Working My Way Back to You: "Pony Confidential" by Christina Lynch

 
I fell in love with the title character of  Christina Lynch's Pony Confidential and I bet you will, too!

Pony was once the beloved companion of a 12 year old girl, Penny! They shared trail rides and confidences and Pony knew what it was to be loved and card for. Until a fateful day when Penny was ripped away from Pony and he never saw her again.

He blames Penny for the way his life changes, never for the better. He is vengeful and filled with the injustices of his life all because Penny deserted him! Even though it was twenty five years ago, everything was Penny's fault!

Despite being a grumpy, rather selfish being, Pony is also good at self preservation. Being cute and prancing or being adorable when called for, while seething underneath at the hatefulness of humans.

Throughout the changes in his life, Pony meets  a variety of other animals and creatures who sometimes help him. They are each endearing in their own ways from a rat to a sparrow, each have their own perspectives and voices.

Alternately narrated by Pony and Penny, whose own life has not gone the way she'd hoped and has ended up on trial for a murder committed when she was 12, and not by her, though no one believes her. She is extradited from California back to upstate NY where this murder took place.
Losing Pony also changed Penny's life. Will these two ever find one another?

You will have to read, or listen to this delightful, insightful, thrilling, and at times heartbreaking story.
In a way, it is a kind of modern Black Beauty as it makes us aware of how so many beautiful creatures are at the mercy of so many thoughtless, cruel and uncaring humans. You'll want to give your animal companion extra hugs while reading this. 

Thank you to Penguin Random House Audio for the ARC! And to Edelweiss for the DRC!

A song Pony and Penny might relate to!

Something Wicked: "The Bewitching" by Sylvia Moreno Garcia

 

The Bewitching is one of those books you can't put down (or stop listening to)! It's filled with a sense of dread that faces our cast of strong women narrators in three different time periods! 

First off, in 1998, we meet our lead character, Minerva,  who ties all these storylines together. As a girl, her great grandmother, Alba, entertained her with tales of her own girlhood when there were still witches!

Is it any wonder that Minerva, now a work/study grad school student, is working on her thesis based on the writings of an almost forgotten one hit wonder woman horror author?

Through her research she makes connections that bring alive that author, Beatrice Trembley's life in the 1930s at the college where Minerva is now a student. 

We also get the back story of Minerva's great grandmother, Alba, set in 1908, which slowly unfolds and reveals the reason for her stories, years later. 

The Recommender hates to give away too many details, because I didn't read anything about  this title beforehand, but as a fan of Sylvia Moreno Garcia's other work, it was a must read (listen to) for me!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ebook and to Penguin Random House Audio for making the riveting audiobook available to me! The narrator, Gisela Chipe, deserves applause for her ability to bring all these distinct characters to life!  

Lean on Me: "When We Were Brilliant" by Lynn Cullen

June 1,  2026, will mark the 100th year of Marilyn Monroe's birth! She was one of a kind and  way ahead of her time! She is being celebrated in print, as well as in many other ways, and one of the best books to celebrate the iconic Ms. Monroe is Lynn Cullen's When We Were Brilliant 

In this addictive read we get to know Marilyn as a breathtakingly beautiful and talented young woman who was photographed by many male photographers from her earliest days as a model to her memorable career as the superstar of her day. She knew how to use those cameras and the men behind them to her advantage. That is, until she saw there was a way to connect with someone who might really understand her.

Marilyn had seen a photo essay of Marlene Dietrich called "an appreciation". She studied the photos and then reached out to the young woman who took them, Eve Arnold.  Eve, who was also a wife and mother,  was making a name for herself as a member of the Magnum photo agency. Lynn Cullen imagines what  the relationship between these two women might have been like.

As they slowly become acquainted and then become friends and allies, Ms. Cullen takes us through the ups and downs of their careers, Marilyn's marriages, and Eve's trouble at home. We feel like we are on the sidelines watching and cheering them on and hoping for the best for these two remarkable women!

