Fantasy Fiction Friday #3 (Feature)

 

It's Friday, and when I have the availability, I select newer published novels to get excited for! This week turned out to be coincidentally full of titles with blue covers. Also, these books are all science-fiction-y, or fantasy related which is two of my favorite and most-read genres. ❤

Novels:

1.) Ode to the Half-Broken by: Suzanne Palmer

2.) Multitude by: Marie Vibbert

3.) Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by: Ben Reeves

Graphic Novels:

4,) Warriors by: Erin Hunter

(Click* for Goodreads links for their details!)

This week I've found some newer books that hit the market recently, that caught my glance and looks like great reads! First off, Ode to the Half-Broken is a super cool dystopia science fiction novel about an old robot, I mean, that alone just sounds like a crazy hook. That's why I scooped it into my TBR because it sounds like wild ride, and the title throws some serious vibes!!

Next, Multitude, is straight up Science Fiction story, it's about aliens! This is actually a novella so it's a short read perfect for limited-time busy readers. Upon reading the Goodreads synopsis it almost seems like an oddity the way that it's from the perspective of the aliens who hear a song and follow it to the planet. Definitely out of the ordinary pick but that's why it seems like it's going to be cool to get into!

Moving on we have Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt. Wow what a freaking fantastic title, And, this one is from the perspective of Death!! The Goodreads snippet reads, "He’s young and handsome, despite who he is. Each death he witnesses is meaningful to him; he listens, never judges, and most importantly, never tries to change anyone’s fate. He knows that every life must eventually end to maintain the balance of the universe and he respects the cycle.". Sounds like an introspective dive into what it's like to perceive life from the other side. I love novels that are so unique, they offer more than the regular standard tropes. This one is obviously in the fantasy realm which again I love good fiction, and the cover image is so clever and simple it drew me to it with both the title, and it's beautiful presentation. This actually might be at the top of the list for this week's most exciting new sci / fi fantasy reads!!

Finally, I decided to add a graphic novel this week. I am a huge fan of talented artists and illustrators who are creative storytellers so Warriors looks SO good, albeit cute too. I mean, dude it has a cat. If you're an animal lover I'm sure it has got your attention, I do want to note this is in fact a Middle-Grade read so if you have kids who are bookworms this series has been like a best-seller and I mean who doesn't love cats who are warriors going on some crazy adventures. I also know this one is a bit older, 2024 series, but Disney+ just acquired interest in adapting this into an animated series for 2028 which is why it's definitely relevant and cool to consider adding for middle-grader parents, or those who love reading all age book like me ☺

This week's Friday picks are a mixed bag but a good one, if you have any recs or want to contribute your thoughts on these, drop a comment! 👇💙😎

Mystery / Thriller Tuesday (Feature #4)

 

#1 Lady X by: Molly Fader

#2 The Intrigue by: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

#3 Three Reasons for Revenge by: Dervla McTiernan

#4 You Had Me at Bigfoot by: Nancy Campbell Allen

(CLICK EACH TITLE FOR LINKS TO ADD / CHECKOUT ON GOODREADS!)

This Tuesday's Mystery / Thriller choices are slightly more serious than whimsical in selection this week. Sometimes it's nice to just be drawn in and left turning each page with your heart racing to find out what's next! Let's dive into the why's here...

Lady X is about Margot Cooper, a wife to a A-list star who upon discovering her husband has sent scandalous photos to multiple women on social media...This leads her to retreat with her daughter to the home she was brought up in. Now away from all the spotlight and sordid allegations she steps right into her own when she finds a box in the old house's attic. It's here that she discovers evidence of articles linking her family history and her mother to Lady X. Lady X was a movement of avenging women against awful men who take their revenge in that name. The crimes are now coming to light, and Lady X disappeared...sounds like a complexly woven story that's going to jump around the times and be a cool thriller-vendetta plot. I instantly loved the title, the premise is really fun, and I like a well-done contemporary-historical twist. Definitely can't wait to read it!

The Intrigue - Another title with a fun name, and a historical leap! Its setting takes place is 1940's Mexico which is awesome, and it's about an attractive con man named Ulises who marks and steals money from lonely women; however, he gets more than he's bargained for...Perla owns a boarding house and also has a witty & cunning niece who wants in on the mark, the problem is he might've met his match, and the deal threatens to ruin his one real connection with someone should everything go to plan...This is sure to be winding thriller of deceit and love and I'm all about that aspect! Excited for it, most definitely. TBR now!

