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Home Read. Review. Repeat. Publishers Picador

Category Archive

Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Picador”

Book Review: TREEBORNE by Caleb Johnson

Janelle June 15, 2018 Advance Copy, Book Reviews, Finished Copy, From Publisher, Literary Fiction, Picador Leave a Comment

Thank you so much to Picador for providing my free copy – all opinions are my own. Book Description:  Janie Treeborne lives on an orchard at the edge of Elberta, Alabama, and in time, she has become its keeper. A …

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Review: GRIST MILL ROAD by Christopher J. Yates

Janelle January 11, 2018 Advance Copy, Book Reviews, From Publisher, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Picador Leave a Comment

Thank you so much to Picador for providing my free advance copy – all opinions are my own.  Summary:    Grist Mill Road is a dark, twisted, and expertly plotted Rashomon-style tale. The year is 1982; the setting, an Edenic hamlet …

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FANTASTIC BOOK MAIL FROM PICADOR!

Janelle November 7, 2017 Advance Copy, Book Mail, From Publisher, Mystery, Picador, Suspense Leave a Comment

GRIST MILL ROAD by Christopher J, Yates has been on my radar so I am very grateful to Picador for sending me this free copy! Thank you so much!!  Check out this synopsis – Christopher J. Yates’s cult hit Black Chalk introduced …

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Instagram post 2252037349460611156_5480751027 @booksparks #partner #BookReview #WRC2020 @damiella’s OONA OUT OF ORDER was such a sweet surprise. I like to alternate between my @librofm #audiobook and my physical copy and it worked out perfectly. Either way you decide to absorb this novel, you will love it. Time travel is such a sticky topic to write but Montimore does it seamlessly. And Oona’s narrative is like nothing I’ve read before. We start in 1982 on New Year’s Eve where Oona is about to turn nineteen at the stroke of midnight. She is on her way to make life changing decisions. Oona is straddling the line of one of her biggest choices yet. Should she either go to London for her studies or stay in Brooklyn with her boyfriend to pursue music? But as midnight nears, Oona faints and wakes up thirty two years later in a life she doesn’t recognize. She soon realizes that every year she experiences a different age at random. Can you imagine living your life out of sequence? Experiencing all the same events OUT OF ORDER? I fell hard for this book. I love everything from the concept to the writing style to the characters. I want to be friends with Oona. She is witty, brave, smart, and flawed and I loved every bit of her. Oona is resilient and adapts to things like current slang, the latest technology, and things we take for granted now like the internet. I found myself waiting in suspense to see what part of her life she’d end up in next. This novel and Oona have my heart. Also, FYI, the audiobook narrator is fantastic. OONA OUT OF ORDER is poignant, unique, creative, clever, and heartwarming. READ IT. ★★★★★ . Scroll ← to see my attempt at a #bookface photo. I couldn’t resist, haha.
Instagram post 2251411430580453907_5480751027 Thank you so much JournalStone Publishing for my free copy. Another day, another fantastic #nightwormsbookparty under my belt. WHISPERS IN THE DARK by @laurelhightower is nonstop intensity, suspense, and intrigue. I am still gobsmacked that this is a debut novel. It’s a horror story wrapped in a mystery, wrapped in a police procedural, wrapped in a character building extravaganza. We meet our strong female protagonist, Rose McFarland, who is a no nonsense sniper for the Memphis S.W.A.T. team. The story starts off with a bang as a hostage situation leads into her story. She’s divorced, but stays close with her ex-husband, Sam, who remains a great dad to their kids. She covers herself up because of scars from a traumatic past and recoils at the thought of being touched - except when it comes to the people she loves, especially her kids, Lily and Tommy. Rose is fierce, complex, and totally believable. In fact, all of the characters are believable. Hightower knows how to craft a propulsive, creepy story. I had no trouble reading this book incredibly fast as the story never slows down. BUT the chapters in the first half are pretty long compared to the second half which might trip some readers up. Either way, no matter what your reading style, I think anyone who enjoys this sub-genre will be invested until the last page. This debut has it all with stellar characters, a compulsive mystery, and a fantastic supernatural storyline. I enjoyed every page of this thrilling, chilling story. Be sure to watch out for those WHISPERS IN THE DARK. ★★★★★ . #nightwormswhispers #bookreview #booksaremagic
Instagram post 2250608198841026641_5480751027 🎉 HEY EVERYONE, IT’S TIME FOR A GIVEAWAY 🎉 . @readingbetweenthe__wines and I are OBSESSED with the UNSUB series and would love one of you to own it for yourself! If you love #crimefiction then you don’t want to miss out! See below for details to enter! Good luck readers! . Rules to enter: . 1. Like this post 2. Save this post 3. Please follow @shereadswithcats & @readingbetweenthe__wines 4. This series reminds us of the television show Criminal Minds - tell us your favorite crime TV show in the comments below 5. Tag 3 friends all in separate comments . US only • this giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram • the winner will be selected on February 27 • toodles 😘
