Kevin's in a Mood by Sarah Bowie

Suzy and Kevin are best friends. They do everything together! Until one day, Kevin's in a Mood. Suzy tries everything to cheer him up - she tells him jokes and even plays his favourite song. But Kevin's STILL in a Mood. All their friends try to help, but nothing seems to make Kevin feel better ... what could be wrong?

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! How are you all doing this lovely week? Sadly this week one of us is not very well and we haven't read any of this lot of books, but we'll catch back up!

As always, you can click on the cover of each book to learn more about it.

Mr Wolf goes to the ball by Tatyana Feeney

Mr Wolf is SO EXCITED to be invited to the ball.

What should he wear?

He thinks he’s got the perfect outfit, but he’s not sure …

Can his friend help him to decide?

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! We're having a cold snap here, so today will be spent curled up with lots of lovely books.

The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell

Every summer for the past ten years, six awe-struck bakers have descended on the grounds of Grafton, the leafy and imposing Vermont estate that is not only the filming site for “Bake Week” but also the childhood home of the show’s famous host, celebrated baker Betsy Martin.

The author of numerous bestselling cookbooks and hailed as “America’s Grandmother,” Betsy Martin isn’t as warm off-screen as on, though no one needs to know that but her. She has always demanded perfection, and gotten it with a smile, but this year something is off. As the baking competition commences, things begin to go awry. At first, it’s merely sabotage—sugar replaced with salt, a burner turned to high—but when a body is discovered, everyone is a suspect.

A sharp and suspenseful thriller for mystery buffs and avid bakers alike, The Golden Spoon is a brilliant puzzle filled with shocking twists and turns that will keep you reading late into the night until you turn the very last page of this incredible debut.

End of Story by Louise Swanson (unmarked spoilers in review)

Too much imagination can be a dangerous thing

It has been five years since writing fiction was banned by the government.

Fern Dostoy is a criminal. Officially, she has retrained in a new job outside of the arts but she still scrawls in a secret notepad in an effort to capture what her life has become: her work on a banned phone line, reading bedtime stories to sleep-starved children; Hunter, the young boy who calls her and has captured her heart; and the dreaded visits from government officials.

But as Fern begins to learn more about Hunter, doubts begin to surface. What are they both hiding?

And who can be trusted?

Happy #BookBirthday! 2 Mar

Happy Thursday! This week there are SIX books on our lists publishing!

Thirsty Animals by Rachelle Atalla

THE WORLD IS RUNNING OUT OF WATER.

With supply in the Scottish cities drying up, Aida is forced back home to live with her mum at their rural farm. For now, they are safe with just enough to get by.

Yet at the border, tensions are close to breaking point as more and more southerners chase the delusion that Scotland is an eternal spring - while fewer and fewer are allowed through. The service station where Aida works grows emptier with every day. Then, when suspicious strangers arrive at the farm asking for help, Aida and her family face a terrible decision. How much water can they afford to share?

AND THEN THE TAPS ARE TURNED OFF.

Now they must survive long enough for the rain to come.

Completely compelling, devastating and thought-provoking, Thirsty Animals takes us on a captivating journey of survival and self-discovery.

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! This week we received mostly unknown books - we are looking forward to getting to know them! As usual we have read one, but the review doesn't post until tomorrow, sadly.

As always, you can click on each cover to learn more about the book.

Remind me to Hate You Later by Lizzy Mason

A story about the pressures of social media, the lengths influencers will go to for fame, and the grief of losing a loved one to suicide, perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson and Gayle Forman.

Seventeen-year-old Jules grew up in her mother's spotlight. A “parenting influencer,” Britt shares details of her daughter's life-pictures, intimate stories, insecurities, all-to a point that becomes unbearable to Jules.

And suddenly she's gone.

