Can't-Wait Wednesday: Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen, The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois by Ryan Graudin, & Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

        

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.

Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen
Publication: August 20th, 2024
St. Martin's Press
Hardcover. 320 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Inspired by Kailee Pedersen's own journey being adopted from Nanning, China in 1996 and growing up on a farm in Nebraska, this rich and atmospheric supernatural horror debut explores an ancient Chinese mythology.

The last thing Nick Morrow expected to receive was an invitation from his father to return home. When he left rural Nebraska behind, he believed he was leaving everything there, including his abusive father, Carlyle, and the farm that loomed so large in memory, forever.

But neither Nick nor his brother Joshua, disowned for marrying Emilia, a woman of Asian descent, can ignore such summons from their father, who hopes for a deathbed reconciliation. Predictably, Joshua and Carlyle quickly warm to each other while Nick and Emilia are left to their own devices. Nick puts the time to good use and his flirtation with Emilia quickly blooms into romance. Though not long after the affair turns intimate, Nick begins to suspect that Emilia’s interest in him may have sinister, and possibly even ancient, motivations."

I don’t really know what to expect from this one because I feel like there’s a lot going on in the synopsis, but I’m excited to check it out.

The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois by Ryan Graudin
Publication: August 27th, 2024
Redhook
Hardcover. 544 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In this lush and lyrical fantasy, Ryan Graudin transports readers to the hidden magical pockets of early 1900s Paris, a place of enchanted salons, fortune tellers who can change your stars, and doorways that can take you to the most unexpected places—and introduces readers to the delightful Céleste Artois, a con artist who will make a deal with the devil in exchange for her life...and change the fate of the world.

Once, Céleste Artois had dreams of being an artist. But when the creative elite of Paris dashed those plans, she turned her talents to forgery and cons. She and the Enchantresses—her two fellow thieves and best friends—see Paris as a rich hunting ground for marks. Yet even though their hideout in Peré Lachaise cemetery is bursting with francs, Céleste cannot rest. There is always more to take. And the blood she has begun to cough into her handkerchief means her time is running out.

But everything changes when she encounters Rafe, a mysterious and beautiful stranger who leads her to an enchanted salon—a place where artists can bring wondrous imaginations to life. Céleste is captivated by this establishment, and learns of the existence of magical Paris, hidden in the pockets and alleys of the ordinary world, if one only knows where to look.

Rafe offers Céleste an irresistible deal: the gift of time in exchange for lending him and his benefactor her forging talents. But one must be careful making deals with devils, and there's more to this hidden world than meets the eye. Shadows have begun to circle Paris. And soon, the Enchantresses will find that true magic is far more powerful, and deadly, than they ever imagined."

I’ve not ready any of Graudin’s books yet, but I always hear great things so I’m looking forward to checking this one out!

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan
Publication: August 27th, 2024
Orbit
Paperback. 464 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"When her whole life collapsed, Rae still had books. Dying, she seizes a second chance at living: a magical bargain that lets her enter the world of her favourite fantasy series.

She wakes in a castle on the edge of a hellish chasm, in a kingdom on the brink of war. Home to dangerous monsters, scheming courtiers and her favourite fictional character: the Once and Forever Emperor. He’s impossibly alluring, as only fiction can be. And in this fantasy world, she discovers she's not the heroine, but the villainess in the Emperor's tale.

So be it. The wicked are better dressed, with better one-liners, even if they're doomed to bad ends. She assembles the wildly disparate villains of the story under her evil leadership, plotting to change their fate. But as the body count rises and the Emperor's fury increases, it seems Rae and her allies may not survive to see the final page.

This adult epic fantasy debut from Sarah Rees Brennan puts the reader in the villain's shoes, for an adventure that is both 'brilliant' (Holly Black) and 'supremely satisfying' (Leigh Bardugo). Expect a rogue's gallery of villains including an axe wielding maid, a shining knight with dark moods, a homicidal bodyguard, and a playboy spymaster with a golden heart and a filthy reputation."

I’ve already read an ARC of this and it was so much fun, I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. Can’t wait for it to be released!

Review: After Oz by Gordon McAlpine

   

After Oz by Gordon McAlpine

Crooked Lane Books

Publication Date: August 6th, 2024

Hardcover. 240 pages.

About After Oz:

"Kansas, 1896. After a tornado destroys the Gale family farm, 11-year-old Dorothy goes missing. As the days pass by, the Gales are increasingly terrified the worst has happened. But when the girl turns up unharmed four days later, the townsfolk breathe in a sigh of relief. That is, until Dorothy herself relates her account of the events that took place after her disappearance.

