Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"'s bookshelf: read en-US Wed, 09 Jul 2025 15:38:08 -0700 60 Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"'s bookshelf: read 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Atmosphere 220817728 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six comes an epic new novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s Space Shuttle program about the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits.

Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember. Thoughtful and reserved, Joan is content with her life as a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASA’s Space Shuttle program. Suddenly, Joan burns to be one of the few people to go to space.

Selected from a pool of thousands of applicants in the summer of 1980, Joan begins training at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond and scientist John Griffin, who are kind and easy-going even when the stakes are highest; mission specialist Lydia Danes, who has worked too hard to play nice; warm-hearted Donna Fitzgerald, who is navigating her own secrets; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer, who can fix any engine and fly any plane.

As the new astronauts become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined. In this new light, Joan begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe.

Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant.

Fast-paced, thrilling, and emotional, Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid at her best: transporting readers to iconic times and places, with complex protagonists, telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of love, this time among the stars.]]> 352 Taylor Jenkins Reid 0 currently-reading 4.44 2025 Atmosphere
author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/07/09
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]]> <![CDATA[A School so Gorgeous and Fatal (Counterpart Academy Book 1)]]> 235400039 For fans of Shadowhunters, Vampire Academy, and A Deadly Education — comes a gripping new YA urban fantasy full of magic, danger, and secrets worth dying for.

Some secrets are worth risking everything for. Others will kill you first.

A secret society murdered my father and left me for dead. Well, I've got news for them - I'm not just his daughter, I'm his vengeance.

My quest for justice has led me to Counterpart Academy, a hidden school of secrets, power and forbidden magic nestled in the heart of Wellington, New Zealand. Everyone here seems to have their own agenda. Especially the dangerously attractive Riley Aberdeen. Then there's Sephy, an outrageous manticore with a knack for inappropriate humour and a nose for trouble.

Let's get one thing I'm not here for friends. I'm here for answers. If those answers come at the price of my life... so be it. But the more I uncover, the more I risk losing those I love in a deadly game of lies, power, and dark legacy.

In this YA urban fantasy packed with academy intrigue, slow-burn tension, and magical secrets, one young woman must how far will she go for revenge — and what will it cost to survive?]]> 322 Sam Blood 0 currently-reading 4.22 A School so Gorgeous and Fatal (Counterpart Academy Book 1)
author: Sam Blood
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.22
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rating: 0
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date added: 2025/07/08
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]]> <![CDATA[The Reluctant Womb: Life Before Roe v. Wade—A Novel]]> 236574807 A powerful novel of friendship, choice, and survival—before Roe v. Wade, when a woman’s options could define her destiny.

In 1963, three college friends at the University of Michigan are on the cusp of adulthood, full of dreams and discovering their place in the world. But when two of them become pregnant, they face an impossible abortion is illegal, birth control is hard to come by, and society is quick to judge.

Set in the years before Roe v. Wade, The Reluctant Womb follows these young women as they grapple with love, shame, secrecy, and the consequences of choices no one should be forced to make alone. Against the backdrop of the sexual revolution, shifting gender roles, and political unrest, their stories illuminate the emotional and societal weight of unplanned pregnancy in a time when women had little agency over their own bodies.

Based on true events and written by one of the women who lived them, Pamela Blair’s novel is both a poignant coming-of-age story and a timely reminder of how much—and how little—has changed.

For readers of historical fiction, women’s fiction, and memoir-style novels, The Reluctant Womb is an unforgettable story of resilience, friendship, and the fight for reproductive freedom.

A CHOICE THAT WASN’T A CHOICE]]> 412 Pamela Blair 0 to-read 5.00 The Reluctant Womb: Life Before Roe v. Wade—A Novel
author: Pamela Blair
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 5.00
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]]> Graceless Heart 231126993 A lush, atmospheric and achingly magical standalone adult fantasy romance set in Renaissance Italy from a #1 New York Times bestselling author.

In 15th-century Volterra, sculptress Ravenna Maffei enters a competition hosted by a secretive, immortal family who offer an invaluable boon to the victor. Desperate to win so she can save her brother, Ravenna reveals a rare magical talent-a dangerous act in a city where magic is forbidden. Her revelation makes her a target, and she is kidnapped by the Luni family and taken to Florence, a city of breathtaking beauty and cutthroat ambition.

There, Ravenna is forced into an impossible task where failure means certain death at the hands of Saturnino dei Luni, the family's enigmatic and merciless heir. But under his cold reserve hides a vulnerability that draws her closer than she ever intended.

Meanwhile, Ravenna's forbidden magic does not go unnoticed. The Pope, waging war against Florence, the Medici, and magic itself, has his own interest in her abilities, seeing her as a potential weapon in his ruthless campaign.

As alliances shift and war brews on the horizon, Ravenna must navigate the treacherous line between survival and betrayal, between love and duty. With time running out and her every move watched, the choices she makes will determine the fate of not just her own life, but the fragile balance of magic and power that could unravel Florence itself.]]> 488 Isabel Ibañez 1250376696 0 to-read 4.35 2026 Graceless Heart
author: Isabel Ibañez
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2026
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/07/07
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]]> The Women of Arlington Hall 220290921 A female codebreaker puts her future and her heart on the line in a stirring novel about love, loyalty, betrayal, and Cold War spy games by the bestselling author of The Secret Stealers.

1947: Adventurous Radcliffe graduate Catherine “Cat” Killeen cancels her wedding and upends a future that no longer suits her. At the behest of her professor and hungry for a challenge, Cat arrives in Virginia to work on a confidential military project. A student in cryptoanalysis, Cat is already ahead of the game—to assist in rooting out Soviet spies who have infiltrated the US.

Joining the “government girls” of Arlington Hall, Cat gains the respect of her superiors and the friendship of her peers. Then, on a night out in DC, Cat runs into Jonathan Dardis, her arrogant and privileged Harvard rival and newly minted agent for the FBI. What Cat and Jonathan share is a competitive drive and an attraction that’s becoming just as spirited. They’re also united in the same critical goal for America. Together, they’re diving deep into the shadows of espionage.

The stakes of the codebreaking operation grow ever higher, and Cat’s relationship with Jonathan opens her heart. Amid dangerous intrigue and grave secrecy, Cat is ready for every risk. No matter how personal the stakes get.]]> 335 Jane Healey 1662526504 0 to-read 4.19 2025 The Women of Arlington Hall
author: Jane Healey
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.19
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rating: 0
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date added: 2025/07/07
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]]> The Fourth Daughter: A Novel 222791992 In Taiwan, the bond between grandmother and granddaughter opens up a healing world for them both in an inspiring family saga about the comfort of food, untold histories, and indomitable mother love.

Chef Liv Kuo’s star is on the rise…until a traumatic incident leaves her emotionally unable to venture outside her Manhattan apartment. But an unexpected reason to break free comes from Ah-Ma, Liv’s beloved grandmother in Taiwan. Ah-Ma needs Liv’s help in finding her fourth daughter, taken from her when the girl was an infant. After all these years, it seems impossible. It’s also a Ah-Ma’s fourth daughter is an aunt Liv never even knew existed.

After landing in Taiwan, Liv hears the heartbreaking story of her grandmother’s plight in a country once under martial law, of choices made for her, and of the hopeful search for a lost girl that has endured for more than sixty years. Like the enriching food and traditions that bind Liv and Ah-Ma, their journey for answers brings them together.

And it’s a quest that turns up both a precious old cookbook and a tale of fatal betrayal that shakes everything Liv believed about her family—revelations that could also give her the courage to face the trauma she left behind.]]> 299 Lyn Liao Butler 1662529058 0 to-read 4.23 The Fourth Daughter: A Novel
author: Lyn Liao Butler
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.23
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/07/07
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]]> <![CDATA[While the Dark Remains (The Winter Dark, #1)]]> 222208035 459 Joanna Ruth Meyer 1662530692 0 to-read 3.96 2025 While the Dark Remains (The Winter Dark, #1)
author: Joanna Ruth Meyer
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/07/07
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]]> Wolf Caged 237218837
I was born into this world and raised for one purpose.

To become the mate of the alpha of the Hunt wolves to keep the peace between our packs.

Fate made me for him, but he has other plans.

Ones involving a black-market auction and selling me to the highest bidder.

I shouldn't find the cold, brutal unseelie fae king who buys me attractive. I shouldn't crave his touch. His wicked smiles. His smouldering looks.

But I have never craved anything as fiercely as I crave him.

Except the one thing he won't give me.

My freedom.


KING KAELERON THE WRATHFUL

She is everything I should not want… but she is everything I need.

My seer told me the little wolf shifter would bring me the vengeance I have been chasing for centuries, but the female is more intriguing and exquisite than I want to admit. She is sin hiding behind a mask of innocence. Fire concealed under a layer of ice.

She is dangerous.

And I want to burn her resolve to ashes, the way she torches my self-control.

The longer I spend with her, the stronger this obsession becomes. She thinks I am a monster, but she is the one who awakened this ravenous, possessive beast inside me.

I want to peel away that pretty mask and shatter it.

I want to set her free.]]> Felicity Heaton 0 to-read 0.0 Wolf Caged
author: Felicity Heaton
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 0.0
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date added: 2025/07/06
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]]> <![CDATA[The Lavender Blade: An Exorcist's Chronicle (Exorcist's Chronicles)]]> 220259176
Until Lucian is truly possessed.

A powerful demon takes hold, twisting his body into something unnatural, horrific, wrong—and no priest, no con, no desperate lie can fix it. With time running out and Lucian slipping further away, Colton has no choice but to learn real magic, break every rule, and attempt the impossible.

Because if he fails, Lucian won’t just be lost. He’ll be something else entirely]]> 344 E.L. Deards 1684633206 0 to-read 3.55 2025 The Lavender Blade: An Exorcist's Chronicle (Exorcist's Chronicles)
author: E.L. Deards
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/07/06
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]]> The Morgue Keeper 235377712


Soon Qing Yuan and other medical workers are accused and detained as counter-revolutionaries by Mao's Red Guards. Locked in a coal room with the accused, Qing Yuan witnesses and experiences unspeakable horrors in a fight to survive. When he's released on a whim, Qing Yuan must summon the inner strength to rebuild his life as a dunce-capped pariah and solve the mystery of what happened on the night #19 was murdered.   



Written by Ruyan Meng, a political dissident of China residing the United States, The Morgue Keeper is based on real-life events. Meng's debut novel is both a Kafkaesque mystery and a survivor's testimony. Qing Yuan is a narrator readers will never forget, an ordinary man whose heroism is to simply insist on human kindness and dignity even in the most chaotic and catastrophic circumstances. ]]> 190 Ruyan Meng 0 to-read 5.00 The Morgue Keeper
author: Ruyan Meng
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 5.00
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]]> The Poet Empress 231127166 Debut author Shen Tao introduces readers to the lush, deadly world of The Poet Empress, a sweeping, epic and intimate fantasy perfect for fans of The Serpent & the Wings of Night, The Song of Achilles and She Who Became the Sun.

In the waning years of the Azalea Dynasty, the emperor is dying, the land consumed by famine, and poetry magic lost to all except the powerful.

Wei Yin is desperate. After the fifth death of a sibling, with her family and village on the brink of starvation, she will do anything to save those she loves.

Even offer herself as concubine to the cruel heir of the beautiful and brutal Azalea House.

But in a twist of fate, the palace stands on the knife-edge of civil war with Wei trapped in its center…at the side of a violent prince.

To survive, Wei must harden her heart, rely on her wit, and become dangerous herself. Even if it means becoming a poet in a world where women are forbidden to read—and composing the most powerful spell of all. A ballad of death...and love.

The Poet Empress is an epic fantasy that explores darker themes, subjects, and scenes that may not be suitable for all readers. Please see the author's content note at the beginning of the book.]]> 400 Shen Tao 1250406811 0 to-read 5.00 2026 The Poet Empress
author: Shen Tao
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 5.00
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rating: 0
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]]> When Crickets Cry 241387 A man with a painful past. A child with a doubtful future. And a shared journey toward healing for both their hearts.

It begins on the shaded town square in a sleepy Southern town. A spirited seven-year-old has a brisk business at her lemonade stand. But the little girl's pretty yellow dress can't quite hide the ugly scar on her chest.

Her latest customer, a bearded stranger, drains his cup and heads to his car, his mind on a boat he's restoring at a nearby lake. The stranger understands more about the scar than he wants to admit. And the beat-up bread truck careening around the corner with its radio blaring is about to change the trajectory of both their lives.

Before it's over, they'll both know there are painful reasons why crickets cry . . . and that miracles lurk around unexpected corners.]]> 352 Charles Martin 1595540547 0 netgalley-audiobooks 4.25 2006 When Crickets Cry
author: Charles Martin
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2006
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/07/05
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]]> River of Stars 221812015
Walnut Tree Island is home to artists, dreamers, lovers and heartbreakers. Life is different slow, languorous and always communal, with every evening offering a new opportunity to gather at a neighbour's houseboat over a glass of wine.

But when a former resident reappears after nearly two decades away, the islanders are thrown into a frenzy as they wonder what plans their new landlord has in store for them.

And for Jo, an artist who long ago lost her muse, his return reopens the wounds of a love she thought was gone forever…]]> 352 Georgina Moore 000850640X 0 netgalley 4.04 River of Stars
author: Georgina Moore
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.04
book published:
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date added: 2025/07/05
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]]> <![CDATA[A Kiss of Frost and Fang: A Paranormal Witch Romance]]> 229269590
Alara Cole spent years pouring her magic and soul into The Caffeinated Cauldron. When the former owner retired, the cafe was supposed to be hers. Instead, she’s stuck serving lattes to the vampire who stole it from her.

Drakari Slate is cold, controlling, sinfully hot… and the bane of her existence. As her boss, he’s slapped down his first decree: no more magic in the drinks.

But Alara isn’t the kind of witch to play nice. If Drakari won’t sell her the shop, she’ll take matters into her own hands. A little illegal spellwork never hurt anyone, right? Except when her potion backfires, and suddenly, he’s looking at her very differently.

With a greater threat closing in, Alara is out of time. To take back what’s hers, she’ll have to do the unthinkable—trust the vampire she tried to hex.

Love bites. Sometimes literally.

For fans of Scarlett St. Clair and Jennifer Armentrout, A Kiss of Frost and Fang delivers a devastating vampire, sharp banter, and an enemies-to-lovers paranormal witch romance so hot it’ll leave you breathless.

One spell. One mistake. One vampire who just might ruin her. Grab your copy today.]]> 227 Olivia Savage 0 to-read 3.94 A Kiss of Frost and Fang: A Paranormal Witch Romance
author: Olivia Savage
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.94
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rating: 0
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date added: 2025/07/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Wicked Fae, Cursed Magic (Wickedborn Magic, #2)]]> 228637223

Life gets dangerous. And very, very hot. June Cooper is top of her class at the Institute for Modern Sorcery. She’s smart, structured, and a spell-crafting prodigy with the panic attacks to prove it. Her future depends on passing her Certification Exam and keeping her record spotless.

But there’s a problem.

In secret, her power is failing. The Institute is watching. And one magical mistake is all it would take for her life to unravel.

June desperately needs answers—and makes the worst kind of deal to get them.

Rhain Valien is a former Fae warlord with sin in his voice and ruin in his gaze. His reputation is scandalous. His methods are brazen. But he has a rare he can see magic in its raw, true form.

Exposed within his power, nothing stays hidden—not even the things she’s been too afraid to name.

