Our community writers are here to share a little about a book they enjoyed in October / November 2024. Have you read any of these or do you plan to add any to your TBR?
Kathy Palm
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
Vibes: Cozy cottage core, witches, magical creatures, found family, talking plants
Content warnings: Fire, death of parent, grief
Last month I devoured the Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst. This magical, cozy story follows Kiela, who spent the last 11 years as a librarian in the great library. When things start to literally go up in flames, she flees back to her hometown, taking as many books as she can with her.
Located on a faraway island, her hometown doesn’t quite know what’s going on in the city yet, which Kiela uses to her advantage. She’ll have to figure out how to adapt to life on the small island and just how much (or little) she deals with the townsfolk.
This story has magical creatures, snacks, secret magic, talking plants, and a great main character who loves books more than people. What’s not to love? Be sure to check this one out!
Larissa LaFrance
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
“A podcaster has decided to ruin my life, so I’m buying a chicken.” With an opening line like this, I had no choice but to crown Listen for the Lie my Best Read of October. It has all of the ingredients for a great book: an unsolved murder, surprising twists that were earned by the author, a character to root for, and some well-timed levity.
After the murder of her best friend, Savvy, Lucy left her small Texas town to start over in LA after she was discovered wandering the streets covered in Savvy’s blood, with no memory of how it got there.
Years later, the new life she started for herself in LA is imploding. Savvy’s unsolved murder just became the focus of the hit true crime podcast, Listen for the Lie.
Lucy wants nothing to do with her hometown, the podcast, or its good-looking host, Ben Owens. Unfortunately, Lucy’s grandma doesn’t care and coerces Lucy into an unwelcome homecoming. Now, Lucy is determined to find out who murdered Savvy—even if it turns out to be her.
Came here for the murder mystery, stayed for the magic of female friendship.
Raigan Mao
Heir of Blood and Fire by Marina Laurendi
Heir of Blood and Fire by Marina Laurendi was an intriguing read that was recommended to me because I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses and Fourth Wing.
In this story we follow Serena Avery, who’s 29 and finds life boring… And maybe slightly depressing. She wants nothing more than to live in one of the books that she reads, so much so that she pretty much manifests it into her reality.
Soon we discover that Serena isn’t human, but actually the last Blackblood witch, and she’s destined to ride and fight alongside the last dragon.
Heir of Blood and Fire started a little slow for my tastes. Once the storyline picked up, though, I couldn't put this book down. There’s banter, a literal found family, a shapeshifting familiar, and a nickname only for her (Little Witch; it’s giving Dorian Havilliard from Throne of Glass).
Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to someone looking for a Romantasy (Fantasy and/or Romance) read that has dragons, the found family trope, and reluctant allies to lovers.
Zoë Gregory
Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid
"Roscille used to think there was no state more powerless than one of forced silence. Of words that mean nothing, touch no one. But now she is a dog, commanded: Speak. Lie for your life. This is a castle of consequences. Every word had its echo."
Lady Macbeth is a compelling exploration of identity and resilience, making it a must-read for anyone questioning their place in the world. Ava Reid showcases a profound and passionate intellect through Lady Macbeth, masterfully illustrating the art of feminine vengeance.
The pacing drew me in effortlessly, and I enjoyed how the evocative writing captured dark gothic vibes. The well-rounded characters brought authentic intensity to their Shakespearean-inspired roles, compelling one to root for the morally gray character of the year, Lady Macbeth.
The ending of this book was both powerful and satisfying. This story will resonate with those who have felt confined by societal expectations—a mirror reflecting outdated views on womanhood and the experiences of anyone living outside societal norms. This story is for you.
"All of these things she did as girl as a lady, as a finching foreign bride, as a witch with death-touched eyes, as Roscille of Breizh. She has believed herself an animal, simple, sharp-toothed, slippery like an eel. But she is both guilty and innocent, both girlish and wise, both witch and woman. Even the dullest creatures in cages dream of freedom. Their desires stretch and flourish, like a tree growing clever branches around the bars of a fence."
Stephanie Lottes
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson
Good Girl Bad Blood is the second book in the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series.
In this book, Pip steps in to help her friend Conor when his brother goes missing. Because Jamie’s an adult, the police aren’t willing to help with the search or turn this into a missing person’s case. With the help of her podcast, Pip works to solve the mystery. Told through both text and podcast interviews, Pip finds a way to save the day and find another person who has a dark and mysterious past.
If you’re a reader looking for a book with mystery and great characters who support each other, I recommend this series. This book features an amateur sleuth and was suspenseful, so it’s sure to keep you guessing throughout. What makes the series special is that each book is told through mixed media.
Baillie Puckett
The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe
Content warnings: Child Abuse, Domestic Abuse, Sexual Assult, References to Abortion
"Some traits you can dye away and some names you can forge fresh, but you can't hide from your true self and the lessons you learned in the dark of the night."
Nora’s day already started with a healthy dose of awkwardness: last night her ex-boyfriend, now best friend, had walked in on Nora kissing her new girlfriend—AKA, the girl Nora swore she wasn’t interested in. She didn’t think anything could make her day worse. Or that’s what she’d thought before the three of them walked into the middle of a bank robbery. The robbers aren’t having a good day either, with their contact at the bank MIA.
As it becomes evident that the robbers are going to take any action necessary to get what they want, Nora’s forced to confront her past if she wants to make it out of this hostage situation alive.
Nora’s not the helpless teenage girl the robbers expect. She’s Nora O’Malley. She’s Rebecca. She’s Samantha. She’s Haley. She’s Katrina. She’s Ashley. She’s the most dangerous girl in the room. And she’s not going down without a fight.
As someone who grew up spending too many hours watching police procedurals, I’m always drawn to twisty thrillers regardless of the age demographic. The Girl’s I’ve Been has all the things that draw me in: a locked room, a short timeline (the main events of the book take place over a single day!), secret identities, and interesting formats! Sharpe weaves together current action, flashbacks, and even police transcripts. All the things I love in a book I love!
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