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…

Get it Here

 
 

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.

Get it Here

 
 

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

Get it Here

 
 

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...

Get it Here

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:

✪

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.

Get it Here

 
 
 

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.

Get it Here

 
 

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.

Get it Here

 
 

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?

Get it Here

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.

Get it Here

 

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.

Get it Here

 

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.

Get it Here 

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!

Queen of Shadow

 

Queen of Shadow
by P.C. Cast
 
Book: Stand Alone
Publisher: William Morrow
Pub Date: August 4, 2026
Genre: Adult, Fantasy
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon  Bookshop

From #1 New York Times bestselling author P. C. Cast—a sexy and magical epic of Celtic legend, perfect for romantasy fans who love Sue Lynn Tan and Thea Guanzon.

Step into the mystical world of the Isle of Skye in 200 BCE, where legends come to life and the Queen of Shadow holds court. But Scáthach is no ordinary queen. Daughter of the Underworld goddess Bēfionn, golden-haired Scáthach is gifted with the Sight, able to glimpse all the possibilities of the future and pass between the world of men and the world of gods.

Scáthach dedicates her life to training the fiercest warriors from across the land in her fortress at Lethra. But then a newcomer arrives in Lethra and upends everything about Scáthach's existence. He is Cuchulainn, the hero of Ulster, son of the Irish God Lugh. Known for his strength and bouts of berserker rage, Cuchulainn wants Scáthach to help him hone his skills and find redemption for his violent past. The Queen of Shadow reluctantly agrees to take him in, ignoring their growing attraction, and what it might mean for her destiny.

Meanwhile, Scáthach's jealous half-sister Aife threatens Scáthach’s claim to the kingdom she loves and challenges Scáthach for Cuchulainn’s loyalty. Caught in a snare of duty and desire as she navigates the perils of leadership, Scáthach discovers that her destiny may lie in the Underworld, where she can forge a future for herself and Cuchulainn by tricking death itself....

 

My Review: P. C. has blown me away YET AGAIN. How does she always do this?!  

Scathach is such an amazing character. I love how genuine she is. She is the Queen of Shadows and the opportunity to be queen of two places. Warriors come to her to be trained. You could say she has it all. Yet, she is so kind and genuine on how she behaves, talks to her students, daughter, friend, etc. She doesnt jump to judge, she doesnt throw around shes is a queen for the sake of it or show off power. Just all around a character you will absolutely love. 

Then you have Cuchulainn who really deep down is a big softie. He first started off on a rough note after breaking Scathach's door. But Scathach accepts his request to be a student in the end. He excels at everything but he doesn't show off. He doesn't boast. He even helps and encourages the other students. Scathach really likes that bout him among other things. 

As the story goes on, there is so much that is packed into this book and I love every moment of it. WELL - actually not one scene. There is a scene about a horse and well don't read it is all I can say. As an animal person, this was hard to read so go ahead and skip that part.

Scathach also has the best daughter and guard leader who is really more like her best friend. Those are some of the best side characters and I loved them.

Scathach's sister is a no go. Don't like her nor what she did. That may also be a rough scene for folks who may be more sensitive about SA, so just keep that in mind.

But overall... This book was simply amazing.  

I've been a fan of P. C. for ages now and will always boast about her books.  She's an absolute favorite of mine and haven't come across one book I haven't loved yet. This was no exception, in fact it made it to the top of the list. 

My Rating:

✪✪✪✪✪

Why Author Spotlights Help Readers Discover the Person Behind the Book

 

Readers love stories, but they also love getting to know the authors who write them. Building that connection can be one of the most valuable parts of growing an audience.

That’s where author spotlights come in.

At Lovely Reads Press, our author spotlight services are designed to help writers share their journey, personality, and passion in a way that feels approachable and engaging.

