Waiting on Wednesday

 Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we haven't yet read. Generally, they are books that have yet to be released, but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous folks at Breaking the Spine.

Mrs. B, the landlady of The Marigold Cottages is a stubborn idealist who only rents to people she cares about: Sophie, an anxious young playwright with a dark past; Hamilton, an agoraphobe who likes to overshare; Ocean, a queer sculptor raising two kids alone; the perfectionist Lily-Ann; and Nicholas, a finance bro who’s hiding secrets.

The tenants live contentedly in their doll-house bungalows in Santa Barbara, just minutes from the beach, until their peace is shattered when Anthony, a quiet, hulking, but potentially violent ex-con moves in. Three weeks later, a dead body is discovered on the streets of the peaceful neighborhood. Anthony is arrested, and the tenants heave sighs of relief. Until Mrs. B, convinced that he's innocent, marches down to the police station and confesses to the crime herself. The tenants band together and form “The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective” to save their beloved landlady. As clues are unearthed and secrets are revealed, the community of misfits only grows more tight-knit...until a second body is found. Full of eccentricity, humor, community, The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective will keep you hooked until the last page.

Why I'm Waiting: I do love a good cozy mystery, and this sounds like a fun beach read!

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

 

Two years ago Mercy Gray was hailed as a hero for saving lives during a mall shooting. She still carries souvenirs from that incident: the fragment of a bullet lodged in her back, a mountain of medical debt, and guilt for ignoring her sister’s warnings that the sweet boy next door was anything but.

When billionaire-turned-TV-host Damien Dare recruits Mercy to compete on his new survivalist reality show, she can’t turn down a chance at the whopping cash prize that could send her sister to college—but when she and the other contestants arrive at the off-grid location, something isn’t right. The set is empty. The gates close without warning, trapping them inside. Then one of them turns up dead. What appeared at first to be a tragic accident quickly transforms as more contestants start dying. With time and resources running low, surviving this show takes on a new meaning.

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sunday

  

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes, the cover initially catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday, I'll post some of my favorite book covers. Coming soon!

After a decade of war, the kingdoms of Avendell and Istellia have finally agreed to peace. As nobles and magic wielders from both countries arrive at remote Castle Avendell for a historic all-night masquerade to celebrate, King Costis summons an unlikely group to his the crown prince, his Istellian bride-to-be, his personal guard, a wild beast teamer, and the palace’s questionable new healer. But before Costis can reveal why he has gathered them, the castle goes dark.

When the lights come back, the king is dead—murdered with the princess’s knife, in a weak spot only his guard knew of, and with venom from one of the beast tamer’s monsters lacing the blade.

With no clear killer—and everyone a suspect—they make a risky Tell no one until the treaty is signed. But when a winter storm seals everyone inside and someone aware of the king's untimely death begins to pick off guests one by one, the six suspects must work together to discover who killed the king . . . before one of them is next.

HAPPY READING!!

Most Anticipated Pt 3

It's that time again, the third and last installment for the Most Anticipated 2025 release. This is just s small list of the top eight books I want to get my hands on that are getting released in the last four months of the year. Some of these are by authors who are instant-buy authors, J.H. Markert and Alma Katsu. While some are favorites of mine ND Stevenson and Travis Baldree. Everyone else is a bonus because they are a new-to-me author, or in the case of Caitlin Starlin, made of habit of putting their books on my virtual TBR then constantly saying, 'I need to read that'. The latter is a vicious cycle and probably deserves its own post somewhere. But, again, I digress.

Of all eight of these, without a doubt, I'm most excited for Spider to the Fly and Fiend, but for completely different reasons. Because J.H. Markert and Alma Katsu do horror in such different ways, and I have such different reactions to their books. While Markert's book screw with my dreams and always leaves a weird taste in my brain. Like the story never really leaves you for weeks, it just sort is there and something I'll all of a sudden think about. Katsu's book, while it gives me the ick always, also leaves me thinking about things and sort of sits on my soul for a few days after I read. What I do know is I have enjoyed both of the authors every single time I've read them, and they are easily to of my favorites in the horror genre. 

