A mysterious sci-fi read... Black River by Ruby Jean Cottle (Review) #BlackRiver #RubyJeanCottle #newbooks #bookx #yalit #yabooks #paranormal #scifi #suspense #romancebooks #romantasy

Monday, June 8, 2026 - Leave a Comment

Welcome to my tour stop with Toppling Stacks Tours! Read by review below...

Black River
By Ruby Jean Cottle
YA Paranormal Romance, Sci-Fi, Suspense, Romantasy
Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback & eBook, 432 Pages
June 9, 2026 by Henry Holt & Co. (BYR)

Summary

JUST ONE TASTE CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING.

All seventeen-year-old Dusty wants is to escape into books and the Adirondack wilderness that surrounds her small town. But in the dead of night, strange things have been happening in Black River.

Animals are being ravaged by something unnatural. And Dusty wakes up one day with dirt on her feet, changed and starving. When new kid Will arrives, Dusty feels an attraction unlike anything she’s felt before. She wants him . . . or she wants his blood. As Dusty realizes she’s transforming into something she can’t control, she reluctantly turns to the only person she somehow knows will understand: the annoyingly attractive Eli Blake.

Together, Dusty and Eli must uncover the mystery of their town and their new, insatiable desires. Have they become vampires or some other kind of monster?

Whatever they are, they’re not the only ones.

An irresistible blend of suspense and romance, this paranormal small town mystery is perfect for fans of Stephanie Meyers and Tigest Girma.

(Affiliate links included.)

My Review

BLACK RIVER is a story about some strange things that happen in a small, mountain town to a handful of teens. The characters are complex and likable and the small-town setting as well as friend and family dynamics all add a bit of mystery. Then there's the constant undertone of suspense, with danger and some twists, balanced by friendship and a sweet romance. Recommended to YA paranormal and sci-fi fans!

The author did an excellent job starting this one off! The beginning was so easy to get immersed in, especially with it shrouded in mystery and questions. I really liked the characters and that they were fully fleshed out and each unique. They also were all different. Some more nerdy/introverted, others more outgoing and popular, and then some in-between. They all had different home environments and backgrounds as well. There were some nods or things that felt a bit Twilightish, but this story was also very much its own. I also really liked the sweet romance. Will is just absolutely adorable!

The first half builds and builds as some things start happening and the characters try to figure out what is going on. There's usual teenage drama, but also so much about high school with friendship and family dynamics that readers will easily relate to. The middle was where this book lost a lot of ground for me. I think the author needed to get from one point to another and had some trouble with the transition. I would have liked the characters acting more realistically and authentically and that section re-worked. I would say about a fourth to a third in the middle made me want to just skip or completely stop reading. Thankfully things resolve a bit and pick back up towards the end with some unexpected twists. There were some fairly violent things in the second half, just as a warning to readers. Thankfully they aren't overly detailed. This author surprised me and made me curious as to where she will be going in the following books. 

In the end, was it what I wished for? An engrossing paranormal, sci-fi story with complex characters that surprised me. I'll be picking up book two.

Content: Some crude references, swearing (s-words and a few f-words), and somewhat gory violence.
Source: I received a complimentary copy through Toppling Stacks Tours, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.

About the Author


Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Ruby studied Art History before beginning her career in magazines and fashion.

After a winding career path that focused on creative direction in digital media, content creation and branding, plus a move to New York – all the while navigating undiagnosed endometriosis – Ruby finally came back to her first love: writing.

Ruby loves to explore the natural world through storytelling, with a focus on romance, the paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi. Her debut novel, Black River, was originally published in Australia in 2025, and book II of the duology, White Mountain, will be released in 2026.

Ruby lives in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales with her husband, dog, and their two sons.


Tour Schedule

Follow the tour here.


Have you read any other books with similar plots? What appeals to you about this story?

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A modern twist on an Austen classic... Not Precisely Mr. Knightley by Carolyn Miller (Review & #Giveaway) #NotPreciselyMrKnightley #TheSilverTeapot #CarolynMiller #newbooks #bookx #romancebooks #BarbourFiction #cleanreads #christianromance @Celebrate_Lit

Friday, June 5, 2026 - Leave a Comment

Welcome to my tour stop with Celebrate Lit! Find my review and the tour giveaway below...

Not Precisely Mr. Knightley
(The Silver Teapot #2)
By Carolyn Miller
Contemporary Christian Romance, Clean & Wholesome
Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback & eBook, 256 Pages
May 1, 2026 by Barbour Fiction

Summary

Can the Matchmaker Find True Love?

