Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week’s Can’t-Wait offering:
#fantasy adventure #witchcraft #feisty heroine
Disenchanted – Book 3 of the Rewitched series by Lucy Jane Wood
Release date for the ebook – 10th September, 2026
BLURB: Sage Hemlock has no interest in embracing her witchy side. Magic has betrayed her before, bringing nothing but heartache, and she will not let something so foolish happen again.
Instead, Sage has thrown herself into her work and studies, running the local museum and largely preferring the company of her library and her cat to other humans. Her one goal is to fly under the coven’s radar so that she can finally shed her blasted powers forever.
But when a strange historical book accidentally triggers a curse, Sage’s quiet, small-town life is suddenly overrun and magic is running rife. A beanstalk grows in her garden, and her friend and co-worker Casimir starts to look an awful lot like a handsome prince. Fairytales are coming true . . .
Now, with the threat of the coven on her tail, Sage must confront the magic she’s always denied to solve the mysteries of the book and save everyone she’s come to love from being lost to a fairy tale forever. The question is, can she finally learn to be her own happily ever after? I thoroughly enjoyed both Rewitched and Uncharmed – see my review. So when I saw Disenchanted was available, I immediately requested an arc and was delighted to get hold of a copy. I’m hoping it’s going to be as entertainingly quirky as the previous reads by this author.
I’ve been wanting to retreat into something cosier, given the excessive heat and overheated political situation around the world – would this one work for me?
BLURB: Ginger Mills is the new girl in Cinnamon Falls.
She’s ready to build her new life, focus on herself and spend her days baking delicious seasonal treats in her newly renovated bakery. Although her handsome regular, Austin, is already proving a distraction…
When a body is discovered in her bakery one morning, Ginger finds herself cast into an unwanted spotlight. Who is this new girl? Is she the killer? Only Austin seems to believe in her innocence.
REVIEW: This contemporary dual narrative murder mystery romance wasn’t quite as cosy as I’d bargained on. That said, I read far into the night to discover what happened next. Ginger is single-mindedly building her new life in the town. For while it’s beautiful and apparently a lovely place to live, the main reason why she’s pitched up here is that after fleeing her old life she had nowhere else to go.
The person alongside her, assisting her to turn her desperate dream into a reality is the very annoyingly chirpy Austin. Whatever the problem, he is determined to find the upside and a solution. This constant optimism is grating on Ginger and frankly, she’s thoroughly fed up with him. Even if he is attractive. I liked Ginger’s tenacity and her gritted determination to build herself a new life. That said, I wasn’t wholly on her side. Her method of obtaining the means to gain a fresh start is both stupid and immoral – if entirely human.
I found myself far more caught up in Austin’s story – which was when I became aware that this is the third book in the series. While I didn’t ever flounder, I increasingly realised that there was a lot of backstory I’d missed in getting to this point. It was Austin who I ended up truly rooting for, which may well be what the author has in mind, given that when writing a series, some character journeys stretch beyond a single book. Unlike many hiccups during the romantic thread to cause the couple a major problem, this bump didn’t feel trivial or easily sorted out – and once again, I’m guessing the consequences caused by Austin trying to fix it will land in a future book. I certainly find myself wondering about Ginger and Austin and what the future holds for them.
As for the murder mystery – that was well handled. There are a satisfying number of possible suspects and I liked the fact that the victim wasn’t painted all bad or completely blameless. Of course, I’d figured out who the perpetrator was relatively early in the story – until it transpired that I was utterly wrong. I love it when that happens. All in all, this is an enjoyable, well crafted murder mystery set within a tight-knit community where a lot is going on. Sufficiently so that I’m definitely going to be getting hold of more books in this series. While I obtained an arc of The Maple Bakery Murder from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own. 8/10
Queens regularly used to fight alongside lords. They make sneaky, clever warriors as their quicker sprint speeds and more manoeuvrable flying skills give a combat flight more tactical options. And just because you and your dratted sire can’t recall such times doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
Castellan the Black, mighty dragon warrior, features in my Picky Eaters series. All proceeds for the duration of the publishing life of Picky Eaters, first book in the series, are donated to mental health charities. The second book, Flame & Blame, and the third book, Trouble With Dwarves, are now available.
I was in the mood for something cosy and small town, and this cover drew me right in to give me pleasant autumnal weather vibes rather than the brutal heat we’ve been experiencing. Would the story be as entertaining as the cover?
