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?
Picasso’s Lovers by Jeanne Mackin has started off rather slow, and the writing is not very engaging to me. So we will see if I end up going much further. Though, I’ve been looking forward to Village in the Dark by Iris Yamashita. This is her second book and the second book in her series. I enjoyed the first book so I’m expecting to enjoy this one today as I get into it.
Daytime book (physical book)
- Genre: Historical/Women’s Fiction
- Pages: 348
- Publisher: Berkley
- Publication Date: Jan 23, 2034
A tangled and vivid portrait of the women caught in Picasso’s charismatic orbit through the affairs, the scandals, and the art—only this time, they hold the brush.
The women of Picasso’s life are glamorous and elusive, existing in the shadow of his fame—until 1950s aspiring journalist Alana Olson determines to bring one into the light. Unsure of what to expect but bent on uncovering what really lies beneath the canvas, Alana steps into Sara Murphy’s well-guarded home to discover a past complicated by secrets and intrigue.
Sara paints a luxurious picture of the French Riviera in 1923, but also a tragic one. The more Sara reveals, the more cracks emerge in Picasso’s once-vibrant social circle—and the more Alana feels a disturbing convergence with her own life. Who are these other muses? What became of them? What will become of her?
Desperate to trace the threads, Alana dives into the glittering lives of the past. But to do so she must contend with her own reality, including a strained engagement, the male-dominated world of art journalism, and the rising threat to civil rights in America. With hard truths peeling apart around her, it turns out that the most extraordinary portrait Alana encounters is her own.
Nighttime book (digital book)
- Genre: Thriller
- Pages: 288
- Publisher: Berkley
- Publication Date: February 13, 2024
Detective Cara Kennedy thought she’d lost her husband and son in an accident, but harrowing evidence has emerged that points to murder—and she will stop at nothing to find the truth in this riveting mystery from the author of City Under One Roof.
On a frigid February day, Anchorage Detective Cara Kennedy stands by the graves of her husband and son, watching as their caskets are raised from the earth. It feels sacrilegious, but she has no choice. Aaron and Dylan disappeared on a hike a year ago, their bones eventually found and buried. But shocking clues have emerged that foul play was involved, potentially connecting them to a string of other deaths and disappearances.
Somehow tied to the mystery is Mia Upash, who grew up in an isolated village called Unity, a community of women and children in hiding from abusive men. Mia never imagined the trouble she would find herself in when she left home to live in Man’s World. Although she remains haunted by the tragedy of what happened to the man and the boy in the woods, she has her own reasons for keeping quiet.
Aided by police officer Joe Barkowski and other residents of Point Mettier, Cara’s investigation will lead them on a dangerous path that puts their lives and the lives of everyone around them in mortal jeopardy.
The Fortune Seller by Rachel Karelke-Dale was good, but it tended to drag in places. It is a very interesting premise, though.
- Genre: Women’s Fiction
- Pages: 313
- Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
- Publication Date: February 13, 2024
When it comes to seeing the future—do you really want to know?
Middle-class Rosie Macalister has worked for years to fit in with her wealthy friends on the Yale equestrian team. But when she comes back from her junior year abroad with newfound confidence, she finds that the group has been infiltrated by a mysterious intruder: Annelise Tattinger.
A talented tarot reader and a brilliant rider, the enigmatic Annelise is unlike anyone Rosie has ever met. But when one of their friends notices money disappearing from her bank account, Annelise’s place in the circle is thrown into question. As the girls turn against each other, the group’s unspoken tensions and assumptions lead to devastating consequences.
It’s only after graduation, when Rosie begins a job at a Manhattan hedge fund, that she uncovers Annelise’s true identity––and how her place in their elite Yale set was no accident. Is it too late for Rosie to put right what went wrong, or does everyone’s luck run out at some point? Set in the heady days of the early aughts, The Fortune Seller is a haunting examination of class, ambition, and the desires that shape our lives.
Til There Was You by Lindsay Hameroff got my attention by mentioning Emily Henry. And then the pancakes on the cover 🤣 and Hollywood Hustle – well, it’s by Jon Lindstrom. If you don’t know who he is, just google him; I bet you’ll recognize him. At least if you’re in the US – I’m not sure about other countries.
Nighttime Book (digital book)
- Genre: RomCom
- Pages: 320
- Publisher: St Martin’s Press
- Publication Date: February 20, 2024
“Witty, warm, and charming…Fans of Emily Henry and Robinne Lee’s The Idea of You are going to go crazy for this one!” ―Jennifer Close, author of Marrying the Ketchups
Culinary student Lexi Berman, 24, has one goal: to make her late mother proud by becoming an executive chef in a Michelin-star restaurant. And she isn’t going to let anything–or anyone–get in the way. But when she meets Jake Taylor, a dive bar musician who charms her with show tunes, she makes a rare exception to her no-dating rule. After a steamy weekend together, Jake leaves for L.A. to record his demo, and Lexi never expects to see him again. And she definitely doesn’t expect him to become an overnight celebrity, with a breakout single that’s almost certainly about her famous blueberry pancake recipe.