But nothing prepares her for the moment he Take off your clothes. Get on your knees. Unleash your magic.

For fans of Carissa Broadbent, Scarlett St. Clair, and Jennifer Armentrout, Wicked Fae, Cursed Magic delivers enemies-to-lovers heat, forbidden power plays, a morally gray Fae warlord, and magical academia with spice.

One magical meltdown. One depraved agreement. One wicked Fae she should never have asked for help.

Grab your copy today.

Book 2 in the Wickedborn Magic series. This begins June’s multi-book arc and can be read as a standalone.]]> 273 Olivia Savage 0 to-read 4.50 Wicked Fae, Cursed Magic (Wickedborn Magic, #2)
author: Olivia Savage
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.50
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date added: 2025/07/04
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]]> Dark Sisters: A Novel 222376679 “A BONFIRE, A BEACON, A BALM, A RALLYING CRY... A beautifully written, mesmerizing horror epic... Magnificent.” – Rachel Harrison, USA Today bestselling author of So Thirsty

In this fiercely captivating novel, horror meets historical fiction when a curse bridges generations, binding the fates of three women. Anne Bolton, a healer facing persecution for witchcraft, bargains with a dark entity for protection—but the fire she unleashes will reverberate for centuries. Mary Shephard, a picture perfect wife in a suffocating community, falls for Sharon and begins a forbidden affair that could destroy them both. And Camilla Burson, the rebellious daughter of a preacher, defies conformist expectations to uncover an ancient power as her father’s flock spirals into crisis.

Three women. Three centuries. One legacy of fury, love, and a power that refuses to die.

“A hauntingly beautiful exploration of revenge, feminine rage, and the secrets that bind women across time... Frightening, subversive, and provocative.” – Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author The Lost Apothecary]]> 336 Kristi DeMeester 1250286816 0 to-read 4.27 Dark Sisters: A Novel
author: Kristi DeMeester
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.27
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date added: 2025/07/04
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]]> These Hands: A Love Story 209119939
Lucas Daniel was born with the power to heal. But it’s not a gift, instead, it’s a life sentence filled with isolation and loneliness, leaving him starved of the love and affection he yearns for. During his secluded childhood, he defies his mother’s over-protective rules and tries to befriend Kelsey, the new girl next door. But she thinks he’s a freak and wants nothing to do with him … until she accidentally discovers his secret.

They soon form an inseparable bond, sharing their hopes and dreams for the future. Until a devastating event leaves Kelsey’s life hanging in the balance. Lucas does everything he can to save her but leaves her face scarred for life. Believing his secret has been exposed, his mother whisks him away and changes their identities.

Now a reclusive country veterinarian, he’s managed to keep his secret for decades. But when Kelsey moves to the same rural town, he just might get everything he's ever wanted, and everything he's ever feared.]]> 469 Darcy Daniel 0 currently-reading 4.38 These Hands: A Love Story
author: Darcy Daniel
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.38
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]]> <![CDATA[Glass Wings (The Glass Wings Series, #1)]]> 213788974
Pain erupted from Hadley’s shoulders, blood, deep and blue streaked down her back. A metal chain groaned around her ankle, the only sound besides her screams in the dark.

Eighteen and alone in California, Hadley sells the only thing she has left to make ends herself. When strange things start happening, Hadley has nowhere to turn. She will soon learn that there are worse things than humans watching her from the shadows.

Hadley’s existence is an anomaly. She has inherited an ancient feud between immortals both good and evil. With it, powers she can’t yet control. Her path extends back centuries, tying her to five winged immortals: a gentle soul burdened with destructive abilities, twins whose connection to the moon ties them to fate, a woman whose commands shape destinies, and a boy who wanders the realm of unconsciousness.

She will soon learn what they’ve all known for even divine beings aren’t immune to family drama. When the light and the dark prepare for war, only you can decide which side you fall on—and it might not be as clear as you think.]]> 276 Elle Kaelee 0 to-read 3.97 2024 Glass Wings (The Glass Wings Series, #1)
author: Elle Kaelee
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/07/04
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]]> Moth Dark 224082680 From the bestselling author of Threads that Bind and Hearts that Cut comes a brand-new compulsive romantasy about a girl obsessed with the dark and the shadowy magical prince she falls in love with, perfect for fans of Holly Black and Laini Taylor.

The dark has come alive . . .

Six years ago, vicious creatures began to crawl out of the dark crevices of the world, and with it Sascia’s fascination with the darkness was born. Now eighteen, that fascination has become an obsession, and while exploring an area known for its connection to the Darkworld, Sascia sees a person climb out of the darkness. But Nugau is no ordinary person, they’re a genderfluid elf prince with one mission . . . to kill Sascia.

Except, the second time they meet, Nugau is younger and doesn’t recognise Sascia. And the third time, Nugau stumbles out of the darkness with poison running through their veins, expressing their undying love for her.

Piecing together the puzzle, Sascia makes two shocking the timelines of her world and Nugau’s are not linear, and she is inexplicably enmeshed in a war between humanity and elves. But with their worlds at battle, is it worth fighting for each other . . . ?

Praise for Threads that Bind:
'A fantastical – and utterly original – world. A must-read for all fantasy fans.’ Sarah Underwood, author of Lies We Sing to the Sea

'A gorgeous dark tapestry of mystery, fated romance and modern myth.’ Alexandra Bracken, author of Lore

'Kika Hatzopoulou delivers a high-stakes, page-turning mystery with an utterly gasp-worthy twist.’ Leslie Vedder, author of the Bone Spindle trilogy
]]> 384 Kika Hatzopoulou 0593859375 0 netgalley 4.37 2025 Moth Dark
author: Kika Hatzopoulou
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2025
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]]> Shine 31279715 Small Great Things. In “Shine,” the master storyteller and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Leaving Time and My Sister’s Keeper introduces readers to the unforgettable Ruth Brooks.

Today is Ruth’s first day of third grade at Dalton. The prestigious institution on New York’s Upper East Side couldn’t be more different from her old school in Harlem. Despite being the smartest girl in her grade, Ruth suspects that her classmates and teachers only see her dark skin. She also notices that Christina, the daughter of her mother’s employer, treats Ruth very differently when they’re hanging out with the popular girls rather than playing together. Ruth must navigate between two worlds, never losing sight of the dreams she has for herself—in hopes that someday, someone will see her for who she really is.

Includes a preview of Jodi Picoult’s highly anticipated new novel, Small Great Things!]]> 42 Jodi Picoult 0399178538 0 netgalley-audiobooks 3.81 2016 Shine
author: Jodi Picoult
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2016
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]]> <![CDATA[Daughter of the Tarot: A BRAND NEW dazzling, historical read from Clare Marchant for 2025]]> 229050907 THE HOUSE OF THE WITCH. Perfect for fans of The Midnight House and The Square of Sevens. ✨ Two women, linked by the cards 🃏, unravel a secret spanning the decades...

1644: Portia is living in London, having escaped an abusive man in Italy, with just baby Vittoria and the clothes on their backs. Making her living reading tarot cards, she starts to realise there are other women like her – who need help. As she delivers the Devil card to their door, each has the chance to escape… But to what future? Because Portia is a woman with secrets. And they are about to come back to haunt her.

After her mother’s death and father’s hasty plans to remarry, Beatrice has left home to open a tarot shop in London. But when she’s unpacking, she finds a set of cards she’s never seen before, one that’s evidently been handed down through generations of her family. It’s a set that is missing a card though… the Devil’s Card. She begins to search for the lost card, but she also starts to hear rumours of that very card being linked to a series of murders of women in 17th century London… 

Will she find the truth… or will she only see the illusions the cards are suggesting?

Readers love Clare ‘I was completely hooked by this brilliant timeslip novel. Unmissable!’ Bestselling author, Louise Douglas

‘A haunting tale of one woman’s struggle to be independent at a time when strong women were seen as a threat and dealt with accordingly… Gripped me from the first page and refused to let go.’ Bestselling author, Jenni Keer

'A page turning historical novel that kept me guessing until the very end.’ Bestselling author, Rachel Burton

‘I absolutely loved this book… Historical fiction at its best. I loved the two strong women bound by place and history. I read [it] in two sittings, it was hard to put down!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow!!! I was totally hooked from the very first page… A real page turner!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐

‘A wonderful timeslip novel, that reminds me of Barbara Erskine… Highly recommended.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐

‘Captivating… [A] gripping story of courage, resilience, history, triumph, discovery and hard-fought freedom. I highly recommend it!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐

‘Wonderful!… A totally absorbing tale, I read it in a day… I absolutely loved it.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐

‘Amazing and fascinating… So atmospheric… So many brilliant twists, and breath-holding moments, I really struggled to put down this fantastic book!’ *Reader Review *⭐⭐⭐

‘]]> 311 Clare Marchant 1836030606 0 netgalley 4.25 Daughter of the Tarot: A BRAND NEW dazzling, historical read from Clare Marchant for 2025
author: Clare Marchant
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.25
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review:

]]> The Mercies 46138193 After a storm has killed off all the island's men, two women in a 1600s Norwegian coastal village struggle to survive against both natural forces and the men who have been sent to rid the community of alleged witchcraft.

Finnmark, Norway, 1617. Twenty-year-old Maren Magnusdatter stands on the craggy coast, watching the sea break into a sudden and reckless storm. Forty fishermen, including her brother and father, are drowned and left broken on the rocks below. With the menfolk wiped out, the women of the tiny Northern town of Vardø must fend for themselves.

Three years later, a sinister figure arrives. Absalom Cornet comes from Scotland, where he burned witches in the northern isles. He brings with him his young Norwegian wife, Ursa, who is both heady with her husband's authority and terrified by it. In Vardø, and in Maren, Ursa sees something she has never seen before: independent women. But Absalom sees only a place untouched by God and flooded with a mighty evil.

As Maren and Ursa are pushed together and are drawn to one another in ways that surprise them both, the island begins to close in on them with Absalom's iron rule threatening Vardø's very existence.

Inspired by the real events of the Vardø storm and the 1620 witch trials, The Mercies is a feminist story of love, evil, and obsession, set at the edge of civilization.]]> 345 Kiran Millwood Hargrave 0316529257 4 3.99 2020 The Mercies
author: Kiran Millwood Hargrave
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/06/30
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]]> How Freaking Romantic 220161055 In this sharply funny solo debut, an aspiring lawyer is forced to work alongside the opposing counsel in her best friend’s divorce case, which leads to the biggest irreconcilable difference of love.

Beatrice Nilsson has a lot to be angry about. The wage gap, the pink tax, the repayment schedule on all those student loans…the list goes on. But that anger is also what makes her such a good friend—the perennial sidekick who fights for her loved ones’ happily ever after, even while conveniently neglecting her own. So when the marriage of her two best friends falls apart—and the divorce proceedings get ugly—Bea is ready to step in and help pick up the pieces.

First on her to-do list? Storm the office of Nathan Asher, her friend’s ex-husband’s lawyer, and tell him exactly what he can do with his divorce petition. But what should end with a few choice words and a slam of the door soon spirals into uncharted territory when Nathan shows up at her NYU Law office a few days later. As a newly-minted adjunct professor––and her new colleague––he proves to be annoyingly intelligent, relentlessly patient, and unfairly attractive. Bea still hates him, of course, but it’s not long before that hate begins to feel a lot like something else.

There’s just one when you’ve spent your life focusing on everyone else’s love story, it’s not easy to take the starring role in your own. And as uncomfortable truths emerge about the divorce that started it all, Bea must choose whose happily ever after to everyone else’s or her own.]]> 352 Emily Harding 1668082748 0 to-read 3.91 How Freaking Romantic
author: Emily Harding
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.91
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Atmosphère 227914457
Aussi, à défaut de pouvoir les approcher, dans un monde où le métier d’astronaute est réservé aux hommes, elle est devenue astrophysicienne. Mais le jour où elle apprend que la NASA recrute des scientifiques, consciente des sacrifices qui s’annoncent, elle saisit sa chance. Elle aussi, elle ira dans l’espace. Animée par la passion et un amour dont elle n’aurait pu concevoir l’existence, elle poursuit inlassablement son rêve.

Ce matin de décembre 1984, quand Joan arrive au centre de contrôle à Houston, elle s’attend à vivre une journée comme les autres. Elle n’est ni anxieuse, ni terrifiée, ni dévastée. Pourtant, quelques heures plus tard, l’incident qui survient dans la navette spatiale fait basculer le destin des astronautes à bord comme celui de Joan, restée sur Terre.

L’autrice culte de Daisy Jones and the Six et Les Sept Maris d’Evelyn Hugo nous offre une histoire d’amour bouleversante, vertigineuse et épique qui nous plonge dans l’Amérique des années 1980 et la conquête de l’espace.

« Palpitant… déchirant… inspirant. Atmosphère est l’histoire trépidante et émouvante d’une jeune femme ambitieuse qui trouve sa voix et sa passion… J’ai adoré. » - Kristin Hannah

« Taylor Jenkins Reid est assurément la reine pour nous raconter des histoires. » - The Sunday Telegraph

Après un début de carrière dans l’industrie du cinéma, Taylor Jenkins Reid s’est tournée vers l’écriture. Autrice de neuf ouvrages qui ont connu un grand succès aux États-Unis et à l’étranger, elle est aujourd’hui une plume montante de la littérature contemporaine américaine. Chaque nouveau roman est un événement, célébré par la critique et les lecteurs dans les 17 pays dans lesquels ses livres sont traduits.]]> 464 Taylor Jenkins Reid 2385294036 0 currently-reading 4.40 2025 Atmosphère
author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/29
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Spellfire 233951470 Pre-order this spicy, sapphic romance that’s sure to leave you bewitched…

Luna graduated from Grimoire Academy and never looked back — until she gets a call about her beloved former Professor Herringbone, who left Luna her prized spellbook collection. Luna is forced to return to the place she thought she’d left behind for good.

Amelia is the last witch Luna wants to see. Once her high school crush, Amelia is now headmistress, and she’s in desperate need of Luna’s spellbook expertise. With the Academy’s future at stake, and despite her reservations, Luna reluctantly agrees to become a teacher.

But returning to Grimoire means facing Amelia, and the unresolved feelings that linger between them. As they work together, Luna discovers that the true magic might be in the undeniable connection they share…



Spice!!!

Second chance romance

Found family

Magical shenanigans]]> Agatha Willow 0 to-read 1.00 Spellfire
author: Agatha Willow
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 1.00
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/06/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Circle of Days 219856609 From a bestselling author of epic fiction comes the deeply human story of one of the world’s greatest mysteries: the building of Stonehenge.

A FLINT MINER WITH A GIFT
Seft, a talented flint miner, walks the Great Plain in the high summer heat, to witness the rituals that signal the start of a new year. He is there to trade his stone at the Midsummer Fair, and to find Neen, the girl he loves. Her family lives in prosperity and offer Seft an escape from his brutish father and brothers within their herder community.

A PRIESTESS WHO BELIEVES THE IMPOSSIBLE
Joia, Neen’s sister, is a priestess with a vision and an unmatched ability to lead. As a child, she watches the Midsummer ceremony, enthralled, and dreams of a miraculous new monument, raised from the biggest stones in the world. But trouble is brewing among the hills and woodlands of the Great Plain.

A MONUMENT THAT WILL DEFINE A CIVILIZATION
Joia’s vision of a great stone circle, assembled by the divided tribes of the Plain, will inspire Seft and become their life’s work. But as drought ravages the earth, mistrust grows between the herders, farmers and woodlanders—and an act of savage violence leads to open warfare . . .