BLURB: Blair has enough on her plate trying to keep younger sisters Belinda and Bianca from revealing their witchy powers to the residents of Moonbeam Hollow. She definitely doesn’t have time for Luke Caldwell’s annoyingly handsome smirk and perfect new café – or the fiery sparks beneath their fierce rivalry he insists are still crackling between them . . .
This town simply isn’t big enough for two pumpkin spice rivals. But when a series of strange magical disturbances threaten the beloved Fall Harvest Festival, Blair and Luke are thrown together again. To save her home, Blair must protect her family’s bewitching secret, out-brew her ex and unravel the curse that Luke’s return seems to have stirred.
REVIEW: I enjoyed Blair’s character more as the book wore on. Initially, she seemed overly defensive, and I didn’t particularly like her attitude towards Luke, especially as she was the one who’d initially broken off their previous relationship. However, as the story progressed and I appreciated just how devastating it was for her to lose her parents at such a crucial time, I grew to respect her choices and warmed to her more. This is important, as she is the hub around which all the action is generated.
That said, I thought the relationship between the three sisters was particularly well handled. I get a little fed up when books featuring sisters are too saccharine and they all seem to happily rub along together with no friction whatsoever. In reality, I’ve yet to meet sisters to whom this happens. Sure, you don’t want them battling and squabbling every minute of the day, but three feisty, intelligent young women living together are bound to create some sparks, and this is the case in this particular story.
As regards the mystery, to be honest, I just let it unfold in its own time. I enjoyed the setting – the small town dynamic was well portrayed and I could visualise the backdrop. I believed in the characters and therefore I trusted the author sufficiently to let the story roll forward. I was not looking for a book to be overly challenging when I picked this one up, and it absolutely delivered what I required. This one finished on something of a cliff-hanger and I will be looking forward to reading the next in the series. While I obtained an arc of The Harvest Moon Café from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own. 8/10
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week’s Can’t-Wait offering:
#fantasy adventure #dragon racing #second-chance romance Tailwind – Book 1 of the The Dragon Rush series by Olivia Hayward
Release date for the ebook – 3rd September, 2026
BLURB: There has never been a female dragon rider in the Volitant Dragon Races. Until now.
Once, Lena’s flying talent promised a future for women in this thrilling, dangerous sport. But after a betrayal ended her chance for a racing career, Lena now works as a dragon keeper for the washed-up racing tyrant Thorne. Cherishing the close bond she has forged with Gottyk, Thorne’s racing dragon, Lena still yearns to fly – to race.
But when an accident takes Thorne out of action minutes from a race beginning, Lena sees a sudden, secret opportunity. Put on Thorne’s racing helmet, and take his place in Volitant. I first noticed the colourful cover – and then read the blurb. Dragon racing? Oh yes – I’m in. This one is on the top of my TBR, so I’m about to tuck into it and I’m really looking forward to getting to it.
BLURB: Elena Mendes thought she understood what “old money” was.
She knew her boyfriend Ross Enderbough was rich. Like, “old money” rich. She knew he was the scion of some eccentric British line that predates the whole United States. She knew he didn’t really get on with his family, and that he fled to America to study free of their influence.
Ross has been summoned to Enderby, the family mansion built as a monastery centuries ago, for an exclusive, mysterious family gathering that happens only once a generation. Spouses and partners aren’t invited, but Ross has asked Elena to come anyway for moral support.
But there are secrets in the mouldering old pile, and terrors in the unkempt woods on the estate. And Elena slowly comes to realise that “old money” means so much more than she’d ever imagined…
REVIEW: I always enjoy first person viewpoints – and Tchaikovsky absolutely nails Elena’s character. She is clearly invested in Ross, but has been around the block once or twice. This isn’t some wide-eyed ingenue who stumbles into the emerging situation without a clue how to cope. Indeed, her ability to understand and absorb exactly what is happening as the dark secrets regarding Ross’s family begin to float to the surface is what gives this tale an extra dimension. It also makes the ending more impactful.
Tchaikovsky has a knack of taking a sub-genre, grabbing it by the scruff of the neck and giving it a thorough shaking. There are some moments of dark humour in this gothic tale of a ruthless, powerful family all too used to getting their own way that had me sniggering. And the irony is that it isn’t the offspring of said family who grasps exactly what is going on – it’s the intruder, who isn’t supposed to be there in the first place.