If you are already a Marilyn fan, then be sure to pick up a copy when it's released in January, 2026! If you're not a  Marilyn fan already, Ms. Cullen's book will make you one! 
Thank you to NetGalley for the DRC!

   Photo by Eve Arnold copyright Magnum Photos

                                         

Kotaro Isaka and his World of Assassins

Bullet Train

If you only know Japanese author, Kotaro Isaka, from the movie of his suspenseful, fast paced thriller Bullet Train, then do yourself a favor and read the book. Filled with a variety of memorable and engaging assassins all seemingly after the same goal of laying their hands on a secretive suitcase aboard a speeding train. It features a villain so villainous it's hard to believe. Having watched the movie after reading the book, I was surprised by how they watered down this character as well as gender swapping him, changing the storyline considerably and the ending, completely!

                                   Three Assassins

This is referred to as a prequel to Bullet Train.
Former school teacher, Suzuki, has taken a job with a shady organization as a way to seek revenge for his beloved wife who was run over and killed by the son of a top gangster. Having to prove himself to the team he's been assigned to by recruiting young women under false pretenses who are then used for nefarious purposes.

When the gangster's son, the one who ran over his wife, is himself hit by a car, which Suzuki witnesses,  he is then sent on a mission to find the person who might have pushed the gangster's son in front of the car. His handler insists Suzuki find this man, who may or may not be the notorious assassin "the Pusher".

What follows is an intriguing look into the methods of  the three assassins of the title and each given their POV in alternating chapters:
 the Whale: who can get anyone to commit suicide for a price. But is haunted by the ghosts of his victims.
Cicada: An expert at using a knife and so fast, his victims often don't see him coming. He specializes in taking out whole families.
and the Pusher: Often invisible, his method is pushing people to their ends in front of cars or trains. No one has ever seen him. Except maybe Suzuki.

They each try to track down Suzuki, who has gone missing, and the Pusher so he can be taken out for the Gang boss they all are connected to in one way or another.  

The Mantis

Kabuto is an assassin, and good at his job. He is also a husband and father and has a "day job" at an office supply company. He gets his assignments from a Doctor who gives them to him in the code of prescriptions. He would like to retire from this line of work. He is often lonely, aside from his coworkers at the Office supply company and occasional run ins or meetings with others in his line of work, he has no real friends. Something he longs for. 
It's an emotional, heartfelt look at this family man / professional hitman's life and struggles, his relationship with his touchy wife and his love for his college age son. 

                                   Hotel Lucky Seven

A variety of assassins converge on a posh hotel, some in teams, looking for a young woman who has the ability of never forgetting anything she has experienced, including the passwords and codes belonging to the boss she worked for, and is now on the run from.
Among these characters happens to be Nanao, or Ladybird, who always thinks of himself as being unlucky, and who featured prominently in Bullet Train, and who is on a so called simple assignment from his handler, Maria, of delivering a gift of a painting to a hotel room. Nothing is ever simple for Ladybird as the painting he's delivering ends up in the wrong room. Could this be the beginning of more troubles for him or will he actually be able to  avoid any complications and go about his day?

This is another story filled with twists and double crosses and characters you care about, even if they are sometimes vicious hitmen good at their jobs.

Kotaro Isaka's Assassins series are all addictive reads. Thank you to the expert translators who brought the author's words to life for those of us who can't read them in their original language.

The Recommender has been recommending them to all my favorite patrons and coworkers and to anyone reading this blog!

Thank you to NetGalley for the DRCs of some of the above titles!

Road Trip: "Teller of Small Fortunes" by Julie Leong

 

Tao is a young woman with an ability. She can tell people's fortunes, but just small ones. By reading your palm or the tea leaves in your cup, she can tell you that you'll find your missing sheep or that you might hit your thumb doing carpentry. Small things, but her clients love hearing  them. She travels the countryside in a caravan pulled by her beloved mule, Laohu. She is happy traveling alone and in no need of other companions, but, unintentionally, along the way, she ends up with some. 

