I just realized it's been a whole month since I published a post here at BBB. Such a slacker! I've been reading (that never stops), but I haven't been reviewing books except on Goodreads. (Are you following me there? You should be.) I've even been skipping out on my favorite meme, Top Ten Tuesday. Yikes! Hopefully, I can get back into the swing of things soon.

At any rate, how are you doing with the Bookish Books Reading Challenge? (I would know if I had been visiting your review posts, which I haven't been doing either.) I'm doing fairly well with it, actually. So far this year, I've read ten bookish books. That's not so bad, right? 

In April, I read and enjoyed both of these: 

The Boxcar Librarian by Brianna Labuskes—This new historical novel is all about the power of stories to uplift and inspire. It features two women who brave all the challenges of the Montana wilderness to bring books to people in isolated mining camps. A third comes to Big Sky country in order to help with a Works Progress Administration (WPA) program aimed at employing jobless writers and editors to write travel guides for the American states. In doing so, she uncovers a mystery involving the two boxcar librarians.

The Raven Thief by Gigi Pandian—The second installment in a cozy mystery series starring an out-of-work magician who reluctantly returns home to work for her family's unique construction business, The Raven Thief is a murder mystery centered around an Edgar Allen Poe-themed party that goes horribly awry.

I'm not sure what I'm going to be reading in May since I really don't plan out my reading, but these two look good:

Writers and Liars by Carol Goodman (available July 15, 2025)—Goodman's one of my go-to mystery/thriller authors, so I'm excited for her newest. Hopefully, I can get an e-ARC sometime soon. The story is about a group of authors who were invited to an exclusive writing retreat on a Greek Island fifteen years ago. Something sinister happened then. Now, that same group of writers is being invited back for a cutthroat writing competition that, once again, turns bloody. Whodunit?

Just Another Dead Author by Katarina Bivald (available August 12, 2025)—This mystery has a very similar plot to the above book. It's about Berit Gardner, a mystery author who travels to the French countryside to attend a writer's conference. When the keynote speaker, a despised literary critic, dies suddenly after delivering his lecture, it throws the gathering into chaos. While the police launch an investigation, Berit decides to do her own digging. Plenty of people wanted revenge on the harsh critic, but who actually did the deed?

The Lady and Her Quill by Ruth A. Casie—I'm not much of a romance reader, but this one sounds fun. It's about two rival authors who design a competition to see who is the better writer. Both of them are to craft a story based on a newspaper headline about a stolen treasure. As they delve into the task, the contest gets more dangerous than they could ever have imagined. When Lady Alicia Hartley is captured by the thieves, it's up to her rival to rescue her. Can he save the woman he loves to hate? What if her adventure gives her the better story? Can he win at both writing and love?

If you are participating in the 2025 Bookish Books Reading Challenge, please use the widget below to link-up your May reviews. If you're not signed up for the challenge yet, what are you waiting for? Click here to join the party. 

I blinked and, somehow, it's April. Oof! How did March race by so quickly? I didn't have any specific plans to read bookish books in March, but I did manage to get to four of them:

The Treasure Hunters Club by Tom Ryan—This book is a murder mystery that revolves around a mythical lost treasure. It's not super bookish, but one of the main characters is a novelist with writer's block who takes on a beachside house sitting gig in the hopes that the beautiful, peaceful surroundings will be the inspiration she needs to get her next book written. Instead, she gets caught up in trying to solve a murder. 

Murder on the Page by Daryl Wood Gerber—In this series debut, a pair of twin sisters are desperately trying to save their family's dying bookshop. Allie Catt, also a caterer, comes up with the idea of hosting mystery-themed dinners to raise needed funds. Things are going swimmingly until Allie's aunt is murdered and Allie's best friend is accused of the killing. The well-read caterer must summon all the knowledge she's gleaned from her favorite literary detectives to solve the puzzling crime and clear her BFF's name.

The Last Lifeboat by Hazel Gaynor—Gaynor's newest historical is about a ship carrying British children to safety in Canada during World War II that is sunk by a German U-boat. One lifeboat, carrying several children, their female attendant, and a handful of men is left floating in the ocean, forgotten. The passengers must survive, somehow, until they're rescued, but when—if ever—will that be? Books come into play because the female attendant is a big reader. She entertains the kids in the boat by telling them the story of Moby Dick from memory. 

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister—The star of this thriller, McAllister's latest, is a literary agent and her husband works as a ghostwriter. On the day she is supposed to return to work after nine months of maternity leave, she awakes to find her husband has left the house without saying goodbye, highly unusual for him. She soon learns that he is involved in a hostage situation taking place in another part of London. To her shock, her laidback, affable husband is not a victim, but the perpetrator. How can the man she loves be holding people hostage at gunpoint? Does she even know him at all?

