Can't-Wait Wednesday: Flowers for the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn, The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke, & The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

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: 

Flowers for the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn
Publication: October 19th, 2021

Tordotcom

Paperback. 112 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"We are a people who do not forget. 

Survivors from a flooded kingdom struggle alone on an ark. Resources are scant, and ravenous beasts circle. Their fangs are sharp. 

Among the refugees is Iraxi: ostracized, despised, and a commoner who refused a prince, she’s pregnant with a child that might be more than human. Her fate may be darker and more powerful than she can imagine. 

Zin E. Rocklyn’s extraordinary debut is a lush, gothic fantasy about the prices we pay and the vengeance we seek."

I feel like this synopsis doesn't give us much, but what it does give us has me incredibly intrigued! Can't wait to check this one out. 

and...

The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

Publication: October 5th, 2021

Berkley Books (US)/ HarperCollins (UK)

Paperback. 368 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"When single mother Liv is commissioned to paint a mural in a 100-year-old lighthouse on a remote Scottish island, it's an opportunity to start over with her three daughters--Luna, Sapphire, and Clover. When two of her daughters go missing, she's frantic. She learns that the cave beneath the lighthouse was once a prison for women accused of witchcraft. The locals warn her about wildlings, supernatural beings who mimic human children, created by witches for revenge. Liv is told wildlings are dangerous and must be killed. 

Twenty-two years later, Luna has been searching for her missing sisters and mother. When she receives a call about her youngest sister, Clover, she's initially ecstatic. Clover is the sister she remembers--except she's still seven years old, the age she was when she vanished. Luna is worried Clover is a wildling. Luna has few memories of her time on the island, but she'll have to return to find the truth of what happened to her family. But she doesn't realize just how much the truth will change her."

Is that cover not gorgeous?? I also love how mysterious and witchy this book sounds, it definitely seems like something right up my alley! (UK cover pictured)

and...

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

Publication: October 12th, 2021

Levine Querido

Hardcover. 336 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Había una vez . . . 

There lived a girl named Petra Peña, who wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita. 

But Petra's world is ending. Earth has been destroyed by a comet, and only a few hundred scientists and their children – among them Petra and her family – have been chosen to journey to a new planet. They are the ones who must carry on the human race. 

Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to this new planet – and the discovery that she is the only person who remembers Earth. A sinister Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins of humanity's past. They have systematically purged the memories of all aboard – or purged them altogether. 

Petra alone now carries the stories of our past, and with them, any hope for our future. Can she make them live again? 

Pura Belpré Honor-winning author Donna Barba Higuera presents us with a brilliant journey through the stars, to the very heart of what makes us human."

Another truly gorgeous cover! This sounds super interesting and I always love books that explore end-of-the-world ideas like this. I really hope to have a chance to read this one!

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

Top 5 Tuesday: Sequels I'd Sell My Soul For (Or Any Part of My Body, Really)

This week I decided to switch back over and participate in Top 5 Tuesday, originally hosted by BionicBookworm, now hosted by MeeghanReads!

This week's topic is: Books I'd Sell My Soul For

Although a nice standalone is always enjoyable, sometimes you just want a little bit more of a certain world or characters or plot. Sometimes you even know a sequel wouldn't work, but you still want to read more. Here are five books that I either desperately want a sequel for or would simply love to have more of!

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

This is probably the sequel I am most dying for that doesn't yet exist. I know Seanan McGuire/Mira Grant has posted many times about how she would love to write a sequel and has one planned, but her publisher won't greenlight it unless she has more sales of certain books of hers. So if you haven't read this one, definitely go buy it and any of her other works so that we can all get a sequel to this thrilling story that I loved!

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

I actually think Jasper Fforde may be working on this sequel, and it's always been planned ot have a sequel... but thus far, no official announcements have been made. I would love to see a sequel for this one, though, and since this is one of the books I convinced my husband to read, he'd love to read a sequel, too!

Colorless Tsukuru and His Years of Pilgrimmage

After Dark

The Strange Library

Killing Commendatore

...all by Haruki Murakami

So here's the thing, I don't necessarily actually want there to be sequels for these books because I think they're all perfect as they are (and After Dark is made to be a standalone, practically)... but at the same time, I loved the characters and settings so much that I'd also really love to read a bit more from their lives. I'd especially love to see how Murakami could expand on Killing Commendatore, even though I know some people believe it's too long already (I do not!). 

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Again, another one that doesn't really need a sequel, but is one that I would really enjoy reading! I love Coraline as a character, and I think any sort of mischief that she falls into would make for an enjoyable read. Plus, I love the creepy/spooky atmosphere that Gaiman incorporated so perfectly into this story. 

Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko

This book actually has a sequel that exists in the universe! ....But unfortunately it's only available in Russian at this time. I haven't seen anything about plans to translate the rest of this series, and as far as I know they aren't going to, which is incredibly tragic to me. Vita Nostra was such a fascinating, weird, and unique story (despite the 'school' type of trope) and it's one of the sequels I would most love to read. 

Do you want sequels for any of these books? What sequels are you willing to sell your soul for (or maybe just pay a nice sum of money)?

Book Spotlight: Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson

Today I am thrilled to be a part of the blogger blitz for Margaret Rogerson's upcoming fantasy release, Vespertine! I have really enjoyed Rogerson's previous releases, An Enchantment of Ravens and Sorcery of Thorns, and if you also enjoyed those, you are going to want to check out this new release as well. Find the cover, synopsis, general info about the book, and a list of Margaret Rogerson's upcoming events below! Vespertine will be published Tuesday, October 5th!

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: VESPERTINE 
Author:  Margaret Rogerson
Pub. Date: October 5th, 2021
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages: 400
Find it: B&N | IndieBound | Amazon 

SYNOPSIS:

“From the New York Times bestselling author of Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens comes a thrilling new YA fantasy about a teen girl with mythic abilities who must defend her world against restless spirits of the dead. 

The dead of Loraille do not rest. 

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who trade whispers about her scarred hands and troubled past. 

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being that threatens to possess her the moment she drops her guard. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself. 

As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows. And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy might require her to betray everything she has been taught to believe—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first."

 

Events: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

MARGARET ROGERSON is the author of the New York Times bestsellers An Enchantment of Ravens and Sorcery of Thorns. She has a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology from Miami University. When not reading or writing she enjoys sketching, gaming, making pudding, and watching more documentaries than is socially acceptable (according to some). She lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, beside a garden full of hummingbirds and roses. Visit her at MargaretRogerson.com.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Instagram

Anticipated October 2021 Book Releases!

October is finally here, and with it comes even more new releases! I am a bit behind on all of my October ARCs because I'm in the process of moving house and am apparently not great at juggling both of those things. Nonetheless, I still managed to read The City Beautiful, which was a great story, and I'm currently reading The Death of Jane Lawrence and am so invested in it so far! I am very excited to continue reading it. I'm also exceptionally excited to read Far From the Light of Heaven, The Quicksilver Court, Comfort Me With Apples, and... well, all of these. Up next are ARCs of Far From the Light of Heaven and Nothing But Blackened Teeth, and I can't wait! What books are you guys most excited for!? Have you read any of these yet? Please feel free to share in the comments (especially if I left out a book you're really excited for). :)

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling || October 5th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Far From the Light of Heaven by Tase Thompson || October 26th -- Amazon | IndieBound

The Quicksilver Court by Melissa Caruso || October 12th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw || October 19th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Destroyer of Light by Jennifer Marie Brissett || October 12th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente || October 26th -- Amazon | IndieBound

These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant || October 26th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Blood of the Chosen by Django Wexler || October 5th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Flowers for the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn || October 19th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Isolate by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. || October 19th -- Amazon | IndieBound

That Dark Infinity by Kate Pentecost || October 19th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Trashlands by Alison Stine || October 26th -- Amazon | IndieBound

The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker || October 12th -- Amazon | IndieBound

The Color of Dragons by R.A. Salvatore & Erika Lewis || October 19th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Truth of the Divine by Lindsay Ellis || October 19th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Sistersong by Lucy Holland || October 5th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen || October 19th -- Amazon | IndieBound

The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros || October 5th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson || October 5th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood || October 19th -- Amazon | IndieBound

Luminous by Mara Rutherford || October 5th -- Amazon | IndieBound

The Grimrose Girls by Laura Pohl || October 26th -- Amazon | IndieBound

What are your anticipated October releases?

Review: Stalking Shadows by Cyla Panin

Stalking Shadows by Cyla Panin
Amulet Books
Publication Date: September 14th 2021
Hardcover. 400 pages.

