THOUGHTS ON THIS 'n THAT

  Planning a wedding is so romantic . . . except when it’s not yours, and you’re planning it with the guy you’re secretly crushing on.   Scottish schoolteacher Liv Holland has a secret. She’s been carrying a torch for Arran Adebayo, her brother’s best friend, for years. A blind date gone wrong cements in Liv’s mind that Arran has no romantic interest in her whatsoever. But then, with her brother set to marry her own best friend, she and Arran are enlisted to help plan the festivities… After being left at the altar by his ex, single father Arran is having trouble managing his growing feelings towards the woman who is both his best friend’s sister and his son’s teacher: Liv. Then his mind is blown when fate thrusts them together for an unexpected blind date, but he messes up his chance to tell her how he feels.   As the big day approaches and Liv and Arran’s connection intensifies, their chemistry chafes against their checkered romantic histories. Risking everything for love could mean l

  “A powerful novel about how our family history shapes us.  Swift River  broke my heart, and then offered me hope.”  — Ann Napolitano,  New York Times  bestselling author of  Hello Beautiful In SWIFT RIVER (Simon&Schuster) a new novel by Essie Chamers, it’s the summer of 1987 in Swift River, and Diamond Newberry is learning how to drive. Ever since her Pop disappeared seven years ago, she and her mother hitchhike everywhere they go. But that’s not the only reason Diamond stands out: she’s teased relentlessly about her weight, and since Pop’s been gone, she is the only Black person in all of Swift River. This summer, Ma is determined to declare Pop legally dead so that they can collect his life insurance money, get their house back from the bank, and finally move on. But when Diamond receives a letter from a relative she’s never met, key elements of Pop’s life are uncovered, and she is introduced to two generations of African American Newberry women, whose lives span the 20th centu

  The highly anticipated return of "irresistible" ( New York Times)  private eye Jackson Brodie in the newest installment of the bestselling series by Kate Atkinson, hailed as "unputdownable" by  Time. Welcome to Rook Hall. The stage is set. The players are ready. By night’s end, a murderer will be found out. In his sleepy Yorkshire town, ex-detective Jackson Brodie is staving off boredom and malaise. His only case is the seemingly tedious matter of a stolen painting. But Jackson soon uncovers a string of unsolved art thefts that lead him down a dizzying spiral of disguise and deceit to Burton Makepeace, a formerly magnificent estate now partially converted into a hotel hosting Murder Mystery weekends. As paying guests, impecunious aristocrats and old friends collide, we are treated to author, Kate Atkinson’s most charming and fiendishly clever mystery yet, one that pays homage to the masters of the genre—from Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers to the modern era of 

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn: It's Jimmy Martello's thirtieth birthday and he's going to become a made man. The Mafia has been a way of life for the Martellos since they came over from Sicily decades ago. Jimmy's gathered in his father's study with his father, Italos, Jr., grandfather, Italos, Sr. and cousin, Nicky. They are making a toast when three men in ski masks bust into the study spraying bullets  from  automatic weapons. When the smoke settles, his father and grandfather are dead. Jimmy is now the Don of the Martello Family. It's just the beginning. KING OF NEW YORK (KingstonImperial) is an action packed ride, part fiction and true crime. If you have any interest in the Mafia, this is a book you don't want to miss.  Kathy Iandoli is a critically acclaimed journalist and author. She has written for Vibe, The Source, XXL, the Village Voice, Rolling Stone, Billboard magazine, Pitchfork, Playboy, Cosmopolitan, Maxim, the Guardian, Vice magazine, and many other pu

  I was not familiar with the myth of Hades and Persephone or the real life story of Monster in the garden, but I found myself absorbed reading IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS (MIRA). I've read Crystal King's prior books and I've always learned something. King has a passion for art, food and history, as do I, so I was excited to dive into her new book. It's post WWII, Italy where Julia, a woman well-educated in history and art, but with no memory of her past is invited to be Salvador Dali's muse, Persephone, one of the creatures in the stone garden. Dali's behavior intensifies, on the verge of obsession as shadows from the garden appear and become unwelcoming. Julia finds herself on the verge of losing her mind and wonders if she truly is the queen of the underground. There's a lot I didn't include in my review, because you must read IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS yourself. It's a  wonderful, but not easy read. I found myself referring to reference books and ot

  SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STREAMING ON HULU •  A warmhearted, "complex, believable, and always intriguing story” ( The New York Journal of Books )  that celebrates female friendship and second chances. Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat (Knopf) is home away from home for this inseparable Plainview, Indiana, trio. Dubbed "The Supremes" by high school pals in the tumultuous 1960s, they weather life’s storms together for the next four decades.  Now, during their most challenging year yet, dutiful, proud, and talented Clarice must struggle to keep up appearances as she deals with her husband’s humiliating infidelities. Beautiful, fragile Barbara Jean is rocked by the tragic reverberations of a youthful love affair. And fearless Odette engages in the most terrifying battle of her life while contending with the idea that she has inherited more than her broad frame from her notorious pot-smoking mother, Dora. Through marriage, children, happiness, and the blues, these strong, fun

  I fell in love with Rufi Thorpe after reading TheKnockoutQueen (Vintage) and couldn't wait for her next novel. It's arrived and time to celebrate. Margo'sGotMoneyTroubles (WilliamMorrow) has been published and it's as smart and wickedly funny as "Knockout" - perhaps more. Margo doesn't have anything working for her. She dropped out of college, because her professor got her pregnant not knowing what it takes to be a parent, she naively decides to keep the baby with no job prospects which means no money.  Margo can't count on any help from her mother. She's searching for a meal ticket and a life of her own. Margo has never met her father, a professional wrestler named Jinx. On the eve of her eviction, dad shows up and offers childcare for a place to stay. Margo comes up with a plan to make money. She creates an OnlyFans website. Using some of her father's suggestions from the wrestling world she creates a highly likeable character and it's

  Belladonna Blackthorn hasn’t lost her magical spark, precisely … but she hasn’t seen it in a while either. With her witchcraft under wraps and a toxic boss making her days miserable, Belle is struggling to keep her beloved Lunar Books afloat and just make it through the day.  The last thing she has time for is perfecting her magic. So when her thirtieth birthday brings a summons from her coven and a trial that tests her worthiness as a witch, Belle fears the worst.  With only the month of October left to prove herself or risk losing her magic forever, Belle will need all the help she can get—from the women in her life, from an unlikely mentor figure and even from an infuriating coven watchman who’s sworn to protect her.    Hi! I'm Lucy Jane Wood. I'm a writer, reader and internet friend who you may have watched have various existential crisis on YouTube alongside my cat and princess of Genovia, Flo. Here to provide cosy nostalgia, bad impressions and a sprinkle of magic 

  Zephyr's War  is a gripping tale of ambition, temptation, and the precarious nature of wealth's pursuit.  Zep Zephyr cultivated sunflowers in the shadow of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, yearning for a life beyond the fields. Determined to escape his humble beginnings, Zep flees his family farm and sets his sights on New York City, driven by a burning desire to amass wealth. As he delves into finance, Zep discovers the tantalizing promise of riches through a lucrative initial public offering on Wall Street. Brimming with ambition, Zep spares no effort in identifying vulnerable companies to conquer and mold into his entrepreneurial vision. Yet, his triumphs draw the attention of a sinister syndicate—the Russian mafia—who desire a slice of his success. Their ruthlessness mirrors Zep's relentless pursuit of wealth. To solidify his IPO's legitimacy, Zep enlists the services of Crocker & Stackhouse, a consultancy renowned for their expertise in navigating Wall Stre

  Ultimate reality here is that there are a lot of voters In the new novel, HOW TO HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT (Berkley) by Emma Noyes, Eliot Besck arrives in Canada for her older brother's wedding, Eliot Beck hasn't her family in three years. Eliot adores her big, wacky, dysfunctional collection of siblings and in-laws, but there's a reason she fled to Manhattan and buried herself in her work—and she’s not ready to share it with anyone. Not when speaking it aloud could send her back into the never-ending cycle of the obsessive-compulsive disorder that consumed her for years.  Eliot thinks she's prepared to survive the four-day-long wedding extravaganza—until she sees her best friend, Manuel, waiting for her at the marina and looking as handsome as ever. He was the person who, when they met as children, felt like finding the missing half of her soul. The person she tried so hard not to fall in love with… but did anyway.  Manuel's presence at the wedding threatens to undo th

