#WWWWednesday | What I #amreading This Week – July 20, 2022

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses. Please, take some time to visit the other participants and see what others are reading. So, let’s get to it!

  • What am I currently reading?
  • What did I just finish?
  • What am I reading next?

Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen not only has an incredibly gorgeous cover – I almost made it bigger than the others because it’s so beautiful – but the early reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. As usual, I’ll either start this today or did last night.

  • Genre: YA Fantasy
  • Pages: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Delacorte Press
  • Publication Date: July 26, 2022
A darkly enchanting fantasy debut about a morally gray witch, a cursed prince, and a prophecy that ignites their fate-twisted destinies—perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove. Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it. But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus. Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can’t change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all.

I really enjoyed The New Neighbor by Karen Cleveland. That twist at the end totally took me by surprise and a book that can truly shock me gets extra praise! My review will be coming out tomorrow, but this one is a good one ❤️

  • Genre: Mystery/Thriller (Espionage)
  • Pages: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Ballantine Books
  • Publication Date: July 26, 2022
Secrets, jealousy, and paranoia collide when a seemingly perfect new family moves into a neighborhood with ties to Langley in this gripping thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Need to Know. Idyllic neighborhood, perfect family, meaningful career. CIA analyst Beth Bradford has it all— Until she doesn’t. Now, facing an empty nest and a broken marriage, Beth is moving from the cul-de-sac she’s long called home, and the CIA is removing her from the case that’s long been hers: tracking an elusive Iranian intelligence agent known as The Neighbor. Madeline Sterling moves into Beth’s old house. She has what Beth once had: an adoring husband, three beautiful young children, and the close-knit group of neighbors on the cul-de-sac. Now she has it all. And Beth—who can’t stop watching the woman stepping in to her old life—thinks the new neighbor has something else too: ties to Iranian intelligence. Is Beth just jealous? Paranoid? Or is something more at play? After all, most of the families on the cul-de-sac have some tie to the CIA. They’re all keeping secrets. And they all know more about their neighbors than they should. It would be the perfect place to insert a spy—unless one was there all along.

Point Last Seen by Christina Dodd is a blog tour book for me. It sounds like a wonderful mystery thriller. I’ve also seen it listed as Romantic Suspense, so I’m curious which way I will find it leaning towards.

  • Genre: Mystery Thriller
  • Pages: 448 pages
  • Publisher: HQN
  • Publication Date: July 26, 2022
When Paris Peralta is arrested in her own bathroom—covered in blood, holding a straight razor, her celebrity husband dead in the bathtub behind her—she knows she’ll be charged with murder. But as Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Karin Slaughter and Sandra Brown, New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd’s all-new thriller, POINT LAST SEEN, will have readers keeping the lights on all night. LIFE LAST SEEN: When you’ve already died, there should be nothing left to fear… When Adam Ramsdell pulls Elle’s half-frozen body from the surf on a lonely California beach, she has no memory of what her full name is and how she got those bruises ringing her throat. GIRL LAST SEEN: Elle finds refuge in Adam’s home on the edge of Gothic, a remote village located between the steep lonely mountains and the raging Pacific Ocean. As flashes of her memory return, Elle faces a terrible truth—buried in her mind lurks a secret so dark it could get her killed. POINT LAST SEEN: Everyone in Gothic seems to hide a dark past. Even Adam knows more than he will admit. Until Elle can unravel the truth, she doesn’t know who to trust, when to run and who else might be hurt when the killer who stalks her nightmares appears to finish what he started…

What are you reading? Do you love it?

27 responses to “#WWWWednesday | What I #amreading This Week – July 20, 2022”

  1. Books Teacup and Reviews Avatar

    Violet Made of Thorns sounds interesting. I enjoy dark fantasy. I’m reading Redemptor (Raybearer Book 2) by Jordan Ifueko. Happy reading!

    1. Lady Tessa Avatar

      The author wrote a little note to the reader in the beginning that makes it even more intriguing. I love a flawed main character!

  2. Jenny Mcclinton Avatar

    I like the look of the new neighbour seems like my kind of read, hope you have a great reading week 💕

    1. Lady Tessa Avatar

      It totally is. So many twists and I loved each one!

  3. nickimags @ Secret Library Book Blog Avatar

    Oooh very excited about The New Neighbor, I love her books!

    1. Lady Tessa Avatar

      It was quite a twisty turny story. What a read!

  4. CJRTB Books Avatar

    Violet Made of Thorns is one I want to read, enjoy 😉

    1. Lady Tessa Avatar

      It’s definitely intriguing. I’ve read the opening letter to the reader and that intrigued me even more.

  5. mehsi Avatar

    The New Neighbour looks really good! Can’t wait to read your review.

    1. Lady Tessa Avatar

      It is a wow kind of story, for sure!

  6. Teri Polen Avatar

    I’m a few pages into Violet Made of Thorns, and I’m liking it already. Also started Accomplished by Amanda Quain. Happy Reading, Tessa!

    1. Lady Tessa Avatar

      I’ll be reading Accomplished in a few days too. Hope we both enjoy these books!

  7. writerravenclaw Avatar

    I need to pick up my book again. Hubby is watching the women in the quarter final, I might just take my book up to read, lots of bubbles in a cool bath and relaxing is the best way to read a book.

    1. Lady Tessa Avatar

      And stay cool. I’ve heard it’s supposed to be better temps today. Happy reading!

  8. Louise H Avatar

    Violet Made of Thorns is on my radar, it looks like a really good story.

    1. Lady Tessa Avatar

      So far it is! It took me a minute to get used to the written voice of the main character and narrator but once I did, I started loving it.

  9. Jonetta | Blue Mood Café Avatar

    I’ve got my fingers crossed 🤞 for the Karen Cleveland book. So glad you enjoyed it, Tessa💜 I’ve collected quite a few Dodd books but haven’t read her yet. Very interested in what you think.

    1. Lady Tessa Avatar

      I think you’d like the Karen Cleveland book. I just found out she used to work for the CIA and lives in NC (I think in or near Charlotte by some of her posts), so the CIA components are more than likely as genuine as they sound.

  10. WendyW Avatar
    WendyW

    I’ve heard great things about Point Last Seen. I hope you enjoy it.

    1. Lady Tessa Avatar

      Oh good! I can’t wait to start it ❤️

  11. Jacquie Biggar Avatar

    Christina Dodd is a powerful writer, I’m looking forward to seeing what you think.

    1. Lady Tessa Avatar

      I can’t wait to read it!

  12. Kaya @ afictionalbookworm Avatar

    ooh, i really enjoyed violet made of thorns! hope you have a great week💜

    1. Lady Tessa Avatar

      I’m enjoy it so far 😊. Happy reading!

  13. Carla Avatar

    The New Neighbour sounds interesting Tessa. I hope you enjoy Point Last Seen.

    1. Lady Tessa Avatar

      The New Neighbor was very good. And Point Less Seen was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I liked it but I did have a few problems with it.

      1. Carla Avatar

        I have added The New Neighbor to my library list.

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