Emma-Jane (EJ) Bennett and Jordan Knight are longtime best friends who codesigned the immensely successful dating app, Dream Match. Success starts to go to EJ’s head when she gets caught up in the famous and money-hungry social circles and starts dating the son of a TV mogul. But Jordan’s feelings have grown from friendship to more. He determines to protect her by exposing Eric Churchill for the two-timer he is, finally agreeing to attend a function with her at the Sydney Opera House. But his best intentions go awry when EJ is embarrassed and runs for the security of home, small-town roots, and The Silver Teapot Café, feeling like Jane Austen’s chastised Emma—only without her Mr. Knightley.

Don’t miss book 1 in The Silver Teapot series, Not Exactly Mr. Darcy.

(Affiliate links included.)

My Review

NOT PRECISELY MR. KNIGHTLEY is about a woman determined to reach her dreams and the best friend who steps aside when it appears that's what she wants. It's about ambition and how sometimes a person can get lost in it, and about forgiveness, friendship and finding oneself. Readers will find relatable, imperfect characters, both city and small town settings, friendship, family and love with inspirational elements woven throughout. Recommended to fans of the author and genre.

I'm a huge Austen fan and always enjoy seeing how authors create their own stories based on hers. Miller definitely does an excellent job doing this! The nods to the original were fun and it was enjoyable seeing the original Emma retold in this story.

The characters were definitely relatable. I did have some issues liking EJ for most of this story, which did impact my enjoyment of the book. Part of that is that I've never liked girls like her in real life. Ones who will put others down to get ahead or will change their morals or themselves to fit in or be accepted by the popular or rich crowd. She thankfully had good roots and was herself a good person who eventually figured it all out. I loved Jordan! He was such a good friend and had EJ's back. He had his own struggles and had to figure out how what to do with plenty of prayer. Both EJ's and Jordan's families were fabulous! So much love and laughter and steadiness there. I also enjoyed the contrast between both the city and small-town settings. The romance was sweet and wasn't the main focus until a bit later into the book. I liked that it felt natural and wasn't easy. There was plenty of history behind the relationship as well. And it was a delightful aspect of this story.

In the end, was it what I wished for? This was an enjoyable read and a fun twist on Austen's Emma. I'm looking forward to seeing what Austen classic Miller tackles next!

Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy through Celebrate Lit, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Other Books in the Series

(Linked to my review.)

About the Author


Carolyn Miller is an inspirational Regency and contemporary romance author who lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband, she has pastored a church for ten years and worked as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher.

A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives.

Find the author here.

More from the Author

Do you know someone who has found love online?

I do. I have numbers of friends and even a family member who have found love and married thanks to dating apps and the like. This newer form of meeting people is something I’ve referenced in several of my books (including Only You Can Love Me), as several of my characters have used an app called Dream Match, a romance matchmaking app for Christian singles around the world. But when I first mentioned Dream Match years ago I didn’t realise at the time that I’d end up writing a story about how the inventor of Dream Match would finally meet her match.

And it seemed perfect to me that Jane Austen’s Emma Woodhouse, known for her matchmaking skills, should be reflected in a modern day context as being the ultimate matchmaker, EJ Bennett, who is responsible for helping hundreds of people find love online. Even if she doesn’t think she needs or wants love for herself.

Playing with Jane Austen’s characters and putting them in a modern setting is a lot of fun. So not only does Emma Woodhouse become EJ Bennett, but George Knightley becomes EJ’s best friend and app co-designer Jordan Knight, the straight shooter she needs. And Frank Churchill, the man Emma starts to fall for, becomes Eric Churchill, son of a TV mogul squillionaire.

The first book in The Silver Teapot series, Not Exactly Mr. Darcy, also played around with some of Austen’s settings, placing the story in a small town in Australia called Wattle Vale. I had fun further developing the Australian connections by setting other key scenes in iconic places like the Sydney Opera House and Bondi Beach, which naturally meant I had to visit for “research.”

So I hope readers enjoy this little taste of Australia, and all the fun references to Jane Austen’s Emma. Be sure to check out my website and follow me on social media for more Jane Austen inspiration and fun, and get ready to enjoy Not Precisely Mr. Knightley, a sweet and swoony best friends-to-more romance that shows the path to true love is never smooth – even for the professional matchmaker.

Happy reading!

Tour Schedule








Stories By Gina, June 1 (Author Interview)














Tour-Wide Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Carolyn is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-Gift card and a print copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.


Are you an Austen fan or a fan of modern twists of classics? Have you read other Austenesque books that you'd recommend?

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Highly recommended YA fiction... The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue by Zoulfa Katouh (Review) #TheOceanWouldPaintMeBlue #ZoulfaKatouh #5starread #yalit #yabooks #newbooks #bookx #TopplingStacksTours

Thursday, June 4, 2026 - Leave a Comment

Welcome to my tour stop with Toppling Stacks Tours! Read my five-star review below...

