The Serpent & The Wings Of Night - Carissa Broadbent

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The Serpent & The Wings Of Night - Carissa Broadbent

Fantasy

Rating: 8/10

Oraya is the adopted human daughter of the Nightborn Vampire King, and he has chosen her to participate in a once in a century tribute. Vampires from across the kingdoms compete, the most powerful warriors from all three houses, engage in a savage tournament of five trails that will finish with only one winner left standing at the end of this deadly pursuit. The author triumphantly escape all the tropes of this style of fantasy, a wonder beyond the book itself!

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Baby X - Kira Peikoff

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Baby X - Kira Peikoff

Futuristic Thriller

Rating: 8/10

In a future where advanced technology can create a sperm or egg from any person’s cell’s, the rich and famous face the alarming potential of having their DNA stolen and sold to the highest bidder. Famous rock star Thorne hires Ember to become his Bio security guard, cleaning up all biological evidence from any place he has been. When they are confronted by Quinn, a heavily pregnant woman claiming he is her baby daddy, they are stunned. This can’t be happening. A speculative fiction that is utterly plausible!

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How To Solve Your Own Murder - Kristen Perrin

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How To Solve Your Own Murder - Kristen Perrin

Mystery

Rating: 7.5/10

Frances has spent her entire life trying to prevent her foretold murder, only to be proven right sixty years later, when she is found dead in her sprawling country home. Leaving behind cryptic clues and meticulous instructions for her potential heirs; if they want to inherit her fortune they must solve the mystery of her murder. And reader, what rabid and greedy heirs they might be! A fun romp perfect for summer reading.

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Literary Trickery...

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Tales With Sleight Of Hand…

Carnivale Of Curioustites - Aimee Gibbs

Spitting Gold - Carmella Lokis

Joyland - Stephen King

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell - Susanna Clarke

Circus Of Wonders - Elizabeth MacNeal

Wonder Show - Hannah Barnaby

The Hidden Life Of Cecily Larson - Ellen Baker

Carter Beats The Devil - Glen David Gold

Caraval - Stephanie Garber

First Bright Thing - J.R. Dawson

Nights At The Circus - Angela Carter

Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

Stardust - Neil Gaiman

Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier & Clay - Michael Chabon

The Prestige - Christopher Priest

Magic - William Goldman

Bacchanal - Veronica G Henry

Circus Train - Amita Parikh

The Magicians Lie - Greer Macallister

Story's Worth (Re) Telling...

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Reimagined Tales…

Cursed - Marissa Meyer

Fairytale - Stephen King

The Tainted Cup - Robert Jackson Bennett

Malice - Heather Walter

The Death I Gave Him - Em X. Lui

These Violent Delights - Chole Chang

Book Of G - Lily Archer

Girls Made Of Snow & Glass - Melissa Bashardoust

The Wrath & The Dawn - Renee Ahdeih

Fair Rosaline - Natasha Solomon

Queen Hereafter - Isabell Schuler

Spindle Splintered - Alix E. Harrow

All The Ever Afters - Danielle Teller

Frankenstein In Baghdad - Ahmed Saawdi

Herc - Phoenicia Rogerson

Julia - Sandra Newman

Cecily - Annie Garthwaite

Circe - Madeline Miller

The Historian - Elizabeth Kostova

Books To Feed Your Wanderlust...

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Planes, Trains & Automobiles…

A Short Walk Through A Wide World - Douglas Westerbeke

The Book Of Doors - Gareth Brown

The Drowning - TJ Newman

The Bullet Train - Kotaro Isaka

Cover Your Tracks - Daco Auffenorde

The Road To Roswell - Connie Willis

Mostly True Story Of Tanner & Louise - Colleen Oakley

A Thousand Miles To Graceland - Kristen Mei Chase

Cassandra In Reverse - Holly Smale

The Unmaking Of June Farrow - Adrienne Young

A Different Kind Of Evil - Andrew Wilson

Confessions On The 7:45 - Lisa Unger

He Started It - Samantha Downing

The Last One - Will Dean

The Passengers - John Marrs

Strangers On A Train - Patricia Highsmith

The Flight Attendant - Chris Bohjalian

Mosquitoland - David Arnold

Whistly Past The Graveyard - Susan Crandall

Word Play...

