I'm a couple days late with this post, but better late than never, right? February whizzed by for me, full as it was with a family vacation, preparation for a genealogy class I'm teaching at a conference next weekend, grandbaby sitting, and more. Phew! I did manage to read three bookish books in February, though:

My Imaginary Mary by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows—I've had so much fun listening to the Lady Janies/Marys series on audio. These YA books mix alternate history with fantasy, humor, romance, and adventure. I've enjoyed all the novels.

My Imaginary Mary stars three teenagers: Mary Wollstonecraft (of Frankenstein fame), Ada Byron (Lord Byron's daughter, who became a well-known scientist, better known by her married name, Ada Lovelace), and the automaton the two bring to life through a combination of science and magic. As the three have adventures together, they interact with several literary giants, including Percy Bysse Shelley and Lord Byron. 

My Lady Jane by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows—Even though this is the second to last book I've read in the series, My Lady Jane is actually the debut installment. It features another trio of teens: Lady Jane Grey; her husband, Lord Guildford Dudley; and her cousin, Edward Tudor, king of England. The novel is mostly about the three of them working together to keep their thrones secure from usurpers. It's bookish for one reason: the authors' Lady Jane Grey is a bibliophile of the highest order. Although she's breathtakingly beautiful, no one knows it because her face is always hidden in a book! It's another fun entry in an always entertaining series.

Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead—Books aren't the main theme of this dark Southern thriller, but they are the thing that brings the two main characters together. Ruth Cornier, now a librarian, has always used reading as an escape from her strict, smothering life as the daughter of a fanatical preacher. The town bad boy, with whom she falls in love, devours poetry as a way to infuse beauty into his ugly life. They bond over their shared affinity for literature, quoting lines of verse to each other and spending long hours reading together. 

Out of these three books, I enjoyed My Lady Jane the most. My Imaginary Mary was also enjoyable. While I liked aspects of Midnight is the Darkest Hour, others rubbed me the wrong way. The ending made me want to throw the book against the wall in frustration! Gah. It made the whole novel feel dissatisfying.

I've actually already read my first bookish book for this month. Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson was my book club's pick for February. It's a cute, clean rom com set in a Nashville publishing house. I read the majority of the novel in February, but I didn't finish it until March 1, so I'm counting it for this month. I'll talk about it more in April.

End of Story by A.J. Finn—Finn's newest thriller has a premise that seems to be popular lately (think The Last One Left by Riley Sager, The Fiction Writer by Jillian Cantor, and The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James): a dying person who became famous for being accused (but not convicted) of a crime invites a writer to their home in order to finally reveal what really happened. In this case, it's a reclusive mystery novelist whose first wife and youngest child mysteriously disappeared twenty years ago, never to be heard from again. Nicky Hunter, a creative writing teacher, is summoned to the home of Sebastian Trapp to write down his memories for posterity. She doesn't believe he killed his wife and son, but the more he unburdens himself, the more unsure she becomes...

The novel is off to a bit of a slow start, but I'm enjoying it nonetheless. 

This one, which comes out on March 19, looks promising:

The Lost Book of Bonn by Brianna Labuskes—Emmy Clarke is an American librarian who is sent by the Library of Congress to Germany in 1946. Her job is to help the Monuments Men find and catalog books that were stolen by the Nazis. An intriguing message scrawled inside one volume sends Emmy on a quest to return the precious tome to its rightful owner. As she researches the book's provenance, she discovers a remarkable story about a brave group of Jewish women in Berlin who risked their lives to stand up to the Nazis. 

Happy belated Fourth of July for those of you in the U.S.! I hope your holiday was safe, fun, and relaxing. My family and I celebrated in Utah, where we also attended a 3-day family reunion in honor of the 99th birthday of my husband's late grandmother. Such events can be wonderful opportunities to reminisce, reconnect, and even reconcile. On the flip side, they're notorious for simmering with tension, conflict, and drama. Is it any wonder novelists—especially those writing in the mystery/thriller genre—love a reunion setting? No matter how many times the trope is explored (and it seems especially popular lately), I always find it appealing. Whether it's family members brought together for a reunion, classmates reconvening to mark the passing of years, old friends celebrating a special occasion, or some altogether more sinister reason to gather, I'm here for it. Since today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is a freebie, I decided to focus my list on mysteries and thrillers on my TBR list that use a reunion of some sort as a backdrop. 

Before you scroll on, though, be sure to pop on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and give our hostess, Jana, some love!

4. The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley—I didn't love Foley's The Guest List, itself a reunion novel, but I'm willing to give this book a try anyway. It concerns a group of college friends coming together for their annual getaway. As they arrive in the Scottish Highlands, a blizzard roars in, trapping them together. Tension grows, resentment simmers, secrets brew, and someone dies. Whodunit? 