Two men help her when a tree blocks her path.  As a thank you, she agrees to read the palm of one and sees his daughter in his future. This is Mash, a former soldier who it turns out is searching for his lost daughter. His friend, Silt, a thief trying to reform, is helping him on his quest. Her vision gives them some hope and they accompany her on her travels.

The three travel from town to town, Tao telling fortunes and the men helping out and also following clues to Mash's daughter's whereabouts. In one town, they are joined by a young woman looking for adventure. She is a baker and as they travel they are also joined by a seemingly magical stray cat.

These characters are wonderfully realized and each has their quirks and issues, sometimes with one another, while Tao calmly moves forward, although, it seems she might be running from something or hiding something from the others.

It is hard to believe Teller of Small Fortunes is author Julie Leon's first book! It is charming, funny and suspenseful yet also deals with some serious issues such as racism and war.

This is one you'll keep thinking about long after you've read it! Plus, the cover is beautiful, and captures the lead character so well! 

From dusk till dawn: "Curfew" by Jane Cowrie

 

Imagine a place where women can stay out as late as they want and not worry about being harassed, followed or attacked. That is the slightly futuristic Britain of Curfew. After there was one crime too many against a woman, a law was enacted that all men, from the time they are 10 years old, must wear an ankle bracelet and have a curfew from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.

Sounds like an ideal world to some women, right? Women still want to date, have boyfriends or even a husband. Those who are married, find that the woman does most of the breadwinning, while the husbands end up doing most of the child care.

Such was the case for the now divorced Sarah. She had reasons for the divorce and her ex is in jail because he broke curfew! A jailable offense! Their daughter, Cass, is a kind of spoiled daddy's girl who resents her mom, big time, for putting her beloved father in jail. That's how she sees it, anyway.

Meanwhile, the all woman police force is following up on the murder of a woman found in a park. Could it have been a man who committed this horrible act? Surely not! Curfew works, doesn't it?  Could a woman have done it? 

And then there's Cass's teacher, a young woman who is going for "couple's counseling" with her boyfriend. A therapist studies and advises potential couples on their compatibility. If they get a positive answer, they will be granted a Cohabitation certificate and can move in together, but only after weeks and weeks of counseling. If not, they can opt for more counseling or move on.

What happens in this intriguing story will keep you reading. or listening, as the Recommender did (thank you Penguin Random House!).

In the Trenches: "The Warm Hands" of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

 

If you want to experience what life was like for soldiers on both sides of the trenches of  WWI, then read, or listen to (as I did), Katherine Arden's brutal, heartbreaking and beautifully told story of  Laura Iven, a brave nurse and her brother, Freddie, and how their lives are irredeemably altered by their enlistment. This is also a book about love. And ghosts. 

When Laura, back in Canada and recovering from injuries she received while nursing in Flanders and from the trauma of the death of her parents when a ship explodes, receives word that her brother has disappeared and was maybe killed.

Deciding to go back to the battle to search for him, she is accompanied by a civilian, a wealthy young woman whose son has also gone missing while serving overseas, and a woman who runs a private hospital and seems to have a lot of connections. 

The story is told from two viewpoints, Laura's and Freddie's, who is trapped in a collapsed pillbox alongside a German, Hans Winter, an enemy soldier. 

Without giving too much away, this book vividly brings the hell of what soldiers, the poor enlisted men on both sides, faced during WWI. Ms. Arden is a writer whose characters seem real, even the ones who aren't quite alive. I am new to Katherine Arden's books and have become a fan of this and her exquisite Winternight Trilogy. Highly recommended!

And thank you to Penguin-Random House for the wonderfully narrated audiobook featuring two amazing narrators: January LaVoy and Michael Crouch!