Tchaikovsky nicely evokes the atmosphere, so we have a strong sense that things are amiss before the mask falls away to reveal what truly is happening. I very much enjoyed the journey with the characterisation, setting and pacing absolutely spot on – which often doesn’t happen in shorter length tales. It’s the main reason why I don’t read novellas all that often – I hate that flat feeling when I swipe for the next page, only to discover that that story has come to an abrupt end. None of that here. The author brings this tale to a memorable end that has had me pondering on it ever since I completed the story. I’ve a hunch that I’ll be remembering this one for a long time to come.
Very highly recommended for fans of novella-sized, creepy gothic horror. And even if you aren’t a fan of horror – I’m not – this one still comes recommended. While I obtained an arc of Preaching to the Choir from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own. 9/10
This is part of the weekly, or fortnightly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books they’ve read and share what they have got up to during the last week.
It’s been a fortnight of two halves, weatherwise. The first week was brutally hot, particularly Wednesday and Thursday. I went out for the day on Wednesday to Crowborough with friends. We had a picnic lunch and went for a walk in Ashdown Forest and on Thursday morning I woke up with what I thought were two mosquito bites on both arms near my elbows. By the end of the day, I had an angry rash that was also terribly itchy. It went on spreading on Friday and Saturday until two-thirds of both arms were covered. The pain was excruciating – I felt was if I’d just had boiling water poured over both arms. Just to add to the fun, it triggered my Long Covid symptoms of exhaustion so I was back in bed both days. Last Sunday, I was able to get to the pharmacy for appropriate medication – by then, I realised that no, it wasn’t insect stings, hives or shingles – it was an eczema flare-up. I’m now recovering and everything has calmed right down so my arms are no longer intensely painful or itchy, which is a huge relief. But I’m also somewhat depressed by the whole episode. So I’m afraid no photos this week.
On a much happier note, Oscar got his exam results on Thursday and has passed them all. So he can now fully look forward to attending College, starting in early September. The house is in a state of upheaval as everything in the loft is being brought down and sorted. Frankly I think we have a flipping tardis up there – how could there be SO MUCH STUFF??
Since my last Sunday Post, I’ve read, or listened to a fair number of books, given my enforced spell in bed:-
AUDIOBOOK – Sky Shielder – Book 1 of the Fire and Fang series by Lindsay Buroker He helped destroy her family. Now he wants to protect her. Dare she trust him?
For generations, magical sky shields have defended the Garden Kingdom from dragons and their savage riders. Now, the shield protecting the capital has been sabotaged, the castle destroyed, and all except the youngest member of the royal family slain.
A healer with a love for books, antiques, and avoiding family gatherings, Princess Syla never thought the future of the kingdom would rely upon her—or that assassins would be hunting her down. With only an aged bodyguard with bad knees to protect her, she’s in way over her head.
Then he shows up. The powerful and deadly dragon rider Captain Vorik claims to be from a faction that wants peace, not war, and who opposed the attack. Supposedly, he and his dragon ally were sent to protect Syla. With threats coming from all directions, she has no choice but to accept his help, but she doesn’t trust him—or her attraction to him.
Why is he really there? To kill her? To spy on her? To seduce her?
All Syla knows for certain is that she must get the best of Vorik before he can get the best of her. Her kingdom and her life depend on it. It’s always a treat to embark on a new series with a favourite author, particularly one who always provides plenty of exciting action and protagonists I really care about. It doesn’t hurt there are also dragons… 9/10
Unbound – Book 2 of the Splintered World series by Brian Moyer Esah survived Splinter—barely. Now he’s back at Delaney Rim carrying three simple capabilities at once, a thing that should have killed him. Air. Spark. Navigation that turns out to be earth. Three foundations layered into one mind, all of them refusing to compound. By every rule of the world he splintered into, he should be at the bottom—bound to a fifty-mile range, useless for trade, fit only to be caged or culled.
Instead he’s free.
Back at Barrel Springs, the small community that took him in his first season—Hoda the anthropologist, Huutsuu the engineer who lost everything in the transfer, Ama who can pull clean water out of poisoned ground, and the rest of the people who taught him to live in the basin—begins something new. A teaching camp at the rim. Foundation work. Real instruction. The basics the territories have spent a generation hoarding. People come. People learn. People stay. The territories notice. I’ve only included the first two paragraphs of the very chatty blurb and if you intend on reading this offering, then avoid the rest. An enjoyable addition to this intriguing portal fantasy adventure – see my review.