5. The Girls Are All So Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn—Ten years after she graduated from college, Ambrosia Wellington receives an invitation to a class reunion, along with a note that says: "We need to talk about what we did that night." As she receives increasingly ominous notes, it becomes obvious that someone wants to make her pay for her role in a deadly game she participated in a decade ago.

6. The Invite by A.J. McDine—A group of friends are invited to the posh country home of a charismatic woman they knew as teenagers for an exciting weekend reunion. When they arrive, their hostess is not in residence. There is, however, a corpse in the cellar. Where is Elle? Why is there a dead body in her house? What game is their enigmatic old friend playing this time?

7. What Have We Done by Alex Finlay—At Savior House, the group home that was supposed to shelter them, a trio of teenagers endured horrifying abuse, which bonded them forever. They haven't seen each other since then, but now someone is trying to kill all of them. Their forced reunion isn't want any of them want, but it might be the only thing that can save them all...

8. All the Dark Places by Terri Parlato—A birthday party brings together a group of friends for a night of celebration and fun. When it ends in the guest of honor's murder, Detective Rita Myers is called in to investigate. Everybody loved Jay Bradley. Who would want to kill him? And why?

9. The Reunion by Kit Frick—This YA thriller centers around the Merryweather family, an estranged clan who come together at a swanky Mexican beach resort for a wedding. It doesn't take long for tempers to boil, secrets to surface, and patience to snap. When a member of the family ends up dead, all the rest of them become suspects. 

10. Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney—The fragmented Darker family is brought together on a remote island to celebrate their matriarch's 80th birthday. As they're cut off from the rest of the world by the tide and a raging storm, Nana is found dead. An hour later, another family member is killed. Can the survivors figure out who is murdering their kin before all of them are picked off in a brutal game reminiscent of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None?

There you are, ten mystery/thriller novels with reunion settings that I want to read. Have you read any of them? What did you think? What's your favorite reunion novel? What's the craziest thing you've ever witnessed at a reunion? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. I also reply to comments left here at BBB (although I'm still behind from previous weeks).

Besides seasonal TBR lists, my most favorite Top Ten Tuesday prompts are the ones about upcoming new releases. It's always fun to see what books loom on the publishing horizon and which titles everyone is excited about. This topic will be dangerous for my already overwhelming TBR pile mountain mountain chain, but I'm here for it!

My list is heavy on mysteries and thrillers, which is no surprise. Fall seems to be the time when lots of readers are in the mood for darker reads. I'm always up for a suspenseful novel and there seem to be many of them coming out soon. I've already mentioned a number of new releases I'm excited for in recent posts, so this list will be focused on ones I haven't talked about yet. 

As always, TTT is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl. Make sure you click over there and give her some love. 

1. Thicker Than Water by Megan Collins (available July 11)—Sienna and Julia are not just best friends, they're also business partners and sisters-in-law. Although they believe their unique bond can never be broken, it starts to bend when Jason—Sienna's beloved brother and Julia's imperfect husband—is accused of a brutal crime. Comatose Jason can't answer any questions, so it's up to the two women who love him most to clear his name. If he is, indeed, innocent, which is looking less and less likely...

2. Cutting Teeth by Chandler Baker (available July 18)—This one sounds a little zany, but still intriguing. It's about four moms who send their darling toddlers to the same preschool. When the pupils are overtaken by a strange medical condition that has them craving blood, their mothers are a bit...taken aback. Then, the kids' teacher is found dead. Suddenly, the moms and their adorable little bloodsuckers are all suspects in the murder.

3. Women of the Post by Joshunda Sanders (available July 18)—Inspired by the real story of the only all-Black battalion of women in the Women's Army Corps to serve overseas during World War II, this novel focuses on several American women who are sent to England with their unit to do the important task of sorting over one million pieces of mail for the troops. The assignment quickly becomes personal as the ladies get to know each other and discover a mysterious letter addressed to one of them. 

4. I'll Tell You No Lies by Amanda McCrina (available August 1)—After a devastating accident kills her mother, 18-year-old Shelby Blaine is wracked with grief. Adding insult to injury, her Air Force intelligence officer father receives a new assignment that requires them to move from West Germany to New York. It's 1955 and Shelby's dad is tasked with interrogating an escaped Soviet pilot. When Shelby meets the accused, she becomes hopelessly entangled in his story. As the stakes stack higher and higher against him, she must decide where her loyalties lie.

5. Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister (available August 1)—When a young woman is kidnapped, a detective starts searching for her. Then, the policewoman's family is threatened and she knows that solving the case will mean dooming everyone she loves most. Does she have the strength not to seek truth and justice? Can she really go through with framing an innocent person in order to save her family?

