August 24, 2026

Weekly Spotlight - Travel to Mexico

 

Velvet Was the Night
Mexico in the 1970s is a dangerous country, even for Maite, a secretary who spends her life seeking the romance found in cheap comic books and ignoring the activists protesting around the city. When her next-door neighbor, the beautiful art student Leonora, disappears under suspicious circumstances, Maite finds herself searching for the missing woman—and journeying deeper into Leonora’s secret life of student radicals and dissidents.

Mexico in the 1970s is a politically fraught land, even for Elvis, a goon with a passion for rock ’n’ roll who knows more about kidney-smashing than intrigue. When Elvis is assigned to find Leonora, he begins a blood-soaked search for the woman—and his soul.

Swirling in parallel trajectories, Maite and Elvis attempt to discover the truth behind Leonora’s disappearance, encountering hitmen, government agents, and Russian spies. Because Mexico in the 1970s is a noir where life is cheap and the price of truth is high.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a simmering historical noir about a daydreaming secretary, a lonesome enforcer, and the mystery of the missing woman they’re both desperate to find.


 
 
Dirty Deeds
“He’s fearless and ruthless. Soulless.”

As a flight attendant, Alana Bernal has had her share of suitors. She's also had more than her fair share of tragedy within her messed-up family. But what she hasn't had is love. Real, rip-your-heart-out, tear-your-clothes-off, all-consuming love.

At least that was the case until she met an American tourist, Derek Conway, a ripped ex-soldier with steely eyes and a commanding presence.

What started as a chance encounter between the two in Puerto Vallarta, a weekend full of hot sex and mindless passion, has led to something more.

Something deadly.

Because Derek isn't the type of man to fall in love. He's not a man who sticks around.

And he's definitely not in Mexico on vacation.

Derek is a mercenary, a killer-for-hire, a man who does the ugly jobs for the highest bidder.

Unfortunately for Alana and Derek, the highest bidder has the power to destroy whatever worlds they have created for themselves.
The highest bidder can destroy everything.


 
 
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau
A lavish historical drama reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico.

Carlota Moreau: a young woman, growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of either a genius, or a madman.

Montgomery Laughton: a melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his scientific experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.

The hybrids: the fruits of the Doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.

All of them living in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Doctor Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.

For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is both a dazzling historical novel and a daring science fiction journey.



 
The Enchanted Hacienda
When Harlow Estrada is abruptly fired from her dream job and her boyfriend proves to be a jerk, her world turns upside down. She flees New York City to the one place she can always call home—the enchanted Hacienda Estrada.

The Estrada family farm in Mexico houses an abundance of charmed flowers cultivated by Harlow’s mother, sisters, aunt, and cousins. By harnessing the magic in these flowers, they can heal hearts, erase memories, interpret dreams—but not Harlow. 

So when her mother and aunt give her a special task involving the family’s magic, she panics. How can she rise to the occasion when she is magicless ? But maybe it’s not magic she’s missing, but belief in herself. When she finally embraces her unique gifts and opens her heart to a handsome stranger, she discovers she’s far more powerful than she imagined. 

 
 
 
Mexican Gothic
After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find—her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region.

Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.

Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.

And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.

August 20, 2026

The Key to a Killer

 
The Key to a Killer
by Olivia Blacke
 
Book: Ruby and Cordelia Mysteries #3
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Pub Date: October 20, 2026
Genre: Mystery, Cozy, Paranormal
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon  Bookshop
 
A woman and her ghost roommate investigate their most personal case yet in Olivia Blacke’s The Key to a Killer, the next book in the Anthony Award winning Ruby and Cordelia Mysteries.

When Ruby Young discovered that her Boston apartment was haunted, she did what any reasonable person would do: befriend the ghost. Their relationship overcame a shaky start—Cordelia Graves never wanted a roommate in life, she certainly didn’t want one in death. After working together to solve a few murders, the two are close friends, but there’s a lingering question neither of them have been able to answer: what led to Cordelia’s death?