AUDIOBOOK – The Secret World of Twilight by Sally Coulthard Every day, just before sunrise and straight after sunset, magic happens. Dawn and dusk – those fleeting, half-lit hours – are when the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Skies flare with colour, landscapes shift in mood and an unseen cast of creatures emerges from the shadows. Welcome to twilight.
In THE SECRET WORLD OF TWILIGHT, author and smallholder Sally Coulthard invites us into this magical in-between realm, where seductive night-blooming flowers open, secretive mammals stir, giant moths reign and fantastical sea creatures ride the tide. Twilight profoundly affects human life too – but in our age of electric light and closed doors, we’ve almost forgotten how to see it.
Blending natural history, folklore and memoir, Coulthard reveals twilight as a vital, liminal one that has inspired awe for millennia and still has the power to illuminate our daily lives. I have wanted to listen to more non-fiction and this enjoyable book describes what happens to us, to birds, animals as night melts into day and day once more fades into night – and what our ancestors made of these vital times. Well worth a read. 9/10
AUDIOBOOK – Dragons on the Edge – Book 16 of Jane Austen’s Dragons series by Maria Grace Everyone expects Sir Fitzwilliam Darcy to fix their problems: estate management, endorse a courtship, hide from the Blue Order Council dragons. The mounting dangers to the Blue Order and all of Dragonkind, though, dealing those would require more effort. Perhaps after a strong cup of coffee—not tea, world-ending disasters required coffee.
Dragon Sage Elizabeth’s pregnancy had left her tired and cranky and as big as a dragon. But her father’s emergency visit… best just say, it did not foster pleasant tea time conversations. Between his entitled demands and his socially-inappropriate dragon assistant, Bede, nothing is sacred. Not correspondence, not locked rooms, and especially not the secrets Bede is supposed to be keeping, rather than whispering into the ears of impressionable young firedrake, Pemberley.
Of course, Pemberley intends to do something with all the secrets she isn’t supposed to know. Things which could turn the Blue Order on its ear. Things which would soon make Elizabeth and Darcy’s world very, very complicated.
Swords, poisons, and a touch of dragon fire could be required to set things back to rights. But first maybe coffee. I love what Grace does with a dragon society, every bit as hierarchical and hidebound as the Regency setting in Jane Austen’s world, as life continues to make increasingly difficult demands on Darcy and Elizabeth. I tore through this one far too fast and then felt miserable it was over. 10/10
NOVELLA – Preaching to the Choir: Terrible Worlds Transformations by Adrian Tchaikovsky Elena Mendes thought she understood what “old money” was.
She knew her boyfriend Ross Enderbough was rich. Like, “old money” rich. She knew he was the scion of some eccentric British line that predates the whole United States. She knew he didn’t really get on with his family, and that he fled to America to study free of their influence.
Ross has been summoned to Enderby, the family mansion built as a monastery centuries ago, for an exclusive, mysterious family gathering that happens only once a generation. Spouses and partners aren’t invited, but Ross has asked Elena to come anyway for moral support.
But there are secrets in the mouldering old pile, and terrors in the unkempt woods on the estate. And Elena slowly comes to realise that “old money” means so much more than she’d ever imagined… Creepy gothic horror with a nicely unsettling ending. Review to follow.
NOVELLA – Centaur and Sensibility – The Regency Bestiary for Fine Ladies and Gentlemen by Quenby Olson Miss Mary Clegg does not want to marry. No, Miss Mary Clegg does not want to marry someone who lacks such important features as wit, intelligence, and a fine jawline. So what other option is there for her but to run away from home?
It’s a simple enough plan, to begin with. But a shortcut through a magic forest (well, she didn’t know it was magic at the time) and a chance meeting with an exasperating centaur provide a plethora of complications.
And what about love? Well, that might be the most challenging complication of all. I was looking for more Jane Austenesque fantasy goodness when I came across this little gem from an author, whose writing I always enjoy. Great fun! 9/10
AUDIOBOOK – Dungeon Crawler Carl – Book 1 of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman The apocalypse will be televised! A man. His ex-girlfriend’s cat. A sadistic game show unlike anything in the a dungeon crawl where survival depends on killing your prey in the most entertaining way possible.