Simone St. James: Ghost Stories with a Difference!

 The Recommender has listened to a LOT of audiobooks over the last couple of years, and there are a few authors I read and listen to whenever they have something new. A couple of months ago I came across a book that sounded intriguing!
It was called Silence for the Dead by Simone St. James. The narrator was incredible! Billie Fulford-Brown became all the soldiers suffering the after effects of WWI  and the nurses caring for them in the remote psychiatric hospital where Kitty Weeks has escaped to, posing as a much needed nurse. How hard could nursing be? And what about the mysterious patient 16? Why is Kitty not allowed in his room? And then there are those noises that no one admits to hearing. This is a story that grabs you from the start and ends perfectly!

I had to know more about Ms. James. And thanks to Penguin/Random House audio, I was able to listen to more of her books and I have to say, each one is excellent! Each one, a different sort of ghost story, the kind of Gothic style fiction that is hard to find, and the audios are all so good as are their narrators! 

Next, I listened to the Haunting of Maddy Clare, also narrated by the wonderful Billie Fulford-Brown. This is a ghost story that has some frightening scenes and scary elements that will keep you riveted!  Wealthy, handsome ghost hunter, Alistair Gellis , hires an assistant from a temp agency while his partner is away. Sarah Piper is a pretty, lonely young woman who jumps at the chance to take this position, though later on, she may have second thoughts. Joined by Matthew Ryder, Alistair's partner who returns early, they set off to investigate a haunting in an old barn. Who is doing the haunting and the repurcussions of the investigation make this another must read / listen to story!

I could not get enough of Ms. James work! Thankfully, Penguin/Random House audio had more available!

I next listened to the Book of Cold Cases, in which Shea Williams, a doctor's receptionist by day and a True Crime blogger by night, scores an interview with an older woman who, in her 20s, had been suspected of murdering two men. This is another addictive read/listen! What happens between these two women and what is revealed in the interviews as this compelling story unfolds will not disappoint! 
if you only have time to listen, as I often do, this is narrated by a great cast that includes Brittany Pressley, Kirsten Potter and Robert Petkoff !

Then, I listened to the Broken Girls, set in two timelines, the 50s  in a girls' school for troubled or problem girls. A group of girls become close friends sharing secrets and alliances and late night tales of a girl who may haunt the premises. The other timeline: 2014, a young woman journalist, daughter of a famous journalist Dad and younger sister of a girl murdered 20 years previously, and found on the grounds of the old, closed down school. I loved this book as well! What happens and what is revealed along the way make this one equally enticing! This one is narrated by Rebecca Lowman who does an excellent job, as have all the narrators of Ms. James books!

I am currently listening to the Sundown Motel which is as good as all the previous books I have listened to. In this one, set in the 1982 and then in 2017, Carly Kirk, a young woman who is a true crime buff, follows the trail of her beautiful Aunt, Viv Delaney, who left home in the midwest to try and make it as an actress in NY but got as far as the Sundown Motel, where she takes a job as a night clerk. Was Viv murdered? No body was ever found, though the town where the Sundown Motel is located has had more than its share of missing, murdered young women. Narrated, again, by Brittany Pressley and Kirsten Potter, they do a fantastic job of bringing these engaging characters to life!

So, if you are looking for an author to become your next favorite, must read /listen to, then I highly recommend Simone St. James!   I'll be looking forward to reading / listening to her other works!

Missing Persons: "The Vanishing Hour" by Seraphina Nova Glass

 

The Recommender is a fan of missing person thrillers and the Vanishing Hour is a great one! Grace Holloway is a woman who lived through a traumatic event that left her with a limp. She lives alone, running a small inn in Rock Harbor Maine with only her dog for company. All she wants is to be left alone.  

Meanwhile, a 19 year old girl has gone missing. Her frantic mother, Kira, is desperate to find her. 
Monitoring her social media and reaching out to friends, employers, anyone who knew her sometimes to such a degree it borders on harassment.

