A very dear colleague of thirty-odd years passed from a valiant battle against pancreatic cancer a few weeks ago. She was such a huge part of what she often referred to as "our work family." She was vibrant, kind, smart, sunshine, and could cook and bake like no one's business. She was French, need I say more? I looked up to her. She was goodness incarnate. This poem is for Isabelle.💔 #poem #death #cancer #heartbreak #aging #life Passings Like the ambered leavestwisting tornadic in the windmemories domino, one upon another…

An art/murder thriller set a few months after 9/11 bringing back all kinds of memories of being in DC that day. And the thought: there are legal adults who were not even born then! Before I go too far into yikes-land, let's get on with the review, shall we? Chloe has an incredible job that she loves but can't seem to keep herself from spinning out of control until a situation arises that forces her to straighten out her life or lose it in The Gallery Assistant. #TheGalleryAssistant #KateBelli #AtriaBooks #EmilyBestlerBooks #Thriller #BookBlogger #BookReview #Bookstagram #Books #9-11 #NewYork #Artists #PsychologicalThriller #Suspense #Fiction…

I don't know if I'm quite done finding horror/scary novels for Halloween yet, but, anyway, LOOK at THIS! IT'S CHRISTMAS!! Maybe that's scary enough. 😼😏 And you know I'm just kidding. Well, sorta. But when it's time, I'll be all about Christmas! I'll be decking the halls and boughing that holly and all the rest of it. 😉 But seriously, I have a sweet book to review. Puppies and squirrels! 🐶🐿️ What could be better? #TheTwelveDaysOfChristmasDogs #ChrisDunn #AmandaSobotka #ChildrensBook #TheTwelveDaysOfChristmas #Dogs #BookReview #BookBlogger #AppleSaucePress #CiderMillPress #ChristmasBook The Twelve Days of Christmas Dogs: The Classic Edition…

Happy Book Birthday: The Haunting of Paynes Hollow! Do you need a little horror reading (supernatural or not . . . ) for your Halloween? The Haunting of Paynes Hollow has you covered! 👻 #TheHauntingOfPaynesHollow #KelleyArmstrong @stmartinspress #ARCReview #BookReview #BookBlogger #Bookstagram #Books #Horror #Supernatural #Folklore #Halloween #HeadlessHorseman #LakeOntario The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Press Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 14, 2025 Language ‏ : ‎ English Print length ‏ : ‎ 288 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250360560 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 

Convoluted! Not T. Kingfisher's novella, but my journey to reading it. Read on! #WhatStalksTheDeep #T.Kingfisher #MacmillanAudio #BookReview #Audiobook #Novella #BookBlogger #Bookstagram #Lovecraft #Caves #Books #Horror #TorNightfire What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tor Nightfire Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 30, 2025 Language ‏ : ‎ English Print length ‏ : ‎ 192 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250354927 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250354921 Blurb: Alex Easton does not want to visit America. They particularly do not want to visit an abandoned coal mine in West Virginia with a reputation for being haunted.

Happy Book Birthday, Cover Story! The always witty Mhairi McFarlane writes about a fake relationship, not one but two women done wrong but sleazy men, and so many current British colloquialisms, slang, and cultural references that you'll need to keep an open Google tab to understand what's going on in Cover Story. #CoverStory #MhairiMcFarlane #Avon #ARCReview #Bookstagram #ManchesterEngland #podcaster #journalist #Books #BookReview #Romance #Contemporary #FakeDatingTrope #Rom-Com Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane Publisher ‏ : ‎ Avon Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 7, 2025 Language ‏ : ‎ 

Despite the fact that so many are having a love affair with anything Austen these days (years?), I am not (gasp) one of them. In fact, I have not even seen the Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice! (Although I have heathen-ly devoured the version with Keira Knightley and Matthew McFadden. Alas, there may be no hope for me! 😉 ) Regardless, I do like twisty takes, as you may well know if you read my mystery/thriller reviews, and adore when someone goes off in a novel direction (the punster). Such is the case with Madeline Bell's time-traveling…

What happens when steadfast, loyal, smart Polly loses her memory in an accident and becomes the dynamic character, Sabrina Anderson, from the novel she's been writing? A once in a lifetime chance to live life on her own terms in Milly Johnson funny and heart-felt, The Accidental Rewrite. #TheAccidentalRewrite #MillyJohnson @harpermusebooks @themillyjohnson #BookReview #BookBlogger #ARCReview #WomensFiction #Yorkshire #ContemporaryRomance #Fiction #Books #Bookstagram #RomanticComedy #Rom-Com The Accidental Rewrite by Milly Johnson Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Muse Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 30, 2025 Language ‏ : ‎ English Print length ‏ : ‎ 

Scout, October 6, 2009. One month into hour fostering him. #kindness #EnglishShepherd #lemonstolemonade #love #beingkind #kindnessrocks For several days now I've been thinking about kindness. What does the word kindness mean? Is my society, the American society, kind, or has it lost its ability to be kind? Am I kind--still? Kindness was a trait that I took for granted. Most people when I was growing up, and indeed, for most of my life were kind. There were some who seemed more barbaric, unapologetically unkind, but they were anomalies. If there was any type of suffering, someone would step in to assist.

