The Tortoise’s Tale

 

The Tortoise’s Tale by Kendra Coulter completely charmed me.

Magic the music loving tortoise might be the most unexpectedly delightful narrator I’ve met in a long time. She’s very intelligent, charismatic, empathetic, and a little prone to existential spirals. Magic is deeply curious about the humans who wander in and out of her garden and her life.

From her sunny spot on a palatial estate, Magic watches a family change over decades and forms a beautiful lifelong bond with Lucy, the owner’s niece. Their friendship is the heart of the book and what stayed with me most.

I listened to the audiobook, and Mieko Gavia’s narration is phenomenal. She gives Magic a warm, wise voice that makes this story feel even more alive.

If you loved Remarkably Bright Creatures, or if you enjoy family sagas told from an outsider’s point of view, I think you’ll really appreciate this one. Big thank you to Simon & Schuster Audio for the complimentary audiobook. The Tortoise’s Tale is out now. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

QOTD: What’s your favorite book with an unusual narrator?

#thetortoisestale #kendracoulter

#audiobookreview #literaryfiction #familydrama #animalnarrator #cozyreads #readersofinstagram #bookrecomendation 

About the Author

Kendra Coulter earned her PhD at the University of Toronto and is a professor at Huron University College at Western University, where she leads the world’s first major in animal ethics and sustainability leadership. She is a fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics in England and the author of Defending Animals: Finding Hope on the Front Lines of Animal Protection. The Tortoise’s Tale is her first novel.

Five for Friday: Cinematic Audiobooks

 

Some audiobooks don’t just tell a story. They show you the story. These five felt like watching a movie in my head. From the atmosphere to the emotions, these books gave me  edge-of-my-seat moments. 

I love when a narrator brings a book to life in a way that feels bigger than the page. Every one of these audiobooks did exactly that.

What’s the most cinematic audiobook you’ve ever listened to? 

#audiobooks #audiobookrecommendations #audiobookstagram #cinematicaudiobooks #bestnarrators #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #thrillerbooks #mysterybooks #literaryfiction #histfic #bookrecommendations #fiveforfriday #fridayreads #bookcommunity #immersivereads #bestnarrators #narratorlove 

Family of Spies

 

What if the biggest secret in your family’s past rewrote history?

In Family of Spies, Christine Kuehn spent 30 years uncovering the shocking truth about her paternal grandparents and aunt. They were Nazi spies who helped Japan in the lead-up to and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It’s a chilling, real-life story that unfolds with the tension of a thriller and the heartbreak of discovery.

This engrossing account follows Kuehn’s decades-long search for answers after an unexpected ledger from a screenwriter revealed a closely guarded family secret. Her father had always been evasive about his childhood in Germany and then Hawaii. He never shared stories about his parents, sister, or brother. Determined to uncover the truth, Kuehn combed through the National Archives, books, and online databases to piece together her family’s dark history.

Kuehn’s writing is crisp, and she’s refreshingly honest about wrestling with her emotions along the way. Superbly narrated by Erin Bennett, this audiobook completely pulled me into a tragic and fascinating slice of history. This is must read for history lovers. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the early listen. Family of Spies publishes November 25!

What’s a nonfiction book that gripped you like a thriller?

#FamilyOfSpies #ChristineKuehn #ErinBennett #MacmillanAudio #MacAudio2025 #NonfictionThriller #TrueStory #Bookstagram #AudiobookReview #HistoryBooks #NonfictionReads #ThrillerReaders #BookRecommendations #MustReadBooks #BookReview #WhatToReadNext #nonfictinnovember

About the Author

Christine Kuehn was cocooned in the sanctity of a quiet suburban life when a mysterious letter in 1994 pierced that bubble, sending her on a thirty-year quest to discover the truth behind a horrendous family secret kept hidden for half a century. Following a career in journalism, public relations, and nonprofits, Christine now lives in Maryland with her husband, close to their three grown children.

❄️Winter Wishlist❄️

 

My winter wishlist is getting a little out of control. And honestly? I’m not even sorry. 📚

Here are a few upcoming releases I’m excited to dive into now that the weather’s turned chilly.

QOTD: What new book are you looking forward to this winter?

#WinterReads #MostAnticipatedBooks #NewReleases #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #BookishCommunity

#BookRecs #BookishLife #BookLovers #TBRList #BooksToRead #ReadingSeason #UpcomingReleases

#2025reads #WinterTBR #CozySeasonReads #BookishVibes

Her Last Breath

 

If you weren’t claustrophobic before reading this book, you will be after. 

In Her Last Breath, a woman is pushed to her limits deep underground when a caving expedition turns into a fight to survive. The story is told through shifting timelines and multiple points of view. It helps to keep the pace sharp and the tension rising. I’m not claustrophobic, but some of the scenes with the darkness, tight spaces, and knowing you’re so far below the surface of the earth with thousands of tons of rock over your head gave me a visceral reaction. 

Adams delivers his trademark mix of relentless suspense, claustrophobic danger, and twists that hit when you least expect them. I tore through this one. It’s tense, twisty, and impossible to put down. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Her Last Breath comes out February 17. Don’t even bother making plans to do anything else that day, because this book is going to pull you in and not let you go until the last page. 

Thanks to @WilliamMorrowBooks for the ARC!

QOTD: Have you ever gone caving? 

