The Relationship Mechanic (Peach Blossom #2)

December 2024 and January 2025 Must Haves

BP Note: As we close out the year with another two-fer. I wanted to give you a chance to use that holiday money or to have an excuse to escape from the expectations of family and others. Hopefully you find something to end and start the year with in a positive way. As for me, I am celebrating the arrival of my newest nibling and trying to catch up on all the books I saved for this time of year. Happy Holidays to all observing or celebrating and stay safe everyone!
Happy Reading!
~E

Contemporary Romance

The Relationship Mechanic (Peach Blossom #2)The Relationship Mechanic (Peach Blossom #2) by Karmen Lee – 21 Jan 25 (Afterglow Books)

There’s no fix for a lonely heart like a little TLC…

Jessica Jae-un Miller came to Peach Blossom, Georgia, for a visit, not a breakdown. But when her rental car dies on the outskirts of town, mechanic Lavenia “Vini” Williams provides a tow—and a very welcome jump start to Jessica’s heart. It’s been a minute since Jessica’s last fling—her relationship specialty—and Vini checks all the right boxes. If only the sexy car whisperer seemed interested…

Vini knows herself and what she wants. She loves her job, her family, her hometown—but she’d love to fall in love. Jessica stirs up all the right feelings, but the city girl has no intention of staying in Peach Blossom. Why sign up for a broken heart?

But the temptation is real as Vini goes out of her way to drive a carless Jessica around town. The pair can’t seem to keep their distance—or their hands to themselves. With only six weeks to figure out where their red-hot chemistry might lead, Vini and Jessica will have to decide if home can be where the heart is when the heart only knows how to run.

Cosy Fantasy

The Baby Dragon Cafe (Baby Dragon #1)The Baby Dragon Cafe (Baby Dragon #1) by A.T. Qureshi – 16 Jan (Avon)

When Saphira opened up her café for baby dragons and their humans, she wasn’t expecting it to be so difficult to keep the fires burning. It turns out, young dragons are not the best magical animals to keep in a café, and replacing all that burnt furniture is costing Saphira more than she can afford from selling dragon-roasted coffee.

Aiden is a local gardener, and local heart-throb, more interested in his plants than actually spending time with his disobedient baby dragon. When Aiden walks into Saphira’s café, he has a genius idea – he’ll ask Saphira to train his baby dragon, and he’ll pay her enough to keep the café afloat.

Saphira’s happy-go-lucky attitude doesn’t seem to do anything but irritate the grumpy-but-gorgeous Aiden, except that everywhere she goes, she finds him there. But can this dragon café owner turn her fortunes around, and maybe find love along the way?

Fantasy

I Made It Out of ClayI Made It Out of Clay by Beth Kander – 10 Dec 24 (MIRA)

Nothing’s going well for Eve: She’s single, turning forty, stressed at work and anxious about a recent series of increasingly creepy incidents. Most devastatingly, her beloved father died last year, and her family still won’t acknowledge their sorrow.

With her younger sister’s wedding rapidly approaching, Eve is on the verge of panic. She can’t bear to attend the event alone. That’s when she recalls a strange story her Yiddish grandmother once told her, about a protector forged of desperation… and Eve, to her own shock, manages to create a golem.

At first everything seems great. The golem is indeed protective—and also attractive. But when they head out to a rural summer camp for the family wedding, Eve’s lighthearted rom-com fantasy swiftly mudslides into something much darker.

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear (Wayward Children #10)Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear (Wayward Children #10) by Seanan McGuire – 7 Jan 25 (Tordotcom)

Nadya had three mothers: the one who bore her, the country that poisoned her, and the one who adopted her.

Nadya never considered herself less than whole, not until her adoptive parents fitted her with a prosthetic arm against her will, seeking to replace the one she’d been missing from birth.

It was cumbersome; it was uncomfortable; it was wrong.

It wasn’t her.

Frustrated and unable to express why, Nadya began to wander, until the day she fell through a door into Belyrreka, the Land Beneath the Lake–and found herself in a world of water, filled with child-eating amphibians, majestic giant turtles, and impossible ships that sailed as happily beneath the surface as on top. In Belyrreka, she found herself understood for who she was: a Drowned Girl, who had made her way to her real home, accepted by the river and its people.

But even in Belyrreka, there are dangers, and trials, and Nadya would soon find herself fighting to keep hold of everything she had come to treasure.

The Rainfall MarketThe Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang – 21 Jan 25 (Ace)

If you could swap your life for a better one, which would you choose?