I'm not sure what I'm going to be reading in April, honestly, but these two look promising:

The Collector of Burned Books by Roseanna M. White (available July 15, 2025)—When the Nazis begin banning books in Germany, exiled German writers start gathering in Paris, where they open a library to safeguard their books and ideas. Corinne Bastien has made the library her second home, but when Paris is overtaken by Nazis, she loses her precious escape. With the help of a reluctant German soldier, it's up to her to protect the precious library and all the secrets it hold from falling into the hands of the enemy.

The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens—A librarian in the Midwest, Hana Babic goes out of her way to live a quiet, unassuming life. Her dark past is something she is desperate to keep hidden. When her best friend is murdered, Hana's afraid the secrets she's keeping about her previous life as a Bosnian militia fighter will make her a killer's next target. With her best friend's young granddaughter now in her care, Hana must protect herself and her charge at all costs. 

I love me a seasonal TBR list, even if I never actually read any of the titles I so ambitiously place on them. Since I was feeling uninspired for last week's freebie-ish prompt, I actually started this week's topic—Top Ten Books On My Spring 2025 TBR List—early. If you want to see Part One of my list, click here or just scroll down on my blog (since TTT posts seem to be the only thing I publish lately). 

As always, this fun weekly meme is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

- Part Two - 

1. The Last Lifeboat by Hazel Gaynor—I've been listening to this World War II novel on audio, but it's been slow going and I finally had to turn it back in to the library since another patron had requested it. Luckily, I have an e-ARC of the book on my Kindle. I'm about 60% through the book and it's still plodding along. You'd think a story about the last survivors of a torpedoed ship struggling to stay alive would be more exciting and emotionally resonant, but it just...isn't. I'm determined to finish The Last

 Lifeboat since I'm so close. It's just a *bit* of a slog...

2. The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth—Since I can't do housework without an audiobook to listen to, I checked out a new one. I read three of this Australian author's domestic thrillers last year and loved them. The Mother-in-Law is about the suspicious death of a wealthy matriarch who had complicated relationships with her two children and their spouses. Although Diana Goodwin left behind a suicide note claiming she can't bear to live with the cancer inside her, the coroner finds no signs of the disease in her body, although he does find evidence of poison and suffocation. Diana was not the warmest of women, but who hated her enough to kill her?

3. You Belong Here by Megan Miranda (available July 29, 2025)—Miranda is one of my go-to mystery/thriller writers, so I'm always stoked when she publishes a new book. I started an e-ARC of this one, her newest, yesterday before setting it aside temporarily while I finish The Last Lifeboat. It has to do with a mother returning to her hometown to drop her daughter off for her freshman year of college. Twenty years ago, Beckett left the same school following a deadly fire allegedly set by her roommate, who then vanished, never to be seen again. Already uneasy about leaving her only child in a place she never intended to return to, Beckett finds her past overlapping with her present as she contemplates what really happened the night of the fire. 

4. A Town With Half the Lights On by Page Getz (available April 22, 2025)—I like the look and sound of this heartwarming novel. It's about a family from Brooklyn who move to tiny Goodnight, Kansas, to check out the crumbling Victorian home they've inherited. Even while they search for a way to go back to New York, Sid Solvang decides on a whim to buy Goodnight's fledgling diner. As the hopeful transplants try to make a go of their new life, they find themselves wrapped up in the small-town spirit of a place that is suddenly starting to feel an awful lot like home.

5. Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister—After about a month of hanging out on a library waiting list, I've finally got my hands on the newest mystery/thriller from another one of my go-to authors. This one is about a woman who is eager to go back to her job as a literary agent after being on maternity leave. She's all set to drop her baby off at daycare and go to work, but when she wakes up, her husband is mysteriously missing from their bed. Then, she hears breaking news about a hostage situation brewing in London. She's shocked to learn that her mild-mannered husband is involved—as the gunman. What has driven him to this extreme and how can she stop him from taking things any further?

6. Murder at the Museum by Alasdair Beckett-King—The generous folks at Candlewick Press just sent me the first two books in this delightful-sounding middle-grade mystery series. It stars Bonnie Montgomery, aka Montgomery BonBon, a 10-year-old who just happens to be a world-famous detective (or will be someday). When a death occurs at a local museum, the intrepid investigator takes the case!

7. An Appetite for Murder by Lucy Burdette—I'm always on the lookout for fun cozy mysteries. This is the first installment in an older series about a woman who takes a job as a food critic for a Key West, Florida, magazine. Her new boss is the last person she wants to deal with. When the boss ends up dead, the food critic must find her killer before she ends up taking the blame for the foul deed.

8. The Midnight Estate by Kelly Rimmer (available July 22, 2025)—I've got an e-ARC of this forthcoming Gothic family secrets novel. It's about a woman who returns to her Australian hometown to restore her ancestral estate. As she works, she discovers dark secrets long buried by the family she thought she knew.

9. Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin—I made some fairly ambitious resolutions for 2025 which lasted for about, oh, 24 whole hours, if that. I've still got goals I want to work on and fulfill, but I'm in desperate need of motivation. I'm hoping this book will help.