Happy Book Birthday to The Literati!! How is it possible that it's been three years since I read a Susan Coll novel when it feels like it was recently? Oh, for the halcyon glory days of early August 2022! #TheLiterati @susan_keselenko_coll #theliterati #harpermuse @harpermusebooks #BookReview #BookBlogger #ARCReview #Bookstagram #Books #IGBooks #LiteraryFiction #Satire #Slapstick #Clowns #Writer #SaschaDarlington The Literati by Susan Coll Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Muse Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 9, 2025 Language ‏ : ‎ English Print length ‏ : ‎ 400 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 

This is the second book this year with an ending that I expected but wasn't certain I liked. Let's just invoke: Karma rules. 😉 #TheBelles @atriabooks @lndhop #SouthernGothic #Virginia #BookReview #ARCReview #1950s #BookBlogger #Thriller #Supernatural #Murder #DarkAcademia #Bookstagram #Booksta #Books #SaschaDarlingtonReviews #FishOutOfWater #literaryfiction The Belles by Lacey N. Dunham Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atria Books Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 9, 2025 Language ‏ : ‎ English Print length ‏ : ‎ 304 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1668084864 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1668084861 Blurb: In this richly atmospheric, dark academia debut novel, a young woman with a secretive past will risk everything—including her life—to fit in.

Explore the beauty of nature and creativity with vibrant poems inspired by goldfinches and the changing seasons. Join the journey!

So, yeah, no idea of when I last tried to write anything. I remain hopeful. Always. Mostly. Many thanks to dVerse for giving me the opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade. #poetry #poem #creativewriting #grateful #sunnyday #dogs #EnglishShepherd #birds #dVerse #LemonsToLemonade Gratefully Somedays sunny days refusejoy opposing songs & poemsprofessing sadness with thunder, rainhappiness with golden embracing warmth.But the sun’s starkness sometimes highlightsthe wrong: it’s a beautiful day---shouldn’t you be happy, grateful?Sure, I should, then shrug.Give me a few minutes.Give me a song.

It's that time of year. 🎃🦇👻 When you can read about things that go bump in the night or, in this case, things that go slassssssh on the island. Darcy Coates is back just in time to give slasher horror fans a bloody good time. RUN!!! READ!!! @darcybooks @poisonedpenpress @netgalley #HowBadThingsCanGet #BookBlogger#NetgalleyARC #Horror #DesertedIsland #Cult #BookReview #Bookstagram #Bookish #ARCReview #InstaBook #DarcyCoates #ReadersOfInstagram #AdvanceReaderCopy  How Bad Things Can Get by Darcy Coates Publisher ‏ : ‎ Poisoned Pen Press Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 26, 2025 Language ‏ : ‎ 

This one. This ONE. THIS ONE! Do I need to say more? 🤔 Okay. You twisted my arm. 😉 @archer_sullivan #TheWitchsOrchard #MacAudio2025 @macmillan.audio @emily_acting_up #AudioBookReview #BookReview #Fiction #Bookstagram #BookRecommendations #SouthernGothic #5Stars #Mystery Note: I like to use AI to create my background photos because--typically--I get exactly what I want. Typically is the operative word. The Witch's Orchard frequently references "apple head dolls," which are a North American folk craft that may have started with the Native Americans. What a great item for my AI background, I thought. AI wasn't having it.

Chicken Shop Date with . . . er . . . hot dogs? I guess it could have been worse: it could have been bananas! 🍌🤷‍♀️ #WellActually #MazeyEddings #StMartinsGriffin #Romance #BookReview #Books #Bookstagram #ChickenShopDate #ContemporaryRomance #Fiction #SecondChanceTrope Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Griffin Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 5, 2025 Language ‏ : ‎ English Print length ‏ : ‎ 384 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250333318 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250333315 Blurb: Eva Kitt never expected to be the host of 

Have you ever just wanted to gratefully hug a book because of . . . well . . . everything? Yep. This one. 🤗 #Hemlock&Silver #T.Kingfisher #MacmillanAudio #MacAudio2025 #JenniferPickens #Fantasy #Healer #Poisons #Books #AudiobookReview #BookReview #BookBlogger #Bookstagram #TorBooks Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfishernarrated by Jennifer Pickens Listening Length: 11 hours and 50 minutes Author: T. Kingfisher Narrator: Jennifer Pickens Publisher: Macmillan Audio Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tor Books Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 19, 2025 Language ‏ : ‎ English Print length ‏ : ‎ 

Katie True, one of my recent favorite characters, is back! Snark, intuition, a little mess and a lot of magic. #TricksOfFortune #LinaChern #Bantam #Tarot #MurderMystery #PlaytheFoolSeries #AmateurSleuth #Bookstagram #Books #BookReview #BookBlogger Tricks of Fortune by Lina Chern Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bantam Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 1, 2025 Language ‏ : ‎ English Print length ‏ : ‎ 352 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593500687 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593500682 Play the Fool Mysteries Blurb: Katie True has gotten her crap together. . . sort of. Now that the sinister events of the past year have wound down, Katie has finally made her dream come true and opened her own tarot reading room—even if it’s in her sister’s old real estate office in an outdoor strip mall.