Lately things have been adding up that suggest foul play. And when Cordelia’s memories of that day start to come back, the roommates can’t ignore it anymore: Cordelia was murdered. Ruby and Cordelia are going to have to piece together what Cordelia’s final days looked like—otherwise a killer could go free.
 
 
My Review: I've been absolutely loving this series and have been looking forward to this book since I finished the last one and someway, somehow, this one was even BETTER.   
 
Cordelia and Ruby are just enjoying another day together. Screaming for your ghost roommate to handle a spider and then bring up the task of solving said ghost's murder shortly after. Yup, pretty much another day for these two. 
 
Ruby really wants to help Cordelia figure out what really happened to her and Cordelia is finally ready to do so. 
 
I love these two. They're basically best friends at this point, least as much as a human and ghost can be. Who wouldn't a ghost bestie that can shoplift you clothes and the name brand snacks... but seriously these two have come a ling way since the first book and I love it.
 
Now onto the big issue. What actually happened to Cordelia....

Well they have their list of suspects. Catch Cordelia's ex in the park with another coworker. Ian, Cordelia's brother seems to actually be trying to be on the up and up. There is so much going on. 

The other murders were dangerous and risk, but this one very well is the highest risk of all. But this whole book was SO WORTH IT.  

I would love if this serious would continue. One of my favorites that I've come across in a long time and could read about these two solving all kinds of murders down the line.

 
My Rating:
✪✪✪✪✪

August 19, 2026

How Newsletter Promotions Can Help Authors Reach Dedicated Readers

 


Social media moves fast. Posts disappear within hours, algorithms constantly change, and reaching readers organically can feel challenging. That’s why email newsletters continue to be one of the most valuable tools in book promotion.

At Lovely Reads Press, our newsletter promotion services help authors place their books directly in front of engaged readers who actively enjoy discovering new titles.


Why Email Marketing Still Works

Readers who subscribe to book newsletters are already interested in finding books to add to their reading lists. That means your promotion reaches an audience that is more likely to pay attention, click, and engage.

Newsletter promotions can help authors:

  • Increase book visibility
  • Reach genre-specific readers
  • Promote sales or new releases
  • Build long-term reader interest
  • Generate traffic to retailer links

Unlike fast-moving social media posts, newsletters often stay in inboxes where readers can revisit them later.


A More Personal Way to Reach Readers

Email promotions feel more personal and intentional. Readers often trust newsletters they regularly subscribe to, which can help create stronger interest in featured books.

At Lovely Reads Press, we carefully present books in a professional and appealing format designed to capture reader attention without overwhelming them.


Supporting Authors at Every Stage

Whether you’re preparing for a launch, promoting a discount event, or simply looking to increase awareness, newsletter promotions can become an important part of your overall marketing strategy.

Lovely Reads Press is passionate about helping authors connect with readers in meaningful ways while creating promotional opportunities that feel natural, supportive, and effective.

August 17, 2026

Weekly Spotlight - Psychological Thrillers

 
The Housemaid

Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.
But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.
They don’t know what I’m capable of…


 
 
You Did Nothing Wrong

Single mother Elodie’s life has become a fairy tale. She’s met Bren, equal parts golden-retriever devoted and sinfully handsome. He’s whisked her and her autistic son, Jude, to the crumbling family house he’s renovating. She has a new husband, a new house, and a new baby on the way. Everything is perfect.

Then Jude claims he can hear voices in the walls. He says their renovations are “hurting” the house. Even Elodie can’t ignore it–something strange is going on. The question is, is it with the house, or with her son?

Then the one secret Elodie has been hiding is revealed, and no one is safe anymore.

A pulse-pounding, clever take on the haunted house novel, You Did Nothing Wrong examines the complexities of motherhood and the twisted bonds of family as it races to its shocking ending.


 
 
It's Not What You Think

He has a secret. She knows he's lying…

YOU THINK YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE

Nadeeka is certain Jamie is having an affair. She knows the tell-tale signs.
She's been here before.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHO YOU CAN TRUST

When Jamie claims to be at work late, she knows he's lying. He's with another woman, and she's determined to catch him in the act.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS

But when Nadeeka arrives home to confront him, Jamie can't explain himself. The house has become a crime scene…
Jamie is dead.