In a flash, every human-erected construction on Earth – from Buckingham Palace to the tiniest of sheds – collapses in a heap, sinking into the ground. The buildings and all the people inside have all been atomized and transformed into the an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, and loot. A dungeon so enormous, it circles the entire globe. Only a few dare venture inside. But once you’re in, you can’t get out. And what’s worse, each level has a time limit. You have but days to find a staircase to the next level down, or it’s game over.
In this game, it’s not about your strength or your dexterity. It’s about your followers, your views. Your clout. It’s about building an audience and killing those goblins with style. You can’t just survive here. You gotta survive big. You gotta fight with vigor, with excitement. You gotta make them stand up and cheer. And if you do have that “it” factor, you may just find yourself with a following. That’s the only way to truly survive in this game – with the help of the loot boxes dropped upon you by the generous benefactors watching from across the galaxy. They call it Dungeon Crawler World. But for Carl, it’s anything but a game. Better late than never – but I finally dived into this offering. The audiobook is a triumph and Dinniman manages to make a truly savagely bleak Hunger Games scenario bearable and even funny at times. I’ll definitely be getting the next book in the series. 9/10
The Crow Moon – Book 10 of the Crow Investigations series by Sarah Painter The ghosts of London are restless…
Lydia thought she had solved the mystery of the #NewRipper, but the murderer is still taunting her. It appears that someone is able to control the undead of London, and they are coming for Lydia and those she holds dear.
Meanwhile, a child has gone missing on her watch, the dangerous Pearl-Fox wedding is fast approaching, and Lydia uncovers shocking revelations about her Family’s dark past. This is the final book in this sophisticated, layered urban fantasy adventure set in London – and Painter manages to tie everything up highly satisfactorily. 9/10
Astray – Book 1 of the Adventures of a Xeno-Archaeologist series by Jenny Schwartz Nora Devi is a xeno-archaeologist with a complicated past. She has buried more secrets than she’s dug up. Widowed in the recently ended twelve year war between Capitoline and Palantine, she now makes a living as an independent tagger in border space.
Captain Liam Kimani could be credited with ending the latest royal war. Instead, he’s blamed for it. Dirty commoners aren’t meant to lay their hands on royalty. He has no regrets.
When Liam and his crew of the battlecruiser RC Genghis Khan are exiled to Capitoline’s border they discover that life in unexplored space can be more dangerous than war, and that their best chance of survival lies with a mysterious, elusive tagger.
The only problem is that Nora’s secrets might destroy the precarious stability of the entire Human Sector. Enjoyable space opera adventure full of tension and action. I will be definitely getting the next book in this series. 9/10
Time God Warlock – Book 4 in the Chronos Chronicles series by Shami Stovall Adair Finch is the most powerful warlock in the world, but can he defeat a time god like Aeon, Father of the Zodiac?
Long ago, Finch made a pact with Chronos, the Titan of Time. In exchange for the ability to rewind time up to 24 hours, Finch agreed to safeguard Chronos’s newest child—whenever Chronos decided to have one.
That day has come. Finch must protect the time god egg, keeping it out of the hands of random bounty hunters, werewolves, vampires, assassins, and even Aeon, a rival time god.
To lay low until the egg hatches, Finch heads to Tahoe City. A local woman called his PI firm in the hopes he could find her missing son, and Finch believes it’s the perfect distraction while he waits for the egg to hatch.
Unfortunately, Tahoe is already plagued by magical problems. And to make matters worse, Aeon knows whenever Finch rewinds time, allowing the time god to track all of Finch’s moves… This urban fantasy adventure makes enjoyable use of the rewinding time aspect and Stovall has effectively upped the stakes in this tale. I’m now thoroughly invested in the team Finch has gathered around him and am looking forward to the next book in the series. 8/10
AUDIOBOOK – The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor Seven years ago, Maeve Abenthy lost her world, her father, even her name. Desperate to escape the stain of her father’s crimes, she lives under a fake name, never staying in one place long enough to put down roots.
Then she receives a mysterious letter with four impossible Your father was innocent.
To uncover the truth, she poses as an apprentice for the Otherwhere Post, where she’ll be trained in the art of scriptomancy—the dangerous magic that allows couriers to enchant letters and deliver them to other worlds. But looking into her father’s past draws more attention than she’d planned.