Instagram post 2250549200586726287_5480751027 Hey all! I hope you had a great weekend! I went to an 80s themed brewfest yesterday and had a great time! I can tell I’m getting older because I need a “recovery day”. 🤣 The event is held in a parking structure because it’s technically a winter event, however it was 70 degrees. The parking structure shares a space with our local @barnesandnoble so you bet your sweet behind that we ended up there afterwords. I immediately ran to the #truecrime section because I always need more!🕵🏻‍♀️ Also, it’s great research for an upcoming project I’m working on with a friend (more on that later 😉) . If you are a true crime junkie too, drop your favorite true crime book or podcast in the comments below 👇🏻
Instagram post 2250471726959895055_5480751027 🦉We are excited to announce that the #BuddyReadsToDieFor March pick is Hum if You Don’t Know the Words by @biancamarais_author 😍. We have heard nothing but great things about this read. Will you be joining us? Let us know in the comments and we will add you to the group chat. 😘 . . “Life under Apartheid has created a secure future for Robin Conrad, a ten-year-old white girl living with her parents in 1970s Johannesburg. In the same nation but worlds apart, Beauty Mbali, a Xhosa woman in a rural village in the Bantu homeland of the Transkei, struggles to raise her children alone after her husband's death. Both lives have been built upon the division of race, and their meeting should never have occurred...until the Soweto Uprising, in which a protest by black students ignites racial conflict, alters the fault lines on which their society is built, and shatters their worlds when Robin’s parents are left dead and Beauty’s daughter goes missing. After Robin is sent to live with her loving but irresponsible aunt, Beauty is hired to care for Robin while continuing the search for her daughter. In Beauty, Robin finds the security and family that she craves, and the two forge an inextricable bond through their deep personal losses. But Robin knows that if Beauty finds her daughter, Robin could lose her new caretaker forever, so she makes a desperate decision with devastating consequences. Her quest to make amends and find redemption is a journey of self-discovery in which she learns the harsh truths of the society that once promised her protection.” . . #groupread #humifyoudontknowthewords #biancamarais #debutnovel #wherethereadergrows #shereadswithcats #buddyreading #mustread #booklover #igreads #instabook #letsread
Instagram post 2249060913057586357_5480751027 @booksparks @blackstonepublishing #partner || . It’s no secret how much I love the UNSUB series by @meggardiner1 so we all knew I had to read the third installment! I mean UNSUB and INTO THE BLACK NOWHERE were both 5★ reads. BUT GUESS WHAT?!...The third book, THE DARK CORNERS OF THE NIGHT, is THE BEST ONE YET! I am not much of a series person and I’m super picky with police procedurals, but this book is DARK. The story is gripping, captivating, haunting, and horrifying. Gardiner goes deep into character study so you really get to know who Caitlin is. You will not only care about Caitlin, YOU WILL BE HOOKED. I only fall in love with series that are something special and this crime fiction series is just too good to pass up. Read it as a standalone if you prefer BUT all three books are solid gold! ★★★★★ I AM OBSESSED. Side note: I am fully aware that it looks like I’m a giant in a tiny chair. My husband likes to take photos super close and my office is small. I guess I should be flattered 🤷🏼‍♀️💁🏼‍♀️
Instagram post 2247706690399055535_5480751027 Abby and I thank @berkleypub for our free copy. Today is a good day! My new iPhone arrived with the pretty, pretty cameras. I need more natural light so I’ve never been so excited for a new phone! AND I finally got my weighted blanket - whoop whoop 🙌🏻 Also, let’s not forget all the amazing #bookmail I received this week. I am so very grateful to all the publicists and publishers who I’ve worked with over the past 3 years. I finished THE RETURN by Rachel Harrison - watch this space for my review next month but SPOILER ALERT...I loved it! What are you all reading this week?!! 👇🏻
Instagram post 2247000209970254551_5480751027 Thank you @berkleypub for my free copy. I read THE BROKEN GIRLS back in 2018 and really enjoyed it, so reading @simonestjames’ new release, THE SUN DOWN MOTEL, was inevitable. The author has a knack for mixing in a gentle amount of supernatural elements in such an organic way that it isn’t ridiculous. I need supernatural type stories to be super dark or gory and if they’re not, I need them to at least seem plausible. THE SUN DOWN MOTEL walks that fine line brilliantly - it is addictive, atmospheric, and mysterious. I LOVED IT. Set in 1982 Upstate New York, Viv Delaney works as a night clerk at the Sun Down Motel. She discovers there are a number of unsolved murders of young women and as the secrets unfold at this rundown, roadside motel, Viv starts to connect the dots. And as you can imagine, the secrets eventually get the best of her. We alternate chapters between Viv’s investigation thirty-five years ago and her niece Carly, in present day, trying to figure out what happened to her aunt all those years ago. The motel is a CREEPY character in its own right and the mystery is top notch. I love the dual timelines and the way they interact with each other as you are reading. Sometimes the timelines mesh together almost too well, but I think that’s what makes this suspense novel so unique. It’s a fun mysterious read and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a book to keep you from staying at a roadside motel. ★★★★★
Instagram post 2246267979476090700_5480751027 @avidreaderpress @aaknopf @eccobooks @littlebrown @williammorrowbooks #partner It’s almost Tuesday, and therefore another book release day - I always so get excited! Here is a throwback to last week’s releases. THE BOATMAN’S DAUGHTER, THE UNWILLING, AUTHOR IN CHIEF, and I DO NOT FORGIVE YOU, are all amazing! Also, super excited for THE ABSOLUTION, the next installment to the Children’s House series! . What are you most excited about?!
Instagram post 2245558974093169616_5480751027 @tordotcompub sent me a GIANT BOX OF BOOKS and I’m SO happy. 😭 DOCILE is a 5⭐️read, and the crème de la crème is HARROW THE NINTH - I cannot believe I scored an early copy! Then there is THE MURDERBOT DIARIES novel, FLYAWAY, OUT OF BODY, and THE EMPTINESS OF SALT AND FORTUNE - oh my goodness, this entire #bookstack is amazing! Thank you so much @torbooks. See anything that tickles your fancy?! . @mother.horror wants to see our #bookshelves so here’s a partial look. I don’t organize my books by color, but I do by genre. I guess literary fiction has some colorful spines. #livecolorfully #shelfie
Instagram post 2244861213857041216_5480751027 @booksparks #partner #WRC2020 Happy weekend everyone! I’m doing a little nighttime reading with my favorite nighttime beverage - decaf coffee. I know, I know, decaf is not ideal but it’ll have to do because I can only have one to two cups of regular coffee a day. Also, a quick shoutout to @bonescoffeecompany which I will gladly admit I’m addicted to. It’s my very favorite reading setup because I’m too OCD to eat anything around my precious books. 🤣 . How about you? What’s your favorite reading setup?!
Instagram post 2243996322191518818_5480751027 @berkleypub #partner || When I read QUEEN OF HEARTS in 2018 I knew I would pick up whatever @kimmerymartin wrote next. One of the things that drew me to pick up her book in the first place is her background in medicine. She’s an ER doctor so her talent is not just in her writing but in her ability to make the setting believable. She writes from experience and from the heart which is so important. THE ANTIDOTE FOR EVERYTHING is different from her first book, but does feature a hospital setting, a strong female character, a romance, and a lovely friendship. The basic plot details a physician’s dismissal for refusing to follow the hospital’s rule of denying treatment to transgender patients. The main character, Georgia, and her best friend, Jonah, are my favorite storyline. By the by, it’s reprehensible that we are in the year 2020 and people are still dealing with such discrimination - ugh, don’t get me started. I enjoyed the pacing and there were couple of things I didn’t see coming. All in all, a great contemporary fiction read for tackling such an important topic. ★★★★ . Oh yea... HAVE YOU NOTICED THE COVER?!! SO BEAUTIFUL - just like the first one! . How’s your Friday going?! Do you have a Valentine? Trust me, beloved pets and books definitely count! ❌⭕️❌⭕️
Instagram post 2243461410547870676_5480751027 @aaknopf #partner || "There are so many ways to haunt a person, or a life” . #CurrentlyReading THE GLASS HOTEL and I am absolutely entranced. The plot is multifaceted, beautifully written, immersive, and filled with fantastic characters. Emily St. John Mandel is a true talent. STATION ELEVATION is one of my favorite books so I had high expectations - and right now this novel has exceeded them. This novel is on the road to brilliance. What about it.... is this book on your #TBR ?!!
