Letters from the Last Apothecary - Bita Behzadi

 Title: Letters from the Last Apothecary

Author: Bita Behzadi
Narrators: Samara Naeymi & Andrew Gibson
Genre: Cozy Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Romantasy
Format: Audiobook (ALC)
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5★, rounded up)
Release Date: June 9, 2026

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Synopsis

Josie Pinova doesn't believe in fate, but fate seems determined to prove her wrong.

After losing her job, she unexpectedly finds work at the last magical apothecary in Tressport while waiting to hear whether she's been accepted into the prestigious Institute of Magic.

The apothecary's resident grump, Aufidius Reid, isn't exactly thrilled by the arrangement.

In person, the two clash constantly.

Through anonymous letters exchanged as fellow Institute hopefuls, however, they're slowly falling in love.

As the future of the apothecary hangs in the balance and anti-magic sentiment continues to grow, Josie and Reid must fight for their dreams, their livelihoods, and perhaps even each other.

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My Thoughts

One of the reasons I picked up this audiobook was actually the narrator, Samara Naeymi.

I previously listened to What She Saw by Mary Burton, and she absolutely kept me hooked until the very end. So when I saw she was narrating this one too, I was immediately interested.

Then I read the blurb.

Grumpy x sunshine? ✔️
Anonymous letters? ✔️
Magic? ✔️
Apothecary? ✔️

Needless to say, I was sold.

And thankfully, this ended up being exactly the kind of cozy fantasy I was hoping for.

At the heart of the story are Josie and Reid, two characters who are both struggling to find their place in the world, albeit for very different reasons.

Josie was probably the character I connected with the most. She desperately wants to learn magic, improve her skills, and prove herself worthy of opportunities that society seems determined to deny her. As a woman living in a world where those doors are often closed before she even gets the chance to knock, her frustration felt completely understandable.

Did she occasionally complain enough that I wanted to gently tell her to take a breath? Maybe 😅

But I never stopped rooting for her.

Reid's struggles were different, but no less compelling.

While Josie battles societal expectations and misogyny, Reid struggles with his own sense of belonging. Despite his talent, he constantly feels like an outsider looking in when it comes to the academic world he desperately wants to be part of. I appreciated that both characters had insecurities and obstacles to overcome, which made them feel relatable and well-rounded.

Of course, one of my favorite parts of the book was the apothecary itself.

I loved the day-to-day aspects of running the shop: helping customers, creating remedies, organizing inventory, and uncovering the mysteries surrounding its future. The apothecary felt like a living, breathing place, and I found myself enjoying those quieter moments just as much as the larger plot developments.

The romance was equally charming.

The contrast between Josie and Reid's interactions in person and through their anonymous letters was absolutely adorable. Watching them bicker face-to-face while unknowingly opening up to each other on paper made for a very satisfying slow-burn romance.

And honestly? The letters might have been my favorite part of the entire book.

The audiobook narration also deserves special mention. Samara Naeymi once again delivered a fantastic performance and made it incredibly easy to get lost in the story. I genuinely think the narration elevated the experience and helped smooth over some of the slower sections.

Speaking of which, my only real complaint is that there were occasional moments where the pacing dragged a little and certain scenes felt longer than necessary.

But even then, I remained fully invested in the story, the characters, and the world.

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Final Thoughts

Letters from the Last Apothecary is a charming debut filled with cozy magic, lovable characters, a delightful romance, and one of the most inviting fantasy settings I've encountered in a while.

If you enjoy magical shops, epistolary romances, grumpy x sunshine dynamics, and stories that feel like a warm cup of tea on a rainy day, this is absolutely worth checking out.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Tressport and will definitely be picking up the next book in the series.

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ALC Disclaimer

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Audio for providing the ALC. All opinions are my own. 

Obstetrix - Naomi Kritzer

Title: Obstetrix
Author: Naomi Kritzer
Narrator: Jennifer Pickens
Genre: Dystopian, Thriller, Horror
Format: Audiobook (ALC)
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5★)
Release Date: June 9, 2026

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Synopsis

Dr. Liz has just been acquitted after performing what may have been the last legal abortion in North Dakota. With her career in limbo and job prospects dwindling, she reluctantly agrees to meet a potential employer offering a new opportunity.

Instead, she's kidnapped.

