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Happy Monday! Today we are bringing you the sign up form for a Zoom Chat with us and Jessie Mihalik.

Jessie’s new book, SILVER & BLOOD, is coming out on January 27, 2026. I really loved it, and now we get to talk to her about worldbuilding and the price magic exacts for its miraculous power.

The Zoom chat is scheduled for 4:00 pm, on Saturday 24th. We will record and upload the recording to YouTube and to the blog. Registrations is capped at 500 so spots will go fast.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

Please comment with your questions for this panel or send them to Mod R through email.

About SILVER AND BLOOD

On a deadly mission to kill the mythical beast that has been haunting her woods, a desperate mage finds her fate intertwined with the handsome, powerful man who saves her in this dark and sexy romantasy—perfect for readers of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Callie Hart, and Holly Black.

There’s something in the woods…

When a vicious beast begins attacking her fellow villagers, Riela reluctantly agrees to enter the forbidden forest and kill the monster as she’s the only mage available—or so she thought.

Untrained and barely armed, Riela is quickly overwhelmed when one beast turns into two. She fears her death is at hand until the unexpected arrival of a scarred, strikingly handsome man with gleaming moonlit magic changes her fate—and provides a rare opportunity to learn more about her own fickle power.

After being rescued and healed from the beast’s poison, Riela awakens in a magical castle complete with a gorgeous library, a strange wolf, and the surly man who saved her life. She soon learns Garrick is both more powerful and far deadlier than a mere mortal mage—but thanks to a century-long curse, his powers are weakening.

Trapped in his castle and surrounded by the treacherous woods, the spark of attraction between Riela and Garrick slowly ignites into fiery desire. But the more they discover about Riela’s magic, the more suspicious Garrick grows of her identity. As they unravel the secrets and lies connecting Riela’s past to Garrick’s, the tenuous threads of trust between them start to fray.

Because Riela’s life—or her death—might be the key to regaining everything Garrick has lost.

Also, while you wait, Jessie has a free story available on her site. It’s unrelated but no less fun.

The post The Price of Magic Zoom with Jessie Mihalik first appeared on ILONA ANDREWS.

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Chapter 3

 

Cryptorium, Upsilon Sector

 

The Technomancers were pleased as they loaded copies of themselves into the support ship. The ship had been thoroughly tested and was ready for her mission.

They were displeased with the mission, as they had been supplying the Xenos with freshly cloned organics the Xenos had claimed most of the territory in the region. They were isolated. They would have to travel outside the Xeno claimed area to set up a new base.

As soon as the ship was away the makers began to make a second ship.

<<(O)>>

Barataria Bay, Upsilon Sector

 

Hazel VI was surprised by the new IFF on the telemetry feed for the sector. The Necrons had deployed a new ship to the sector; no, it had been built by the Crypt? She frowned and then nodded slowly. That explained why they had been preoccupied. It amused her; they were going to have to travel far to get beyond her border. By the time they got there, they might find that Chester had taken the area and they’d have to go even further afield.

They also would lack an ansible to communicate and coordinate their ships. Additional ships were in the bridge she noted, so they were taking a higher interest in the sector. Very well.

<<(O)>>

Admiral Chester IV noted the new ship as well. He was annoyed but then amused. The ship was headed south but had a ways to go to get to space he had yet to conquer.

There were three main prizes left in the sector, all pirate bases. He had forces dispatched to two of them. He’d had to divert some cruisers to block the path to Tau; there was a report that several pirate ships had managed to escape in that direction.

That was vexing to him. The odds were low that they survived the trip, but he didn’t like it. He didn’t like anything that might get him in trouble with the queen.

<<(O)>>

In Hyperspace

 

Admiral Chester grimaced as he noted that there was another time discrepency. His ships had something going on that the techs didn't understand. He didn't understand it. What he did understand was that the Necron ships had been lost briefly and were now taking far longer than they should to get to their target destination.

But, they were finally on course. That was the important thing.

<<(O)>>

TauG13-95, Tau Sector

 

Senior Captain Cynthia Troll  nodded as she read the latest report from the prize ship. So far so good, the prize crew were settling in and making inroads to repairs and upgrades. By rights she should be grateful for another hull … except this one was so dang old.

Old, battered, and decrepit with a bad history. Worse, it pulled crew away from the ships in her tiny task force. Each of the five ships had donated a draft of personnel. They were also working on an AI to help support the ship and crew.

The good news was that her Prometheus was a tender. Her engineering department was oversized and designed for making repairs to another ship … or building infrastructure. They were going to spend the next few weeks getting the ship sorted out and then on her way. She would be trailing behind them for some time until she caught up.

The realization that the Xeno threat in Upsilon was real had crystalized her decision process on their ultimate destination. They didn't need or want to be on the direct path of a potential invasion force from the neighboring sector. That left TauG5-98 Firework Blossom. The state people in that yacht were going to have to talk fast and work their magic to seal the deal.

That left the thorny problem of getting news of their catch and the danger that they were facing to the Federation.

She had a support force coming up behind her. There was also an ansible transport and her escort. She had endured a debate between the captains on who should return to the Federation. She had ended it by stating flatly that they would leave a message for the ansible transport to stop and set up an ansible and report in ASAP.

That still left the little matter of the crew of the suspected pirate ship. Well, they weren't going anywhere and well, her ship was a factory tender … they would stick them on ice once they built some stasis pods … after they were interviewed and processed of course.

<<(O)>>

Lieutenant Iwa casually monitored the interviews with the alleged pirates from Upsilon. What they were saying was deeply troubling. Very troubling indeed.

The four cruisers and single tender were on their way to the north to set up a naval base there with an eye to protecting the sector from possible threats in Upsilon. Along the way, they had recently captured an alleged pirate ship, the Sweet Boni Blackheart, a Cleveland class cruiser. She was a decrepit thing. The crew had been doing a bit of blackmail with the natives and had surrendered readily when the Federation ships had arrived in the star system.

