The Blue Moon Café & 24-Hour Occult Emporium by Lexie Sharabianlou ~ a Review

by MK French

Talula Smith works at the Blue Moon Cafe, which is considered the worst coffee shop in town. That bad reputation hides its true purpose of providing new identities and safe passage to at-risk magical beings while keeping humans far, far away. The only person in Pine Hollow that comes around is Dahlia, who is very observant and is the focus of Talula's crush. Hunters begin moving in to kill magical creatures, and Talula's powerful mother goes to track them down.  With the impending Samhain festival to organize, magical refugees to help, half of the town turning against her, and her ever-growing feelings for Dahlia, Talula’s magical destiny feels further away than ever. But as the hunters set their sights closer to home, it’ll be up to Talula to master her craft, trust her heart, and bring her magical and human communities together.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Calamities by Chuck Wendig ~ a Review

by MK French

Mourning Mayne will someday have to take over control of his fiendish family's legacy. Dark magic derived from buying human souls is powerful, and the Maynes are one of the oldest and most influential fiendish families. Mourning's estranged father is demanding his return to the family, and along the way he meets Key, a black-market seller of human souls, and Quinn, an artist who may hold the dark might know the truth behind the fiends. Together, they might find a path out of the shadows.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

6 Unforgettable Historical Novels That Celebrate Female Resilience and Equality

August 26, 2026 marks the 106th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women in the U.S. the right to vote. The fight didn't end there, as women continue to fight for social equality, professional equality, and healthcare equality. These 6 works of historical fiction highlight the women who broke institutional barriers, subverted societal expectations, and reshaped history on their own terms, and are perfect reads for Women's Equality Day.

Books I Meant to Read This Month

by Donna Huber

Every month I usually leave a book or two from the list I planned for the month in the TBR pile. This month has been a horrible reading month. I had real trouble focusing on books the first week or so of the month as I grieved the death of my father. I only finished 7 books (so far): 1 was a book I have been reading all summer for work, and 4 were audiobooks. So I have a bunch of books languishing in my TBR pile that hit shelves this month, and I wanted to give a little shout-out to them.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

Clean Slate by Brianna Labuskes ~ a Review

by MK French

Olive Hunt is a crime scene cleaner who discovered a link between two back-to-back suicides. This makes them staged murders, but police don't see it that way. The serial killer then sends her flowers with a note saying Thank you, and it's clear that he wants her to clean up his crime scenes and follow where he leads. No matter how terrifying that trail is, Olive is going to follow.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Bravest Hour by Anna Lee Huber ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

British Intelligence Agent Verity Kent managed to survive four years of The Great War, slipping in and out of German-occupied Belgium and northeastern France, dodging serious consequences or capture. But as she faces her most dangerous—and devastating—challenge yet, her luck may have run out. Hopefully, her resilience has not . . .

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.