A young woman has her world flipped upside down. Can she utilize everything her parents' taught her to survive? #Codebreaker #JayMartel #WednesdayBooks #CIAThriller #YAThriller #Mystery #Codebreaking #Interactive #YAFiction #BookReview #BookBlogger #Bookstagram #WashingtonDC Codebreaker by Jay Martel Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wednesday Books Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 22, 2025 Language ‏ : ‎ English Print length ‏ : ‎ 384 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250355540 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250355546 Blurb: This original, interactive thriller from debut author Jay Martel follows a brilliant teenage girl as she races across D.C.

This picture of a Barred Owl was taken in August 2022 at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge near the Outer Banks of NC. I went to see bears but instead came back with a cool picture of an owl. #BarredOwl #OwlAwareness #AlligatorRiverNationalWildlifeRefuge #OBX #WildlifePhoto

I think it goes without saying that we all need a big-hearted book right now! 💖 @katherinecenter #TheLoveHaters #PattiMurin @macmillan.audio @stmartinspress #BookReview #ARCReview #stmartinspress #Bookstagram #EarlyReview #Escape #KeyWest #GreatDanes #Coastie #Romance #Love #RomCom #FeelGoodBook #BigHearted #MacAudio2025 The Love Haters by Katherine Center Listening Length 10 hours and 33 minutes Author Katherine Center Narrator Patti Murin

The return of one of my "must-read" authors, Megan Miranda, with a creepy mystery set in a small Virginia mountain town that's home to a college with a hazing ritual called, "The Howling." #YouBelongHere #MeganMiranda @marysueruccibooks #thriller #Bookstagram #BookReview #BookBlogger #mystery #suspense #Books @simonandschuster You Belong Here by Megan Miranda Publisher ‏ : ‎ S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 29, 2025 Language ‏ : ‎ English Print length ‏ : ‎ 352 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1668080974 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1668080979 Blurb: Beckett Bowery never thought she’d return to Wyatt Valley, a picturesque college town in the Virginia mountains steeped in tradition.

Prepare yourself for a world where nothing is as it seems . . . #TheLockedWard @sarahpekkanen #SarahPekkanen @januarylavoy #MacmillanAudio @macmillan.audio #MacAudio2025 #AudiobookReview #Thriller #PsychologicalThriller #Bookstagram #books #BookBlogger #JanuaryLaVoy #TwistyMystery The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanennarrated by January LaVoy Listening Length 9 hours and 4 minutes Author Sarah Pekkanen Narrator January LaVoy Audible.com Release Date August 05, 2025 Publisher Macmillan Audio Program Type Audiobook Version Unabridged Language English ASIN B0DG9BHC7J Blurb: Was it...Bitter, all-consuming jealousy?Pathological sibling rivalry?Pure insanity?Whatever the cause—and everyone has a theory—it's the Crime of the Decade when glamorous Georgia Cartwright, who was adopted as a newborn, is accused of killing the biological daughter of her wealthy, Southern family.

Sheriff Porter Beck is back and he ain't horsin' around! 🐎 Or, well, he kinda is. #TheBlueHorse #BruceBorgos #MinotaurBooks #Mystery @Minotaur_Books @AuthorBruceBorgos #WildMustangs #BookReview #BookBlogger #Thriller #PorterBeck #NightBlindness #LithiumMining #Bookstagram #Books The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos Publisher ‏ : ‎ Minotaur Books Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 8, 2025 Language ‏ : ‎ English Print length ‏ : ‎ 368 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250373905 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250373908 Blurb: A helicopter driving a controversial round-up of wild horses suddenly crashes and the pilot is found to have been shot.

A saga of a found family told in short but emotional bursts, a novel of connected short stories? 🤔 #I'llBeRightHere #AmyBloom @penguinrandomhouse #literaryfiction #historicalfiction #WWII #Bookstagram #BookReview #ARCReview #FoundFamily #FamilyFiction #BookBlogger I'll Be Right Here by Amy Bloom Publisher ‏ : ‎ Random House Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 24, 2025 Language ‏ : ‎ English Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1984801724 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1984801722 Blurb: Immigrating alone from Paris to New York after the crucible of World War II, young Gazala becomes friends with two spirited sisters, Anne and Alma.