Weyward by Emilia Hart

August 4, 2025

Weyward by Emilia Hart

Kate flees from her abusive partner to a cottage she inherited from her great aunt Violet, who lived there from the 1940s until her death. While living there, Kate finds writings from a woman named Altha, an earlier ancestor who was tried as a witch in the 17th century.

This book should come with a warning, several actually. Plenty of sensitive subjects and triggers including domestic abuse, animal abuse, violence against women, rape and sexual assault, obsession, humiliation, pregnancy termination, and violence in general, so reader, be warned. Three interconnected stories set in different times. I was much more interested in Altha and Violet's stories that in Kate. I've read enough variations of Kate's story to be over it. Yeah, men suck and they've been treating women like shit since time began. It was hard to read a whole book where there is one good male characters (Graham, Violet's brother) and only two women characters who haven't been abused by men (Kate's mother and her friend Emily). Also, magical realism is just not my thing. It does have a beautiful cover.

Weyward was the original form of weird, as in the Weird Sisters or witches in Macbeth. The first editions of Macbeth used weyward instead of weird.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

August 3, 2025

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter, working with the rich and famous to craft memoirs that can be marketed as being written by the famous subject. But she is blackballed and her career has tanked after being sued for publicly slandering a fellow ghostwriter. About to lose her home to pay the settlement and legal fees, she is desperate for work and agrees to take on the memoir of a famous horror writer who was accused of murdering his two siblings. Now, 50 years later, he claims he is ready to reveal what really happened. The only problem is, the writer is Olivia's father who she has been estranged from for two decades.

Slow moving. It takes Olivia a looooong time to get to the heart of her father's manuscript. Ultimately unsatisfying, as there is no real resolution to the mystery. A cast of unreliable narrators and unlikeable characters. It does have a cool cover graphic.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Sisters of Fortune by Esther Chehebar

August 1, 2025

Sisters of Fortune by Esther Chehebar

Nina, Fortune, and Lucy Cohen are sisters. They live in an insular community of Syrian Sephardic Jews in Brooklyn. Fortune is engaged to be married and while Saul isn't the man of her dreams, she knows he will provide a stable comfortable life for her. Youngest sister Lucy is a high school senior dating a man in his 30s (which her parents don't think is inappropriate - go figure), while oldest sister Nina, still single at 26 and considered to be past her "sell-by" date, is trying to break out of her restrictive life.

I'm not usually a fan of women's fiction but this was an interesting look at a community I knew nothing about, a group of Sephardic Jews originally from Syria who all settled in the same Brooklyn neighborhood, which is what I enjoyed a lot more than the constant family drama. The ending felt rushed: there is no resolution to Fortune's flirtation with the grocer's son, and Nina does a 180 as soon as a potential husband appears on the horizon, falling back instantly into all the stuff she hated. Plus, Lucy's perfect marriage is already starting to show cracks, as she notices how her much older husband enjoys talking with her college educated sister and her friends, and her high school friends who attend college have already moved past her. Lots of discussion about the importance of food in their culture and traditions. If you like women's fiction, this will probably appeal to you.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Pathogenesis: a History of the World in Eight Plagues by Jonathan Kennedy

August 1, 2025

Pathogenesis: a History of the World in Eight Plagues by Jonathan Kennedy

A history of the world and our species based on the evolution of bacteria and viruses. As the author notes, most of what we call history is based on the exploits of a few "great" white men and how they shaped the story, much of which is wrong. The ultimate life form turns out to be microorganisms. Some of the plagues he discusses are not what you expect, like poverty and obesity. Recommended for readers who enjoy science-based nonfiction.

Julie Tudor is Not a Psychopath by Jennifer Holdich

July 27, 2025

Julie Tudor is Not a Psychopath by Jennifer Holdich

Julie Tudor is 49 years old and has found the love of her life in Sean, her 25 year old coworker at the large financial services company where they both work. But he doesn't know that. All he knows is that she makes him uncomfortable. Julie knows that she and Sean are star-crossed, meant to be together until a young woman named Xanthe starts work at the company and throws a wrench into Julie's plans. But Julie isn't about to settle for anyone coming between her and Sean, so she decides it's time to take decisive action.

Oh, Julie, you are definitely a psychopath. Julie has a flirtatious relationship with reality at the best of times. Her unique world view and interior monologue kept me turning the pages - I felt like my mouth was hanging open in disbelief half the time. I admit I felt sorry for Julie when her coworkers were making fun of her and she didn't realize it, while at the same time cringing at some of the things she did. It's a fast read that is perfect for vacation or beach reading, dark, disturbing, creepy and funny all at the same time. If there is a more unreliable narrator out there, I don't know who it is. There are hints of animal cruelty, so sensitive readers should be warned. I could see this becoming a miniseries on Netflix. Love the cover art!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

July 26, 2025

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Minerva is a graduate student at a New England university, dependent on scholarships and on-campus jobs to afford staying there. She is originally from Mexico, and there is a history of witchcraft passing down through her family from her great-grandmother Alba. Minerva loves horror fiction and become fascinated by an obscure horror writer who attended the same university. While researching the writer's life and work, Minerva becomes aware of strange forces haunting the campus and the town.

Not your typical story of witches and warlocks. Three main characters: Alba, Beatrice, and Minerva, each with her own timeline, which can be a little confusing. Overall creepy, dark, and atmospheric. I am not a huge horror fan (although I read more horror than I think I do), but I really enjoy Moreno-Garcia's modern gothic fiction. I could not put this one down. Will appeal to readers who enjoy horror mixed with folklore and multigenerational stories. 4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong

July 26, 2025

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong

Time traveling detective Mallory Armstrong has been stuck in 19th century Scotland for almost a year, working as the assistant to mortician Dr. Duncan Gray, the mixed race illegitimate son of an upper middle class family. She and Duncan are invited to the wedding of his best friend's sister at her fiance's highland hunting lodge. There is tension among the wedding guests and also with the locals, which only escalates when one of the guests is found murdered on the estate grounds. Instead of being a country holiday with friends, Mallory and Duncan find themselves tying to save the groom from the gallows.

The fourth book in the Rip Through Time series. The author gives enough background that this can be read as a standalone mystery if you haven't read the previous mysteries in the series, or if you're like me and it's been a while since you read the last book. Successfully evokes the customs, attitudes, and class distinctions, as well as police methods of the time. I loved how Mallory almost melted into a puddle when one of the characters finally shows up in a kilt. Looking forward to the next book in the series. Recommended for readers of historical mysteries like the Sebastian St. Cyr or the Lady Julia Grey mysteries, or the Outlander historical series.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Hunting lodge in the Scottish highlands