Liz wakes up inside a secluded religious compound where she quickly learns why she was taken: the community desperately needs an OB/GYN.

Cut off from the outside world and surrounded by increasingly extreme beliefs, Liz is forced to care for the women and girls living there while searching for a way to escape. But the longer she stays, the more disturbing the reality of the compound becomes.

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My Thoughts

This may have been a relatively short audiobook, but it was one of the most compelling listens I've had in quite some time.

As the blurb says, Dr. Liz has just been acquitted after a highly controversial lawsuit involving an abortion she performed. Finding work afterward proves difficult, and when she receives what appears to be a promising job opportunity, she hopes it might be the fresh start she needs.

Instead, she gets kidnapped.

Liz wakes up inside a remote religious compound where she quickly discovers the reason she was taken: the cult desperately needs an OB/GYN.

From that moment on, she is forced to care for the women and girls living there while also serving as a general physician for the rest of the community. The compound functions almost entirely cut off from the outside world. Phones, books, and outside influences have gradually disappeared, and the group's beliefs have become increasingly radical over time.

Even though Liz is treated respectfully because of her medical expertise, she understands very quickly that she is still a prisoner.

And things become even more disturbing when she realizes that girls as young as fourteen and fifteen are being forced into marriages and pregnancies.

What made this story work so well for me wasn't just the premise itself, but how believable it felt.

The compound isn't portrayed as some over-the-top horror movie cult. Instead, we see a community that has become isolated over time, where harmful practices have slowly become normalized. Many of the people living there don't know any other life, which somehow makes the situation even more unsettling.

I found myself completely invested in Liz's story from beginning to end.

She's intelligent, compassionate, resourceful, and determined to help the people around her, even while desperately trying to find a way out herself. I spent most of the audiobook rooting for her and hoping she'd somehow manage to escape.

The story also raises some uncomfortable but important questions about bodily autonomy, control, religion, and power. While those themes are certainly present throughout the book, they never overwhelmed the story itself. At its core, this remains a tense, engaging thriller that kept me hooked from beginning to end.

The audiobook narration by Jennifer Pickens was fantastic as well. She brought Liz's voice to life beautifully and made an already engaging story even more immersive.

Honestly, I don't really have any complaints.

My only disappointment is that I wanted more once it was over. I would happily read a sequel following Dr. Liz or even an epilogue showing where life takes her after the events of this book.

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Final Thoughts

Obstetrix is a gripping, unsettling and incredibly timely novella that manages to pack a remarkable amount of story into a relatively short runtime.

With a compelling protagonist, a chillingly believable setting, and excellent narration, this ended up being one of my favorite audiobook experiences of the year so far.

If you enjoy dystopian fiction, thought-provoking thrillers, or stories featuring resilient protagonists facing impossible situations, I highly recommend giving this one a try.

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ALC Disclaimer

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for providing the ALC widget, and thank you to Naomi Kritzer for such a compelling story. All opinions are my own. 📚🎧✨

 

Heather - Caitlin Mullen

 Title: Heather

Author: Caitlin Mullen
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction
Format: Audiobook (ALC)
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3.75★, rounded up)
Release Date: June 9, 2026

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Synopsis

In 1994, twin sisters Annabelle and Sabrina Riley disappear in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Sabrina has been secretly involved with an older man, and Annabelle is determined to uncover the truth behind her sister’s relationship.

Then both girls vanish.

Years later, newly appointed Police Chief Callie Hauser makes an arrest that unexpectedly brings the cold case back into the spotlight. As she begins digging into what really happened, long-buried secrets start resurfacing, forcing the town—and the women connected to the case—to confront painful truths that have remained hidden for decades.

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My Thoughts

This was a heavy one.

Not necessarily because of the mystery itself, although the case is certainly tragic, but because of the themes the story explores. Teen pregnancy, grief, grooming, loss, family trauma… this book does not shy away from difficult subjects, and at times it can be genuinely heartbreaking.

The story follows the disappearance of twin sisters Annabelle and Sabrina in the 1990s before shifting to the present day, where Police Chief Callie Hauser begins reexamining the case.

As more details come to light, it becomes increasingly clear that what happened to the sisters is far more complicated than anyone originally believed.

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the use of multiple POVs. We get perspectives from Annabelle and Sabrina in the past, alongside Callie and Blair in the present. Together, they slowly piece the mystery together while also showing how the effects of a tragedy can ripple through generations.