On the outskirts of Rainbow Town, there is an old, abandoned house. They say that if you send a letter detailing your misfortunes there, you could receive a ticket. If you bring this ticket to the house on the first day of the rainy season, you’ll be granted entrance into the mysterious Rainfall Market—where you can choose to completely change your life.

No one is more surprised than Serin when she receives a ticket. Lonely and with no real prospects for a future, Serin ventures to the market, determined to create a better life for herself.

There, she meets a magical cat companion named Issha and they search through bookstores, perfumeries, and fantastical realms while Serin tries to determine what her perfect life will look like.

The catch? Serin only has one week to find her happiness or be doomed to vanish into the market forever.

And all the while, a shadow follows quietly behind them…

The Orb of Cairado (World of the Goblin Emperor)The Orb of Cairado (World of the Goblin Emperor) by Katherine Addison – 31 Jan 25 (Subterranean Press)

Five years ago, Ulcetha was studying at the University of Cairado, working his way toward becoming a scholar first-class in the Department of History. Then a prize artifact disappeared and Ulcetha, deftly framed, was kicked out. Now he works for a crooked importer, using his knowledge of elven history to write provenances for the fake artifacts Salathgarad sells.

When the airship Wisdom of Choharo explodes, killing the emperor and three of his four sons, it takes with it Ulcetha’s best friend, Mara Lilana. But Mara leaves behind a puzzle–the one thing Ulcetha can’t resist. And the puzzle leads Ulcetha back to the Department of History…and maybe the chance to clear his name.

Fantasy Romance

Water MoonWater Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao – 14 Jan 25 (Del Rey)

On a backstreet in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it. Most will see a cozy ramen restaurant. And only the chosen ones—those who are lost—will find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets.

Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as the pawnshop’s new owner to find it ransacked, the shop’s most precious acquisition stolen, and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike its other customers, for he offers help instead of seeking it.

Together, they must journey through a mystical world to find Hana’s father and the stolen choice—by way of rain puddles, rides on paper cranes, the bridge between midnight and morning, and a night market in the clouds.

But as they get closer to the truth, Hana must reveal a secret of her own—and risk making a choice that she will never be able to take back.

The Demon's Delight (Demon Princes #3)The Demon’s Delight (Demon Princes #3) by J. Alexander – 29 Jan (Self)

Captured.

Exploited.

Bonded to a Demon Prince.

After being taken from the forest near my home, I’m tormented in the name of research, and forced to use my healing gift for my captor’s profit.

Desperate to escape, I risk it all. I steal a spell book, and summon a demon for aid.

I’m prepared to beg a creature that’s vicious and cruel for help, but a Prince of Hell arrives instead. One that’s devastatingly charming. Kind. It’s easy to forget he’s a demon at all.

Though the contract demands he travel with me on my journey back home, I start to wonder if our bond is more than just obligation. I can’t resist his charm or his thoughtfulness, and his protective flirting seems genuine.

What awaits me back home will test not only our connection, but everything I know about myself and my magic.

Have the fates forsaken me altogether, or have they given me the greatest gifts of all?

Historical Fantasy

Miss Amelia's List (Elemental Masters #17)Miss Amelia’s List (Elemental Masters #17) by Mercedes Lackey – 24 Dec 24 (DAW)

The year is 1815, and an American, Miss Amelia Stonehold, has arrived in the Devon town of Axminster, accompanied by her “cousin” Serena Meleva. She’s brought with her a list to tick find a property, investigate the neighbors, bargain for and purchase the property, staff the property and…possibly…find a husband.

But Amelia soon finds herself contending with some decidedly off-list trouble, including the Honorable Captain Harold Roughtower, whose eyes are fixed on her fortune. Little does Amelia know that his plans for her wealth extend far beyond refurbishing his own crumbing estate — they include the hidden Roman temple of Glykon, where something very old, very angry, and very dangerous still lurks.

But Roughtower isn’t prepared to reckon with the fact that neither Amelia nor Serena are pushovers. And he certainly isn’t ready for the revelation that he has an Earth Master and a Fire Mage on his hands — or that one of them is a shapeshifter.

Historical Fiction

The Stolen QueenThe Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis – 7 Jan 25 (Dutton)

Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the opportunity. But after an unbearable tragedy strikes, Charlotte knows her future will never be the same.

New York City, 1978: Eighteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for iconic former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who’s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum and known across the city as the “party of the year.” Though Annie soon realizes she’ll have her work cut out for her, scrambling to meet Diana’s capricious demands and exacting standards.