The captain and bridge crew of the heavy cruiser Koa were very concerned about the threat of Xenos to their north that the pirates were reporting. It was confirmation that they dreaded. The tactical teams were eager to sort out the material that they had been given from the ship's databases.

There was enough in the databases to prove piracy … to some degree. The lawyers would have to sort that out later, however.

The AI noted a newcomer headed to the improvised interview room. According to the records, this one was one of several who had reportedly escaped from a pirate prison.

This might be interesting, the AI thought as it noted the physical fitness of the human. He might be trouble, the AI thought as the Marine looked warily at the muscle-bound human.

<<(O)>>

“Sorry about the wait, we had a bit of a line,” a harried lieutenant said as he came into the room. Jack stood at attention as the Neochimp marine undid his cuffs and then stood to one side. The door closed with the second Marine guard on the outside.

The lieutenant was busy looking at a tablet. Jack went to parade rest and waited.

“So, Jack Dufresne is it?” the lieutenant asked, finally looking up. He mangled the last name Jack noted. It was to be expected.

“Dew-frane,” Jack sounded it out.

The lieutenant blinked and then sat back. “Apologies.”

“No harm no foul,” Jack replied.

“So, this is something of an informal interview. You’ll forgive me if I am not interested in eating breakfast. I’m a bit full,” the lieutenant replied.

Jack grunted slightly. He preferred to work out before eating. He hadn’t had any breakfast and was hungry. But, he would go with the flow. The whole breakfast thing was a psychological gambit to put him at ease. That was interesting, but what was more interesting was that the lieutenant was practically admitting it.

The lieutenant studied him. “You are… an odd case, I have to admit.”

“Are you my JAG lawyer?” Jack asked as he kept his eyes 6 centimeters above the lieutenant’s head. He remained standing since he had not been invited to sit.

“No. Do you want one?” the lieutenant asked tiredly. He looked a bit peeved. “A few of your shipmates have asked for one.”

Jack nodded. He had heard that from the reports of some who had returned. They’d clammed up. They’d told the others to do the same so the interviews had apparently run faster.

“That should not be necessary. You read my file?” he glanced at the tablet. He had determined to take the plunge; there was no other path forward. There was also no point in maintaining the status quo. It just… bothered him. He’d lived with Dufresne for so long it was like an old worn jacket.

“Such as it is. Most of which we’ve assembled from the interviews. You are… a security risk I’m afraid. Leading an escape from a prison station?” the lieutenant asked. He glanced at the Marine.

Jack looked a little smug briefly. “Not my first time but yes,” he said indifferently. He was amused at the mind games that the lieutenant was playing.

There was a long silence.

“I see,” the lieutenant said, seemingly amused at the admission. He made a note on the tablet. After a moment he looked up. “You are a good candidate for stasis then. Just how old are you?”

Jack cocked his head. “In or out of stasis?” Jack asked as he finally looked directly at the lieutenant.

The lieutenant blinked and pursed his lips. “I see. So, you are a sleeper?”

“Yes.”

The lieutenant straightened up a bit. His eyes narrowed. After a moment he nodded. “You have identity implants. But they are basic civilian grade.”

Jack cocked his head and quirked an eyebrow upwards. “You just scanned me?”

“You were scanned several times by medical.”

“I see.” Jack didn’t mention that if he had ID implants he had to be a sleeper. Either the lieutenant was playing coy or he had seen so many people he was getting his facts jumbled up.

“Look, I’ve had a long day. I’m a bit tired from these interviews. So, do you have anything to contribute to your story?”

“A lot actually,” Jack replied mildly. He glanced at the Neochimp marine and then back to the human lieutenant.

The lieutenant tensed a little but then relaxed.

“New at this?” Jack asked.

“No, I’ve been around the block,” the lieutenant replied. He seemed a little defensive.

Jack cocked his head. “I see. Maybe I need to talk to a spook,” he said as he cautiously tested the waters. “Someone from ONI.”

The lieutenant blinked and then his eyes narrowed. “Maybe I should have introduced myself. My name is Lieutenant Albert Fogerty the IV. I am the resident intelligence officer. I am from Bek if that means anything to you.”

“A butter bar LT is the spook? What, no one else in this little task force? And you are what, ten years out of the academy?”

“Six,” the lieutenant said clearly nettled.

“A whole six years and you made LT?” Jack snorted. “What, did you graduate as a second lieutenant? I take it you didn’t process my IFF signal I sent the sergeant?”

“I… no…?” the lieutenant glanced at the Neochimp.

Jack decided to just go for it. It was now or never. “Ah. So, is that why I was left for last? I thought you were maintaining my cover,” Jack said as he decided to take the plunge.

“Cover?” the lieutenant asked and then snorted. “Don’t tell me you are one of Monty’s long lost agents,” he said.

“Who’s Monty?” Jack asked in a puzzled tone of voice.

The lieutenant blinked and then shrugged. “Ah… never mind.”

Jack thought about it and then sighed. He held out his hand.

“What? You want to shake?”

“No, I want you to jack in to my implants so I can provide my ID lieutenant,” Jack said evenly. “I can’t transmit the full ID by wifi. They are hidden,” he stated evenly.

The lieutenant blinked again but didn’t take the extended hand.

“Color of the day is Purple. Code phrase one is The Tax Man cometh. Second is Buzz Lightyear and Woody,” Jack said as if reading off a script.

The lieutenant frowned and then shook his head. “Is that supposed to mean anything?” he asked as he glanced at the hand and then Jack.

Who was this guy who didn’t know what the color of the day meant? Jack thought in annoyance. Really? A spook who didn’t know that?

“Is your ship AI monitoring this conversation?” Jack asked. He looked around the room until he spotted the camera focused on him. He stared at the unblinking lens and amber light.

“Yes,” An AI voice said. A hologram of an AI avatar appeared on the desk. Jack’s gaze was naturally attracted to it. The AI was in uniform naturally. It was a human female and had a slight Polynesian look to her.

“I am Lieutenant Iwa.”

