





catbehindthebooks finished a book
1h

Blacktail
Scott Hawkins
A wolf sets out on an epic journey of revenge in this one-of-a-kind dark fantasy—the long-awaited second novel from the author of The Library at Mount Char. The wolf Blacktail is faithful to his Forest God, but in these times, faith is not enough. His world is besieged by men. Soon his territory will be overrun, and then there will be nowhere left to go. When his mate, a house dog, is killed, Blacktail rebels. He invades the house of her owners, seeking vengeance. Blacktail’s fury catches the notice of an ancient and terrible feline witch, who makes an offer. What if Blacktail could end the human race responsible for the death of his family and for the destruction of the natural world, altogether? To do so, Blacktail must find and wake the Forest God. Only He might stand against the plague of men. Blacktail knows that his north woods are dwindling to nothing. He sees no other choice. As Blacktail journeys farther from his wild home and deeper into the world of man, he encounters strangers—animal, mortal, and otherworldly—who, for their own reasons, want to help Blacktail rid the world of humans. Along the way, it becomes clear that he is more than just a wolf. The Forest God is sleeping, yes. But what will be the price of waking him?

catbehindthebooks TBR'd a book
3h

Chlorine
Jade Song
In the vein of The Pisces and The Vegetarian, Chlorine is a debut novel that blurs the line between a literary coming-of-age narrative and a dark unsettling horror tale, told from an adult perspective on the trials and tribulations of growing up in a society that puts pressure on young women and their bodies... a powerful, relevant novel of immigration, sapphic longing, and fierce, defiant becoming.Ren Yu is a swimmer. Her daily life starts and ends with the pool. Her teammates are her only friends. Her coach, her guiding light. If she swims well enough, she will be scouted, get a scholarship, go to a good school. Her parents will love her. Her coach will be kind to her. She will have a good life. But these are human concerns. These are the concerns of those confined to land, those with legs. Ren grew up on stories of creatures of the deep, of the oceans and the rivers. Ones that called sailors to their doom. Ones that dragged them down and drowned them. Ones that feasted on their flesh. Ones of the creature that she's always longed to become: mermaid. Ren aches to be in the water. She dreams of the scent of chlorine--the feel of it on her skin. And she will do anything she can to make a life for herself where she can be free. No matter the pain. No matter what anyone else thinks. No matter how much blood she has to spill.

catbehindthebooks started reading...
3h

But Won't I Miss Me: A Novel
Tiffany Tsao
Set in an alternate reality where pregnancy endows women with exceptional powers, one new mother uncovers terrifying truths about herself and life in this philosophical and propulsive tale of a woman and mother in crisis. In a world where drastic measures have averted the global environmental crisis, humans too are now subject to great transformation. Vivi should be happy she’s pregnant. But she’s troubled by a looming reality that seemingly bothers no one else: having a baby also means birthing an identical, nearly indestructible self who will eat her and take her place. “Rebirth” is simply a fact of life—nature’s way of equipping women for the challenges of motherhood. But as Vivi’s unborn child develops, so does her fear. In a rare turn of events, Vivi emerges from rebirth weakened rather than strong. When her husband cannot tolerate her defects, they divorce and Vivi relocates to the country with her baby to work for her old boss. Chronically exhausted, mentally struggling, and on her own, Vivi must move on—for her own and her son’s sake. But just as with her failed rebirth, swapping old for new isn’t as straightforward as it seems. When Vivi finally discovers what went wrong during childbirth, it will rewrite her life future, present, and past. An inspired blend of Nightbitch and The Substance, as enthralling and incisive as The School of Good Mothers and The Need, But Won’t I Miss Me is a gripping and profound exploration of the physical and psychological tolls of motherhood, with a speculative horror spin. Tiffany Tsao imaginatively reveals the macabre hidden in the mundane and asks us to consider what we lose of ourselves when we leave our broken parts behind.

catbehindthebooks started reading...
3h

Halloween Town
Joss Wood
Poppy McMaster was supposed to be getting married, not climbing out of a bathroom window in her wedding dress… She's leaving her life behind and fleeing to the only place she’s ever truly felt like herself: the small town she grew up in, where Halloween lasts all year. But home isn’t waiting for Poppy the way she imagined. Her grandparents’ beloved inn is now owned by Thom Sheffield, who just happens to be: Her childhood hero Her ex-fiancé’s brooding older brother The last man on earth she should be fantasizing about… Because in a town full of pumpkins, cosy traditions, and Halloween magic, falling in love might be the scariest thing of all.