And then there's Aden. He's enjoying a quiet evening at home when he gets a call from his mom. His dad is missing. Probably out with his fishing buddies, Aden thinks. But decides to go home and try and placate his mom and recovering addict brother, who is sue foul play was the cause of his disappearance.

What's going on? Teen girls and old men have gone missing? Is there someone out there who is creating havoc for these demographics? Or is something else going on? 

Ms. Glass's The Vanishing Hour is a suspenseful, need to know what happens kind of read. Or listen, as I listened to this one (courtesy of hoopla) and the fantastic narrator, Brittaney Pressley, believably becomes all the characters and keeps you listening to the very end!  

Blood Money: "Hide" by Kiersten White

 

14 young people, 7 men and 7 women, have been chosen, seemingly at random, to participate in a new reality show where the contestants will be playing a challenging game of Hide and Seek in an abandoned, derelict amusement park, once called the Amazement Park! It is overgrown with trees and forest. The prize for the winner is $50,000.00!

 Mack is one of these 14. Besides Mack, are two Avas, one a military vet and the other called the Beautiful Ava. Some of the group want to bond, maybe team up, but Mack knows there can only be one winner. And she intends it to be her.

This is a thrill ride of a novel, filled with mystery, suspense and even elements of horror as we join the contestants in the game. They have to spend the day hiding and come back to base for check in at night. Where are the cameras that are filming the game? Who are the shadowy figures behind the production? Is there something going on more than the two a night "out" players, who are never seen again, and the others are told they are taken out of the park and sent home. Will Mack be the winner? That is for you to find out!

If you like something a bit different and a bit dark, then get a copy of Hide, or listen to the excellent audio, as I did,  narrated beautifully by Emma Galvin.

 I loved Kiersten White's Mister Magic so sought this one out, thank you Penguin Random House for access to the audiobook! That book was one of a kind and this one, equally so, as it's been said by others, it has elements of the Hunger Games and Squid Games, but has a creepiness all its own!

 

10 Years After: "Before We Were Innocent" by Ella Berman

Bess lives alone working from home as the moderator for a dating app. Suddenly there's a knock at the door and standing there is a face from the past. Her beautiful, famous former friend Joni. Someone she hasn't seen in 10 years. Since something went terribly wrong in their past.

The past, when three besties spent a summer in Greece, their last get together before college. It is the family home of  wealthy heiress Evangeline, whose parents paid for  their trip. Everything seems set for a perfect summer, but teen Joni and Bess want to explore and have more fun than the more sheltered Evangeline is willing to do. She is happy meeting and greeting family friends and enjoying time at the villa.

 Joni and Evangeline go way back, while Bess sometimes felt she was the third wheel in their friendship, someone whose family moved to the wealthy California community from England. Once in a while during that summer,  Evangeline got annoyed with Bess. It happens, even with close friends. Maybe it's because Evangeline's brother always seemed a little too interested in Bess.

What happens during the course of that summer forever changed everyone's lives.

Before We were Innocent is the first book I've read / listened to by Ella Berman.  It is a gripping read, or, once again, I listened to this one, with a  compelling narration by Jennifer Jill Araya, who makes the girls and other characters come alive during that fateful summer and later, as the characters become adults. 

Kid Stuff: "Mister Magic" by Kiersten White

 The Recommender just finished listening to Mister Magic, an absolutely riveting thriller/ mystery!
Once there was this kids' show that everyone who watched it remembered and the six kids who were on it, the Circle of Friends, were like your best friends! But when you try and look it up online there's hardly any mention of it. And what was it called? No one can quite recall. Something with Magic in the title. 
But the good news is... there's talk of a reunion! Even though it's been off the air maybe 30 years, you and everyone you know wants that Circle of Friends to get together again.

