Happy Pub Day and Review: ‘Blacktop Wasteland’ by S.A. Cosby

July 14, 2020July 14, 2020 momlovesreading01Leave a comment

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Happy Pub Day & Thank You @flatiron_books for my gifted copy of ‘Blacktop Wasteland‘ by S.A. Cosby! (And HAPPY 100th BLOG POST TO ME!!)

A husband, a father, a son, a business owner…And the best getaway driver east of the Mississippi.

Beauregard “Bug” Montage is an honest mechanic, a loving husband, and a hard-working dad. Bug knows there’s no future in the man he used to be: known from the hills of North Carolina to the beaches of Florida as the best wheelman on the East Coast.

He thought he’d left all that behind him, but as his carefully built new life begins to crumble, he finds himself drawn inexorably back into a world of blood and bullets. When a smooth-talking former associate comes calling with a can’t-miss jewelry store heist, Bug feels he has no choice but to get back in the driver’s seat. And Bug is at his best where the scent of gasoline mixes with the smell of fear.

Haunted by the ghost of who he used to be and the father who disappeared when he needed him most, Bug must find a way to navigate this blacktop wasteland…or die trying.

Like Ocean’s Eleven meets Drive, with a Southern noir twist, S. A. Cosby’s ‘Blacktop Wasteland‘ is a searing, operatic story of a man pushed to his limits by poverty, race, and his own former life of crime.

***Someone PLEASE make this into a movie! My husband use to build race cars & was a competitive drag racer (the legal kind) when I met him, winning many awards. (Pic below is my fave pic of him back then). He is also obsessed with the whole ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise, so I KNOW he would love ‘Blacktop Wasteland‘ (the movie, if it existed), but sadly, he is not a reader. So he will just have to listen to me telling him how awesome this book is!

My super sexy drag racer, way back when…

Cosby has pure talent as a vividly descriptive storyteller & this will certainly be the most talked about noir, crime thriller of 2020. Buckle your seat belts & hold onto tight, ‘Blacktop Wasteland‘ will have your heart-pounding & breaking at the same time. (And you will love Bug!) Fast-paced, atmospheric, gritty & pitch-perfect writing, I highly recommend this one! It’s available today! Get it on your TBR!

Click HERE to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
Click HERE to LIKE my Instagram post.
Click HERE to use BookstoreLink & find this book at a local indie bookstore.
Click HERE to get this on audio from Libro.fm & support indie bookstores. (Use code MOMLOVESREADING for a 2-for-1 deal.)

What others are saying about ‘Blacktop Wasteland’ by S.A.Cosby:

“A fast-paced, fresh take on noir that tears through the underbelly of Virginia.”
―New York Times

“One of the year’s strongest novels. The noir story quickly accelerates and doesn’t lose speed until it careens to its finale. It’s a look at race, responsibility, parenthood and identity via pin-perfect characters with realistic motives. Cosby invests Blacktop Wasteland with emotion while delivering a solid thriller.”
―SunSentinel

“Violence-tinged heists, muscle cars, and dead-end poverty in America generate the full-on action and evocative atmosphere in this beautifully wrought tale.”
―Boston Globe

“S.A. Cosby’s Blacktop Wasteland is the buzz book of the summer, and for good reason―this nailbiter of a thriller has everything, including road chases, fast cars, robberies gone south, carefully calibrated underworld shenanigans, standoff after standoff, and some deep family bonds.”
―CrimeReads

“Cosby never misses a note in this high-energy read…A superb work of crime fiction, uncompromisingly noir but deeply human, too, much like Lou Berney’s November Road (2018).”
―Booklist, starred review

“Diamonds and fast cars, trailer park dreams and late night illegal street racing, S. A. Cosby reinvents the American crime novel. Black and white with bills unpaid and no exit in sight, his characters feel the pull of family and swagger with the melancholy ache of wanting to be someone. Blacktop Wasteland thrums and races―it’s an intoxicating thrill of a ride.”
―Walter Mosley, bestselling author of Trouble Is What I Do

“For fans of: Bullitt, The Fast and the Furious and gritty Elmore Leonard-style noir…[Cosby] never lets up on the gas. The result is a high-octane, white-knuckle thriller that will have readers whipping through the pages at breakneck speed…Cosby’s tightfisted prose fuels this story with heart-pumping (and often brutal) action that begs to be adapted for the big screen but never loses its compassionate edge.”
―Bookpage

