Feed Your TBR - How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates

 

Can't Wait Wednesday, which I have adapted to better suit my blog as "Feed Your TBR" is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

February 3, 2026

FROM GOODREADS: When Jamie Prescott and her best friend Laurie attend a speed-dating event, Jamie expects to meet a roster of mediocre men and indulge in some street food afterwards. She doesn’t expect one of her dates to have his throat slit at their table during a blackout. When the lights come back on and there are more bodies on the floor, it becomes clear that speed dating can be a very dangerous pastime.

Armed with makeshift weapons and Jamie’s extensive knowledge of what NOT to do in a horror movie, the remaining speed daters try to find an exit while the killer adds to their body count. As the night progresses and Jamie comes face-to-mask with the murderer, she begins to suspect he is committing the slayings to woo one of the daters and turn her into his real-life Final Girl. But Jamie has a different love story in mind, and as she fights for her life, she can’t help but find herself ensconced in a love triangle with two of the other speed-daters. Will she survive the bloodshed to find her happily ever after? Or does this machete-wielding psychopath have another Final Girl in mind?

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I love a good slasher trope and this one sounds like there might have some comic moments as well.  At least I am hoping.  

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT ON THIS WEEK???

2 Readers 1 Series - Willowleaf Lane (Hope's Crossing #5)

 

Stormi and I do at least two buddy reads each month, sometimes three, and in 2026 we really want to try to wrap some of our series reads up.  So we kicked off the year with what we anticipated would be a quick read and continued on with the Hope's Crossing series.  While it will never be the same as Virgin River was for me, it is similar enough to fill the huge void that one left.  Read on for my thoughts and then hop over to Storm Reads to see if Stormi liked it!

 

TITLE: Willowleaf Lane (Hope's Crossing #5)

AUTHOR: RaeAnne Thayne

PUBLISHER: HQN Books

PUBLISHING DATE: June 25, 2013

PAGES: 379   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: Sometimes going back is the best way to start over.

Candy shop owner Charlotte Caine knows temptation. To reboot her life, shed weight and gain perspective, she's passing up sweet enticements left and right. But willpower doesn't come so easily when hell-raiser Spencer Gregory comes back to Hope's Crossing, bringing with him memories of broken promises and teen angst. A retired pro baseball player on the mend from injury—and a damaging scandal—he's interested in his own brand of reinvention. 

Now everything about Spencer's new-and-improved lifestyle, from his mission to build a rehab facility for injured veterans to his clear devotion to his preteen daughter, Peyton, touches Charlotte's heart. Holding on to past hurt is her only protection against falling for him—again. But if she takes the risk, will she find in Spencer a hometown heartbreaker, or the hero she's always wanted?

MY THOUGHTS: While I still enjoyed it, the last installment in this series fell a bit flat for me. I am pleased to say this one pulled me right back in and I loved Candy and Spencer's story.

When she was a teen, Candy had a huge crush on Spencer. They became good friends, but Candy's weight issues and her lack of confidence prevented it from becoming more.  Spencer went on to be a famous athlete but got into some trouble and is now back in town starting over.  Candy spent the last year addressing her health and getting in shape.  She has never forgiven Spencer for something he did years ago, and she is not happy to see him.  However, she does feel a kinship to his daughter who has recently lost her mother, just like Candy did when she was her age.  Can Candy forgive Spencer and act on the spark she is once again feeling when she looks at him, or is the damage already done?

I really enjoyed Candy as a character and this is basically an enemies-to-lover trope because when Spencer comes back to town, Candy definitely treats him like an enemy.  I think Peyton, Spencer's daughter, actually does a lot of bring down Candy's walls and as that relationship flourished, so did the one with Spencer.  I also liked how Thayne added the story of Candy's brother in with this one and I'm excited to see what comes from him in future books.  As always, there is an adorable dog named Tucker who Candy babysits for her brother from time-to-time and as always, I have to give him a shout-out.  Go Tucker!

As far as ratings go, the last book received a 4/5 from me but gained a whole rating point due to the dog.  This one also gets a 4/5 but it stands on its own and doesn't need an extra boost. If you love feel-good small-town stories, then this is definitely a series to consider.  I think we have two more books and this series will be complete, and I am looking forward to both of them.

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

Gotta Love a Great Dog Character! (2025 Favorites)

 

If you've visited my blog a few times you know how much I love my pooches (well, almost all animals actually but I am partial to my pups). Since I love to see a great dog representation in books, I wanted to share some of my canines I've met during my reading adventures this year!

Stormi and I have continued our series read of the Dresden Files this year and I think we read 10 or 11 in 2025.  Mouse, Harry's canine companion continues to be one of my all-time favorite pups.  I'm pretty sure he is part mythical/part actual dogs but whatever he is, he is large, lovable, and scary when he needs to be.  If Mouse ever dies (and trust me, he has been injured in a few books), I will never pick up a Butcher book again!

