be careful chasing ghosts because you might find demons

If anyone wonders where I am this week, I will be at home catching up on the #WillTrent series. Then it‘s on to spooky reads…. 💀👻🎃
PS: I am not going to review each book because I can tell you right now they will all be 4 to 5 stars and highly recommended. I love this series. #IYKYN

Ever since we were small children we've been exposed to a number of enchanting fictional worlds and places.
Some came to us through books, while we were shown others through television and movies. It's a lot of fun to imagine slipping into one of these worlds to see and experience it for ourselves. What are some fictional settings you'd like to visit?

I can‘t say enough about this series. If you‘re into dark fantasy, with a little romance, and a sprinkling of Greek mythology, these books are for you. There will eventually be four books in the series, but only the first two have come out already. I simply adored both books and wanted to make sure that you don‘t miss them if you are a fan of this genre.

The Four Winds series continues in this darkly reimagined tale of forbidden love with influences from the Scottish ballad Tam Lin.

Brielle of Thornbrook has dedicated her life to the abbey. She spends her days forging iron and studying the Text, all in preparation of becoming an acolyte a shepherd of the Father. Twenty-one years on this earth and she has never touched a man. And she never will. That is, until she meets The West Wind….

#Romantacy

Jo Nesbo‘s twisty, spine-tingling tale has 1980s horror film vibes. This novel focuses on 14-year-old outcast Richard Elauved. After his parents die in a fire, Richard is sent to live in a small country town. Soon after, his classmates start curiously disappearing. In the nearby woods he discovers an evil presence in an abandoned phone booth. Now his mission is to stop the harmful force that appears to prey on everyone‘s deepest fears. 3.5 Stars

#LMPBC Round18 Group H @Maggie4483 @vonnie862

@suvata is mailing this book to @BeckyWithTheGoodBooks tomorrow.

I am just finishing it up today. No spoilers but I have to say this is the best book of the round so far. I thought it was amazing. Now I want to read all of his books.

According to Kindle App …
Maybe I have a little reading problem. 😁
Nah, I‘m good!

#MMDBookClub Pick for September 2023 • 4 Stars

This novel follows the lives of three characters who are connected by a boarding school for the deaf in Ohio. It explores themes of identity, community, disability, and civil rights. Charlie is a rebellious transfer student who is deaf; Austin, a popular senior who is also deaf and whose sister is hearing; and February, a hearing headmistress who is a child of deaf adults.

⏰ This is a reminder for those participating in #LMPBC Round 18. There are only about two weeks left to read your book, mark it up, and get it into the mail by the end of the month. Can‘t wait to read the next book. 😎

Book 2 in the series — It's been a murder-free time for The Marlow Murder Club since the events of last year. The most exciting thing on the horizon is the upcoming wedding of Marlow grandee, Sir Peter Bailey. Sir Peter is having a party at his grand mansion on the day before the wedding, But during the soiree, the trio hear crash from inside Sir Peter's house. When they rush to investigate and find the groom-to-be crushed to death in his study!

Attn: Ardene @bnp
Your #LMPBC Round 18 group is trying to reach you. Please respond to this so we know you are ok or you can email me at suvata@gmail.com 📚

Will Trent is undercover at Fort Knox investigate a twenty-two-year-old murder. His suspect's name: Jack Reacher.

Jack Reacher is in Fort Knox on his own mission: to bring down a dangerous criminal ring operating at the heart of America's military..

But there's a bigger conspiracy at play - one that neither the special agent nor the ex-military cop could have anticipated. And the only option is for Reacher and Trent to team up and play nice.

Under the Tamarind Tree is a debut novel by Nigar Alam that explores the lives of four friends in Pakistan, whose choices are shaped by history, desire, and obligation. The novel spans from 1964 to 2019, and alternates between two timelines: “Then” and “Now”. The novel portrays the effects of the Partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, which forced millions of people to migrate and caused widespread violence and trauma.

Happiness is starting a new book!

Izzy and Nate met on a disastrous airplane flight. She headed off to college and he to Boot Camp. For 10 years, they had clandestine encounters, few and far apart. Nate became a special ops soldier and Izzy a lawyer working for a senator. They met again during the fall of Afghanistan. What can I say this book? It has lovable characters, a terrifying war story, dysfunctional family dynamics, and some very hot 🔥 love scenes. 4-Stars from me.

Inspired by the author‘s own family history, this historical novel that tells the story of two women, a mother and a daughter, who are connected by a family secret and a grand estate in Cornwall. The book alternates between two timelines: Cornwall, 1913 and Cornwall, 1940. Secrets of Nanreath Hall is a book about love, loss, family, social class, and war.

I received an early birthday gift from my sister today. Needless to say, I love it, and it couldn‘t have been a more perfect gift for me. #Almost69 #Bookworm

#MMDBookClub Flight Pick for September 2023 • 4 Stars • Romance • Comedy • Coming-of-Age

Arlo Dilly is a young DeafBlind man who goes on a quest to find his lost love and his freedom. Arlo is a Jehovah‘s Witness who lives under the control of his uncle, who limits his chances of finding someone to love. Arlo had once met the love of his life at a boarding school for the Deaf, but he was separated from her by a tragic event.

