Category: Published 2023 - ELLES BOOK BLOG

ELLES BOOK BLOG

A HOUSE WITH GOOD BONES BY T. KINGFISHER

3/28/2023

I read A House with Good Bones in one sitting! This not scary per se but it's definitely bizarre and well written! I recommend it to anyone who likes their horror a little different!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: March 28, 2023
Genre: Gothic/Horror
Series: None.
Pages: 233 pages
Format: eBook. Source: Tor Nightfire Publisher.

A haunting Southern Gothic from an award-winning master of suspense, A House With Good Bones explores the dark, twisted roots lurking just beneath the veneer of a perfect home and family.

"Mom seems off."

Her brother's words echo in Sam Montgomery's ear as she turns onto the quiet North Carolina street where their mother lives alone.

She brushes the thought away as she climbs the front steps. Sam's excited for this rare extended visit, and looking forward to nights with just the two of them, drinking boxed wine, watching murder mystery shows, and guessing who the killer is long before the characters figure it out.

But stepping inside, she quickly realizes home isn’t what it used to be. Gone is the warm, cluttered charm her mom is known for; now

GOLDEN BY SHANNON MAYER

3/24/2023

I haven't read a shifter romance in a while so this one really hit the spot for me! It's a unique novel and while I'm not happy about the cliffhanger at the end I really enjoyed it.

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: January 2, 2023
Genre: Paranormal
Series: The Golden Wolf series #1
Pages: 283 pages
Format: eBook. Source: Borrowed with Kindle Unlimited.

The Little Mermaid meets Loki in this dark, twisted retelling that’s anything but a Fairy Tale. In this world, foes look like friends, the heroes are deliciously wicked, and you’ll never see the end coming.

Ten years ago, I ‘died’, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me.
I should have known it wouldn't last.
Once my family thought I was dead I was finally free to live.

Until the day my brother walks into my tiny bookshop.
No one leaves the Grayling pack and gets away with it.

They drag me back, but not for the reason I believe.
My mother has made an enemy of a powerful witch
and I am to take the punishment meant for her.

Death would have been kinder.
This curse? What I am now?

WHISPERS OF YOU BY CATHERINE COWLES

3/20/2023

If you are a fan of second chance romances then you need to read this book! I fell head over heels in love with the characters, the setting, and watching these two come back together again.

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: January 31, 2023
Genre: Second Chance Romance
Series: The Lost & Found series #1
Pages: 369 pages
Format: eBook. Source: Purchased.

One night—a single moment—cost me everything.

My body, broken beyond repair. The boy I’d thought was my forever. The life I’d always dreamt of.

Now, Holt’s back. And he’s no longer a boy, but a man with shadows in his eyes and demons haunting him.

He says he’s here to make things right. To get back a little bit of all we’ve lost. And he doesn’t show any signs of leaving the small town that has been my refuge.

As stolen moments turn to days, Holt’s around every corner. With his burning stare and lingering touches. Before long, my walls come crashing down and I’m just hoping that taking this second chance isn’t as reckless as it feels.

EXES AND O'S BY AMY LEA

3/17/2023

Exes and O's is a fun romantic comedy that follows one woman searching for love through her past relationships. But maybe the one she truly belongs with is much closer than she thinks?

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: January 10, 2023
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Series: The Influencer series #2 (can stand alone)
Pages: 398 pages
Format: Paperback Source: Purchased.

A romance novel-obsessed social media influencer revisits her exes on her hunt for true love in this romantic comedy from the author of Set On You.

Romance book connoisseur Tara Chen has had her heart broken ten times by ten different men—all of whom dumped her because of her “stage-five clinger” tendencies. Nevertheless, Tara is determined to find The One. The only problem? Classic meet-cutes are dead, thanks to modern dating apps. So Tara decides to revisit her exes in hopes of securing her very own trope-worthy second-chance romance.

Boston firefighter Trevor Metcalfe will be the first to rush into a burning building but the last to rush into a relationship. Love just isn’t his thing. When his new roommate Tara enlists him to help her reconnect with her exes, he reluctantly agrees. But Tara’s journey is leading him to discover his own new chapter.

FAKING IT WITH THE GRUMP BY KATE O'KEEFE

3/13/2023

Looking for your next small town romcom? Then grab a copy of Faking it with the Grump! As you can tell from the title, this is also a grumpy/sunshine romcom and I loved it!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: March 14, 2023
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Series: Second Chance Cafe #1
Pages: 318 pages
Format: eBook Source: Wildfire Marketing

He’s grumpy, boring, and thinks it’s okay to wear a suit and tie to a small town bar full of lumberjacks. But when I kiss him? Let’s just say I wasn’t expecting THAT.

Harper
It's one thing to be dumped by the huge Hollywood star you thought you were going to marry. It’s quite another to move back to the small town you're both from.

As a booby prize for being shown the door by Dex Ryder, everyone is trying to set me up with their son, their nephew, or their long-lost cousin’s gardener. Either that or they’re throwing me pitying looks that say, “You’re a big loser.”