“Please inform the Captain I’m on board,” Jack stated formally. “I think we need to have a chat in private,” he said as he glanced at the Marine and then to the LT. “Classified Ultra Blue.”

That made the Marine and lieutenant sit up straight.

“Who the hell are you?” the lieutenant asked in a quiet voice. “You don’t just throw words like that around.” He shook himself after a moment. “Where did you hear that? Some movie?”

“I am someone you forgot apparently,” Jack replied with a grimace. “That much is now obvious. Now, do I jack in to you, the AI, or wait for the captain?” He waved his hand slightly.

“Wait for the captain,” the AI stated flatly. “The lieutenant and I do not have clearance for your implants and quite frankly I don’t trust you not to have a virus or a wraith. Captain Jackson is on his way.”

“Good,” Jack said as he went back to parade rest.

<<(O)>>

 

LitStack Spots – Titles by Will Dean Here are some titles by Will Dean that…

The post Spotlight on “Adrift” by Will Dean appeared first on LitStack.

The cats on the vortex go ’round and ’round…

“Wheels” on the “bus,” dammit!

Ball in the track, if you please!

Why do I never understand what’s going on around here?

We didn’t want to tell you, but…well, you were dropped on your head as a kitten. Repeatedly.

You take that back!

 

Blue Beard, Red Hood (Beloved Villains #6)Rebecca F. Kenney
What is it about:A spicy, adult romantasy retelling of "Bluebeard" and "Little Red Riding Hood," two of Charles Perrault's most famous stories.
Sybil Fallon has a habit of summoning demons unintentionally and at the most inconvenient times. When she, her mother, and her sister are invited to an upcoming dinner at the estate of the mysterious Theron Beresford, Sybil is desperate to ensure that her ability won't manifest and ruin the evening. But when she seeks help from her reclusive former mentor, Grandmother Riquet, she discovers that the old woman has changed in dangerous and disturbing ways... and so has the forest in which she lives.
As Sybil struggles to control an ability she doesn't understand, she becomes strongly attracted to Beresford, the brawny, handsome estate owner. His distinctive blue beard isn't his only unusual trait. In addition to socially acceptable dinner parties, he also likes to host secret gatherings in the refurbished barn on his property. Sybil's first invitation to one of his naughty midnight parties opens her mind to a world of new pleasures. But with local disappearances inciting the suspicion of the neighbors, and Beresford's secretive nature raising questions in her own mind, Sybil must navigate an increasingly treacherous path through the forest of her circumstances in pursuit of the future she wants.
What did Voodoo Bride think of it:Yes, I totally went on a Rebecca F. Kenney Binge.This one I got as an ARC, but I bought the ebook as well, because I didn't get to reading/reviewing before the release.
I've always thought Bluebeard would be a great fairy tale to reimagine into something more sensual. And here it is!
I really enjoyed this mashup of Bluebeard and Little Red Riding Hood. I liked Sybil, and was as intrigued by Beresford as she was. There lots of deliciousness, some creepy things, and lots of suspense. There's elements of both fairy tales, but once again Kenney weaves them into a wonderful reimagining all her own. I had a great time with this and it won't be the last book by Kenney I will read.
Why should you read it:It's a sensual, suspenseful fairy tale mashup.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: 368 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: January 13, 2026
ASIN: B0F4Q7YQXK
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd book in Wild Magic series
Source: ebook from NetGalley for Review
Rating: 4/5 stars

“Like her sisters, Sage and Teal, Sky Flores has a touch of magic, and it’s caused nothing but heartache. Not only did she disappear into the woods years ago and reappear with no rational explanation, she’s also more comfortable talking to animals than to people. Different and misunderstood, Sky is shunned in the small town of Cranberry.

Sky’s neighbor, Adam Noemi, has his own problems. After being laid off from a prestigious newspaper, Adam, ever the ambitious reporter, needs a big headline to redeem his career. Enter Sky, a girl with a story that news outlets have been chasing for years. Sky agrees to grant Adam an exclusive interview on one condition: that he befriend Sky, in a very public way, to prove to everyone in Cranberry that she’s not an outcast.

As Sky shares her experiences with Adam, something much bigger than a simple agreement begins to grow between them. But for love to take root, Adam will have to take a leap towards a life that defies expectations, and Sky must open her heart – full of flora and fauna and mystical energies – to his curious mind.”

Series Info/Source: This is third book in the Wild Magic series. I got a copy of this to review on ebook from NetGalley.

Thoughts: This was a well done continuation of this series. I enjoyed reading about Sky’s story. My favorite book in this series remains the first book, but I enjoyed this one as well. You really feel for Sky and all that she’s been through; I thought her autism was well represented too.

Sky has a touch of magic; she can talk to animals. Unfortunately, with her long absence, she is more comfortable talking to animals than people, and the people of Cranberry town have not been kind to her. She feels like a burden on those around her. Sage and Teal have both moved on with their lives but still feel like they have to baby Sky. Sky is doing okay though; she has her job at the library and a couple of friends. She wants more and is trying to put herself out there. After some horrible experiences in an online dating app she finally clicks with someone online. Simultaneously, she keeps running into Adam. He was horrible to her in high school and is now the big time famous reporter (who seems to be down on his luck). Him and Sky have one thing in common, his father who is struggling with onset dementia. As Adam and Sky end up spending more time together via Adam’s father, they start to find out that they have more in common than they previously knew.

This was a cute story and I enjoyed it. I was excited to finally get Sky’s story, and she is by far the most timid of the sisters. I really felt for her and her feelings of loneliness, not fitting in, and of being a burden on those around her. I enjoyed watching her grow and find her footing throughout the story.

Sky has autism and this is represented throughout the story; she is sensitive to certain sensation and fabrics, has trouble with natural conversation and reading cues but she is trying to own it. I thought Gilliland did a great job representing this throughout the story. Sky is a high functioning individual who just needs to interact with people and things a bit differently. Adam comes off as a bit of a jerk initially, but I grew to enjoy his character more as the story progressed. The two end up having excellent chemistry together.