More Than Just Promoting a Book

An author spotlight focuses on you as the creator behind the story. These features often include:

• Your author journey
• Fun facts and personal insights
• Writing inspiration
• Favorite books or hobbies
• Upcoming projects
• Social media and website links

This type of content helps readers connect with authors on a deeper level, which can encourage long-term support and loyalty.

Building Your Author Brand

In today’s publishing world, readers often follow authors just as much as they follow books. Establishing your presence online can help readers remember you, interact with your content, and stay excited for future releases.

Author spotlights can:

• Strengthen your online presence
• Increase reader engagement
• Create shareable promotional content
• Help new readers discover your work
• Add personality to your marketing efforts

Why Authors Work with Lovely Reads Press

At Lovely Reads Press, we believe book promotion should feel welcoming, professional, and personalized. Our goal is to help authors feel seen while presenting their work in a polished and reader-friendly way.

Every author has a story worth sharing, and our spotlight services are designed to help readers discover the person behind the pages.

Weekly Spotlight - Popular Books that Wasn't for Me

Metal Slinger

Even though she's not one of them, Brynn has spent her life among the Alaha, training to be a guard and waiting for the chance to attend the annual market hosted by the Kenta–the very same people who exiled her adopted community to a life at sea. Going to the market is a rite of passage eagerly anticipated by all young guards, but Brynn does not anticipate breaking a century-long peace treaty while there. Nor does she plan for the intense encounter with an enemy soldier that now threatens to unwind the fragile coexistence between their people–and everything Brynn once believed about herself to be true.

Brynn's loyalty to the Alaha is tested when the truth of her identity is brought to light by this soldier who's taken an oath to bring her back to where she belongs. Narrowly escaping death on the violent high seas, Brynn's connection to the Alaha is further tested when she learns about the world of magic she's been denied. She was once certain of her fate and where she belonged, but the dark, knowing eyes of this stranger have her questioning everything, including her heart. 

My Review

Soul of Shadow

A thrilling Norse mythology inspired contemporary romantasy sure to excite fans of The Vampire Diaries and Atlas Six.

Charlie Hudson just wants to get through junior year. Since the death of her twin sister two years earlier, she’s drifted through life, going through the motions at school and parties and even at home. The spark that once burned so brightly within her has all but flickered out.

Until her classmate goes missing in the forest, leaving nothing behind but a pair of shoes and strange symbols carved into a tree.

Drawn to the disappearances by forces she can’t explain, she finds herself investigating the mysterious, alluring newcomer in town, Elias Everhart. With piercing eyes and sharp wit, he dances around her questions, only intriguing her further. Elias has a secret. More than one.

But what Charlie doesn’t know is that those secrets will lead her to a place she never imagined: a world hiding in plain sight, made of magic, gods, and monsters - and a first love fated to fall apart.

In Emma Noyes's Soul of Shadow, truths and temptations lurk in the darkness, and for Charlie, the only thing more dangerous than facing her past, is the boy with the power to change her future. 

My Review

Cruel Seduction

He was my enemy. My lover. My husband.

And the one man I swore by all Olympus I would destroy.

Aphrodite has never flinched at getting her perfectly manicured hands dirty, and she's not about to start now—even if that means marrying Olympus's enemy number one, the new Hephaestus. She has a wicked plan to keep her deadly new husband off-balance, seducing the one person he seems to care about most in this world: Pandora, a woman as beautiful as she is sweet.

Two can play the seduction game, however, and Hephaestus is all too happy to put his new wife in her place. Her ex, Adonis, seems like he'll do the trick. It doesn't hurt that he's gorgeous in the way of fallen angels, either.

The only problem with using seduction as a weapon? Hearts are all too quick to get involved. With Hephaestus and Aphrodite trading venomous strikes that feel a whole lot like foreplay, lines become blurred and emotions entangled. But a broken heart may be the least of their worries. With unrest in Olympus reaching new heights, these bedroom games may have deadly consequences for themselves, their city, and everyone they've come to love.

My Review