Instagram post 2242580191706743254_5480751027 FEATURING Abby’s come hither look. 👀 BUT scroll ← to see the rest of her adorable expressions. If she could only talk, she would most definitely tell me to stop taking photos of her. I love her sweet face. It’s another @night_worms book party (holla 🙌🏻). And this one is a doozy! WHISPERS IN THE DARK by Laurel Hightower is everything I hoped it would be. This debut novel is a perfect blend of horror and thriller with supernatural elements. Not to mention a badass female protagonist! So far @mother.horror and @bookishmommy have not disappointed with their book choices! Watch this space for my full review. Many thanks to @laurelhightower, JournalStone, and the @night_worms for my copy! . . . . #nightwormsbookparty #nightwormswhispers #horror #cat #whispersinthedark #promotehorror
Instagram post 2241856554334835215_5480751027 Happy Tuesday lovelies! 🌈🌈 It’s National Make a Friend Day! . @jennsbookvibes aka the #rainbow queen asked to see our rainbow stacks! I spent a bazillion hours organizing this one, so with a few minor changes here’s mine! #Friendship is a beautiful thing and I admire Jenn’s ability to be inclusive and embrace others with nothing but #kindness 💕 I am so grateful for this #bookstagram community! In honor of Jenn’s challenge, tell me a random act of kindness or tag a #bookstabuddy 👇🏻 . . . . . . . #jennsrainbowchallenge #colorful #rainbowstack #bright #bookfriends #nationalmakeafriendday
Instagram post 2239746340097624671_5480751027 Happy weekend my beautiful friends! 💀🖤 . I continue to be behind on things but I’m not going to be down about it. January was terrible with a capital TERRIBLE. So February is my official start to 2020. I have some fun changes in store for my account. BUT I’d love to know what content you either LOVE or would want to see on here! Always looking for constructive feedback so please feel free to comment! Or just tell me what you are reading! . This photo is dedicated to my deep love and affection for GIDEON THE NINTH by #TasmynMuir and my not so new @yoshigoods bag. They both bring a smile to my face. Fantasy is not a genre that I love naturally - it doesn’t always work for me. But @franzencomesalive made this trilogy impossible to ignore and I’m forever grateful. 💀🖤 . . . . . #gideontheninth #yoshibags #read #torbooks #harrowtheninth #fantasy #myfavoritecolorisblack
Instagram post 2239313495130767420_5480751027 Thank you to @aaknopf @randomhouse & @avidreaderpress for the free books | . Let’s play a round of rapid fire, mini reviews! 👏🏻👏🏻 These are last week’s #newreleases and I thought since I was late I would try to read them all. Well, I got to most of them 🤣 And guess what?!...I enjoyed them all. Here’s what I read: . THE OTHER PEOPLE by CJ Tudor ★★★★★: unsettling, suspenseful, binge-worthy INTERIOR CHINA by Charles Yu ★★★★★: brilliant, provocative, hilarious A BEAUTIFUL CRIME by Christopher Bollen ★★★★★: atmospheric, scandalous, love story PROSPER’S DEMON by K.J. Parker ★★★★★: clever, sardonic, exorcism CHILDREN OF THE LAND by Marcelo Hernandez Castillo ★★★★★: important, poetic, phenomenal THE CIRCUS by Jonas Karlsson ★★★½: creative, strange, friendship THE TRUANTS by Kate Weinberg ★★★½: infatuation, college, Agatha Christie Based on these un-wordy reviews, which one would you pick up and read first?
Instagram post 2237542499163971130_5480751027 This cover is🔥🔥🔥 Thank you so much @berkleypub for my free copy. As soon as @simonestjames’ THE SUN DOWN MOTEL arrived I immediately knew it was my next read! I loved THE BROKEN GIRLS back in 2018, so I am drooling over this book! I believe it was chosen as a @bookofthemonth selection so I hope it made its way into your cart. How ‘bout it...is this book on your #TBR ?!!
Instagram post 2237105430776158249_5480751027 Thank you so much @booksparks for this lovely free package! #ApresSkiReads #WRC2020 I’ll tell you a story about life. You walk along and go about your day then POOF... your best friend sends you the most beautiful flowers. Even though she lives far far away she just knew I needed to be cheered up. I am so lucky we met and got into tons of mischief in high school. @christinamac79’s BEHIND EVERY LIE and EPIC SOLITUDE by @katherine.keith both look perfect for February! I can’t wait to dive in! . How is your week going?! ✨✨
Instagram post 2236062076886012620_5480751027 Happy Monday to you all! I was tagged by @mother.horror @marcyreads & @thebookdad for my #fivefingerstack so here goes: . THUMB: A 👍🏻 to A HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS by @paulgtremblay. I will yell at everyone to read this book if they want to experience good writing and amazing characters.😈 It’s one of my favorites, and I cannot wait for his upcoming release SURVIVOR SONG. Holding my breath actually. FOREFINGER: @tjenkinsreid’s DAISY JONES & THE SIX 👆🏻is one I’m constantly recommending and even though it’s not my typical book, it’s so universal that I’m confident you will love it. Also, the audiobook is phenomenal.🤘🏻Just sayin’. . MIDDLE FINGER: I am going to take a play from @bookishmommy since I don’t keep books I hate. I chose Michelle McNamara’s I’LL BE GONE IN THE DARK because🖕🏻the Golden State Killer. 👿 Any excuse to post this amazing book really. RING FINGER: My book husband is my forever love, Aragorn, from Lord of the Rings 💍 but I was not about to cart my precious edition outside of the house. Roland from the THE DARK TOWER SERIES is a close second. He’s my affair if you will (so dreamy💋). Also, I love to dabble in a little Hot Priest from FLEABAG: SCRIPTURES 🙏🏻 - hey, it’s my imagination. PINKY FINGER: I pinky swear 🎗, come high or hell water, I will read MYSTIC RIVER - I have yet to read any of Dennis Lehane’s books, mostly because I’ve watched all of his movie adaptations a bazillion times. BUT my bookish heart knows it’s time to read, what I imagine is, a phenomenal book 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