“High-octane neo-noir thriller…The gritty, brutal narrative is complemented by the author’s sublime use of sensory description and regional imagery. In addition, the epic, jaw-dropping chase sequences that figure prominently are reason alone to read this pedal-to-the-metal but profoundly sorrowful novel. Cosby is definitely a writer to watch.”
―Publishers Weekly

“Beautifully wrought and worthy of envy…Call shotgun, and then buckle up. Blacktop Wasteland is a ride that will stick with you long after the engine has cooled.”
―Salon

“We’re in Elmore Leonard land…Bug’s got a conscience not typical of the thriller genre, but other than that, this novel recalls almost perfectly the classic heist thriller in the vein of Richard Stark’s “Parker” novels. It’ll go like hot cakes.”
―Library Journal, starred review

“It’s fitting Blacktop Wasteland opens with a drag race. This is the literary equivalent of a muscle car―sleek, a little dangerous, and when it kicks into gear, you hold on for dear life. Lucky for you, Cosby is an expert wheelman.”
―Rob Hart, bestselling author of The Warehouse

“Every once in a while a writer comes along with an incredible voice. Think Elmore Leonard, or Chester Himes. With Blacktop Wasteland, add S. A. Cosby to that list.”
―Steve Cavanagh, bestselling author of Thirteen

“Powerful, gritty, and lyrical, S. A. Cosby’s Blacktop Wasteland is the unflinching portrayal of a man who’s deeply aware he needs to make a better life for himself and his family, but can’t ― or won’t. This story is an emotional gut punch, and you’ll find yourself rooting for Beauregard while he’s ripping your heart out. Cosby is a mesmerizing new voice in crime fiction you won’t soon forget. This is literary noir at its finest.”
―Jennifer Hillier, award-winning author of Jar of Hearts and Little Secrets

“With Blacktop Wasteland, Anthony award-winning author S. A. Cosby cements his position as one of the leading crime fiction voices of his generation. The story crackles with a dynamically flawed main character, vivid description, unexpected reveals and dialogue so real you’d swear you were eavesdropping. I couldn’t wait to finish yet never wanted the book to end at the same time. There’s no doubt that Cosby is an authentic and much needed voice in today’s crime fiction.”
―Kellye Garrett, Anthony, Agatha, and Lefty award-winning author of The Detective by Day series

“This book shook me in the best way possible. Cosby’s gritty, powerhouse novel evokes some of the modern masters – Mosley, Pelecanos, and Lehane – with a tone and vibe that is wholly unique. Epic but also grounded and painfully relevant, Blacktop Wasteland is a crime novel for today, and S. A. Cosby is a writer we’ll be hearing from for quite some time. I loved this book.”
―Alex Segura, acclaimed author of Blackout and Miami Midnight

“Blacktop Wasteland is a guaranteed thriller-of-the-year with muscle and heart and characters who will linger long after the last page is read. S.A. Cosby writes with grit and grace. Do not miss this one.”
―Michael Koryta, bestselling author of Those Who Wish Me Dead

“There is a sweet spot in a vehicle, whether it’s a car or a book, a perfect point of harmony between torque and horsepower or character and plot―Blacktop Wasteland is that sweet spot. S. A. Cosby’s new novel reverberates with a throaty roar, pegging the needles with a welcomed strip of rubber laid down in a silk-scarf, lace-backed driving glove mystery world.”
―Craig Johnson, author of the Walt Longmire Mysteries

“Buckle up. S. A. Cosby is about to take you on a high-speed spin through the rural black south. Muscle cars, backroads racing, double crossing deals and that elusive big score. Red Hill County is my kind of place!”
―Ace Atkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Revelators

“Blacktop Wasteland will let the world at large in on what the crime fiction underworld already knows: S. A. Cosby is a major, original talent. Searing, twisted and jaggedly human, this Southern noir heist novel leaves scars.”
―Jordan Harper, Edgar Award winning author of She Rides Shotgun

S.A. Cosby is an Anthony award winning writer from S E Virginia. His short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies & magazines his story “Slant-Six” was selected as a Distinguished Story in Best American MysteryStories for 2016. His short story “The Grass Beneath My Feet” won the Anthony award for best short story in 2019. His writing has been called ” gritty & heartbreaking ” & ” dark, thrilling & tragic “. His style & tone is influenced by his varied life experiences which includes but are not limited to being a bouncer, construction worker, retail manager & for six hours a mascot for a major fast food chain inside the world’s hottest costume. When he isn’t crafting tales of murder & mayhem he assists the dedicated staff at J.K.Redmind Funeral home as a mortician’s assistant. He is also known as one hell of a chess player… Actually its checkers, he’s good at checkers.