Meanwhile, Charlotte, now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Met’s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art, wants little to do with the upcoming gala. She’s consumed with her research on Hathorkare—a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant.

That is, until the night of the gala. When one of the Egyptian art collection’s most valuable artifacts goes missing . . . and there are signs Hathorkare’s legendary curse might be reawakening.

As Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity, a desperate hunch leads the unlikely duo to one place Charlotte swore she’d never return: Egypt. But if they’re to have any hope of finding the artifact, Charlotte will need to confront the demons of her past—which may mean leading them both directly into danger.

Historical Mystery

A Snake in the Barley (Owen Archer #15)A Snake in the Barley (Owen Archer #15) by Candace Robb – 3 Dec 24 (Severn House)

York, 1377. Owen Archer is determined to find his friend, taverner Tom Merchet, who has been missing for five days. His wife, Bess, is frantic with worry.

AN ENIGMATIC STRANGER.

Who is the elusive Widow Cobb that Tom was seen visiting? And who is the man spotted following Tom before he vanished? As Owen hunts for clues, Bess decides to visit the widow’s lodgings and makes a terrifying discovery.

RETRIBUTION IS BREWING . . .

Owen digs up past sins and long-buried secrets that answer some of the questions surrounding Tom’s disappearance. But who is the sly and malevolent figure intent on destroying his friend, and why? A shocking confession will rock Owen to his core . . .

Rebellious Grace (King's Fool #3)Rebellious Grace (King’s Fool #3) by Jeri Westerson – 7 Jan 25 (Severn House)

536, London. The gruesome murder of a servant in the king’s palace, his throat savagely cut, has brought fear to the court of Henry VIII. When the man’s body is then dug up from the churchyard and disembowelled two weeks later, Will Somers, the king’s jester, is horrified. What terrible mischief is now afoot under the king’s roof?

With Henry VIII distracted by The Pilgrimage of Grace, the religious revolt led by Robert Aske in protest at the king turning his back on the Catholic faith, Will becomes reluctant inquisitor once again. As he attempts to unmask a murderous knave, Will uncovers a chilling link between one of Queen Jane Seymour’s precious jewels, the rebellion and the dead man. Is a shocking act of treachery behind a grotesque killing?

Mystery

Echo (Detective Harriet Foster #3)Echo (Detective Harriet Foster #3) by Tracy Clark – 3 Dec 24 (Thomas & Mercer)

Hardwicke House, home to Belverton College’s exclusive Minotaur Society, is no stranger to tragedy. And when a body turns up in the field next to the mansion, the scene looks chillingly familiar.

Chicago PD sends hard-nosed Detective Harriet “Harri” Foster to investigate. The victim is Brice Collier, a wealthy Belverton student, whose billionaire father, Sebastian, owns Hardwicke and ranks as a major school benefactor. Sebastian also has ties to the mansion’s notorious past, when thirty years ago, hazing led to a student’s death in the very same field.

Could the deaths be connected? With no suspects or leads, Harri and her partner, Detective Vera Li, will have to dig deep to find answers. No charges were ever filed in the first case, and this time, Harri’s determined the killer must pay. But still grieving her former partner’s death, Harri must also contend with a shadowy figure called the voice—and their dangerous game of cat and mouse could threaten everything.

Beast of the North Woods (Monster Hunter #3)Beast of the North Woods (Monster Hunter #3) by Annelise Ryan – 28 Jan 25 (Berkley)

An ice fisherman is savagely mauled to death in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and an eyewitness claims the man was attacked by a hodag. There’s just one problem with it’s well known that the creature is not real and was created by a local hoaxer. So how could an imaginary creature be chomping on local sportsmen?

The suggestion that a hodag killed someone isn’t well received by the townsfolk because of its beloved ties to the town and the money it generates from tourist dollars. Due to this, people begin to suspect the witness is the real killer, especially when it’s discovered he has a tangled past with the victim.

The witness to the attack happens to be the nephew of Morgan Carter’s bookstore employee, Rita Bosworth, who convinces the professional cryptozoologist to travel to Wisconsin to prove that a hodag not only exists but killed the victim.

Clues may be hard to come by, but one thing’s for something killed that man, and that something now has its eyes focused on Morgan.

Paranormal Romance

The Dratsie Dilemma (San Andreas Shifters #4)The Dratsie Dilemma (San Andreas Shifters #4) by G.L. Carriger – 1 Dec 24 (GAIL CARRIGER LLC)

Once upon a time, Trick went up against the sea and lost. Badly. Or so he thought.