Her secretive, infuriatingly handsome mentor knows she’s lying about her identity, and time is running out to convince him to trust her. Worse, she begins to receive threatening letters, warning her to drop her investigation—or else. For Maeve to unravel the mystery of what happened seven years ago, she may have to forfeit her life. An interesting magic system around the idea of ink and scribing that weaves a story full of tension and secrecy. 8/10
Don’t be afraid to present thuggish, half-fired lordlings with plenty of risky challenges and difficult targets set long distances from their dwellings. While you might lose one or two to accidents, that has to be better than putting down a horde of half-grown lords attempting to take over your aery.
Castellan the Black, mighty dragon warrior, features in my Picky Eaters series. All proceeds for the duration of the publishing life of Picky Eaters, first book in the series, are donated to mental health charities. The second book, Flame & Blame, and the third book, Trouble With Dwarves, are now available.
I enjoyed the first book, loving the rich, immersive world that Moyer depicts – see my review of Splinter. So would this second book, taking the story on further, once more pull me into the story? Oh yes, it certainly did.
BLURB: Esah survived Splinter — barely. Now he’s back at Delaney Rim carrying three simple capabilities at once, a thing that should have killed him. Air. Spark. Navigation that turns out to be earth. Three foundations layered into one mind, all of them refusing to compound. By every rule of the world he splintered into, he should be at the bottom — bound to a fifty-mile range, useless for trade, fit only to be caged or culled. Instead he’s free.
Back at Barrel Springs, the small community that took him in his first season — Hoda the anthropologist, Huutsuu the engineer who lost everything in the transfer, Ama who can pull clean water out of poisoned ground, and the rest of the people who taught him to live in the basin — begins something new. A teaching camp at the rim. Foundation work. Real instruction. The basics the territories have spent a generation hoarding. People come. People learn. People stay. The territories notice.
REVIEW: The blurb is needlessly chatty, so I would recommend that you avoid it – it provides spoilers you could do without. Which is why I’ve only included the first two paragraphs at the top of this review.
As Unbound picks up more or less immediately from the end of the first book, my second recommendation is that whatever you do, don’t pluck this one off the shelves until you’ve had the pleasure of reading Splinter. We are immediately plunged back into the adventures featuring the same characters that starred in the first book, which I enjoyed. It can be off-putting to be confronted with a new cast, especially while in the throes of lots of action and Moyer doesn’t pull this stunt with his readers.
This time, the stakes are no less high but different as we begin to see the world outside Barrel Springs Basin, where our plucky protagonists have been corralled. Pages flew by as I learned more about how this wider world worked. Once again, I was impressed at the immersive writing that had me smelling and tasting the desert, clearly benefitting from Moyer’s deep knowledge and love of the area. The characterisation is also very well done. We get to see Esah’s weaknesses, as well as his strengths in this unsentimental treatment of Moyer’s main protagonist, which had me completely in his corner.
I particularly enjoyed how Moyer took the first slice of the story in Splinter and enlarged it, both literally and figuratively. I got to learn how much bigger the world is outside the desert territory and how the rules have been changed to suit certain people. The build-up to the inevitable showdown is very well done and had me reading far later than I’d planned to discover what happens next.
Any niggles? Moyer’s knowledge of the region runs deep – he doesn’t just have a strong appreciation of the landscape and harsh conditions, he also knows a great deal about the water courses and geology. While I understand the reader needs to appreciate some of the information he imparts, I did feel he went down something of a rabbit hole where there was far more detail than the story required. So I did skim a fair amount of that stuff. However, it wasn’t a dealbreaker and there is so much about this world and the premise that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, that doesn’t prevent me from strongly recommending the book to fans of portal fantasy adventures – especially if you appreciate something a bit different. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, which is due to be released on 1st September. 9/10
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week’s Can’t-Wait offering:
#cosy murder mystery #second-chance romance
The Maple Bakery Murder – Book 3 of the Cinnamon Falls series by R.L. Killmore
Release date for the ebook – 27th August, 2026
BLURB: Ginger Mills is the new girl in Cinnamon Falls.
She’s ready to build her new life, focus on herself and spend her days baking delicious seasonal treats in her newly renovated bakery. Although her handsome regular, Austin, is already proving a distraction…
When a body is discovered in her bakery one morning, Ginger finds herself cast into an unwanted spotlight. Who is this new girl? Is she the killer? Only Austin seems to believe in her innocence. I know! Two cosy reads in a row on Can’t-Wait Wednesday – what has happened to the feisty, adventurous me?? A very, very hot summer is what. I need some comfort reads right now. And this cute cover particularly spoke to me.
Brainfluff 