BeachReads · Book Reviews · BOTMs, · Fiction · Romance · RomCom

Book Review and Happy Pub Day to “The Boyfriend Project” by Farrah Rochon

June 9, 2020June 9, 2020 momlovesreading01Leave a comment

Click HERE to give my IG post some love! This pleases the publisher & author, too!

Happy Pub Day & Thank you @readforeverpub for my gifted copy of “The Boyfriend Project” by Farrah Rochon!

USA Today bestselling author Farrah Rochon launches a new series about three young women who become friends when the live Tweeting of a disastrous date leads them to discover they’ve all been duped by the same man.

Samiah Brooks never thought she would be “that” girl. But a live tweet of a horrific date just revealed the painful truth: she’s been catfished by a three-timing jerk of a boyfriend. Suddenly Samiah-along with his two other “girlfriends,” London & Taylor-have gone viral online. Now the three new besties are making a pact to spend the next six months investing in themselves. No men, no dating, & no worrying about their relationship status.

For once Samiah is putting herself first, & that includes finally developing the app she’s always dreamed of creating. Which is the exact moment she meets the deliciously sexy, honey-eyed Daniel Collins at work. What are the chances? When it comes to love, there’s no such thing as a coincidence. But is Daniel really boyfriend material or is he maybe just a little too good to be true?

What a fantastic book! A celebration of strong women, women of color, & female friendship. “The Boyfriend Project” is an authentic, smart, relevant, refreshing rom-com with wonderfully written characters that readers will love! It’s a feel good novel that is female driven with some romance & a sprinkle of mystery, too.

“The Boyfriend Project” was also a Book of the Month choice for May, which I bought (then the publisher sent me a pb copy, which I will be sharing w/ one of you in a giveaway soon!) This is the first book in a series that will include books focused on London & Taylor as well. This book & the follow-ups would make a fantastic TV series (like “The Bold Type”). I highly recommend this happiness inducing book & look forward to reading more from Rochon in the future!

Book of the Month is an online book subscription club that announces 5 selections each month & you can choose (1) as your monthly pick for only $14.99 & then up to (2) more at the even lower cost of $9.99 each (plus tax, but shipping is always FREE!).

These are hardback editions, too, & for less than half of what you would pay elsewhere! Most of the monthly selections are early release editions, meaning you can get a copy before everyone else (generally a month in advance) & be one of the cool kids on the block! Not only that, after you have received (12) BOTM boxes, you become a BFF & even MORE exciting things happen!

As a BOTM BFF you get a FREE BOTM tote bag, a FREE add-on book during your birthday month, & every winter when they announce the (5) BOTM Book-of-the-Year finalists, you can choose one of them for FREE, too! Every year! Amazing, huh? I have been a BOTM member for about 3 years now & I love it! My BOTM’s are generally some of my favorite books, too, since they are well curated by varying monthly BOTM judges. You can skip any months you choose to, cancel at anytime, & the BOTM customer service folks are the BEST & they will help you with any issues you may have. If I haven’t convinced you yet how great Book of the Month is, how about getting your first book for a mere $9.99? Use my referral link by clicking HERE.

Click HERE to add “The Boyfriend Project” to your Goodreads TBR list.
Click HERE to get this book on audio from Libro.fm (Be sure to use my code MOMLOVESREADING & get 3-audiobooks-for-price-of-1)

What others are saying about “The Boyfriend Project“:

“A masterpiece of modern-day Jane Austen with effortless, razor-sharp social commentary, romance and humor. Farrah Rochon is one of the absolute best romance writers today. Period.”―-Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author

“A prime example of how complex and insightful romances can be. Farrah Rochon deftly explores what it means to go viral, the unique joys of strong female friendships, and the particular struggles of Black women in the workplace, all within a great love story.”―-Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Date

“A smart, funny digital-age romance about real women living in the real world. Couldn’t put it down!”―Abby Jimenez, USA Today bestselling author of The Happy Ever After Playlist

