A bounty of book mail ready to harvest upon my shelves

 Granted, the world around us seems to be getting rougher by the minute but a good way to deal with it, I find, is to take joy where you can find it, especially if said joy is between the pages of a book.

My book mail haul has been bountiful indeed of late, starting with my newest Book of the Month Club selections-the main attraction being This Spells Love by Kate Robb(an early BOMC release btw-this debut novel will be officially available elsewhere on December 5).

Gemma Wilde ,despite her lively last name, is the type to stay on the steady path in life even if that means she’s stuck in a job that pays well but crushes her spirits and her boyfriend is the dictionary definition of reliable.

That is, until he dumps her, leaving Gemma feeling out of control so much so that she and a group of friends try a love memory spell during a night of drinking that works way too well.

Gemma walks up the next day to discover that more that her recent breakup has been erased; her old job is gone, she lives in a completely different place and worst of all, her best friend Dax doesn’t know her at all.

Since Dax kissed her as part of the original spell, he has to do again in order to reverse it. However as time goes on, Gemma starts taking chances in this new life she’s magically given and finds herself falling in love with Dax this time around.

 Is it worth the risk to  return to her old life to put this perhaps meant to be romance in jeopardy, possibly for good?

This just sounds like such a charmer, a cross between Practical Magic and Sliding Doors movie wise, that promises to be as comforting as cup of cocoa while watching your favorite romcom there:

My add-on choice for this BOMC box was Meg Shaffer’s The Wishing Game, which I have heard wonderful things about.

Ever since she was 13, Lucy Hart dreamed of going to Clock Island, the magical realm created by the series of best selling books by reclusive author Jack Masterson.

She even tried running away from her neglectful home to the real world counterpart owned by Masterson once but that failed attempt turned into something more years later.

Lucy is now an adult, hoping to adopt a lonely child but lacking the financial means to do so. When given the opportunity to compete for an exclusive edition of what may be the final Clock Island book , not to mention the only copy in the world, she takes that chance with the fervent wish that it might solve many of her problems.

Joining three other fans who also ran away to the island as children, Gemma soon learns that the numerous riddles and challenges presented to each of them are personally tailored to them and their greatest fears. Not to mention that Jack Masterson has a secret of his own that may reveal his true reasons for holding this contest in the first place. Can Gemma truly win here, even if she doesn’t get the book?

Word of mouth about this story has been amazing and it does sounds like a Willy Wonka tale for grownups in the best sense. I’m eager to see if this book is as magically delicious as those Wonka bars always seemed to be:

Then I received a pleasant surprise as an advance copy of a debut mystery novel due out in January of 2024 arrived at my door.

The Night of the Storm by Nishita Parekh is set in modern day Houston, TX as newly single mom Jia Shah has to take refuge from an impending hurricane with her family, who is far from happy with her current set of life choices.

Jia has enough on her plate as it is, with her twelve year old son Isshan being suspended from school and dealing with being able to financially support them both. By staying at her sister’s house to avoid the roving wreckage that is Hurricane Harvey, drama with her relatives is the last thing she needs right now.

That truckload of trouble gets heavier as more relatives arrive and during the height of the storm, one of them is found dead by untimely means. 

With no way to get official help on this matter, Jia finds herself playing detective to both clear herself of suspicion and to prevent another death on their doorstep. Can she do that without being attacked by the killer or the lethal force of nature trapping them together?

Getting a new book, particularly one that won’t out until next year, is such fun and also a debut novel to boot is total chef’s kiss there! This book has the flavor of one of those iconic Agatha Christie closed room mysteries and should be a great bookish companion for cold weather reading indeed:

Just yesterday, my mailbox had a special prize awaiting me, courtesy of a giveaway held on Instagram for Amiee Gibbs’ The Carnivale of Curiosities.

This debut novel(I am having so much luck with debut novels lately!) is set in Victorian London, where the title traveling show is setting up for a new season.

It is said that the lead magician Aurelius Ashe can actually perform real magic and will do so for a select few that meet his standards. Wealthy banker Odilon Rose demands that Ashe grant him a cure for his ailing ward Charlotte but since his true  intentions towards the young woman are impure to say the least, Ashe refuses his demands.

When Rose threatens the life of one of Ashe’s performers if his wish is not granted, the magician gives in..but not without a price that must be paid. Thinking he can get out of anything, Rose agrees yet the aftermath of this bargain resonates with more than one person in more ways than one.

I am so thankful to win such an intriguing book and hope to be spellbound by this fantastic tale for many nights to come:

We’re a couple of weeks away from Thanksgiving and I have much to feast upon in a mental banquet sort of way. I know it is difficult to keep your spirits up during these troubling times but when good things come your way or good news like the SAG/AFTRA strike coming to an end(congratulations to all concerned on that front!) pop up, rejoicing is indeed in order.

With any luck, things might get a bit better before this year finishes up; let us hope so at any rate. In the meantime, gathering some good books together for the cold days ahead is important, as important as making that holiday gravy on time for the big day there to be sure!: