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#Mystery #ScienceFiction #Thriller
The Quantum Revelations Stuart Heinrich Publication date: July 31st 2025 Genres: Adult, Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller
The world is on the brink of an apocalyptic climate crisis and quickly spiraling out of control into a dystopian nightmare.
As everything collapses around them, two scientists struggle for relevance in their quest to build the world’s first practical quantum computer. They discover so much more: a mystery of physics that goes deeper than they could have ever imagined.
“Heinrich offers an engrossing metaphysical excursion through the quantum realm to discover the meaning of life in this contemplative debut…[His] rich, multilayered backdrop of existential food for thought propel this story to a truly transcendental experience.” — Publisher’s Weekly
“Science and faith combine in this nuanced and compelling sci-fi eco thriller… [that] cleverly explores and intertwines the well established science vs religion discourse in a way that, I think, does credit to both sides.” — LoveReading (featured under “Indie Books We Love”)
“The Quantum Revelations is a wildly unpredictable narrative with a show stopping climax, pondering the interplay of science, religion, and technology in a way that is as captivating as it is disturbing.” — Independent Book Review
A band reunion may be enough to change two musicians’ tune on love in this electric romance from USA Today bestselling author Alicia Thompson.
Micah’s relationship to music is complicated. As teenagers, her band took off after being featured on a popular TV show, but the group barely released their sophomore album before breaking up. Now, over a decade later, the band is reuniting for one more performance on a themed cruise, and Micah is determined to learn from her past mistakes — no losing herself in the music, and no losing her heart along the way.
John misses playing in a band, and mostly he misses Micah, who’d been his best friend until the music stopped. Back then, he didn’t take the lead, either in his guitar parts or while he sat back and watched her date another bandmate. John’s never been one to rock the boat, but he’s faced with another chance now that this cruise has brought music — and Micah — back in his life.
Onboard, Micah can’t help but see John with brand new eyes, and John’s feelings only intensify as the discordant band’s tension grows to a breaking point. With five days at sea, there’s a ticking clock on anything that might develop between them, and they’ll have to decide if their relationship is destined to be more than a one-hit wonder.
Two unlikely allies search for the secrets of their pasts while on the run within the Alien world of Harmony in the thrilling new novel by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Castle.
Leona Griffin is at the height of her career as a para-archeologist thanks to a recent Underworld discovery. Her high profile attracts the attention of an organization of elite, secretive collectors. They want her to authenticate the artifacts that aspiring members submit as evidence to join their group. The ceremony takes place at a glittering reception where Leona is shocked to discover that one of the relics is a powerful Old-World object known as Pandora’s Box. But she’s not the only one interested in that artifact.
Oliver Rancourt, a man with a unique talent—they say you never see him coming—is also there. Leona knows she must not underestimate him. Attempting to make a discreet exit, she stumbles over the body of a waiter wearing the emblem of a dangerous cult. Before she can alert authorities, a police raid sends the reception into chaos. To avoid being arrested, Leona slips away with Oliver—a risky decision that gets her fired.
Now forced to work together, Leona and Oliver pursue an investigation that leads them to the town of Lost Creek where the locals are obsessed with a chilling legend involving a long-dead cult leader and illicit paranormal experiments. But Leona knows the real danger may be the irresistible attraction between herself and Oliver.
The Road to Gretna Suleena Bibra (Road to Romance, #1) Publication date: June 3rd 2025 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
What better way to escape reality than going on a reality show that combines The Amazing Race, Love Island, and Pride and Prejudice?
Naomi Richmond is hoping an ocean is far enough away from her overbearing father. She’s chosen London and built a life there with a job she only dislikes about a quarter of the time.
Nate Williams is perfectly happy where he is, and his dissatisfaction with his job is so low it can’t be quantified numerically. Unfortunately, his boss (and Naomi’s father) is asking him to do something that might make him start to hate Mondays: convince Naomi to come home.
Nate arrives in London at the same time Naomi receives an offer that intrigues her as much as Nate does: be on a reality dating show, where the contestants will pretend to be Regency aristocrats eloping to the famed Gretna Green. Nate is sure it’s his job to stop this, but instead, he ends up on the show with her. Now Naomi is trying to make a name for herself while Nate is trying to make sure she doesn’t do anything to embarrass her father, and they’re both trying to fight the attraction they feel for each other. On camera.
Tune in whenever you find this book and watch Nate and Naomi find themselves and each other, on The Road to Gretna!
I lift my head at the inane comment. “What?” My lips are still wet from the kiss, and I still have a painful erection. I don’t appreciate the interruption.
I see Diane, the chaperone, looking incensed in front of us, with a cameraperson and producer standing behind her.
“Right, we’re on a reality show,” I whisper to Naomi.
“Ruined! After all my hard work keeping you virtuous, now you’re ruined!” Diane carries on, adding some dramatic hand gestures and maybe some tears.
Naomi starts giggling next to me, first demurely behind her hand, but then louder as Diane keeps ranting. She sets me off and now we’re both laughing in the face of…whatever this is.
“Why is no one concerned about my virtue, though?” I ask Naomi, sending her into more fits of laughter.
“You’re a man.” Diane pauses the rant to educate me. “And you’ve ruined Naomi!”
I try to defend the lady next to me. And myself. “Ruined seems like a bit of an overreaction for a kiss.”
“A kiss.” Diane sounds as scandalized as if I told her I was getting a hummer on this bench instead of a hot, but still tame, kiss. “Ruined!”
These might be the only words Diane knows now, too shocked at the (fully clothed) debauchery that allegedly happened here.
“All right then. Maybe we should go back to the ball?” I have no idea what it supposed to happen now that I’ve “ruined” a woman, never having done it before. I look at Naomi, hoping she has any idea what we’re supposed to do, but she’s still laughing too hard at the situation to be any help.
I stand up, not worried about my penis, which started softening at the first screech of “ruin.” I extend my arm out to Naomi, who manages to stop laughing enough to take it.
The producer standing next to the camerawoman gives us a thumbs-up and Diane immediately stops crying. Terrifying.
“Great. We’ve got that. We can go back inside, but we’re going to put you two in a sitting room for a few hours. Part of the ruin consequences. We’ll bring you out when it’s time to get in a couple.” The producer indicates we should follow her. “I’m Aiko, by the way. I’ll be producing the both of you.”
“Hi. Nice to meet you,” I say to the East Asian-British woman in front of me. “I don’t usually ruin women in gardens.”
That sets Naomi off again, and I have to half drag her laughing body back inside the house.
Author Bio:
Suleena Bibra has read romance in one form or another since she could pick her own books. She occasionally branches out to other genres, but really, what’s the point if there’s no kissing? She also loves to laugh, which probably has to do with her dad putting Monty Python on whenever her mom wasn’t looking.
Suleena studied art history in college and loves to travel every opportunity she gets. A bit indecisive, she has worked as a museum intern, lawyer, workers’ compensation adjuster, and private investigator. Author is best, though, so she can continue living out a bunch of other careers without changing out of her pajamas.
Suleena writes RomComs heavy on banter, shenanigans, and aggressive whimsy. She spends the rest of her time annoying her stubborn, but adorable, bulldog (who also doubles as her particularly lazy writing assistant) with her love.
A powerful plant witch and a grumpy alchemist must work together to save their quiet town from a magical plague in this debut cozy fantasy romance about starting over, redemption, and what it really means to be a good person.
Guy Shadowfade is dead, and after a lifetime as the dark sorcerer’s right-hand, Violet Thistlewaite is determined to start over—not as the fearsome Thornwitch, but as someone kind. Someone better. Someone good.
The quaint town of Dragon’s Rest, Violet decides, will be her second chance—she’ll set down roots, open a flower shop, keep her sentient (mildly homicidal) houseplant in check, and prune dark magic from the twisted boughs of her life.
