Fresh New Books, July 8, 2026 | Kiss Your $ Goodbye!
This is where I spotlight the sparkling new releases that are tempting me so you can succumb to temptation too. The focus will be on dark fiction and romance with the occasional thriller tossed in that catches my eye.
I only found a few this week that grabbed my attention which is probably a good thing. I'll start with the romance and move onto darker things. There's a new release by Chuck Tingle & Jeff Strand who are both always tons of fun.
New Books This Week!
Candy Apple Kisses by Amy Clipston
In a pumpkin spice-drenched best-friends-to-lovers sweet romance, a struggling artist returns to her hometown to save her best friend's orchard. Their fight against a corporate giant ignites an unexpected romance full of heart and small-town charm.
Emily never expected to return to Splendid Lake, the quaint town that held her childhood memories, and certainly not to help save Jake's family orchard. She left years ago with dreams of artistic glory in the city, but when Jake calls for help, she can't say no. As she steps back into the beauty of the lakeside community, Emily feels a tug of inspiration she thought she'd lost. Painting the orchard and its autumnal splendor breathes new life into her art, but it also stirs long-dormant emotions for Jake--feelings she's too scared to name, especially with Claire, his ex, hovering so close. Splendid Lake feels like home again, but Emily wonders if she belongs there--and if Jake sees her as more than just a friend.
For Jake, the orchard is more than just a business; it's a living legacy, a bond with his father and a promise to his family. But with a corporate giant threatening to buy up the market and modernize farming in ways he doesn't agree with, Jake feels the weight of saving it all on his shoulders. He knows he can't do it alone, so calling Emily was a no-brainer. What he didn't expect was how much her presence would change things--not just for the orchard but for his life. Amid the chaotic harvest preparations and Claire's lingering attempts to rekindle their broken relationship, Jake begins to realize that Emily might be more than his partner-in-saving-apples; she might just be the missing piece he's been too afraid to reach for.
As the two pour their hearts into revitalizing the orchard, their friendship deepens into something undeniable--until Claire's dramatic reappearance throws everything into chaos. Emily is left wondering if Jake's ready to leave his past behind, while Jake struggles to prove that this time, it's Emily he wants. With the orchard's future hanging by a thread and tensions mounting, Emily and Jake must overcome old fears, meddling exes, and the pressures of family expectations to find the courage to build something new a home, a partnership, and a love worth fighting for.
Learn more at Goodreads
Fun Times at the Bloodbath by Jeff Strand
The game you can’t stop playing… even if it kills you.
Fun Times at the Bloodbath may be the most insanely violent video game ever designed. The only thing more addictive than playing is the chaos it unleashes. Currently, only a select few have played the beta version, and it’s to die for… literally.
Players are instantly addicted to the point of death: one man dies of dehydration, a woman brutally murders her husband with a meat cleaver after he unplugs the console, and others violently defend their right to keep playing and harm anyone who gets in the way.
Margo’s brother is one of the game’s victims, and she is determined to uncover the game’s creators and prevent anyone else from succumbing to its addictive grasp. As she discovers the sinister plot behind Fun Times at the Bloodbath, Margo tries to warn people before it launches to the general public. But with threats to herself, her family, and anyone who helps her, she’s right to be scared…
When Fun Times at the Bloodbath launches nationwide, the United States is plunged into chaos, and the rest of the world is next. As the carnage spreads, Margo and others impacted by the game’s toxic hold infiltrate the company and shut it down before it’s game over for everyone.
Learn more at Goodreads.
Fabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle
From Chuck Tingle, USA Today bestselling author of Bury Your Gays, comes Fabulous Bodies, a supernatural joyride where Drive meets Beetlejuice.
Fashion influencer by day and grave-robber by night, Poppy Stringer is on call when Eddie Michaels—a flamboyant, piano-slamming rockstar and queer icon—unexpectedly dies. All Poppy has to do is retrieve Eddie’s body from the medical examiner’s office, but what starts as a routine delivery quickly goes off course when Eddie wakes up.
Poppy must fight for her life in a blood-soaked night of carnage and fabulous entertainment all across Palm Springs.
Learn more at Goodreads.
Candy Apple Kisses looks like a fun fall read. I'm adding it to my TBR list. :D
ReplyDelete