Hello there Lovely Readers,
We know we talked and talked about Spooky Season in the weeks leading up to it, and then we practically ghosted you. To be honest, we took a few too many blankets and snacks back into the stacks, set to find you the perfect Halloween reads, and we got maybe a little too cozy and didn’t come back out until the office raven came calling for us. It was a whole thing—lots of rapping and tapping on the chamber door without actually coming in to find us—and he only really knows the one word, so he’s not the best for in-office memos. Well, nevermore, he’s getting reassigned to spooky-stacks mascot as we speak.
But, that’s all to say, have no fear (unless that’s what you’re into) because we’re finally back with another list of book recommendations for you all. This time, we’ve got an assorted mix of treats for you so that we can help everyone find the perfect book, no matter whether you’re looking for something sweet or something that might add a little bit of hair to your chest (at the full moon, of course).
So, without further ado, let’s peer into our bag of treats and see what just might hit the spot.
Books that go bump in the night:
Dark was the Night by Elizabeth Blake
Trapped in a life of abuse and neglect, Felicity has long carried a torch for the one man in Hannigan that could save her—the handsome son of the squire, Laurent Lakewood.
When a mystical man in the Wood offers her the key to everything she has ever dreamed of, he only asks for one thing in return… a kiss.
Suddenly, Felicity is the talk of Hannigan, but not everything is as it seems as the enchantment she placed on Laurent has gone awry, and she finds herself falling for the wrong man. For the Wood is calling, and the secrets it holds threaten everything Felicity holds dear.
Gingerbread Man by Maggie Shayne
Publisher’s Weekly Raves: “A moving mix of high suspense and romance, this haunting Halloween thriller will propel readers to bolt their doors at night.”
Hard-edged Detective Vince O’Malley’s most recent case penetrated even his protective shell. Ordered to take time off to recover, he can’t let go, and on his own, follows the clues to a small upstate NY town.
His presence stirs ghosts from the past, shadows of a little girl lost, and the suspicions of some tight-lipped locals with secrets to hide.
Where rivers run red as blood, a long-forgotten darkness awaits its freedom…
Nastya Sokolov dreams of not being seen as an outcast. Born with the ability to foretell death with a simple touch, she’s relegated to the confines of her mother’s funeral home. When the body of a car crash victim arrives at the morgue, Nastya finds something amiss. A clue beckoning to be unravelled.
Soon, another boy greets her doorstep. This one very much alive and insistent his friend’s death was no accident. Before long, Nastya is dragged into a web of impossibilities, strange coincidences, and a baffling mystery in the small town of Cherry Cove.
A mystery that triggers a vision. One Nastya cannot ignore.
Dark Places by Sherrilyn Kenyon – a short story collection
The ebook for this one is 99 cents on Kobo through Halloween!
In this collection, Sherrilyn Kenyon takes readers from the Dark-Hunters to witches to demons, and everything in between as she explores the darkest parts of human nature. Dangerous and exciting, each story is one thrill ride after the next, proving time and again how Sherrilyn has captivated millions of readers worldwide.
Cozy with a paranormal twist:
Flora Flowerdew and the Mystery of the Duke’s Missing Diamonds by Amanda McCabe
The ebook of this book is free from 10/18-10/20
Flora Flowerdew has a secret. The former Florrie Gubbins, music hall dancer, is now Madame Flowerdew, one of London’s most renowned spirit mediums. But it’s actually her beloved Pomeranian dog, Chou-Chou, who can see the ghosts.
One of her most lucrative seances, for the wealthy Petrie family whose daughter is about to marry a handsome young duke, goes chaotically awry. The duke’s late, and very irate, grandfather demands Flora and his grandson Benedict find the long-missing family diamonds. Can Flora discover the jewels before she loses her career, her sanity—and her heart?
Sparks fly as Flora, Benedict, and Chou-Chou pursue the truth of the diamonds’ disappearance in this lighthearted, cozy historical mystery set in foggy, gas-lit London.
Nobody slays demons like Kate Connor. At least that used to be true…
She gave up her supernatural past to settle into the role of devoted wife and stay-at-home mom, and never regretted it for a single second.
But now her past has come calling.
Out of practice and pushing forty, Kate knows she can’t go this alone. But who can she trust when she’s been out of the game for over a decade?
Waiting for the Laird by Willa Blair
Widow Lara MacLaren hungers for the hunky architect she hires to restore her derelict Scottish manor, but is she ready for a relationship…and is Ian ready for her twins?
Ian Paterson is eager to awaken Lara’s passionate side. Yet, if he reveals his ancestral claim to her estate, he risks losing her and his job. His clan’s history, lost over the years, may be hidden in the walls—along with a ghost waiting for the laird’s return.
Paranormal Romance:
Even after centuries of lust, hedonism, and women, Voss, the Viscount Dewhurst, rarely finds himself bored. But when one of his seemingly harmless manipulations sets him on the path to seduce the beautiful Miss Angelica Woodmore, things become a little less simple…a lot more passionate…and definitely more complicated. And when the most evil vampire of the Dracule puts Angelica in his sights, Voss will have to risk everything to save her…and possibly his own soul.
Fury of a Highland Dragon by Coreene Callahan
Framed by her boss, ethical hacker Ivy Macpherson has landed on the FBI’s most wanted list. Little does she know, fleeing the country will set her on a collision course with Tydrin, a man more dangerous than the agents on her trail.
Haunted by past mistakes, Scottish dragon-warrior Tydrin dreams of a better future. Hoping to atone for the loss of innocent lives, he returns to the scene of the crime…and walks into the middle of an armed standoff. He intervenes in the nick of time, only to realize the woman he saved is the one he hurt years ago.
Can Ivy forgive him for accidentally changing the course of her life? Or will the past ruin his future with the woman fated to be his mate?
Josephine’s Tear by V.I. Davis
Sophie Devereaux embarks on a perilous quest to obtain an enchanted amulet with the power to eradicate the supernatural forces that hold humanity captive. As she navigates through a landscape of danger and intrigue, she must confront her deepest fears, make unthinkable sacrifices, and ultimately decide the fate of not only her people but also the supernatural beings that coexist with them, risking her own humanity as she does so.