Truly ambitious in scope, Circle of Days invites you to join master storyteller Ken Follett in exploring one of the greatest mysteries of our age: Stonehenge.]]> 704 Ken Follett 1538772779 0 to-read 4.02 2025 Circle of Days
author: Ken Follett
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Once Upon a Crown (Twisted Crown Trilogy #3)]]> 220189337
Once Upon a Crown is the final explosive instalment in the Twisted Crown Trilogy, following an uncommon thief as she fights to survive among ruthless royalty while fighting against forbidden desire, injustice and a kingdom of secrets.]]> 375 Leané Giliomee 1805731459 4 At the start of the book, I struggled to remember the events of book two, so I definitely think readers coming into this book without having read the previous two would find it difficult to follow. It's definitely not a standalone, readers really need to read the first books- but they are brilliant!
I think this was a great finish to the story, and I could see the writing development from the author as the books progressed. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next! I'd read them all.]]> 4.35 2025 Once Upon a Crown (Twisted Crown Trilogy #3)
author: Leané Giliomee
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/06/28
date added: 2025/06/28
shelves:
review:
I really enjoyed this final installment of the Trilogy.
At the start of the book, I struggled to remember the events of book two, so I definitely think readers coming into this book without having read the previous two would find it difficult to follow. It's definitely not a standalone, readers really need to read the first books- but they are brilliant!
I think this was a great finish to the story, and I could see the writing development from the author as the books progressed. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next! I'd read them all.
]]> Into the Storm 199135459
The boy survives, but Enya goes to pieces. She leaves her husband, her son, and everything she knows to start a new life in remote rural Ireland.

But even in the quiet of Abbeydooley, beneath the boughs of an ancient tree, Enya is still haunted by that night in the rain. Can the stories of strangers and a land steeped in legend lay the ghosts of her past to rest? Or will the storm she's outrunning finally catch up with her?]]> 385 Cecelia Ahern 0008195048 0 currently-reading 3.68 2024 Into the Storm
author: Cecelia Ahern
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/27
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> The Last Girl To Die 59574234 De nieuwe stand-alone van bestsellerauteur Helen Fields, bekend van de DI Callanach serie. Privédetective Sadie moet de moord op Adriana oplossen. Maar wat als zij niet de laatste was die stierf?

Het gezin Clark is net verhuisd naar het afgelegen Isle of Mull, een eiland voor de kust van Schotland. Dan raakt de zeventienjarige Adriana vermist. Haar ouders zijn radeloos – de lokale bevolking ziet hen als indringers en de politie is onverschillig – en wenden zich tot privédetective Sadie Levesque om hun dochter te vinden.
Sadie is ontzettend goed in haar werk.
Wanneer ze het lichaam van Adriana in een grot vindt, met een kroon van zeewier, beseft ze dat de zaak veel groter is dan ze in eerste instantie dacht. Ze duikt in de geheimen van de eiland, maar komt daardoor ook zelf dichter bij het gevaar. Want wat als Adriana niet de laatste was die stierf?]]> 400 Helen Sarah Fields 0008379378 4 Fields never disappoints me, she writes with skill, and weaves great plots and characters that I always feel like she needs to be talked about more. Her book Profile K is incredible and will hopefully give her the recognition she deserves. I also desperately want another DI Callanach book, but that's for another day!]]> 3.92 2022 The Last Girl To Die
author: Helen Sarah Fields
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/06/26
shelves:
review:
I love Helen Fields books, so was so looking forward to this.
Fields never disappoints me, she writes with skill, and weaves great plots and characters that I always feel like she needs to be talked about more. Her book Profile K is incredible and will hopefully give her the recognition she deserves. I also desperately want another DI Callanach book, but that's for another day!
]]> Rage (Kate Burkholder, #17) 217387705 In this gripping new installment of the Edgar Award winning series, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates a brutal double murder that takes her into the dark underbelly of society and exposes the dangers of Amish lives gone wrong.

Summer has arrived with a vengeance in Painters Mill, and a macabre discovery by three Amish children brings the quiet to a grinding halt. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder arrives on scene to find the dismembered body of 21-year-old Samuel Eicher, a local Amish man who owned a successful landscaping business. What twisted individual murdered him in such a sadistic way?

The investigation has barely begun when, miles away, a second body is found, stuffed into a barrel and dumped in a ravine. The deceased is 21-year-old Aaron Shetler, Samuel Eicher’s best friend. What could these two young Amish men have done to deserve such violent ends?

With a heat wave bearing down, Kate learns quickly that, for reasons she doesn’t understand, no one is willing to talk about what happened to the men. Just as she begins to fear the case may be hopeless, a mystery woman comes forward and reveals that fun-loving Aaron and Samuel had recently befriended some very unsavory characters―individuals who may have ties to a larger, more sinister, black market.

To solve the case, Kate must delve into the most sordid corners of her community, but when she gets too close, the killers target Kate herself. Will the secrets simmering beneath the surface of Painters Mill take another life before she can expose the truth? Or will Kate be the final victim?]]> 304 Linda Castillo 1250781140 0 netgalley-audiobooks 4.37 2025 Rage (Kate Burkholder, #17)
author: Linda Castillo
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/26
shelves: netgalley-audiobooks
review:

]]> Wayward Girls 217223357 From New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs, a wrenching but life-affirming novel based on a true story of survival, friendship, and redemption when six girls come together in a Catholic reform school in 1960s Buffalo, NY. Perfect for fans of Before We Were Yours, Orphan Train, and The Berry Pickers.

It was a place frozen in time, an ancient fortress haunted by echoes that whispered against the gray stone in a mysterious, heavy rhythm, as though this place was entirely separate from the rest of the world. A sign by the inner door read Our Lady of Charity Refuge and Sisters of the Good Shepherd.

Mairin’s breath caught in her throat as comprehension crept over her. This place was the one mentioned in scandalized whispers from the older girls at school. It was the one people gossiped about when a girl suddenly stopped showing up to class. It was the place angry parents—like her own mother—threatened their daughters “I’ll send you to the nuns, just you see if I won’t.”

Amid the turbulence of the Vietnam Era, in the all-American city of Buffalo, New York, teenage girls were condemned to forced labor at the Good Shepherd, a dark and secret institution controlled by the Sisters of Charity nuns.

In 1968 we meet six teens thrust into confinement at the Good Shepherd—merely for being gay, pregnant, or simply unruly.

Mairin— free-spirited daughter of Irish immigrants was committed to keep her safe from her stepfather.

Angela—denounced for her attraction to girls, was sent to the nuns for reform, but instead found herself the victim of a predator.

Helen—the daughter of intellectuals detained in Communist China, saw her “temporary” stay at the Good Shepherd stretch into years.

Odessa—caught up in a police dragnet over a racial incident, found the physical and mental toughness to endure her sentence.

Denise—sentenced for brawling in a foster home, dared to dream of a better life.

Janice—deeply insecure, she couldn’t decide where her loyalty lay—except when it came to her friend Kay, who would never outgrow her childlike dependency.

Sister Bernadette—rescued from a dreadful childhood, she owed her loyalty to the Sisters of Charity even as her conscience weighed on her.

Wayward Girls is a haunting but thrilling tale of hope, solidarity, and the enduring strength of young women who find the courage to break free and find redemption...and justice.]]> 400 Susan Wiggs 0063118270 0 netgalley-audiobooks 4.32 Wayward Girls
author: Susan Wiggs
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.32
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/26
shelves: netgalley-audiobooks
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Rose in Chains (The Evermore Trilogy, #1)]]> 221179254 This beautiful DELUXE EDITION hardcover featuring gorgeous sprayed edges with stenciled art is only available for a limited first print run and while supplies last. This is a stunning special edition you will want to add to your collection.

YOUR NEXT ROMANTASY OBSESSION!

The war is over, the dark forces have won, and the hero who was supposed to save them is dead.

Captured as her castle is overrun by the enemy, Briony Rosewood knows that the world as she knows it is changed forever. The dark forces of Bomard have won and her people, the Eversuns, face imminent servitude, imprisonment or death. Her brother, fated to be heir twice over and unite the warring kingdoms, is dead.

Stripped of her Mind Magic and her freedom, Briony and the other survivors are quickly auctioned off to the highest bidders in an auction – and as the heir-apparent’s sister, she fetches the highest price.

After a fierce bidding war, she’s sold to none other than Toven a high ranking Bomardsun – and her long-time and ill-fated infatuation. Scion of a family known for their cruel control of Heart Magic, the Hearsts are ruthlessly ambitious, and Briony knows they will use her however they can to further their own interests.

Yet despite the horrors of her new world and the role she must learn to play within it, all is not lost. Help – and hope – may yet arise in the most unlikely of places…]]> 464 Julie Soto 1538771225 0 netgalley-audiobooks 4.34 2025 Rose in Chains (The Evermore Trilogy, #1)
author: Julie Soto
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/26
shelves: netgalley-audiobooks
review:

]]> Only If You're Lucky 60891867
And so Margot finds herself living in an off-campus house with three other girls, Lucy, the ringleader; Sloane, the sarcastic one; and Nicole, the nice one, the three of them opposites but also deeply intertwined. It's a year that finds Margot finally coming out of the shell she's been in since the end of high school, when her best friend Eliza died three weeks after graduation. Margot and Lucy have become the closest of friends, but by the middle of their sophomore year, one of the fraternity boys from the house next door has been brutally murdered... and Lucy Sharpe is missing without a trace.

A tantalizing thriller about the nature of friendship and belonging, about loyalty, envy, and betrayal—another gripping novel from an author quickly becoming the gold standard in psychological suspense.]]> 371 Stacy Willingham 1250887933 3 I've heard great things about this author, and I finished this feeling rather... meh.
I think it felt too slow for my brain at the moment.]]> 3.54 2024 Only If You're Lucky
author: Stacy Willingham
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2025/06/26
shelves:
review:
I expected more...
I've heard great things about this author, and I finished this feeling rather... meh.
I think it felt too slow for my brain at the moment.
]]> <![CDATA[How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days]]> 202942192 From the Sunday Times bestselling author of A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting comes a delicious new Regency romance…

Rich, handsome, and titled Lord Ashford, has every lady in England longing for his hand in marriage.

Everyone, that is, except Miss Lydia Hanworth – the only young woman Ashford wishes to marry.

Pressured into accepting Ashford’s proposal, Lydia has just ten days to free herself from her obligations before the engagement is publicly announced… what can go wrong?]]> 384 Sophie Irwin 0008696748 0 netgalley 4.16 2025 How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days
author: Sophie Irwin
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/25
shelves: netgalley
review:

]]> <![CDATA[To Chase the Glowing Hours: A novel of Highclere and Egypt]]> 227786775 246 Katherine Kirkpatrick 1646036271 0 to-read 4.00 To Chase the Glowing Hours: A novel of Highclere and Egypt
author: Katherine Kirkpatrick
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Terror at the Gates (Blood of Lilith, #1)]]> 218636205 The first in an all-new fantasy series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Scarlett St. Clair. In this biting, feminist retelling of Lilith's story, Lilith will rise from the ashes of her former life to destroy the ancient power that stole everything she loves.

She is the beginning and the end.

She is peace and chaos.

She is terror knocking at the gates.

Estranged from her powerful family, Lilith Leviathan finds refuge in Nineveh, a district in the city of Eden devoted to sin. There, she uses her magic to steal for a living, attracting the attention of the five governing families as well as the church, which expects women to remain pious and silent. When Lilith comes into possession of a beautiful blade, she thinks all her worries are over…until her usual buyer dies while inspecting it.

Frantic, Lilith turns to the only man who can help Zahariev, head of the Zareth family and ruler of Nineveh. His currency is information, and his power is extortion, though he's always had a soft spot for Lilith. But when the dagger appears, he isn't sure he can protect her from what's to come.

Together, they embark on a mission to discover the true power running their world. As their lives intertwine, Lilith realizes Zahariev is more than just a friend, but their devotion to each other is a threat—to the truth, to the church, and to those who want to tear it all down.]]> 495 Scarlett St. Clair 1464239673 0 netgalley-audiobooks 4.32 2025 Terror at the Gates (Blood of Lilith, #1)
author: Scarlett St. Clair
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/22
shelves: netgalley-audiobooks
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Songlight (The Torch Trilogy #1)]]> 199531993
We’re two songs joined. And there’s a word for that. A harmony.

Elsa is used to hiding the most important parts of herself—her feelings for Rye, her distaste for a world ruled by men, and, most crucially, her gift of songlight. She buries that secret deep inside. In Brightland, those with songlight are called Unhumans and are abhorred. Rye is the only other person Elsa has known with songlight, and their shared bond has brought them together.

Elsa’s world begins to fall apart one desperate, heart-wrenching day and she doesn’t know where to turn until a girl appears before her. But the girl isn’t really there—her songlight has been drawn to Elsa’s frantic grief.

Elsa lives in a remote seaside village; Nightingale, her new friend, lives in a city hundreds of miles away with her father, a government official responsible for rooting out Unhumans. The two never expected to connect via songlight. But when they do, and when they realize the extent of their power, they’ll be thrust in the middle of a war that threatens their very existence.

From an award-winning screenwriter making her novel debut comes this powerful, page-turning trilogy perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir and Adrienne Young.]]> 384 Moira Buffini 0063358212 0 currently-reading 4.14 2024 Songlight (The Torch Trilogy #1)
author: Moira Buffini
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/20
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Let Him In 86176740
“Daddy, there’s a man in our room...”

Alfie wakes one night to find his twin daughters at the foot of his bed, claiming there’s a shadowy figure in their bedroom. When no such thing can be found, he assumes the girls had a nightmare.

He isn’t surprised that they’re troubled. Grief has made its home at Hart House: nine months ago, the twins’ mother Pippa died unexpectedly, leaving Alfie to raise them alone. And now, when the girls mention a new imaginary friend, it seems like a harmless coping mechanism. But the situation quickly develops into something more insidious. The girls set an extra place for him at the table. They whisper to him. They say he’s going to take them away…

Alfie calls upon Julia—Pippa’s sister and a psychiatrist—to oust the malignant tenant from their lives. But as Alfie himself is haunted by visions and someone watches him at night, he begins to question the true character of the force that has poisoned his daughters’ minds, with dark and violent consequences.

Whatever this “friend” is, he doesn’t want to leave. Alfie will have to confront his own shameful secrets, the dark past of Hart House, and even the bounds of reality—or risk taking part in an unspeakable tragedy.]]> 231 William Friend 1728275180 3 3.26 2022 Let Him In
author: William Friend
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.26
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2025/06/20
shelves:
review:
Never been much for horror, and whilst this was creepy and atmospheric, I wouldn't say scary! I thought the audiobook format would lend itself better to the scary side, but I was fine! It's a promising debut, just not for me.
]]> Ghosted (Ghosted, #1) 154827278 457 Sarah Ready 1954007604 4 Reminded me of Just Like Heaven the film!
I loved this, Sarah Ready is a really strong author and to me doesn't get enough recognition!]]> 3.94 2023 Ghosted (Ghosted, #1)
author: Sarah Ready
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/06/20
shelves:
review:
Very very cute!
Reminded me of Just Like Heaven the film!
I loved this, Sarah Ready is a really strong author and to me doesn't get enough recognition!
]]> Silent Waters 62599212
Is blood thicker than water?