This story felt a bit slower than the previous two books. Sky had a mystery of a secret coven that she was trying to unravel but that was very much in the background and kept being forgotten throughout the story. There just didn’t seem to be as much to drive this story forward as there were in the first two books. I also love the Flores family, but they seem very scattered in this book. They do come together at times, but Sky felt very much on her own because she was very much on her own for a lot of the book. All the other members of the Flores family had valid but different priorities (new baby, new business, etc).

This was easy to read and cute and funny. I enjoyed it and think it was a decent close to this series about these magical sisters.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I liked this and thought it was a quick, cute, and fun read. It was a bit slower than the previous two books and I didn’t click with Sky as a character quite as well. However, I did like learning more about Sky and watching her grow and get her happiness. I would recommend this series to those who enjoy paranormal magic with a cozy feel; all of these books have an emphasis on family and finding happiness. I will definitely keep an eye out for Gilliland’s future books.

 Sitrep: The book is off to Goodlifeguide, we may see the book early, we'll see how it goes. No promises!

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Chapter 2

 

TauR14G6-15 Blue Waters and Gentle Mist

 

Admiral Rick Hunter was feeling pleased with himself over the entire conquest. The Taurens were moving in to take over. His Marines were working with his sensor techs to localize the holdouts on the ground. His AI let him know that he had an incoming ansible call.

“Admiral Logan?” he asked as her holographic image appeared.

“The one and the same. Well, two but I’m the female one,” Shelby quipped.

“Cute, ma’am. What’s up?” he asked. He felt a little trepidation over her call. Since they were back in contact, he was aware of the danger to the north.

“We have a problem.”

“We have plenty of them to go around, ma’am.”

“Cute.”

“Well, you did start it,” he replied.

She gave a short nod. “I’m talking about Sedu and the hostages.”

“Ma’am?”

“Our local grunt and jarhead commanders pointed out that the stasis pods have a short battery life. So, we have a ticking clock—about a year from the time that they were unplugged.” She paused and then nodded. “Right, Boni is saying a year.”

“Oh, lovely.” He frowned. “Wait … pods usually have longer battery life spans.”

“These are mass-produced jobs not the life pods that we use in the navy. They are supposed to be hooked up to a power network. The batteries are for them to be moved and in case of a momentary disruption in the power grid.”

Rick caught on and then grimaced. “Damn.”

“I know. I found it hard to believe until they mentioned the Pele refugees.”

Rick winced. His people had confirmed that out of the fifty thousand or so refugees, only a hundred had survived their “accident.”

“Damn,” he muttered. “Well, that does put a new spin on the situation.”

“It does indeed. Which means we need you to find Sedu. I know it is a big hay stack …”

“Actually, we have him localized to a single mountain range.”

“Oh?” she asked hopefully.

“That’s the good news. The bad news is that he split the hostages between the two planets. We don’t have the other localized.”

“Oh, damn,” Shelby said.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Okay, so, what is the plan?”

“This is a Marine thing, ma’am. I’ve got a company of marines but no gunships or anything like that. They have two squads of powered armor. They aren’t set up for a planetary invasion. Boarding actions are short and sweet. This is going to get nasty. Sedu will see them coming and will be ready for them.”

Shelby nodded. “And with the hostages in play, you can’t give orbital support other than intel and communications.”

“I know, ma’am.”

“Okay, don’t go off half-cocked.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, ma’am. My people are busy for the next few weeks locking down the Tauren ships and space stations at the moment. But I think I will authorize the jarheads to get to the ground and start poking around. Set up a perimeter and start closing the noose as soon as possible.”

“Okay. We have troops en route but they are months out. You know the drill there.”

“I do indeed. We’ll figure it out, ma’am.”

“Hopefully,” Shelby replied doubtfully.

<<(O)>>

Captain Doris Hierl felt fatigue but fought the urge to sit away firmly. She tapped her implants and a spurt of adreniline cleared the cobwebs for the moment.

It didn't beat sleep. The natural boost wasn't good for her long term, sleep was the best remidee, but for the moment, it was all she had. She needed to remain alert until things cooled off.

So far so good, the boarding actions were over. They had no opposition on the ships or stations. Her people were split between guarding the improvised brig station, the captured capital ships, the stations, and finding General Sedu and his forces.

The last thing was proving tricky. They were on it though. But the newest crinkle had her nervous. The brass had determined that there was a shelf life on the stasis pods. Given what had happened to the Pele refugees, she understood it.

Digging them out was going to be … tricky. For the moment, she had one platoon on each planet trying to localize the general and colonel and lock down a perimeter. Once that was done …

Hell, she wasn't certain what she'd do. She'd figure it out she thought as she ran a frustrated hand through her short hair.

<<(O)>>

Blue Waters

 

General Sedu nodded as the report came in that the orbital works were in the control of the Federation. That was to be expected.

He had halted all flights in the region. There was no point telling the enemy where they were. Communications and active sensors were on lockdown as well. His vehicles were all inside. A majority of the remaining work was on foot.

He had work crews outside running fiber optic line between distant outposts. The lines were covered in a brown sheeth that didn't quite match the ground so his people had to cover it with a bit of dirt or gravel to disguise it. That was fine.

The great thing about the fiber optic line was that there were no betraying electrical traces for anyone to pick up. Just light following a channel from point A to point B.

He smiled ever so slightly. What those light pulses controlled … well, the Fed Marines would find out in good time.

<<(O)>>

The post Colm Tóibín’s “Nora Webster” | Recovering Her Lost Self appeared first on LitStack.

As I mentioned in previous posts, I really got behind on my recommended reading lists. But I stored the books and articles, knowing I could catch up. I didn’t expect to get nearly seven months behind, but then I didn’t expect the last few years either. I’ve put out most of the old lists. Now, after this one, I only have September’s to finish. (Yay!) December’s list went live on January 2, as the Recommended Reading Lists were designed to do. October and November were on time as well, just not as quick as December’s. 