As Jake’s star rises and the world speculates about the subject of his song, Lexi keeps the affair to herself. After all, she’s finally found her footing at her new restaurant job, and even has a prospective romance with her coworker. But when a distraught Jake turns up on her doorstep late one night, her carefully-laid plans are thrown for a loop. Though she and Jake try to be friends, things between them soon reheat faster than a bowl of Lexi’s matzah ball soup. But a relationship with Jake means risking her face in tabloids, withstanding cruel internet comments, and worst of all, jeopardizing her career. As Jake’s upcoming tour approaches, and rumors swirl about him and another pop star, Lexi has to decide if holding onto her meticulously-planned future is worth walking away from what could be the perfect recipe for love.
Set both in the chaos of fame and the high stakes world of New York City restaurants, this novel sprinkles in a second chance at love and a dollop of celebrity drama to create a romantic romp that will make even the most jaded reader smile.
Daytime Book (physical book)
- Genre: Thriller
- Pages: 250
- Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
- Publication Date: February 6, 2024
From 4-time Emmy-nominated actor Jon Lindstrom of General Hospital, Bosch, and True Detective fame, comes a gripping debut thriller.
Set in the dark underbelly of the LA film industry, Hollywood Hustle is the perfect read for fans of Alex Finlay and Jeffrey Deaver.
Winston Greene, a has-been film star, wakes one morning to find his six-year-old granddaughter at his bedside—traumatized, unattended, and gripping onto a thumb drive. She comes bearing video proof that her mother, Win’s troubled adult daughter, has been kidnapped by a murderous gang demanding all his “movie money” for her safe return. But what they don’t know is…his movie money is long gone.
Unable to go to the police for fear the kidnappers will make good on their promise to kill his daughter, Winston turns to two close friends—a legendary Hollywood stuntman and a disgraced former LAPD detective.
There’s no easy way out for Winston or his daughter—the gang is violent and willing to do anything to get the money they’re after, and Winston begins to realize that to get his daughter back, he’ll have to beat the kidnappers at their own game.
This propulsive and tense thriller will transport readers to the seedier side of LA, depicted in bold prose by a Hollywood insider.
What are you reading? Do you love it?
21 responses to “WWW Wednesday | Books I Am Reading This Week – January 24, 2024 #wwwwednesday #ReadersCommunity #BookTwitter #BookLover”
That pancake cover is mouth watering. I’m reading If you give a Grump A Holiday list by Ann Einerson
The pancakes do look good! 😂
Totally!
I love that pancake cover! I definitely requested that one after seeing the cover. Hope you enjoy it!
It look yummy!
The Picasso book sounds fascinating and it’s a shame that the writing isn’t holding your interest. I love the sound of Village in the Dark too.
I know. It disappointed me completely.
I have Till There was You! I do enjoy the cover because the pancakes look amazing haha.
Right? 😂
Oh, my! Daytime books and night time books. No wonder you get so much read!
It was the only way I could think to get the physical books in that they send me 🤷🏻♀️
Good plan! 🙂
I’d read Till There Was You just for the pancakes, lol. Since Son #2 is in the industry, I find myself drawn to books set in the food world.
I bet!
Picasso’s Lovers sounds so interesting so it’s a pity to hear that it’s not living up to the intriguing premise. I hope you love the mystery though and all the other books you read after 🙂
It is a shame. I hoped for it to be a more inviting style of writing.
Haha!! Emily Henry and pancakes would be something that would grab me too!! I hope you enjoy it!
You can’t go wrong with that combination 😊
Too bad about Picasso’s Lovers as I had high expectations and that cover draws you in. Definitely checking out Till There Was You for the same reasons. I had to Google Lindstrom since I never watched that soap (Y&R girl). Excellent post, Tessa💜
Did you recognize him when you saw him? He was on As the World Turns for a while (I don’t know if you watched that one after Y&R) and has been on so many nighttime TV shows as a support character. My husband didn’t recognize him though I know he’s seen him on shows like Castle.
I recognized the name and his face is really familiar. I used to watch ATWT but stopped before he played Craig Montgomery. But! Where he really clicked was his role in season 5 of Bosch!! He’s a great character actor and I’m sure he’s wise to the ways of Hollywood. If you give it the thumbs up, I’m giving it a whirl.