What the sea decides to keep, it keeps forever.

Trick is a dratsie shifter, a river otter. He is charming, loads of fun, and a little bit slippery. He’s running from a past he can’t forget, and he’s landed unexpectedly in the chaotic comforting embrace of a small-town cafe and the world’s queerest pack of werewolves.

Unfortunately, it turns out the past has also refused to forget Trick. It washes up on his doorstep and gets instantly tangled up in marine biology conferences, twelve mermaids thrift shopping, and specialty cappuccinos.

That past is grumpy, sexy, and wearing a very sparkly tail. (Don’t you dare call him a fish.)

Trick was just starting to feel like it was all going to be okay. But sometimes the sea decides to spit up a merman who has been looking for Trick for over a decade. Trick will have to decide whether he starts running all over again or faces up to heartbreak and the childhood best friend who betrayed him.

Elemental Truth (Mysterious Fields #3)Elemental Truth (Mysterious Fields #3) by Celia Lake – 13 Dec 24 (Celia Lake)

Six months ago, Thessaly thought she knew what her life would hold. Now, two deaths have changed that. She has a freedom she never thought she’d have, but that doesn’t mean that society’s pressures have gone away. Still pressured to marry well, Thessaly needs to navigate her family’s demands and everyone’s assumptions about what she ought to do.

Vitus has finally officially been recognised as a talisman maker, able to set up his own establishment and begin finding his own clients. He doesn’t dare unsettle things further, even though recent events have left him with many questions.

As Vitus and Thessaly continue to talk, it becomes clear that much more is going on than either of them are aware of. Someone is experimenting with dangerous magic – that’s likely already caused multiple deaths. It would be easy to ignore it, to get on with their own lives, but neither of them can ignore what’s right in front of them. Nor can they ignore their own desires for each other and a life together.

This final book in the Mysterious Fields trilogy brings Thessaly and Vitus’s romance to a happily ever after ending. Together, they figure out what matters, delight in their shared arts of magic and colour, and work together to solve a terrifying mystery that could change Albion’s history entirely. Set in 1889 and 1890, this book about the magical community of Victorian Britain should be read in order, after the first two books in the trilogy.

Blood Mosaic (The Firebird and the Wolf #1)Blood Mosaic (The Firebird and the Wolf #1) by Elizabeth Hunter – 17 Dec 24 (Recurve Press LLC)

A ruthless fire vampire. An unsuspecting human. A bargain that will cost them everything.

Tatyana Vorona has no idea that she just made a deal with a vampire. When the naïve human bookkeeper offers to help locate embezzled funds for a wealthy CEO, she doesn’t realize she’s being set up as bait.

Oleg Sokolov is a fire vampire as ancient as he is vicious. It’s bad enough that his daughter stole money from him, but now she’s sought refuge with one of his bitter rivals. He wants her back under his control, and he doesn’t mind using Tatyana to draw her out.

But as Oleg spends more time with Tatyana, he begins to want her for more than just revenge. When Tatyana is attacked, Oleg is forced to reveal his true nature to save her. Can he convince her to stay in his bloody world when he’s the reason she’s in danger?

How to Hack a Hellhound (Hellhounds of Paradise Falls #2)How to Hack a Hellhound (Hellhounds of Paradise Falls #2) by Shannon Mae – 2 Jan 25 (Self)

Quinton
Getting kidnapped and held hostage in a human trafficker’s basement was not on my bingo card. Getting rescued by a paranormal being was also not on my bingo card. (Apparently I needed to trade in bingo cards.) The guy who took me may be dead, but I know there are more people behind the operation, and I plan to shut it down. If I need to get the help of one of the creepy glowing eyed dudes to do it, I will. It turns out Liam is incredibly sexy and really good with technology, too. He may be great at hacking into computers, but I’m determined to hack my way into his life.

Liam
Ever since I looked into the feisty human that Dexter rescued from a basement, I’ve been a little… obsessed. Is it wrong that I watch him all the time and hack into all his technology? I’m just trying to keep him safe. After all, he’s sticking his nose into some troubling areas, and I can’t deal with the thought of him getting taken again. Of course I offer to help him when I discover his mission to take down a trafficking ring, although my motives aren’t exactly pure. The little human attracts me in a way that I can’t explain, and my hellhound thinks he’s mine, whether he wants to be or not.