At 5am one summer's morning, police diver Jen Harper wakes to find herself submerged in the silt of a river with no memory of how she got there.

Forty-eight hours later, she's called to dive in the same river in search of a missing woman, Claudia Franklin.

But for Jen, this is no ordinary job. Her and Claudia's families were entangled for decades – there is unresolved resentment between them, unspoken secrets.

Jen hasn't seen Claudia for twelve years now. Or has she?]]> 384 L.V. Matthews 4 Trying desperately to get through my NetGalley backlog, and wish I hadn't waited so long! This was a great audiobook. Very strong plot, and also fascinating! Had lots of twists and the narrator smashed it!
]]> 3.79 2023 Silent Waters
author: L.V. Matthews
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/06/20
shelves: netgalley-audiobooks, netgalley-thriller
review:
Pleasantly surprised with this one...
Trying desperately to get through my NetGalley backlog, and wish I hadn't waited so long! This was a great audiobook. Very strong plot, and also fascinating! Had lots of twists and the narrator smashed it!

]]> <![CDATA[Traitor’s Legacy (Sophia de Wolfe #1)]]> 220265997
When a young heiress is found murdered at the theatre, the Queen’s spymaster Robert Cecil calls upon former agent Sophia de Wolfe to investigate.

A cryptic note found on the dead girl’s body connects to Sophia’s previous life as a spy, and her quest soon takes her into dangerous waters. Powerful enemies emerge, among them the Earl of Essex: the Queen’s favourite courtier and a man of ruthless ambition.

This is a murder that reaches directly into the heart of the court. And Sophia is concealing a deep-buried secret of her own. She must uncover the truth before her past threatens to destroy her.]]> 376 S.J. Parris 000859581X 4 It's a great start to what promises to be a strong new series.]]> 4.40 Traitor’s Legacy (Sophia de Wolfe #1)
author: S.J. Parris
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.40
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/06/20
date added: 2025/06/20
shelves:
review:
Really enjoyed this book. I've wanted to read SJ Parris for some time, and I'd happily read more after this! I adore books set in the 15-16th Centuries so this was right up my street.
It's a great start to what promises to be a strong new series.
]]> <![CDATA[Fearless (The Powerless Trilogy, #3)]]> 214151222 She fled as a betrayer. She returned as a bride-to-be.

Ordinary-born Paedyn Gray was prepared for a death sentence, not a proposal. After killing the king, marriage to his son, Kitt, was the last thing she—or the kingdom—expected. But with her role as queen, Paedyn would have the chance to unite Ilya and create a kingdom where Ordinaries live alongside Elites without fear.

With a decision looming, Paedyn battles between her head, her heart, and the hidden trials she now faces. Through it all, Kai Azer fights to call her his, even if it means defying his king. Are vows strong enough to unite a kingdom? Or will betrayal break them? The choice between sacrifice and self has never been more difficult . . . or deadly.

The final installment in the epic and sizzling fantasy romance trilogy that's taken the world by storm.]]> 593 Lauren Roberts 1665955465 5 4.14 2025 Fearless (The Powerless Trilogy, #3)
author: Lauren Roberts
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/06/20
date added: 2025/06/20
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Shadow and Bone (Shadow and Bone, #1)]]> 37834723 Alternative cover edition of ISBN13: 9780805094596.

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

Shadow and Bone is the first installment in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy.]]> 358 Leigh Bardugo 0805094598 5 3.85 2012 Shadow and Bone (Shadow and Bone, #1)
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2025/06/20
date added: 2025/06/20
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]]> <![CDATA[Ruin and Rising (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #3)]]> 14061957 Alternative Cover Edition #1

The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.]]> 432 Leigh Bardugo 4 3.97 2014 Ruin and Rising (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #3)
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2014
rating: 4
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date added: 2025/06/20
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]]> <![CDATA[Siege and Storm (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #2)]]> 14061955 Alternative Cover Edition #1

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her—or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.]]> 435 Leigh Bardugo 4 3.81 2013 Siege and Storm (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #2)
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2025/06/20
date added: 2025/06/20
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]]> <![CDATA[The Vengeful Queen (Cursed Queen, #2)]]> 228939227 HE CHOSE HER. BUT WILL THE FLAMES OF VENGEANCE CLAIM THEM BOTH?

The Vengeful Queen is the much-awaited second installment in Meg Humble's debut, New Adult romantasy series.

Containing some adult themes and sexual references, this book is suitable for a new adult - adult age range.

FROM THE BACK COVER

Blaise Sunseeker finally knows what she is. But learning the truth of her identity after nineteen years has by no means set her free. Battling to contain the dark powers she unwittingly unleashed last winter, Blaise is not only fighting her own mind, but her enemies at every turn, too.

Kaspian vowed to make Reili a safe place for all beings, but if his own best friend won’t support his decision, how can he win over an entire kingdom? With the safety of Blaise and her family depending on his success, the new king is determined not to give up until peace is agreed.

But, with neighbouring kingdom Harensarra keen to start a full-blown war, and Blaise’s mother—Agnes the Wicked—hellbent on taking Reili’s throne and overthrowing humanity, the newly engaged couple are thrown into turmoil as they try to keep their crowns, and protect everyone they love.

With darkness pressing in from all sides, threatening to tear the pair apart, choosing between love and vengeance has never been deadlier.]]> Meg Humble 5 I am blown away by this series, and this author. Meg Humble is one to watch, and I hereby declare to read anything she writes from now on. ]]> 4.60 The Vengeful Queen (Cursed Queen, #2)
author: Meg Humble
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.60
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/06/20
date added: 2025/06/20
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review:
I was thrilled to be sent this book by the author, after reading and becoming obsessed with the first book The False Queen. This is another fabulous installment, and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. But right now, my mind is swimming from THAT ENDING! As this is a trilogy, I have literaly no clue what will happen in the final book in the series, and I'm nervous to check how long I have to wait to see what happens.
I am blown away by this series, and this author. Meg Humble is one to watch, and I hereby declare to read anything she writes from now on.
]]> <![CDATA[The Girl In Cell A: A tense and gripping suspense novel guaranteed to surprise and thrill, for fans of Show Trial]]> 221179185 They say she's a murderer. She thinks she's been framed. If only she could remember what happened in Eden Falls.GUILTY OR INNOCENT?Convicted of her uncle's murder at seventeen, Orianna Negi has always maintained her innocence. But there are holes in her memory, a blind spot over the events of that fateful day. Did she really kill Gideon? FRIEND OR FOE?Orianna grew up in Eden Falls, home to the insular Wyclerc dynasty, ruled by ruthless patriarch Amos. She is determined to go back there to find answers, even if it means reigniting old suspicions, feuds - and passions. Until Amos makes a surprising offer. He agrees to help Orianna get to the truth. But can Amos be trusted? And can Orianna survive the remaining Wyclercs, hellbent on vengeance?Between guilt and innocence, there lies a fallen Eden.Praise for Vaseem Khan's 'A stunning, richly imagined and downright thrilling mystery' CHRIS WHITAKER'Vaseem Khan keeps getting better and better' WILLIAM SHAW'Outstanding' IMRAN MAHMOOD'Vaseem Khan gets better with each book. A triumph!'' STEVE CAVANAGH]]> 592 Vaseem Khan 1399707701 0 currently-reading 3.75 The Girl In Cell A: A tense and gripping suspense novel guaranteed to surprise and thrill, for fans of Show Trial
author: Vaseem Khan
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.75
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/20
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> What Fury Brings 220908944 #1 New York Times-bestselling author Tricia Levenseller makes her adult debut in What Fury Brings, a sexy, empowering romantasy featuring a warrior general who must kidnap and train a husband in order to take her rightful place as queen.

There's a shortage of men in the kingdom of Amarra. After a failed rebellion against the matriarchy, most noblemen in the country are dead. Now the women of Amarra must obtain their husbands (should they want one) by kidnapping them from other kingdoms.

Olerra, a warrior princess vying for the throne, is determined to prove her worth by kidnapping a husband. And not just any husband. To outmaneuver her treacherous cousin, she needs the best. Fortunately, the second-born prince of their greatest enemy is widely known for both his looks and his sweet, docile temperament. He's the perfect choice to secure her claim to the throne.

Sanos, heir to the Kingdom of Brutus, has nothing but contempt for the idea of a society run by women. Trained from birth to fight, lead, and follow in his father's overbearing footsteps, his path has always been set. Until he takes his younger brother's place in a drunken prank and finds himself kidnapped, carted off to the Amarran Palace, and informed that he is to become the husband of Queen Potential Olerra. Sanos needs to escape before anyone learns his real identity, but the more he gets to know his captor, the less sure he is of what he truly wants.]]> 368 Tricia Levenseller 1250379377 0 to-read 3.73 2025 What Fury Brings
author: Tricia Levenseller
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/06/20
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]]> <![CDATA[The Poisoned King (Impossible Creatures, #2)]]> 217497829 Return to the magic of the Archipelago in the dazzling sequel to the runaway, #1 New York Times bestseller Impossible Creatures, hailed as “an instant classic” (Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan)!

Christopher Forrester woke to find a dragon chewing on his face—and his heart leapt for joy! He’d been dreaming of going back to the Archipelago, the secret cluster of islands where all the creatures of myth still live, and here was his summons.

But there is a poison spreading in the Archipelago. Rooting it out will involve a daring rescue mission on the back of a sphinx, a stealthy entrance to a dragon’s lair, and a death-defying plan to save a prisoner held in the heart of a castle. At the center of this storm is Anya: a small girl with a flock of birds at her side, a new-hatched chick in her pocket, and a ravenous hunger for justice.

Katherine Rundell’s second thrilling installment in the Impossible Creatures series involves castles, dragons, and revenge—the things of which great stories are made. The splendors within are brought to life with more than fifty illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures.]]> 304 Katherine Rundell 0593809904 0 netgalley 4.62 2025 The Poisoned King (Impossible Creatures, #2)
author: Katherine Rundell
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.62
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[This Ravenous Fate (This Ravenous Fate, #1)]]> 200174131 The first book in a decadent fantasy duology set in Jazz Age Harlem, where at night the dance halls come to life—and death waits in the dark.

It's 1926 and reapers, the once-human vampires with a terrifying affliction, are on the rise in New York. But the Saint family's thriving reaper-hunting enterprise holds reign over the city, giving them more power than even the organized criminals who run the nightclubs. Eighteen year-old Elise Saint, home after five years in Paris, is the reluctant heir to the empire. Only one thing weighs heavier on Elise's mind than her family obligations: the knowledge that the Harlem reapers want her dead.

Layla Quinn is a young reaper haunted by her past. Though reapers have existed in America for three centuries, created by New World atrocities and cruel experiments, Layla became one just five years ago. The night she was turned, she lost her parents, the protection of the Saints, and her humanity, and she'll never forget how Elise Saint betrayed her.

But some reapers are inexplicably turning part human again, leaving a wake of mysterious and brutal killings. When Layla is framed for one of these attacks, the Saint patriarch offers her a deal she can't refuse: to work with Elise to investigate how these murders might be linked to shocking rumors of a reaper cure. Once close friends, now bitter enemies, Elise and Layla explore the city's underworld, confronting their intense feelings for one another and uncovering the sinister truths about a growing threat to reapers and humans alike.]]> 457 Hayley Dennings 1728297869 0 currently-reading 3.42 2024 This Ravenous Fate (This Ravenous Fate, #1)
author: Hayley Dennings
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.42
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/06/19
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]]> The Teller of Small Fortunes 207611551 A wandering fortune teller finds an unexpected family in this warm and wonderful debut fantasy, perfect for readers of Travis Baldree and Sangu Mandanna.

Tao is an immigrant fortune teller, traveling between villages with just her trusty mule for company. She only tells "small" fortunes: whether it will hail next week; which boy the barmaid will kiss; when the cow will calve. She knows from bitter experience that big fortunes come with big consequences…

Even if it’s a lonely life, it’s better than the one she left behind. But a small fortune unexpectedly becomes something more when a (semi) reformed thief and an ex-mercenary recruit her into their desperate search for a lost child. Soon, they’re joined by a baker with a knead for adventure, and—of course—a slightly magical cat.

Tao sets down a new path with companions as big-hearted as her fortunes are small. But as she lowers her walls, the shadows of her past are closing in—and she’ll have to decide whether to risk everything to preserve the family she never thought she could have.]]> 324 Julie Leong 0593815912 0 to-read 3.79 2024 The Teller of Small Fortunes
author: Julie Leong
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/06/19
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]]> The Bookbinder’s Secret 222688787 When a burned book falls into the hands of a young bookbinder, she uncovers a tale of forbidden love, a fortune lost … and murder – which puts her own life in jeopardy. The Shadow of the Wind meets Enola Holmes in this thrilling historical novel, with an intriguing mystery, ideal for lovers of books about books.

'Original, exciting, beautifully written' M. W. Craven

…⿒⿒⿒⿒⿒.

What danger could lie within a book?

‘I wish you had not killed him.’

Lilian Delaney, apprentice to a master bookbinder in Oxford in 1901, chafes at the confines of her life, caught between the oppressive walls of her father’s bookshop and the limitations of being a woman in a man’s profession. But when a burned book comes into her possession, she finds hidden beneath the binding a fifty-year-old letter speaking of love, fortune and murder.

Lily is drawn into the mystery, which hints at a forbidden romance between young lovers, and learns there are other books which conceal more of the story. Lily becomes obsessed with finding them, but she is not the only one looking, and what began as a simple intrigue quickly turns dangerous.

Her journey takes her across the country, to the eccentric booksellers of London, private libraries of unscrupulous collectors and the dusty archives of society papers, as she delves further into the heart of the secret. But with sinister forces closing in, willing to do anything to obtain the books, Lily’s world begins to fall apart, and she must decide if uncovering the truth is worth losing everything.

Readers are hooked by The Bookbinder's Secret:'An incredible read' ⭐⭐⭐

'A truly gripping, amazing book' ⭐⭐⭐]]> A.D. Bell 0008755922 0 to-read 4.15 The Bookbinder’s Secret
author: A.D. Bell
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.15
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/06/18
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]]> Seven Deadly Thorns 211384006
The Cruel Prince meets Powerless in this dark academia romantasy that will tattoo itself onto your heart.

In the cursed Kingdom of Aragoa, the punishment for magic is death.

Even the students at Vandenberghe Academy aren't spared. When Viola Sinclair's deadly shadow magic is discovered, the queen gives her assassin a new assignment and a new cursed tattoo: seven-thorned rose on his arm for the seven days he has to hunt Viola down and kill her. If he doesn't, he will be the one to die.

The assassin is Roze Roquelart--entitled prince, arrogant fellow student, and the one person Viola hates more than anyone. Roze should revel in the chance to end her life, but he desperately needs something from Viola and her magic. And he's willing to spare her life--and fake their engagement--to get it.

Forced to work together, Viola and Roze must contend with deadly threats, dangerous secrets, and an impossible attraction. Will they give in to their deepest desires, even if it means destroying Aragoa--and risking both their lives?

HER WORST ENEMY. HIS ONLY CHANCE.

Be swept away by the sizzling, irresistible enemies-to-lovers romantasy with magic more destructive than your darkest nightmares.]]> Amber Hamilton 0 netgalley 4.15 2025 Seven Deadly Thorns
author: Amber Hamilton
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/06/18
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]]> Rainforest 214049462 An experience like no other.
From a writer like no other.

The virgin rainforest seems a paradise to Englishman Simon Corbett. A last chance to salvage his career. A final refuge from a terrible secret.