About Stalking Shadows:

"Seventeen-year-old Marie mixes perfumes to sell on market day in her small eighteenth-century French town. She wants to make enough to save a dowry for her sister, Ama, in hopes of Ama marrying well and Marie living in the level of freedom afforded only to spinster aunts. But her perfumes are more than sweet scents in cheap, cut-glass bottles: A certain few are laced with death. Marie laces the perfume delicately—not with poison but with a hint of honeysuckle she’s trained her sister to respond to. Marie marks her victim, and Ama attacks. But she doesn’t attack as a girl. She kills as a beast. 

Marking Ama’s victims controls the damage to keep suspicion at bay. But when a young boy turns up dead one morning, Marie is forced to acknowledge she might be losing control of Ama. And if she can’t control her, she’ll have to cure her. Marie knows the only place she’ll find the cure is in the mansion where Ama was cursed in the first place, home of Lord Sebastien LeClaire. But once she gets into the mansion, she discovers dark secrets hidden away—secrets of the curse, of Lord Sebastien . . . and of herself."

Stalking Shadow is a unique Beauty and the Beast-inspired retelling featured two sisters, Ama and Marie, as they struggle to manage the fact that Ama turns into a beast every month and must satiate her thirst. This was a delightfully gothic-feeling fantasy that dealt with some serious and occasionally difficult topics, and I felt that Panin executed this story wonderfully. 

The story largely follows Marie as she decides that she must find a cure for the curse that turns Ama in to a beast, and to do so she visits the LeClaire mansion, where she believes Ama was first cursed. Once there, Marie finds herself in the employ of Lord Sebastien LeClaire, where she is meant to help find a cure and assist his ailing younger brother, Lucien, who is slowly dying of consumption. The LeClaire mansion is a dark place filled with secrets at every turn, but it is also a place a love between the remaining members of the household. 

Marie is a steadfast protagonist and I admired her continued determination and bravery throughout. Marie's love for her sister was tangible, and I appreciated her resourcefulness in both taking care of her and in figuring out a way to allow her sister to "safely" follow her nature. Her knowledge of herbs and flowers that she uses in order to craft perfumes to sell to townspeople also aids her in acquiring a position at the mansion in order to attempt to stop her sister's curse, and I enjoyed seeing this element woven into the story. I questioned a few of her decisions at times, and I can't say I always agreed with her, especially when it came to her handling of Lucien sometimes, but I can't fault her for anything she did because she was willing to do whatever it took to cure and save her sister, and I think anyone with a loved one can understand that. 

The setting and overall atmosphere and Stalking Shadow was so perfectly done to where I could feel the sort of dark, somewhat isolating sense of the town in which Marie lives. It just feels like there was some thick fog hanging around throughout many of the events of this novel, and I really think that helped to cement the mysterious nature of everything going on in the plot, as well as the many secrets that are constantly lingering on the fringe of the story. This is also a story that is centered around sisterhood and survival, but covers so much more, from childhood traumas to disjointed families and how to move forward in life in the best way possible. 

The pacing of Stalking Shadows was a little slow at times, and I feel as though the book could have used a bit more direction at times, but I didn't find this too much of an issue. I also felt that some of the character development was both slow and sudden in its own right, but again, nothing that felt overwhelming or that really took away from my enjoyment. 

Overall, I've given Stalking Shadows four stars! 

*I received a copy of Stalking Shadows courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Indiebound 

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw, Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan, & That Dark Infinity by Kate Pentecost

 

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: 

Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
Publication: October 19th, 2021

Nightfire

Hardcover. 128 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Cassandra Khaw's Nothing But Blackened Teeth is a gorgeously creepy haunted house tale, steeped in Japanese folklore and full of devastating twists. 

A Heian-era mansion stands abandoned, its foundations resting on the bones of a bride and its walls packed with the remains of the girls sacrificed to keep her company. 

It’s the perfect wedding venue for a group of thrill-seeking friends. 

But a night of food, drinks, and games quickly spirals into a nightmare. For lurking in the shadows is the ghost bride with a black smile and a hungry heart. 

And she gets lonely down there in the dirt."

I am so looking forward to reading some good horror, and this sounds like it could be a great way to kick off the season. I've been holding onto an ARC for far too long and now I can finally dive in. 

and...

Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan

Publication: October 5th, 2021

Disney-Hyperion

Hardcover. 352 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Ana Dakkar is a freshman at Harding-Pencroft Academy, a five-year high school that graduates the best marine scientists, naval warriors, navigators, and underwater explorers in the world. Ana's parents died while on a scientific expedition two years ago, and the only family's she's got left is her older brother, Dev, also a student at HP. Ana's freshman year culminates with the class's weekend trial at sea, the details of which have been kept secret. She only hopes she has what it'll take to succeed. All her worries are blown out of the water when, on the bus ride to the ship, Ana and her schoolmates witness a terrible tragedy that will change the trajectory of their lives. 

