Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2025

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Artsy Reader where each week they post a new top ten list and ask fellow bookish folk to share their lists on that topic.

I missed Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2025 so I thought I'd do that instead of the scheduled theme. 

We did a similar theme a while back: Books on my Winter 2024-2025 TBR so I tried not to use the same books. There are two on here that were on that list, though.

(Click on cover for Goodreads link)

Blood Moon by Sandra Brown

Nemesis (Orphan X #10) by Gregg Hurwitz

Kills Well With Others (Killers of a Certain Age #2) By Deanna Raybourn

Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts

The Love Haters by Katherine Center

Swept Away by Beth O'Leary

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) (Vera Wong #2) by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Cold As Hell (Haven's Rock #3) by Kelley Armstrong

Death at a Highland Wedding (A Rip Through Time #4) by Kelley Armstrong

How to Seal Your Own Fate (Castle Knoll Files #2) by Kristen Perrin

Are any of these books on your list?

Sunday Post #280

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Happy Sunday! Nothing too exciting here. Been binging through Downtown Abby, so my reading has taken a hit.

 We've still had higher than normal temps for here in the 50s, but it's been cold at night in the 20s! It still feels cold even during the day. On one of my walks I saw what looked like a dog the size of a border collie, but ended up being a bobcat! It had something in it's mouth. A rabbit or squirrel, I think.

Bobcat in the middle. I know, hard to see.

First full moon "Wolf Moon" of the year

Saturday I planted a bunch of seedlings (tomatoes, basil, green onions and zinnias) indoors and have them set up with a grow light. I'll be starting more next weekend. 

We tried a new (to us) dinner place downtown with my sister and her husband. The place was established in 1852! The food was good, but pricy. 

The cats are doing well, but Peanut is not pleased with Smokey and Starla. Still, he hasn't been trying to run them off as much, so I count that as a point in the plus column. 

Starla, the puzzle kitty

Charles Wysocki puzzle: Whalers Bay

Read:

(Click on cover for Goodreads link)

On the Edge by Ilona Andrews-5 Stars

Dark Hope by Christine Feehan-4 Stars

On the Edge was a re-read for the read-along hosted by Anne @Books of My Heart. Loved it all over again. I posted my original review from 2013 yesterday. I cringe reading it! Do you cringe reading your old reviews? I'm going to update it after posting this.

Received:

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio!

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Audiobook Review: On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

 

On the Edge (The Edge #1) by Ilona Andrews

Publication Date: September 29th 2009 by Tantor Audio

Pages: 384

Audio Book Length: 12hrs 8min

Narrator: Renée Raudman

Source: Purchased

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I read On the Edge back in 2013, and just read it again for a read-along I’m participating in with Anne @Books of My Heart and loved it even more the second time around! If you’re looking for a strong female character, clever banter, and a slow burn romance look no further. Their Kate Daniels series won me over as a fan, and The Edge series only increased my love of their writing!

Rose lives in the Edge, a world in between the Broken: our normal world, and the Weird: a world where magic dominates. She lives with her two younger brothers, having to take over the role of parent since her mother died and her father took off. Rose makes barely enough money in the Broken to care for their needs, and she struggles to keep her brothers behaving while trying to provide. Behaving takes special restraint when you have magic powers like Rose’s little brothers do. Rose is also gifted magically, not that this has made much of a difference in her life so far, other than making her a target for unwanted advances.

Enter Declan, an aristocrat from the Weird. He shows up demanding things of Rose and used to being in charge, but Rose isn’t just going to listen to some stranger. However, there’s something in the Edge killing, so she reluctantly teams up with him.

This was such a strange and different story, in the very best way. Rose is a wonderfully crafted heroine with some pretty cool powers. No TSTL. She works with what she has and tries to get by. I was touched by Rose’s caring relationship with her younger brothers. The boys as well as Rose’s grandmother were well fleshed-out secondary characters that you grow to love.

On the Edge is first in a series, but this story wraps up nicely, and the next one focuses on another secondary character. You can’t go wrong with Ilona Andrews! I’ve loved everything they’ve written!