I picked up the Karen McManus book, One of Us is Back, after failing to find something to read in July. So it was my crossover book into August. Below you’ll understand why I abandoned McManus for a while, but I’m glad I picked her work up again. I binged and I usually don’t do that.

I’ll be honest here: I barely remember August. Life was stupidly hectic at that point. But I do remember reading all of the books listed below. 

August, 2025

 

Grynbaum, Michael, “Grand Old Party,” The Hollywood Reporter, July 9, 2025. Back in the day when I was flying all over the country every weekend, I’d pick up the latest copy of Vanity Fair as my airplane reading, which meant I read a lot of essays from Graydon Carter, the editor. I also saw a lot of pictures of “Hollywood’s Greatest Party.” I must admit I was curious, although friends who got in said it was no big deal. Whether it was a real no big deal or one of those no big deals that people mentioned when they thought it was a big deal, I can’t say. But it was ever present. And this article explains how it became a big deal. It’s an excerpt from a book on the history of Condé Nast. If the rest of the book is this fun, it’ll be worth reading.

McManus, Karen M., Nothing More To Tell, Delacorte Press, 2022. As I mentioned above, I binged Karen M. McManus’s work from the middle of August on. I explain below why it happened. I’m not recommending all of her books, but some worked really well for me. The unsolved murder in this one as well as the relationships really held me all the way through. Her books are great, quick reads, and quite involving.

McManus, Karen M., One of Us is Back, Delacorte Press, 2023. This is the third book in the One of Us is Lying series, which became a TV show. I had no idea about the show when I read the first book, which I loved. The second book was great…until the ending. Which had no validation at all. It wasn’t until I binged on all of McManus’s books that I realized she doesn’t understand the concept of validation. Sometimes she ends a book with a stab to the heart—a writerly stab to the heart. In other words, when she goes, Oh, wow, ouch, she thinks the readers will too. In a couple of the books that happened, but not in the second one. In the second one in this series, I just looked for the next page. Whoops. That’s not how validations work. They exist to let the reader know that the book is finished, even if the series isn’t.

So it took years for me to pick up Book 3, and then only because I was in need of something at midnight one night, and I read in paper, so an ebook wouldn’t cut it. (Besides, I don’t do screens before bed.) Book three was so incredibly good that I couldn’t put it down. Short summary: these books take place in a town called Bayview, and it’s one of those beleaguered places like Stephen King’s Derry, where people should move away but never do. Crimes occurred, secrets happen, and someone knows what no one is telling. And the stab to the heart from Book 2 factors into Book 3. So if you decide to read the series, forgive McManus for the failed ending of Book 2 and move forward. I’m glad I did.

McManus, Karen M., Two Can Keep A Secret, Ember, 2019. I was originally on the fence about the cover design of these books but now that I’ve had to stare at them for a while because I was slow getting to them, let me say that I hate them. I hate how they erase people. They made me uncomfortable, which fits with the books, but at the same time, I doubt I would have picked them up in a brick-and-mortar store. And yuck. Wiping out people’s faces? Maybe I’m just oversensitive given all that’s going on right now. (Sigh)

Anyway, these books are like catnip for me. And this one has the word “secret” in the title, which is really Kris-bait. Fortunately, the book is good, filled with family secrets and murder. It’s not my favorite (that’s coming up in September’s belated list), but it’s up there.

Perkins, Anne Gardiner, Yale Needs Women: How The First Group of Girls Rewrote The Rules of An Ivy League Giant, Sourcebooks, 2019. Sadly, this book reads like it was written in another century and in some ways it was. Written and published before the Supreme Court gutted Roe v. Wade and ensured that much of what happened to women in those years when abortion was not legal will happen again, this book talks about the victories we won as if we could keep them forever. (Sigh)

Anyway, women—especially young, college age women—you need to read this and understand what your sisters went through to allow you to have an education among your peers. Me, I remember much of this, even though some of it happened to women ten years older than I was. One of my best friends from high school, a young disabled woman who also happened to be the smartest person I knew (and may still be) got into Yale in 1977. Because we were all young and naive, we thought that was great, but she left after one year, returning to Minnesota. I remember thinking that she had capitulated, given up and retreated, but now, after reading this…fifty years on…I realize that no. What she faced as a woman and a disabled woman at that must have been miserable and seemed insurmountable.

This is an important book and its stupid title and terrible cover probably didn’t help its sales. So I hope you all will. And then I hope you read it.

Our Kickstarter went well, thanks to you all! Backer letters will go out over the weekend. Thank you so much!

In reply to Bill.

The ways of Amazon are inscrutable.

I’m lost, which series is Augustine from?/ I’ve read everything I don’t remember an Augustine? /Is Augustine someone from This Kingdom?

Augustine is the character from the Hidden Legacy series. We first meet him in Burn For Me, which is the first book.

A section of the wall slid aside. The receptionist looked at me. I stepped through the opening into a vast office. We must’ve been in a corner of the fin, because the wall to the left and straight ahead consisted of blue glass. A white, ultramodern desk grew seamlessly out of the floor. Behind the desk sat a man in a suit. His head was lowered as he read something on a small tablet, and all I could see was a thick head of dark blond hair styled into a short and no doubt expensive haircut.

I approached and stood by a white chair in front of the desk. Good suit, in that color between grey and true black people sometimes call gunmetal.

The man looked up at me. Sometimes people with talent in illusion minimized their physical flaws with their magic. Judging by his face, Augustine Montgomery was a Prime. His features were perfect, in the way Greek statues were perfect, the lines of his face masculine and crisp but never brutish. Clean-shaven, with a strong nose and a firm mouth, he had the type of beauty that made you stare. His skin nearly glowed, and his green eyes stabbed at you with sharp intelligence from behind nearly invisible eyeglasses. He probably had to have protective detail when he left the building to fend off all the sculptors who wanted to immortalize him in marble.

The glasses were a masterful touch. Without them, he’d be a god on a cloud, but the hair-thin frames let him keep one foot on the ground with us mere mortals.

