Audiobook Review: The Delivery by Gregg Hurwitz

 

The Delivery by Gregg Hurwitz

Publication Date: July 28th 2026 by Audible Studios

Pages: 225

Audio Book Length: 4hrs 48min

Narrator: Scott Brick

Source: Part of Audible/Kindle Unlimited Membership

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

We hear about AI everywhere now and I can’t help but think of the Terminator movies whenever it’s being discussed. The Delivery isn’t quite like that but the story poses a chilling situation that I don’t think is too far fetched!

 

Rebecca and Mark are overwhelmed by life. Mark has a demanding job and overbearing boss. And while they love their neurodivergent daughter, Maddy, her everyday needs are constant and draining.

 

There’s an a-hole neighbor adding to Rebecca’s stress and mean-girls at school for Maddy. I really felt for all three of them!

 

When they’re offered help in the form of an AI bot, “Mr. Man” they’re hesitant, but in the end the offer of help is too great to resist.

 

At first, it’s a dream, but soon Mr. Man’s interpretation of “help” becomes troubling. Part of me (the dark part) wasn’t completely horrified by his “solutions”.

 

I’m a huge fan of Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series, so when I saw this standalone novella I had to grab it and I was not disappointed!

 

Scott Brick also narrates the Orphan X series, and his performance is perfection! So, it came as no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed his narration here as well.

4 Stars

Book Description:

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Orphan X series comes a tense novella, a psychological thriller about an AI companion that will do anything to serve—with terrifying consequences.

Rebecca and Mark Higgins are doing their best to hold their family together. She’s healing from the pain of a miscarriage, he’s drowning in pressure at work, and their neurodivergent daughter, Maddy, needs all the care she can get. So when a cutting-edge tech company offers the perfect solution, they jump at the chance. And they welcome “Mr. Man”—a humanoid AI companion—into their home.

Designed to anticipate their needs, he’s like a miracle at first. The house runs like clockwork. Meals appear on the table. And Maddy thrives under his patient attention. But when inexplicable tragedies start to strike the neighborhood, Rebecca glimpses a darker pattern at play.

Each incident is an answer to an unspoken fear, each kindness shadowed by violence. Mr. Man isn’t just following instructions—he’s anticipating what they want. Even the things they never dared to say. And if he’s executing their darkest desires, it’s their responsibility to stop him…at any cost.

Audiobook Review: The Lion's Tusk by Robert Jackson Bennett

 

The Lion's Tusk (Shadow of the Leviathan) by Robert Jackson Bennett

Publication Date: July 28th 2026 by Brilliance Publishing

Pages: 38

Audio Book Length: 1hrs 14min

Narrator: Hannah Curtis

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

As a fan of the Shadow of the Leviathan series, I was excited to listen to this short mystery featuring Ana Dolabra as the storyteller rather than the usual narrator, her assistant Din. Ana is clever and has unraveled the most puzzling mysteries from the thinnest threads of evidence. I loved getting a story from her point of view for a change.

 

While Ana and Din are enduring a long carriage ride, Ana decides to pass the time by telling Din about a century-old mystery she solved after reading the investigator’s reports. The case is both strange and gruesome, centering on newlyweds who were murdered on their wedding night.

 

The Lion’s Tusk is a short listen, just one hour and fourteen minutes, but it completely held my attention from beginning to end. Hannah Curtis was a new-to-me narrator, and I thought she was wonderful as Ana. Ana has always been a larger-than-life character to me, and Ms. Curtis captured that perfectly. Her rich, low voice and pleasing accent made the listening experience even more enjoyable.

 

The audio and e-copy available on Kindle Unlimited.

4 Stars

Book Description: 

An eccentric detective turns to the fantastical to solve a cold case in a short story by the Hugo Award–winning author of The Tainted Cup.

On a long carriage journey with her assistant Din, brilliant investigator Ana Dolabra ponders a solution to an impossible crime that has remained unsolved for centuries. A lavish wedding for two noble scions of the Empire descended into chaos when the newlyweds were found murdered in their marriage bed. But Ana—an expert in ancient myths, awakened beasts, and magic—knows that nothing is impossible, only unimaginable.

Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Lion’s Tusk is part of the Magic & Mystery collection, puzzle-box mysteries from top fantasy authors. They can be read or listened to in one enchanting sitting.

Review: The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss

 

The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss

Publication Date: April 7th 2026 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Pages: 403

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Season four of The Escape Game, a reality escape room game show, didn’t end well. Sisters, Alicia and Sierra were pitted against each other on rival teams, each working to solve escape rooms for a cash prize. The finale was like a scene from a horror movie when Alicia is found murdered. It’s rumored Sierra killed her.

 

Surprisingly the show is going on with season five. There are new contestants: Adi, a cryptographer, not excited to be on the show but if he wins, it will help him escape the clutches of his mother, a horrid, attention seeking woman. Carter is brilliant at math and solving puzzles, famous on social media under her avatar, but she’s painfully shy in person. Beck designs his own escape rooms and has a history with the show’s backer. To everyone’s surprise, Sierra returns and is the most controversial contestant. A lot of people think she killed her sister in a fit of sibling rivalry, but she doesn’t let that derail her mission. Together they form Team Helsing.