As for the audio narrator, you can't go wrong with Renée Raudman! She won me over with her performance of Kate Daniels and she was wonderful here as well!

5 Stars

Book Description:

Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, between the world of the Broken (where people drive cars, shop at Wal-Mart, and magic is a fairy tale) and the Weird (where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny). Only Edgers like Rose can easily travel from one world to the next, but they never truly belong in either.

Rose thought if she practiced her magic, she could build a better life for herself. But things didn’t turn out how she planned, and now she works a minimum wage, off the books job in the Broken just to survive. Then Declan Camarine, a blueblood noble straight out of the deepest part of the Weird, comes into her life, determined to have her (and her power).

But when a terrible danger invades the Edge from the Weird, a flood of creatures hungry for magic, Declan and Rose must work together to destroy them—or they’ll devour the Edge and everyone in it.

Review: Dark Hope by Christine Feehan

 

Dark Hope (Dark #34) by Christine Feehan

Publication Date: January 7th 2025 by Berkley

Pages: 432

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Silke is a demon slayer tasked with protecting her village, something she’s very skilled at, but it’s been predicted that a greater danger is coming. Fortunately, Silke knows that several Carpathian warriors are coming as well, one likely her lifemate. A man she hasn’t met, but one she’s bonded to.

 

Benedek is one of the ancient Carpathian warriors who would be on the path of turning vampire and evil if it weren’t for his lifemate. Once he bonds with her his soul will be complete and he’ll be out of danger of turning, but he has a hard time trusting since a vicious betrayal years ago. He’s trying to get to Silke’s village quickly as he knows of the coming danger, but Lilith has her minions lay a dangerous trap that isn’t easily shaken off.

 

In Dark Hope Lilith has targeted Silke’s village and is intent on taking the demon slayer out but doesn’t know her identity so she sends in some of her agents undercover to find her and lay other traps. Dealing with these evil entities took some cunning on Silke’s part and it was entertaining to see how she handled it. I also really enjoyed all the epic battles, both Silke and Benedek were skilled and clever, but they were up against some dangerous foes!

 

The Dark series is a long-running one and I started reading late in the game, but I’ve enjoyed the stories even so. Each story has a separate romance and conflict that is resolved by the end. Fated/bonded mates, vampires, shapeshifters, and all sorts of other magical creatures are incorporated into the stories. Then there’s the evil underworld, ruled by Lilith, always trying to take over. To be honest, I have no idea why anyone serves Lilith as she’s always torturing her servants and turning against them.

4 Stars

Book Description:

Immortal passions rage as evil grows in this gripping novel in Christine Feehan’s #1 New York Times bestselling Carpathian series.

Silke Vriese Reinders knows a war is coming. The demon slayer has seen it over and over again in the cards—and the battle won’t just be for the survival of her remote village, but for all mankind. Silke knows the only way to win will be with the help of the Carpathians. A fact that fills her with trepidation, as she is fated to be the lifemate to one of the ancient supernatural warriors—bound to a complete stranger and responsible for his soul.

     One of the oldest, most dangerous Carpathians, Benedek Kovak is more beast than man. Locked away for centuries, the only thing that has stopped him from becoming one of the monsters he’s sworn to defeat is the thought of his lifemate. When Benedek senses the impending danger, he sets out to find her before it’s too late. But their enemy has laid a trap that pushes him closer to turning than ever before.

     For so long Benedek has felt nothing. Now, some dark art is compelling him to indulge in cravings he thought long buried. He has no hope that anyone can restore what’s left of his tainted soul, but Silke is nothing like he imagined. Perhaps she’s strong enough to fight back the darkness. Perhaps together they can defeat an adversary hell bent on destroying them all....

Photo credit: Michael Greene

About the Author

Christine Feehan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the Carpathian series, the GhostWalker series, the Leopard series, the Torpedo Ink series, the Shadow Riders series, and stand-alone romantic suspense novels. Learn more online at www.christinefeehan.com. 