Lou is a happily married mother of a toddler. She's also the victim of a local serial killer. Recently brought back to life and returned to her grieving family by a government project. Grateful for this second chance, the new Lou re-adapts to her old routines, and as she bonds with other female victims, she realizes that disturbing questions remain about what exactly preceded her death and how much she can really trust those around her. 4-Stars

“What is your biggest pet peeve?' This simple Twitter question posed by John Cleese inspired bookseller Jen Campbell to start a blog collecting all the ridiculous conversations overheard in her bookstore. Everything from 'Did Beatrix Potter ever write a book about dinosaurs?' to 'Did Charles Dickens ever write anything fun?' Anyone who has ever worked in retail will nod knowingly at requests like those presented in this book. 3-Stars

Monthly Reading Report
Read in August 2023 ...
17 Books
#Goodreads #Bookstagram #MMDBookClub #OUABC #Litsy #Libby

7th in the Lady Sherlock series • 4 Stars

Charlotte Holmes, a brilliant detective who poses as the assistant of her fictional brother Sherlock, is on a mission to find a missing dossier that could expose her secrets and endanger her life. She boards the RMS Provence, a luxury steamer sailing from England to Asia, where the dossier is hidden among Moriarty‘s agents. But her plans are disrupted when a storm hits the ship and a murder takes place.

📫 Ready ... Set ... Mail! #LMPBC

If you haven‘t already done so, it‘s time to mail your Round 18 book to the next person. If you did, “Well done”! If you didn‘t, “Hurry and do so”. If you are unable to mail it on time, please contact the members of your group to let them know when they can expect it.

Combining fantasy, horror, and humor this novel tells the story of Carolyn, one of twelve librarians who have been raised by a mysterious and powerful being called Father, who has gone missing. Each librarian has a different catalog of knowledge and abilities, such as languages, war, death, animals, and healing. • A bit tedious and long = 3-Stars

Publication: Oct. 10, 2023
On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down is chock-full of engrossing historical facts presented in a day-by-day format. The best part of this book is the way that the information is presented. It humorously points out the good, the bad, and the ugly of history from all over the world. I challenge anyone to take an entire year to read this book. I just couldn‘t put it down no matter what the date said at the top of the page.

Cider with Rosie, published in 1959, is a nostalgic and lyrical account of a vanished rural world, where life was simple and innocent, but also harsh and brutal. It is the memoir of Lee‘s life in the rural village in the Cotswolds, England, told in four parts:
• early memories of his family and home
• adolescent experiences of love and sex
• exposure to the wider world beyond the village
• departure from his childhood home and into adulthood

This book follows the Nomeolvides women, who have the power to grow flowers with their hands, but also suffer from a curse that makes their loved ones disappear. The story is set in a beautiful estate owned by the Briar family, where the Nomeolvides women have been working as gardeners. One day, the cousins discover that they are all in love with Bay Briar, the heiress of La Pradera, and they fear that she will vanish because of their curse.

These are my #LMPBC shelves/crates. There 17 books representing the 17 rounds completed since the club began. We are currently in the middle of round 18. I think I will keep it going until the top shelf is full. Then I will think of something different that I can share with my bookish friends on Litsy.

The Huckleberry Murders is a fast-paced, entertaining novel that combines mystery, comedy, and romance. Set in the rural Blight County, Idaho, Sheriff Bo Tully is called to investigate a triple homicide in a remote huckleberry patch. Together with FBI agent Angela, his father Pap (a former sheriff and notorious ladies‘ man), and his friend Dave (a self-proclaimed Native American tracker) they need to catch the killer before he strikes again.

Expected publication date: September 12, 2023 • 4 Stars

…a mesmerizing and often terrifying Gothic thriller about Sarah Slade, therapist, author, and part-time social media blogger as well as the proud new owner of the infamous Black Wood House. The house was an incredible bargain since no one has expressed an interest in it after a grizzly murder/suicide took place there 40 years ago…

Asian diaspora best-selling author, Athena Liu‘s death becomes the scandal of the year for the publishing industry. It is rumored that Liu‘s “not so well-known” friend, Juniper Song (aka June Hayward) has passed off her latest book as her own. Fireworks 💥 explode in R.F. Kuang‘s masterfully-crafted new suspense novel. That‘s two 5-Star reads in a row for Kuang from me. It appears I have a new must-read author to add to my list.

#OUABC - July 2023 Adult Box: (Leave No Trace) What Remains • 4.5 Stars

Detective Elise Sutton is drawn to cold cases and becomes an expert on how murderers slip up thereby giving themselves away. One day, she saves the life of a man named Wade Austin, who turns out to be a dangerous stalker with a dark past. Elise soon finds herself in a terrifying game of cat and mouse, as Wade threatens her and the people she loves most.

