hould she continue to explore the mystery thriller genre, I would definitely keep reading.

Waiting on Wednesday 07/07/21

Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!

Mogsy’s Pick

Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse (April 19, 2022 by Gallery/Saga Press)

Beautiful! Glorious! And I can’t wait! I loved Black Sun, and I’m very excited for this next book in the Between Earth and Sky series.

“There are no tides more treacherous than those of the heart. —Teek saying

The great city of Tova is shattered. The sun is held within the smothering grip of the Crow God’s eclipse, but a comet that marks the death of a ruler and heralds the rise of a new order is imminent.

The Meridian: a land where magic has been codified and the worship of gods suppressed. How do you live when legends come to life, and the faith you had is rewarded?

As sea captain Xiala is swept up in the chaos and currents of change, she finds an unexpected ally in the former Priest of Knives. For the Clan Matriarchs of Tova, tense alliances form as far-flung enemies gather and the war in the heavens is reflected upon the earth.

And for Serapio and Naranpa, both now living avatars, the struggle for free will and personhood in the face of destiny rages. How will Serapio stay human when he is steeped in prophecy and surrounded by those who desire only his power? Is there a future for Naranpa in a transformed Tova without her total destruction?

Welcome back to the fantasy series of the decade in Fevered Star—book two of Between Earth and Sky.”

Book Review: The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of Burning Kingdoms

Publisher: Orbit (June 8, 2021)

Length: 576 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

This was wonderful, and Tasha Suri is definitely growing in skill and confidence with each book. While I enjoyed her debut Empire of Sand, it’s clear that in The Jasmine Throne the storytelling and world-building elements are elevated to another realm.

In this opener to a new series called Burning Kingdoms, we are transported to a world inspired by the history, legends and epics of India. The setting is Parijatdvipa, where there are always a number of city states fighting against the rule of the empire, and Ahiranya is one of these. It is also here where Priya works as a servant in the household of the regent, though she also lives clandestine life as a savior to local children afflicted with the rot. Those infected would sprout plant-like growths from their bodies until the disease eventually killed them, and the only treatment is expensive and hard to come by. Priya also has a past that she must keep hidden, because her life would be in danger if her secret abilities become known.

Meanwhile, Malini is sister the cruel emperor, who ordered her to be burned on a pyre to appease his gods. When she refuses to submit, he punishes her by exiling her to the Hirana in Ahiranya, a crumbling labyrinthine temple where she would be kept under constant guard. But clever and resourceful Malini will not give in easily, and she is determined to do everything she can to endure and survive. One day though, she inadvertently witnesses something she shouldn’t, forever entwining her fate with that of Priya, who had been brought on has her maidservant. Together, the two of them must examine their loyalties to their respective countries, and, later, to each other as they grow closer and emotions deepen.

Although there were a few other POVs scattered about, the chapters belonging to Priya and Malini undeniably served as the foundation for this novel, and they were also the most engaging characters. Like most epic fantasy novels, The Jasmine Throne requires a bit of patience and time invested in the first half for the plot elements to build, but once our two main protagonists came together, the difference was immediate. My favorite part of the book was bar none the relationship development, and each woman also had an intriguing backstory that gave even more meaning to their eventual romance. There’s little reason for them to trust one another, and there’s a certain beauty to the idea of two people from such disparate backgrounds coming together and finding each other.

Aside from being character-driven, The Jasmine Throne also impresses with its atmosphere and world-building. Like the relationships in this novel, the lore aspects and details behind the magical systems take their time to build, but the wait and effort’s well worth it. The world is explored through different perspectives, constructing a full-bodied and detailed picture of life in Ahiranya. Although the amount of information can feel overwhelming at first, once everything starts falling into place like puzzle pieces, the author’s vision becomes realized and one gets the sense that these are living, breathing communities that are all connected in some way. History, religion, culture—also all related. Suri has managed to find a balance, something I felt she struggled with in Empire of Sand, whose world contained an abundance of detail but lacked in vitality and charm. Not so in The Jasmine Throne though, which felt colorful and vibrant and alive in comparison.

The best part is that this book seems to set things up a lot more to come. Going back again to comparisons with Empire of Sand, which was a bit too slow for my tastes, The Jasmine Throne held my attention for almost all of it. In addition, one aspect I did enjoy a lot from Suri’s debut was the writing, and I’m excited to report that her prose here is as lush and gorgeous as I expected. This is an area where she excels, and certainly she seemed to know just the right words to create beautiful convincing interpersonal relationships as well as a sense of place. I look forward to the sequel with anticipation.

Most Anticipated Releases of 2021: July to September

July is here, and it’s time to look ahead to the Science Fiction and Fantasy reads I’m most excited about in the third quarter of 2021! Not only do I enjoy making these lists, they also help me organize my reading by focusing my attention to the highly anticipated releases that I’d like to check out.

I’ve been trying to limit my TBR and only focus on the “must reads” but geez, it’s shocking how the books still add up! There’s already an impressive tower on my to-read pile, and while I’m under no illusions that I’ll be able to read them all, hopefully I can get to most of them (and also put some new books on people’s radars.

So what are your most anticipated releases for the next few months? Do you have any of these books on your list? What’s missing that I should be checking out?

July

July 6 Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim, Capture the Crown by Jennifer Estep, Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian, The Empire’s Ruin by Brian Staveley

July 13 Such A Quiet Place by Megan Miranda, The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix, Wings of Shadow by Nicki Pau Preto, A Psalm for the Wild-Build by Becky Chambers

July 20 Come With Me by Ronald Malfi, The Retreat by Elisabeth de Mariaffi, For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing, She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

July 27 Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena

August

August 3 The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones, The Desert Prince by Peter V. Brett

August 10 Paper & Blood by Kevin Hearne

August 17 The Exiled Fleet by J.S. Dewes, Velvet Was The Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

August 24 Feral Creatures by Kira Jane Buxton, The Pariah by Anthony Ryan

August 31 Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer, Revelator by Daryl Gregory, My Heart Is A Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

September

September 7 Mastermind by Andrew Mayne, Among Thieves by M.J. Kuhn

September 14 Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff, The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie

September 21 –  The Free Bastards by Jonathan French, The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess by Andy Marino, Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow by Christina Henry

September 28 The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward, Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo, Hyde by Craig Russell