Natalie has only barely begun to grieve her best friend Jules's death when Britt announces her plans to publish a memoir that will dissect Jules's life and death. But Nat knows the truth behind Britt's "perfect" Instagram feed-Jules hated the pressure, the inauthenticity, the persona. There's so much more to Jules than Britt and her followers could ever know. As Nat connects with Jules's boyfriend, Carter, and their shared grief and guilt bonds them, she becomes determined to expose Britt, to understand what really happened, and who is to blame.

In a world that feels distorted by celebrity and the manipulations of social media and public opinion, Natalie and Carter need something real to hold onto. Remind Me to Hate You Later is a moving account of grief, depression, complex relationships, love, and the search for truth.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! This week we had a great time on a blog tour, posted three other reviews and our usual Bookpost and BookBirthday posts.

The Wishkeeper's Apprentice by Rachel Chivers Khoo and Rachel Sanson

Wanted! A wishkeeper's apprentice.

When Felix makes a very special wish, he doesn't expect to be offered a job as an apprentice to wishkeeper Rupus Beewinkle. Now Felix must save the town's wishes from the wishsnatcher, who wants to destroy hopes and dreams everywhere.

The Nowhere Thief by Alice M Ross

A mind-bending multiverse adventure about theft, family, and finding your home.

Twelve-year-old Elsbeth has an extraordinary power: she can travel to parallel worlds and bring objects back with her. But as freak weather events become more frequent and a strange boy, Idris, starts to turn up everywhere she travels, she has to ask herself: does her gift come with a price?

Happy #BookBirthday! 23 Feb

Happy Thursday! This week there are TWO books on our lists publishing!

Fairy Hill by Marita Conlon-McKenna

Strange things are happening in Fairy Hill.

Thirteen-year-old Anna is upset when she is sent to stay with her dad and his new family at Fairy Hill in the west of Ireland. Hearing whispers in the wind, Anna senses she is being watched, but nobody believes her except the mysterious boy down by the lake. When her little half-brother, Jack, nearly gets lost, Anna suspects that someone is trying to steal him away. She wonders if the stories about the old house and the fairies are true. And if they are, could Jack be in real danger?

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! We had a bumper crop of picture books this week that we are really looking forward to getting into.

As always you can click on each cover to learn more about the book.

Blog tour: It Happened on Saturday by Sydney Dunlap

Thirteen-year-old Julia would much rather work with horses at the rescue barn than worry about things like dating and makeup. But when her BFF meets a boy at camp, Julia’s determined not to get left behind. After a makeover from her older sister, she posts a picture of herself online and gets a comment from Tyler—a seemingly nice kid who lives across town. As they DM more and more, Julia’s sure that Tyler understands her in a way her family never has. Even better, their relationship earns her tons of attention at school.

Then Julia finds out Tyler’s true plan, and her world is turned upside down. She fiercely guards her secret, but could her silence allow her friends to fall into the same trap?

In this timely, heartfelt debut, author Sydney Dunlap tells a story of a middle-school girl who narrowly escapes becoming a victim of human trafficking and must find her way toward hope and healing after this traumatic event.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! It's starting to get warmer and brighter here, which is great - it's nicer to wake up in sunshine!

The Devil's Advisor by Brad Abdul

Lucy, the Devil, wants to retire. Brian, the Business Advisor, hates his job. When Brian's jealous co-workers put him in Lucy's crosshairs, she makes him an offer he can't refuse: work for her and increase the productivity in Hell by 50% or suffer the cruel fate planned by his peers. To sweeten the deal, Lucy offers Brian the chance to be her successor if he pulls it off. Brian reluctantly agrees and dives in with both feet to the bureaucratic nightmare of Hell. To make it out alive, Brian faces Death, God, and Lucy's own twin children.

Project Nought by Chelsey Furedi

Ren Mittal's last memory in the year 1996 is getting on a bus to visit his mystery pen pal Georgia. When he wakes up in 2122, he thinks he might be hallucinating...he's not!

Tech conglomerate Chronotech sponsors a time-travel program to help students in 2122 learn what history was really like...from real-life subjects who've been transported into the future...and Ren is one of them.