Audiobook Review: Shooting the Moon by Brenda Novak

 

Shooting the Moon by Brenda Novak

Publication Date: January 14th 2025 by Harlequin Audio

Pages: 304

Audio Length: 9hrs 36min

Narrator: Alana Marie Cheuvront

Source: Publisher 
Rating: ★★★★
Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Harley Nelson is back in Oregon to see his son Brandon after hearing about the death of his old flame, Audra, Brandon’s mother. Audra was a troubled soul, always getting into trouble, acting out to rile her strict father.  Harley left soon after Audra gave birth, being run off by her father and didn’t feel worthy to come back until he made something of himself.

 

Lauren, Audra’s younger sister, was the one who took care of Brandon for the most part. She was the studious, serious and responsible sister and it fell to her to take care of Brandon when Audra was off being wild.

 

Lauren has always loved Brandon like a son, and she believed the stories her father told of Harley and his history with Audra. Now that he’s back in town and wants a relationship with his son she’s on guard. She doesn’t want to risk Brandon’s stability or mental health. However, his behavior doesn’t match what she’s heard of him, prompting Lauren to delve deeper into the past and find out what actually happened. As she gets to know Harley, seeing the way he cares for Brandon, she can’t help but fall for him.

 

Lauren’s parents were out of the country for much of the story and I worried what was going to happen once they got back. I was happy with the way Lauren and Harley handled the situation.

 

I love how Brenda Novak somehow makes a messy situation that seems like it would be cringe-worthy (like falling for your dead sister’s beau) feel natural! The story hooked me right in! I enjoyed the romance and seeing Harley and Brandon so happy to finally find each other and bond!

 

I listened to the audio version and enjoyed Alana Marie Cheuvront’s pleasant and smooth voice!

4 Stars

Book Description:

He's a man from the past -- and a man with a past...

When Harley Nelson got on his motorcycle and drove out of Portland, Oregon, 10 years ago, he left behind a bad reputation -- and a baby. Audra Worthington was the reason for both. Well, the baby, anyway. The reputation he already had. It's why rich girl Audra fell for him in the first place.

Now Audra's dead. His son, Brandon, is being raised by her family -- good girl Lauren, the perfect daughter, and her uncompromising parents. But Harley's a self-made success down in California and he's ready to take responsibility for his son.

She's a woman who knows trouble when she sees it...

She's a woman who knows trouble when she sees it.... And Harley Nelson's trouble. He's shown up at her door, saying he wants to get to know his son -- 10 years too late, in Lauren's opinion. Too bad he didn't stick by her sister, Audra, when he got her pregnant. (At least, that's the story Lauren's always heard.) And too bad he still looks so good in that black leather jacket....

Review: The Lost House by Melissa Larsen

The Lost House by Melissa Larsen

Publication Date: January 14th 2025 by Minotaur Books & Macmillan Audio

Pages: 352

Audio Book Length: 9hrs 59min

Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm |  Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Agnes has traveled from California to Iceland to meet with a true crime podcaster covering the unsolved murder of her grandmother and aunt, forty years earlier. Her stoic grandfather was convicted by public opinion, but he fled with Agnes’ father to the US before anything could come of it.

 

Agnes loved her grandfather, closer to him than her father, and is still grieving his loss. She can’t imagine he’d kill his wife and baby daughter, so she hopes to clear his name with the investigation. However, as the details of her grandfather and grandmother’s life emerge Agnes starts to realize how little she knew of them.

 

Then there’s a new case of a missing girl that is somehow tangled up in all of it.

 

Agnes was a complicated character dealing with issues besides the mystery of her grandmother’s murder.  Still healing from an accident she barely survived and reliant on painkillers. I felt that she took a lot of unnecessary risks trapsing about in the cold countryside when she still had so much trouble walking. Also, not letting anyone know where she was going half the time or having a properly working phone, but I guess that fit with where she was in her life mentally.

 

Iceland was described vividly, cold, stark and beautiful, almost a character on its own!

