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?
I remember when Random House sent me a preapproval for The Bandit Queens. I was instantly intrigued. I’m just starting it today but early reviews have been exceptional so I am hopeful!
Genre: Women’s Crime Fiction
Pages: 342 pages
Publisher: Random House / Ballantine
Publication Date: January 3, 2023
Five years ago, Geeta lost her no-good husband. As in, she actually lost him—he walked out on her and she has no idea where he is. But in her remote village in India, rumor has it that Geeta killed him. And it’s a rumor that just won’t die.
It turns out that being known as a “self-made” widow comes with some perks. No one messes with her, harasses her, or tries to control (ahem, marry) her. It’s even been good for business; no one dares to not buy her jewelry.
Freedom must look good on Geeta, because now other women are asking for her “expertise,” making her an unwitting consultant for husband disposal.
And not all of them are asking nicely.
With Geeta’s dangerous reputation becoming a double-edged sword, she has to find a way to protect the life she’s built—but even the best-laid plans of would-be widows tend to go awry. What happens next sets in motion a chain of events that will change everything, not just for Geeta, but for all the women in their village.
Filled with clever criminals, second chances, and wry and witty women, Parini Shroff’s The Bandit Queens is a razor-sharp debut of humor and heart that readers won’t soon forget.
In A Holidaze is a good holiday story. A bit predictable but I like that in a Christmas book.
- Genre: Holiday Fiction
- Pages: 336 pages
- Publisher: Gallery Books
- Publication Date: October 6, 2020
One Christmas wish, two brothers, and a lifetime of hope are on the line for hapless Maelyn Jones in In a Holidaze, the quintessential holiday romantic novel by Christina Lauren, the New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.
But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.
The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.
Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark “downright hilarious” (Helen Hoang, author of The Bride Test) hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays.
I’ve heard many excellent things about The Villa by Rachel Hawkins. I can’t wait to read it!
- Genre: Psychological Thriller
- Pages: 288 pages
- Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
- Publication Date: January 3, 2023
As kids, Emily and Chess were inseparable. But by their 30s, their bond has been strained by the demands of their adult lives. So when Chess suggests a girls trip to Italy, Emily jumps at the chance to reconnect with her best friend.
Villa Aestas in Orvieto is a high-end holiday home now, but in 1974, it was known as Villa Rosato, and rented for the summer by a notorious rock star, Noel Gordon. In an attempt to reignite his creative spark, Noel invites up-and-coming musician, Pierce Sheldon to join him, as well as Pierce’s girlfriend, Mari, and her stepsister, Lara. But he also sets in motion a chain of events that leads to Mari writing one of the greatest horror novels of all time, Lara composing a platinum album––and ends in Pierce’s brutal murder.
As Emily digs into the villa’s complicated history, she begins to think there might be more to the story of that fateful summer in 1974. That perhaps Pierce’s murder wasn’t just a tale of sex, drugs, and rock & roll gone wrong, but that something more sinister might have occurred––and that there might be clues hidden in the now-iconic works that Mari and Lara left behind.
Yet the closer that Emily gets to the truth, the more tension she feels developing between her and Chess. As secrets from the past come to light, equally dangerous betrayals from the present also emerge––and it begins to look like the villa will claim another victim before the summer ends.
Inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the infamous summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at a Lake Geneva castle––the birthplace of Frankenstein––The Villa welcomes you into its deadly legacy.
What are you reading? Do you love it?
31 responses to “Books I Am Reading This Week – 21 December 2022 | #wwwwednesday #ReadersCommunity #BookTwitter #BookLover”
I like the look of your reads 💕
So far so good 🤞
I haven’t seen any of these before but they all look interesting. Happy reading.
I’ve seen In a Holidaze and The Villa around a lot but not Bandit Queens. Yet Bandit Queens is the most intriguing to me. I’m looking forward to starting it today!
The Bandit Queens sounds good, and very original.
I think so to. Random House sends me some very intriguing books that I don’t see around much and I like that!
I love the sound of The Bandit Queens and can’t wait for your review!
It’s so intriguing to me too. I can’t wait to start it later today.
I just started The Bandit Queens. I haven’t looked at any reviews, so I’m glad to hear they’ve been good. Happy Reading, Tessa!
I hope you love The Villa — the author is hilarious on Twitter, so I want her to be successful!
I’ve heard that it’s excellent!
In a Holidaze looks great but I do find their books a bit hit or miss sometimes ♥️
It was really predictable and the characters acted kind of like teens though they are young adults which threw me a bit.
I have read both The Bandit Queens and The Villa. You are going to love both!!
That’s so great to hear!
I’m reading king of scars by Leigh Bardugo this week.
I love the cover of that one.
I’m still reading sleep. The main character is driving when her two of her colleagues die. Even though the accident is blamed on a lorry driver, someone blames her. They keep leaving notes about sleep, thinking about Macbeth, and warning her she will sleep. I haven’t finished the book, but it is good.
That sounds very compelling!
You can’t go wrong with any of these, Tessa💜 Fingers crossed 🤞
I liked The Villa. It was a bit slow in the middle, but the ending was great.
I do love a good ending 😊
I really enjoyed In a Holidaze. I hope to read The Villa next week as well, I hope we both enjoy it, Tessa.
I bet we will ❤️
I loved In a Holidaze. And The Bandit Queens sounds awesome and interesting.
It is a very fascinating book, for sure!
In A Holidaze was pretty predictable but fun for the Holidays! Have a wonderful week!
It really was.
These look great! I had planned to read In A Holidaze as well but there were so many mixed opinions that I just moved on to What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher. 😆
Merry Christmas!
It wasn’t what I expected- a total mixed bag for me
Unexpected can be fun but I think I’ll probably skip it.. there’s not nearly enough blood and death. 🤭