But wait, there's more. The professor accompanying them informs Ana that their rival school, Land Institute, and Harding-Pencroft have been fighting a cold war for a hundred and fifty years. Now that cold war has been turned up to a full broil, and the freshman are in danger of becoming fish food. In a race against deadly enemies, Ana will make amazing friends and astounding discoveries about her heritage as she puts her leadership skills to the test for the first time."

This may or may not come as a surprise, but... I've never read anything from Rick Riordan before! I missed the Percy Jackson train, and I've never really tried it out (even though I'm aware it should be right up my alley). Regardless, I think this new book sounds like a lot of fun, and if I have a chance to pick it up I definitely will!

and...

That Dark Infinity by Kate Pentecost

Publication: October 19th, 2021

Little, Brown Books

Hardcover. 384 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"By night, the Ankou is a legendary, permanently young mercenary. By day, a witch's curse leaves him no more than bones. Caught in an unending cycle of death and resurrection, the Ankou wants only to find the death that has been prophesied for him, especially once he begins to rot while he's still alive.... 

After the kingdom of Kaer-Ise is sacked, Flora, loyal handmaiden to the princess, is assaulted and left for dead. As the sole survivor of the massacre, Flora wants desperately to find the princess she served. When the Ankou agrees to help her find the princess, and to train her in exchange for her help in breaking his curse, she accepts. But how can she kill an immortal? Especially one whom she is slowly growing to understand—and maybe even to love? 

Together, they will solve mysteries, battle monsters, break curses, and race not only against time, but against fate itself."

This sounds beautiful, dark, and so intriguing! That cover really grabs me, and I am so curious to check out this book. 

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

Top Five Tuesday: SFF Standalones

 

This week I decided to switch back over and participate in Top 5 Tuesday, originally hosted by BionicBookworm, now hosted by MeeghanReads!

This week's topic is: SFF Standalones

I decided to join Top Five Tuesday today because I've read a good number of great standalones this year that I'd love to talk about! I chose to narrow this topic down to only include SFF books because feel like I most often see people looking for SFF standalones in a world of series and trilogies, so I figured I'd share five SFF standalones I've read this year and really enjoyed!

Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace

I haven't seen nearly as many people talking about this book as there should be! This was an incredible sci-fi that completely surprised me with how much it grabbed me. This follows a VR gaming who is doing what she can to get by, and is eventually–and unexpectedly–sucked into something much bigger than she could have imagined. It's also full of heart, hope, and a bunch of people standing up for what's right. 

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Piranesi is, admittedly, a bit of an odd book, but it's an amazing odd book. We follow a protagonist known only as Piranesi, who earned himself a big place in my heart, as he lives in and explores the House in which he lives–and is, quite frankly, the only place he's ever known. The only other person who visits the House that Piranesi knows of is a man he refers to as the Other, and this man seems to come and go from somewhere Piranesi isn't aware of... 

Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti by Genevieve Valentine

This is another slightly out-of-the-norm one, and I'd say it's probably a bit more on the literary fantasy side with a very poetic feel to it. Nonetheless, it's a beautiful story that I'd absolutely recommend to anyone. The story takes place in a turbulent, war-like period and follows a group of circus members as they try to continue their work. It's a bit heartbreaking, to be honest, but it's absolutely worth the read. 

The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

This was a beautiful myth retelling of Angrboda, Loki's wife, from before she meets Loki to far after. It's definitely a slower-paced story, but I personally loved following Ahgrboda's life as an adult, with all the tragedies and joys that she experiences. If you enjoyed Circe by Madeline Miller, then I think this is one you might definitely want to pick up. 

All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter

This was a delightfully dark, somewhat creepy folktale-esque story about what happens when your family struck a deal with the Mer people that they have begun to fail at over the years, and must now face the consequences. This was a beautiful story that hit all the right notes of eery and foreboding, and it's a great pick. 

The Binding by Bridget Collins

Okay, I know this makes six books, but I had to include this book because it's one I really enjoyed and think others will as well. This books plays a lot with memory and time, and it kept me fully engaged the whole. The characters are also compelling and have some amazing storylines that I didn't expect, and that made this a heartstring-tugging story for me. Be sure to check this one out if you're looking for an SFF standalone!

Have you read any of these standalones? Do you have any good SFF standalone recommendations? Leave them in the comments below!