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Instagram post 2252037349460611156_5480751027 @booksparks #partner #BookReview #WRC2020 @damiella’s OONA OUT OF ORDER was such a sweet surprise. I like to alternate between my @librofm #audiobook and my physical copy and it worked out perfectly. Either way you decide to absorb this novel, you will love it. Time travel is such a sticky topic to write but Montimore does it seamlessly. And Oona’s narrative is like nothing I’ve read before. We start in 1982 on New Year’s Eve where Oona is about to turn nineteen at the stroke of midnight. She is on her way to make life changing decisions. Oona is straddling the line of one of her biggest choices yet. Should she either go to London for her studies or stay in Brooklyn with her boyfriend to pursue music? But as midnight nears, Oona faints and wakes up thirty two years later in a life she doesn’t recognize. She soon realizes that every year she experiences a different age at random. Can you imagine living your life out of sequence? Experiencing all the same events OUT OF ORDER? I fell hard for this book. I love everything from the concept to the writing style to the characters. I want to be friends with Oona. She is witty, brave, smart, and flawed and I loved every bit of her. Oona is resilient and adapts to things like current slang, the latest technology, and things we take for granted now like the internet. I found myself waiting in suspense to see what part of her life she’d end up in next. This novel and Oona have my heart. Also, FYI, the audiobook narrator is fantastic. OONA OUT OF ORDER is poignant, unique, creative, clever, and heartwarming. READ IT. ★★★★★ . Scroll ← to see my attempt at a #bookface photo. I couldn’t resist, haha.
Instagram post 2251411430580453907_5480751027 Thank you so much JournalStone Publishing for my free copy. Another day, another fantastic #nightwormsbookparty under my belt. WHISPERS IN THE DARK by @laurelhightower is nonstop intensity, suspense, and intrigue. I am still gobsmacked that this is a debut novel. It’s a horror story wrapped in a mystery, wrapped in a police procedural, wrapped in a character building extravaganza. We meet our strong female protagonist, Rose McFarland, who is a no nonsense sniper for the Memphis S.W.A.T. team. The story starts off with a bang as a hostage situation leads into her story. She’s divorced, but stays close with her ex-husband, Sam, who remains a great dad to their kids. She covers herself up because of scars from a traumatic past and recoils at the thought of being touched - except when it comes to the people she loves, especially her kids, Lily and Tommy. Rose is fierce, complex, and totally believable. In fact, all of the characters are believable. Hightower knows how to craft a propulsive, creepy story. I had no trouble reading this book incredibly fast as the story never slows down. BUT the chapters in the first half are pretty long compared to the second half which might trip some readers up. Either way, no matter what your reading style, I think anyone who enjoys this sub-genre will be invested until the last page. This debut has it all with stellar characters, a compulsive mystery, and a fantastic supernatural storyline. I enjoyed every page of this thrilling, chilling story. Be sure to watch out for those WHISPERS IN THE DARK. ★★★★★ . #nightwormswhispers #bookreview #booksaremagic
Instagram post 2250608198841026641_5480751027 🎉 HEY EVERYONE, IT’S TIME FOR A GIVEAWAY 🎉 . @readingbetweenthe__wines and I are OBSESSED with the UNSUB series and would love one of you to own it for yourself! If you love #crimefiction then you don’t want to miss out! See below for details to enter! Good luck readers! . Rules to enter: . 1. Like this post 2. Save this post 3. Please follow @shereadswithcats & @readingbetweenthe__wines 4. This series reminds us of the television show Criminal Minds - tell us your favorite crime TV show in the comments below 5. Tag 3 friends all in separate comments . US only • this giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram • the winner will be selected on February 27 • toodles 😘
Instagram post 2250549200586726287_5480751027 Hey all! I hope you had a great weekend! I went to an 80s themed brewfest yesterday and had a great time! I can tell I’m getting older because I need a “recovery day”. 🤣 The event is held in a parking structure because it’s technically a winter event, however it was 70 degrees. The parking structure shares a space with our local @barnesandnoble so you bet your sweet behind that we ended up there afterwords. I immediately ran to the #truecrime section because I always need more!🕵🏻‍♀️ Also, it’s great research for an upcoming project I’m working on with a friend (more on that later 😉) . If you are a true crime junkie too, drop your favorite true crime book or podcast in the comments below 👇🏻