Three Reasons for Revenge sounds every bit the murder mystery plot I want to sit with bundled in a fancy arm-chair along with a hot mug of green tea. Here's the plot as shared on Goodreads -

Alexis Turner walks into the police station to report an assault. By the end of the day, she is nowhere to be found.

Soon after she disappears, three identical packages arrive at three very different a respected psychologist's home, a socialite's mansion, and a struggling single father's run-down apartment. Inside, each gift is perfectly tailored to its recipient - and each will tear apart the life of its intended victim.

YES, this book sounds like it's going to be a long night of reading, and yes I want it now! I only needed one reason for revenge, but it gives three. Count me in! ☺

Last but not least I picked the title You Had Me at Bigfoot, Guys, the first three are true to tell thrillers, this was purely impulsively selected for its fun who-dun-it plot. Who doesn't love folklore in a fictional mystery thriller?! 👻 The synopsis preaches lies, legends, and lost fortunes so let's get on board for that cause. The main characters are a rookie investigative journalist named Daphne and an award-winning war-photographer named Clark whose pictures don't lie. Together they team up on assignment like Scully and Mulder to partake in a high-society wedding where a maid is missing and they are tasked with solving the mystery and deciphering the truth from the lies. Sounds like a perfect read for the undecided reader, and it's a series. This is book one, so it's the start of something good and thrilling!

All adult reads and all very exciting TBR materials - this week's titles are pure 👀🔥❤. Leave a comment or reply with what mystery thriller novels you are pumped for! 👇

Mystery / Thriller Tuesday (Feature #3)

 

#1 Heart of Glass by: Jennifer Hillier

#2 This Story Might Save Your Life by: Tiffany Crum

#3 A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by: Holly Jackson

#4 The Thursday Murder Club by: Richard Osman

Alright, this week is a short list BUT some fun finds. Some of my selections are 2026 and some are older. Books don't expire, and neither do their stories! So, with that said, I'm excited to add these to my future reads in the mystery/thriller genre.  👆👀

Heart of Glass reminds me of a nostalgic I Know What You Did Last Summer plot with a return to a small coastal town where it brings forward a tragic past and ties it with a current murder under similar circumstances. And the killer is the Carnival Killer?! What screams more nostalgia than carnivals and killers, or a potential serial killer named that?? Exactly so, looking forward to reading this with that in mind! 🤡

Then we have This Story Might Save Your Life which sounds like a who-dun-it inspired mystery involving a survival- podcast couple who end up being the subjects of their own perilous events that they normally talk about on their beloved show. It just sounds like a fun indulgent story with a modern twist, and I could use some survival 101 from the experts. 

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder - I have seen it's a TV show, so my interest has been piqued because of that, however, I wanted to give the book a chance first before watching it. It's about a small town where crime is abundant and as a final project Pippa wants to write about a huge murder that occurred five years earlier. But, instead of learning more about it, she uncovers the truth and a cover-up that will shed new light on the story, that is if she lives to present her findings...I'm on board with a good old-fashioned hunt for some answers, and why the town threw it under the proverbial rug. 💅💀

Lastly, I selected The Thursday Murder Club because the title is catchy, and it's a murder-mystery series. Who doesn't love good reading binge? It's exactly like you'd think it's a murder club of retired age folks who solve unsolved mysteries together; however, they unwittingly become involved in their own plot twist when someone dies on their doorstep. Sounds fun, similar in essence to the previous selected title but undoubtedly selected for its quirky age-group, and their collective admiration for solving murder plots and being thrust into one! ☺

Till next week! ❤ Leave a comment if you have recs, opinions on mine, or you want to just share something book-related!