In vivid detail, Dorothy describes a fantastical land and its magical inhabitants, from the scarecrow, the tin man, and the cowardly lion to the wizard and the witch. Her recollections are not only regarded as delusional, but also as pagan and diabolical in nature, especially when the body of a local spinster is found.

Making connections between the evil witch Dorothy claims to have defeated and the ill-tempered old crone, authorities find what they believe to be incriminating evidence, sentencing Dorothy to the Topeka Insane Asylum.

When 28-year-old psychologist Dr. Evelyn Grace Wilford arrives at the asylum to interview Dorothy, she begins to wonder if Dorothy truly committed the crime or if something unfathomable has really occurred.

In a small town full of insidious secrets, will Evelyn be able to save Dorothy from her terrible circumstances? Or is something menacing lurking just out of sight?"

Have you ever wondered what happened after Dorothy returned from visiting Oz? If you have, then you might After Oz, which tackles exactly that question, though with a bit of a specific framework in mind.

In After Oz, we follow Dorothy’s story after she returns from Oz after being swept up in the storm. The problem is, when Dorothy tells people about her adventures in Oz and insists that it was real, they think she’s merely raving like a madman and as a result send her to the Topeka Insane Asylum. And to make matters even more complicated, a local woman who is often referred to as a ‘witch’ by fellow townsfolk due to her less than pleasant demeanor is found dead in a manner eerily reminiscent of Dorothy’s description of ‘melting’ a woman by throwing a bucket of water on her while in Oz. Because of this, Dorothy becomes the prime suspect in the mysterious murder, with no one on her side except the mysterious visiting psychiatrist Dr. Evelyn Grace Wilford who shows up in the town of Sunbonnet to aid her.

The story is primarily narrated through letters written by Dr. Wilford to her mentor. This epistolary format allowed for what felt like a very comprehensive look into Dr. Wilford’s thoughts and both professional and personal observations, which really lets the readers have a more introspective look into everything happening in Sunbonnet (at least from Dr. Wilford’s eyes, anyway). I found her chapters to be thoughtfully written and rich in detail, which allowed her personality to shine through.

There are also some chapters interspersed told from the perspective of an unnamed townsperson who appears to be a spokesman of sorts for the town and therefore acts as a viewpoint into the ‘opposing’ side who believes in Dororthy’s guilt and develops a strong dislike for Dr. Wilford. I can’t say I enjoyed these chapters quite as much as Dr. Wilford’s, but I think the insight they provided for the rest of the town was vital to better understanding the dynamics at play in this story.

My only real complaint about the perspectives in this book is what’s lacking, and that’s any perspectives from Dorothy herself. I understand now that the focus of the book is clearly meant to be on the murder and events surrounding her, with Dorothy acting as the central focus that draws everything together, but I really expected and hoped for more from Dorothy given the premise.

After Oz has a very strong ‘whodunnit’ nature to it, which I wasn’t really expecting (although after reading the book I noticed it was published by Crooked Lane Books, a popular mystery publisher, so this might’ve clued me in if I’d noticed it, haha!), but which managed to keep me engaged throughout. The story is relatively fast-paced in a good way and maintained a very consistent flow to it that made it hard for me to put down. Many of the additional townsfolk were a bit cardboard-like in personality, but the way they were included and used in the story made them more engaging and even provided a nice foil to Dr. Wilford’s intellect and keen eye. I was also pleasantly surprised by some of the twists and turns that I think really kept this story exciting.

As previously mentioned, while I initially hoped for a bit more of Dorothy’s perspective on returning from Oz and re-adapting to her life in Kansas, the focus ont he mystery of the murdered woman and Dorothy’s return and repercussions was still very compelling. I still had a lot of fun with this and it makes me curious about what else could be done with this story without the murdered woman taking center stage? Would Dorothy still be sent to a mental asylum, and what would other repercussions be?

I listened to the audiobook version of After Oz and thought it was excellently done. The narrator succeeded in bringing the characters to life with distinct and entertaining voices and inflections for each. I definitely recommend the audiobook for this one if you are someone who enjoys the audio format!

Regardless, I found After Oz to be an engaging read that I finished quickly due to the engaging mystery elements and various twists that popped up around town. Overall, I’ve given After Oz 3.75 stars. While it may not have delved into the magical land of Oz itself or focused as much on Dorothy’s perspective, it was still a really fascinating look at a possible aftermath of such a unique and remarkable experience. If you like mysteries and classic tales, then I’d encourage you to give this one a read.