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK


 
 
The Girls of Maple Close

Eleven years ago, Maple Close was scarred by a horrific crime.

Three teenage girls who lived on the secluded cul-de-sac were mutilated and killed in what became known as The Wise Monkey Murders. Their neighbour, seventeen-year-old Zara, was found guilty. Incarcerated in a psychiatric facility, she hasn’t spoken since.

Now, true-crime podcaster Daisy retreats to her grandfather’s home on the close, following a brutal attack. But she can’t lie low for long. Zara’s mother has never believed her daughter capable of such violent crimes, and wants Daisy’s help.

Reluctantly, Daisy begins to dig into the dark history of Maple Close and its residents for a new podcast series... and soon uncovers secrets that were buried for a reason.

Someone is watching her. Someone knows she’s getting too close.
And someone will do anything for revenge.

Because in Maple Close, the past isn’t finished with Daisy.
And neither is the killer...

August 11, 2026

Reliquary

 

Reliquary
by Hannah Whitten
 
Book: Stand Alone
Publisher: Orbit Books
Pub Date: August 11, 2026
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Gothic
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon  Bookshop

Sometimes, you just want to belong.
When Claire’s fiancé mysteriously dies of an unknown neurological illness, seemingly destroying her chances at the belonging she’s sought, she’s prepared to sink back into the lonely life she lived before. Orphaned by a freak boating accident in her childhood, she never expected to find connection like she did with Elias, anyway. Even if sometimes, that connection seemed more like something he felt obligated to than something he wanted.

Their relationship wasn’t perfect—his coldness, his secrets, his strange aversion to the ocean—but what relationship is?

When Elias’s family reaches out—his incredibly wealthy family, from whom he was estranged—and invites Claire to a wake at their family home on a private island, Claire is given the chance to have connection again. To belong to something, just like she’s always wanted. Just like Elias knew she was desperate to have.

Even if that family is a little strange. Even if their home built partially into the sea stirs up memories of the accident that killed her parents and sister. Even if Ash, Elias’s older brother, seems insistent on Claire leaving as soon as possible.

Claire can’t bring herself to be lonely again. And as the strange circumstances of Elias’s familial connection with the sea becomes more and more apparent, her window for escape is rapidly closing.

Does she even want to?

 

My Review:  Well....this book was bad.  

Which is sad to say because I loved Hannah's Nightshade Crown series.  

But this one? No. It was so unbelieving boring and dull. So much so, that it gave me a horrible headache trying to get through it. 

There was no horror this this book.  Now, I'm not the biggest horror reader, but when I do read it, I want to feel it. This wasn't it. 

The story itself wasn't all that to me. The blurb made it sound so much better imo.  

Claires fiancé passes away and she kinda goes through the motions of grief but it all blurs together too much. There really is little to nothing about him either. 

Claire gets an email from his family about going to them to mourne together and all that. She agrees and at first its seems okay, even if a little weird.  

The buildup wasn't really there, it was basically here's a few days then btw you're a sacrifice Claire. It wasn't until then she showed real emotion/fear. But when that was short lived. 

The characters overall were simply okay. Kinda dull and brining but I didn't really dislike any of them. 

Overall, as the authors adult debut, its simply wasn't the best. I really couldn't find anything to love about this book. It was boring, dull a bit straight to the point with no world building, background, etc.  

It really does suck considering I have loved all her other books. I'll probably still give her future books a try and hope they turn out better.

 

My Rating:

August 10, 2026

Weekly Spotlight - Fairy Tale Retellings

 

The Crimson Crown
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the wickedest of them all? Snow White’s dark queen tells her side of the story in the first book of a queer, witchy duology that reimagines the classic fairy tale—from the author of Malice.

Legends tell of a witch who became a queen—the heartless villain in the story of Snow White.

But now the wicked queen is stepping out of Snow White’s shadow to become the heroine of her own legend.