I thought this structure worked really well because it allowed the story to feel larger than a single investigation. This wasn't just about solving a cold case; it was about understanding the lives of the people affected by it.

Emotionally, this book hit me hard.

There were moments that made me angry, moments that made me sad, and several where I just wanted to scream at certain characters. The situations felt believable enough that I could easily imagine reading about a similar case in a newspaper or seeing it featured in a true-crime documentary.

The emotional impact was easily the strongest part of the novel for me.

My biggest issue was the pacing.

And unfortunately... it is very slow.

I completely understand why the story takes its time. The characters need space to develop, and the themes require a more thoughtful approach than a fast-paced thriller would allow. Still, there were moments where I felt the book could have been tightened up a bit without losing any of its emotional depth.

That said, the audiobook narration was excellent and helped keep me engaged even during the slower sections.

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Final Thoughts

Overall, Heather is a powerful and emotionally charged mystery that focuses just as much on the people behind the case as it does on the investigation itself.

While the pacing occasionally tested my patience, the strong character work, difficult themes, and emotional impact made it a memorable read. If you enjoy slower, character-driven mysteries that explore grief, trauma, and the lasting consequences of secrets, this is definitely one worth checking out.

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ARC Disclaimer

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing the ALC. All opinions are my own.

Party of a Lifetime - Henry Corrigan

Title: Party of a Lifetime

Author: Henry Corrigan
Genre: Horror, Dark Fantasy, Supernatural Horror
Format: eARC
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐¼ (3.25★)
Release Date: June 8, 2026

Synopsis

One year after a disastrous prom night, Becca Longford and her friends attempt to recreate what should have been one of the best nights of their lives.

Instead, they find themselves trapped in Monotony-a horrifying town deep in Hell, filled with grotesque creatures, impossible horrors and dangers lurking around every corner and every bush.

As the friends struggle to survive, Monotony begins changing them in terrifying ways. But escaping Hell may be the easy part. The real question is whether they'll still be human if they make it home.

My Thoughts

The blurb was what immediately caught my attention with this one. A group of friends accidentally ending up in Hell while trying to recreate a memorable night from the year before? That sounded like exactly the kind of chaotic horror premise I could get behind.

And TBH, the depiction of Hell ended up being my favorite part of the entire book.

Monotony is exactly the sort of place you'd expect from a nightmare. Between the grotesque creatures, the disturbing atmosphere, the body horror, and even things like burning water, the setting felt genuinely unsettling. There were several descriptions that made my skin crawl, which is always a good sign in a horror novel.

I also have to mention Clowny, who immediately gave me Pennywise-esque vibes. As someone who already finds clowns creepy-ish, that certainly added an extra layer of discomfort.

The mystery surrounding how Becca and her friends ended up in Monotony kept me invested throughout the story, and I enjoyed seeing the answers slowly unfold. By the end, certain revelations definitely put some earlier events into perspective.

And speaking of revelations...

Becca's mother was truly something else. There are plenty of awful fictional parents out there, but she managed to earn herself a place surprisingly high on that list. The narcissism was honestly impressive in the worst possible way.

Where the book lost me a little was with the characters themselves.

I didn't actively dislike any of them, but I never felt particularly connected to them either. They often felt more like a group moving through the plot than fully developed individuals I became emotionally attached to. Because of that, some of the tension didn't hit as hard as it could have.

I also had mixed feelings about the ending. While it clearly leaves room for more story, I wasn't entirely sure whether this was intended as a standalone or the beginning of a series. I don't mind cliffhangers when I know another book is coming, but here the ending felt a bit too open-ended for my personal preference.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Party of a Lifetime delivers a creative premise, some genuinely creepy horror imagery, and a memorable vision of Hell that was easily the standout element of the story.

While I wish I'd connected more strongly with the characters and found the ending a little more conclusive, I still enjoyed the journey and appreciated the author's imagination in bringing Monotony to life.

ARC Disclaimer

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 

Marion - Leah Rowan

 

Title: Marion
Author: Leah Rowan
Narrators: Natalie Naudus & Tawny Platis
Genre: Thriller, Horror, Retelling
Format: Audiobook (ALC)
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.75★)
Release Date: June 2, 2026

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Synopsis

Everyone knows how Psycho ends for Marion Crane.