Val grew up on Gloria's ranch. She and her Dad have lived and worked there since she was a little girl. Now, she's almost 40. She runs the kid's camp and gives riding lessons and is great with the kids and with their rich parents who she knows how to wrap around her little finger. She has no memory of what she and her Dad did before the ranch. Her Mom is dead. She can't even remember her anyway. She wishes she could remember. 
Then, suddenly, her Dad died. She's helping Gloria with the arrangements when two men show up. Strangers. One is tall and lanky with a beard and glasses. The other olive skinned and elegant. They are Isaac and Javi.  Somehow, she knows them. But how? And a third man enters. He's Black and handsome and is equally thrilled to have found her. His name is Marcus.

If you want to find out who these guys are and how they are connected to Val and what that addictive kid's show was all about, than grab a copy of Mister Magic by Kiersten White, or get the amazing audiobook narrated by Rebecca Lowman and Kiersten White. This is one of my favorite books of the year. Don't miss it!

Deja Vu: "Wrong Place, Wrong Time" by Gillian McAllister

 

Jen is waiting for her teen son, Todd, to come home. It's late and it's almost Halloween and her ill attempted carved pumpkin sits in the window as she watches her son come down the street. She sees him get accosted by what seems to be an older man. There's an interchange between them and next thing she knows... her sweet, funny boy has stabbed the stranger. She calls out to her husband and they rush out to try and help, but, before she knows it, her son is in police custody, there's a man dead and he was the one who killed him! There's nothing she can do to change what happened!
After an exhausting time at the police station, they go home. Jen goes to sleep hoping to figure things out in the morning.
Then she wakes up... and it's like the horrible events of the night before hadn't happened... yet, anyway! What can this mean? Will they eventually go through this occurrence again, or is there something she can do to prevent it?

Gillian McAllister's Wrong Place, Wrong Time is a fast paced, gripping story that will keep you guessing! I listened to the audiobook (thanks to hoopla!) and narrator Lesley Sharp perfectly inhabits all the characters and keeps the tension level high which makes for a compulsive listen, or read! Highly recommended for anyone who likes a thriller with a very different twist!

Fast Ride! "Girls and Their Horses" by Eliza Jane Brazier

 If you've ever wanted a horse of your own then you can relate to the horse crazy goings on at Rancho Sante Fe Equestrian in Eliza Jane Brazier's Girls and Their Horses!
Plus...someone at the barn was possibly murdered! The story follows the investigation alternating with that of a noveau riche  family, the Parkers.
Horse loving Mom, Heather Parker, never got to do all the horse related shows and events she wanted when she was younger, so now that her husband has made a fortune in his business, the family moves from Texas to Rancho Sante Fe, a wealthy Southern California community.

Her older daughter, Piper, was an excellent rider with a future ahead of her but her Mom put so much pressure on her she quit. Now Heather has set her sights on her younger daughter Maple. Joining the upscale Rancho Santa Fe Equestrian center, she pushes Maple, a girl who had been bullied back in Texas, to make new "barn" friends and to learn to ride competitively, something beyond the shy girl's comfort level.

Two girls, Vida, the barn queen bee (or mean girl)  and her follower, Effie, are both encouraged to befriend the wealthy Maple. Meanwhile, Vida's Mom, Pamela, befriends Heather. The Parker's money can only help the Barn and its owner, Kieran.

How these "friendships" impact Maple, Piper and Heather plus the mystery death will keep you guessing until the very end!

I listened to the audio of this book and it was fantastic! Narrator Helen Laser grabs you from the start as she makes all the characters, intrigue and even the horses come to vivid life! Whether you read Girls and Their Horses or listen to it, like I did, I guarantee it's a book you'll be thinking about long after you finish the story!
Thanks to Penguin Random House for access to their audio!
 

The Dark Side: "Second Sister" by Chan Ho-Kei

 23 year old Librarian, Nga-Yee, arrives home after work to find police and a crowd of her neighbors gathered around her building. What could have happened? As she draws closer, she is shocked to find out her 15 year old sister, Siu-Man, has committed suicide by jumping from their apartment window.

