Top Ten Tuesday/ New-To-Authors

You would really tell I wasn’t feeling well because, for the first time in years, I couldn’t listen to a book well. I tried, but I didn’t understand a word, so I restarted it this morning. Goodreads isn’t working yet again, so I have to figure out how to do this post. Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl, who has a new weekly topic.

January 27: Bookish Discoveries I Made in 2025 (New-to-you authors you discovered, new genres you learned you like, new bookish resources you found, friends you made, local bookshops you found, a book club you joined, etc.) I’m doing new-to-me authors.

Goodreads Blurb:

So, You and Jason?

Angel wasn’t looking for trouble.
He just wanted a quiet new college time, maybe a nice boyfriend, and definitely no drama.
But then he stumbles across Jason’s blog—complete with a post about *him*. Not flattering, not private, and absolutely not something Angel can ignore. Because every word is a disgusting lie, spiced up with filthy details—and there’s nothing Angel can do about it.
Or… maybe there is.

Determined to get revenge, Angel dives headfirst into Jason’s world, ready to expose him, embarrass him, make him pay. What he doesn’t expect is the way Jason looks at him when they’re alone, or how fast mockery turns into heat. The stories in that blog might be fake—but what if Angel actually wants to find out what it would be like if they were true?

Enemies. Rivals. Something else entirely.
Every line Angel swore he wouldn’t cross is starting to blur, and the only question left will payback be enough… or will he end up giving Jason exactly what he claimed all along?

Goodreads Blurb:

A murder suspect for the dead body on her dissection table, spunky surgeon-to-be Zora Smyth races to find the truth. Then more bodies drop…

Zora Smyth is not your average poster child for a first-year medical student with a distant mother, a missing sister, and a deep distrust of the police. All she’d ever dreamed of was to make it through medical school and become a surgeon.

But a dissection gone wrong at the Gross Anatomy lab lands Zora in the middle of a murder investigation and in the crosshairs of a vicious enemy.

When a potential witness points her out as the prime suspect for the murder, Zora faces the frightening risk of losing her dream and her freedom.

Then more bodies drop…

As Zora races to investigate the truth and save herself, will she give in to a killer hell-bent on getting what he wants, or will she fight for her life as she faces her worst nightmare?

Goodreads Blurb:

In the depths of Auschwitz, amidst the unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust, a promise is made. A young Jewish girl, Hannah burdened with grief but fueled by fierce determination, makes a solemn vow to protect her little sister, Lila at all costs.

As the sisters navigate the atrocities of the concentration camp, their bond grows stronger with each passing day. Through their eyes, we witness the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable darkness. But as the war rages on, will their promise be enough to keep them alive?

Goodrreads Blurb:

Sometimes, the most powerful form of healing is simply staying.

When Bee, a vibrant soul and educator, is diagnosed with aggressive sarcoma cancer, her world, and the world of those who love her, is turned upside down. After losing her leg to the disease and waking from a coma, Bee makes one unexpected she wants a female Golden Retriever puppy.

Enter Audi.

Audi isn’t a professionally trained service dog, but she becomes a “guardian of the heart.” In a home reshaped by the “long dry season” of chronic illness, Audi learns to speak the language of silence. From lying patiently beneath wheelchairs to keeping watch during the loneliest hours of the night, Audi’s steady presence becomes the anchor that keeps Bee and her caregiver grounded when the storm of grief hits.

Goodreads Blurb:

In the heart of darkening Europe, amidst the looming war, “Vienna on Fire” by Don Gabor tells the riveting story of Greta Kolbe, an eighteen-year-old Jewish woman whose life was upended when German troops annexed Austria in 1938.

Her peaceful existence is replaced by a nightmare of terror as she, along with Vienna’s Jewish community, faces an ordeal of intimidation. Greta’s journey of resilience begins as she flees Nazi Vienna to escape arrest for her resistance activities, embarking on a dangerous trek to Holland, with a spiteful ex-suitor and the Gestapo closely trailing her.

Demonstrating awe-inspiring bravery, Greta smuggles diamonds for the German resistance, eludes Hermann Göring’s advances, and survives numerous perils, including a harrowing ambush at the German-Dutch border. Her race against time crescendos to a nail-biting climax on the gangplank of a ship bound for New York City, where she must evade her pursuers one last time.

Goodreads Blurb:

A human, a dwarf and an elf walk into a bake-off…

In the heart of Adenashire, where elvish enchantments and dwarven delights rule, human baker Arleta Starstone works twice as hard at perfecting her unique blend of baking with apothecary herbs. So, when her orc neighbor (and biggest fan) secretly enters her creations into the prestigious Langheim Baking Battle, Arleta faces a dilemma. Being magicless, her participation in the competition could draw more scowls than smiles. And if Arleta wants to prove her talent and establish her culinary reputation, she’ll need more than just her pastry craft to sweeten the odds.

