Now that Charlotte "Charlie" Cates has found love again, she's eager to move on with her life.  With a new baby growing inside her, the 39-year-old journalist is looking forward to a promising future with kind, hardworking Noah Palmer.  Just when everything seems to be coming up roses, however, Charlie gets some shocking news.  Her mother—a drug addict who abandoned her daughter when she was just a toddler—has been killed in a double murder.  The other victim?  Jasmine Cassell, a half sister Charlie never knew existed.  As if that weren't enough, she's having visions again.  This time the distressed child is Micky, Jasmine's daughter.

Although Charlie's energy should be focused on her own child, she can't ignore her niece's plaintive pleas.  Something terrible happened to the child's mother and grandmother.  Determined to find the truth, Charlie starts digging.  Her search takes her into the chaos of northern Mexico, the desolate Arizona desert, and deep into the murky waters of her own troubled past.  Ultimately, her investigation is leading her to the most dangerous destination of all—into the hands of a cold-blooded killer.  Trouble is the last thing Charlie needs, especially in her delicate condition, but she's heading right for it ...

I picked up The Shimmering Road by Hester Young without realizing it's a sequel to The Gates of Evangeline, which I read last year.  It seriously took me a few chapters to catch on!  Maybe that's because Young's second endeavor is much, much better than her first.  Where Evangeline felt flat and predictable, The Shimmering Road remains tense and compelling throughout.  While it's a disturbing read, it's also engrossing, eye-opening.  Overall, I enjoyed this one.  I'll definitely be watching for the last book in the Charlie Cates trilogy which will hopefully come out in 2018.

(Readalikes:  The Gates of Evangeline by Hester Young)

Grade:

As much as I love Top Ten Tuesday, it's not always easy to come up with answers to the weekly prompts.  Sometimes I'm so stumped, I can't even think of one book that fits the bill.  When it comes to seasonal TBR lists, though, I always have to force myself not to make Top One Hundred lists!  Fall/Winter-ish reads are my favorite, so I'm definitely looking forward to seeing lots of great picks around the book blogosphere today.

Want to join in the fun?  It's easy.  Click on over to The Broke and the Bookish, read the instructions for participating, make your list, share it, and boom, you're done!  Super simple.

Since Fall here in the Phoenix area really doesn't start until November, I'm going to throw in a few titles that don't come out until "Winter," just to keep things interesting.  In no particular order, here are the Top Ten Books on My Fall(ish) TBR List:


1.  Winter by Marissa Meyer—This much-anticipated finale to The Lunar Chronicles series comes out in November.  I can't wait.  I've loved all these books and can't wait to see what happens next in the story.


2.  Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs—The lovely folks over at Quirk Books are sending me a copy of the third installment in the Miss Peregrine's series to review in November.  Before then, I'm going to be re-reading the first book and enjoying the second for the first time.  Spine-tinglers always make for fun Fall/Winter reading.

3.  Backstage Murder and Foul Play at the Fair by Shelley Freydont—I just finished A Gilded Grave, the first novel in Freydont's Newport Gilded Age Mystery series, and enjoyed it immensely.  It barely came out, so no sequels are available yet (boo hoo).  Thus, I'm going to give the author's other series a go.  I'll pick up both these books, which are first books in two different series, from the library today.  They and their sequels should tide me over until the next installment in the Newport series becomes available.


4.  A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn—This mystery, which sounds like so much fun, is also the first in a new series.  I haven't read anything by Raybourn and I'm excited to give her a try.


5.  Blood and Salt by Kim Liggett—I get shivers just reading the plot summary of this one!  It sounds like a perfect read for a cold, blustery day.


6.  Banished by Kimberley Griffiths Little—Okay, so this one doesn't come out until February, but I can't wait so I put it on this list.  I loved Forbidden and am anxious to see what happens next in this exotic, exciting YA series.


7.  Always Will by Melanie Jacobson—Melanie's fun romances always make me smile.  I'm excited for this one, her newest, which comes out in a couple of weeks.  A light read will be welcome between these darker, heavier reads.


8.  Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson—I've had an ARC of this book about a girl with the magical ability to find gold for a while now, but I've yet to crack it open.  It sounds so intriguing that I must get to it—and soon!


9.  The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich—This haunting tale about a school tragedy sounds like a perfect Halloween read.


10.  The Gates of Evangeline by Hester Young—This Southern gothic mystery sounds super intriguing.  I'm on the waiting list for it at the library—we'll see how long it takes for it to become available.  Until then, I'll TRY to be patient ...

So, there you have it, my picks for intriguing Fall-ish reading.  What will you be reading in the upcoming months?  I really am excited to see what everyone has chosen!  Leave me a comment and I'll happily return the favor.

Happy TTT to you!  

*Book images from Barnes & Noble and Amazon