“Farrah Rochon writes intensely real characters with flaws and gifts in equal measure. The Boyfriend Project is a multilayered story about friendship, love, and following your dreams — all of it told with heart and emotion.”―Nalini Singh, New York Times bestselling author

“Rochon’s books are always witty, hot, and engaging.”―BuzzFeed

“A smart, sexy and completely modern romance. The Boyfriend Project is the free-spirited, tell-it-like-it-is page-turner you’ve been looking for!”―Kwana Jackson, USA Today bestselling author of Real Men Knit

“I loved this book! The Boyfriend Project is a modern, cute, clever rom-com, and I can’t wait for the next book. This is a girl gang I want to join.”―Alisha Rai, author of The Right Swipe

“Funny, fresh, sexy, and heartfelt. This is my new favorite romance series!”―-Suzanne Brockmann, New York Times bestselling author

“Farrah Rochon writes delectable love stories with characters so warm that I want to hang out with them in real life. Samiah’s hopes and dreams and fears are relatable and real, and I don’t blame her at all for bending the rules of her no-dating pact with the extremely tasty Daniel. I smiled the whole time I was reading The Boyfriend Project.”―Andie J. Christopher, author of Not the Girl You Marry

“The Boyfriend Project has it all-swoon-worthy romance, the power of true friendship, and a grand gesture that makes your heart sigh with pure satisfaction. Absolutely a must-read summer romance!”―Priscilla Oliveras, USA Today bestselling author

USA Today bestselling author Farrah Rochon hails from a small town just west of New Orleans. She has garnered much acclaim for her Holmes Brothers, New York Sabers, Bayou Dreams and Moments in Maplesville series. When she is not writing in her favorite coffee shop, Farrah spends most of her time reading, cooking, traveling the world, visiting Walt Disney World, and catching her favorite Broadway shows. An admitted sports fanatic, Farrah feeds her addiction to football by watching New Orleans Saints games on Sunday afternoons.

Book Reviews

Book Review: “The Second Home” by Christina Clancy

June 2, 2020June 1, 2020 momlovesreading01Leave a comment

Happy Pub Day & Thank you @stmartinspress for my gifted copy of “The Second Home” by Christina Clancy! (pub date 6/2, today!)

A debut novel set on Cape Cod that centers on a beloved family home & the summer that changed the lives of three siblings forever, perfect for readers of J. Courtney Sullivan & Elin Hilderbrand.

Tender and compassionate, incisive & heartbreaking, Christina Clancy’s “The Second Home“ is the story of a family you’ll quickly fall in love with, & won’t soon forget.

After a disastrous summer spent at her family summer home on Cape Cod, 17-year-old Ann Gordon was left with a secret that changed her life forever, & created a rift between her sister, Poppy, & their adopted brother, Michael.

Now, 15 years later, her parents have died, leaving Ann & Poppy to decide the fate of the Wellfleet home that’s been in the Gordon family for generations. For Ann, the once-beloved house is tainted with bad memories. Poppy loves the old saltbox, but after years spent chasing waves around the world, she isn’t sure she knows how to stay in one place.

Just when the sisters decide to sell, Michael re-enters their lives with a legitimate claim to the house. But more than that, he wants to set the record straight about that long ago summer. Reunited after years apart, these very different siblings must decide if they can continue to be a family―& the house just might be the glue that holds them together.

Told through the shifting perspectives of Ann, Poppy, & Michael, this assured & affecting debut captures the ache of nostalgia for summers past & the powerful draw of the places we return to again & again. It is about second homes, second families, & second chances.

**They had me at ‘for fans of Elin Hilderbrand!’ I love well-written, debut novels that deal w/ family drama & stir emotions…& a Cape Cod setting makes it even better!

“The Second Home” has well-fleshed out characters & is deftly plotted, complex, nuanced, & atmospheric. This is not a fluffy beach read, as there are a couple trigger warnings you should be aware of: rape & suicide. This is a deeply gripping & unforgettable book that you will have a hard time putting down. This riveting book would also make a super book club or book discussion group read.

Look for this book at your local booksellers today! Click HERE to add this to your Goodreads TBR. Click HERE to use BookStoreLink & find it at a local, independent book seller. (And I will another post about this book later this week, so keep an eye out for that.) What other books released today that you are excited to read? Please comment & let me know.