Hope's Crossing is another series I've been reading with Stormi.  This book has been my least favorite installment to date, but there is a dog that is featured quite prominently which pushed it from a 3/5 to a 4/5.  Leo, the stray Labrador the MC takes in and ends up adopting was definitely the high point in this read.

This book features the adorable and very opinionated Teddy who doesn't appreciate the fact that his owner has a new boyfriend.  It being told from Teddy's POV only makes Teddy even more endearing.

If you love horror, I cannot recommend this series enough.  And Belle, the hunting dog, who may or not be alive, is the best!

I adored this book and despite the somewhat hilarious title, it actually was pretty intense in subject matter.  I cannot say enough good things about Brontë, who loves her owner so much that she is doing her best to make sure he has someone to take care of him when she is gone.  

HONORABLE MENTION:  

This is one of my favorite reads of the year even though it didn't show up on my previous list.  How a stray named Cat ends up pulling together a found family and bringing people together completely pulled at my heartstrings.  Serious people, read this book!

Do you meet any wonderful animals during your 2025 reading journey which I absolutely need to meet???

We Definitely Aren't in Kansas Anymore

 

TITLE: The Bloody Brick Road

AUTHOR: Maude Royer

PUBLISHER: Gallery

PUBLISHING DATE: January 6, 2026

PAGES: 352   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: In this wildly creative, horror-soaked reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, nothing is as it seems in Dorothy’s dystopian nightmare. Fans of Tender Is the Flesh and Maeve Fly will want to follow her twisted journey down the yellow-brick road. 

When nineteen-year-old Dorothy Noroît finds out she is pregnant, the road ahead seems bathed in golden light. She has a hard-working boyfriend, a beautiful home, and a job where she works with her best friend. But on October 2nd, 1994, everything changes. A reckless driver causes a massive freeway pile-up, and the Saint-Victorine Hospital in Montreal is suddenly overwhelmed with trauma victims, including five mothers-to-be. Days later, Dorothy leaves the hospital alone and suddenly finds herself without a boyfriend, without a job, and without any direction. 

Fast forward twenty-four years. 

The city of Montreal is plagued by extremist group, The Winged Monkeys. The gruesome murder of a young man has just made headlines. Lieutenant Henri Duhaime and his partner Detective Emilianne St. Gelais have been brought in to investigate. Just when they begin to wrap their heads around this heinous act of violence, another young man is found brutally murdered. And then another. Desecrated corpses and organs are scattered across the city and investigators are sent running in opposite directions in a race against the clock to solve the murders.

This unhinged retelling of the beloved classic, filled with a twisted cast of your favorite characters, brings together horror and revenge in a blood-soaked, funhouse mirror reflection of the timeless tale—and with endless Easter eggs for readers to discover. Translated from the French for the first time, The Bloody Brick Road will transport you to a dark new world.

MY THOUGHTS: I have to admit this book almost lost me in the beginning and it almost became a DNF.  I don't know if my expectations were not jiving with what I was actually reading or if perhaps if it was because it was a translated work.  Either way, after about 40-50 pages in, the plot took off for me, and this is one I'm really glad I stuck with to the end.

Dorothy is young, recently terminated from her job, pregnant and obsessed with shoes.  Her boyfriend works in a nearby town and is not home very much.  One day on her way to prenatal yoga, she is a victim of a horrible accident which lands many in the hospital struggling to survive or already passed. While she is there, she not only loses her baby due to premature birth, but she is dumped by her boyfriend and evicted from her home.  

As the synopsis says, fast forward 24 years. A string of brutal and definitely grotesque murders is happening in Montreal.  Duhaime is pulled from retirement to assist with the investigation.  Along with his partner, Emilianne, who he considers a bumbling fool, he works hard to put the pieces together to discover the connection as well as the culprit.

When I picked this book up, for some reason I had strictly the horror genre in mind.  I will say I found it to be more of a bloody, gruesome thriller/mystery, with some absolutely horrific scenes.  I mean, it also comes with a complete list of trigger warnings in the beginning, but I tend to ignore them for the most part in all books. Once the mystery and the killings started to develop, I found this book hard to put down. I found all of the characters, even Duhaime and Emilianne, disturbing in unique, individual ways and you will never guess what happens to the ruby stiletto pump, which I also consider a victim in this tale.

If you like reimaginings or gripping thrillers, this is definitely a book you want to consider picking up.  I'm glad I continued on and darn it, this is one of the main reasons I find it so hard to DNF a book to begin.  The Bloody Brick Road is a hidden gem I would have hated to miss.  

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, there is no dog named Toto harmed in this writing of this novel (worded weirdly intentionally because if you know, you know).

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

2025 Favorites (and good riddance I must say)

 

Don't get me wrong.  I'm grateful for a lot of things that happened for me, my loved one and my friends this year but there was an awful lot of crap as well (especially during the times I kept doomscrolling).  However, we all have our health after a scare from my mom this fall and the boys are doing wonderfully so I will hold on to my blessings.  