catbehindthebooks finished a book
3h

Fervor
Meg Smitherman
He has called to her all her life, but she could never reply. . . Midonia, a freelance interplanetary transporter, is on thin ice after a fatal accident on the job. So she doesn’t argue when she’s given the tedious task of flying devout Sister Irena to a remote fringe planet, where a tiny religious colony worships a strange deity called Anguish. Until now. When a solar flare grounds her ship, Midonia finds herself stuck with the cult-like sisters. Even worse, he comes to her in the night, his familiar voice louder than ever. He invades her mind with his hunger, sparking a ravenous obsession that will be near-impossible to escape.

catbehindthebooks finished a book
8h

The Silent Appeal (The Appeal, #2)
Janice Hallett
* THE HUGELY ANTICIPATED SEQUEL TO THE SMASH-HIT BESTSELLER, THE APPEAL *A New Play. Another Murder. Who Will Speak the Truth?It's a new theatrical season in Lower Lockwood, and the amateur thespians of the Fairway Players are starting rehearsals for their production of Agatha Christie's The Hollow. Despite divisive new arrivals, countless petty jealousies and a near-fatal accident with the lighting rig, surely this will be their greatest show to date?But someone isn't going to make it to opening night. Could it be producer Sarah-Jane's mysterious sister, lately arrived home after twenty years abroad? New member Lucas, whose shady business dealings may be his downfall? Or perhaps once-convicted murderer Issy Beck, recently acquitted but still up to her old tricks?Lawyers Charlotte and Femi must sift through the emails, texts and police reports to identify the victim and find out why the person convicted of the murder refuses to speak out in their own defence... Will they uncover the truth in time? Will you?

catbehindthebooks is interested in reading...
1d

The Shadow of the Wind
Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals from its war wounds, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer's son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julian Carax. But when he sets out to find the author's other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. In fact, Daniel may have the last of Carax's books in existence. Soon Daniel's seemingly innocent quest opens a door into one of Barcelona's darkest secrets--an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love.

catbehindthebooks is interested in reading...
1d

Your Knife, My Heart
K.M. Moronova
From USA Today Bestselling author KM Moronova comes a brand-new compelling and addictive dark romance in her Dark Forces world. Dark. Deadly. Irresistible. Cameron Mortem has a problem―he can't stop killing his partners. Officially labeled clinically insane, he's also one of the most lethal assets in the Dark Forces, a brutal underground military operation built on obedience, survival, and silence. But an experimental drug has fractured his control, making him a liability whenever someone else is on the field. As punishment, he's thrown back into the Under Trials―a merciless boot camp designed to break the weak and sharpen the ruthless. His one directive? Don't kill the new girl. Emery Maves narrowly escapes a death sentence after her own brutal crimes, only to find herself forced into the same violent world. Assigned to Cameron, she's expected to survive the Trials and her partner's unstable nature. But Emery quickly realizes there's more to Cameron than bloodlust and body counts. Beneath the madness lies a terrifying allure―and a strange, dangerous tenderness. As the Trials push them to their limits, Emery must navigate the brutal demands of the Dark Forces while resisting the pull of a man who could just as easily kill her as protect her. And Cameron must fight the one urge he's never been able to overcome. Their bond is intoxicating, chaotic, and born of violence. And if it doesn't destroy them both, it might just save them. Praise for KM Moronova's previous Dark Forces novel, Leave Me Behind: "Brutal, emotional, and unforgettable―KM Moronova pulls no punches.""A dark, aching romance that left me breathless and begging for more.""Every chapter was a punch to the gut―in the best way.""Raw, haunting, and utterly unique. I still can't stop thinking about it.""KM Moronova delivers flawed, vicious characters you can't help but fall for."