Praise for The Second Home:

One of Good Morning America’s “25 Novels You’ll Want to Read this Summer”

“A sure-footed ode to the strength of family, the depth of loss, and the power of forgiveness.” ―J. Ryan Stradal, New York Times best-selling author, Kitchens of the Great Midwest

“The Second Home shows us how families are knit together and how they unravel; how a place―a geography, a house―can act as the repository for our best and most important memories. And that even the most damaged past can be reclaimed, a hard-won wisdom that shines through on every page.” ―Jean Thompson, New York Times bestselling author of The Year We Left Home

“Clancy imagines her complicated characters with such empathy and precision that every questionable choice, every mistake, feels like the only option. The Second Home is a big, sprawling, smart, beautiful story about love and betrayal, home and family, and the foundations of forgiveness.” ―Lauren Fox, author of Days of Awe, Friends Like Us, and Still Life With Husband

“Christina Clancy writes with an arresting vividness and a nuanced understanding of her characters, who are buffeted by a storm of conflicting desires. A poignant but also very entertaining novel―full of startling detail, humor, and above all, an abiding sympathy for its beautifully drawn characters.” ―Christine Sneed, author of Little Known Facts

“This deeply moving and heartfelt book explores what makes a home – and how homes make us. It’s deftly plotted, sensuously told, and incredibly smart about the secrets that pull families apart and the love that knits them back together.” ―Liam Callanan, author of Paris by the Book.

“From the first pages of The Second Home, it’s abundantly clear that Christina Clancy has an abiding love for outer Cape Cod, which she conjures in all its bluster and beauty. But as this compelling novel progresses, it also becomes obvious that Clancy has a keen awareness of how secrets can tear apart even the closest of families. Drawn in by the exquisitely-rendered setting, I was riveted by this stirring, family drama.”―Karen Dukess, author of The Last Book Party

“Warm, absorbing and thought-provoking…” ― Shelf Awareness

“A riveting family saga that fans of J. Courtney Sullivan, Cristina Alger, and Maria de los Santos will devour, Clancy’s debut novel is a delight. With nostalgia as thick as the scent of coconut-scented sunscreen, The Second Home explores the consequences of emotional decisions and the strength needed to set things right.”―Booklist (starred review)

“Transporting…Clancy’s beach-ready debut is sure to be a favorite with book clubs.” ― Publisher’s Weekly

“Witty and compassionate, this is the page-turning saga, unfolding in several voices, of two sisters, their estranged adopted brother and the dispute that arises 15 years after their parents’ death.” ― Naples Daily News

“With its fond descriptions of Cape Cod’s land and seascapes and an evocation of a historic house layered with love and secrets, Clancy’s debut clearly has its eye firmly set on the summer-read market.” ― Kirkus

Christina Clancy‘s work has appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Sun Magazine and in various literary journals, including Glimmer Train, Pleiades and Hobart. She holds a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
The Second Home is her first novel.

Book Reviews · RomCom

Book Review: ‘Adult Conversations: A Novel’ by Brandy Ferner

April 30, 2020April 30, 2020 momlovesreading01Leave a comment

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Thank you @adultconversation @shewritespress & #JKSCommunications for my gifted copy of ‘Adult Conversations: A Novel‘ by Brandy Ferner!

In her hilarious debut novel, ‘Adult Conversation: A Novel‘ (May 5, 2020, She Writes Press), podcast host & parenting expert Brandy Ferner takes readers on a wild journey toward self-rediscovery amidst the absurd expectations & double standards placed on women in motherhood & marriage. With a mix of Ali Wong-style edgy humor & therapeutic insight, Ferner says out loud what others will not as she delivers a fiercely relatable & empowering read that highlights the importance of reclaiming autonomy, the liberating power of female friendship, & the desire to bail on your family & high-tail it to Vegas. Growing up, many women are taught to be invested in a very specific version of the “American Dream”: a perfect marriage, a perfect family, a perfect house, with only organic produce. But what happens when mothers continually sacrifice their needs & sanity in pursuit of perfection?

Click HERE to add it to your Goodreads list!