Everything I'm excited to read because they sound not only like great winter reads, but like books I'll absolutely enjoy. While most of these are horror to some degree, ND Stevenson and Travis Baldree will definitely be my cozy read during this winter, or well start of 2026.

What are some books everyone else is looking forward to coming out at the end of 2025?

HAPPY READING!!

Book Event

Okay, so the GIF has absolutely nothing to do with this post, but I get to it so very rarely. This felt like the perfect time to pull it out of the dusty corners of my GIF folder! But, I digress from the point of this post. As the title suggests, I wanted to attend a book event earlier this week. I almost missed it somehow, and that would have bummed me out. Because I've been really excited for Wendy N. Wagner's newest book. Honestly, it's because of this book that I've even heard of her before. Somehow, she, or any of her books or short stories, has ever come across my feed before. But the cover of this book grabbed my attention the first time I saw it on Tor Nightfire's Instagram. I only doubled down when I realized it was a mix of True Crime and Mushroom Horror. So I would have been bummed to miss her book event.

Doubly so after going and hearing Wendy N. Wagner talk about how this book came into existence. Not only is the talk about her writing process always fascinating, but also how none seems to write the same, or come at writing the same way either. There are some similarities, but everyone always seems to find their path that works for them. And, it always interests me to know how the books I love, or am about to love, get created. It's kind of like getting to watch your favorite artist do their thing in a way.

So I'm so glad I was able to not only get out of work with time to spare to be able to go, but even saw the second announcement from Third Place Books that she's doing an event and signing. The Girl in the Creek has been featured here on Bookish Whispers several times, and it's been on my list of most anticipated releases to read in 2025. So it was so cool to get to meet her, bond over having similar tattoos, and now I have my hands on this weird little book.

And, I cannot wait to crack it open. I've already read the first chapter!

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

 Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we haven't yet read. Generally, they are books that have yet to be released, but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous folks at Breaking the Spine.

Healer Anja regularly drinks poison.

Not to die, but to save— seeking cures for those everyone else has given up on.

But a summons from the King interrupts her quiet, herb-obsessed life. His daughter, Snow, is dying, and he hopes Anja’s unorthodox methods can save her.

Aided by a taciturn guard, a narcissistic cat, and a passion for the scientific method, Anja rushes to treat Snow, but nothing seems to work. That is, until she finds a secret world, hidden inside a magic mirror. This dark realm may hold the key to what is making Snow sick.

Or it might be the thing that kills them all.

Why I'm Waiting: I love T. Kingfisher's books!

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

What if a mystifying revolt precluded the Civil War and changed history as we know it? The vampire origin story is brilliantly reimagined in this terrifying novel of ancient lore, startling revenge, and immortal emancipation in eighteenth-century America.

In the Province of Carolina, 1710, freedom seems unattainable for Willie, for his beloved Gertie, and for their unborn child. They live, suffer, and toil under their brutal master, James “Big Jim” Barrow, whose grand plantation was built by the blood, sweat, and tears of the enslaved. To flee this hell on earth is be hunted and killed. Until one strange night Willie is offered a dark hope by Rafazi, an enigmatic slave with an irresistible and blood-chilling path to liberation.

Hailing from the Kingdom of Ghana, Rafazi is the lone survivor of the Ramanga, an African vampire tribe rendered nearly extinct by plague. Rafazi has roamed the world for centuries with an undying desire to replenish the power that once defined his heritage. In Willie, Rafazi has found his first biddable subject to be turned and to help in a hungry revolt. And Willie desires nothing more than to free his people from malicious bondage. Whatever it takes.

One by one, as an army of blood slaves thirsting for revenge is gathered, the headstrong Gertie fears that no good can come from the vampiric legacy that courses through Rafazi’s veins. Willie knows that only evil can fight evil. And when the woman he loves stands between the reemergence of the Ramanga and the justified slaughter of the oppressors, Willie must make an irreversible decision. Only one thing is certain: on the Barrow plantation, and beyond, blood will spill.

Part historical drama, part supernatural horror, and part alternate history, Blood Slaves is an ingenuous and defiant new creation myth of the vampire, one rooted in both justice and the sometimes-violent means necessary to achieve it.