Mystery / Thriller Tuesday (Feature #2)

 

#1 Gingerbread Bones by: Lindsay Lovise

#2 Poppy Montgomery Gets Even by: Gordon Jack

#3 The Anniversary by: Alex Finlay

#4 If Books Could Kill by: Kate Eberle

#5 Keep Them Close by: David Ellis

This week's Thriller / Mystery picks are in! These are titles I've hand selected myself that look like awesome reads in this specific genre! Chosen based on their eye-catching cover designs, their creative narratives, and punchy presentations. ✌😎

*Every week I create a feature where those who are fans or interested in finding new reads can add some cool books to your to-read pile!*

If you have any recommendations for me, please drop a line! You can do so on Instagram or @threads - just follow and comment @dearrestlessreader 💜

1. Gingerbread Bones - They're being hunted…

When sixteen-year-old Georgie and her troublemaking brother are shipped off to the wilderness for their stepmother’s newest reality show, Georgie is convinced it’ll be the worst experience of her life. Two weeks. No phones. Hiking. Camping. Cameras catching every humiliating second.

One night, the counselors are chanting affirmations around the fire. By morning, they’re gone.

But the kids are not alone.

Georgie can feel it, stalking them from the shadows―watching, waiting, picking them off one by one. Whatever it is, it isn’t just hunting.

2.) Poppy Montgomery Gets Even - Eighty-year-old Poppy Montgomery has always taken a negative view of her life. Her father? A bully. Her husbands? Losers. Her daughter and grandson? Well, they’re probably her fault. And now the police have taken away her license, her daughter wants to put her in a retirement home, and the bossy new fitter-than-thou attendee at water aerobics is taking over her favorite class.

But enough is enough, and when her new friend, Ginny, is scammed on a dating site for seniors, Poppy decides it’s time to finally get even. With the help of Jeremy, her tech-savvy grandson, Poppy launches a vindictive little caper, scamming the scammers that prey on the elderly online

3.) The Anniversary - On one fateful night in 1992, the lives of two seventeen-year-olds are changed and intertwined forever. Quinn Riley, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, is arrested after he innocently tries to break up a fight but ends up nearly killing someone. Jules Delaney, high school royalty, survives an attack by the elusive and terrifying May Day Killer—a serial predator who strikes every May 1st in midwestern small towns.

A year later, Jules is struggling with trauma and guilt, tormented by one question: Why was I spared? Quinn is newly released from juvenile detention and returns home to fresh the unsolved murder of his mother...

4.) If Books Could Kill - A NOVEL LOVE STORY meets LOVE IN THE TIME OF SERIAL KILLERS in this rom-com following Roxie Mitchell, an adventure-loving romance reader who finds herself trapped in a meet-cute turned murderous

When Roxie makes a tongue-in-cheek wish to live out the plot of her favorite author’s next novel, she has romance in mind—namely, the sweet, safe, swoon-worthy storylines Anna Matthews is known for. It should be a dream come true when her wish is granted and she finds herself swept into a first date with a handsome stranger who seems designed to take her breath away.

Except for one little hiccup: That handsome stranger tries to take her breath away. Literally. With a knife. The thing is, Roxie may be the new Anna Matthews protagonist—but this time, Anna is writing a crime thriller.

5.) Keep Them Close - Siblings Allison and Luke have been through a lot together. They’ve always stood by each other. They’d do anything for each other.

Or so it seems.

When Allison’s husband, Finley, is murdered, the investigation threatens to expose the siblings’ darkest secrets. An illicit affair. A decades-old accident. A stunning deception. How do these events explain Finley’s death? How far will Allison and Luke go to keep their secrets buried? And can the siblings even trust one another anymore? 

I LOVE BLENDED GENRES AND MANY OF THESE INCORPORATE ROMANCE, HUMOR, THRILLER, MYSTERY ELEMENTS, WHICH MAKES THESE UNIVERSAL STORY ELEMENTS I LOVE ALL BLENDED TO CREATE THE BEST TALES! Stay tuned every week for new features!!

What Mystery / Thriller novels are you excited for?! Recs here!👇❤

Mystery / Thriller Tuesday (Feature)

 

#1 Thornbird by: Elle Kennedy
#2 Beware the Abbott Boys by: Chelsea Ichaso
#3 Somebody Worth Killing by: Jessica Payne
#4 In Case I Go Missing by: R.N. Swann

Whenever I get into a reading slump or feel burnt out–especially after reading a satisfying and great series–I tend to lean towards a totally different genre to refresh and reset my reading palette. Usually how I can do this is by picking up standalone read or a genre outside of my norm (fantasy/fiction/sci fi) and typically a thriller/mystery novel helps fend off the feels I have when I complete a fully fleshed out story and it comes to its end. Am I alone in feeling this way? I wonder.