But the jungle is no Eden. It hides secrets of its own. It does not forgive.

As Simon is drawn deeper into its haunted shadows, he learns to his horror that the past will not stay buried. For there are places in the forest where the line between the living and the dead is thinner than the skin of water.

A terrifying supernatural tale from Sunday Times bestseller Michelle Paver, author of Dark Matter, Thin Air and Wakenhyrst.]]> 240 Michelle Paver 1398723231 0 to-read 3.57 2025 Rainforest
author: Michelle Paver
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/06/17
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]]> The Bookshop Below 207704242 The bookshop must have an owner . . .'A DARK DREAM . . . BEWARE. THIS FAIRY TALE IS DEADLY' LAINI TAYLOR, on The City of Stardust

In this extraordinary standalone from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The City of Stardust, a disgraced bookseller is offered the chance to restore a magical bookshop to its former glory, and enters a dark underworld of unscrupulous collectors, deadly ink magic and shady societies.

If you want a story that will change your life, Chiron's bookshop is where you go. For those lucky enough to grace its doors, it's a glimpse into a world of deadly bargains and powerful, magical books.

For Cassandra Fairfax, it's a reminder of everything she lost, when Chiron kicked her out and all but shuttered the shop. Since then, she's used her skills in less . . . ethical ways, trading stolen books and magical readings to wealthy playboys looking for power money can't buy.

Then Chiron dies. And if Cassandra knows anything, it's the bookshop must always have an owner.

To restore the shop, she'll need the help of Lowell Sharpe, a rival bookseller who is everything Cassandra is not – and knows it, too.

But as she is plunged into a world of unscrupulous collectors, deadly ink magic and shady societies, a dark force threatens to unravel the bookshops entirely . . .]]> Georgia Summers 1399714376 0 to-read 4.12 2025 The Bookshop Below
author: Georgia Summers
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/06/16
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]]> A Dark Forgetting 222376989 New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ciccarelli weaves the epic love story of a magical girl, the boy she left behind, and a deadly curse, now in paperback!

No matter how far she runs, the forest always comes for Emeline Lark. She is haunted by its mysterious disappearances and the tales of fae magic lurking in its depths.

But when her grandfather goes missing, the stories Emeline has always scoffed at suddenly seem less foolish. She enters the forest she has spent years trying to escape, only to have Hawthorne Fell, a handsome and brooding tithe collector, brutally try to dissuade her from searching, even as a magnetic spark ignites between them.

Refusing to be deterred, Emeline finds herself in the court of the fabled Wood King. She makes a deal―her voice for her grandfather’s freedom. Little does she know, she’s stumbled into a curse that threatens the existence of this eerie world she’s now trapped in. To survive, she'll need the help of the fiery Hawthorne, who she's so helplessly drawn to. If she fails, she'll lose everything she holds dear.

Devastating and romantic, in Kristen Ciccarelli’s A Dark Forgetting, everything has a cost.]]> 432 Kristen Ciccarelli 125040794X 0 to-read 4.12 2022 A Dark Forgetting
author: Kristen Ciccarelli
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/06/16
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]]> The Secret Book Society 222850723 A captivating new historical novel from Madeline Martin, set in Victorian London about a forbidden book club, dangerous secrets, and the women who dare to break free.
 
You are cordially invited to the Secret Book Society…
 
London, 1895: Trapped by oppressive marriages and societal expectations, three women receive a mysterious invitation to an afternoon tea at the home of the reclusive Lady Duxbury. Beneath the genteel facade of the gathering lies a secret book club—a sanctuary where they can discover freedom, sisterhood, and the courage to rewrite their stories.
 
Eleanor Clarke, a devoted mother suffocating under the tyranny of her husband. Rose Wharton, a transplanted American dollar princess struggling to fit the mold of an aristocratic wife. Lavinia Cavendish, an artistic young woman haunted by a dangerous family secret. All are drawn to the enigmatic Lady Duxbury, a thrice-widowed countess whose husbands’ untimely deaths have sparked whispers of murder.
 
As the women form deep, heartwarming friendships, they uncover secrets about their marriages, their pasts, and the risks they face. Their courage is their only weapon in the oppressive world that has kept them silent, but when secrets are deadly, one misstep could cost them everything.
 ]]> 336 Madeline Martin 1335016287 0 netgalley 4.37 2025 The Secret Book Society
author: Madeline Martin
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/06/16
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]]> <![CDATA[The Dinner Date: a short story]]> 236577164 Carey Baldwin 0 to-read 0.0 The Dinner Date: a short story
author: Carey Baldwin
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 0.0
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date added: 2025/06/15
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]]> Christmas Fling 221384012
Laura and Callum have met exactly three times – once at a mutual friend’s wedding (Laura doesn’t remember), once at a baby shower (Callum doesn’t remember) and once right now – when Laura lets herself into his flat to find him exiting the shower completely naked (they both remember).

When Callum's parents walk in and mistake Laura for his mystery girlfriend, Laura has no choice but to play along, accepting their invitation to spend Christmas at home in the Scottish Highlands.

But then Laura's best friends show up pretending to be her family, and Callum's ex is invited, and as Laura gets closer to Callum, she can't tell if the increasingly sizzling chemistry between them is real or just a very convincing part of the act…]]> 384 Lindsey Kelk 0008758743 0 netgalley 4.64 Christmas Fling
author: Lindsey Kelk
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.64
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/06/13
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]]> <![CDATA[The Witch and the Wolf (Savannah Red, Book 2)]]> 221469149 Discover the sequel to gothic fantasy sensation The Bell Witches from Sunday Times bestseller, Lindsey Kelk.]]> Lindsey Kelk 0008609896 0 to-read 4.00 The Witch and the Wolf (Savannah Red, Book 2)
author: Lindsey Kelk
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.00
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rating: 0
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date added: 2025/06/13
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]]> Some of Us Are Liars 234860048 There’s your side. My side. And the truth.

Lisa Jewell meets Jodi Picoult in a story of betrayal and deception in the aftermath of family tragedy.

She must face justice. As her sister it kills me to say it. As his mother I demand it.

When Jen Miller entrusts her youngest child to the care of her beloved sisters, she has no idea of the devastating tragedy that is about to unfold.

To celebrate her sister's wedding, global superstar Winter Kellaway throws the party of the decade at her luxurious beachside estate. The decorations are flawless. The champagne is on ice. The guests have arrived. But one misstep will have heartbreaking consequences that will rock this close-knit family to their core.

With her life in pieces, how can Jen ever begin to forgive?

Saul Anguish, a brilliant but tormented young detective, is called in to investigate and uncovers a long-buried and shocking family secret. As the trail takes a dramatic turn, they must now all face the truth that you can never truly leave the past behind . . .

Authors love Fiona

‘A dark, exquisitely written thriller. Emotionally charged, with twists that floored me, this is a devastating, tightly plotted and original story that lingers long after the final chapter. A stunning read!’ - Claire Douglas

‘Devastating and deft. Tender and brave’ - Abigail Dean

‘Compelling, affecting, with a pitch-dark plot and a truly unique protagonist in Saul Anguish, this is crime fiction at its very best’ – Neil Broadfoot

‘I inhaled this thriller in 24 hours’ – Nikki Smith

‘Nobody does dark, emotional crime thrillers like Fiona Cummins’ – Holly Seddon

‘Astonishing’ – Ed James

‘Gets under your skin and goes where other writers do not dare’ - Helen Fields

‘Heartbreaking, dark and beautifully written’ – Jo Callaghan

‘A tightly bound plot and a deeply sympathetic anti-hero in Saul Anguish - Araminta Hall

‘As tender and compassionate as it is gripping’ - Nicci Cloke]]> Fiona Cummins 1035013029 0 to-read 3.33 2025 Some of Us Are Liars
author: Fiona Cummins
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.33
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date added: 2025/06/13
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]]> The Daughter She Gave Away 228046297 You’ve been keeping a secret from your daughter her whole life…

When Meg gets a terrible diagnosis, her only thought is for her family. How will her husband Simon and their beautiful, sweet-hearted, 14-year-old daughter Grace cope when she’s gone?

She also knows that she has to finally tell Grace the secret their family is built on. That, though Simon is Grace’s father, she isn’t Grace’s birth mother. Because Simon was married before, and his first wife, Cassie, hadn’t wanted to keep their baby.

So Simon and she had stepped up. They’d given Grace the life she deserved, full of light and happiness. But in the family’s darkest hour, Meg thinks Grace deserves the choice to meet the mother who gave her up… because she’s the only mother she will have left.

Could you risk destroying the family you’ve worked so hard to create, if it meant your child might get the chance to have a mother again? Even though you can’t know whether her birth mother will ever be able to offer her the love your beloved daughter deserves?

Readers love Lisa ‘A fabulous family drama… it kept me turning the pages from beginning to end’ Kerry Fisher, bestselling author of The Silent Wife

‘WOW. What a book. I could not put it down.’ ⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘What a fantastic read…there are lots of secrets that come to life that make this a real page-turner…highly recommend!’ ⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘I was hooked from page one. Be prepared to laugh and cry throughout this book!’

⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘It kept me turning the pages. A story full of emotions, secrets and lies.’ ⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘I read this in one sitting – only stopping to eat. It is a beautifully written story.’ ⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘A story of friendship and lies, betrayal, kindness and living life! Beautifully written and a joy to read.’ ⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘Beautiful! I loved this book from beginning to end. ⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘So heartwarming and full of hope.’ ⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘The perfect combination of drama and suspense. I loved the plot, characters, and emotional ending. I devoured it in less than two days.’ ⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review]]> 282 Lisa Timoney 1805570463 4 I really enjoyed this book. It has lots of emotion and drama, and Timoney writes superbly well to really help the reader feel those emotions with the characters as they happen. There are some characters I found less likeable, which certainly made me frustrated at them. I think that's a testament to Timoney's writing, although I feel like the drama may have had more impact had I not been questioning some of their decisions.
My first Lisa Timoney book was a great start, and I can't wait to read more of the books under this pen name, as well as her others.
]]> 4.32 The Daughter She Gave Away
author: Lisa Timoney
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.32
book published:
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/06/13
shelves:
review:
This was my first Lisa Timoney book, although I have loved the author's other books under Kate Storey.
I really enjoyed this book. It has lots of emotion and drama, and Timoney writes superbly well to really help the reader feel those emotions with the characters as they happen. There are some characters I found less likeable, which certainly made me frustrated at them. I think that's a testament to Timoney's writing, although I feel like the drama may have had more impact had I not been questioning some of their decisions.
My first Lisa Timoney book was a great start, and I can't wait to read more of the books under this pen name, as well as her others.

]]> <![CDATA[The Library of Lost Dollhouses]]> 216269038 When a young librarian discovers historic dollhouses in a hidden room, she embarks on an unexpected journey that reveals surprising secrets about the lost miniatures.

Tildy Barrows, Head Curator of a beautiful archival library in San Francisco, is meticulously dedicated to the century’s worth of inventory housed in her beloved Beaux Art building. She loves the calm and order in the shelves of books and walls of art. But Tildy’s uneventful life takes an unexpected turn when she, first, learns the library is on the verge of bankruptcy and, second, discovers two exquisite never-before-seen dollhouses. After finding clues hidden within these remarkable miniatures, Tildy starts to believe that Belva Curtis LeFarge, the influential heiress who established the library a century ago, is conveying a significant final message.

With a newfound sense of spontaneity, Tildy sets out to decipher the secret history of the dollhouses, aiming to salvage her cherished library in the process. Her journey to understand introduces her to a world of ambitious and gifted women in Belle Époque Paris, a group of scarred World War I veterans in the English countryside, and Walt Disney’s bustling Burbank studio in the 1950s. As Tildy unravels the mystery, she finds not only inspiring, overlooked history, but also a future for herself, filled with exciting possibilities—and an astonishing familial revelation.

Spanning the course of a century, The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a warm, bright, and captivating story of secrets and love that embraces the importance of illuminating overlooked women of the past.]]> 320 Elise Hooper 0063382148 4 This was a lovely and interesting read. It really hit the spot for me of a light and engaging book that held my interest all the way through.
I love dual timeline novels too, and this was a great way to keep the story moving, although I definitely preferred one timeline more than the other!
I really enjoyed it, and look forward to more from the author.


]]> 3.90 2025 The Library of Lost Dollhouses
author: Elise Hooper
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/06/13
shelves:
review:
As soon as I saw the title for this book, I knew I had to read it. Any books about libraries is always a must for me, and the 'dollhouses' made me think of Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist, which I loved.
This was a lovely and interesting read. It really hit the spot for me of a light and engaging book that held my interest all the way through.
I love dual timeline novels too, and this was a great way to keep the story moving, although I definitely preferred one timeline more than the other!
I really enjoyed it, and look forward to more from the author.



]]> <![CDATA[There's a New Witch in Town (The Witches of Holiday #1)]]> 62322573 Welcome to Holiday Hills, where the coffee’s fresh and there’s magic in the air…

I have a perfect life. I recently rented the most adorable little apartment on top of my favorite bookstore coffee shop on Main Street in Holiday Hills, the charmingest of charming small southern towns. I spend my days ghostwriting a cozy mystery series for a well-known author, and maybe just a minute or two crushing on the town’s police chief. But of course, I’d never let that cat out of the bag. I'm still dealing with my recent divorce, and no matter what my bestie says, I'm so not ready for anything in the romance department.

Speaking of cats, my little Burmese, Cooper, follows me around like he’s my guard dog. Thankfully, Holiday Hills is animal friendly. Everyone’s got a cat or dog, and that crazy old woman on the back end of town has the funniest talking parrot.

Oh, that crazy old woman, she’s a local celebrity, which can be a lot of trouble for her daughter. How do I know? Because that’s me. I’m the crazy old woman’s daughter.

The good news is everyone loves my mother, including me. The bad news is she recently died, and when she did, she opened up a whole new world for me, one I’d always thought was fictional. The magical world.

Now I have witchy powers, a talking cat, and a knack for finding dead bodies in my quaint little town.

Ones that haven't died by accident.

My name is Abby Odell and I’m a witch.
Who knew? I sure didn’t. Thanks for that, Mom.]]> 188 Carolyn Ridder Aspenson 0 ebooks, cozy-fantasy 4.33 2023 There's a New Witch in Town (The Witches of Holiday #1)
author: Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/13
shelves: ebooks, cozy-fantasy
review:

]]> <![CDATA[If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood]]> 45034263
After more than a decade, when sisters Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek hear the word mom, it claws like an eagle’s talons, triggering memories that have been their secret since childhood. Until now.

For years, behind the closed doors of their farmhouse in Raymond, Washington, their sadistic mother, Shelly, subjected her girls to unimaginable abuse, degradation, torture, and psychic terrors. Through it all, Nikki, Sami, and Tori developed a defiant bond that made them far less vulnerable than Shelly imagined. Even as others were drawn into their mother’s dark and perverse web, the sisters found the strength and courage to escape an escalating nightmare that culminated in multiple murders.

]]> 405 Gregg Olsen 154200523X 0 ebooks 3.91 2019 If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood
author: Gregg Olsen
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/13
shelves: ebooks
review:

]]> To Kill a Queen 227912447 Enter a shadowy world of crime in Elizabethan London with this twisty historical mystery featuring a queer sleuth and a dash of romance!

When Queen Elizabeth I is nearly assassinated, the rebellious heir to a criminal legacy seizes an opportunity for a better life.