Emotionally traumatized, feisty vigilante and hacker hellhound fall in love; Liam has Quinton under surveillance 24/7 and will protect him; Quinton doesn’t mind being watched if the dude with the glowing eyes will keep him safe; there’s torture and death (but only of really bad people); hellhounds have tails, and they know how to use them.

Shattering Dawn (Lost Night Files #3)Shattering Dawn (Lost Night Files #3) by Jayne Ann Krentz – 7 Jan 25 (Berkley)

Amelia Rivers, a member of the Lost Night Files podcast team, hires private investigator Gideon Sweetwater to catch the stalker who has been watching her. Amelia suspects the stalker may be connected to the shadowy organization responsible for the night that she and her two friends lost to amnesia—a night that upended their lives and left them with paranormal talents.

Gideon suspects that Amelia is either paranoid or an outright con artist, but he can’t resist the chemistry between them. He takes the case despite his skepticism. For her part, Amelia has second thoughts about the wisdom of employing the mysterious Mr. Sweetwater. She is wary of the powerful attraction between them, and deeply uneasy about the nightmarish paintings on the walls of his home. She senses they were inspired by his own dreamscapes.

Amelia knows she doesn’t have time to find another investigator, and Gideon is forced to reckon with the truth when he disrupts what was intended to be Amelia’s kidnapping. Now the pair is on the run, with no choice but to return to the haunting ruins of the old hotel where Amelia’s lost night occurred. They are desperate to stop a killer and the people who are conducting illegal experiments with a dangerous drug that is designed to enhance psychic abilities. If they are to survive, they will have to trust each other and the passion that bonds them.

The Monsters We Are (Devil's Cradle #3)The Monsters We Are (Devil’s Cradle #3) by Suzanne Wright – 16 Jan 25 (Piatkus)

The Ancients and the Aeons. Two groups of powerful immortals on the brink of destruction, and at the heart of it all stands Wynter Dellavale.

Wynter is a witch who once sought sanctuary for herself and her coven in Devil’s Cradle. Better known as ‘the Home of Monsters’, it was a place for outcasts and fugitives. She now wears the brand of Cain, the infamous Ancient, who has claimed her soul for all of eternity and doesn’t plan on ever letting go.

Together, Wynter and Cain have prevailed over many powerful enemies, but now they face their final – and most terrifying – battle. As the last Aeon left standing, the all-powerful Adam is out for revenge. His terms: Cain and Wynter in exchange for peace. If Devil’s Cradle won’t deliver them, the full force of Adam’s devastating rage will fall upon them all. As the stakes are raised, Cain and Wynter will do whatever it takes to defeat Adam and keep each other safe, even if it means unleashing the monsters that live within them . . .

Romantic Suspense

See How They Hide (Quinn & Costa #6)See How They Hide (Quinn & Costa #6) by Allison Brennan – 7 Jan 25 (MIRA)

Two people were murdered—at the exact same time, in the same gruesome manner, bodies covered in the same red poppies…but on opposite sides of the country.

With Detective Kara Quinn investigating in Oregon and Special Agent Matt Costa in Virginia, the Mobile Response Team digs deep to uncover more about each victim. What is the link between the two, and why were they targeted?

Yet their search unearths more questions than answers—until they meet Riley Pierce, the only person still alive who might be able to help them find the killers.

Soon, it becomes clear this case is nothing like they’ve seen before as their investigation leads them to the hallowed grounds of Havenwood—an eerily beautiful place rooted in a terrifying past.

As more bodies turn up, all tied to the same community, Kara and Matt are desperate to piece the puzzle together before Havenwood’s leader sacrifices everything to keep her secrets buried.

A Ruthless Angel Weeps (House of Croft #3)A Ruthless Angel Weeps (House of Croft #3) by Sophie Barnes – 28 Jan 25 (Sophie Barnes)

She’ll cut down anyone daring enough to threaten what she holds dear…

Charged with murder, Adrian awaits the trial that will seal his fate. Escape seems impossible with his enemies actively trying to end his existence. But if he were to avoid the inevitable, he’d set his mind to one hunting down his devious wife – the woman who orchestrated his capture.

On the run from the law, Samantha plots her husband’s rescue. Letting him hang isn’t an option. Not if she’s to correct the misunderstanding between them and fight for the future she knows they can have together. But with time running out, how will she ever succeed in saving the only love she’s ever known?