#herlastbreath #tayloradams #arcreader #bookreviewer #bookstagram #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #igreads #bookcommunity #mysteryreader #thrillerreader #bookrecommendation #bookloversofinstagram #retiredlibrarianreads #2025reads #upcomingbooks #bookreview #williammorrowbooks #claustrophobicthriller #booksbooksbooks

About the Author

Taylor Adams is the author of several acclaimed thrillers including No Exit, Hairpin Bridge, and The Last Word. His works have been featured as Book of the Month Main Selections and Amazon Editor’s Picks. No Exit has been published in 32 languages and was recently adapted as a Hulu Original film. 

Wild Instinct

 

Wild Instinct by T. Jefferson Parker opens with a mountain lion attack. But what follows is pure murder mystery.

Detective Lew Gale’s skills and Native heritage make him uniquely tuned to the land and the lies people tell to exploit it.

Lew Gale’s story hooked me right away. I loved how Lew’s Native heritage shapes the way he sees both the land and the case. Daniella was just as intense as Lew, with secrets of her own and the pressures of being a single mother.

I listened to the audiobook and narrator John Pirhalla’s work is excellent. His calm, steady delivery fits the story perfectly. It felt like I was right there in those California hills.

This one made me pause doing the dishes and just listen.

Out this week, this one’s perfect for fans of layered mysteries and California crime fiction.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the complimentary audiobook!

Would you read this one? Or have you ever been to California?

#MacAudio2025 #Bookstagram #BookReview #MysteryBooks #CrimeFiction #ThrillerBooks #BookLovers #ReadersOfInstagram #BookRecommendations #CaliforniaCrime #DetectiveFiction #WildInstinct #TJeffersonParker #MysteryReader #AudiobookReview #MacmillanAudio #BookstagramCommunity #BookPost

False Witness

 

What happens when you become the one framed for the crime and you don’t know who set you up?

False Witness hits shelves today and it’s a must read for thriller lovers. It’s a high-stakes legal thriller by best selling author Phillip Margolin. 

Karen Wyatt was a successful attorney who exposed corruption in the police department and the district attorney’s office, only to be convicted on a drug charge, imprisoned and disbarred. She was eventually later vindicated and released from jail. 

Now reinstated, Karen takes on a complicated murder case. Her client may be the murderer or he may be nothing more than a patsy in someone else’s plot. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, a dangerous drug gang, a powerful corrupt figure in the DA’s office, and even a Congressman with a really bizarre story lurk in the shadows.  

Everything Karen thought she knew, including who she could trust, is called into question. Will she uncover the real puppet-master before more lives are ruined?

I really liked this book! The story leans heavily on its twisty plot rather than deep character exploration. And I didn’t mind that one bit. The plot is tight and moves along swiftly. This is a book you can binge in a day. It’s pure entertainment and very satisfying. The always fantastic Therese Plummer does excellent job with the audiobook narration. 

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the complimentary audiobook. False Witnessgets four stars from me for its tightly woven web of deception. It really delivers the kind of legal puzzle that keeps you second-guessing everything.

If you’re craving courtroom drama, twisted loyalties, and a fierce female protagonist fighting back then don’t miss this one. 

#MacAudio2025 #FalseWitness #PhillipMargolin #TheresePlummer #LegalThriller #bookstagram #NewRelease #CrimeFiction #ThrillerReads #CourtroomDrama #audiobook #audiobookrecomendation #BookRecommendation #legalthriller

About the Author

Phillip Margolin has written over twenty-five novels, most of them New York Times bestsellers, including Gone But Not Forgotten, Lost Lake, and Violent Crimes. In addition to being a novelist, he was a long time criminal defense attorney with decades of trial experience, including a large number of capital cases. Margolin lives in Portland, Oregon

The Witch’s Orchard

 

Author: Archer Sullivan 

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Year: 2025

Folklore and truth intertwine like crows in an orchard when a PI investigates a ten year old cold case. 
Annie Gore is a former Air Force Special Investigator turned PI who’s hired to investigate a chilling cold case. Ten years ago three girls vanished and an apple-head doll was left behind in each case. Now it’s Annie’s job to find the girls and bring them home. 
The Witch’s Orchard grabbed me from page one and didn’t let go. I loved this atmospheric and layered mystery. Annie is an unforgettable main character. She’s strong, smart, and caring. She’s far from perfect and her flaws make her relatable. I definitely want to see more of Annie. The small town setting has just the right combination of homeyness and spooky sinister vibe because of its witchy folklore.  Everyone has secrets and everyone in town is a suspect. There are more twists and turns than a mountain switchback’s road. 
I highly recommend this especially if you love haunted settings, folklore, strong PIs, and secrets that won’t stay buried. This is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me and 🤞for more. 

Does your hometown had a local legend? If it did, would you want to know the truth behind it?

#Bookstagram #TheWitchsOrchard #ArcherSullivan #AppalachianMystery #FolkloreThriller #BookRecommendations #MysteryBooks #AtmosphericReads #WitchesAndCrows #crimefiction #coldcasefiction #southernnoir 

About the Author 

Archer Sullivan is a ninth generation Appalachian. She's moved thirty-seven times and has lived everywhere from Monticello, Kentucky to Manhattan, New York and from Black Mountain, North Carolina to Beverly Hills, California. Her work has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Tough, Shotgun Honey, Reckon Review, Rock and a Hard Place, and The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2024.