London, 1579. In the treacherous alleyways of London, Jack has left behind the life of petty crime, hoping to atone for the past by rooting out murderers. As the eldest child of a notorious and infamous figure who controls the slums, Jack has no safe place to land and dreams of a future off the streets. When an attempt is made on the Queen’s life, it falls to Jack to catch the would-be-assassin and fight for different future. 

With the help of a coroner, Damian, a sultry barmaid with a secret, and the criminal connections from Jack's past, the unlikely investigator dives into the case. But the former thief's informants keep turning up dead, and every lead seems to vanish just when it feels within reach. As Jack follows the trail deeper into danger, the question who can truly be trusted?  

With the promise of security and redemption hanging overhead, Jack must uncover who orchestrated the assassination attempt before time runs out in this historical mystery, perfect for fans of Tasha Alexander.]]> 288 Amie McNee 0 to-read 4.25 To Kill a Queen
author: Amie McNee
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.25
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Haunting of William Thorn 222420066 The Notebook meets The Haunting of Hill House in this split timeline queer twisted love story, set against the backdrop of a haunted English manor.

William Thorn had his life all planned out… until he discovered his long-term boyfriend Archie in bed with another man. Distraught, William kicks him out of their home, where tragedy strikes when Archie is killed instantly in a car accident.

Riddled with guilt, William is shocked to learn that he’s inherited a manor in the quaint village of Stonewall, left to him in Archie’s will. He leaves the city with plans to make a new start for himself, but is surprised by the rundown state of the manor, and the unwelcoming villagers who want him gone. His only ally is Edward, a seemingly friendly local with secrets of his own.

However, it’s not only the villagers who are adverse to his presence. A malevolent spirit roams the manor, one that seeks to drive William out for good. But when he uncovers the heartbreaking tale of two men in love in the 1920’s, William strives to find peace for the spirit, ending the haunting once and for all.

But what dark secrets lie hidden in the manor walls? And will William be able to put aside his own grief to save his new home...and his life?

An evocative tale from #1 bestselling author Ben Alderson, exploring grief, trauma and the bones of the past, The Haunting of William Thorn is the perfect read for fans of the gothic.]]> 400 Ben Alderson 1915998832 0 to-read 4.45 The Haunting of William Thorn
author: Ben Alderson
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.45
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The King of Frost and Shadows (Fated to Darkness, #1)]]> 213782560 A vengeful King.
A lost princess.
And the revenge he’s desperate for.

For the last twelve years, Tavish, the King of the Unseelie Fae, focused on finding the key for taking back his rightful lands from the Seelie fae after they killed his parents.

There was one problem that stood in his way—locating the Seelie Princess hidden on Earth.

After years of haunting her dreams, he finally locates her and drags her back to their realm.

She’s forgotten her fae life and wants to escape. He doesn’t care. He merely needs her blood in order to free his people.

But she’s more than he remembers, and a spark ignites between them every time they touch.

None of that matters though. His goal is set—to drain her blood once her magic activates once again.

He must take back what is rightfully his, no matter the cost.

But if he does, the price might be what’s left of his heart.

The King of Frost and Shadow is a steamy, royal fae romantasy that includes betrayal, morally gray characters, enemies-to-lovers, villain gets the girl, a gauntlet tournament, political intrigue, who did this to you, and touch her and unalive. ]]> 348 Jen L. Grey 0 to-read 3.94 2024 The King of Frost and Shadows (Fated to Darkness, #1)
author: Jen L. Grey
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Bargain So Bloody (Kingdom of Dark Magic, #1)]]> 231512101 She’s trapped in a magical prison. To break out, she’ll make a deal with the most dangerous prisoner of them all.

Sentenced for a crime she didn’t commit, Samara is bullied by guards and tormented by the screams of her fellow prisoners. She’s resigned herself to enduring her fifteen-year term… until she learns that the freedom she's been promised is the cruelest lie of all.

Now she's faced with a resign herself to dying in the cold walls of Castle Greymere, or do the unthinkable and escape. But no one leaves Greymere alive. So to break out of the prison? She’ll have to use one of the undead.

Raphael is the worst kind of a vampire with a thirst for blood, the mortal enemy of witches, the same breed that killed her mother. And most importantly, he’s unspeakably powerful, his supernatural strength tamed only by the enchanted cuffs forced on him.

He’s her only chance at a life outside the prison walls.

The deal is Samara unlocks his shackles, and he'll help her escape. But although Raphael agreed to help her leave Greymere, he never promised to let her go…

A Bargain So Bloody is the first book in an exciting new romantasy series, perfect for readers who love slow burn romance with morally grey heroes who fall first and hard and heroines who find their own strength.]]> 498 Vasilisa Drake 1966921098 0 to-read 4.31 2025 A Bargain So Bloody (Kingdom of Dark Magic, #1)
author: Vasilisa Drake
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Our Vicious Descent (This Ravenous Fate, #2)]]> 143381480 In this stunning conclusion to the bestselling Ravenous Fate duology, Elise Saint and Layla Quinn must discover the truths behind an alluring poison and the monstrous new presence ravaging New York City

In 1927, shocking upheavals have rocked Harlem's most powerful factions and left Elise Saint estranged from the reaper she loves, Layla Quinn. The Saint family empire is in decline, gangster-run blood houses peddle debauchery, and a dangerous reaper-venom drug has become all the rage with wealthy thrill-seekers. Elise is desperate to find her beloved little sister, Josi, who has gone missing in the chaos. Meanwhile, Layla contends with shifting alliances in the New York underworld, including Karine, an ancient reaper, and the gangster Nicoletta—both with scores to settle.

And then a terrifying new threat a beast making swift, murderous rampages through the city, keeping to darkness while hunting reapers and humans alike. Layla and Elise are joined in purpose when they suspect the monster's origins are related to a far deeper mystery that involves Josi, Karine, and a disquieting new future for reapers. Soon, they will risk everything to unearth these secrets, where the shadowy boundaries between the dead and the living are even more treacherous than they imagined.]]> Hayley Dennings 0 netgalley 5.00 2025 Our Vicious Descent (This Ravenous Fate, #2)
author: Hayley Dennings
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/11
shelves: netgalley
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Of Silver and Curses (Lingering Fates #1)]]> 235460703 LOVE IS A LIE

Everyone I’ve cared about has left me. My coven. My mate. Even my sister — the only person I ever truly cared about. All of them walked away.

I’ve accepted my fate to be alone. My forest is enough for me and I have no intention of leaving it. But fate has something else in mind.

The cursed werewolf who stole my heart for a night — and broke it at dawn — has returned with grim news. Someone has taken both our sisters, and we must work together to save them. But if my enemies discover I’ve left my forest, they’ll stop at nothing to capture me.

And I’ll be putting all my trust in a person who loathes my existence...

LOVE IS A CURSE

Everyone I’ve cared about has suffered from love. I refuse to be bound by it. This kingdom is cruel and devious, which suits me fine because I’m just as wicked and far more clever.

But there is one person I love—my sister. And she’s vanished along with her lover — the damn witch’s sister.

I’ll do whatever it takes to get her back. Including returning to the witch who deceived me for a night. I may be a wolf trapped in human skin, but it won’t stop me from ripping out her heart once my sister is safe.

Because I’m a cursed werewolf…and it was the witches who damned me.

Of Silver and Curses is a spicy queer romantasy stand-alone featuring fated mates... who are very much not happy about it. Perfect for fans of stabby morally grey characters, forced proximity, banter and all the found family vibes. ]]> Maddox Grey 0 to-read 4.27 Of Silver and Curses (Lingering Fates #1)
author: Maddox Grey
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.27
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Witchkiller 221770499
Her brother Hansel was in danger, and she had to kill the witch. Five months later, she is still ripped from her dreams and awoken by the noise of her sword tearing into the witch’s flesh. Her waking hours are no better. Hansel has grown more and more like their monstrous father by the day. The society she now inhabits has trapped her in an endless cycle of balls with nobles who sneer at her family’s new money. And worst of all, her greedy father has issued his newest ploy to increase his wealth. Gretel must marry, and soon.

Devastated at the prospect of a lifetime with an old, decrepit husband, she flees a ball…and runs right into Prince Wilfried. When Gretel divulges the reality of her situation, Wilfried comes up with a solution. He is also being pressured to find a suitable future queen — they can both delay the inevitable by faking an engagement. Gretel agrees, and what starts as a ruse quickly deepens as she finds herself falling for the handsome prince.

But in the quiet of night, still trapped in her castle with her memories, Gretel feels the walls closing in and ventures into the neighboring woods. There, she meets Katharina, a beautiful witch who introduces her to the witch community. But these women aren’t evil — they’re healers, and Gretel is drawn to them.

When information comes to light implicating her family’s involvement in a traitorous plot and endangering the lives of herself and those she’s grown to care about, Gretel must ask herself — did the wrong person die in that cottage? And can the Witchkiller become a witch?]]> 336 Ashlee Latimer 1546137688 0 to-read 4.57 2025 Witchkiller
author: Ashlee Latimer
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.57
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Almost Life 228808393 'Hot, smart and completely captivating - this is a truly luscious love story' - Daisy Buchanan, author of Insatiable

A love story that will last a lifetime

Erica and Laure meet on the steps of the Sacré-Cœur in Paris, 1978. Erica is a student, relishing her first summer abroad before beginning university at home in England. Laure is studying for her Ph.D. at the Sorbonne, drinking and smoking far too much, and sleeping with a married woman. The moment the two women meet the spark is but their encounter turns into far more than a summer of love. It is the beginning of a relationship that will define their lives and every decision they have yet to make . . .

Erica and Laure’s love story spans decades, marriage, children, secret trysts, and the agonizing changes – both personal and political – that might mean they can be together, after all. But when life brings them within touching distance again, will they be brave enough to seize a future together?

Almost Life is a story of longing for the paths not taken, and the almost lives we live.]]> Kiran Millwood Hargrave 1035007525 0 to-read 4.83 2026 Almost Life
author: Kiran Millwood Hargrave
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.83
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Barbecue at No.9 235810161 Brought to you by Penguin.

FROM THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS . . .

In the summer of 1985, the entire country is poised for the biggest music event in history – Live Aid.

The residents of Delmont Close are preparing for a neighbourhood barbecue to celebrate this historic moment, but someone uninvited is watching them closely, getting ready to make their move. But who are they watching, and why?

The Gordons – Hanna, her high-strung mother Lydia and sweet father Peter – have opened the doors to their home. And when their neighbours flood in, so do all the secrets that have been kept in the close. There is Rita, a new resident from Australia, Steve a young man who is battling his own demons, Aunty Beverley who has come to pass judgment on her relatives.

The Barbecue at No.9 explores family, friendship and love with Jennie Godfrey’s signature wit, warmth and bite.

Jennie Godfrey 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026]]> Jennie Godfrey 0 to-read 0.0 The Barbecue at No.9
author: Jennie Godfrey
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/06/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Barbecue at No.9: From the number one bestselling author of The List Of Suspicious Things]]> 235652911 FROM THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS . . .

In the summer of 1985, the entire country is poised for the biggest music event in history – Live Aid.

The residents of Delmont Close are preparing for a neighbourhood barbecue to celebrate this historic moment, but someone uninvited is watching them closely, getting ready to make their move. But who are they watching, and why?

The Gordons – Hanna, her highly-strung mother, Lydia, and sweet father, Peter – have opened the doors to their home. And when their neighbours flood in, so do all the secrets that have been kept in the close. Among them is Rita, a new resident from Australia, Steve, a young man who is battling his own demons, and Aunty Beverley, who has come to pass judgement on her relatives.

The Barbecue at No.9 explores family, friendship and love with Jennie Godfrey’s signature wit, warmth and bite.]]> Jennie Godfrey 1804954969 0 to-read 0.0 The Barbecue at No.9: From the number one bestselling author of The List Of Suspicious Things
author: Jennie Godfrey
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Brimstone (Fae & Alchemy, #2) 222139748 Duty. Blood. Honour. Power.

Saeris Fane doesn't want power. The very last thing she needs is her name whispered on an entire court's lips, but now that she's been crowned queen of the Blood Court, she's discovering that a queen's life is not her own. A heavy weight rests upon her shoulders.

Her ward - and her brother - need her back in her homeland . . . but the changes that have strengthened Saeris have also made her weak. Born under blazing suns, Saeris will surely die if she makes her way home through the Quicksilver. Which means that, once again, she must send someone else in her stead . . .

'Keep your mouth shut. Stick to the shadows. And for the love of all seven Gods, do NOT crack any jokes.'

Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate has defeated armies and survived all manner of horrors, but traveling back to Zilvaren with Carrion Swift might just be the death of him. The male just will not shut up. Hidden dangers await them down the narrow alleyways of the Silver City. Unfolding secrets pose impossible threats. Fisher must wrangle the smuggler and accomplish his goals quickly if he wants to see his mate again.

A darkness falls across Yvelia. The realm and their friends are in danger. Together, Saeris and Fisher will pass through fire and brimstone to save them.]]> 672 Callie Hart 1538774224 0 to-read 4.25 2025 Brimstone (Fae & Alchemy, #2)
author: Callie Hart
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[We Who Will Die (Empire of Blood, #1)]]> 225910699 From the bestselling author of the Kingdom of Lies series comes a slow-burn romantasy set in a Roman-inspired world ruled by merciless vampires. Filled with breathtaking combat, vengeful gods, and magical creatures, We Who Will Die is the epic first installment in an enthralling new series perfect for fans of Carissa Broadbent, Jasmine Mas, and Rebecca Yarros.

Life in the perilous Thorn district is a constant battle for Arvelle and her younger brothers. And the vampire standing on her doorstep is about to turn their world upside down.

Faced with an unthinkable choice, Arvelle makes a magically binding vow to do the impossible: kill the emperor, an ancient vampire created by the god Umbros. But first, she must enter the Sundering—an arena where only the fastest, strongest, and deadliest survive long enough to be selected for the emperor’s elite guard.

She quickly draws the ire of the Primus, the powerful figure charged with protecting the emperor. But the vampire under the armor is the last person Arvelle expects to encounter in the emperor’s court.

With her brothers’ lives in the balance, Arvelle has no choice but to ally with the man who once shattered her heart… and with the emperor’s sadistic son, Rorrik—two vampires whose motives are impossible to pin down. Rorrik holds the key to understanding the powers Arvelle is developing—abilities that would put a price on her head if discovered by the emperor.

To survive the arena and complete her mission, Arvelle must get to the bottom of a conspiracy that will change everything she thought she knew about herself—and the two vampires who are deeply entwined with her destiny…]]> 432 Stacia Stark 006343671X 0 currently-reading 4.61 2026 We Who Will Die (Empire of Blood, #1)
author: Stacia Stark
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/07
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> A Cursed Arrangement 230309466 Kristen Ciccarelli 0 to-read 5.00 A Cursed Arrangement
author: Kristen Ciccarelli
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Court that Bleeds Gold (The Gold Weaver, #1)]]> 209594084 An action-packed dark fantasy romance perfect for fans of Raven Kennedy, Krista Street, and Sarah J. Maas.


Desperate to escape marrying a brutal king, I make a deal with a Fae Prince...
“I can spin gold,” I lie.
With my life at stake, I have no other choice.
I get one chance to turn my lie into truth, and I’m shocked when I succeed.
But now the cruel human king demands I become his wife—passing between his bed and being locked away in a tower, spinning gold until my last breath.
My only way out is to summon him.
A brutal Fae prince.
The deal we strike is sickening, but it’s the only way I’ll live after I’m caught escaping. My new captor drags me back to his realm.
A place of profound beauty and savage cruelties.
As wicked fairies play sadistic games, the prince is my sole protector.
He’s not just protecting me, though. He’s guarding his own secrets.
I should hate him. But our pact shows me a side his court never sees.
There is more behind his monstrous mask.
I can’t stop myself from looking.
Especially when I learn what he really wants with me.