“Mr. Montgomery,” I said. “My name is Nevada Baylor. You wanted to see me?”

Montgomery valiantly ignored the purple tint of bruises on my face.

“Sit down, please.”

He pointed to the chair. I sat.

“I have an assignment for you.”

Andrews, Ilona. Burn for Me: A Hidden Legacy Novel (pp. 29-30). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

Is the baby tiger ok?

Who do you take us for? Yes, the baby tiger is okay. Nothing bad happens to Kitty.

Does this mean the series is now back, and we’ll have Arabella’s trilogy?

No. You get Augustine’s novella with bonus Arabella scenes and her shorts from the blog. No promises for anything else.

Will Beast Business be available from your direct store? Is it an exclusive? Will it be on Amazon, B&N etc?

Beast Business will be available from all the usual retailers and our store.

Which formats will Beast Business have? When will they be available?

We are starting with the ebook, print paperback, and audio to follow. Print will be shortly after or on the release date of the ebook, while the audio will be a few months out. We are looking for our perfect Augustine audio reader. As always, the price of the POD print edition will be horrendous, but we have to make at least $1 from each sale, or we will be taking a loss.

We will announce the exact dates as they come in.

Will the audiobook be traditional narration or dramatized? Dual POV?

The novella is dual POV but we have made no decisions in regard to audio yet. It is a shorter project and not all audio readers work on shorter projects, but we are in process of reviewing the auditions.

Is it really coming out this January? 2 weeks from now January?! Can it be true?

We are aiming for the tail end of January. It’s the matter of getting the edits done. If we miss this deadline, we will have to push it to summer, because we do not want it to intrude on This Kingdom publishing window. Nobody wants to wait till summer, so January it is.

When does BB happen in the timeline?

A couple of months after Baylors buy their house.

Is this the same artist as the Hidden Legacy special edition?

Yes! Helena is amazing.

Is this Augustine’s real face or Augustine as he illusions himself to look?

If only there was a novella that might explore that question and give us some answers.

Detail Police: Why is Diana not blonde? Why does the cub not have 4 nostrils and a tentacle collar and 4 eyes and is not blue? Are Augustine and Diana the same age, because she is older than Cornelius?

It is so nice to see you guys still being that passionate about the series. It warms my evil heart. Let’s take these one at a time. Diana is not blonde because she changed her hair, which you can find in the first snippet of this novella.

Zeus does not have four eyes.

A creature waited next to him, indigo blue, with a spray of ghostly black and paler blue rosettes and spots across its fur. At least two and a half feet tall at the shoulder, six feet long, with a thick neck crowned with a fringe of tendrils, a short wide muzzle with dagger teeth, and wide paws as big as my hand. It reminded me of a tiger.

Andrews, Ilona. Wildfire: A Hidden Legacy Novel (p. 90). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

and

There was something feline about it, something reminiscent of the broad powerful tiger, but its nose was a complicated thing of four nostrils, and the fringe of tentacles that ringed its neck moved on its own. The beast looked at me with an understanding, as if it was a lot smarter than any Earth animal. It was just odd. Really odd and unsettling.

Andrews, Ilona. Wildfire: A Hidden Legacy Novel (pp. 95-96). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

It’s hard to draw that kind of nose on a tiger, especially when it’s that small, and Kitty is very young, so the tentacles are still forming, which is explained in the novella. The tiger is most definitely blue. Some of you think she is white, but she is not.

This is a white dress/blue dress situation.

I will also pause here to say that right now every book cover – not an exaggeration – is accused of “being AI.” We made a conscious decision to keep Kitty as tiger-like as we could and gave that description to Helena, because if Kitty was drawn with four nostrils, some people would assume it was an AI-generated image gone wrong. The potential fallout to the art and to the book was not worth it.

Augustine and Diana are roughly the same age. At the beginning of the series, Augustine is in his very early thirties, while Cornelius is 28.

Also, this cover is gorgeous, but it cannot possibly match the mental image of every Hidden Legacy reader because there are tens of thousands of you. While Helena is definitely an art Prime, there is no magic like that.

When will GA rerecord the books with the new Augustine?

They will not be rerecording them. So many people worked on them and the original actor gave a wonderful performance. He is very talented and his performance was inspired. It’s more that Catalina’s trilogy will get a different Augustine.

I thought the novella was a serial?

No. We only posted a couple of snippets. Serials require so much time, and we are putting in over 2,000 words on This Kingdom #2 every day.

When is the Spanish edition coming?

Mod R tells me June 9th, but please check with Hidra directly.

We are seeing two audiobooks of Inheritance on sale.

Correct. We are doublechecking this, but this is probably caused by our distributor stepping in. Initially, the Inheritance audio was exclusive to Audible/Amazon but now, after 90 days passed, our distributor will pushing it to other retailers. You are seeing that preorder.

My Turn

Now I have a question for you. We had a bunch of how-to writing articles on the blog, which we mostly archived. I’m not great at teaching. First, I’m not an expert. I know how to write commercial fiction, but I have none of the education that would train me for explaining how to do it. Second, fiction is also strange. What works for one person doesn’t work for another. You can really damage people with feedback if they are not ready for it, and I feel like I do more harm than good.

However, Mod R mentioned that people are still looking for the articles. I can bundle them together for you into an ebook reference, if there is enough interest, but I would have to charge a couple of bucks for it to recoup the time investment and editing costs.

I think the topics were something like how to fold time, how to write a chase scene, difference between show don’t tell and passive voice, basic story structure, etc. We did a class one time on the worldbuilding based on economy, and I think I still have the write up for that somewhere. For those who are still asking about the alphahole article, I took it down ages ago and I don’t have a copy of it.

I don’t think there will be enough interest in any of this, but if you want it, we will consider putting it together. If you want it, let us know in the comments and tell us which topics you want to be covered.

The post All the Questions, Some of the Answers first appeared on ILONA ANDREWS.

Last week, our septic system died. It had been giving us trouble for a while, making dyspeptic noises when we did the laundry or ran too much water through the pipes, draining too slowly, and generally seeming not well. You might say the whole thing crapped out on us. But shit happens….