The Lost House was an atmospheric and compelling mystery. Engrossing but slow going at first. I feel like things didn’t really take off in pace until after the 50% mark.

 

I alternately read and listened to The Lost House narrated by the talented Saskia Maarleveld. I’ve enjoyed her performances immensely and she did a wonderful job with both male and female voices and giving a subtle Icelandic accent where appropriate. I recommend either version!

3.5 Stars

Book Description:

In Melissa Larsen's The Lost House comes the mesmerizing story of a young woman with a haunting past who returns to her ancestral home in Iceland to investigate a gruesome murder in her family.

Forty years ago, a young woman and her infant daughter were found buried in the cold Icelandic snow, lying together as peacefully as though sleeping. Except the mother’s throat had been slashed and the infant drowned. The case was never solved. There were no arrests, no conviction. Just a suspicion turned into a the husband did it. When he took his son and fled halfway across the world to California, it was proof enough of his guilt.

Now, nearly half a century later and a year after his death, his granddaughter, Agnes, is ready to clear her grandfather’s name once and for all. Still recovering from his death and a devastating injury, Agnes wants nothing more than an excuse to escape the shambles of her once-stable life—which is why she so readily accepts true crime expert Nora Carver’s invitation to be interviewed for her popular podcast. Agnes packs a bag and hops on a last-minute flight to the remote town of Bifröst, Iceland, where Nora is staying, where Agnes’s father grew up, and where, supposedly, her grandfather slaughtered his wife and infant daughter.

Is it merely coincidence that a local girl goes missing the very same weekend Agnes arrives? Suddenly, Agnes and Nora’s investigation is turned upside down, and everyone in the small Icelandic town is once again a suspect. Seeking to unearth old and new truths alike, Agnes finds herself drawn into a web of secrets that threaten the redemption she is hell-bent on delivering, and even her life—discovering how far a person will go to protect their family, their safety, and their secrets.

Set against an unforgiving Icelandic winter landscape, The Lost House is a chilling and razor-sharp thriller packed with jaw-dropping twists that will leave you breathless.

 

Sunday Post #279

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

My heart goes out to the Southern Californians affected by the fires! I can't believe the devastation I've been seeing! I've lived in California all my life and don't remember having these massive fires we now experience on a regular basis. Climate change has amplified environmental threats to unimaginable levels. Scary times!

My husband traveled down to Southern California (north of the fires) to help our son and DIL move. I sent my Popcorn Balls (similar to Rice Krispy treats but with M&Ms and popcorn) and Rice Krispy Treats. My son loves Popcorn Balls and so I make them for him most times we meet up even though I'm not crazy about making them.

Popcorn balls & the butter you have to coat your hands in so they don't stick!

The weather is still on the warm side with highs in the upper 50s, but it felt colder because of some wind.

Out and about in the neighborhood: pond with some geese.

I sat down today (Saturday) and figured out my garden seeds: vegetable and flower. Seeds to start indoors and outdoors and the dates to get them going. I have several zinnia varieties. They did so well last year, but I ordered a few more varieties Queeny Lemon Peach and Queeny Red Lime because they look so pretty! I also ordered Cosmos, Scabiosa and several varieties of Sunflowers. I'm going for a more varied cutting garden. 

Starla having a quick nap

Read:

(Click on cover for Goodreads link)

Shooting the Moon by Brenda Novak-4 Stars

Remember When (Ravenswood #4) by Mary Balogh-4.5 Stars

Shattering Dawn (The Lost Night Files #3) by Jayne Ann Krentz-4.5 Stars

Shooting the Moon was an older Brenda Novak romance that, as far as I can tell, they're re-releasing by audio. It was good, but I could tell it was written a few years back. Remember When was a wonderful mature romance, low on angst. Shattering Dawn is the last of The Lost Night Files and my favorite installment.

Received:

Thank you to Dreamscape Media!

I've been seeing All the Missing Pieces everywhere so I grabbed up the audio copy. Earl Crush has a lot of high ratings and is by a new-to-me author.

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