Instagram post 2250471726959895055_5480751027 🦉We are excited to announce that the #BuddyReadsToDieFor March pick is Hum if You Don’t Know the Words by @biancamarais_author 😍. We have heard nothing but great things about this read. Will you be joining us? Let us know in the comments and we will add you to the group chat. 😘 . . “Life under Apartheid has created a secure future for Robin Conrad, a ten-year-old white girl living with her parents in 1970s Johannesburg. In the same nation but worlds apart, Beauty Mbali, a Xhosa woman in a rural village in the Bantu homeland of the Transkei, struggles to raise her children alone after her husband's death. Both lives have been built upon the division of race, and their meeting should never have occurred...until the Soweto Uprising, in which a protest by black students ignites racial conflict, alters the fault lines on which their society is built, and shatters their worlds when Robin’s parents are left dead and Beauty’s daughter goes missing. After Robin is sent to live with her loving but irresponsible aunt, Beauty is hired to care for Robin while continuing the search for her daughter. In Beauty, Robin finds the security and family that she craves, and the two forge an inextricable bond through their deep personal losses. But Robin knows that if Beauty finds her daughter, Robin could lose her new caretaker forever, so she makes a desperate decision with devastating consequences. Her quest to make amends and find redemption is a journey of self-discovery in which she learns the harsh truths of the society that once promised her protection.” . . #groupread #humifyoudontknowthewords #biancamarais #debutnovel #wherethereadergrows #shereadswithcats #buddyreading #mustread #booklover #igreads #instabook #letsread
Instagram post 2249060913057586357_5480751027 @booksparks @blackstonepublishing #partner || . It’s no secret how much I love the UNSUB series by @meggardiner1 so we all knew I had to read the third installment! I mean UNSUB and INTO THE BLACK NOWHERE were both 5★ reads. BUT GUESS WHAT?!...The third book, THE DARK CORNERS OF THE NIGHT, is THE BEST ONE YET! I am not much of a series person and I’m super picky with police procedurals, but this book is DARK. The story is gripping, captivating, haunting, and horrifying. Gardiner goes deep into character study so you really get to know who Caitlin is. You will not only care about Caitlin, YOU WILL BE HOOKED. I only fall in love with series that are something special and this crime fiction series is just too good to pass up. Read it as a standalone if you prefer BUT all three books are solid gold! ★★★★★ I AM OBSESSED. Side note: I am fully aware that it looks like I’m a giant in a tiny chair. My husband likes to take photos super close and my office is small. I guess I should be flattered 🤷🏼‍♀️💁🏼‍♀️
Instagram post 2247706690399055535_5480751027 Abby and I thank @berkleypub for our free copy. Today is a good day! My new iPhone arrived with the pretty, pretty cameras. I need more natural light so I’ve never been so excited for a new phone! AND I finally got my weighted blanket - whoop whoop 🙌🏻 Also, let’s not forget all the amazing #bookmail I received this week. I am so very grateful to all the publicists and publishers who I’ve worked with over the past 3 years. I finished THE RETURN by Rachel Harrison - watch this space for my review next month but SPOILER ALERT...I loved it! What are you all reading this week?!! 👇🏻
Instagram post 2247000209970254551_5480751027 Thank you @berkleypub for my free copy. I read THE BROKEN GIRLS back in 2018 and really enjoyed it, so reading @simonestjames’ new release, THE SUN DOWN MOTEL, was inevitable. The author has a knack for mixing in a gentle amount of supernatural elements in such an organic way that it isn’t ridiculous. I need supernatural type stories to be super dark or gory and if they’re not, I need them to at least seem plausible. THE SUN DOWN MOTEL walks that fine line brilliantly - it is addictive, atmospheric, and mysterious. I LOVED IT. Set in 1982 Upstate New York, Viv Delaney works as a night clerk at the Sun Down Motel. She discovers there are a number of unsolved murders of young women and as the secrets unfold at this rundown, roadside motel, Viv starts to connect the dots. And as you can imagine, the secrets eventually get the best of her. We alternate chapters between Viv’s investigation thirty-five years ago and her niece Carly, in present day, trying to figure out what happened to her aunt all those years ago. The motel is a CREEPY character in its own right and the mystery is top notch. I love the dual timelines and the way they interact with each other as you are reading. Sometimes the timelines mesh together almost too well, but I think that’s what makes this suspense novel so unique. It’s a fun mysterious read and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a book to keep you from staying at a roadside motel. ★★★★★
Instagram post 2246267979476090700_5480751027 @avidreaderpress @aaknopf @eccobooks @littlebrown @williammorrowbooks #partner It’s almost Tuesday, and therefore another book release day - I always so get excited! Here is a throwback to last week’s releases. THE BOATMAN’S DAUGHTER, THE UNWILLING, AUTHOR IN CHIEF, and I DO NOT FORGIVE YOU, are all amazing! Also, super excited for THE ABSOLUTION, the next installment to the Children’s House series! . What are you most excited about?!