I managed to read about 125 books in 2025.  I wanted to share 13 of my favorites today.  These may not all have been 5 paws (stars), but they all made a memorable impact for one reason or another. 

Whistle is one of the best horror books I've read in a long time and very reminiscent of old Stephen King.  I also found the MC in Victorian Psycho so interesting and as for Suffer the Children, there is always room for vampires.

I read quite a bit of romance this year and used them for lighter reads during highly stressful times (see note about my mom and a medical condition).  I kind of consider 2025 my cowboy era (thanks Yellowstone) and I ended up adoring all four books in the Lyla Sage series.  The Meet-Poop was perfect, especially given the quirky title, and The Holiday Mixtape was a great combination of the holidays and music.

Look!  More horror.  Is anyone surprised?  I've seen Play Nice on quite a few favorites lists and I will never be able to resist a Sleepy Hollow reimagining/retelling.

Unnatural Selection is an adult book told from the dog's POV and Slayers of Old featured an elderly group of retired supernatural slayers.  I love books with older characters and you know I love dogs - duh!  Also, Karin Slaughter is always a win in my book and this is the first in a new series.

So there you have it.  Did you read any of these last year or are any of them sitting on your TBRs???

Be Careful What You Write

 

TITLE: Beth Is Dead

AUTHOR: Katie Bernet

PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

PUBLISHING DATE: January 6, 2026

PAGES: 400   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: When Beth March is found dead in the woods on New Year’s Day, her sisters vow to uncover her murderer. 

Suspects abound. There’s the neighbor who has feelings for not one but two of the girls. Meg’s manipulative best friend. Amy’s flirtatious mentor. And Beth’s lionhearted first love. But it doesn’t take the surviving sisters much digging to uncover motives each one of the March girls had for doing the unthinkable. 

Jo, an aspiring author with a huge following on social media, would do anything to hook readers. Would she kill her sister for the story? Amy dreams of studying art in Europe, but she’ll need money from her aunt—money that’s always been earmarked for Beth. And Meg wouldn’t dream of hurting her sister…but her boyfriend might have, and she’ll protect him at all costs. 

Despite the growing suspicion within the family, it’s hard to know for sure if the crime was committed by someone close to home. After all, the March sisters were dragged into the spotlight months ago when their father published a controversial bestseller about his own daughters. Beth could have been killed by anyone. 

Beth’s perspective told in flashback unfolds next to Meg, Jo, and Amy’s increasingly fraught investigation as the tragedy threatens to rip the Marches apart.

MY THOUGHTS:  I really didn't plan to read this on New Year's Day when the book opens on exactly that, but it worked out well and was a great way to pass the time along with snacking and watching football.  Plus, Little Women is one of my favorite classics which I've read three times at least so I'm always quick to give reimaginings a try.  

Beth March is found murdered New Year's Day near the family friend's home.  She and Meg had attended a popular party the night before, but it appears as if Beth never makes it home. Beth is found by her sisters Meg and Jo and what follows is a twisty suspect-filled who-done-it.  

Meg returns home from Harvard, and the local police start to investigate what might have happened.  The investigation is complicated because earlier in the year, Beth's father, a famous author, ended up writing a book about his daughters.  He didn't have their permission and pretty soon he has been canceled by the public and has fled to Canada in order to keep his family safe from the treats he has faced since publication.  The book was pretty biographical except for one thing, Mr. March killed Beth in the end.  His family struggles with this decision, especially since Beth is still alive when the book publishes.  Did Mr. March plant the idea that Beth should die or has someone committed the murder for different reasons?

I had a blast with this book.  It was fun reading about the March family in a modern setting and it allowed me the opportunity to fall in love with some favorite characters all over again. The murder mystery kept me going pretty much until the end and just when I thought I had it figured out, a new suspect emerged.  And while this book is marketed as YA, I will say it seemed to read a bit older so I think anyone of any age will enjoy it. Whether you're a fan of Little Women or just looking for a refreshing new debut thriller, then look no further and give Beth is Dead a chance. 

MY RATING: 5 PAWS

Feed Your TBR - I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200.00

 

Can't Wait Wednesday, which I have adapted to better suit my blog as "Feed Your TBR" is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

January 27, 2026

FROM GOODREADS: To lonely eight-year-old Kay Washington the worst thing in the world is silence. That’s why Eddie Video makes the perfect imaginary friend. He’s smart, rambunctious, and loves pulling pranks. But most important, he’s never ever quiet.

Forty-something, immigrant Ivanon is a contract killer with an unusual imaginary friends who’ve overstayed their welcome. His only rule, no kids—kids need their imaginary friends.

But when one of Eddie Video’s “pranks” goes too far and lands Kay in the hospital, Ivanon agrees maybe exceptions can be made. After all, rent is due. But Ivanon and Kay will soon learn Eddie Video is no ordinary imaginary friend; he is something much, much darker.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT: This just sounds like such a unique premise, and I think everyone who once had an imaginary friend might be interested in picking this one up.

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR THIS WEEK???