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It’s Your Move…Game Fiction

People are hard-wired to seek answers, to fill in any blanks. So, it’s no surprise we are predisposed to extrapolate clues from our environment to solve puzzles, whether it’s to move, to advance, or even to survive. Every game we play requires thoughtful consideration, a series of choices and navigations that shapes the course of play. With all this in mind, is it any wonder game theory and culture has resulted in so many well plotted books? I think not. So, tap into your inner child, embrace your inherent nerdiness, spark those creative juices, and come play with me.

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Holly - Stephen King - Top Book Pick!

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Holly - Stephen King - Top Book Pick!

Thriller

Rating: 9/10

I am ashamed to say that for a split second, I doubted that I would find myself captivated by this particular Stephen King book.. Shame. On. Me. A Stephen King novel with no supernatural element? Maybe later. But then the rave reviews were impossible to ignore and so here we are. If you thought Annie Wilkes was bonkers, you have no idea! Diabolical and depraved and so much fun. Full disclosure, I read this a while ago but I wanted to save the review for the launch of Summer Reading season. Make sure to check out the In The Margins page on Friday!

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Age Of Magical Overthinking: Notes On Modern Irrationality - Amanda Montell

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Age Of Magical Overthinking: Notes On Modern Irrationality - Amanda Montell

Culture & Sociology

Rating: 7.5/10

Magical thinking works in service of restoring agency amid chaos, but in The Age of Magical Overthinking, the author argues that in the modern information age, our brain’s coping mechanisms have been overloaded, and our heightened irrationality has caused our grasp on reality to slip. Our brains have always played tricks on us, often as a form of self-preservation. Those mental magic tricks can go horribly wrong when combined with too much access to data and too many point of view. This book offers cautionary tales to help us navigate.

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The Poppy War - R.F. Kuang

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The Poppy War - R.F. Kuang

Fantasy

Rating: 8/10

Just a mere orphaned peasant girl, Rin discovers she is to be traded off by her foster parents to a middle-aged husband in exchange for the promise of riches. Her only means of governing her own destiny is by taking a formidable exam that could potentially land her a free ride to a prestigious military school. When she gets in, her peers and teachers make it clear that Rin does not belong at there. In order to gain the power she requires, she will have to flirt with villainy. And maybe even embrace it.

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The Extraordinary Life Of An Ordinary Man - Paul Newman - Top Book Pick!

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The Extraordinary Life Of An Ordinary Man - Paul Newman - Top Book Pick!

Memoir

Rating: 9/10

When Newman sat down with a friend to record his life story, he wasn’t particularly interested in reliving the past, but rather setting the record straight. He wanted his record of it all in his words rather than the mythology created by other people. I have been a fan as long as I can remember and now have at my finger tips a veritable encyclopedia of this actors’ thoughts and motivations. It's revelatory, introspective, and profound and in my humble opinion, not to be missed! P.S. Pair with Ethan Hawkes documentary The Last Movie Stars. You won’t be sorry.

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Happiness Falls - Angie Kim - Top Book Pick!

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Happiness Falls - Angie Kim - Top Book Pick!

Fiction

Rating: 9/10

“We didn’t call the police right away”. And so begins this gripping story of a family whose lives are upended when their beloved father and husband goes missing. Part mystery, part dynamic family drama and part compelling examination into the meaning of happiness. A deeply moving and deliciously brainy story, beautifully told. With a cast of finely wrought characters, bursting with idiosyncrasies and strong opinions. What’s not to love!

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Dead Eleven - Jimmy Juliano - Top Book Pick!

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Dead Eleven - Jimmy Juliano - Top Book Pick!

