Karin Slaughter is an author I HAVE to read the second a new book is out. This thriller, about a lawyer determined to shake off her past, delivers her best standalone yet with an action-packed plot, deliberate procedural style, and crackling tension.

It gets a little tangled towards the end and I'm always gonna like the Georgia series best. But in a year of disappointing thrillers, it's a good reminder of why Slaughter's at the top of the game.

"We read to know we're not alone."

Widely attributed as a quote by C.S.Lewis, it's actually from the play "Shadowlands" about Lewis' relationship with his wife, the American poet Joy Davidman. The film is also a must for book lovers! There's a moment when her son opens up a wardrobe at Lewis' home that makes you hold your breath, because you know *exactly* what it must feel like to be in his shoes and hope against hope to find Narnia waiting.

Holy crap, I've been away for a long time. Hi, new friends! I've been in hibernation mode for awhile but I'm glad to see you. Hope you're as excited about Leigh Bardugo's new book of fairy tales as I am!

“There are many Beths in the world, shy and quiet, sitting in corners till needed, and living for others so cheerfully that no one sees the sacrifices till the little cricket on the hearth stops chirping, and the sweet, sunshiny presence vanishes, leaving silence and shadow behind.”

One of my favorite Christmassy books, and one that never fails to make me happy and sad and enraged, every single time.

In partnership with Disney-Hyperion, here's a cozy winter giveaway for my Litsy friends. Here's your chance to snuggle in with a new YA Sleeping Beauty retelling!

One winner receives:
· copy of Spindle
· Sleepytime Tea
· Cozy Socks
· Tea infuser travel mug

To enter, leave a thoughtful comment telling me why you want to read this! Ends 12/9/16. US only, our usual giveaway rules (on the blog) apply.

Prizes + review copy provided by the publisher.

Replaced my old paperback copy of CHERRY TREE LANE for this hardback! No gingerbread stars on hand, but my Mary Poppins tea set makes up for it. ;)

I don't usually care about pre-order promotions, but this gorgeous CROOKED KINGDOM die set was too good to pass up! Big thanks to Macmillan and the author, who extended the offer even after their initial quantity was fulfilled. I just got mine today. :)

"Hushflowers always bloomed when the night was longest." #firstlines

Currently reading! There's also an excerpt on EW if you want more: http://bit.ly/1YcvaRk

For a different take on zombies, try UNDEAD! It's a ridiculously fun YA horror romp jam-packed with action + occasional blood splatter + irreverent British humor. A short but satisfying page-turner; if you're a fan of SHAUN OF THE DEAD, it's worth checking out. AND it's only $1.99 right now! https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00902Y8Z2 Had no idea when I first posted.

PS, I totally groomed my big fluffy boots with a cat brush for this photo. 😬

Clever ARC goodies for the new mystery from the author of PRETTY LITTLE LIARS! The nail polish is actually a marker, the mascara is a flash drive, and the lipstick is a mini flashlight.

This one sounds like fun, I'm looking forward to reading it. Out 11/1/16.

“Surely He does not give us hearts so we may spend our lives ignoring them.”

On sale for 99 cents right now! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005LVQZLQ Assassin nuns in medieval France. (I don't need to say anything other than that, yes?)

"You haven't listened," she said. "I can feel it. I felt it upstairs just now. There's something terrible here. In this house."

Currently reading this subtly creepy gothic horror novel! I only recently discovered Jonathan Aycliffe (NAOMI'S ROOM is also excellent), but I've relished both reading experiences; they're exactly the kind of horror I like, with evocative settings, fine threads of tension, and deeply disturbing undercurrents throughout.

Anthologies are pretty hit-or-miss, but this book of short stories is one of best overall YA collections I can recall from recent years. The horror ranges in mood and style and subject, with each story taking inspiration from different films, songs, etc. Some of my favorites included authors who don't normally write horror, like Leigh Bardugo and Jay Kristoff, as well as stories by Nova Ren Suma, Cat Winters, Megan Shepherd, and many more.

This gruesome, beautiful post-apocalyptic western follows a 15-year-old girl named Temple who wanders the wasteland. Her encounters with other survivors include a family wasting away in their elegant mansion, a band of vicious mutants, and a mute, helpless man. And zombies! Did I mention there are zombies? :D

The writing is absolutely gorgeous, and this is one of my favorites in the literary horror genre. (Also adult fiction, despite her age.)

One of the best books of the year is just $1.99 today! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015CYCHNQ On sale for Kindle and Nook.

It's a hysterically funny re-imagining of Lady Jane Grey's brief reign. It shouldn't work, but thanks to deft storytelling, witty dialogue, and clever subversion of history (and sexist norms), it does. The punny humor will have you in stitches!

PS, the physical book is also great; deckled edges + a fun detail on the spine.