Violet’s vibrant bouquets and cheerful enchantments soon charm the welcoming townsfolk, though nothing seems to impress the prickly yet dashingly handsome Nathaniel Marsh, an alchemist sharing her greenhouse. With a struggling business and his own second chance seemingly out of reach, Nathaniel has no time for flowers or frippery—and certainly none for the intriguing witch next door.
When a mysterious blight threatens every living plant in Dragon’s Rest, Violet and Nathaniel must work together through their fears, pasts, and growing feelings for one another to save their community. But with a figure from her past knocking at her door and her secrets threatening to uproot everything she’s worked so hard to grow, Violet can’t help but wonder…does a former villain truly deserve a happily-ever-after?
I had a strange experience reading this book. I felt so distant from the characters as I read the first 25% of the book. The best way I can describe it is that I felt I was reading an animated story with flat characters that just didn’t feel real. Now it is fiction and it is fantasy, but that wasn’t it. Later I thought it was because it’s written in 3rd person, but one of my favorite series’ is written that way. That wasn’t it. Towards the middle, I just wanted to know how it ended so I kept reading. Finally, I decided I just didn’t care about the characters.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s well written and the story (meaning what’s happening in the town) is interesting. I admit to wondering about the legend around dragons for the small town of Dragon’s Rest and what is going on with the blight. And I really liked the little rock, Peri. This book definitely has the feel of a cozy fantasy. It’s set in a small town where a big bad guy named Shadowfade was just killed by the good person, Karina the Tempest. Violet was Shadowfade’s enforcer. But there is more to her than that. Karina tells her to be good and she agrees to try. This is her story of trying to be good.
I will also admit that there was a twist I certainly didn’t see coming. It came at the point when everything is falling apart and you figure she has failed to be good. I liked the twist. It made the story much better. But it couldn’t overcome the way I felt about the characters. They fell flat and stayed that way for me. Peri had me reading to find out more about that rock character. He was interesting. I also wondered about Bartleby, the murderous potted plant. But Violet and Nathaniel and even Prudence? I just didn’t care about them.
As a character driven reader, all I can say is that this book is okay. Peri and the twist is a good enough to read the book but if you are in it for the romance you might want to pass.
Stacking the Shelves is a weekly post to share what’s new on your shelf. Check out the rest of the Stacking the Shelves posts on Reading Reality Blog! Here’s info on how to join Stacking the Shelves.
The Sunday Salon, it is now being hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. This post let’s you share what you read last week and what you hope to read next week
News
My Dad is still in the hospital. His surgery led to anesthesia delirium, which I didn’t even know as a thing. Basically, he is struggling to come out of the anesthesia. Sleeping a lot, not really there when he is awake. He has made some very slow progress to coming it out of it. Could still be two weeks or so before he is back to himself. My guess is that he will be sent to a re-hab facility soon. It has taken up most of my time this week.
What I read this week
I didn’t get a lot of reading done this week. I am about half way through this review read.
From the Blog this week
The full review will post tomorrow, Sunday July 27th.
Tell Them GoodbyeE. R. Sanchez(Third Death Series, #1)Publication date: December 17th 2025Genres: Thriller, Young Adult 16-year-old Sino and his 17-year-old cousin, Martín, run away from their family’s ranch—El Petaco—after witnessing their cousin Adal murder their cousin Javier over Adal’s marijuana business. Not wanting to be forced into Javier’s job, Sino and Martín plan to run,…
Shopping for a Highlander’s BabyJulia Kent(Shopping for a Highlander, #4)Publication date: March 30th 2026Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance The best early strike o’ ma life wasna on the pitch. It was in bed with Amy on our honeymoon. Dinna ken how we turned our elopement, honeymoon, and conception into a hat trick, but there ye…
A Chatter of Bones & Baby’s BreathSuzanne PhillipsPublication date: April 21st 2026Genres: Young Adult From acclaimed author Suzanne Phillips comes this compelling novella collection–gritty coming-of-age stories in narrative and verse that Kirkus Reviews calls “haunting and heartbreaking. . .an unflinching look at surviving trauma.” A CHATTER OF BONES Kaitlyn has come to rely on Olivia,…
My pre-order of the hardback copy finally came this week.