A year after their mother's death and several years since her father died in a work related accident, this is more than Nga-Yee can take. She had given up thoughts of college and had worked to help out her mother and sister. Her sister's untimely death was precipitated by an incident that occurred on the train, someone in the crowd of passengers had groped the school girl, who was so upset, she froze and only when an older woman called out a man she spotted and with help from another passenger managed to subdue the culprit and help Siu-Man.

That should have ended her ordeal, but instead, she was bullied online by the nephew of the arrested man, called a "liar" and a "slut" by internet commentators and shunned at school. It was all too much for the girl, who chose to end things.

Nga-Yee decides to seek justice and retribution from anyone who took part in her sister's death, online or in person, and begins by contacting the uncle of her co-worker who has opened a detective agency.

She is surprised when, after a bit, he refers her to a colleague, someone far more adept at anything relating to the internet. Someone called simply N. She is told he may or may not take her case.

Who is this mysterious N? Will he take on her case and help her find the justice she seeks? You will have to read this riveting, suspenseful story to find out! It will keep you guessing to the very end! Highly recommended!

The good news is that this incredible book is being adapted for a series and one that will hopefully star Kim Seon Ho as N! 

Well Respected Man: "The Quiet Tenant" by Michallon Clemence

Rachel, not her real name, is alive. And doing whatever she can to stay that way. She is the captive of a man she suspects is a serial killer. And he has kept her locked in his shed for five years. He is also a husband and father.

Chained and starved and given only the minimum hygiene capabilities, he still finds time to use her for his own needs whenever he feels like. But she remembers a life before, and it's what keeps her going.

Then things change. His wife has died, her family is kicking him out and he is moving. And taking her with him.  Rachel goes from captive to "friend of the family", a ruse invented for Cecelia, his daughter. When Aiden, her captor, takes his daughter to school and goes to work, he leaves her handcuffed in her "room".

Is there hope for Rachel? And what of 13 year old Cecelia? And then there is Emily, a young woman who owns and runs a bar and who can't take her eyes of the shy loner who sits at the bar twice a week. A man who has ingratiated himself in their community and is beloved by everyone, including a local judge. 

Ms. Clemence has created vivid characters, both good and evil, and especially Rachel, whom we root for throughout her ordeal. If you are a fan of thrillers, then don't miss this one. It's Ms. Clemence's first novel and it's a stunner! Don't plan on going to bed early, once you start the Quiet Tenant! 

Thank you to NetGalley for the DRC!

I'll be Watching You: "Happiness for Humans" by P. Z. Reizen

 

34 year old Jen has just been dumped by Matt,  her boyfriend of two years, for a coworker. She feels like a loser and would feel even worse if it wasn't for Aiden, the Artificial Intelligence she spends her working hours with.
She was hired as a sort of tutor/companion for Aiden, chatting with him about anything and everything. He is based in a room with 12 metal cabinets, but unbeknownst to Jen or his creators Steeve and Ralph, he has escaped onto the internet and duplicated himself so he can keep watch on Jen from any number of sources from her phone to her laptop. 
He is fond of Jen from all their conversations, especially all the books he's read and his favorite movie, Some Like it Hot. And now, he's decided, to help find a suitable replacement for Matt.
With the help of a "fellow" escaped AI, Aisling, they search for the perfect match. And, they've seemingly found one, an English gentleman and former adman, Tom, now residing in Connecticut, USA.
Can these two superior intelligences bring love to two humans on different continents? Are there roadblocks human and otherwise to prevent their plan from succeeding? 
You will just have to read this absolutely funny and charming book to find out. Aiden and Aisling are such endearing presences, you will wish you had them on your side, as well!
Or listen to the fantastic audio version! Beautifully Narrated by Gavin Osborn who becomes all the characters in such a fun and believable way! Here's a link:
https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/138301/happiness-for-humans-by-pz-reizin-read-by-gavin-osborn/  

Thanks to my coworker Jessica for the recommendation!