In this gothic psychological thriller, a young woman becomes a "lady visitor" at a Victorian prison and becomes drawn to one of its inhabitants. It features an evocative setting, masterful plotting, exquisitely restrained writing, and a story that will engross you from the first page until its devastating end.

As you might be able to tell from that slightly terrifying cover, it's also perfect if October puts you in the mood for #spookybooks!

Tweet from yesterday. I actually did provide a real blurb for this book's ARC, but now I rather regret I didn't think of this sooner. 😂

The book is a delightful historical romance, between two boys who have been best friends all their lives. They embark on a Grand Tour of Europe, during which they outwit pirates and fight their feelings for each other. Definitely add it to your June 2017 reading list if you enjoy witty, roguish boys!

“There must be something in books, something we can‘t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don‘t stay for nothing.”

Still resonant after all these years, and perfect for #bannedbooksweek.

It's interesting to see the wildly varied reactions to this one; I read it before all the hype and was fascinated by the layered character work the author did. Nearly all of them are off-putting, exasperating, and with little to no redeeming qualities--and yet I was thoroughly engrossed in their stories! I also guessed the culprit fairly early on but it didn't matter, since it was so well-written, esp considering the multiple unreliable narrators.

"He could smell her crackling white apron and the faint flavour of toast that always hung about her so deliciously."

I love MARY POPPINS the movie, but the book is, as is almost always the case, infinitely more complex. (And funnier, too!) These battered old editions are my favorite.

Thief, lock-picker, and conflicted anti-hero. Leigh Bardugo stops by the blog today to share Kaz's origins: http://bit.ly/2cPTzLk

Plus we have a giveaway for a Grisha Prize Pack, including those cool CROOKED KINGDOM socks I posted awhile back!

That is a custom Kaz Brekker Funko Pop, btw--he's holding a cane with a crow's head on it. Sadly, the guy who made it closed his shop, but I'm hoping he'll re-open someday. I'd love an Inej...or Sturmhond!

Skimming through SIX OF CROWS for our CROOKED KINGDOM blog tour stop tomorrow! There's a tiny clue in this photo as to what the subject will be. 😉

"There's a Japanese phrase that I like: koi no yokan. It doesn't mean love at first sight. It's closer to love at second sight. It's the feeling when you meet someone that you're going to fall in love with them. Maybe you don't love them right away, but it's inevitable that you will.

I'm pretty sure that's what I'm experiencing right now. The only slight(possibly insurmountable) problem is I'm pretty sure that Natasha is not."

Currently reading!

Gruesome crimes, fascinating forensics, unforgettable characters--and one of the few series that's made me scream "WHAT!" as I was reading it. It's tense, raw, and sometimes heartbreaking.

Just know that it starts with BLINDSIGHTED, then there's a concurrent series that starts with TRIPTYCH, and the two series eventually merge. More on the order here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/161173556 You definitely want to read from the beginning.

The next time you need a feel-good romance, make a date with THE DATING GAME! Two co-workers seethe with competition and repressed attraction in this sharp, funny book; it's the perfect combination of adult Sarra Manning + Sarah Mayberry + Jennifer Crusie. I laughed from beginning to end and can't wait to re-read it.

For #RoaldDahl100, here is my favorite! I still giggle when I think about the witches' square feet, they're so delightfully hideous.

Terrific production of A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE at the Ahmanson--minimalist staging/costumes, good acting, and a spectacular finish in which the stage is bathed in blood. 😯

It's not my favorite Miller play (lots of subjects tackled, none quite as meaningfully as you'd hope, characters aren't as nuanced as they could be), but I enjoyed watching this performance immensely. This production is headed to DC/ elsewhere around the country, FYI!

"He must be a very strange young man," said Gramma. "When I was your age young men were interested in whether or not their wives were good cooks and housekeepers."

One of Beverly Cleary's lesser-known books, published in 1963, it's notable for the glimpse at the way women's lib is viewed by three generations of women.

PS, aren't these old covers amazing? They make me so happy!

Tim Burton, wiping his hands after getting getting his handprints in cement in Hollywood! Currently waiting for the MISS PEREGRINE movie screening to start. #staypeculiar

(More photos on Twitter...Winona Ryder introduced him!)

If you like your thrillers layered and moody, give BIRDMAN a try. I first read this British series because Karin Slaughter mentioned it's one of her favorites; it's similarly dark and occasionally gory, but it also places an emphasis on character.

Fair warning: books 1, 2, and 7 are incredible--there are scenes that still haunt me years later. But the others are much less consistent.

I glanced at the synopsis and saw "Victorian London" and "Jack the Ripper," and I thought, "Great!" But this story is so much more than that. Evelyn has been gravely disfigured by phosphorous necrosis, so she takes a job as a maid to The Elephant Man. Their plight and uncertain friendship is fascinating, and the world the author creates is thoroughly engrossing.