I received these books for review.
What’s new on your shelf? Hope you had a great week!
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#Adult #Contemporary #LGBTQ+ #Romance
Too Good to Be True A.S. Kelly Publication date: July 23rd 2025 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
Seth Graham needs help. His eccentric job and troubled past will not help him get custody of his nephews. With their grandmother now stepping in to claim them, Seth needs a solution.
Seth can’t bear another loss. He has already said goodbye to too many people; he can’t give up the only family he has left.
Rowan Kennedy doesn’t need anything, especially not another lost cause. His career is finally taking off, and the last thing he has time for is helping a young single father desperate to keep his kids. He has no interest in getting caught up in a custody battle, especially when he’s never even had a real family of his own. He doesn’t know what it’s like to have someone willing to fight for you with everything they have.
But Seth is desperate, and Rowan seems to be his only chance, and these children need a home, love and something Rowan never had: a father who would give anything to see them happy. Plus, Seth is bloody adorable, with his dimples and his blue eyes and the way he creates chaos even when he sleeps, and his sweetness and his desire to be the father the children deserve. And then there’s the way he practically begs Rowan not to walk away now that falling in love might actually be on the table…
Luckily, my phone rings at the perfect moment.
“Excuse me, I have to take this. It might be important.”
I get up from the table and walk into the living room. When I pick up my phone and see his name flashing on the screen, I almost decide to drop the call and go back to the kids’ interrogation.
“Hey,” I greet him.
“Oh, hey,” Seth says. “I meant to call earlier, but I haven’t had a free moment. How’s everything going?”
“All good.”
“Are you sure?”
“We’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
“Oh, but I’m not worried about the children. I’m sure they’ll be fine.”
“I’m managing too.”
“You wouldn’t know it by your voice.”
“I’m just a bit…”
“Have they put you on trial?”
“With the help of my friend Paul.”
“Does he tell all your secrets?”
I only have one secret at the moment. The fact that your voice makes me feel so inexplicably good.
“Something like that.”
“I’d like to be there to hear them.”
I sigh at the thought of wanting the same.
“I can give you a summary when you get back.”
“I don’t want a summary. I want every detail.”
The way he says it sends a hot shiver down my spine.
“I’m not good with details, but I can do my best.”
A long, endless moment of silence, filled with his heavy breathing; then, Seth says, in his seductive voice, “I’m sure you will.”
Author Bio:
A. S. Kelly writes Rom-Com, Romantic Fiction and Family Saga.
Avid reader, hopeless romantic, lover of yoga, knitting and home baking.
She was born in Italy but lives in Ireland with her husband, two children and a cat named Oscar.
Seven Hundred Beachfront Ligia de Wit Publication date: July 22nd 2025 Genres: Adult, Magical Realism, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Some places hold memories. Others have opinions.
I didn’t mean to run again.
But when life gets tangled, I untangle it by leaving. And this time, my escape came with strings attached: a five-year-old brother I never signed up to care for, a seaside town I barely remember, and a tattered house on stilts that belongs in Renter’s Hell.
I told myself it was just for the summer. A break. A pause. A way to escape the people I care about but can’t seem to fit with anymore, and the choices I don’t know how to fix.
But the sea doesn’t let you stay distant for long.
Then there’s him. Quiet. Grumpy. Mysterious. The kind of man who doesn’t ask questions, but somehow sees more than he should. I don’t even like talking to him, and yet… here we are. Sharing long silences. Unexpected moments. Maybe even something more.
And as for the house? Let’s just say it has opinions—and it’s not afraid to share them.