Though Arleta may not yet believe in herself, she makes her way to Langheim―with the help of a very attractive woodland elf―and competes. While on a journey of mouthwatering pastries, self-discovery, heartwarming friendships, and potential romance, Arleta will have to decide whether winning the Baking Battle is the true prize after all. But win or lose, her adventure is only beginning…

Goodreads Blurb:

Natasha Mayston wasn’t expecting anyone to knock on her door so late at night. And she has no idea that the face staring back at her is the last one she’ll ever see…

As Detective Dan Lockhart is called to a wealthy London street to investigate Natasha’s death, he’s startled by the similarity to a previous case. Noticing the cable-tie restraints and the tiny scratches on Natasha’s wedding finger, Dan already knows what he will find if he looks in her mouth – the metal ball which choked her to death. He knows Natasha isn’t the killer’s first victim and is certain that he will strike again.

Months earlier, Kim Hardy was found in the same position in a run-down hotel across the city – an identical silver ball in her throat. But Kim’s murderer was caught and sent to prison – did they arrest the wrong man? And what connects the two victims? Fearing that he’s dealing with a psychopathic serial killer, Dan calls in psychologist Dr Lexi Green to help him to get into the perpetrator’s mind. Tough and smart, Lexi will stop at nothing to hunt down the man responsible for the deaths.

Then, another body is discovered, just as Lexi finds a clue online leading to the killer. Dan’s team aren’t convinced, but in pushing Lexi away from the investigation, they force her to dig further into the case on her own. Convinced that she’s on to something, she puts herself in unthinkable danger… but can Dan piece together the clues and identify the killer before it’s too late?

Goodreads Blurb:

For the Shwartz family, survival was the only option. Their will to live, and a bit of luck, kept the family safe during the Holocaust, bringing them across Eastern Europe all the way to Israel.

In 1937, the Shwartz family lived a calm life in their small village in Poland. Fifteen-year-old Rachel liked to sing and go out dancing at a local night club, while her older brother David was busy running a farm and raising a family with his wife Hinda. But all that changed when the war reached Butla.

First, the Russians came and kicked them out of their house. Then, the Nazis came to cart them off. But the Shwartz family resisted. David decided that no matter what, his family would not be taken captive. Instead, he snuck his family out of their village, through a large forest, and into Hungary, a place that was supposed to be safe. But that didn’t last long. Again the Shwartz family found themselves on the run, escaping prison, Nazis, and bombings.

My Family’s Survival is the incredible true story of how the Shwartz family survived the Holocaust. It is a powerful tale of one family’s triumph during history’s darkest moments.

Goodreads blurb:

Driven to find a cure for her brother’s illness, Emma embarks on a research trip to the island of Crete, a land brimming with tales of the gods. There, she is drawn to the myth of Medusa, a beautiful priestess turned monster, cursed at the hands of a jealous Athena.

Her exploration leads to a dangerous encounter with a mysterious serpent in the forest, and after the snake’s venom nearly kills her, Emma slips even deeper into the myth, her own fate intertwining with the woman at its heart.

She returns home, eyes set on attending Columbia University after graduation, but it isn’t long before she notices changes to her body and mind… changes that are nothing short of serpentine.

As she pulses through Medusa’s memory, she unlocks an unexpected truth that alters her world. She discovers the scope of her new abilities, including her blood’s power to cure illness, but with a cost. When Emma is betrayed by those closest to her, she finds herself hunted by an enemy hungry for her blood. And she is not the only one in danger; a horrifying plan unfurls as young girls disappear from the streets.

Goodreads Blurb:

Falling for the single mom? Nope. Not gonna happen, no matter how gorgeous and kindhearted she is. The potential for heartache is too high.

I should know. My mum proved that dating a single parent leaves one open for soul-crushing bachelorhood. Which is why I determined to keep things friendly with Denali Wilde once I learned that the beautiful police dog trainer came with a kid. Why add all that drama on top of moving to Alaska and opening an animal rescue center?

Too bad I didn’t keep my wits when it came to her son. The problem? The kid is amazing, into rescuing animals just like I am. Fair dinkum, the kid needs a mate about as badly as I do.

I’ve done a lot of crazy things in life. I mean, my TV series on Nature Channel wasn’t called Getting Wild with Wilder for its placid landscapes and tranquil animals. Yet, getting close to Denali and her son proves I have more than a few roos loose in the top paddock. Not only has my admiration for Denali increased with her insane dedication to her son, but he’s buried himself so far in my heart, I’ll never escape.

My determination to keep things friendly with Denali? Yeah, not as easy as I thought it would be. The thing is I’m wild about Denali. I just don’t think she feels the same for me.