But what if she fought back?

Desperate to help her sister escape an abusive marriage, Marion steals a large sum of money and boards a bus, hoping to start a new life. When her journey is interrupted by a breakdown, she ends up spending the night at a small roadside motel run by a charming young man named Norm.

Yes, that Norm.

Only this time, when he pulls back the shower curtain holding a knife, Marion refuses to become a victim.

And after that single moment changes everything, Marion finds herself on the run from far more than just her own mistakes.

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My Thoughts

I have to admit, I have pretty mixed feelings about this book.

Not because I disliked it; I actually think it's a clever premise and a fascinating way to reimagine one of the most iconic scenes in horror history, but because even though a lot happens throughout the story, I still found parts of it surprisingly slow.

As the blurb says, Marion is desperate to help her sister escape an abusive marriage. When she's unexpectedly entrusted with a large amount of money that she's supposed to deposit, she makes a split-second decision and takes off with it, hoping to finally help her sister start over somewhere safe.

Unfortunately, fate has other plans.

A broken-down bus leaves her stranded in a small town, where she ends up renting a room at a roadside motel run by a handsome but slightly unsettling young man named Norm.

And yes...

That Norm.

What follows is the famous shower scene, but with a very different outcome.

When Norm appears with a knife, Marion fights back. Hard.

And from that point onward, the story becomes something entirely its own.

One thing I really appreciated was that the book doesn't stop after its big "what if?" moment. It would've been easy to simply reverse the outcome and call it a day, but instead the story explores what happens after Marion survives.

What does survival look like when you've just killed someone?

What happens when a woman who's spent her life trying to do the right thing suddenly finds herself crossing lines she never imagined crossing?

Those questions were often more interesting to me than the actual mystery elements.

I also appreciated how much female anger runs through the entire novel. Beneath the thriller plot, there's a strong exploration of power, control, abuse, survival and the ways women are often expected to endure impossible situations quietly.

Marion's journey is driven by her desire to save her sister, but it also becomes a story about refusing to remain powerless.

That said, I do think the book occasionally suffered from trying to do a little too much.

The audiobook clocks in at just over ten hours, and while I was never bored enough to stop listening, there were definitely moments where the pacing slowed considerably. Several side plots and additional perspectives get introduced as the story expands, and not all of them felt equally compelling.

I found myself most invested whenever the focus stayed on Marion.

In comparison, Hannah, the PI investigating various aspects of the case, never really clicked for me. She wasn't a bad character, but she felt more like a plot device than someone I was emotionally invested in.

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Final Thoughts

Overall, Marion is an ambitious and creative reimagining of Psycho that asks a simple but compelling question:

What if Marion Crane fought back?

I loved seeing the story transform her from victim into survivor, and I appreciated the themes of female rage, resilience and agency woven throughout the narrative.

While I felt like the pacing occasionally dragged a bit and some of the supporting storylines didn't fully work for me, I still found this to be an engaging and memorable retelling.

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ALC Disclaimer

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing the audiobook. All opinions are my own.

King of Ashes - S A Cosby

 

Title: King of Ashes
Author: S.A. Cosby
Genre: Thriller, Crime, Mystery
Format: Audiobook
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4★)
Release Date: June 10, 2025

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Synopsis

Roman Carruthers left his hometown and his family’s crematory business behind years ago, building a successful new life for himself in Atlanta.

But after his father is left in a coma following a suspicious hit-and-run accident, Roman is forced to return home, only to discover that his younger brother Dante is deeply entangled with dangerous criminals and mounting debts.

As Roman desperately tries to protect his family, old wounds begin resurfacing, including the decades-old mystery surrounding their mother’s disappearance.

And the deeper Roman gets pulled back into Jefferson Run, the harder it becomes to tell whether he’s trying to save his family… or slowly becoming just as dangerous as the people threatening them.

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My Thoughts

I know I’m late to the party with this one, but wow… this book was quite THE ride.

I think heavy is probably the best word to describe it.

Not just because of the crime/noir elements, but because of how deeply the story digs into family, loyalty, generational trauma and the way the past keeps dragging people back no matter how hard they try to escape it.

Roman Carruthers was such an interesting character to follow. At first, he comes across as the successful one: intelligent, composed, financially savvy, and seemingly willing to sacrifice everything for his family.