The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue
By Zoulfa Katouh
YA Contemporary Fiction, Magical Realism
Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback & eBook, 368 Pages
June 2, 2026 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary

From the celebrated author of As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow comes a poignant novel about a Syrian American girl who uses a magical sketchbook to turn her grief into art, painting miraculous murals of her mother’s life in Syria.

Seventeen-year-old Jihad Dabbagh has always seen life with a heightened sense for colors, one of many magical blessings the women in her family possess. But Jihad's gift changes depending on her mood. When depression sets in, the world is a colorless oasis, and in the wake of her mother's sudden death, the world has become a permanent shade of grey.

Broken by tragedy, Jihad's family doesn't believe her color loss. Her father sends her to the elite Braxton Academy to finish her senior year. There, Jihad's name and hijab put a target on her back. Her haven comes in the form of an old sketchbook carved from a tree in her hometown in Syria—a country she only knew through her mother's stories. Jihad hasn't picked up a brush in over a year, but finds herself channeling the colors of her hurt, pain, and grief as she paints the story of her mother's journey in Syria.

When graffiti of that same mural starts magically popping up all over New York, her art goes viral and the world takes notice, the threat of legal consequences is imminent. To reclaim her voice, Jihad will have to paint a new future for herself and Braxton, guided by the resilience of her mother's story.

(Affiliate links included.)

My Review

THE OCEAN WOULD PAINT ME BLUE is a story about loss, struggle, perseverance, and resilience. It's about being the focus of bullying and racism. It's also about finding friendship and yourself. And even though it's a heartrending read, it is also full of hope. Highly recommended to contemporary fiction fans who enjoy a touch of magical realism!

Read this if you enjoy:
🐚 Expression and emotion through art
🐚 A relatable and likable heroine
🐚 Moving forward after loss
🐚 Deep friendship forged through some hard stuff
🐚 Brokenness, including within families
🐚 Racism and perseverance through it
🐚 So much strength, hope and joy
🐚 A secondary romance that isn't the focus of the story
🐚 A perfect imperfect ending

This was an excellently written story! The characters were relatable and imperfect. I don't have sufficient words for Jihad's life experiences, except overall anger for the injustice of it all. Thankfully this story was well balanced with moments of friendship (I could not love Jaime more!), family, culture (the food and stories!!), and art. The author also did a fabulous job in relaying some cultural and religious information by weaving it through the story. No info dumps here. There are some stories where you can skim or skip. This was not one of those. Every word and page added to this story. Every single bit worth the time to read.

In the end, was it what I wished for? This was a story that deeply resonated with me. It pulled on all my emotions, but especially anger, sadness and then joy. I will definitely be reading her previous book as well as any future releases.

Content: Some swearing (mostly a few s-words), some racial violence.
Source: I received a complimentary copy through Toppling Stacks Tours, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.

About the Author


Zoulfa Katouh is the award-winning and bestselling author of the novel AS LONG AS THE LEMON TREES GROW. It’s been translated into over twenty-five languages and was a Governor General’s Award finalist and a Yoto Carnegie Medal nominee. Zoulfa holds a degree in pharmacy and a master’s in Drug Sciences. She resides in Switzerland where she lives as a Studio Ghibli protagonist who is surrounded by a never-ending stack of books that keeps growing.


Tour Schedule

Follow the tour here.


Did you read this author's previous book? What other books have you read where the main character is Muslim?

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Escape to Alaska on a romantic adventure... Scent of Hope by Susan May Warren (Review) #ScentofHope #CalloftheWild #SusanMayWarren #christfic #romancebooks #suspense #newbooks #bookx

Wednesday, June 3, 2026 - Leave a Comment
Scent of Hope
(Call of the Wild #2)
By Susan May Warren
Christian Romantic Suspense
Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback & eBook, 352 Pages
June 2, 2026 by Revell

Summary

Two broken hearts. One deadly mission. And just one avalanche dog standing between them and a killer.

Harley Tatum made a vow to never return to Copper Mountain, Alaska, where a drug dealer destroyed her family and the man she loved walked away. But when that same criminal escapes and justice calls her name, she has no choice but to face everything she buried.

Jericho Bowie remembers things differently. She left him. And he's spent years wondering why. Now Harley needs his search-and-rescue dog, Orlando, to track a fugitive through treacherous mountain terrain--and Jericho refuses to let her go alone. Not again.

But as they push deep into the frozen wilderness, the hunter becomes the hunted. Old feelings resurface at the worst possible time, and survival depends on two people who don't know if they can trust each other--or their own hearts.