We had someone come in to check it, and they told us the tank needed pumping. But when we had another someone come in to do that, they discovered that the tank, which is made out of cement, was broken, and had been KNOWN to be broken by the previous owners of the house, who had set up some weird makeshift patches over the broken section to hide or at least mitigate the problem. So, that was something of a pisser….

Then we had a third someone come in to remove the broken tank and replace it with one that, well, wasn’t broken. This was set to cost us a great deal of money — a butt-load, if you will. And they discovered that the broken tank was actually resting on a second tank, which was deeper in the ground. At which point, their already-substantial estimate ballooned further. That really stank. It felt like we were just flushing money down the toilet….

And actually, we had previously — as in just a couple of weeks ago — had to replace our hot water heater. Hence, you might say that the septic issues were our number two problem….

Okay, I’ll stop now with the terribly immature scatological humor. The septic problems were real — not something I made up to work in these awful jokes. Fortunately, the work is done, the expense has been borne, the bird feeders are back up, and the yard has been patched, though it will take a while for it to recover fully. The guys doing the tank replacement (who were great — professional, considerate, friendly, reliable, and determined to get the work done quickly) had to bring in some heavy equipment. There was nothing to be done about the lawn.

But that’s a small matter. Everything (for now) is working as it’s supposed to. You might even say that our problems are behind us now….

Enjoy your weekend!

Last week, our septic system died. It had been giving us trouble for a while, making dyspeptic noises when we did the laundry or ran too much water through the pipes, draining too slowly, and generally seeming not well. You might say the whole thing crapped out on us. But shit happens….

We had someone come in to check it, and they told us the tank needed pumping. But when we had another someone come in to do that, they discovered that the tank, which is made out of cement, was broken, and had been KNOWN to be broken by the previous owners of the house, who had set up some weird makeshift patches over the broken section to hide or at least mitigate the problem. So, that was something of a pisser….

Then we had a third someone come in to remove the broken tank and replace it with one that, well, wasn’t broken. This was set to cost us a great deal of money — a butt-load, if you will. And they discovered that the broken tank was actually resting on a second tank, which was deeper in the ground. At which point, their already-substantial estimate ballooned further. That really stank. It felt like we were just flushing money down the toilet….

And actually, we had previously — as in just a couple of weeks ago — had to replace our hot water heater. Hence, you might say that the septic issues were our number two problem….

Okay, I’ll stop now with the terribly immature scatological humor. The septic problems were real — not something I made up to work in these awful jokes. Fortunately, the work is done, the expense has been borne, the bird feeders are back up, and the yard has been patched, though it will take a while for it to recover fully. The guys doing the tank replacement (who were great — professional, considerate, friendly, reliable, and determined to get the work done quickly) had to bring in some heavy equipment. There was nothing to be done about the lawn.

But that’s a small matter. Everything (for now) is working as it’s supposed to. You might even say that our problems are behind us now….

Enjoy your weekend!

 

A Tale of Vines and Vengeance (Wicked Darlings #3.5)by Rebecca F. Kenney
What is it about:This is not a full novel, it is a short story connected to the Wicked Darlings series. It is meant to be read after you've completed all three of the main novels in the series, starting with A Court of Sugar and Spice. It contains some spoilers for the series.If you loved Clara and her handsome Sugarplum Faerie, Finias, you'll enjoy this small glimpse into their life after the events of the series.
What did Voodoo Bride think of it:I'm a rebel. I totally skipped over the third book in this series to read this short story about Clara and Fin.
And it's a quick read with both suspense and lots of deliciousness. If you loved Clara and her Sugarplum Faerie as much as I do, this is a must read!There's spoilers for the first two books, and maybe minor spoilers for the third book.
Why should you read it:It's fun and delicious.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Science Fiction/Paranormal
Length: 6 hours and 12 minutes
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Release Date: June 04, 2024
ASIN: B0CKWGFGHW
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd book in the Eclipsed Evolution series
Source: Audiobook from Audible.com
Rating: 3/5 stars

“As time has passed, Dr. Renee Caisson has begun to see the demonic, alien August as more than a research subject or an unlikely colleague—they’ve become friends. And together she and August have helped the two societies of Nextdoor and Earth through the confusion of first contact, the danger of misunderstandings, and the anger of mistreatment.

But when a popular blogger and conspiracy theorist twists August’s words, an uproar ensues, turning a powerful section of human society against the Neighbors—and resulting in Renee’s house arrest. Her could-be boyfriend, Major Jackson, says it’s to protect her, though that’s not how Renee sees it.

Torn between duty and friendship, August jumps Renee to freedom, fully aware that the journey might reveal more to her than she should know. The wily Neighbor has pieced together that Renee has been unconsciously using their magic, a fact that, if revealed, will cause more, not less, conflict between the humans and Neighbors.

For if the people of Earth can master magic and exile August’s people again, the Neighbors will not survive. . . .”

Series Info/Source: This is the third book in the Eclipsed Evolution series. I bought a copy of this on audiobook from Audible.

Thoughts: I am a bit torn about this series. I like the idea behind it and do enjoy some of the characters. However, it is really predictable and moves really slow (the novella format might have something to do with that). I got the first three of these on audiobook because I was looking for some shorter audiobooks that I could listen to during a car trip. The audiobook is okay; the narrator has a kind of raspy voice that can be tough to hear if there is a lot of background noise where I am listening (for example, in the car). I got these as a bundle deal and probably wouldn’t have kept reading after the first book if I hadn’t done that.

This book picks up right after where the second book in the series left off. Renee and August are starting to work on research projects together, and the Neighbors are now known to the rest of the world. When a popular blogger starts to twist the story, an uproar ensues and Renee ends up under house arrest. August jumps her out. However, the fact that Renee may be unconsciously using the neighbor’s spark magic has both human and neighbor sides concerned.