But the deeper the story goes, the more morally twisted things become.

And honestly, that slow unraveling was one of the strongest parts of the book for me.

By the end, Roman feels less like the family savior and more like someone fully trapped inside the same destructive cycle he tried so hard to escape. There’s this constant sense that the Carruthers family is cursed in some emotional and psychological way, and no matter what any of them do, they keep getting pulled back into the fire.

Then there’s Dante…

Listen!!!

Not a single scene passed where I didn’t want to physically shake this man. Reckless, impulsive, selfish… he constantly creates disasters that everyone else has to clean up.

But somehow, even while being deeply frustrating, he still felt believable within the family dynamic.

And Neveah? Easily the character I felt the most emotional connection toward.

She’s spent so much of her life trying to hold this broken family together that by the end, her storyline felt both heartbreaking and strangely freeing at the same time.

The atmosphere throughout the book was excellent too. The small-town tension, the grit, the violence, the moral grayness… everything felt raw and emotionally heavy in the best possible way.

The audiobook narration especially worked incredibly well for this type of story and really elevated the tone and intensity of the characters. Adam Lazarre-White can't be more perfect than he already is.

My only real criticism is the ending.

It absolutely hits hard emotionally, but it also felt slightly abrupt to me. I think I just wanted a little more space afterward to sit with the consequences and emotional fallout before the story ended completely.

That’s honestly the main reason this landed at 4 stars instead of 5 for me.

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Final Thoughts

Overall, King of Ashes is a gritty, emotionally brutal crime thriller that focuses just as much on family dysfunction and generational trauma as it does on crime itself.

Dark, tense, morally messy, and incredibly atmospheric, this is definitely the kind of story that lingers in your head long after finishing it.

Road Trip - Mary Kay Andrews

 Title: Road Trip

Author: Mary Kay Andrews
Genre: Mystery, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
Format: eARC
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.5★)
Release Date: June 2, 2026

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Synopsis

Maeve and Therese Dunigan may be sisters, but after years of estrangement, they can barely tolerate being in the same room together.

Following their mother’s death, the two are forced to reconnect in order to sort out a complicated inheritance situation involving an old family painting that could potentially be worth millions… if it’s authentic.

The problem is that nobody seems to know where the painting truly came from.

Reluctantly, the sisters set off on a road trip through Ireland to uncover the origins of both the painting and their family history, all while dealing with unresolved tension, old secrets, charming locals, and more than a little chaos along the way.

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My Thoughts

As the blurb says, Maeve and Therese are sisters… but sisters who absolutely cannot stand each other. They’ve been estranged for years, and after their mother’s death, they’re suddenly forced to cooperate in order to deal with their inheritance situation.

Part of that means taking the trip their mother always wanted them to take to Ireland while also trying to uncover the truth behind an old painting inherited through their family.

At first glance, the painting could potentially be worth a fortune… if it’s authentic.

The problem? They know almost nothing about its origins.

So despite barely tolerating each other, the sisters reluctantly head to Ireland to investigate both the painting and their own complicated family history.

Now... honestly? On paper, this sounded like such a fun setup:
Ireland, family secrets, small towns, mystery, old art, a little romance, some investigation… all things I usually enjoy.

And I did enjoy parts of it.

The Ireland setting itself was lovely, and the story had a very cozy atmosphere overall. I especially liked the small-town feel and the way the book leaned into family history and generational secrets.

But unfortunately… the pacing felt way, waaaay too slow for me. (ofc, this could be only a personal choice)

Even though technically a lot happens throughout the story, I never fully felt emotionally invested in either the mystery or the characters, and most of the twists felt fairly predictable.

I also struggled to connect with the sisters themselves. I didn’t necessarily dislike them, but they mostly felt like characters I was observing rather than people I genuinely cared about emotionally.

I also think that emotional distance made the slower pacing stand out even more.

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Final Thoughts

Overall, Road Trip wasn’t a bad book by any means. It had a cozy atmosphere, beautiful Irish scenery, family secrets, and an interesting premise involving art and inheritance.

But for me personally, the pacing dragged quite a bit, and I think the story could’ve been significantly shorter while still keeping the strongest parts intact.

Still, if you enjoy slower family mysteries with travel vibes and emotional family drama, this one may work much better for you.

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ARC Disclaimer

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.