April is a thoughtful yet sarcastic mother of two who tries her best to be a caring, connected mom in a middle-class culture where motherhood has become relentless. April rages at modern motherhood’s impossible pressures, her husband’s “Dad privilege,” & her kids’ incessant snack requests. She wants to enjoy motherhood, but her idealist vision & lived experience are in constant conflict with one another. Is she broken—or is motherhood?

Desperate for an answer, she seeks out a therapist, & lands with an unexpected woman whose validation & wisdom gives April the clarity to reclaim herself & even start designing clothes—her pre-motherhood passion. But when the ever-elusive babysitter cancels last-minute, April finds herself back at square one. She seeks guidance, but her therapist is now dealing with her own crumbling marriage—& instead of counseling April, she convinces her to speed off to Las Vegas with her to help catch her husband cheating. With a little weed, alcohol, & topless pool hopping, plus a male stripper & some much-needed autonomy, the two find lost pieces of themselves that motherhood swallowed up. But neither one is prepared for how tested—& tempted—they will be, or for the life-altering choices their journey will force them to make. Who is guiding whom anymore?

Brandy Ferner, author of ‘Adult Conversations’

‘Adult Conversation’ is a laugh-outloud, hilarious, & fairly accurate depiction of motherhood in general. It’s relatable, authentic, honest & poignant, & with the struggles I have been having during 2 mos of isolation & homeschooling two autistic, teenage boys (who act like 7 yr olds most of the time) & my complete lack of ‘me time’ & mental self-care, this was just the bookish therapy I needed! I loved April’s witty (& often inappropriate) sarcasm, which is totally my style with people who know me well.

This book comes out next week on May 5th & would make an excellent Mother’s Day gift for the bookish mom that has a sense of humor in your life (or for yourself)! Look for it locally or order it via an indie bookstore using BookStoreLink website. Just type in your book title, your city/state, & it shows you all the indie bookstores & their info. Let’s do our readerly part & help the indie book sellers. They really need us right now!

Brandy Ferner is a mother, wife, & the creator of the Adult Conversation podcast, social media pages, & blog. Her writing has been featured in Good Morning America, HuffPost, Romper, CafeMom, TODAY Parents, & more. In addition to writing & fulfilling her kids’ endless snack requests, she spent the past decade working as a doula, childbirth educator, & birth trauma mentor, ushering clients through the intense transition into motherhood. The insight gained from watching moms crack wide open — literally & figuratively — & her own experience as an independent woman who suddenly traded autonomy for snuggles, led her to say out loud the things that modern mothers are thinking. Sometimes it’s serious, sometimes it’s comedic, but it’s always honest. She currently lives in Southern California, & her love language is sleep.

Be sure to check out my latest posts on Instagram & I would sure love it if you would give them some LIKE love & comments. Also, watch for a new GIVEAWAY coming soon! And as always, Stay Home, Stay Safe, Stay Sane…now go wash your hands!

Book Reviews

Happy St Patrick’s Day Pub Day!!

March 17, 2020March 27, 2020 momlovesreading01Leave a comment

Happy St Patrick’s Pub Day to this stack of beautiful (virus-free!) books!

Whew! What a week it has been, am I right? I’ve said it once & I’ll say it again…Thank God for my own personal library of hundreds of books & also my LOVE of audio books! With two kids home from school for who knows how long at this point, this mama is going to need her mental escape & books is a big part of that!

This weeks pub stack includes a few books I have already introduced you to recently, “Darling Rose Gold” (fantastic!), “The Lady’s Handbook for Her Mysterious Illness” (darkly funny & insightful), & “Little Wonders” (relatable & fun!). (*Click on the titles to go to the Instagram reviews or scroll through my recent blog posts.)

The other newly published books that I have are:

“All Your Twisted Secrets” by the ever adorable Diana Urban (Harper Teen)

This thrilling debut, reminiscent of new fan favorites like One of Us Is Lying and the beloved classics by Agatha Christie, will leave readers guessing until the explosive ending.

Welcome to dinner, and again, congratulations on being selected. Now you must do the selecting.

What do the queen bee, star athlete, valedictorian, stoner, loner, and music geek all have in common? They were all invited to a scholarship dinner, only to discover it’s a trap. Someone has locked them into a room with a bomb, a syringe filled with poison, and a note saying they have an hour to pick someone to kill … or else everyone dies.

