Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Sword Unbound by Gareth Hanrahan, Woodworm by Layla Martinez, & The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

     

 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.

The Sword Unbound (Lands of the Firstborn #2) by Gareth Hanrahan
Publication: May 7th, 2024
Orbit
Paperback. 624 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"He thought he was saving the world. That was his first mistake.

Twenty years ago, Alf and his companions defeated the Dark Lord and claimed his city. Now, those few of the Nine that remain find themselves unwilling rebels, defying the authority of both the mortal Lords they once served and the immortal king of the elves - the secret architect of everything they've ever known.

Once lauded as a mighty hero, Alf is now labelled a traitor and hunted by the very gods he seeks to bring down. As desperate rebellion blazes across the land, Alf seeks the right path through a maze of conspiracy, wielding a weapon of evil. The black sword Spellbreaker has found its purpose in these dark days. But can Aelfric remain a hero, or is his legend tarnished forever?

This second novel continues​ Gareth Hanrahan's acclaimed epic fantasy series of dark myth, daring warriors and bloodthirsty vengeance."

I really enjoyed The Sword Defiant last year, so I'm really excited to finally get to read the sequel!

Woodworm by Layla Martínez, trans. Sophie Hughes, Annie McDermott
Publication: May 14th, 2024
Two Lines Press
Hardcover. 144 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"The house breathes.

The house contains bodies and secrets.

The house is visited by ghosts, by angels that line the roof like insects, and by saints that burn the bedsheets with their haloes.

It was built by a small-time hustler as a means of controlling his wife, and even after so many years, their daughter and her granddaughter can’t leave. They may be witches or they may just be angry, but when the mysterious disappearance of a young boy draws unwanted attention, the two isolated women, already subjects of public scorn, combine forces with the spirits that haunt them in pursuit of something that resembles justice.

Layla Martínez’s eerie debut novel Woodworm is class-conscious horror that drags generations of monsters into the sun."

I haven't heard much about this one anywhere, but I love how creepy this sounds and I'm so curious to check it out. 

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton
Publication: May 21st, 2024
Sourcebooks Landmark
Hardcover. 400 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Solve the murder to save what's left of the world.

Outside the island there is nothing: the world was destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched.

On the island: it is idyllic. One hundred and twenty-two villagers and three scientists, living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they're told by the scientists.

Until, to the horror of the islanders, one of their beloved scientists is found brutally stabbed to death. And then they learn that the murder has triggered a lowering of the security system around the island, the only thing that was keeping the fog at bay. If the murder isn't solved within 107 hours, the fog will smother the island—and everyone on it.

But the security system has also wiped everyone's memories of exactly what happened the night before, which means that someone on the island is a murderer—and they don't even know it. And the clock is ticking."

I still haven't gotten to Stuart Turton's work yet, but this one sounds exceptionally up my alley, so I'm looking forward to giving it a try!