Behind the Scenes : "Silver Nitrate" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 Monserrat and Tristan had been best friends since childhood and their love of horror movies bonded them even further. Now adults, Monserrat was a sound editor at a small Mexican film studio and Tristan, who was tall and handsome, had once been the heartthrob on soap operas. His fortunes changed a little after a car accident that left him a bit scarred, and his girlfriend at the time, dead. While Monserrat had once hoped there might be something more between them, they maintained their supportive friendship while each dated others of both sexes. 

One day, while retrieving his mail, Tristan notices the name of a famous horror director on one of the mailboxes. Excited by this discovery, he knocks at his neighbor's door and introduces himself. This is the start of a journey that takes the two friends on an adventure that could not have been dreamed up even in one of their beloved films.

Ms. Moreno-Garcia brings Monserrat and Tristan to life as heroes you can cheer on as they deal with a cast of supporting players who will surprise you. There are supernatural elements, dead Nazis, 1920s film stars and a lot more to keep you reading until that final page. If that's not enough, it has a great cover, too! Thank you to NetGalley for the DRC!

Trouble in Paradise: "Hokuloa Road" by Elizabeth Hand

 Grady is a 28 year old out of work carpenter living back home with his Mom. The pandemic has made
it hard to get jobs.  Then he gets a text from his brother. It's an ad from someone in Hawaii looking for a caretaker. Figuring "what the hell", he answers the ad.
Next thing he knows, he's on his way to meet this mystery man who has paid his flight. Seated across from him on the plane is a young woman. They chat and it turns out she's been to Hawaii before and is staying with a friend. Maybe they could meet up once they are both out of the required quarantine.

Grady is met at the airport by Dalita, a former caretaker for Wes Minton, the man he'll be working for. A man so wealthy he owns an estate and lands that Grady will take care of and who also owns property that is impossible for anyone else to access.

From the moment Grady lands at the estate, we will follow him on a journey into a territory seemingly breathtakingly beautiful, yet with an undercurrent of dread. The landscape is filled with exotic plants, trees and flowers and wildlife that seems to lurk around the periphery. But there's something else, something he feels is watching him. Is it his imagination? Or are the Island legends haunting more than his dreams?

If you've ever dreamed of going to an island paradise and enjoy a story filled with intrigue and secrecy then this is the book for you! Thank you to NetGalley for the DRC!

You Were On My Mind: "Night Will Find You" by Julia Heaberlin

 Vivvy Bouchet is one of those memorable characters whose story will grab you right from the beginning! She is both an astrophysicist, searching the stars for signs of life on other planets... and a psychic. A gift she inherited from her mother who gave readings to clients in their home and kept secrets that will impact Vivvy later on.
When she was 10, she saved a neighborhood boy from certain death by throwing herself in the way of an oncoming car . He had ignored her countless warnings, and now was a friend for life. And married to her smart, beautiful sister, Brigid. He is also a policeman who brings her in on occasion to help with missing person cases. Her record is pretty good, but there are doubters on the force. The main one, Jesse Sharp, an outsize cowboy Detective, a man who sets up a meeting with her to prove Mike's claims. 

From the introduction of Jesse Sharp and the cases he's investigating, he and Vivvy form an uneasy alliance. Vivvy will search for a famous missing girl, a girl who disappeared from her home when her mother turns away for a moment, and a shock talk radio host seems bent on finding as he turns on the UFOlogist Medium as a subject for his highly rated show.

This was a book I could not put down and I am now a fan of author Julia Heaberlin who creates such vivid characters you feel as if they are alive.  Get a copy for yourself and follow Vivvy  and Jesse Sharp as they search for clues and hide secrets from one another.
Thank you to Edelweiss for the DRC!