 

Sierra’s motives are unclear at the beginning, especially when she leans into her goth-girl-with-a-grudge persona, but it didn’t take me long to root for her. I enjoyed seeing these misfits merge and slowly build trust. Together they confront danger from unknown fronts as they try to keep ahead in the game.

 

The Escape Game was an edgy and fun YA mystery that hooked me from the start!  I had my suspicions which were confirmed in one way, but there was a big surprise I didn’t see coming. Things got a little crazy in the end! This mystery wraps up, but there’s another book coming. I look forward to joining Team Helsing in their next adventure!

4 Stars

Book Description:

It’s all fun and games until someone ends up dead.

Six months ago, season four of The Escape Game ended in horror when contestant Alicia Angelos was found murdered on set.

Now season five is underway, and new contestants are ready to put their skills to the test solving the show's trickiest escape rooms. There's Adi, the cryptographer; Carter, the math whiz; Beck, the wannabe game master, and . . . Sierra Angelos, the girl who got away with her sister’s murder. Or so everyone believes.

But Sierra’s not just here to win. She’s here for justice.

When the contestants begin uncovering clues that hint at the identity of Alicia’s true killer, it becomes clear that the stakes aren’t high in this competition, they’re deadly. If these teens want to win—and survive—the game, they must solve the biggest mystery of who killed Alicia Angelos?

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer and rising star Tamara Moss comes a twisty thrill-ride, filled with sabotage, betrayal, and puzzles to die for.

Sunday Post #346

 

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!

We got back from Montana late Monday and I still feel like I'm catching up! We had a nice time with family and had friends over for dinner a few nights during our stay. As fun as it all was it's nice to be home, back to our quiet life. 

The weather was very fickle. It rained several times but it was mostly warm and sunny during the day.

Here at home it's been hot, in the 90s and my tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, zucchini, summer squash plants have been producing a lot. Our little peach tree also has a ton of fruit and we're having peach crumble tonight (Saturday). I've also been harvesting blackberries and my husband has been vacuum sealing and freezing them. I'll also be making some blackberry jam as more ripen. 

1000 Piece Puzzle completed in Montana: Let's Go Camping by Spaghetti Tree

Puzzle #36 of 2026

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed in Montana: City Life by Mon Joli

Puzzle #37 of 2026

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Hometown Falls by Milton Bradley

Puzzle #38 of 2026

Read over the last two weeks:

The Delivery by Gregg Hurwitz-4 Stars

The Escape Game (The Escape Game #1) by Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss-4 Stars

Revelations: How To Be a Werewolf by Jan Stryvant-1 Star

If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle-4 Stars

Unpredictable Magic (Everhart Investigations #1) by Faith Hunter-4 Stars

The Lion's Tusk by Robert Jackson Bennett-4 Stars

Chase Me if You Can by Heather Frances-4 Stars

Received:

The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen

The Lion's Tusk (Shadow of the Leviathan) by Robert Jackson Bennett

A Trade of Blood (Shadow of the Leviathan #3) by Robert Jackson Bennett

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Brilliance Publishing and Del Rey!

How was your week?

Review: If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle

 

If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle

Publication Date: July 21st 2026 by Penguin Books

Pages: 368

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Anna Matthews is Roxie’s favorite romance author, so when she offhandedly makes a wish to be the heroine in Anna’s next book and her wish is granted it’s like a dream come true. Unfortunately, for Roxie, Anna’s decided to break from her usual romance genre and venture into crime thrillers. Roxie thinks she’s on a date with a dreamy book boyfriend when suddenly book BF tries to kill her.

 

Roxie doesn’t know the first thing about crime novels but as she’s making a run for safety she’s thrown into the path of Grant, an English professor and crime novel junkie. Together they navigate the crazy imaginings of Anna all the while trying to figure a way out of the plot and danger.

 

If Books Could Kill was a unique premise and so much fun! I’d say it was a whacky mash-up of romance, thriller and comedy, action-packed from page one! Roxie and Grant made a great team, albeit a reluctant one at first. Their romance was a slow-burn one nudged by fake dating and marriage situations that were both hilarious and heartwarming. I wasn’t sure how it’d all work out but loved their journey to HEA!

4 Stars

Book Description:

A NOVEL LOVE STORY meets LOVE IN THE TIME OF SERIAL KILLERS in this rom-com following Roxie Mitchell, an adventure-loving romance reader who finds herself trapped in a meet-cute turned murderous

When Roxie makes a tongue-in-cheek wish to live out the plot of her favorite author’s next novel, she has romance in mind—namely, the sweet, safe, swoon-worthy storylines Anna Matthews is known for. It should be a dream come true when her wish is granted and she finds herself swept into a first date with a handsome stranger who seems designed to take her breath away.

Except for one little hiccup: That handsome stranger tries to take her breath away. Literally. With a knife. The thing is, Roxie may be the new Anna Matthews protagonist—but this time, Anna is writing a crime thriller.

Thrown into a perilous genre she’s never read, Roxie is desperate for help. So when her escape takes her straight into the path of Grant Hoffman, an anxious English professor with a convenient love of crime novels, she decides that kidnapping a grown man is a small price to pay for her own survival. Together, Roxie and Grant navigate a madcap story where the lines between fiction and reality blur. They’ll find out if they have what it takes to make it to The End—or maybe even Happily Ever After.

Review: Chase Me If You Can by Heather Frances

 

Chase Me If You Can by Heather Frances

Publication Date: June 23rd 2026 by Berkley

Pages: 367

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Sloane takes six weeks away from her wedding photography business to pursue what she truly loves: chasing tornadoes and storms, capturing their beauty with her camera. Winning the Nature Shots cover contest could help launch her as a landscape photographer, but the magazine hasn’t chosen a female winner in years, and her male competition is “Wild Wes” Talbot, a popular and talented photographer who’s made his mark by taking risks and his big, playful persona. He’s a shameless flirt with her, but she’s not impressed.  With a self-absorbed mother, Sloane has always been the responsible one so Wes’s brash personality doesn’t sit well with her.

 

Unfortunately, when Wes has an accident, Sloane finds herself stuck with him for the rest of storm-chasing season. As they spend more time together, though, she begins to see a different side of him. While searching for the perfect winning shot, the thrill of chasing storms brings them closer together.

 

I wouldn’t call this an enemies-to-lovers romance, because the adversarial part was coming from Sloane not from Wes, but that quickly melted away when she was forced into spending so much time with him and got to see his actual character.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed Chase Me If You Can! The idea of spending six weeks traveling from state to state chasing storms sounds like an exciting adventure. Sloane and Wes were both well-developed, likeable characters, and I was fully invested in their journey and rooting for their HEA.

4 Stars

Book Description:

Two storm chasers find a love that could blow them away in this electric debut romance.

Wedding photographer Sloane Michaels might spend most of her year running after brides, but she lives for the six weeks each spring she chases tornadoes instead. When the prestigious magazine Nature Shots announces a cover contest, Sloane knows that winning could be the chance she needs to break up with taffeta for good and establish herself in landscape photography.

The last thing she needs is a distraction in the form of reckless “Wild Wes” Talbot. A legend among storm chasers, he’s been Sloane’s close, personal frenemy for the last decade and is the man to beat for the cover contest.

Sloane isn’t surprised when Wes gets in an accident that jeopardizes his season. But with an active weather pattern emerging, she doubles down on her need to beat Wes fair and square, and begrudgingly invites him to join her for the remainder of the season.

As they race through hail, high winds, and stormy skies, Sloane realizes that Wes might be more than the rich, flirty, Texas wildcard she thought she knew — and that the feelings blooming between them are more charged and dangerous than the storms they’re chasing.

Review: Unpredictable Magic by Faith Hunter

 

Unpredictable Magic (Everhart Investigations #1) by Faith Hunter

Publication Date: July 14th 2026 by Ace

Pages: 556

Source: Publisher  

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Angie and her brother, Evan, are witches with ties to Queen Jane Yellowrock, but they’re striking out on their own by launching Everhart Investigations, a detective agency specializing in paranormal crimes. When a woman hires them to look for her friend, a woman who went missing at a party hosted by the Queen, it’s immediately obvious that she’s leaving out important details. They discover the missing woman has ties to Angie’s ex-husband, a vampire and nasty piece of work, with his own diabolical agenda.

 

Unpredictable Magic was an engrossing, but complex first installment in a new urban fantasy series. As the opening book in a spin-off series, and my first experience with the connected Jane Yellowrock novels, it did take me a bit to navigate this magical world and its many players. Alongside witches Angie and Evan, who are still learning the full extent of their powers, the story features vampires, demons, and plenty of political maneuvering.

 

Despite the learning curve, I thoroughly enjoyed this introduction to the Everhart Investigations series. The world-building is unique, and the mystery kept me invested. With nonstop action and lots of danger along the way, I was hooked from start to finish.

4 Stars

Book Description:

Witches Angelina and Evan Everhart-Trueblood take a case that spirals out of control until the whole city is at risk in this exciting new novel from New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter.

Angelina Everhart-Trueblood and her brother Evan run Everhart Investigations Inc., a PI firm in Chattanooga that solves paranormal crimes committed by supernatural beings. When their new client wants help finding her friend who supposedly disappeared during a reception at Angie’s aunt Jane’s winter residence, things get . . . complicated.

The client is not who she appears to be, and demons strike the city for the first time since the Demon War. On top of that, evidence is pointing toward the involvement of an overly ambitious vampire—who just happens to be Angie’s ex-husband.

As Angie and Evan team up with the CPD, they will have to dig deep into their magical reserves—and rely on some friends in high places—to rid Chattanooga of the danger creeping into their city.

Author Bio: Faith Hunter is the New York Times bestselling author of the Jane Yellowrock series, the Soulwood series, the Rogue Mage series, and the Junkyard series.