I like the idea behind this whole series; it is an intriguing blend of science fiction and paranormal elements. I also continue to like the characters; they are smart and kind, if a bit vanilla at times. I will also say that characters come across as very world-weary as well. I just feel like the story drags; the way things play out is exactly how I would expect them to play out. The actions characters take feel a bit underwhelming, and nothing is surprising. This makes the story feel strangely unoriginal (even though the premise is unique) and a bit tired.

Everything about this is okay but not great. I originally thought this was a trilogy and that this book would wrap up the series, however I was wrong. Nothing is resolved in this book, and there will definitely be more books in this series.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I find this series underwhelming. I like the premise and the characters, but struggle with how predictable and tired the story feels. If I hadn’t bought all three of these together, I probably wouldn’t have read past the first book. Now that I have the three released books in this series, I am still feeling underwhelmed and don’t plan on reading additional books in this series. This is definitely not Harrison’s finest. Despite the creative premise, this story has been very slow, predictable, and tired.

 So, I hope everyone had a good holiday season. Mine was mixed.

Anyway, I am between books still and working on a bunch of print projects with my new Elegoo Centauri Carbon at the moment. But I sent Shelby 10 off to Rea and Goodlifeguide so, here is the first snippet!

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           Chapter 1

New Tau Metropolis

 

Vice Admiral Shelby Logan stared at the bulkhead. Things were coming together but not how she had hoped.

"Ma'am?" Boni asked carefully.

"Yes?"

"We recieved confirmation that General Sedu went to ground with the hostages. He's taken a chunk of the reservation aliens too, apparently to work as a slave workforce. He has dug into the Eastern Reserve Mountain Range. Apparently the area is riddled with caves and mines."

Shelby scowled and looked down and then to the window. "Damn it."

"This was not anticipated."

"No, it was," Shelby said with a shake of her head. "The grunts and jarheads knew that he might pull this shit—at least find a way to fight and possibly go down fighting. Taking the hostages was not something that was considered but should have been."

"Yes, ma’am," the AI stated, grateful that her principle was beginning to think properly again.

"Let the colonels know and give them whatever support that they need. We need to end this. Preferably without a bloodbath."

"Yes, ma’am."

Shelby inhaled and then exhaled slowly. After a moment, she shook herself. "The good news is that the grunts were in preparation of this contingency." There were hundreds of troops en route to T-15. But they were scattered in various ships in transit from various locations, some as far away as Agnosta in Rho Sector.

"Yes, ma’am. Pity about the timing, most of the line troops are in Sigma."

"Don't I know it," Shelby stated in disgust. "And it doesn't help that we've got penny packets of army reservists all over the sector with expensive bases and equipment but not the right sort of troops. All weekend warriors and engineers."

"Reservists can fight, ma'am. They have the basic training."

"I don't know; I never looked too deep into the grounder's training methods. Aren't most of them support personnel?"

"Yes, ma’am. Army Corps of Engineers, some SAR, MASH, logistics, training, recruiters … a few infantry units but none larger than a company. They are scattered as you mentioned."

Shelby shook her head. That was all thanks to the partisans in congress who had spread the love with the army at the expense of the navy when they had been blocking Admiral Irons’ rebuilding efforts after Horath blew up in everyone's faces. "My point stands."

She scowled. "Alert all commands to support any movements. If the Marines or army need transport, I want them moved within twenty-four hours if possible. Less is better."

"Aye aye, ma’am."

<<(O)>>

Lebynthos

 

As soon as the details began to come in, the 2 Colonels had their schedules changed so that they could sit down with each other and discuss it.

“Good news, Lobo is out of it and the navy has control of the star system.”

“With the exception of the ground,” Colonel Letterman said as he continued to study the report. His jaw flexed when he got to news about the hostages.

“So, worst case confirmed, you were right. He went to ground and took the hostages with him. Now we have to dig him out without rock bombing his ass into oblivion.”

“Exactly,” the army colonel said with a resigned shake of his head.

Brown eyes surveyed the army colonel. “You don’t look happy at being right,” the Neochimp said.

“That’s because I’m not,” Colonel Letterman sighed.  “This is going to be a bitch.”

“I know. Good news, Taurens do not like enclosed spaces.”

“True. But there is a ticking clock.”

Randy blinked. “Oh? Why the sense of urgency? The hostages are still in their pods right?”

“Exactly.”

The Neochimp Marine’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “Exactly?”

“The pods. They have a limited battery life. Unless they are hooked to an external power source.”

“Um… shouldn’t they last for like, centuries? Like Admiral Irons did?”

“Admiral Irons was in a life pod. These stasis pods are for long term movement of people. The batteries are purely there as a backup and for when they are moved around. Remember what they said about the death of the Pele refugees?”

The Neochimp blinked and then his eyes flared wide in surprise and consternation. “Shit!”

“Right. The Pele refugees died because some idiot shut the power off and the batteries shut off after a few months.”

“Oh frack…”

“We don’t have years to starve him out. Months at best.”

“Damn it…”

“Right.”

“Do the powers that be know this?”

Colonel Letterman looked up to the ceiling. “You know, that is a damn good question.”

<<(O)>>

Celebrate the launch of Twelve Months with Jim on Reddit with an “Ask Me Anything” event!

…Not to mention all the stretch goals. Yes, we’re running a Make 100 Kickstarter, and it ends today. So, if you were thinking about getting 100 detective stories in all genres, you’re almost out of time. Fifty of the stories are mine, and fifty are Dean’s. Plus any extras that came with the Kickstarter itself.

(And if you signed up for my newsletter, you got two more.)

If you want a sample, read my Free Fiction Monday story, “Helmie.”  Last week’s free fiction story was also from the book, but alas, free fiction vanishes from my site when I post the new one. However, if you read it last week, you might remember…

Anyway, the Kickstarter with all of its deals on books and workshops will vanish at 7 p.m. PST tonight. So click here for your last chance to get all the good deals.

Titles by Arturo Perez-Reverte

The post Spotlight on “The Final Problem” by Arturo Perez-Reverte appeared first on LitStack.