In 2122, Ren's life in the 1990s is practically ancient history--and Ren's not sure how to feel about that. On top of it all, he learns that his memory will be wiped of all things 2122 before he's sent back to the '90s. Adding to Ren's complicated feels, he's forming a crush on his student guide, Mars.

And when he crosses paths with the absolute last person he expected to see in the future, he has a bigger problem on his hands: What if Chronotech isn't the benevolent organization they claim to be, and he and his fellow subjects are in great danger?

Happy #BookBirthday! 16 Feb

Happy Thursday! This week there are SIX plus one books on our lists publishing!

Enjoyed but may not read again

Enjoyed but may not read again

Will read again

Will read again

Will read again

Enjoyed and will probably read again

We also had a new tarot deck over on the tarot blog:

Did you get to read any of these? What did you think?

The Town with No Mirrors by Christina Collins

In a modern-day utopian community where mirrors, photos, and even words like beautiful and ugly are forbidden, a girl who has never seen her own face harbors a guilty curiosity about the outside world. A thoughtful exploration of self-image in a world familiar to readers of The Giver and The List.

Zailey has never seen her own face. She's never seen her reflection, or a photo of herself, or even a drawing. In the special community of Gladder Hill, cameras and mirrors are forbidden: it's why everyone's happier here. Nobody talks about anyone else's appearance. You're not supposed to even think about what other people look like, or what you look like.

But Zailey does.

She knows her superficial thoughts are wrong, and her sketchbook, filled with secret portraits of her classmates and neighbors, could get her in trouble. Yet she can't help but think those thoughts, and be curious about the outside world where she once lived, years ago. Most of all, she wonders what it's like to see herself―her own face.

When Zailey suddenly finds herself beyond the gates of her town, she has a chance to see if what she's been taught about the outside world is true and search for the mother she barely remembers. Only then will she find out the real story about Gladder Hill. But is she prepared for the truth?

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! We had a good week here on the blog, with some nice new titles. And yes, we have read one already!

The Pledge by Cale Dietrich

Scream meets Clown in a Cornfield in this YA horror novel by bestselling author Cale Dietrich featuring a masked killer who targets frat boys.

Freshman Sam believes that joining a fraternity is the best way to form a friend group as he begins his college journey—and his best chance of moving on from his past. He is the survivor of a horrific, and world-famous, murder spree known as the Lake Priest Massacre, in which a masked killer hunted down Sam and his friends.

Sam had to do the unthinkable to survive that night, and it completely derailed him. He sees college, and his new identity as a frat boy, as his best shot at living a life not defined by the killings. Sam begins to hope a fresh start is possible.

And then one of his new frat brothers is found dead. Now Sam must race against the clock to figure out the murderer’s identity and why they are threatening Sam’s new friends before more lives—and his on chance to move—are lost forever.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! We had a good week here on the blog, with our usual number of reviews and features. However stock take is coming up for one of us (::coughs::B::coughs::) so things may or may not be delayed this week coming!

A Tale of Two Princes by Eric Geron

Edward Dinnissen leads a charmed life. He’s the Crown Prince of Canada, gets the royal treatment at his exclusive private school, and resides in a ritzy mansion. He thrives off being the perfect prince as he prepares for the Investiture Ceremony on his eighteenth birthday, the final step in his role as heir—and Canada’s future king. But this closeted Crown Prince has just one tiny problem: he’s unsure how to tell his parents, his beloved country, and his adoring fans that he’s gay.

Billy Boone should be happy with the simple life. His family’s ranch is his favorite place in the world, he loves his small town, and his boyfriend is the cutest guy at Little Timber High. So why does it feel like something’s still missing? Maybe it has to do with the fact that this out-and-proud cowboy feels destined for something more . . .

Crookhaven by J. J. Arcanjo

“So this is really a school for criminals.” It was meant as a question, though it came out more as an accusation.