That being said, here are 4 mystery-thriller novels that have released in 2026 that have made it into my TBR.

1. Thornbird looks every bit the part of what I perceive a good thriller to look like! It definitely has a stunning cover with a blood splattered bird which catches the eye immediately. But what drew me to this one is the complex family dynamic of an infamous serial killer's daughter who is trying to piece together her father's secrets all while trying to remain anonymous in a new town. 

The highly anticipated young adult thriller about a serial killer's daughter and her race to solve the crimes of her family's twisted past before it's too late—from E. Kennedy, aka New York Times bestselling romance author Elle Kennedy!

Goodreads Synopsis: 

The world is hunting for answers—but what if the truth leads straight to you?

Ten years after her father—the infamous serial killer Gabriel Thorn—was caught, Ryan Shipley is back in Starling, Tennessee, trying to lay low. No one can know who she really is. No one can know the truth about her past...

2. Beware the Abbott Boys just seems like a book you can't put down without knowing what happens next and the three main suspects are also triplets! I'm excited to see where each of their stories goes. Super eager to pick this one up and find out what the whole deal is. ALSO, I'm a fraternal triplet so this definitely appeals to my curiosity! A basic but visually effective cover which is the sort of reason I chose this one to feature :-)

Goodreads Synopsis:

Three brothers. Two deaths. One girl, caught in the middle.

But Hayden, the girl who lives next door to the Abbotts, swears they're innocent. After all, Henry's her best friend—maybe he could be more. She's been worried about Adam ever since he was injured in the accident that killed Mariana. As for Bram, he's a little complicated, but he and Mariana had been in love.

3. Somebody Worth Killing appears to be a very surprising combination, a successful mother, who also happens to be an assassin. I mean this is the type of book I feel like taking a towel and reading in the sun, surely its bound to be a fun romp considering who winds up on her hit list is her "devoted" husband. I like a good plot twist and this seems like it's going to have that!

Goodreads Synopsis:

Meet Nadia Davis, a doting mom and loving wife who has a big secret: she’s actually an assassin. And she really needs a babysitter who shows up on time.

Nadia Davis is living the dream as a successful working mom with a career she loves, two adorable little girls, and a devoted husband who has no idea that she’s secretly a hired assassin and psychopath who kills certified bad guys. So when Nadia finds out she’s been “mommy tracked” by her assassin’s agency and is no longer getting the bigger, more exciting jobs, she demands an important mark…somebody worth killing.

But it turns out that big kill is the last person she expects—her husband.

4. In Case I Go Missing - Of the four selections this one is definitely the one I'm most excited for! I love the cover art, it screams mystery in progress vibes, along with the fact that the title is about a girl named Fenny whose best friend goes missing who also is an amateur detective (hell yes!) who leaves a binder full of clues as to her disappearance. Already color me down for the cause to deep dive into what I believe will be twisty adventure.  

Goodreads Synopsis:

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder meets Fargo in this fast-paced YA mystery about a teen detective gone missing and her best friend who must finish her investigation.

Seventeen-year-old Fenny Allen has been Sarah Vincenty's sidekick for as long as she can remember, ever since the two of them solved the mystery of the stolen library books back in elementary school. Over the years, Sarah has ruffled a few feathers in their small town, building a reputation as both an amateur detective and a vigilante who has dispensed her own form of justice.

Now Sarah is missing...

DROP A COMMENT IF YOU THINK THESE ARE WORTH CHECKING OUT..OR IF YOU HAVE ANY MYSTERY THRILLER RECOMMENDATIONS!!! ❤👇

Fantasy Fiction Friday! (Feature)

 

Creating a new Friday Feature of the week! I love fantasy/fiction and there are so many truly great reads that I want to dive into. This week I've selected 5 books to showcase in my TBR. Also, please click the image above to enhance the covers!!

Novels:

#1. The Book of Doors by: Gareth Brown

#2. The Tainted Cup by: Robert Jackson Bennett

#3. The Book Witch by: Meg Shaffer

Manga/Anime and Graphic Novels:

#4. The Apothecary Diaries Vol, 1 by:Natsu Hyuuga / Nekokurage and Touko Shino

#5 Spy X Family Vol. 1 by: Tatsuya Endo

Goodreads links above! ✌❤