The Court that Bleeds Gold is the first book in a dark fantasy romance trilogy. This enemies to lovers series has shades of Rumpelstiltskin and Beauty and the Beast, with a dark hero who will absolutely burn this damned world to the ground for our sharp-tongued heroine. Expect steam, violence and plenty of barbed exchanges.]]> 334 Zara Storm 0 currently-reading 3.89 The Court that Bleeds Gold (The Gold Weaver, #1)
author: Zara Storm
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.89
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/06
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Eye For An Eye 123852851 Only nine criminals in the UK have been granted lifelong anonymity.
Their crimes so heinous that their identities are permanently changed for their own safety.

CRIMINAL OR VICTIM?
Upon release, they're given a second chance: new identities and new homes with new neighbours who have no idea. Because, by law, they cannot be named as who they are - or were...

REDEMPTION OR REVENGE?
But what if someone started systematically exposing their true identities? Not to the press, or the public, but to the families of their victims.

Who deserves justice? And who gets to decide?]]> 544 M.J. Arlidge 1398708194 0 currently-reading 4.00 2023 Eye For An Eye
author: M.J. Arlidge
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/05
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> A Curious Kind of Magic 222376563 Howl's Moving Castle meets Little Thieves in this cozy fantasy about the teenage owner of a (mostly fake) magical curiosity shop and a girl cursed to turn everything she touches into magic.

Everyone in Ardmuir knows that Willow Stokes is a charlatan, including Willow herself. Her father's shoppe hasn't sold anything magical in decades, and it's only hanging on by the skin of the fake dragon's teeth Willow sells as charms, along with “enchanted” ostrich eggs, taxidermied chimeras, and talismans made of fools' gold.

Until outlander Brianna Hargrave appears and turns Willow's fakes into exactly what they're purported to be. But try as Willow might to enlist Bri's help, she wants nothing to do with Willow and her curiosities.

Because Brianna is harboring a secret of her own: everything she touches turns to magic, and the consequences have chased her all the way to Ardmuir. All she wants to do is find a particular missing grimoire, which contains a spell that can finally put an end to her curse.

Desperate to keep her father's shoppe, Willow proposes a bargain that could save them both. Together with the frustratingly handsome printer's assistant, the girls will uncover a plot that goes far deeper than either could have imagined. But when Willow is forced to participate in an ambitious collector's quest for the rarest magical object in the world-a quest that risks almost-certain death-she learns that not all treasure is for sale, and that true magic is closer than she ever could have imagined.]]> 368 Mara Rutherford 1250359880 0 to-read 4.29 2025 A Curious Kind of Magic
author: Mara Rutherford
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Death Row (Alibis Collection, #1)]]> 230824619
Talia Kemper is on death row for murdering her husband. She had an alibi and no known motive, yet Talia’s unwavering protestations of innocence have always been ignored. Then one day in the visiting area, she sees a recognizable stranger she’s certain is her husband. It turns out the man she’s been convicted of killing may not be dead after all. But as the days tick away toward Talia’s execution, what will it take for her to be believed?

Freida McFadden’s Death Row is part of Alibis, a collection of stories about lies, truth, and deception. It’s just a matter of what you can get away with. They can be read or listened to in one sitting.]]> 74 Freida McFadden 1662532261 0 audiobooks 3.60 2025 Death Row (Alibis Collection, #1)
author: Freida McFadden
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/04
shelves: audiobooks
review:

]]> The Bright Years 214152211 One family. Four generations. A secret son. A devastating addiction. A Texas family is met with losses and surprises of inheritance, but they’re unable to shake the pull back toward each other in this big-hearted family saga perfect for readers of Mary Beth Keane and Claire Lombardo.

Ryan and Lillian Bright are deeply in love, recently married, and now parents to a baby girl, Georgette. But Lillian has a son she hasn’t told Ryan about, and Ryan has an alcohol addiction he hasn’t told Lillian about, so Georgette comes of age watching their marriage rise and fall.

When a shocking blow scatters their fragile trio, Georgette tries to distance herself from reminders of her parents. Years later, Lillian’s son comes searching for his birth family, so Georgette must return to her roots, unearth her family’s history, and decide whether she can open up to love for them—or herself—while there’s still time.

Told from three intimate points of view, The Bright Years is a tender, true-to-life novel that explores the impact of each generation in a family torn apart by tragedy but, over time, restored by the power of grace and love.]]> 288 Sarah Damoff 1668061449 0 physical-books 4.27 2025 The Bright Years
author: Sarah Damoff
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/04
shelves: physical-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Heir of Storms (Storm Weaver, #1)]]> 214438337 RED QUEEN meets SHADOW AND BONE in this explosive start to a YA romantasy trilogy about dangerous magic, forbidden love, and a cut-throat competition for the throne in an empire where crowns are not inherited -- they're won.

The very day Blaze came into the world, she almost drowned it. A Rain Singer born into one of the most powerful fire-wielding families in the empire, Blaze's birth summoned a devastating storm that left thousands dead. She's been hidden away ever since with a dark secret: the same torrential power that branded her an outcast disappeared that fateful day. And she’s not sure she wants it back.

When an unexpected invitation arrives for Blaze and her twin brother, Flint, to compete as future rulers of the empire, she’s suddenly thrust into the limelight again -- and into battle. Threats abound at the Golden Palace, where intrigue and romance await with not one but two handsome suitors: the enchanting Crown Prince and a dangerously alluring newcomer at court.

As Blaze explores her untapped power, she discovers the throne may be within her grasp. But in order to take it, she’ll have to leave behind the stories that others have told about her, and find the courage to write her own.]]> 416 Lauryn Hamilton Murray 1250348153 0 netgalley-audiobooks 4.06 2025 Heir of Storms (Storm Weaver, #1)
author: Lauryn Hamilton Murray
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/06/02
shelves: netgalley-audiobooks
review:

]]> Room 21 231418737 They say blood is thicker than water. I say blood is just harder to wash off your hands.

My name’s Kimberley. I’m twenty-five. I have epilepsy, a seizure alert dog named Muffin, and a job I love as a senior housekeeper in one of London’s top hotels. I’m used to being invisible. Overlooked. Safe.

But that was before Jennifer Clifton checked in. She’s rich, powerful, terrifyingly calm — and she asked for me by name.

She gives me my dream job, working in her exclusive hotel in the Scottish Highlands. It’s more money than I ever imagined.

There’s just one Don’t open the door to Room 21.

How hard can that be?

But something is wrong in this hotel. The guests are unsettling. The staff whisper behind closed doors. And that room — the one I promised not to enter — calls to me.

I took the job for a better life. Now I’m trapped in a nightmare.]]> 282 Jessica Huntley 1805731084 4 I had never read a Jessica Huntley book before picking this one up, and I don't know if that was a good thing. If this is a marker for her books, I would definitely read more, just to see how it compares. This is very dark, and I know and love dark books, so be prepared. It is a chilling read, but readers will not be able to look away for long, before diving back in to see what happens.
I am fascinated to see what Huntley's other books are like. I'll let you all know!]]> 4.19 2025 Room 21
author: Jessica Huntley
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/05/31
shelves:
review:
Yikes...
I had never read a Jessica Huntley book before picking this one up, and I don't know if that was a good thing. If this is a marker for her books, I would definitely read more, just to see how it compares. This is very dark, and I know and love dark books, so be prepared. It is a chilling read, but readers will not be able to look away for long, before diving back in to see what happens.
I am fascinated to see what Huntley's other books are like. I'll let you all know!
]]> <![CDATA[The Roommate Experiment (Funny Feelings #3)]]> 223606076 Could there be room for attraction?

Hunter has secretly been in love with her best friend’s brother Dylan for years, despite barely registering as a blip on his radar. She’s not even in the friend zone—more like friend zone adjacent. But her luck is about to Dylan is taking over her spare room, and she's being promoted to roommate. Could this be the moment Dylan finally notices her?

Not so fast. When Dylan moves in, he carries more than just boxes—he brings complications. Suddenly, the dream of living under the same roof turns into a daily struggle. Dylan is off-limits, for reasons Hunter couldn’t have anticipated, and the closer they get, the harder it becomes to ignore her feelings.

But Hunter’s determined to keep her heart in check—no matter how difficult the task. She just has to avoid ogling him in a towel. Definitely don’t imagine what’s under the towel. And try not to swoon when he bakes cookies.

But after he saves her from a terrible date and they’re forced to share a sofa bed at his parents’ house, her emotions reach a breaking point. She’ll have to either move on or move out. Will she tell him the truth—or lose him forever?

The Roommate Experiment is a roommates-to-lovers, forced proximity, STEMinist rom-com perfect for fans of Lynn Painter, Sarah Adams, and Abby Jimenez.]]> 316 Camilla Isley 1836333854 4 That said, it's a gripping but light read and I'm looking forward to see if Isley adds to the series even further.]]> 3.67 2025 The Roommate Experiment (Funny Feelings #3)
author: Camilla Isley
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/05/29
shelves:
review:
I'm fairly new to Camilla Isley's books. I read the previous book in the series, If The Ring Fits and really enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend reading that before reading The Roommate Experiment, as the characters and plot do link up.
That said, it's a gripping but light read and I'm looking forward to see if Isley adds to the series even further.
]]> <![CDATA[Finding Love at the Magical Curiosity Shop (Ever After Street, #5)]]> 218164658 In a shop full of stories, some magic is real.

Mickey Teasdale loves her quaint curiosity shop, where every item feels magical to her. She loves imagining the past owners of her knick-knacks and telling her made-up tales to customers, but lately, the magic has dimmed; the shop feels cluttered, and even her stories seem as worn as the items she sells.

Everything changes when the grumpiest customer Mickey’s ever met—single dad Ren Montague—walks in with his surly teen daughter, Ava. Ren hates mess and clutter and prefers order and calm, but he'll do anything to see Ava smile. Yet, something shifts in him when he meets Mickey, who seems like she stepped out of her very own fairy tale.

When Ava discovers a secret diary, hidden from years long ago, she and Mickey believe it must have once belonged to a real-life mermaid! Ever sceptical, Ren tries to protect Ava from disappointment, but as they unravel the mystery together, something special happens…

Ren learns that happy ever afters still exist if you're brave enough to look for them, and Mickey discovers that real-life can sometimes be way more magical than anything she could have ever imagined.]]> 305 Jaimie Admans 1804838896 4 4.45 Finding Love at the Magical Curiosity Shop (Ever After Street, #5)
author: Jaimie Admans
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.45
book published:
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/05/29
shelves:
review:
I was so intrigued by the title of this book, I had to read it. I didn't know this was part of a series either, but I don't feel I was hindered by not having read the others. This book was a gorgeous, magical light read, and just what I needed. Perfect to curl up with on a rainy day!
]]> <![CDATA[Midlife Bounty Hunter (Forty Proof, #1)]]> 53201531 A Paranormal Women's Fiction with a bit of class, and a lot of sass for anyone who feels like age is just a number!

One day I’m married, living in Seattle, and magic isn’t real.
The next, I’m divorced and living in the guest room of my ex’s hotter- than-sin cousin’s place in Savannah . . . and talking to an animated skeleton named Robert.

I have to admit, Robert isn’t my worst date.

At forty-one, I didn’t think I’d be starting over. But I’ll be damned if my ex thinks I’m down and out because he pulled a fast one on me.
When a job comes my way that offers me a chance to use my childhood training in the shadow world, I take it—I need the money more than I care about my sanity.

It’s dangerous.
I have to embrace the magic and dark of my past.
And I need Advil to keep me going.

So those who’d hold me back better sit up and take notice, because a new woman is in town, and she’s not about to be counted out by anyone.

Even if she does groan when she rolls out of bed in the morning.]]> 340 Shannon Mayer 198793363X 0 to-read 4.27 2020 Midlife Bounty Hunter (Forty Proof, #1)
author: Shannon Mayer
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Midlife Fairy Hunter (Forty Proof, #2)]]> 53600879 A Paranormal Women’s Fiction with a bit of class, and a lot of sass for anyone over forty!

Over the hill, all outta ducks to give, and suddenly life is looking up . . .even if you’re living with a ghost and fighting off werewolves.

Moving back to Savannah changed my life in all the best ways. New job. New friends. As far from my ex-husband as possible.

I didn’t count on the Shadow World intensifying its hold on my life.

Color me surprised, when a new job lands in my lap watching over a fairy ring. Worth ten times what I’d make anywhere else, it seems too good to be true. I take it anyway.

And that’s when things get weird.

Spells are cast on my friends that seems to make them lose their marbles.

I’ve got a Bigfoot baking in my kitchen.

And a skeleton is quickly becoming my go-to guy. Which is silly because the eye candy strutting around in front of me is drool worthy. (I’m looking at you, Crash. Really looking 0_0)

Nothing in Savannah is what it seems, and the magic and undercurrents of this city are pulling me onto a dangerous path.

But with a Fae Queen begging my help, and the darkness closing in, I can only do one thing.

Pop a couple Advil, and kick some serious ducking butt.]]> Shannon Mayer 0 to-read 4.38 2020 Midlife Fairy Hunter (Forty Proof, #2)
author: Shannon Mayer
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Light a Candle Society 220298537
George McGlory - recent widower, part-time librarian, pub quiz enthusiast and lover of loud shirts - witnesses a public health funeral and is deeply moved by the sight of the lonely coffin with no flowers and no mourners in attendance.

He joins forces with Elena, a florist, Edwin, an undertaker, Sid, the owner of a bric-a-brac and second-hand furniture emporium, and Roxy his library colleague to form The Light a Candle Society and banish lonely funerals for good.

As they honour the dead together, George reflects on his own life and the rifts within his family. Can he find the courage and humility to face the demons of his past and repair his broken relationships before it's too late?]]> 365 Ruth Hogan 1805460749 0 netgalley-audiobooks 4.50 The Light a Candle Society
author: Ruth Hogan
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/29
shelves: netgalley-audiobooks
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Curse of the Sun and Stars: A Dark Fantasy Romance (Fated to the Sun and Stars, #1)]]> 225675029 Beauty and the Beast meets Anastasia in this spicy, enemies-to-lovers fantasy where the romance is sharp, the tension feral, and the betrayal unforgettable.

For years, Ana has been a prisoner—hidden away, her blood kept alive by ancient potions while the kingdom of Trova rots under the rule of those who cast her aside.

Born without magic in a world ruled by it, she was never meant to survive.

Until the day the fae prince found her. And left her for dead.

But death never came.

Now, as rival powers rise and ancient magic awakens, Ana is thrust into a world she barely recognizes—one of treacherous courts, shifting alliances, and the dangerously captivating prince who left her behind.

But when fate throws them together once more, Ana must claim the vengeance she’s waited for… or risk everything on a man who might betray her again.]]> 358 Zara Storm 5 This was amazing. I couldn't get enough of it all, I thought about it all the time. That's when you know you are on to a winner.
]]> 4.28 2025 Curse of the Sun and Stars: A Dark Fantasy Romance (Fated to the Sun and Stars, #1)
author: Zara Storm
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/05/26
date added: 2025/05/26
shelves:
review:
OMG Zara Storm, you know how to write fantasy books!
This was amazing. I couldn't get enough of it all, I thought about it all the time. That's when you know you are on to a winner.