Instagram post 2245558974093169616_5480751027 @tordotcompub sent me a GIANT BOX OF BOOKS and I’m SO happy. 😭 DOCILE is a 5⭐️read, and the crème de la crème is HARROW THE NINTH - I cannot believe I scored an early copy! Then there is THE MURDERBOT DIARIES novel, FLYAWAY, OUT OF BODY, and THE EMPTINESS OF SALT AND FORTUNE - oh my goodness, this entire #bookstack is amazing! Thank you so much @torbooks. See anything that tickles your fancy?! . @mother.horror wants to see our #bookshelves so here’s a partial look. I don’t organize my books by color, but I do by genre. I guess literary fiction has some colorful spines. #livecolorfully #shelfie
Instagram post 2244861213857041216_5480751027 @booksparks #partner #WRC2020 Happy weekend everyone! I’m doing a little nighttime reading with my favorite nighttime beverage - decaf coffee. I know, I know, decaf is not ideal but it’ll have to do because I can only have one to two cups of regular coffee a day. Also, a quick shoutout to @bonescoffeecompany which I will gladly admit I’m addicted to. It’s my very favorite reading setup because I’m too OCD to eat anything around my precious books. 🤣 . How about you? What’s your favorite reading setup?!
Instagram post 2243996322191518818_5480751027 @berkleypub #partner || When I read QUEEN OF HEARTS in 2018 I knew I would pick up whatever @kimmerymartin wrote next. One of the things that drew me to pick up her book in the first place is her background in medicine. She’s an ER doctor so her talent is not just in her writing but in her ability to make the setting believable. She writes from experience and from the heart which is so important. THE ANTIDOTE FOR EVERYTHING is different from her first book, but does feature a hospital setting, a strong female character, a romance, and a lovely friendship. The basic plot details a physician’s dismissal for refusing to follow the hospital’s rule of denying treatment to transgender patients. The main character, Georgia, and her best friend, Jonah, are my favorite storyline. By the by, it’s reprehensible that we are in the year 2020 and people are still dealing with such discrimination - ugh, don’t get me started. I enjoyed the pacing and there were couple of things I didn’t see coming. All in all, a great contemporary fiction read for tackling such an important topic. ★★★★ . Oh yea... HAVE YOU NOTICED THE COVER?!! SO BEAUTIFUL - just like the first one! . How’s your Friday going?! Do you have a Valentine? Trust me, beloved pets and books definitely count! ❌⭕️❌⭕️
Instagram post 2243461410547870676_5480751027 @aaknopf #partner || "There are so many ways to haunt a person, or a life” . #CurrentlyReading THE GLASS HOTEL and I am absolutely entranced. The plot is multifaceted, beautifully written, immersive, and filled with fantastic characters. Emily St. John Mandel is a true talent. STATION ELEVATION is one of my favorite books so I had high expectations - and right now this novel has exceeded them. This novel is on the road to brilliance. What about it.... is this book on your #TBR ?!!
