Natalie recommends "Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt"

I knew this day would come.  I started reading the series a few years ago when we had gotten book five, Moon Sister and have been staying along for the ride.  Atlas: the Story of Pa Salt wraps up the series quite nicely, finally answering questions about the elusive Pa Salt now that all seven sisters have been bought together.  Pa Salt's journey is one of loss, heartbreak, and self discovery, ending with a few surprises that I won't spoil.  This is a book that I would highly recommend as the final book in a series that has been going on for almost a decade, and it concludes the series in a meaningful way.

As you may notice, there are two authors on this book, Lucinda Riley and her son, Harry Whittaker.  That is because Lucinda Riley passed away in June of 2021 after battling cancer for four years.  Her passing was just a few weeks after the release of the seventh book, The Missing Sister, which would make it to the top of the chart in the UK and Ireland before her passing.  Before she passed, Lucinda Riley had started working on Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt, and according to a Q&A, she already had a plan in the event she passed before the book was finished.  Harry Whittaker would go on to state that, while her passing wasn't expected, should worse come to worst, she wanted him to finish Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt.

Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt is not only a wonderful conclusion to a great series, but a nice send off to an author who has captivated millions of readers over the years.  

Amy recommends "Killers of a Certain Age"

 

Four sixty-something women are retiring – from their jobs as assassins for a clandestine international organization known as The Museum. After decades of service they discover they are the newest marks. This book manages to be funny, gruesome, and a loving nod to longstanding female friendships. The publisher describes it as a cross between the Golden Girls and James Bond. That description is spot on. This book is intended for adults.

 

 

Nicole recommends "City Under One Roof"

 

City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita is one of our Adult Fiction Hot Reads and it is absolutely worth taking a look at. This book is a murder mystery set in a small town in Alaska, only the town used to be a military base and everyone there lives in the same building. Detective Cara Kennedy has to team up with the local cops to solve the mystery while actually living with her suspects, unable to leave because a blizzard has closed off the only road out of town. Of course all of the locals have secrets, and Detective Kennedy is keeping a big secret of her own. If you love classic mysteries in closed-off settings, quirky settings and characters, or small towns hiding big secrets, you will not want to miss City Under One Roof.

Kara recommends "Red" and "Gold" by Jed Alexander

               

 

These wordless picture books are fractured retellings of two well-known fairy tales.  “Red” is a fresh take on “Little Red Riding Hood”, and “Gold” is a new way of telling “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”.   I love the illustrations and the specific use of a single color to help tell these two beloved tales, as well as the surprise endings.

These books are best for those ages 4 and up.

Justine recommends "Even Though I Knew the End" by C.L. Polk

Even Though I Knew the End is short but jam-packed read filled with magic, love, and noir.  The story is about a magical detective who is offered one last job before her bargain with a demon is up.  If she finds Chicago's most notorious serial killer, the demon with her soul will return it in exchange.  She can't resist, as she dreams of growing old with the woman she loves out in San Francisco.

If you're a fan of the TV series Supernatural, I definitely recommend this novella.  The whole thing has echoes of the show, from hunting demons to awkward angels very bad at social conventions.  Additionally, it has been nominated in the 2022 Nebula Awards for Best Novella.  It has some tough competition from A Prayer for the Crown-Shy, but I'm cheering for this one!