catbehindthebooks is interested in reading...
1d

My Blade, Your Back
K.M. Moronova
Broken. Lost. Unforgiven. One month after surviving the Under Trials, Emery Maves finds herself in a world she doesn't recognize―with a man whose cold eyes are haunted by secrets she can't remember. Stripped of her memories, Emery is tormented by dreams of danger, death, and deceit. The only constant is the lure of the experimental drug that shatters her mind but leaves her almost invincible―and the dangerous pull of the man called Mori. Cameron Mortem is fighting a battle he thought he'd already lost. He knows letting Emery in could destroy them both, but her amnesia is a curse neither of them can outrun. Forced together on a high-stakes level black mission that goes disastrously wrong, they find themselves thrust deeply into the underworld of the black market with an unexpected foe. But as old scars are torn open and hidden plots unravel, Emery discovers she's more tangled in this world than she ever imagined. And Cameron will have to face the one person he fears most: himself. Loyalties will be tested. Secrets will be weaponized. Their bond―once forged in blood―may be the only thing that can save them. If they don't lose themselves first.

catbehindthebooks is interested in reading...
1d

Blood & Steel
Helen Scheuerer
Perfect for fans of The Bridge Kingdom, From Blood and Ash and The Witcher, BLOOD & STEEL is an epic romantic fantasy with enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn spice, found family, and a sprawling world of magic and monsters. With her death foretold, Althea Zoltaire only has three years to become what she’s always dreamed of being: a warrior legend. Women are forbidden to wield blades, so she has trained in secret her entire life. Now racing against the clock, she fights to secure her place in the elite guild charged with the protection of the five kingdoms. The sparring and hazing of the new trainees border on deadly, but even more dangerous is her growing attraction to Wilder Hawthorne, her unwilling warrior chaperone. All around them, schemes are afoot and darkness looms. Will Althea pass the perilous initiation test and take her place as a champion of Thezmarr – or will the invading evil snatch away her dream before it starts? If you like fierce sword-wielding heroines and brooding, tortured heroes, you will devour this sexy, addictive fantasy adventure. Blood & Steel is the gripping first book in the heart-pounding, epic romantic fantasy series, The Legends of Thezmarr.

catbehindthebooks TBR'd a book
4d

Pen Pal
J.T. Geissinger
The #1 international and Amazon Charts bestselling novel The first letter arrived the day my husband was buried. It was postmarked from the state penitentiary, and contained a single sentence: I’ll wait forever if I have to. It was signed by Dante, a man I didn’t know. Out of simple curiosity, I wrote back to ask him what exactly he was waiting for. His reply? You. I told the mystery man he had the wrong girl. He said he didn’t. I said we’d never met, but he said I was wrong. We went back and forth, exchanging letters every week that grew increasingly more intimate. Then one day, the letters stopped. When I found out why, it was already too late. Dante was at my doorstep. And nothing on earth could have prepared me for what happened next. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WARNING: This novel contains content intended for a mature audience only. Due to explicit language, graphic sex, detailed depictions of death and grief, intense power play dynamics, and other possible triggers, it is not suitable for sensitive readers. (Full list of TWs on author's website.)

catbehindthebooks started reading...
5d

Big Bad Wolf (Maple Hollow #1)
Laurie Gilmore
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Dream Harbor series, comes a brand new paranormal romance set in the small town of Maple Hollow. The darker the woods, the bigger the secrets Ruby Bellerose lives on the edge of the woods, in a cottage more akin to a fairy tale than modern day life. Her love life is basically non-existent, and she keeps away from the whispered gossip that travels through Maple Hollow. Until a chance encounter with Rafe. As mysterious as he is brooding, Ruby is drawn to the woodsman, curious to find out more about the stranger who lives deep within the woods. But Rafe is hiding a secret. And with something lurking in the shadowy forest, will Ruby find that Rafe is her knight in shining armor or something altogether more dangerous…

catbehindthebooks started reading...
5d

Fervor
Meg Smitherman
He has called to her all her life, but she could never reply. . . Midonia, a freelance interplanetary transporter, is on thin ice after a fatal accident on the job. So she doesn’t argue when she’s given the tedious task of flying devout Sister Irena to a remote fringe planet, where a tiny religious colony worships a strange deity called Anguish. Until now. When a solar flare grounds her ship, Midonia finds herself stuck with the cult-like sisters. Even worse, he comes to her in the night, his familiar voice louder than ever. He invades her mind with his hunger, sparking a ravenous obsession that will be near-impossible to escape.