Science Fiction

The Death of the AuthorThe Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor – 14 Jan 25 (William Morrow)

Life has thrown Zelu some curveballs over the years, but when she’s suddenly dropped from her university job and her latest novel is rejected, all in the middle of her sister’s wedding, her life is upended. Disabled, unemployed and from a nosy, high-achieving, judgmental family, she’s not sure what comes next.

In her hotel room that night, she takes the risk that will define her life – she decides to write a book VERY unlike her others. A science fiction drama about androids and AI after the extinction of humanity. And everything changes.

What follows is a tale of love and loss, fame and infamy, of extraordinary events in one world, and another. And as Zelu’s life evolves, the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur.

Because sometimes a story really does have the power to reshape the world.

Science Fiction Romance

How to Steal a Galaxy (Chaotic Orbits #2)How to Steal a Galaxy (Chaotic Orbits #2) by Beth Revis – 3 Dec 24 (DAW)

Ada had no intention whatsoever to continue working for the rebel group that hired her to retrieve the government’s plans for a nanobot climate cleaner if they weren’t willing to pay her for it, but then they offer a different an undercover mission to a charity gala where Rian will be in attendance. Rian, meanwhile, has volunteered his services for the gala believing that the rare items up for auction will attract Ada’s eye. Hoping to catch her in the act and pin her with a punishable crime, Rian has no idea that Ada’s real mission is to convince him to join the rebels. And the rebels have no idea that Ada’s decided that kidnapping Rian is the most efficient means to an end.

Mechanize My Hands to WarMechanize My Hands to War by Erin K. Wagner – 17 Dec 24 (DAW)

Deep in the hills of Appalachia, anti-android sentiment is building. Charismatic demagogue Eli Whitaker has used anger toward new labor policies that replace factory workers with androids to build a militia–and now he is recruiting child soldiers.

Part of a governmental task force, Adrian and Trey are determined to put a stop to Whitaker’s efforts. Their mission is complicated by their own shared childhood experiences with Whitaker. After an automated soldier shoots a child during a raid to protect Trey, both grapple with the role of androids and their use in combat.

Interrelated with the hunt for Whitaker, farmers Shay and Ernst struggle after they discover their GMO crop seeds have failed and caused a deadly illness in Shay. To help manage, they hire android employees: Sarah as hospice, and AG-15 to work the now-toxic fields. The couple’s relationship to the androids evolve as both humans get progressively more sick.

Timely and chilling, Wagner’s nonlinear debut shares intimate narratives of loss, trauma, and survival as the emergence of artificial life intersects with state violence and political extremism in rural Appalachia.

Experimental Voyage (Shiftgems #2)Experimental Voyage (Shiftgems #2) by R.J. Blain – 25 Dec 24 (Pen & Ink Publishing)

When a spaceship accident costs Camellia her chance to explore the universe as a botanist, she jumps at the chance to be a test subject on an experimental voyage. If the gamble restores her hearing, her dreams for the future will no longer be out of reach.

Venturing into the depths of space is dangerous enough, but when a shiftgem gate develops a mind of its own and yanks them into uncharted space, Camellia’s skills and tolerance are tested. Her chance to explore a new world proves to be a bitter pill to swallow upon learning the some discoveries are best left lost.

How can Camellia, with the help of a grumpy pilot, his cat, and his crew of space-faring predators, safeguard an entire planet incapable of protecting itself?

The answer may cost her everything, including her heart.

Experimental Voyage first appeared in Pets in Space 8. This edition of the book includes new content.

Urban Fantasy

Dusk's Portent (Aileen Travers #7)Dusk’s Portent (Aileen Travers #7) by T.A. White – 18 Dec 24 (Self)

Sin city just got a whole lot bloodier

Fae trespassing in her woods is the least of Aileen’s problems when her best friend comes under magical attack on the same night. Aileen soon finds herself neck deep in trouble as news reaches her that the local Fae burrow has fallen and the werewolf pack she counts as ally has been taken hostage.

To save them, Aileen will be forced to travel across country to Las Vegas, the territory of a dangerous supernatural. And home to the secrets of one close to her. Soon, she’ll find her enemies have joined hands. Their goal—the death of Aileen and the entire vampire line she belongs to.

With the pack’s fate—and her own—in jeopardy, Aileen will need to seek out the darkness inside if she has any hope of surviving until dusk.

This time—what happens in Vegas may actually kill her.

The monthly Must Have list is a compilation of the upcoming release titles that we, The Book Pushers, just can’t wait to get our hands on. Don’t see a title you’re excited about listed here? Add it to the comments section below. Let us know what you’re looking forward to!

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