Susan May Warren packs action and heart-pounding suspense from the rugged wilderness of Alaska into a nonstop adventure where the greatest danger might be opening your heart again.

This gripping suspense is filled with pulse-pounding action, second-chance romance, and a heroic K9 rescue dog from Alaska, sure to thrill fans of Lynette Eason, Dani Pettrey, and Natalie Walters.

(Affiliate links included.)

My Review

SCENT OF HOPE is a Christian second-chance romance with strong family and friendship aspects, and danger all set during winter in a small Alaskan town. Fans of the author and genre will find this an adventure-filled escape!

Warren does an excellent job keeping readers engaged in her stories. This one had a lot of aspects that I enjoyed:
- Second-chance romance
- Relatable and likable characters
- An adorable dog that will melt your heart
- Strong family dynamics
- Deep friendships
- Danger and suspense
- Moments of inspiration with themes of forgiveness and trust

This was an easy story to jump right into and keep flipping pages to the climatic end. I liked the characters, the setting, and the sweet romance. I also absolutely loved the addition of a search and rescue dog and seeing how they train. I'm such a dog lover so this was an aspect of the story I really enjoyed!

Maybe I have high expectations for this author, but this book somewhat disappointed me. It might be that she's writing a lot of different books and busy with a lot of projects and so the quality of writing has slipped. Her past couple of series released independently and traditionally haven't had the same quality and a lot of the time the characters' internal voices sound exactly the same, using the same phrasing with the same emotional feel. With these characters I also felt like things happened that shouldn't have with their training and background. It seemed like they weren't maybe very good at their jobs or as intelligent as they were set up to be? I think I was expecting a tighter, smarter story. And when the religious aspect comes in, it's not woven through very well. It's a chapter or two straight and both main characters seeming to have very similar conversations at the same time with different people. It doesn't feel organic. It needs to be woven through better and feel more personal to each character, taking place at different points in the story. Or maybe not have both characters dealing with a faith crisis all the time. It could be one of them or neither, but them having a spiritual experience because of their faith. Having said all that, I do continue to pick up these books because I get caught up in the plot and suspense and enjoy the romance.

In the end, was it what I wished for? If you've been reading Warren's other series, then you should enjoy this one with some cameos of prior characters. If you're a fan of inspirational adventure romance set in Alaska, then you may enjoy this one.

Content: Some brief, mild violence.
Source: I received a complimentary copy through Great Reads Book Promotion, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Other Books in the Series

(Linked to an Amazon affiliate link.)

Are you a fan of this author or of romantic suspense? Have you read any of the books in this series?

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Can't Wait for... The Rainy Day Bookshop by RaeAnne Thayne (Can't-Wait Wednesday) #CWW #WOW #bookx #newbooks #TheRainyDayBookshop #RaeAnneThayne #romancebooks #womensfiction #cleanreads

Tuesday, June 2, 2026 - Leave a Comment

Can't-Wait Wednesday  is a weekly meme hosted here to spotlight the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they're books that have yet to be released. Find out more here.

I've had a bit of a week, so I apologize for this being up late!

It's been a while since I've read a book by this author, but I enjoyed the last one I read of hers. When I ran across this new release (it released yesterday!), I immediately put it on my list to read. Doesn't it look and sound adorable?!! Plus a bookshop! It's my pick this week...

The Rainy Day Bookshop
By RaeAnne Thayne
Women's Fiction,, Contemporary Romance
Audiobook, Paperback & eBook, 384 Pages
June 2, 2026 by MIRA

Summary

"A love letter to motherhood, mending fences, and, of course, the bookstores that save us when it all feels like too much." --Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times bestselling author of Summer State of Mind

Life is full of plot twists...

Sandwiched between caring for her mother and rebuilding the relationship with her estranged daughter, Emma, Rosie Lucas’s life is full. In the best way. With Emma and her 3-year old daughter, Olive, back home, Rosie has a partner for The Rainy Day Bookshop, the family business, and a chance to fix the past. What she doesn’t have time for is a romantic relationship. And even if she did, Andrew Morgan is the last person she’d choose. Not only is he an arrogant and reclusive writer, but he’s a single dad with two young kids. She’s already been there, done that. Still as an irresistible flirtation builds between them, he becomes her unexpected confidante on the distance Rosie can’t seem to overcome with Emma, a secret she can’t quite unravel…

Emma isn’t proud of her past. But she’s pulled herself up by the bootstraps, caring for her own daughter, and protecting her mom at all costs. Just as she always has. She never told Rosie what she saw all those years ago and she never will. But some secrets refuse to stay buried, and sometimes the truth is more shocking than fiction. Rosie and Emma will have to navigate an unimaginable path forward. Together.

(Affiliate links included.)


Will you be reading this one?

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