“We are so much more than that,” Caspian said, sitting in a plush leather chair and gesturing for Gabriel to sit in a similar one across the table. “We are a home for the forgotten, a sanctuary for the lost and … yes, a training ground for the greatest crooks of the future.”

13-year-old Gabriel is a brilliant pickpocket, a skill which he uses to keep his often empty belly not quite so empty. And then one day, he’s caught.

But instead of being arrested, he is invited by the mysterious Caspian Crook to attend Crookhaven – a school for thieves. At Crookhaven, students are trained in lock-picking, forgery and ‘crim-nastics’, all with the intention of doing good out in the world, by conning the bad and giving back to the innocent.

But … can you ever really trust a thief?

With a school wide competition to be crowned Top Crook and many mysteries to uncover, Gabriel’s first year at Crookhaven will be one to remember…

Happy #BookBirthday!

Happy Thursday, all! This week there are TWO titles from our lists publishing!

The Beauty Trials by Dhonielle Clayton

Sophia, the dangerous and erratic former queen, has been imprisoned, restoring peace to Orléans. Now her sister, Charlotte, sits on the throne and has decided to invoke the ancient tradition of the Beauty Trials―a series of harrowing tests meant to find the true ruler of Orléans. Edel, who has always aspired to be more than a Belle, decides to enter and, after promising to bind her arcana to keep from having an unnatural advantage, joins a few dozen other hopefuls intent on becoming the next Queen of Orléans.

But the Trials are far worse than any of them bargained for. As the women are put through tasks that test their strength, confidence, composure, and bravery, many perish, and Edel is mysteriously attacked by one of the other competitors―forcing her to use her powers just to survive. Will her subterfuge cost her the crown, or is there a larger conspiracy at play?

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! We had a great week this week, with some titles we've been really looking forward to and some that are new to us but look amazing. (And yes - we have read one already!)

As always you can click on each cover to learn more about the title.

Cold People by Tom Rob Smith

What if the only hope for survival becomes the greatest threat?

From the brilliant, bestselling author of Child 44 comes a suspenseful and fast-paced novel about a colony of global apocalypse survivors seeking to reinvent civilisation under the most extreme conditions imaginable.

The world has fallen. Without warning, a mysterious and omnipotent force has claimed the planet for their own. There are no negotiations, no demands, no reasons given for their actions. All they have is a message: humanity has thirty days to reach the one place on Earth where they will be allowed to exist... Antarctica.

Cold People follows the journeys of a handful of those who endure the frantic exodus to the most extreme environment on the planet. But their goal is not merely to survive the present. Because as they cling to life on the ice, the remnants of their past swept away, they must also confront the urgent challenge: can they change and evolve rapidly enough to ensure humanity's future? Can they build a new society in the sub-zero cold?

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! It's turned cold again where I am, so I'm huddling up with a nice book today.

Wilder by Penny Chrimes

The child – if child it was – came out of the wild-ness. It came out of the sparse bleak marsh where few dared go and none came back. And though the village grew accustomed to the creature they did not forget from whence it came. And they whispered that there was no knowing whether she was sent as a blessing or a bane.’

When the child emerges from the wilderness, no one in the village knows what to do with her. She is odd – half-wild, without speech and seems to have an unnatural bond with animals – especially the falcon, who is always circling above her. The Wise-Woman takes her in, and names her Rhodd, but the rest of the villagers remain suspicious.

Over the years, as Rhodd grows, the village realises that the river, which is their connection to the wider world, is beginning to die, and eventually a dark sickness begins to spread. Soon, too soon, the villagers turn their suspicion on Rhodd and her falcon.

And so, Rhodd sets out to discover what – or who – is causing the river to dry up . . . to protect her mother, her falcon and herself…

Herc by Phoenicia Rogerson

This should be the story of Hercules: his twelve labours, his endless adventures . . . everyone's favourite hero, right?

Well, it's not.