6. A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power (available August 8)—This triple-timeline novel tells the story of three generations of Yanktonai Dakota women in part through the eyes of the dolls they turned to for comfort in difficult times.

7. Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead (available October 5)—I'll read anything described as "Southern gothic" and this one sounds especially compelling. It's set in a small, God-fearing Louisana town that is steeped in eerie stories and superstition. When a skull is found in a swamp next to strange carved symbols, it puts the entire town on edge. Ruth, a librarian and the daughter of the town's charismatic preacher, soon realizes it's up to her and an old friend to confront their hometown's secrets in order to keep them all safe.

8. Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity by Elizabeth C. Bunce (available October 24)—I've mentioned how much I love this middle-grade mystery series before. It's super fun, especially on audio with the talented Bethan Rose Young narrating. This installment, #5, sees Myrtle accompanying Miss Judson to the estate the governess has just inherited on a remote Scottish island. Myrtle is thrilled to find out that not only is the old house rumored to be haunted, but also that it hides multiple mysteries. 

9. The Search for Us by Susan Azim Boyer (available October 24)—As a genealogist and an adoptive mother, I'm always intrigued by stories about DNA, adoption, long-lost family reunions, etc. This YA novel sounds right up my alley. It's about two half-siblings who are brought together through a DNA test. Together, they launch a search for the biological father neither of them has ever known, with whom they hope to reconnect for varying reasons. 

10. The Fiction Writer by Jillian Cantor (available November 28)—Nothing is going right for novelist Olivia Fitzgerald. Not only is her writing career in jeopardy, but her personal life is in tatters as well. When her publisher offers her a tantalizing and mysterious ghostwriting job, she jumps at the chance. Nothing is quite as it seems at the billionaire's estate where she will be working, nor is its owner...

There you go, ten new releases I can't wait to read. Which up-and-comers are you most excited for? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor. I also reply to TTT comments made here (although I'm still behind from last week).

When I first saw today's TTT topic—Top Ten Book Titles That Are Complete Sentences—I almost skipped it.  It seemed tough and, frankly, a little boring.  Then, I started noticing how popular this titling trend actually is.  Turns out, this subject is way more interesting than I thought at first glance.  Using my Goodreads lists, it was a cinch to come up with ten books on my TBR list with titles that are a full sentence.  

If you want to perk up your Tuesday a bit, why don't you join in the TTT fun?  All you have to do is click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl to get started.

1.  She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge—I have this mystery/thriller out from the library right now.  A group of teenagers is on a camping trip when one of their members disappears.  When a body is found ten years later, the campers reluctantly reunite to confront each other and find out what really happened on the fateful trip.

2.  Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland—This historical novel is about the daily dramas of a family living in tight quarters in New Jersey.  When a young woman escaped from Nazi Germany comes to stay in their cramped apartment, even more drama ensues. 

3.  You Belong Here Now by Dianna Rostad—In Depression-era America, orphans from crowded cities are being shipped westward to be adopted by farm families who want children and/or need free labor.  Charles, who's tired of being showcased like livestock, decides enough is enough and jumps the orphan train along with two of his friends.  They happen upon a farm owned by a taciturn woman that just might be the home they've all been longing for.

4.  We Are Not Free by Traci Chee—Another historical, this YA offering is about 14 Japanese-American teenagers who are imprisoned in an internment camp during World War II.

5.  In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead—Like #1, this thriller features a group of friends whose lives are changed irrevocably when a member of their group is killed.  Ten years later, they're reunited.  Someone is determined to flush out the killer, to make sure no one gets away with murder.

6.  Lucy Clark Will Not Apologize by Margo Rabb—I heard about this YA contemporary over on Sam's blog, We Live and Breathe Books.  It features the titular teen, who is kicked out of her boarding school after taking action against the kids who have been bullying her.  As punishment, she's sent to New York City to be the full-time companion of an eccentric old woman.  When the lady insists someone is trying to murder her, Lucy finds herself tasked with solving a puzzling mystery.

7.  You Can't Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie—A psychological thriller about cults and catching an identity thief?  Yes, please!  

8.  Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri—This middle-grade book recounts what happened to the author when he was transplanted from Iran to rural Oklahoma as a young boy.

9.  Meet the Sky by McCall Hoyle—I came across this YA novel last week while looking for books for my survival story-themed TTT list.  It's about two frenemies caught in a hurricane on North Carolina's Outer Banks.  As they fight for survival, both of them learn important lessons about life and each other.

10.  I Will Judge You By Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider—Savage, but true!  This volume is full of comics about reading, writing, and the bookworm life we all know and love.  Sounds like tons of fun.

There you have it, ten books on my TBR list that have whole-sentence titles.  Have you read any of them?  Which other books that fit this topic do you recommend?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.