  Naomi Kelly is desperate to make her brand consulting business a success. When she lands a life-changing contract to rebrand the Mukherjee family’s bazaar, she knows that this is the chance she is looking for. She cannot afford any mistakes. But as the unplanned baby of a free-spirited Bengali mother, Naomi knows she is already starting at a disadvantage. Her lack of cultural roots represents everything Gia, the Mukherjee matriarch, disdains. Dev Mukherjee knows that his mother wants nothing more than for him to get married, so much so that she hires a matchmaker without his permission. But Dev is determined to do whatever it takes to avoid ending up in a cold, loveless marriage. When a potential match assumes Naomi is his girlfriend, a perfect plan forms: Naomi and Dev will fake date. In exchange for keeping potential matches at bay, Dev will teach Naomi about her Bengali culture. But as Naomi and Dev bond over traditional dancing that neither of them are good at, couples cooking cl

  A cat a day keeps the doctor away… Discover the award-winning, bestselling Japanese novel, WE'LL PRESCRIBE YOU A CAT (Berkley) that has become an international sensation in this utterly charming, vibrant celebration of the healing power of cats. Tucked away in an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can only be found by people who are struggling in their lives and genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they “take” their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, occasionally challenging yet endearing cats. Throughout the pages, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed as a disheartened businessman finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a young girl navigates the complexities of el

  After a run of misfortune, portrait artist Nilda Ricci could use a stroke of luck. She seems to get just that when she inherits a shadowy Victorian, designed by an architect whose works were said to influence the mind— supposedly, in beneficial ways.  At first, Nilda' s new home delivers multiple gifts, including the unexpected appearance of a housekeeper who' d helped maintain the home for years. Also, Nilda finds herself falling for a handsome neighbor, a chemist whose herbal tonics boost her creativity to new heights.  But as Nilda seeks revenge-by-painting against a contempt-worthy portrait subject, she begins having strange experiences in the house, making her wonder whether the place is haunted or whether its architect' s intentions were less than benevolent. But  he also begins to suspect that her neighbor, and his gifts of tonics, aren' t what they seem.  All along, the housekeeper seems to be looking out for Nilda. But in time she reveals needs of her own, wh

  Prohibition-era New York: THE WHISPER SISTER (Lake Union publishing) traces one immigrant family’s fortunes and a young girl’s journey from the schoolyard to the speakeasy. The streets of New York in 1920 are most certainly not paved with gold, as Minnie Soffer learns when she arrives at Ellis Island. Her father, who left Ukraine when Minnie was a toddler, feels like a stranger. She sleeps on a mattress on the kitchen floor. She understands nothing at school. They came to America for this? As her family adjusts to this new life, Minnie and her brother work hard to learn English and make friends. When her father, Ike, opens his own soda shop, stability and citizenship seem within reach. But the soda shop is not what it seems; it’s a front for Ike’s real moneymaker: a speakeasy. When tragedy strikes the Soffers, Minnie has no choice but to take over the bar. She’s determined to make the speakeasy a success despite the risks it brings to herself, her family, and her freedom. At what pri

  In the hilarious Displeasure Island (Vintage) by Alice Bell,  Claire and the gang are back, getting their timbers shivered by a mystery involving feuding ghost pirates, buried treasure, and murder... Claire Hendricks can see ghosts, but she can't see herself having a fun vacation. Yet when her new friends/found family, Basher and Alex, insist, Claire and her dead BFF, Sophie, pack themselves off to a remote Irish island. This tempest-tossed isle is indeed full of noises: not only is the hotel where the gang is staying double booked with a posh private party, the island's crumbling old fort is being fought over by rival ghost pirates. In death, as in life, they're vying over a legendary stash of loot, supposedly hidden somewhere on the island or in the surrounding rough seas... ...which, inevitably, are whipped up into a terrific storm, stranding everyone—living and dead—on the island. Claire is already fighting off anxious  And Then There Were None  vibes  before  one of

  A charming novel f or fans of  Before the Coffee Gets Cold  and  How to Stop Time ,  following a cat through his nine lives in Edinburgh, moving through the ever-changing city and its inhabitants over centuries Early morning, 1902. At 7/7 Marchmont Crescent, Eilidh the charlady tips coal into a fire grate and sets it alight. Overhearing, Grimalkin the cat ambles over to curl up against the welcome heat and lick his favorite human's hand. But this is to be his last day on earth…before he becomes the Ghost Cat. Follow Grimalkin as he witnesses the changes of the next 120 years, prowling unseen among the inhabitants of an Edinburgh tenement while unearthing some startling revelations about the mystery of existence, the unstoppable march of time and the true meaning of feline companionship. HERE'S AN EXCERPT OF THE GHOST CAT FIRST HAUNTING,  APRIL 1909  On the morning of his first haunting, Grimalkin felt supple and alive; more alive, in fact, than he’d ever felt as a sentient br