This is the story of everyone else:

Alcmene: Herc's mother (She has knives everywhere)

Hylas: Herc's first friend (They were more than friends)

Megara: Herc's wife (She'll tell you about the marriage)

Eurystheus: Oversaw Herc's labours (Definitely did not hide in a jar)

His friends, his enemies, his wives, his children, his lovers, his rivals, his gods, his victims.

It's time to hear their stories. 

Happy #BookBirthday! 2 Feb

Happy Thursday! 2nd of February is a huge publishing day, with TEN books from our lists (and dozens of other books!) publishing today!

Out of Character by Jenna Miller

If you asked seventeen-year-old Cass Williams to describe herself, she’d happily tell you she’s fat, queer, and obsessed with the Tide Wars books. What she won’t tell you—or anyone in her life—is that she’s part of an online Tide Wars roleplay community. Sure, it’s nerdy as hell, but when she’s behind the screen writing scenes as Captain Aresha, she doesn’t have to think about her mother who walked out or how unexpectedly stressful it is dating resident cool girl Taylor Cooper.

But secretly retreating to her online life is starting to catch up with Cass. For one, no one in her real life knows her secret roleplay addiction is the reason her grades have taken a big hit. Also? Cass has started catching feelings for Rowan Davies, her internet bestie…and Taylor might be catching on.

As Cass’s lies continue to build, so does her anxiety. Roleplaying used to be the one place she could escape to, but this double life and offline-online love triangle have only made things worse. Cass must decide what to do—be honest and risk losing her safe space or keep it a secret and put everything else on the line.

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! This week we received SIX new books - and have read two already! 

As always, you can click on the cover to learn more about each book. (Two of these have such beautiful covers!)

The Power by Naomi Alderman

All over the world women are discovering they have the power.

With a flick of the fingers they can inflict terrible pain - even death.

Suddenly, every man on the planet finds they've lost control.

The Day of the Girls has arrived - but where will it end?

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, everyone! We've made it to the end of another week, somehow.

The Magic Feather by Sandra Dieckmann

Little Bear has a secret – deep inside, he feels nothing like a real bear. An empowering story about finding your own special spark, woven with magic and wonder by Sandra Dieckmann, the creator of Leaf and Waiting for Wolf.

Little Bear knows that soon the time will come for him to choose his special bear name – but how will he know what it should be, when he has no idea what makes him special?

One night the wondrous firebird swoops down and places a magic feather in Little Bear’s paw. Could this enchanted feather help him discover who he truly is . . . or was the answer inside him all along?

You Think you Know Me by Ayaan Mohamud

Hanan has always been encouraged to be a good girl, a quiet girl, never making trouble. When her classmates treat her as a target for their racist bullying, and her teachers use her as their perfect Muslim poster girl, she keeps smiling and keeps her mouth shut. They don't see past her headscarf, but she knows she is so much more than that. 

Then a local man is murdered, tensions run high and Muslims become targets for even worse abuse. 

After a terrifying attack, Hanan decides that it's time to make her voice heard...it's time to shake the world.

Happy #BookBirthday! 26th January

Happy Thursday, everyone! This week, there is ONE book from our lists publishing!

Nala's World by Dean Nicholson and Frann Preston-Gannon

A heartwarming picture book based on the incredible true story of social media sensation and round-the-world-cyclist Dean Nicholson and his trusty cat companion, Nala.

When Dean Nicholson found an abandoned kitten by the side of the road one day, he hadn’t bargained on the lessons he’d learn from his unlikely companion, Nala. Both curious, independent, resilient and adventurous, they were a perfect match – and so together, they set off to travel around the world.

This inspirational true story, with an underlying message about loving and caring for animals, will show young readers everywhere that you can find friendship in the most unlikely places. With gorgeous illustrations from winner of the Waterstones Gift of the Year, Frann Preston-Gannon, and also featuring photos of Dean and Nala’s real-world adventures.