Seven Hundred Beachfront is a heartfelt, magical story about learning to stay, letting people in, and discovering that healing doesn’t always come the way you expect it. But when it does, you’ll feel it down to your bones.
Carole hadn’t sent a thing to keep him busy, damn woman, and I’d only used the TV for movies. Wait a sec—Jessie left a Star Wars movie at my place, the first one, so I should have it here.
“No Scooby, kiddo,” I said while looking in the boxes, “but you’re gonna like this one. It’s the real thing, not a single goofy character one mile near it.”
“ ’Kay.” He sat on the old, flowery couch and gazed at me, expectant.
“How do you want your fish?” I asked while putting the movie on, realizing I had no idea what Bobby liked.
“Dead.”
I gave a small smile. “But how do you like it prepared? Pan fried?”
“No. Like Mom does it.” He lifted his little arms and mimed putting something in a pan. “Like this.”
“You’re not much help, kiddo. I’ll cook it pan fried.”
“ ’Kay,” Bobby whispered, gaze down.
After leaving him with the movie, I got ready to cook. The stove burners were a little rusty but worked. I prepared pan-fried fish, along with steamed vegetables and wild rice. Maybe I didn’t have many accomplishments in my life, but, damn, I could cook. It had been either that or be resigned to eating frozen dinners.
When other kids watched cartoons, I watched cooking shows. At ten, I prepared chicken cordon-bleu. Even Aunt Marie was impressed. Carole just grimaced. It’s overcooked, she’d said.
The aroma of spices and well-cooked fish filled the space, and any knot in my body vanished.
My cell rang, and I picked it up, frowning at the caller ID. “Hey,” I answered flatly.
“Honey!” Carole’s voice came clear. “Darling, you have no idea what a marvelous flight we had.” She laughed, evidently delighted. “First class. The only way to fly. Don’t you ever dare fly coach again, Beverly.”
“Sure. Will do that next time I fly overseas in, I don’t know, my next life, I guess.”
“Oh, don’t be such a bore! Don’t you want me to spill the tea, girlfriend?”
She giggled. Giggled.
“Are you drunk, Mother?”
She sobered up. Nothing like reminding Carole of the maternity role she’d never wanted.
“Sweetheart, you are such a bore.”
I put her on speaker and placed one of my unopened boxes on the counter while Carole talked nonstop about her marvelous, fantastic flight and the wonderful five-star hotel in Madrid.
My Lladró figurine lay wrapped in newspaper. Carefully, I unwrapped it and placed it on the counter. Crap, one of the fruits had broken off.
“Bobby and I are okay,” I managed to say when she took a small pause. “The house’s too old, though. I don’t know if this is a good place for me.”
The wind moaned, and the noisy branch thumped above.
“You haven’t asked me a thing about Madrid,” Carole complained. “Make sure to check the pictures I posted because they are a-ma-zing. I already have more than one-hundred likes!”
“Thank heavens for the social media gods.”
“Don’t give me that snarky tone of yours. You need more good energy in your life, girlfriend. You need a man.”
“Ugh, please.”
“You do. And not that silly cowboy—”
“Gary’s a friend. One of my best friends, actually. Since you’re my girlfriend, then you certainly remember I’ve known him since the seventh grade.”
Author Bio:
Ligia de Wit writes fantasy romance adventures with heart, humor, and just the right dose of magic. A lifelong romantic with a soft spot for fairy tales and found family tropes, Ligia writes characters who are strong in more than just a physical sense. Her characters face fears, fight for themselves, and find love in the most unexpected places.
When she’s not writing (or rewriting) her imaginary worlds, she works for a global distribution company and dreams up stories during lunch breaks. You’ll often find her with her nose in a book, exploring a new city, hiking through forests, or acting like a total goof at theme parks. She’s a proud kid at heart—and owns it.