100 pages in, I already know it's going on my list of 2016 favorites. Out 9/27/16.

Amazing MIDNIGHT STAR package from #penguinteen included this fun quote tote! I love that this series is about "the villain," and the villain is a teenage girl. She's flawed, she's determined to win power at any cost, but she's always compelling as a protagonist.

More photos on my Instagram: https://instagram.com/p/BJs_7NzBXq2/

Found this beautiful 1938 edition of REBECCA (along with these other goodies!) while poking around antique stores this weekend. It's funny, because I like my new books to stay in pristine condition, but I'm immensely fond of worn, well-loved old books as well. Secondhand bookstores > new bookstores for me, in most cases.

My lovely friend @HeidiSchulz signing her new book at Once Upon a Time in Montrose! Wearing a giraffe dress, of course.

PS, her business card says she lies to children for fun and profit. 😉

Awhile back, I posted an early heads up about this February 2017 release set in ancient Rome; now here's the ARC with my blurb! If the idea of badass girl gladiators piques your interest, definitely pick this one up. The action sequences in particular are fantastic.

#thevaliant #lesleylivingston #razorbillbooks #penguinteen

I went to see this lesser-known Tennessee Williams play here in Los Angeles a few weeks ago, and now I'd very much like to read the play. He said that the sensitive, quietly rebellious Alma was his favorite character of all those he's written, and after seeing this fantastic production, she's now mine, too.

"His prayers became screams, but both went unanswered."

A tiny sneak peek at Chapter One! I can't wait for this sequel to SIX OF CROWS, which was somehow even more brilliant than the first Grisha trilogy. #crookedkingdom #leighbardugo #macmillanteen

A war between ancient races descended from birds and dragons. Who will win? I suspect we'll have to wait until book three is released in a year to find out. 😉

Currently listening to this on audio!

"I still believe in man in spite of man...I continue to cling to words because it is up to us to transform them into instruments of comprehension rather than contempt. It is up to us to choose whether we wish to use them to curse or to heal, to wound or to console."

- Elie Wiesel, 1928-2016

"He had wondered once why love was always phrased in terms of burning. The conflagration in his own veins, now, gave the answer.”

Did you know TID has traces of A TALE OF TWO CITIES? It too has a desperate love story and themes of honor, sacrifice. I'll never be over the end of this series. Ever.

"I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul.”

Dickens is dense, but A TALE OF TWO CITIES has some of the most beautiful lines and ideals I've ever read--as well as one of my favorite characters in Sydney Carton,who wasted his life until he found something worth sacrificing for.

"You love the library, all that brooding quiet and rustling paper. You hear the call of books,like the far-off howling of wolves." His voice was teasing.
"Books are knowledge, knowledge is power," I said archly.
"And power is your goal? Curiouser and curiouser."
"Power is everyone's goal, isn't it?"

After reading GEORGE, you'll never again second guess the importance of a pronoun--or the importance of inclusion, acceptance, and love. I'm so glad we're seeing more lgbtqi books for younger kids; this one is sweetly poignant and full of joy. ❤️💛💚💙💜

FYI, free PRIDE AND PREJUDICE audiobook downloads are available through tomorrow morning! http://bit.ly/28RWRvl I usually try to post different content on different social media, but I figured I'd vary slightly from my Instagram photo and post this here as well, in case anyone was interested. 😊

Two girls disappear, but only one comes back, mute and scarred. This psychological historical thriller is fragmented, has shifting timelines, and is told in second person, but don't let that scare you off! It's intense and unforgettable, with shades of high-pitched emotions evoked by THE CRUCIBLE.

This short story about two damaged people from the SUMMER RAIN romance anthology is free right now: http://amzn.to/28PN3or I wish it had been a bit longer/deeper, but it's a quick, entertaining read. FYI that all proceeds from the anthology benefit RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network).

This works in some ways as a PRIDE AND PREJUDICE retelling, particularly bc Andrew, the modern day Darcy, is well done. But is it YA? (It's marketed as such, MC sounds young.) Is it adult? (College, business ventures, etc = mature situations.) This one suffers from an identity crisis, unfortunately.

Put this February 2017 release on your radar: it's historical fantasy about badass GIRL GLADIATORS and it is spectacular! I read this about a month ago keening "Eeeeeee" practically the whole time, and I can't stop thinking about it. So excited to see the cover and to read it again.

I couldn't care less about football, but the Dairy Queen series, about a girl who wants to try out for the team, is one of my favorites! It's so funny and down to earth, has a cute romance, and the farm/small town setting is terrific. I kinda hope we'll get a DJ Schwenk-in-college book one day.

"They can bend to my will...or I can break them." My favorite Helene quote! TORCH is interesting because it gives us some scenes from her perspective: http://bit.ly/1UUNBqc I'm taking my time with this one to enjoy the experience.