Amber Prescott is determined to get her classmates and herself out of the room alive, but that might be easier said than done. No one knows how they’re all connected or who would want them dead. As they retrace the events over the past year that might have triggered their captor’s ultimatum, it becomes clear that everyone is hiding something. And with the clock ticking down, confusion turns into fear, and fear morphs into panic as they race to answer the biggest question: Who will they choose to die? (full review coming soon!)

“Sparrow” by Mary Cecilia Jackson (TOR Teen)

In the tradition of Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, a devastating but hopeful YA debut about a ballerina who finds the courage to confront the abuse that haunts her past and threatens her future.

There are two kinds of people on the planet. Hunters and prey
I thought I would be safe after my mother died. I thought I could stop searching for new places to hide. But you can’t escape what you are, what you’ve always been.
My name is Savannah Darcy Rose.
And I am still prey.

Though Savannah Rose―Sparrow to her friends and family―is a gifted ballerina, her real talent is keeping secrets. Schooled in silence by her long-dead mother, Sparrow has always believed that her lifelong creed―“I’m not the kind of girl who tells”―will make her just like everyone else: Normal. Happy. Safe. But in the aftermath of a brutal assault by her seemingly perfect boyfriend Tristan, Sparrow must finally find the courage to confront the ghosts of her past, or lose herself forever….

“The Red Lotus” by Chris Bohjalian (Doubleday)

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Midwives and The Flight Attendant comes a twisting story of love and deceit: an American man vanishes on a rural road in Vietnam, and his girlfriend, an emergency room doctor trained to ask questions, follows a path that leads her home to the very hospital where they met.

The first time Alexis saw Austin, it was a Saturday night. Not in a bar, but in the emergency room where Alexis sutured a bullet wound in Austin’s arm. Six months later, on the brink of falling in love, they travel to Vietnam on a bike tour so that Austin can show her his passion for cycling and he can pay his respects to the place where his father and uncle fought in the war. But as Alexis sips white wine and waits at the hotel for him to return from his solo ride, two men emerge from the tall grass and Austin vanishes into thin air. The only clue he leaves behind is a bright yellow energy gel dropped on the road.

As Alexis grapples with this bewildering loss, and deals with the FBI, Austin’s prickly family, and her colleagues at the hospital, Alexis uncovers a series of strange lies that force her to wonder: Where did Austin go? Why did he really bring her to Vietnam? And how much danger has he left her in?

Set amidst the adrenaline-fueled world of the emergency room, The Red Lotus is a global thriller about those who dedicate their lives to saving people, and those who peddle death to the highest bidder.

“The Woman in the Mirror” by Rebecca James (Minotaur Books)

Rebecca James unveils a chilling modern gothic novel of a family consumed by the shadows and secrets of its past in The Woman in the Mirror.

For more than two centuries, Winterbourne Hall has stood atop a bluff overseeing the English countryside of Cornwall and the sea beyond.

In 1947, Londoner Alice Miller accepts a post as governess at Winterbourne, looking after Captain Jonathan de Grey’s twin children. Falling under the de Greys’ spell, Alice believes the family will heal her own past sorrows. But then the twins’ adoration becomes deceitful and taunting. Their father, ever distant, turns spiteful and cruel. The manor itself seems to lash out. Alice finds her surroundings subtly altered, her air slightly chilled. Something malicious resents her presence, something clouding her senses and threatening her very sanity.

In present day New York, art gallery curator Rachel Wright has learned she is a descendant of the de Greys and heir to Winterbourne. Adopted as an infant, she never knew her birth parents or her lineage. At long last, Rachel will find answers to questions about her identity that have haunted her entire life. But what she finds in Cornwall is a devastating tragic legacy that has afflicted generations of de Greys. A legacy borne from greed and deceit, twisted by madness, and suffused with unrequited love and unequivocal rage.

All of them are really great books! Don’t forget you can get them on audiobook by going to Libro.fm & using my special code MOMLOVESREADING & get a 3-for-1 deal OR use BookStoreLink & find the books you want through your nearest independent book stores. They need our support right now more than EVER! Some are even delivering books curbside or to your door!

What are you reading this week? How are you handling this pandemic & social distancing/isolation? Are you one of them “doomsday preppers” that’s hoarding all the toilet paper in their backyard bunker? Or are you just Netflix & chilling? Do tell! Also, be sure to watch for a couple giveaways coming this week! Stay safe out there people, & like your mother always said “Go wash your hands!”