Dean and Nala’s story has become a social media and publishing phenomenon. Dean’s book for adults, Nala’s World, spent two weeks on the Sunday Times‘ bestseller list and has been translated into twenty-five languages.

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! We've had a great week as far as new books, and have already read two of these!

As always, you can click on each cover to learn more about the title.

Promise Boys by Nick Brooks

The Urban Promise Prep School vows to turn boys into men. As students, J.B., Ramon, and Trey are forced to follow the prestigious "program's" strict rules. Extreme discipline, they've been told, is what it takes to be college bound, to avoid the fates of many men in their neighborhoods. This, the Principal Moore Method, supposedly saves lives.

But when Moore ends up murdered and the cops come sniffing around, the trio emerges as the case's prime suspects. With all three maintaining their innocence, they must band together to track down the real killer before they are arrested. But is the true culprit hiding among them?

This exquisitely taut thriller shines a glaring light on how the system too often condemns Black and Latinx teen boys to failure before they've even had a chance at success.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! We had an extra review this week, due to publishing dates, so it's been quite busy here.

The Song Walker by Zillah Bethell

"There are three questions that I need to find the answers to: 

Where am I? 

What am I doing here? 

And... Who am I?" 

When a young girl wakes up in the middle of the desert, she has no idea who she is. She's wearing one shoe, a silky black dress, and she's carrying a strange, heavy case. 

She meets Tarni, who is on a mysterious quest of her own. Together, the two girls trek across the vast and ever-changing Australian Outback in search of answers. 

Except both are also hiding secrets...

All my Love by Miranda Dickinson

Sometimes love can be staring you in the face . . . and you don't even know it

By day, Archie works tirelessly as assistant to the editor of a local newspaper.

By night, Esther works after hours cleaning the rows of office desks with the help of her trusty sidekick, Fred the trolley.

Their paths have never crossed, until one discarded Post-it note unexpectedly brings them together.

Because they share one thing in common . . . they're both secretly in love with someone else.

And they might just be the two people who can help each other find the courage to confess their feelings and write the perfect love letter.

But what if they're falling for the wrong person?

#BookBirthday!

Happy Thursday, all! This week there are FIVE books on our lists publishing.

Home by Cailean Steed

Someone has broken into Zoe's flat. A man she thought she'd never have to see again.

They call him the Hand of God.

He knows about her job in the cafe, her life in Dublin, her ex-girlfriend, even the knife she's hidden under the mattress.

She thought she'd left him far behind, along with the cult of the Children and their isolated compound Home – but now he's found her, and she knows she must go back to rescue the sister who helped her escape all those years before.

But returning to Home means going back to the enforced worship and strict gender roles Zoe has long since moved beyond; back to the abuse and indoctrination she's fought desperately to overcome.

Going back will make her question everything she believed about her past – but could also risk her hard-won freedom. Can she break free a second time?

One – My name is Zoe

Two – I am here to rescue my sister Amy

Three – Nothing anyone says here is true

Four –

Four –

What is my fourth true thing?

The Marriage Act by John Marrs

What if marriage was the law? Dare you disobey?

Britain. The near-future. A right-wing government believes it has the answer to society's ills - the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single.

But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is monitoring every aspect of our personal lives, monitoring every word, every minor disagreement . . . and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honour and obey.

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! We had a quiet week last week, but this week is already looking good! We haven't finished either of these yet but we are working on it.

As always, you can click on the cover to learn more about each book.

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

Simon O’Keeffe’s biggest claim to fame should be the time his dad accidentally gave a squirrel a holy sacrament. Or maybe the alpaca disaster that went viral on YouTube. But the story the whole world wants to tell about Simon is the one he’d do anything to forget: the story in which he’s the only kid in his class who survived a school shooting.

Two years after the infamous event, twelve-year-old Simon and his family move to the National Quiet Zone—the only place in America where the internet is banned. Instead of talking about Simon, the astronomers who flock to the area are busy listening for signs of life in space. And when Simon makes a friend who’s determined to give the scientists what they’re looking for, he’ll finally have the chance to spin a new story for the world to tell.