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sunday

        

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes, the cover initially catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday, I'll post some of my favorite book covers. Coming soon!

November 1933. London. Seven people receive mysterious letters. Someone knows their terrible secrets. They are summoned to a posh townhouse where one is stabbed right in front of the others, but somehow no one saw a thing. Can you help Scotland Yard solve the mystery?

An interactive murder mystery from the bestselling author and illustrator of Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village

Dear Detective,

Surely you have seen the papers and read about the murder of the American novelist Roy Peterson—stabbed while in a room with six other people, and yet no one went near him or saw the murder occur. The crime is so devious, so logistically impossible, that it seems to have been committed not by a person but by a disembodied hand.

I must confess that we are at a loss. Who wrote the poison pen letters that lured these seven people to this deadly gathering? What do a poet, an Earl, an actress, a cook, a telephone operator, and a lothario have in common? And how can a man be stabbed in a room full of suspects when none of them could have done it?

We have had our best people on the case, Detective, and we still can’t make heads or tails of it. We are giving this case file to you. Can you decipher the clues, decode the witness statements, and identify the murderer? You are our last hope. Can you help us crack the Case of the Creeping Hand?

Yours truly,

Detective Chief Inspector of the Metropolitan Police.

HAPPY READING!!

Mini Reviews

This was better than I thought it would be, honestly, I didn't have many expectations for this one. I went to the library to pick up my hold, and I always take a peek at the Manga and Graphic Novel section. Because is it really a TBR if it's about to topple over? Anyway, this one caught my eye. I do love a floppy book, and it was all black; I also love a good space opera. So I added Leviathan to my stack and headed to check out. What I didn't expect was to be as pulled into the story as I was. While I'm not really sure that there's a single redeemable character in the story, there are some interesting ones, and the plot itself has pulled me. While it's a tried and true battle royale plot, I want to know who is actually in the chamber. And who built all those traps? I thought I knew who it was going to be at the start of the book, but there was a panel at the end that made me second-guess that choice. I love this so much, by the way, I've already loaded Volume Two onto my Hoopla app.

I adore Mike Mignola and his strange little stories, and his strange artwork has always drawn my attention. Hellboy was the first comic I picked up on my own, and it was because of the way Mignola draws. It's also the lore that he's created that my strange little heart adores as well. This book of short stories was no different. It definitely fits into the weird little universe that Mignola has created over the years, and it was so strange, I adored every story. This was a weird little read, and I'm glad I stumbled across it!

HAPPY READING!!

Edmonds Silent Book Club - August

Summer is officially in full swing here, so thank you to everyone who came out to read with us last night! It was a great way to beat the heat wave. We had another great turnout, as well as a surprise book club meeting that backed into our event. So that felt a little bit like fate. It was also great to see some new faces who came for the first time, and some returning faces who haven't been able to come in a while! I saw so many people reading books sitting on my TBR!

If you couldn't make this month's event, don't worry, we'll be gathering to read again next month, on August 20th, to be exact. We'll still be setting up shop at Leftcraft in the middle, community tables, and still kicking things off at 7 pm! So if you're looking for something to do with a little bit of AC and a lot of fun, we'd love for you to come read with us!

However, if August 20th is too far for your next reading adventure, you're still in the right place. Four bookish events might tickle your fantasy. July 26th, two events are happening back-to-back: Third Place Books is doing a book pop-up in Green Lake Park from 10am to 4pm (there is more info on this at Third Place Books Instagram) and from 4pm to 6pm there is a Book Swap at Locust Cidar in Woodinville (more information on this can be found on Eventbrite). Both of these events are free and open to the public!

Then, on August 3rd, the Chinatown-International District (CID) in Seattle is hosting another Silent Reading Block Party! I was able to attend the one in the Spring, and it was a lot of fun, and I've RSVP'ed for this one as well. This time around, they have seven different businesses that are allowing readers to set up shop there for an hour, and every location is easy to get to via the Light Rail, so no battle parking! You can find more information on this event through Eventbrite, and this one is also. free!