FYI:

#LMPBC Round18 Group H @Maggie4483 @vonnie862

@suvata has mailed a book to @BeckyWithTheGoodBooks

Putting it in the mail tomorrow. Enjoy!

• Read in August 2023 for Litsy Markup Postal Book Club #LMPBC Round 18 - Group H (is for horror)

Amanda Stevens is quite a prolific writer. It makes me wonder why I‘m not familiar with her work before now. If you enjoy supernatural fiction, don‘t let her books slip past you. I really enjoyed this fast-paced thriller that combines elements of folklore, mystery, and horror. 4 Stars from me!

⏰ This is a reminder for those participating in #LMPBC Round 18. There are only about two weeks left to read your book, mark it up, and get it into the mail by the end of the month. Can‘t wait to read the next book. 😎

Jo Manders is a young widow who works as a paid companion to her husband‘s aunt, Dottie Forsyth, in post-World War I England. Jo‘s husband, Alex, was a pilot who went MIA over Germany three years prior. She accompanies Dottie to her family estate, Wych Elm House, where she discovers that the Forsyths have a dark and troubled past, involving a mysterious death, a family curse, and a ghost that haunts the woods; checking all the eerie boxes. ✅

If you haven‘t read any of the other “You“ books you probably think it‘s disgusting. About a man – a misogynistic man – who is so full of himself that you want to barf? You might even be tempted to DNF. But let me tell you a little something about Joe Goldberg, one of the most riveting psychopathic serial killers I have ever read about. Kepnes keeps her writing tight as she delves into the mind of this madman. Joe is the killer you love to hate.

Expected publication: 22 August 2023

I am a huge fan of Sutanto‘s hilarious, cozy“ Auntie“ books. This latest novel is a twisty, turney thriller, that is not so lighthearted. Two writing students, Jane and Thalia, are implicated in a bloody night of murder at Oxford. After Thalia disappears, Jane is obsessed with finding her former best friend. When Thalia publishes a best-selling novel, Jane finds her chance to confront her at a book convention.

She Wouldn‘t Change a Thing is a debut novel by Sarah Adlakha, a practicing psychiatrist. It is a story about a woman named Maria Forssmann, who wakes up in her seventeen-year-old body and has to decide whether to change her future or not. The book explores the themes of love, motherhood, choice, and destiny.

Expected Publication: 5 Sep 2023

This is third in the Cleeve‘s Two Rivers series. I wish I had read first two so they are now firmly planted in my TBR list. The good folk of Greystone, Devon, are thrilled to welcome famous adventurer, Jem Rosco, into their mists. A ferocious gale arrives on the same evening as Rosco and the next day his dead body is found in a dinghy, moored off Scully Cove. Enter Detective Inspector Matthew Venn and company.

Read in July 2023 ...
#Goodreads #Bookstagram #MMDBookClub #OUABC #Litsy #Libby


📫 Ready ... Set ... Mail! #LMPBC

If you haven‘t already done so, it‘s time to mail your Round 18 book to the next person. If you did, “Well done”! If you didn‘t, “Hurry and do so”. If you are unable to mail it on time, please contact the members of your group to let them know when they can expect it.

• Kindle Unlimited • Kindle ebook • 3 Stars

The House at the End of the World follows four characters who face a terrifying danger from a group of assassins who want to kill them. The story is full of twists and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. The novel explores themes of good versus evil, redemption, and the power of love.

• Kindle Unlimited • Kindle ebook • Chirp audiobook • 3.5 Stars

I enjoyed this Shakespearean themed theatrical thriller. I‘m tempted to read more from this author but that will have to wait until I clear out a little more of my TBR.

Thls novel is the first in a series about FBI Special Agent Carly See, working with the elite BAU unit. Carly hides a secret talent: she can speak with the dead.

Vera Wang is a lonely widow living in San Francisco‘s Chinatown. She wakes up one morning to find a dead body on the floor of her little tea shop. Vera decides to start her own investigation into the incident. This novel weaves the relationships between a cast of quirky characters in a way that slowly reveals their true motivations. Just like Sutanto‘s “Auntie books” this book is a fun cozy mystery that will appeal to most fans of the genre.

• Kindle ebook • Chirp audiobook • 5 Stars

I‘ve never read an Umrigar novel that I didn‘t really enjoy. This one explores the themes of honor killing, caste, religion, gender, violence, and identity in India through the perspectives of two women. Smita is an Indian-American journalist, and Meena, a Hindu woman who married a Muslim man and faced a brutal attack by her brothers.

I love FREE books. Thank you, #Goodreads.

#StoryGraph: fiction lgbtqia+ mystery thriller dark mysterious tense
320 pages • first pub 2023 • 3 Stars

Alex has all but given up on her dreams of becoming a published author when she receives a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: attend an exclusive, month-long writing retreat at the estate of feminist horror writer Roza Vallo. Even the knowledge that Wren, her former best friend and current rival, is attending doesn‘t dampen her excitement.

FYI:

#LMPBC Round17 Group H @Maggie4483 @vonnie862

@suvata has mailed a book to @BeckyWithTheGoodBooks

Enjoy!