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Book Beat aims to highlight other books that we may hear about through friends, social media, or other sources. We could see a gorgeous ad! Or find a new-to-us author on a list of underrated romances! Think of Book Beat as Teen Beat or Tiger Beat, but for books. And no staples to open to get the fold-out poster.
City of Others
Dive into a world where magic lies hidden just below the surface in this charming urban fantasy full of workplace found family, queer romance, and supernatural creatures straight out of Southeast Asian lore, from debut author Jared Poon.
In the sunny city of Singapore, the government takes care of everything—even the weird stuff.
Benjamin Toh is a middle manager in the Division for Engagement of Unusual Stakeholders (DEUS), and his job is keep the supernatural inhabitants of Singapore happy and keep them out of sight. That is, don’t bother the good, normal citizens, and certainly don’t bother the bosses. Sure, he’s overworked and understaffed, but usually, people (and senior management) don’t see what they don’t want to see.
But when an entire housing estate glitches out of existence on what was meant to be a routine check-in, Ben has to scramble to keep things under control and stop the rest of the city from disappearing. He may not have the budget or the bandwidth, but he has the best—if highly irregular and supernaturally inclined—team to help him. Together, they’ll traverse secret shadow markets, scale skyscrapers, and maybe even go to the stars, all so they can just do their goddamn job.
A debut urban fantasy novel set in Singapore!
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We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!The Secret Book Society
A captivating new historical novel from Madeline Martin, set in Victorian London about a forbidden book club, dangerous secrets, and the women who dare to break free.
You are cordially invited to the Secret Book Society…London, 1895: Trapped by oppressive marriages and societal expectations, three women receive a mysterious invitation to an afternoon tea at the home of the reclusive Lady Duxbury. Beneath the genteel facade of the gathering lies a secret book club—a sanctuary where they can discover freedom, sisterhood, and the courage to rewrite their stories.
Eleanor Clarke, a devoted mother suffocating under the tyranny of her husband. Rose Wharton, a transplanted American dollar princess struggling to fit the mold of an aristocratic wife. Lavinia Cavendish, an artistic young woman haunted by a dangerous family secret. All are drawn to the enigmatic Lady Duxbury, a thrice-widowed countess whose husbands’ untimely deaths have sparked whispers of murder.
As the women form deep, heartwarming friendships, they uncover secrets about their marriages, their pasts, and the risks they face. Their courage is their only weapon in the oppressive world that has kept them silent, but when secrets are deadly, one misstep could cost them everything.
I think Victorian London and secret book clubs are a special blend of catnip here.
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Author: Emily Buchanan
Released: July 1, 2025 by Park Row
Genre: Literary FictionA heartfelt debut about a “greenfluencer” who becomes convinced that her late boyfriend has been reincarnated as a houseplant, perfect for fans of Margo’s Got Money Troubles and Remarkably Bright Creatures.
Fiona, better known as eco-influencer @FoliageFifi, hasn’t left her apartment since her boyfriend, Ed, died. It’s easy to self-isolate when your heart’s shattered and the planet you’ve spent your whole life trying to save is dying right outside your window. But when a houseplant randomly appears on her doorstep with an anonymous note, Fiona feels a flicker of hope—it’s not just any plant; it’s Ed’s favorite. Thinking it’s a sign, Fiona pours Ed’s ashes into the soil, only to wake up to find the plant has vibrantly flowered. And can…talk? There’s only one logical Ed is back. This time as a houseplant.
As Fiona knows all too well, plants have needs—sunlight, water and fresh air—all of which she can’t adequately provide from her dark, stuffy apartment. Intent on keeping Ed alive, Fiona slowly ventures back out into the world, the plant’s voice and budding flowers her guiding compass. But when Ed becomes more demanding in his botanical needs, urging her toward the people and places that left her scarred, Fiona realizes that preserving Ed’s life could mean risking her own. How far will she go to keep him blooming?
Whip-smart and inspiring, Send Flowers is a poignant exploration of the human spirit, the importance of community in weathering life’s storms, and love’s enduring presence, even in the wake of profound loss.
A woman believes her her late boyfriend has been reincarnated as a houseplant. This one sounds equal parts heartbreaking and quirky.
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Author: Jesse Sutanto
Released: August 20, 2024 by Berkley
Genre: Mystery/ThrillerWhen cracks start forming in an influencer’s curated life, she finds out that jealousy is just as viral as a video in this riveting suspense novel by bestselling author Jesse Q. Sutanto.
Influencer Meredith Lee didn’t teach Aspen Palmer how to blossom on social media just to be ditched as soon as Aspen became big. So can anyone really blame Mer for doing a little stalking? Nothing serious, more like Stalking Lite.
Then Mer gets lucky; she finds one of Aspen’s kids’ iPads and swipes it. Now she has access to the family calendar and Aspen’s social media accounts. Would anyone else be able to resist tweaking things a little here and there, showing up in Aspen’s place for meetings with potential sponsors? Mer’s only taking back what she deserves—what should have been hers.
Meanwhile, Aspen doesn’t understand why her perfectly filtered life is falling apart. Sponsors are dropping her, fellow influencers are ghosting her, and even her own husband seems to find her repulsive. If she doesn’t find out who’s behind everything, she might just lose it all. But what everyone seems to forget is that Aspen didn’t become one of TikTok’s biggest momfluencers by being naive.
When Meredith suddenly goes missing, Aspen’s world is upended and mysterious threats begin to arrive—but she won’t let anything get in the way of her perfect life again.
With the latest MomTok/influencer shit show, this one has been popping up in my book feeds lately.
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English (US) · 