Lastly, but not the lease, or even the least, on August 9th, there is going to be a Silent Reading Party at the Seattle Center. Third Place Books is one of the hosts for this, and everything will kick off at 4pm at the Mural Amphitheater. I'm going to try to make this event because it sounds like so much fun! This event it also free and you can RSVP through Third Place Books' website! They said to bring blankets, chairs, books, and snacks! 

So many fun events coming up. Sadly, I won't be able to go to the pop-up event because I'll be at work. However, I'm going to try to make it to the three events. The Book Swap sounds like a lot of fun, and I'll need to go through my shelves and find something that needs a new home! Really hoping I'll have the energy for the block party! It's going to follow a massively big week for me, so I'm hoping my body won't fail me! And, even if I'm late, I am going to manage to get to the Seattle Center Event! 

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

 Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we haven't yet read. Generally, they are books that have yet to be released, but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous folks at Breaking the Spine.

Welcome to Night Vale meets The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook in a campy, cozy horror novel that will appeal to creepy folklore afficionados and spooky story lovers alike.

I am a campground manager. I don’t have a list of rules because I’m trying to ruin your fun…I’m trying to keep you from doing small, simple things that could result in your horrific and most agonizing demise.

Goat Valley Campground has killed generations of Kate’s family. The land is old, passed down through generations, but the campground’s reputation doesn’t just draw campers year after year. Creatures from folklore and horror have made Goat Valley not just their home, but their hunting ground.

As campground manager, Kate has rules to protect her campers—if the man with the skull cup offers you a drink, accept it or you will die a gruesome death; don’t buy ice from the children with no wagon; and of course, never ever follow the lights. Still, not every camper follows the rules…which means not every camper survives their stay.

Soon decapitated and exsanguinated campers are the least of Kate’s worries; one of the most dangerous inhabitants of the campground is determined to claim the land for himself. Meanwhile, something in the land is shifting, the tides are turning, and the curse that hunts members of her bloodline begins to close in…

Why I'm Waiting: You had me at Night Vale.

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

 

The Clackamas National Forest has always been a sanctuary for evil—human and alien. The shadows of looming trees and long-abandoned mines shelter poachers and serial killers alike. Then there’s the ruined hotel on the outskirts of picturesque small town Faraday, Oregon, nestled in the foothills of Mt. Hood. The one drowning in mushrooms and fungus not even the local expert can identify. Not to mention the stacks of missing persons cases. Freelance writer Erin Harper arrives in Faraday to find out what happened to her brother, whose disappearance in the forest has haunted her for years. But someone else has gone missing. And when Erin finds her in the creek, the girl vanishes again — this time from the morgue, and days later her fingerprints show up at a murder scene. Maybe it’s a serial killer, or maybe it’s the spores infecting the forest and those lost inside. Erin must find answers quickly, before anyone else goes missing. But she might be next…

HAPPY READING!!

Murder by Cheesecake - Review

Author: Rachel Ekstrom Courage

Genre: Murder Mystery

Format: Paperback

Pages: 336

Okay, this was one of my most anticipated reads of this year. I mean it combines two of my favorite things: cozy murder mysteries and the Golden Girls. What could possibly go wrong? Well, lots of the things, really, I have plenty of examples of things from childhood tampered with and ruined. So while I was very excited about this, I was also a little worried. Was this going to hold the same memories of sitting on the couch my Great Grandmother's, in the morning, having nothing better to do while I waited for the dew to dry to mow their tiny little lawn.  

The short answer is, no, this didn't disappoint. Rachel Courage knows her Golden Girls from the inside out, and I really feel like she did the characters and the show justice. We got to "picture it", Sophia had so many wild stories, Blanche was Blanche, and Rose and Dorthy were the stars of our show. The point of view jumped between them both and I loved it. You got Dorthy's thought out, cynical, and down to earth thought process throughout the whole case, and the lovable, air-headed, what did she just say thoughts of Rose.

All while planning a wedding and solving a mystery.

As a fan of the show, there was only one thing I wanted that I didn't get. There was no Stanley, and while he's not in every episode, I have no idea how Courage would have even fit him into the story. I just feel like if he'd have heard Dorthy was in trouble, he would have come running to accidentally make it worse. Still not the end of the world. And you know what made up for it? All the little Easter Eggs hidden inside the book, mostly fun references to episodes. So this book could have fit nicely in between.