Wicked Ambition: The Lost Treasure Patti O’Shea (The Paladin League, #7) Publication date: July 21st 2025 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense
Ayla Desmond never takes risks, but when she senses her twin is in trouble, she boards a plane to Puerto Jardin—a country teetering on the edge of chaos. As a Public Relations specialist at the Paladin League, she’s used to spin, not bullets. But this mission plunges her into a deadly game where trust is scarce and danger is everywhere.
Special Forces Sgt. Oziah “Wizard” West is the king of one-night stands, but he hasn’t been able to forget the last woman he hooked up with, a mysterious blonde who slipped away from his hotel room. When he spots her in Puerto Jardin, he knows there will be trouble. Oz rushes to her side, determined to keep her safe.
Ayla wants nothing to do with Oz. He’s a mistake she’d rather forget, but circumstances force them together. Surrounded by mercenaries and stalked by mobsters who believe she holds the key to a hidden treasure, she has no choice but to rely on the enigmatic stranger who ignited her passion. As danger escalates, so do their feelings, and then a positive pregnancy test changes everything.
Now, Oz risks not only his heart but also his life to protect Ayla and their unborn child. Can they survive the treacherous game they’re caught in, or will their love become the ultimate casualty?
Wicked Ambition is a stand-alone romance with a HEA. There are references to events that happened in earlier books, but it’s not necessary to read them to enjoy this story.
Indulge in a protective Special Forces hero and a heroine who is a fish-out-of-water, but will do whatever it takes to save her sister. This romantic suspense story features a one-night stand, an unexpected pregnancy, and a second chance romance.
A while later, the second bus from Rio Blanco rolled in. This one was larger, with a hump on top. Some parts of it had rust, while other parts showed obvious metal patches, and the green paint had faded in the places where it hadn’t entirely flaked away.
He expected a repeat of the first bus, and then another ninety-minute-plus wait for the last one to arrive.
That wasn’t what he got.
Oz tensed as a man disembarked. His hair was cut military short, and he was clean-shaven—nothing like the pictures he’d studied—but there was no mistaking him for someone else. This was the dude he’d been assigned to watch for.
As he reached the sidewalk, he paused and glanced around. He gave the gang members a look that appeared threatening even from across the street and then headed off to the east.
In a minute, Oz would follow him. As soon as a tail wouldn’t stand out. He stood and monitored the man’s progress.
The next passenger who exited the bus froze him in place.
She wore black trousers and a white shirt and dragged a small, wheeled suitcase out of the bus and onto the sidewalk. It tipped over, but she used the handle to put it upright. The catcalls from the gang began immediately. She ignored them, looking up and down the street.
Oz muttered a curse. He’d bet a month’s pay she was searching for a taxi.
The man he was assigned to tail was nearly out of sight. Oz needed to move, needed to go after him, and he couldn’t. He wouldn’t leave any woman in this predicament, but especially not this one.
Because underneath that floppy straw hat she had on, Oz knew her hair was blonde. He knew the way her blue eyes looked when she was aroused and the way she sighed when he entered her. Knew the little noises she made when she came.
Patting his pocket, he felt the familiar outline of the gold-hoop earring she’d left behind.
She walked to the west, away from the gang members. They followed her.
His assignment disappeared around the corner, but it didn’t matter. Oz couldn’t let anything happen to her. She was the woman he hadn’t been able to forget for seven long weeks.
Striding across the street, he went to protect his prissy little blonde.
Author Bio:
Patti O’Shea’s passions are writing, airplanes and traveling. Fortunately, she’s been able to enjoy all three. After receiving a degree in advertising copywriting, she took a job with a major U.S. airline and now works in 757 Engineering. Besides teaching her about the planes she loves, it’s given her an opportunity to travel to places like Australia, Papua New Guinea and Canada’s Yukon Territory.
Writing, though, remains her primary love. Patti created her first romance when she was in junior high school and has been hooked ever since. She should have figured out she was a writer years earlier, however, since her dolls had such involved lives, complete with goals, motivation and conflict.