Horror

Rating: 9/10

In this phenomenal debut, we start off with a dear reader letter. One with a warning. That we won’t believe the story we are about to be told. That evil dwells in the places we least expect it. And that it’s about to be revealed to us exactly the nature and depravity of that evil. The residents of Clifford Island seem stuck in a time loop and have some rather odd superstitions. Everything must be precise and on schedule. The rules must not be broken. Anything that deviates from that will result in dire consequences. And you won’t believe what those might be!

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A Killer's Game - Isabella Maldonado

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A Killer's Game - Isabella Maldonado

Thriller

Rating: 7.5/10

As Dani heads undercover to work with a group of mercenaries and killers, she never expects to be caught in a complex trap. One with a puppet master, Nemesis, who informs her and the other’s that there will only be one left standing. And to get to that point, they must solve a series of riddles and mazes to move forward in the game and unlock the escape to freedom. Reader’s get to solve the puzzles along with Dani, what fun!!

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A Twisted Love Story - Samantha Downing - Top Book Pick!

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A Twisted Love Story - Samantha Downing - Top Book Pick!

Thriller

Rating: 8.5/10

This author always get added to my to be read list. And when I read her dedication, I was knew I would not be disappointed. “For the men who inspired this book…you’re damn right I wrote about you.” What more do you need? The couple at the center of this twisted tale of love are masterful at playing games. The push and pull, the poke and prod, it’s ceaseless. And that results in a mesmerizing and addictive thriller you will be hard pressed to stop reading.

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Listen For The Lie - Amy Tintera

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Listen For The Lie - Amy Tintera

Thriller

Rating: 8/10

What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else believed so too? Does the truth even matter? After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. And given that she has no memory of that night, she can’t exactly hold it against them. Things get even more complicated when a podcast about it comes out. Sign on for the story, stay for the banter!

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Book Your Ticket...

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Fiction To Feed Your Wanderlust…

We've all heard it, we've all said it; put one foot in front of the other, keep moving forward. At times, our feet may need a little inspiration. And if that inspiration comes in the form of a literary road trip, tales told from aboard a train, or a luxurious fictional flight, I’m all for it! Whatever path you choose, even if it’s an exploration of the road not taken, I hope the wanderings you find yourself on as an armchair traveler through the reads gathered here invite you to immerse yourself in an adventure. Bon Voyage!

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My Head Has A Bellyache - Chris Harris (Author) & Andrea Tsurusmi (Illustrator) - Top Book Pick!

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My Head Has A Bellyache - Chris Harris (Author) & Andrea Tsurusmi (Illustrator) - Top Book Pick!

Children’s Poetry

Rating: 9/10

Starting with that title, this collection is sweet and silly and full of what the author describes as nonsense. And I think we so called “grownups” could use a bit more of that in our lives. Don’t miss the quirky page numbering, just more to delight in! This is a can’t miss read, you will thank me for it later!

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Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma - Claire Dederer

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Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma - Claire Dederer

Art Criticism

Rating: 7.5/10

I was intrigued by the premise of this work. Where the link between genius and monstrosity is explored and the balance of the two considered. A thoughtful contemplation of whether we can love the creation but dislike the creator. One whose work we love but morals we loath. Ultimately, an account of the fan’s dilemma. The author writes at length about how knowledge of the awful deed can disrupt our enjoyment of whatever greatness was given to us. She never spoon feeds a solution but rather encourages us to separate an opinion based on feeling versus one based on thought.

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Bright Young Women - Jessica Knoll - Top Book Pick!

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Bright Young Women - Jessica Knoll - Top Book Pick!

Fiction

Rating: 9/10

A masterful blend of fiction and true crime that is unflinching and evocative in its writing. Fearlessly taking on the tabloid fascination society has with serial killers and makes the story about the women. Those snuffed out in their prime and those remaining in the wake of the horror. The book opens on a night in 1978, hours before a soon to be infamous murderer descends upon a Florida sorority house, crafting a blistering portrayal of all that went wrong in pursuit of justice.

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