As for the mystery itself, it follows the standard pattern of most cozy murder mysteries. Nothing too complicated or convoluted, where even with a large cast of characters, I was doing a pretty good job of juggling everything. I thought the pacing was great as well, never once did I feel question why I was still here. I think the side plot of the wedding really helped with that. I also loved the '80s and '90s sort of cheese that came with the shows back then. Did we need the car case? No, probably not, there was probably another way to come about it. But it did kill two birds with one stone, and it was a pretty epic moment for Rose.

I will say, I immediately knew who the bad guy was. From the moment that Courage introduced him, I knew. I even wrote it in the book, and I was so excited that I was right. Because this book is the archetype of  80s and 90s scum bag. So I was thrilled to have called it so early with so little information. It also probably helps that I read so many of these years, I'm very good at realizing a villain's setup.

Either way, this was an absolute delight and totally worth the wait! Right now, this is set to look like a series of some kind, and I honestly would love for Courage to write more! I mean, if anyone would suspect of killing someone, it's Sophia! Or Stan! I love it! Anyway, I hope there's more to this series in the future, and if you're a fan of murder mysteries and the Golden Girls, definitely check this one out!

    HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sunday

    

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes, the cover initially catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday, I'll post some of my favorite book covers. Coming soon!

To save her sister, she must enter the House.

In the middle of a deadly bog sits the House of Quiet. It’s a place for children whose Procedure triggered powers too terrible to be lived with—their last hope for treatment. No one knows how they’re healed or where they go afterward.

Birdie has begged, bargained, and blackmailed her way inside as a maid, determined to find her missing sister, Magpie. But what she discovers is more mysteries. Instead of the destitute children who undergo the Procedure in hopes of social advancement, the house brims with aristocratic teens wielding strange powers they never should have been burdened with.

Though Birdie wants to ignore them, she can’t help being drawn to stoic and silent Forest, charmed by clever River, and concerned for the youngest residents. And with fellow maid Minnow keeping tabs on everything Birdie does, danger is everywhere.

In her desperate search for Magpie, Birdie unearths terrifying threats and devastating truths, forcing her to confront just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to save her own sister. Because in the House of Quiet, if you find what’s lurking beneath . . . you lose everything.

Unravel the mystery. Ignite the rebellion.

HAPPY READING!!

Night Worms Unboxing

July Theme: Sharp Edges

It's at Night Worms Day! It's at Night Worms Day! Okay, it technically came two days ago, but the magic of the internet means today is unboxing day! So it's double the fun! This month, I was excited for both of these books for two different reasons. Beauty in the Blood is going to be one of those books that makes me uncomfortable (because that's the point) while freaking me right out at the same time. Whereas Smile for the Cameras is going to be the book I end up reading in my patio chair as the sun goes down before bed, only to later question my life choices. Both sound so good!

 

I am obsessed with the Babe in Shining Armor sticker, lucky I had the perfect spot on my water where it fit perfectly! I love it so much! Not that I don't love other stickers, but I adore the fact that she has a mace. A MACE! I am not sure how I feel about the hot beverage this month, floral flavors are not usual for me. I'm dubious, but I was dubious about the pina colada coffee, and it wasn't half bad.

Another awesome month in the books, and I cannot wait to see what's coming in August!

HAPPY READING!!

Book Haul

 

I have my pick of indie bookstores within easy driving distance of my place. My wallet would probably like it if they were a little farther away, considering one is a block away from my job, but here we are. Yesterday I went to get my first passport, and wouldn't you know it, one of those bookstores was right next door. So as a little reward for adulting and having all my ducks in a row for that appointment, and went and got something pretty. Three different pretty things, and two things are not for me because a friend of mine is out of town for the summer. So we send each other snail mail, and found some adorable cards at checkout!

William and What Feasts at Night have been on my TBR since last year. So I'm excited to have both of those on my physical TBR. I really enjoyed What Moves the Dead. So I'm excited to jump back into the Sworn Soldier series, and well, William looks like one of those books I'm going to retreat to reading on my patio in the dark this summer. And yet, I still have plans to do just that.