Her real “once upon a time” begins when she is just Ayleth, a young witch who lives in the forest with her coven. The witches practice their magic in secret, hiding from the White King and his brutal war against witchcraft.

Ayleth, however, faces a war of her own. Her magical gifts have yet to reveal themselves, and as the threat of the Royal Huntsmen intensifies, Ayleth fears she will never become the witch her coven needs.

To prove herself, Ayleth sets out on a perilous quest that sends her to the White Palace, a decadent world of drama and deceit. There, Ayleth encounters an unlikely figure from her past: Jacquetta, a witch who once held Ayleth’s heart—and betrayed her.

As events at the palace escalate, Ayleth finds herself caught in the web of the White King, whose dark charisma is as dangerous as the sinister force that seems to be haunting the palace—and perhaps even Ayleth herself. With the threat of discovery looming, Ayleth and Jacquetta must set aside the wounds of their past and work together to survive.

As she uncovers the secrets of the White Court—and those of her own heart—Ayleth must find the strength to transform into someone she never imagined she could be.

A powerful witch, the very wickedest of them all.

 
 
 
Hour of the Pumpkin Queen
One year has passed since Sally wed her beloved Jack Skellington and stepped into her role as queen of Halloween Town. Even with her Jack at her side, though, being a ruler isn’t easy, and Sally feels uncertain of her future. Her seams are stretched thin with her royal duties, her newfound family in Dream Town, and a desire to bring citizens from across the Hinterlands together.

Then a simple potion demonstration at Sally’s inaugural Halloween exhibition goes horribly wrong, and things unravel fast: Sally and her new rag doll apprentice, Luna, fall through a mysterious portal, landing in a new realm called Time Town. They discover that someone has tampered with the clock that controls Halloween Town, and Sally cannot return to the present-day version of her home unless she finds the culprit and resets time.

Sally and Luna embark on a journey to unmask the truth, encountering more towns, friends, and foes along the way. But time is ticking, and as Sally fights to save Jack and her hometown, she wonders what kind of future she really wants–and what she must sacrifice to get it.


 
 
Lady Tremaine
A breathtaking reimagining of Cinderella, as told through the eyes of its iconic "evil" stepmother, revealing a propulsive love story about the lengths a mother will go to for her children.

A widow twice-over, Etheldreda is now saddled with the care of her two children, a priggish stepdaughter, and a razor-taloned peregrine falcon. Her entire life has become a ruse, just like the manor hall they live grand and ornate on the exterior, but crumbling, brick by brick, inside. Fierce in the face of her misfortune, Ethel clings to her family’s respectability, the lifeboat that will float her daughters straight into the secure banks of marriage.

When a royal ball offers the chance to secure the future she desperately desires, Etheldreda must risk her secrets, pride, and limited resources in pursuit of an invitation for her daughters—only to see her hopes fulfilled by the wrong one. As an engagement to the heir of the kingdom unfolds with unnerving speed, she discovers a sordid secret hidden in the depths of the royal family, forcing her to choose between the security she’s sought for years and the wellbeing of the feckless stepdaughter who has rebuffed her at every turn.

As if Bridgerton met Circe, and exhilarating to its core, Lady Tremaine reimagines the myth of the evil stepmother at the heart of the world’s most famous fairytale. It is a battle cry for a mother’s love for her daughters, and a celebration of women everywhere who make their own fortunes.


 
 
How Far I'll Go
What if Moana broke the heart of Te Fiti?

After a devastating battle with Te Kā, Moana’s worst fears are realized: the heart of Te Fiti is in ruins, Maui is frozen in volcanic rock, and darkness threatens to envelop her beloved home. Desperate to fix things, Moana stumbles upon an island already crumbling under the blight. All life is gone, save one sole survivor—a young woman named Noe.

Moana is relieved to find another wayfarer, even if this stranger is more than a little intimidating. Better still, Noe has an idea how to fix the heart: using the tears of Te Fiti, gems infused with the goddess’s essence. The catch? The tears are said to be scattered throughout the realm of monsters.

