Darkening Song by Delphine Seddon (pub date 03/10/26)

 

Eva is just 18 years old and interning at a record label when she discovers 16 year old Alora online. Never has she heard a voice like Alora’s and when it’s clear there isn’t anyone at the label interested in hearing this phenomenal talent, Eva takes matters into her own hands. On a whim, Eva offers Alora representation as her manager without knowing the first thing about artist management or what’s about to happen to both of them.

And it turns out Eva was right... Alora is swiftly catapulted into the spotlight of major superstardom, and as the two navigate the whirling vortex of fame—the parties, the money, the paparazzi, and power—they form a deep bond, becoming found family for one another.

But when Alora’s dark and mysterious past begins to infiltrate her present and Eva’s ambition and success blind her to the obvious signs that her client and, most importantly, her friend is in trouble, their lives unravel with disastrous consequences.

DARKENING SONG is a story about friendship and betrayal. It’s a love story, and a story about growing up in an industry which sometimes disregards the needs of young girls and women in favor of self-interest. But more than anything, it’s a story about redemption, and the ways that hopes and dreams can come true in ways we least expect.  - publisher's website

 

Did you ever read a book that continues to haunt you and invade your thoughts long after you’ve turned the last page?  For me that book is Darkening Song and no it’s not a horror novel in the traditional sense, but it does revolve around the horrors that can come with the high price of fame.  It’s told in dual POVs from Alora and her young manager, Eva providing a rich description of their blossoming friendship and how both the artist and representation side of the music business are affected by sudden fame, executives and all that comes with it.  It was also a real eye opener for me on fully formed consent and had me thinking about the recent litigation between a singular named pop star and her former producer.  Darkening Song also contains lyrics of Alora’s songs and despite some dark subject matter, it’s a beautifully written novel that I highly recommend. 

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Saturday Books and Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.  Darkening Song by Delphine Seddon officially releases on Tuesday March 10, 2026 but you can pre-order your copy now or pick it up at your local bookstore on release day!  For more information, visit the publisher's website linked above.

 

 

Beautiful Place by the Sea by Danielle Smyth (pub date 02/13/26)

 

From Danielle Smyth, the best selling author of Ghost Writing (a Shelf Media 2025 Top Notable Indie Book and 2025 North American Book Award Gold Medalist) comes Beautiful Place by the Sea. It's a heartfelt coastal romance set in a small Maine vacation town—complete with a cozy bookshop, a spicy love story that starts off on entirely the wrong foot, and family secrets that refuse to stay buried. It’s about grief and healing, inherited stories, and the places that call us home even when we try to run from them.

At the center of it all is Ivy Parker, a disillusioned school librarian fresh off a devastating breakup. Seeking respite from her life outside Boston, she escapes to the seaside town that has always felt like home. Ivy takes a part-time job at the local bookshop and immediately butts heads with Oliver Clarke, the town’s guarded, infuriatingly attractive bookseller. Their early clashes give way to simmering tension—and before long, feelings neither of them expected.

When Ivy uncovers a decades-old family secret, it reveals unexpected lessons about true love and the choices people make for those they care about. These revelations force her to consider what she truly wants—and as she grows closer to Oliver, they must figure out how to make space for each other without losing themselves in the process.

Beautiful Place by the Sea is a slow-burn romance about second chances, seaside magic, and finding the kind of love that feels like coming home. https://astralumenpress.com/products/beautiful-place-by-the-sea

I was sucked into Beautiful Place by the Sea on the first page with just two simple words, Beach Haven.  For Ivy, Beach Haven is the name of her family’s rental property in Maine where she and her family spent their summer vacations.  For me Beach Haven is the shore town where I’ve been spending some of my summer since I was a baby.  Like Ivy these annual trips and the locations are special and sacred, full of memories of our pasts, a sanctuary and a place to renew our hope and spirit.  Like Ivy, I am a lifelong reader and while I didn’t become a librarian like she did, I did work at Waldenbooks/Borders for 10 years and it was one of the best jobs I’ve ever had.  However just like Ivy loved going to Shoreline books every summer as a kid, I loved visiting the small used bookstore on the Island.  It was chock full of Harlequin romances and Sweet Valley High books.  They of course had a little of everything but those were my most frequent pickups.  You could get 10 Harlequins for around $2.00?!!! Can you believe those 80s prices.  Ahhhh but I digress, back to the subject at hand, Beautiful Place by the Sea was one of the sweetest romances I’ve read in a long time and not just the romance between Ivy and Oliver but the it was also a beautiful love story about family and how meaningful certain people and places can be in our lives.  Smyth did a fantastic job with creating these engaging characters and crisp realistic dialogue.  If you’re looking for the perfect romance just in time for Valentine’s Day look no further than Beautiful Place by the Sea.

I was honored to receive a digital copy of Beautiful Place by the Sea from the author, Danielle Smyth, as part of her “street team” in exchange for an honest review.  Beautiful Place by the Sea officially releases 2/13/26 but you can pre-order you copy now by visiting the publisher’s website (linked above.)  Also check out the author on Instagram for more information @danielle.smyth.books

 

 

The Lightning Bottles by Marisa Stapley

 

Jane Pyre was once half of the famous rock ‘n’ roll duo, the Lightning Bottles. Years later, she’s perhaps the most hated—and least understood—woman in music. She was never as popular with fans as her bandmate (and soulmate), Elijah Hart—even if Jane was the one who wrote the songs that catapulted the Lightning Bottles to instant, dizzying fame, first in the Seattle grunge scene, then around the world.

But ever since Elijah disappeared five years earlier and the band’s meteoric rise to fame came crashing down, the public hatred of Jane has taken on new levels, and all she wants to do is retreat. What she doesn’t anticipate is the bombshell that awaits her at her new home in the German countryside: the sullen teenaged girl next door—a Lightning Bottles superfan—who claims to have proof that not only is Elijah alive, he’s also been leaving secret messages for Jane. And they need to find him right away. Simon & Schuster

I heard about The Lightning Bottles from one of my favorite booktokers, Lovie, and immediately went to go check it out of the library and I am so happy I did.  I know “I couldn’t put it down” is a cliché but it was so true for The Lightning Bottles.  I love books that are focused on the music industry and creating music.  While I don’t play any instruments like my many talented family members, I do love to sing and had the time of my life singing on stage with my cousin’s band this past summer.  It was incredible to just put all our creative energy together and create moments of pure joy.  The Lightning Bottles immerses you in this creative joy and shows the epic highs and lows of the music industry as well as examining the constant extra scrutiny put upon successful women.  Like the protagonist Jayne, I have been misunderstood and labeled the “b-word” just by standing up for myself.   I also loved the 90s grunge music setting, it was the sound of my high school years and immediately filled me with nostalgia.  The Lightning Bottles isn’t just a love letter to music but a love letter to true love and found family.  It was so many things contained in 294 pages of perfection.