Can't-Wait Wednesday: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, Cursed Objects by J.W. Ocker, & Master of Poisons by Andrea Hairston

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Publication: September 15th, 2020

Bloomsbury

Hardcover. 272 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Piranesi's house is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one different from all the others. Within the labyrinth of halls an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid; he understands the tides as he understands the pattern of the labyrinth itself. He lives to explore the house. 

There is one other person in the house-a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known. 

For readers of Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane and fans of Madeline Miller's Circe, Piranesi introduces an astonishing new world, an infinite labyrinth, full of startling images and surreal beauty, haunted by the tides and the clouds."

This sounds so delightfully quirky and weird, I can't wait to explore Piranesi's house. :)

and...

Master of Poisons by Andrea Hairston

Publication: September 18th, 2020

Tor.com

Hardcover. 512 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"The world is changing. Poison desert eats good farmland. Once-sweet water turns foul. The wind blows sand and sadness across the Empire. To get caught in a storm is death. To live and do nothing is death. There is magic in the world, but good conjure is hard to find. 

Djola, righthand man and spymaster of the lord of the Arkhysian Empire, is desperately trying to save his adopted homeland, even in exile. 

Awa, a young woman training to be a powerful griot, tests the limits of her knowledge and comes into her own in a world of sorcery, floating cities, kindly beasts, and uncertain men. 

Awash in the rhythms of folklore and storytelling and rich with Hairston's characteristic lush prose, Master of Poisons is epic fantasy that will bleed your mind with its turns of phrase and leave you aching for the world it burns into being."

Master of Poisons has such a unique-sounding premise and I'm really intrigued by the synopsis. Really looking forward to getting to read this!

and...

Cursed Objects: Strange but True Stories of the World's Most Infamous Items by J.W. Ocker

Publication: September 15th, 2020

Quirk Books

Hardcover. 288 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"An illustrated compendium that reveals the true stories behind the most infamous, creepy, and bizarre real-life cursed objects throughout history. Spanning decades and continents, subjects range from the opulent Hope Diamond to the humble Busy Stoop chair. 

They're lurking in museums, graveyards, and private homes around the world. Their stories have inspired countless horror movies, reality TV shows, campfire tales, books, and even chain emails. They're cursed objects, and in order to unleash a wave of misfortune, all they need...is you. As a culture, we can't seem to get enough of cursed objects. But never before have the true stories of these infamous real-life items been compiled into a fascinating and chilling volume. 

Entries include: 

• Annabelle the Doll, a Raggedy Ann doll which inspired the acclaimed horror franchise The Conjuring 
• The Tomb of Tutankhamen, the discovery of which kicked-started media hysteria over a rumored "Curse of the Pharaohs" 
• The Ring of Silvianus, a Roman artifact believed to have inspired J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit 
• The Hope Diamond, which was owned by kings and inspired the Heart of the Ocean in James Cameron's Titanic 
• The Dybbuk Box, which was sold on eBay and inspired the horror film The Possession 

Whether you believe in curses or not, the often tragic and always bizarre stories behind these objects will fascinate you. Many of them have intersected with some of the most notable events and people in history. But beyond Hollywood and beyond the hysteria, author J. W. Ocker suggests that cursed objects are simply objects which have been witness to great human tragedy, and thereafter operate as mechanisms for remembering and retelling those stories. Cursed Objects will be equally appealing to true believers as well as history buffs, horror fans, and anyone who loves a good spine-tingling tale."

I love learning tidbits about prominent/famed objects, and I love the cursed objects spin on this one. This sounds like it will be really interesting and a lot of fun!

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?