Instagram post 2242580191706743254_5480751027 FEATURING Abby’s come hither look. 👀 BUT scroll ← to see the rest of her adorable expressions. If she could only talk, she would most definitely tell me to stop taking photos of her. I love her sweet face. It’s another @night_worms book party (holla 🙌🏻). And this one is a doozy! WHISPERS IN THE DARK by Laurel Hightower is everything I hoped it would be. This debut novel is a perfect blend of horror and thriller with supernatural elements. Not to mention a badass female protagonist! So far @mother.horror and @bookishmommy have not disappointed with their book choices! Watch this space for my full review. Many thanks to @laurelhightower, JournalStone, and the @night_worms for my copy! . . . . #nightwormsbookparty #nightwormswhispers #horror #cat #whispersinthedark #promotehorror
Instagram post 2241856554334835215_5480751027 Happy Tuesday lovelies! 🌈🌈 It’s National Make a Friend Day! . @jennsbookvibes aka the #rainbow queen asked to see our rainbow stacks! I spent a bazillion hours organizing this one, so with a few minor changes here’s mine! #Friendship is a beautiful thing and I admire Jenn’s ability to be inclusive and embrace others with nothing but #kindness 💕 I am so grateful for this #bookstagram community! In honor of Jenn’s challenge, tell me a random act of kindness or tag a #bookstabuddy 👇🏻 . . . . . . . #jennsrainbowchallenge #colorful #rainbowstack #bright #bookfriends #nationalmakeafriendday
Instagram post 2239746340097624671_5480751027 Happy weekend my beautiful friends! 💀🖤 . I continue to be behind on things but I’m not going to be down about it. January was terrible with a capital TERRIBLE. So February is my official start to 2020. I have some fun changes in store for my account. BUT I’d love to know what content you either LOVE or would want to see on here! Always looking for constructive feedback so please feel free to comment! Or just tell me what you are reading! . This photo is dedicated to my deep love and affection for GIDEON THE NINTH by #TasmynMuir and my not so new @yoshigoods bag. They both bring a smile to my face. Fantasy is not a genre that I love naturally - it doesn’t always work for me. But @franzencomesalive made this trilogy impossible to ignore and I’m forever grateful. 💀🖤 . . . . . #gideontheninth #yoshibags #read #torbooks #harrowtheninth #fantasy #myfavoritecolorisblack
Instagram post 2239313495130767420_5480751027 Thank you to @aaknopf @randomhouse & @avidreaderpress for the free books | . Let’s play a round of rapid fire, mini reviews! 👏🏻👏🏻 These are last week’s #newreleases and I thought since I was late I would try to read them all. Well, I got to most of them 🤣 And guess what?!...I enjoyed them all. Here’s what I read: . THE OTHER PEOPLE by CJ Tudor ★★★★★: unsettling, suspenseful, binge-worthy INTERIOR CHINA by Charles Yu ★★★★★: brilliant, provocative, hilarious A BEAUTIFUL CRIME by Christopher Bollen ★★★★★: atmospheric, scandalous, love story PROSPER’S DEMON by K.J. Parker ★★★★★: clever, sardonic, exorcism CHILDREN OF THE LAND by Marcelo Hernandez Castillo ★★★★★: important, poetic, phenomenal THE CIRCUS by Jonas Karlsson ★★★½: creative, strange, friendship THE TRUANTS by Kate Weinberg ★★★½: infatuation, college, Agatha Christie Based on these un-wordy reviews, which one would you pick up and read first?
Instagram post 2237542499163971130_5480751027 This cover is🔥🔥🔥 Thank you so much @berkleypub for my free copy. As soon as @simonestjames’ THE SUN DOWN MOTEL arrived I immediately knew it was my next read! I loved THE BROKEN GIRLS back in 2018, so I am drooling over this book! I believe it was chosen as a @bookofthemonth selection so I hope it made its way into your cart. How ‘bout it...is this book on your #TBR ?!!
Instagram post 2237105430776158249_5480751027 Thank you so much @booksparks for this lovely free package! #ApresSkiReads #WRC2020 I’ll tell you a story about life. You walk along and go about your day then POOF... your best friend sends you the most beautiful flowers. Even though she lives far far away she just knew I needed to be cheered up. I am so lucky we met and got into tons of mischief in high school. @christinamac79’s BEHIND EVERY LIE and EPIC SOLITUDE by @katherine.keith both look perfect for February! I can’t wait to dive in! . How is your week going?! ✨✨
Instagram post 2236062076886012620_5480751027 Happy Monday to you all! I was tagged by @mother.horror @marcyreads & @thebookdad for my #fivefingerstack so here goes: . THUMB: A 👍🏻 to A HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS by @paulgtremblay. I will yell at everyone to read this book if they want to experience good writing and amazing characters.😈 It’s one of my favorites, and I cannot wait for his upcoming release SURVIVOR SONG. Holding my breath actually. FOREFINGER: @tjenkinsreid’s DAISY JONES & THE SIX 👆🏻is one I’m constantly recommending and even though it’s not my typical book, it’s so universal that I’m confident you will love it. Also, the audiobook is phenomenal.🤘🏻Just sayin’. . MIDDLE FINGER: I am going to take a play from @bookishmommy since I don’t keep books I hate. I chose Michelle McNamara’s I’LL BE GONE IN THE DARK because🖕🏻the Golden State Killer. 👿 Any excuse to post this amazing book really. RING FINGER: My book husband is my forever love, Aragorn, from Lord of the Rings 💍 but I was not about to cart my precious edition outside of the house. Roland from the THE DARK TOWER SERIES is a close second. He’s my affair if you will (so dreamy💋). Also, I love to dabble in a little Hot Priest from FLEABAG: SCRIPTURES 🙏🏻 - hey, it’s my imagination. PINKY FINGER: I pinky swear 🎗, come high or hell water, I will read MYSTIC RIVER - I have yet to read any of Dennis Lehane’s books, mostly because I’ve watched all of his movie adaptations a bazillion times. BUT my bookish heart knows it’s time to read, what I imagine is, a phenomenal book 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
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