From award-winning author Erin Bow, Simon Sort of Says is a breathtaking testament to the lasting echoes of trauma, the redemptive power of humor, and the courage it takes to move forward without forgetting the past.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! It's been cold and rainy this week. How is it where you are?

Murder at the Museum by Alasdair Beckett-King

Many people go their whole lives without noticing anything that is afoot, amiss, or even untoward; without ever experiencing that toe-tingling, stomach-twisting sensation that a mystery is about to unfold.

Not Bonnie Montgomery - the world's best detective. Not that anyone (other than Grampa Banks) has heard of her... But they might have heard of the great Montgomery Bonbon, the well-dressed gentleman detective who (apart from the hat and moustache) looks suspiciously like a 10-year-old girl.

Their newest case: solving the mystery surrounding a highly suspicious death at the Hornville Museum. Together they'll interview some dodgy witnesses, scour the scene for clues and - above all - hope no one notices that Bonnie and Montgomery are never in the same room at the same time...

The Reunion by Kayla Olson

Liv Latimer grew up on TV.

As the star of the popular teen drama Girl on the Verge, Liv spent her adolescence on the screen trying to be as picture perfect as her character in real life. But after the death of her father and the betrayal of her on-screen love interest and off-screen best friend Ransom Joel, Liv wanted nothing more than to retreat, living a mostly normal life aside from a few indie film roles. But now, twenty years after the show's premiere, the cast is invited back for a reunion special, financed by a major streaming service.

Liv is happy to be back on set, especially once she discovers Ransom has only improved with age. And their chemistry is certainly still intact. They quickly fall into their old rhythms, rediscovering what had drawn them together decades before. But with new rivalries among the cast emerging and the specter of a reboot shadowing their shoot, Liv questions whether returning to the past is what she needs to finally get her own happy ending

Someone is Watching You by Tess James-Mackey

An abandoned prison. A deadly game. How far would you go for a dare?

Nia would do anything to win the approval of her boyfriend Scott and his friends, especially mean girl Olivia. When Olivia dares Nia to explore an abandoned prison, she sees it as the perfect opportunity to prove herself. Facing dark tunnels, distant noises and creepy mementoes left behind by incarcerated criminals will surely all be worth it.

But it isn't long before Nia and her little sister, Kayla, find themselves trapped inside. And then Kayla vanishes.

Suddenly, this feels like more than a game gone wrong. Someone is hellbent on making Nia and Kayla the prison's last inmates . . .

An utterly compelling, terrifying thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat, from remarkable new author Tess James-Mackey.

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! Welcome to the first #Bookpost of the year. A quiet start, but a very enjoyable one!

As always, you can click on each cover to learn more about the book.

These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi (spoilers in review)

With the heat of a kiss, the walls between Alizeh, the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom, and Kamran, the crown prince of the Ardunian empire, have crumbled. And so have both of their lives.

Kamran's grandfather, the king of Ardunia, lays dead, the terrible secret of his deal with the devil exposed to the world. Cyrus, the mysterious copper-haired royal, has stolen Alizeh away to Tulan, the neighboring kingdom where he rules. Cyrus has made his own deal with the devil-one that would require Alizeh to betray her feelings for Kamran if she's to reclaim the Jinn throne.

Alizeh wants nothing to do with Cyrus, or his deal with Iblees. But with no means of escaping Tulan, and with the tantalizing promise of fulfilling her destiny as the heir to the Jinn, she's forced to wonder whether she can set aside her emotions-and finally become the queen her people need.

Kamran, meanwhile, is picking up the pieces of his broken kingdom. Facing betrayal at every turn, all he knows for certain is that he must go to Tulan to avenge his grandfather. He can only hope that Alizeh will be waiting for him there-and that she's not yet become queen of Tulan.

Weekly roundup

Whoops! Sorry, all. A mix up in our timing made this post later than normal. Our apologies!