]]> <![CDATA[This Vicious Dream (Kingdom of Death #1)]]> 219879082 Now, I’m trapped in a prison of thorns and nightmares.My crime? Knowing the location of a power that could reshape the world—a grimoire I swore to protect with my life.

That secret is the only thing keeping me alive while my captors wait for me to break.

Until he arrives.

Beautiful. Ruthless.

Dark, inscrutable eyes. A dangerously wicked grin.

But he’s not here to rescue me. He wants the grimoire for himself––and he’ll destroy anyone who stands in his way.

My only choice is a fragile, temporary alliance with a man I can never trust.

Because there’s more at stake than just a stolen grimoire or an ancient grudge.

And behind his mask of effortless allure, he’s hiding something far more dangerous than a thirst for power.

Something that could destroy us all.]]> 362 Stacia Stark 5 I loved this audiobook. Meg Sylvan had the silkiest voice in the world, so I can't wait to listen to more of her work!
Here's me not realising the FMC Madinia was a character in the Kingdom of Lies series, which I have still to read!
But I don't think I lost anything, I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the romance, and I can't wait to see how this series continues. Stacia Stark is becoming a must read author.]]> 4.28 This Vicious Dream (Kingdom of Death #1)
author: Stacia Stark
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.28
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/05/26
date added: 2025/05/26
shelves:
review:
Audiobook review, narrated by Meg Sylvan and Tim Paige.
I loved this audiobook. Meg Sylvan had the silkiest voice in the world, so I can't wait to listen to more of her work!
Here's me not realising the FMC Madinia was a character in the Kingdom of Lies series, which I have still to read!
But I don't think I lost anything, I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the romance, and I can't wait to see how this series continues. Stacia Stark is becoming a must read author.
]]> The Woman Who Met Herself 223909653 The Last List of Mabel Beaumont. Perfect for fans of Fredrik Backman, Colleen Hoover, and Jojo Moyes. What would you do, if you met your double?

Debbie Jones thinks life is an adventure. Even having lost her husband a year ago, she’s ready for whatever the world might throw her way. Being in her sixties doesn’t mean it’s all over for her yet, and she loves her new job doing neighbourhood support for a charity. Then she knocks on a stranger’s front door.

Ruth Waverley doesn’t like surprises. Her life isn’t perhaps all she once dreamed off, but what other options are there for a woman in her sixties? She’s proud of her home and children. And she likes her life well enough. Then she hears someone knocking at the door.

As the door opens, both Ruth and Debbie get the shock of their lives. As their eyes meet – the recognition is instant. Not because they’ve met before. But because they have the same face. They’re completely identical.

And everything is about to change, for both women. In ways they couldn’t possibly imagine…

Readers love Laura ‘Even when I couldn’t see properly as the tears streamed down my face rivalling the force of the Niagara Falls, I couldn’t put this novel down. It is raw, it is devastating (yes, I’m aware I’ve used that word before but it is!) and yet, it’s wonderful and I absolutely loved it!’ 카지노싸이트 reviewer ⭐⭐⭐

‘Heartbreaking, uplifting, eye opening… Such a beautiful story.’ 카지노싸이트 reviewer ⭐⭐⭐

‘Will break and melt your heart in equal measure. A genuinely stunning read!… Absolutely EXQUISITE… A powerful story about friendship, found family, lost love, identity, self-acceptance and living life authentically and to its fullest… A beautiful story that will never leave me.’ 카지노싸이트 reviewer ⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow… amazing… Straight away it captures your heart, it is so beautifully written and impossible to put down… Have the tissues ready… it feels so real… it stays with you.’ 카지노싸이트 reviewer ⭐⭐⭐

‘I absolutely loved this book. One of the most enjoyable that I have read this year. It is heartbreaking, beautiful and totally uplifting. It will make you laugh and it will make you cry. It will also make you look back at your own life and examine the decisions and choices that you have made… A really life affirming read.’ 카지노싸이트 reviewer ⭐⭐⭐

‘Gorgeous… Tender and beautiful… As hopeful as it is heart-breaking… I loved it.’ Amy Beashel, author

‘Captured my heart. It’s a tender and uplifting read… Leaves you feeling warm, hopeful, and satisfied.’ Lisa Timoney, author]]> 306 Laura Pearson 1836034687 4 netgalley This latest offering is exactly that. Two women meet who are the exact identical image of one another. The women are understandably shocked and confused, and embark on discovering what, if anything connects them together other than their appearances.
This is a great story that is perfectly placed. The clues and explanations are given to the readers gradually, to keep us all reading long into the night.
It's a lovely read, as are all the Pearson books I've read so far. Can't wait for the next book!]]> 4.28 2025 The Woman Who Met Herself
author: Laura Pearson
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/05/25
shelves: netgalley
review:
I adore Laura Pearson's work. She writes such wonderful, heart-warming stories.
This latest offering is exactly that. Two women meet who are the exact identical image of one another. The women are understandably shocked and confused, and embark on discovering what, if anything connects them together other than their appearances.
This is a great story that is perfectly placed. The clues and explanations are given to the readers gradually, to keep us all reading long into the night.
It's a lovely read, as are all the Pearson books I've read so far. Can't wait for the next book!
]]> <![CDATA[Evocation (The Summoner’s Circle, #1)]]> 123288408 The Devil knows your name, David Aristarkhov.

As a teen, David Aristarkhov was a psychic prodigy, operating under the shadow of his oppressive occultist father. Now, years after his father’s death and rapidly approaching his thirtieth birthday, he is content with the high-powered life he’s curated as a Boston attorney, moonlighting as a powerful medium for his secret society.

But with power comes a price, and the Devil has come to collect on an ancestral deal. David’s days are numbered, and death looms at his door.

Reluctantly, he reaches out to the only person he’s ever trusted, his ex-boyfriend and secret Society rival Rhys, for help. However, the only way to get to Rhys is through his wife, Moira. Thrust into each other’s care, emotions once buried deep resurface, and the trio race to figure out their feelings for one another before the Devil steals David away for good…

The #1 Sunday Times bestselling first book in a spellbinding and vibrant new series from S.T. Gibson]]> 301 S.T. Gibson 191520268X 0 to-read 3.60 2024 Evocation (The Summoner’s Circle, #1)
author: S.T. Gibson
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[This Is Why We Lied (Will Trent, #12)]]> 199793571 The next thrilling suspense featuring Will Trent and Sara Linton from Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Girls and After That Night!

Everyone here is a liar, but only one of us is a killer…

A secluded cabin retreat

For GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton, McAlpine Lodge seems like the ideal getaway to celebrate their honeymoon. Set on a gorgeous, off-the-grid mountaintop property, it’s the perfect place to unplug and reconnect. Until a bone-chilling scream cuts through the night.

A murderer in their midst

Mercy McAlpine, the manager of the Lodge, is dead. With a vicious storm raging and the one access road to the property washed out, the murderer must be someone on the mountain. But as Will and Sara investigate the McAlpine family and the other guests, they realize that everyone here is lying….Lying about their past. Lying to their family. Lying to themselves.

Who killed Mercy McAlpine?

It soon becomes clear that normal rules don’t apply at McAlpine Lodge, and Will and Sara are going to have to watch their step at every turn. Trapped on the resort, they must untangle a decades-old web of secrets to discover what happened to Mercy. And with the killer poised to strike again, the trip of a lifetime becomes a race against the clock…]]> 464 Karin Slaughter 0063336723 4 I felt it was slow in parts, and the pacing could have been improved a lot!]]> 4.16 2024 This Is Why We Lied (Will Trent, #12)
author: Karin Slaughter
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/05/23
shelves:
review:
I enjoyed this audiobook, but it didn't set my world alight.
I felt it was slow in parts, and the pacing could have been improved a lot!
]]> The Library of Fates 222850015 When its librarian keeper mysteriously dies, two former classmates must race to locate a rare book from their college years that can foretell your future if you confess a secret from your past—but someone is intent on protecting what’s hidden inside.

It can write the story of your future... and hide the secrets of your past

The Library of Fates was designed to show you who you are—and who you could become. Its rarest book, The Book of Dark Nights, holds a when you write an intimate confession on its pages, you'll receive a prediction for your future, penned in your own handwriting.

For Eleanor, whose childhood was defined by a senseless tragedy, the library offers a world where everything makes sense. She’s spent most of her life there as an apprentice to the brilliant librarian, showing other people how to find the meaning of their lives in stories.

But when her mentor dies in a freak accident and The Book of Dark Nights goes missing—along with the secrets written inside—Eleanor is pulled out of the library and into a quest to locate it with the last person she the librarian’s estranged son, Daniel, who Eleanor once loved.

Together, as they hunt down clues from Harvard to Paris, Eleanor and Daniel grow closer again, regaining each other’s trust. But little do they know that they’re entangled in a much larger web. Someone else wants the book, and they'll go to dark lengths to get it...]]> Margot Harrison 0369760514 0 netgalley 4.62 2025 The Library of Fates
author: Margot Harrison
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.62
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/23
shelves: netgalley
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern]]> 203579107 It's never too late for new beginnings.

On the cusp of turning eighty, newly retired pharmacist Augusta Stern is adrift. When she relocates to Rallentando Springs—an active senior community in southern Florida—she unexpectedly crosses paths with Irving Rivkin, the delivery boy from her father’s old pharmacy—and the man who broke her heart sixty years earlier.

As a teenager growing up in 1920’s Brooklyn, Augusta’s role model was her father, Solomon Stern, the trusted owner of the local pharmacy and the neighborhood expert on every ailment. But when Augusta’s mother dies and Great Aunt Esther moves in, Augusta can’t help but be drawn to Esther’s curious methods. As a healer herself, Esther offers Solomon’s customers her own advice—unconventional remedies ranging from homemade chicken soup to a mysterious array of powders and potions.

As Augusta prepares for pharmacy college, she is torn between loyalty to her father and fascination with her great aunt, all while navigating a budding but complicated relationship with Irving. Desperate for clarity, she impulsively uses Esther’s most potent elixir with disastrous consequences. Disillusioned and alone, Augusta vows to reject Esther’s enchantments forever.

Sixty years later, confronted with Irving, Augusta is still haunted by the mistakes of her past. What happened all those years ago and how did her plan go so spectacularly wrong? Did Irving ever truly love her or was he simply playing a part? And can Augusta reclaim the magic of her youth before it’s too late?]]> 313 Lynda Cohen Loigman 1250278104 0 4.05 2024 The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern
author: Lynda Cohen Loigman
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at: 2025/05/23
date added: 2025/05/23
shelves:
review:

]]> The Lost Story 199927030 The Chronicles of Narnia, this wild and wondrous novel is a fairy tale for grown-ups who still knock on the back of wardrobes—just in case—from the author of The Wishing Game.

As boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing in a vast West Virginia state forest, only to mysteriously reappear six months later with no explanation for where they’d gone or how they’d survived.

Fifteen years after their miraculous homecoming, Rafe is a reclusive artist who still bears scars inside and out but has no memory of what happened during those months. Meanwhile, Jeremy has become a famed missing persons’ investigator. With his uncanny abilities, he is the one person who can help vet tech Emilie Wendell find her sister, who vanished in the very same forest as Rafe and Jeremy.

Jeremy alone knows the fantastical truth about the disappearances, for while the rest of the world was searching for them, the two missing boys were in a magical realm filled with impossible beauty and terrible danger. He believes it is there that they will find Emilie’s sister. However, Jeremy has kept Rafe in the dark since their return for his own inscrutable reasons. But the time for burying secrets comes to an end as the quest for Emilie’s sister begins. The former lost boys must confront their shared past, no matter how traumatic the memories.

Alongside the headstrong Emilie, Rafe and Jeremy must return to the enchanted world they called home for six months—for only then can they get back everything and everyone they’ve lost.]]> 352 Meg Shaffer 0593598873 4 I didn't mind the LGTBQ angle, although it was unexpected. It reminded me of TJ Klune and I love his books!
I just think the plot waned a lot. I adored Shaffer's previous book, so I hope her next one is as good.]]> 3.76 2024 The Lost Story
author: Meg Shaffer
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/05/23
date added: 2025/05/23
shelves:
review:
I loved this at the start. There was so much mystery, and I love books about missing people- particularly ones where they return!
I didn't mind the LGTBQ angle, although it was unexpected. It reminded me of TJ Klune and I love his books!
I just think the plot waned a lot. I adored Shaffer's previous book, so I hope her next one is as good.
]]> How to Age Disgracefully 199605519
When Lydia takes a job running the Senior Citizens’ Social Club three afternoons a week, she assumes she’ll be spending her time drinking tea and playing gentle games of cards.

The members of the Social Club, however, are not at all what Lydia was expecting. From Art, a failed actor turned kleptomaniac to Daphne, who has been hiding from her dark past for decades to Ruby, a Banksy-style knitter who gets revenge in yarn, these seniors look deceptively benign—but when age makes you invisible, secrets are so much easier to hide.

When the city council threatens to sell the doomed community center building, the members of the Social Club join forces with their tiny friends in the daycare next door—as well as the teenaged father of one of the toddlers and a geriatric dog—to save the building. Together, this group’s unorthodox methods may actually work, as long as the police don’t catch up with them first.]]> 337 Clare Pooley 0593831497 4 I've really enjoyed going back to this book and the characters were just as I remembered. Really enjoyable, once I got back into it. I'm sorry it took so long!]]> 4.11 2024 How to Age Disgracefully
author: Clare Pooley
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/05/23
date added: 2025/05/23
shelves:
review:
Started reading this ages ago, and as usual got distracted...
I've really enjoyed going back to this book and the characters were just as I remembered. Really enjoyable, once I got back into it. I'm sorry it took so long!
]]> Grave Flowers 222176613 A twisty, dark-royalcore YA fantasy that takes the courtly intrigue of Hamlet and infuses it with the vicious ambition of the Boleyn family. For fans of House of the Dragon and readers who love The Cruel Prince, Red Queen, and Sarah J. Maas.

Marry the Prince, then kill him…

Princess Madalina and her twin sister Inessa were born attached at the hand and separated right after. That’s the only time the sisters ever held hands. The girls’ personalities have been shaped in the Sinet family’s drive to make their kingdom more than it is: unrespectable and loathsome, a damp place where deceit fills the palace walls like mold.

Madalina is different from her family. She’s considered the weak one and only finds peace in the garden, tending the flowers, which are pejoratively called grave flowers because they are ideal for tortures and torments. Secretly, she dreams of escape and a new life.

Then Inessa, who was betrothed to Prince Aeric, the heir of a wealthy kingdom, appears to Madalina as a ghost. She decries her murder and begs Madalina to free her from Bide, a terrifying place where souls get caught. Now Madelina must take her sister’s place and carry out her secret mission: Inessa wasn’t just sent to marry Prince Aeric, but to kill him, too, and solidify a pact with his uncle.

On behalf of her family, Madelina must finish the job, knowing that whoever wanted Inessa dead is sure to wish her dead as well.

Step into the deadly and decedent world of Grave Flowers, a seductive, royalcore romantic fantasy from acclaimed author Autumn Krause that will enthrall readers at every turn.]]> 400 Autumn Krause 1682636496 0 to-read 4.71 2025 Grave Flowers
author: Autumn Krause
name: Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle"
average rating: 4.71
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/22
shelves: to-read
review:

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