Banded together, Moana and Noe set a course for an impossible mission to find the powerful lost tears. Will Moana be able to restore the heart amid secrets and monsters? Or will the blight overtake everything Moana holds dear?

August 03, 2026

Weekly Spotlight - August Anticipated Releases

 
Bedeviled
“My queen, my wife, my lovely Selene … You who saved me, died for me. Waited eons for me so we could exist in this moment … I am yours forever.”

It’s been two thousand years since Selene Bowers first fell in love with Memnon Uvagukis, the sorcerer king of the Sarmatians. So when, at present, an unbreakable vow forces Selene to marry this soul mate she once died for, it is in many ways a dream made real.
Unfortunately for her, neither she, nor Memnon, are able to bask in the moment for long. Not when demons keep ambushing her, and her husband’s magic appears to slowly be consuming him. And not when, despite eliminating the prior threats to Henbane, the coven still teeters on the brink of shutting down.

And then of course there’s Eislyn, an age old menace who lurks somewhere in the shadows. She led to Selene and Memnon’s demise long ago, and now she threatens their existence once more. It seems she wants something from them, something she’s been waiting millennia for, and if Memnon and Selene don’t figure out what that is and stop her for good, she just might get it—and destroy them in the process.


 

Dreamland
DELUXE EDITION—a beautiful hardcover edition featuring sprayed edges, a designed case stamp, and fully illustrated color endpapers.
From New York Times bestselling author Olivie Blake comes a tantalizing story of power, seduction, and the omens you’ll ignore when everything you’ve dreamed of feels just within reach.

The headlines are calling it the "summer of exsanguination" in LA—girls are being murdered, the Santa Ana winds are blowing a strange energy into the city, and all signs point to fire season.

More pressing for Anya Morris, though, is the drudgery of living at home, working part time at the family store, and contending with her mother's disdain for the acting career Anya knows she's destined for but that feels more impossible by the day.

It’s in this suffocating late summer heat that Anya receives a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, an invitation to work for the de Witt family, one of LA’s most influential film dynasties. Soon, she’s spending her days and nights at their strange villa high in the Hollywood hills, where she meets Jude, a recluse who is both the family’s heir apparent and its most closely guarded secret.

There’s a magnetism to Jude that Anya cannot resist, despite warning signs that scream like sirens in the night. Because the villa holds generations of bloodstained history, and an occult family curse may even live within its walls—or within Jude himself.

In this city, everyone cuts a deal with the devil. When Anya comes face to face with a devil of her own, she’ll learn just how far she’s willing to go to get everything she’s ever wanted.


 

The Lion and the Deathless Dark

From New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Carissa Broadbent returns with a brand new novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, The Lion & the Deathless Dark – the first book in the Bloodborn Duet.

Some blood tastes like vengeance. Some blood tastes like grief. Some blood tastes like nothing at all.

Under an eternal night, the world has been ravaged by ten years of war between humans and vampires. Kyrene scrapes by as a bounty hunter, bearing a blessed sword from the goddess of justice. But in the wake of a devastating loss, Kyrene commits a crime that makes her a target for mortals and gods alike – and she is still desperate for vengeance.
Her only chance at survival – and revenge – is making a deal with her enemy, the silver-tongue vampire prince, Septimus, who offers her one final to slay the gods themselves.

Together, Kyrene and Septimus must hunt the ultimate marks, all while navigating a web of prophecies and curses. Septimus is calculating and mysterious, masking secrets bloodthirsty enough to consume them both. Yet, most dangerous of all, Kyrene finds an unexpected kinship in him.
But their growing attraction is deadly in a world where the only currency is blood. And Kyrene will stop at nothing to fulfill her ultimate to kill the goddess of vampires, even if it means sacrificing love for revenge.


August 01, 2026

August Reading Challenge

 

Let's get reading! August Reading challenge is here!  

Here is a list of books to help you get started:

YA Book:
The Last King of Faerie by Cassandra Clare
Heart of Mischief by Emma Noyes
What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally
 
Greek:
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
Ithaca by Claire North
Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
 


We welcome you to comment with your suggestions and tell us which bingo spot you’re most excited about this month!