Happy Sunday, all! Welcome to the first weekly roundup of the year. How are you settling into this new year? Finished any books yet?

This is not a Personal Statement by Tracy Badua

At sixteen, Perla is the youngest graduating senior of the hypercompetitive Monte Verde High. Praised - and not-so-quietly bashed - as "Perfect Perlie Perez," Perla knows all the late nights, social isolation, and crushing stress will be worth it when she gets into the college of her (and her parents') dreams: Delmont University.

Then Perla doesn't get in, and her meticulously planned future shatters. In a panic, she forges her own acceptance letter, and next thing she knows, she's heading to Delmont for real, acceptance or not. Soon, Perla is breaking into dorm rooms, crashing classes, and dodging questions from new friends about her lack of a student ID. Her plan? Gather on-the-ground intel to beef up her application and reapply spring semester before she's caught.

But as her guilty conscience grows and campus security looms large, Perla starts to wonder if her plan will really succeed - and if this dream she's worked for her entire life is something she even wants.

From rising star Tracy Badua comes a gripping, incisive tale of acceptance, self-discovery, and the infinite possibilities that await when we embrace our imperfections.

Weyward by Emilia Hart

Kate, 2019

Kate flees London - abandoning everything - for Cumbria and Weyward Cottage, inherited from her great-aunt. There, a secret lurks in the bones of the house, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.

Violet, 1942

Violet is more interested in collecting insects and climbing trees than in becoming a proper young lady. Until a chain of shocking events changes her life forever.

Altha, 1619

Altha is on trial for witchcraft, accused of killing a local man. Known for her uncanny connection with nature and animals, she is a threat that must be eliminated.

But Weyward women belong to the wild. And they cannot be tamed...

Weaving together the stories of three women across five centuries, Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.

#BookBirthday! 5/01

Happy Thursday, all! This week there are FOUR books from our lists publishing.

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey

I feel like when you get a divorce everyone's wondering how you ruined it all, what made you so unbearable to be with. If your husband dies, at least people feel bad for you.

Maggie's marriage has ended just 608 days after it started, but she's fine - she's doing really good, actually. Sure, she's alone for the first time in her life, can't afford her rent and her obscure PhD is going nowhere . . . but at the age of twenty-nine, Maggie is determined to embrace her new status as a Surprisingly Young Divorcee (TM).

Soon she's taking up 'sadness hobbies' and getting back out there, sex-wise, oversharing in the group chat and drinking with her high-intensity new divorced friend Amy. As Maggie throws herself headlong into the chaos of her first year of divorce, she finds herself questioning everything, including: Why do we still get married? Did I fail before I even got started? How many Night Burgers until I'm happy?

Laugh-out-loud funny, razor sharp and painfully relatable, Really Good, Actually is an irresistible debut novel about the uncertainties of modern love, friendship and happiness from a stunning new voice in fiction, Monica Heisey.

The Agency for Scandal by Laura Wood

An all-female detective agency righting wrongs at the end of the nineteenth century; infiltrating a scandalous upper class world straight out of Bridgerton and using their wit and bravery to unmask a villain. 

Eighteen-year-old Isobel Stanhope is keeping a lot of secrets. There's the fact that she's head over heels in love with a Duke who doesn't know she exists; there's the fact that her family is penniless but nobody in society knows about it; and then there's her job at the Aviary, an investigative agency run by women that specializes in digging up scandal on powerful men. 

When Izzy finds herself pulled into a case that involves gaslighting, blackmail, and missing jewels, as well as the Duke who holds her heart, can she and her friends untangle the web of secrets and lies to uncover the truth and protect the innocent? And when the stakes are so high, what happens when the crush she's been hiding begins to turn into so much more?

Weekly roundup. Happy New Year!

Happy Sunday and Happy New Year, all! Here's hoping that 2023 brings just as many books as 2022. (But not too many more, because we'll run out of days in the week.)