I’m not going to put up with their patronizing sympathy anymore.

So, when I spot new-guy-in-town Christopher Young, I set out to make him mine. Or you know, pretend to make him mine. I’m still in a horrible funk over Dex, and Christopher is an uptight grump. Not

THE WRITING RETREAT BY JULIA BARTZ

3/10/2023

This book was kind of a mess. It wasn't bad per se but the author wrote it in such a way that it felt like two different books written by two different people. Had she stuck to one direction it would have been a better read for me.

Rating: ★★★
Release Date: February 21, 2023
Genre: Thriller
Series: None.
Pages: 319 pages
Format: Hardcover Source: Book of the Month box

The Plot meets Please Join Us in this psychological suspense debut about a young author at an exclusive writer’s retreat that descends into a nightmare.

Alex has all but given up on her dreams of becoming a published author when she receives a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: attend an exclusive, month-long writing retreat at the estate of feminist horror writer Roza Vallo. Even the knowledge that Wren, her former best friend and current rival, is attending doesn’t dampen her excitement.

But when the attendees arrive, Roza drops a bombshell—they must all complete an entire novel from scratch during the next month, and the author of the best one will receive a life-changing seven-figure publishing deal. Determined to win this seemingly impossible contest, Alex buckles down and tries to ignore the

A WITCH'S GUIDE TO FAKE DATING A DEMON BY SARAH HAWLEY

3/6/2023

If you're looking for a fun paranormal romcom then make sure to pick up this book! I laughed so much while reading it! I hope the author continues to write more in this series.

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: March 7, 2023
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Series: None.
Pages: 395 pages
Format: eBook Source: Berkley Publishing

Mariel Spark knows not to trust a demon, especially one that wants her soul, but what’s a witch to do when he won’t leave her side—and she kind of doesn’t want him to?

Mariel Spark is prophesied to be the most powerful witch seen in centuries of the famed Spark family, but to the displeasure of her mother, she prefers baking to brewing potions and gardening to casting hexes. When a spell to summon flour goes very wrong, Mariel finds herself staring down a demon—one she inadvertently summoned for a soul bargain.

Ozroth the Ruthless is a legend among demons. Powerful and merciless, he drives hard bargains to collect mortal souls. But his reputation has suffered ever since a bargain went awry—if he can strike a bargain with Mariel, he will earn back his deadly reputation. Ozroth can't leave Mariel's side until they complete a bargain,

HEART SICK BY MONICA JAMES

2/20/2023

Heart Sick, an all-new edge-of-your-seat dark romance from International Bestselling author Monica James is available now!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: February 21, 2023
Genre: Dark Romance
Series: Heart Memory Transfer #1
Pages: 273 pages
Format: eBook Source: Author.

Each beat hides a secret, and his voice now replaces the music, demanding I uncover the truth.

Piano has always been my one true love.

So when the music stops, I do whatever I can to hear it again.

But when I wake, all I hear is his heart and the memories that come with it.

This is my body.

My mind.

But not my heart.

WHAT LIES IN THE WOODS BY KATE ALICE MARSHALL

2/9/2023

What Lies in the Woods is a solid thriller but I don't feel like it was as dark and clever as it's been made out to be. It reminded me too much of A Flicker in the Dark.

Rating: ★★★
Release Date: January 17, 2023
Genre: Thriller
Series: None.
Pages: 326 pages
Format: Hardcover Source: Book of the Month box.

They were eleven when they sent a killer to prison. They were heroes . . . but they were liars.

Kate Alice Marshall's What Lies in the Woods is a thrilling novel about friendship, secrets, betrayal, and lies - and having the courage to face the past.

Naomi Shaw used to believe in magic. Twenty-two years ago, she and her two best friends, Cassidy and Olivia, spent the summer roaming the woods, imagining a world of ceremony and wonder. They called it the Goddess Game. The summer ended suddenly when Naomi was attacked. Miraculously, she survived her seventeen stab wounds and lived to identify the man who had hurt her. The girls’ testimony put away a serial killer, wanted for murdering six women. They were heroes.

And they were liars.

THE HEARTSONG DUET BY JENNIFER HARTMANN

2/2/2023

An Optimist's Guide to Heartbreak is an emotional childhood best friend's romance. This book is really sad and kept the tears in my eyes almost all the way through. If you enjoy books with a lot of emotion then you can't go wrong with this one.

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: January 17, 2023
Genre: Emotional Romance.
Series: Heartsong Duet #1
Pages: 294 pages
Format: eBook Source: Kindle Unlimited.

There once was a girl with fireflies in her eyes and music in her soul.

(Remember her... she's important.)

She's the reason I panic-bought the little brick house on Maple Street; the one I lived next door to for eight magical years. Now that I'm back digging up floorboards and lost journals, I can’t stop thinking about the two people who grew up here.

You see, that girl was my best friend, and this house was once hers. She also had a big brother who was my everything before circumstance turned us into nothing more than memories.

That’s why I applied for a job at his auto shop—unprepared to discover that my new boss, Cal Bishop, is now gruff, built, and covered in tattoos.

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