10. Off the Map by Meika Hashimoto—Survival stories are my jam and this one sounds exciting. It's about two friends who are feeling distanced from each other, which makes going on the canoe trip their families planned together a little awkward. When the two get lost, they find themselves all alone in the Alaskan wilderness with no idea how to find their way back to civilization. Can they mend their differences and work together to save themselves?

There you go, ten more books I want to read this Spring. Have you read any of them? What did you think? What's on your Spring TBR list? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

I was out of town for last week's Top Ten Tuesday, I'm late to the game today, AND I have no creative ideas for the prompt du jour, BUT I'm here. That counts for something, right? Today, we're supposed to be talking about the Top Ten Books That Include/Feature [insert your favorite theme or plot device here]. The sky is the limit with this one and, yet, I got nothin'. So, I'm going to get a jump on next week's topic: Top Ten Books On My Spring 2025 To-Read List. I'll post a Part Two next week.

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

- Part One - 

1. Murder on the Page by Daryl Wood Gerber—I just started this cozy mystery today since I'm in the mood for something lighthearted and fun. The story's a little silly—I mean, the heroine's name is Allie Catt, after all—but it's entertaining so far. It's about a murder that takes place at a themed dinner Allie is catering. When her best friend is accused of the killing, it's up to Allie to use all the sleuthing she's learned from her beloved books to catch the murderer.

2. The House of Lost Secrets by Anstey Harris—Ever since Rachel Willoughby first invited Jo Wilding to Clachan, her family's cottage in the wilds of Scotland, it has been a dream refuge for Jo. The rugged landscape captured her heart, as did Jo's brother. Years later, Rachel beckons Jo back to the seaside sanctuary to reveal a long-buried secret, one that could change their friendship forever.

3. Isle of Ever by Jen Calonita (available March 25, 2025)—This forthcoming middle-grade fantasy novel is the first in a new series about a 12-year-old girl who learns she's the heir to an unimaginable fortune. All she has to do is follow a set of clues, find an island that disappeared long ago, and break a 200-year-old curse. Easy peasy! What could possibly go wrong?

4. Reconnected: How 7 Screen-Free Weeks with Monks and Amish Farmers Helped Me Recover the Lost Art of Being Human by Carlos Whittaker—This is my book club's pick for March. It sounds intriguing and inspiring.

5. The Chow Maniac by Vivien Chien (available April 1, 2025)—This is the 11th installment in one of my favorite cozy mystery series. When a rash of thefts and murders descends on Asia Village, private detective Lydia Shephard is called in to help. Enlisting the aid of Lana Lee, she launches an investigation that seems to be pointing to a secret organization that might just have ties to Lana's own family.

6. Red Rising by Pierce Brown—Sci-fi isn't really my thing, but I do like a compelling dystopian story. I've heard so many good things about this book, the first in a series, that I finally just bought myself a copy. It's about a man who lives in a society on Mars that uses a strict caste system. When he discovers that his life at the bottom is a lie, he risks everything to infiltrate the institute, a proving ground for people wanting to be part of the top caste. Will his sacrifice be worth it if he has to become the very thing he despises? 

7. The Sasquatch of Hawthorne Elementary by K.B. Jackson—I need to read a book set in the state where I was born for a reading challenge. This middle-grade novel fits the bill and it just sounds like an enjoyable read. It's about a kid who moves from Florida to Washington State. Fearing he'll be teased for being a Sasquatch hunter, he's thrilled to find two new best friends with the same interest. Together, they form a Bigfoot hunting company and tackle their first intriguing case.

8. Asylum Hotel by Juliet Blackwell—This mystery/thriller doesn't come out until July 29, but I have the e-ARC and I'm dying to read it! The story stars Aubrey Spencer, an architect who is fascinated by derelict and abandoned buildings. While photographing the Seabrink Hotel, a once glamorous edifice that has sat empty for decades but is about to be renovated, she meets an online celebrity who is equally fascinated by the old hotel. When the man's corpse is discovered the next morning at the bottom of a cliff, Aubrey is understandably shaken. Although the police think the death was an accident, she's not so sure. It's not the first time someone has been killed at the old hotel. Aubrey can't let it go until she finds out what really happened to the dead man.

9. Dust by Hugh Howey—I read Wool and Shift earlier this year, then took a break from the intense storyline. Now, I need to finish the trilogy by reading Dust. Jules is the star of the book as she leads Silo 18 in a war to save their lives from destruction.

10. Death at the Dinner Party by Ellie Alexander—I've been enjoying Alexander's Secret Bookcase Mystery series. This third installment sees Annie Murray hosting a spooky dinner party at an old farmhouse with a sinister past. Everything is going swimmingly until a guest is killed at the table. Who murdered the man and why? When her good friend is accused of the crime, Annie finds herself once again investigating a murder.

There you go, ten books I'm hoping to read this Spring. What do you think? Have you read any of them? What are your Spring reading plans? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.