I just started my Manga journey this year. So anytime I'm in a bookstore with a Manga section, I always take a look. Delicious Dungeon immediately caught my attention. My big kid job is working in a kitchen as a Sous Chef, so books about food or cooking always catch my attention. So I didn't even think twice when I snatched this one off the shelf, even as I noticed how big this book series is (it's 14 volumes, 12 of which are currently translated). 

Yeah, that putting a dent in my TBR goal is getting farther and farther away with every passing week this year..

HAPPY READING!!

Halfway Reading Update

Halfway through the year. We are actually halfway through the year. Despite having two very meh reading months, I'm officially halfway to my Books Read Goal. So I'm not worried about that goal. I'm confident I'll hit 70 books by the end of the year. Technically, one of my goals is voided because a book event happened on the same day that our Silent Book Club meets. Which means I'll only manage 11 of those meetings, but technically I'm still going to go to 12 SBC events because I went to the Silent Reading Block Party. So, that's a grey area and take that how you will.

Books Read: 35 of 70

Pages Read: 7,105 of 15,000

BINGOs: 0

Listen, I'm not sure about this BINGO goal at this point. I had such a hot streak at the start of the year, and then it all went downhill from there. Of all the books I've read, there hasn't been a single BINGO book in nearly three months. So there's that. Putting a dent in my TBR also might have been a dream within a dream because I don't think there is a way to put a dent in the very small library I've amassed. Mostly because I keep going to the library.

The books are free there. FREE! So, no, I have an entire shelf dedicated to that, and then someone had to introduce me to HOOPLA, so that's not a list of comics I want to read. So now my phone is loaded with books, my room is loaded with books, and my Kindle is loaded with books. 

I don't know if that's so much of updates as me just talking circles about the chaotic way I've been reading, or in the case of the last two months, not reading. But here we are. We're halfway through 2025, and some of my goals are on track. Others, well, those are going to need some good vibes or something until I'm out of this reading slump. 

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

 Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we haven't yet read. Generally, they are books that have yet to be released, but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous folks at Breaking the Spine.

A retired serial killer’s quiet life is upended by an unexpected visitor. To protect her secret, there’s only one option left—what’s another murder? From bestselling author Samantha Downing.

Lottie Jones thought her crimes were behind her.

Decades earlier, she changed her identity and tucked herself away in a small town. Her most exciting nights are the weekly bingo games at the local church and gossiping with her friends. 

When investigative journalist Plum Dixon shows up on her doorstep asking questions about Lottie’s past and specifically her involvement with numerous unsolved cases, well, Lottie just can’t have that.

But getting away with murder is hard enough when you’re young. And when Lottie receives another annoying knock on the door, she realizes this crime might just be the death of her…

Why I'm Waiting: I adored For Your Own Good, it was weird and wild, and three years later. So I'm excited to see what Samantha Downing comes up with next.

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

A summoning ritual gone awry kicks off a lush, witchy graphic novel series with joyful streaks of found family and polyamorous sapphic romance—in this first volume of the hit Webtoon coming-of-age story, now with bonus content.

It has been thirteen years since the mysterious fire at the Severin family manor that killed Camille’s mother and twin sister, and the last thing Camille wants to do is return to her old home deep in the swamps of Louisiana. But she doesn’t have a choice. Deeply ingrained family tradition and Matriarch Athalie—Camille’s coldhearted aunt and head of the Severin household—demand it.

When the time comes for Camille to perform the demon-summoning blood ritual that every prospective matriarch in her family must complete, she is fearful of making a mistake. No matter how hard she tries to be a witch worthy of the Severin name, nothing is ever good enough for her aunt. Camille has practiced and practiced, but instead of the beat of demonic wings or the snap of talons, her blood calls forth evergreen vines and leaves. Terrified, she flees into the swamps.

But her failed ritual gives her something precious: time away from Aunt Athalie. Time to spend with her beloved familiar Toben and kindly cousin Silvia. And—unbeknownst to her—time to fall in love, discover the truth of her magic, reunite with long lost family, work through her grief, and solve the mystery of who killed her mother and sister.

HAPPY READING!!