*I received a copy of After Oz in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Anticipated August 2024 Releases

Summer is in full swing and these summer releases are not slowing in the slightest! August is bringing with it a huge slew of new books to sink into while you soak up the sun (or preferably while you stay inside and avoid overheating yourself and hide from the sun's intense rays, but whatever you prefer!). I've read a few of these already and can confirm it's going to be a great month of books from what I can see so far, and I just have to note that The Phoenix Keeper was absolutely wonderful and would make for an awesome vacation read. Be sure to take a look at everything come out so you can prepare yourself, and be sure to let me know which August releases you're most excited about–and also let me know if any of your most anticipated releases are ones I forgot to put on this list! Happy reading!

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Phoenix Keeper by S.A. MacLean || August 13th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter || August 27th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The House Where Death Lives edited by Alex Brown || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Mystery Lights by Lena Valencia || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen || August 20th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Empire Wars by Akana Phenix || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Hum by Helen Phillips || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Mistress of Lies by K.M. Enright || August 13th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan || August 27th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Heir of Venus by Laura Shepperson || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Palace of Eros by Caro de Robertis || August 13th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Oath of Fire by K. Arsenault Rivera || August 13th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak || August 20th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Glass Houses by Madeline Ashby || August 13th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Red River Road by Anna Downes || August 27th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Dark We Know by Wen-Yi Lee || August 13th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

House of Thorns by Isabel Strychacz || August 20th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Chamber by Will Dean || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto || August 20th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Volcano Daughters by Gina Maria Balibrera || August 20th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Hera by Jennifer Saint || August 13th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Enchanted Lies of Celeste Artois by Ryan Graudin || August 27th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Swallow the Ghost by Eugenie Montague || August 20th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

What are your anticipated August releases?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Hum by Helen Phillips & The House Where Death Lives edited by Alex Brown

        

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.

Hum by Helen Phillips
Publication: August 6th, 2024
S&S/Marysue Rucci Books
Hardcover. 272 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In a city addled by climate change and populated by intelligent robots called “hums,” May loses her job to artificial intelligence. In a desperate bid to resolve her family’s debt and secure their future for another few months, she becomes a guinea pig in an experiment that alters her face so it cannot be recognized by surveillance.

Seeking some reprieve from her recent hardships and from her family’s addiction to their devices, she splurges on passes that allow them three nights’ respite inside the Botanical Garden: a rare green refuge where forests, streams, and animals flourish. But her insistence that her son, daughter, and husband leave their devices at home proves far more fraught than she anticipated, and the lush beauty of the Botanical Garden is not the balm she hoped it would be. When her children come under threat, May is forced to put her trust in a hum of uncertain motives as she works to restore the life of her family.

Written in taut, urgent prose, Hum is a work of speculative fiction that unflinchingly explores marriage, motherhood, and selfhood in a world compromised by global warming and dizzying technological advancement, a world of both dystopian and utopian possibilities. As New York Times bestselling author Jeff VanderMeer says, “Helen Phillips, in typical bravura fashion, has found a way to make visible uncomfortable truths about our present by interrogating the near-future.”"

This sounds like a fascinating sci-fi/dystopia that will explore some interesting topics and I'm looking forward to checking it out!

The House Where Death Lives edited by Alex Brown
Publication: August 6th, 2024
Page Street YA
Hardcover. 352 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"A dance to the death. A girl who’s just as monstrous as H.H. Holmes. A hallway that’s constantly changing―and hungry. All of these stories exist in the same place―within the frame of a particular house that isn’t bound by the laws of time and space.

Following in the footsteps of dark/horror-filled YA anthologies like His Hideous Heart and Slasher Girls and Monster Boys, and Netflix’s groundbreaking adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House, this YA speculative fiction anthology explores how the permanence of a home can become a space of transition and change for both the inhabitants and the creatures who haunt them.

Each story in the anthology will focus on a different room in the house and feature unique takes on monsters from a wide array of cultural traditions. Whether it’s a demonic Trickster, a water-loving Rusalka, or a horrifying, baby-imitating Tiyanak, there’s bound to be something sinister lurking in the shadows."

I love an anthology with a cohesive theme, and I’m loving that this collection has a story for each room in this haunted house. I can’t wait to check this one out.

The Friday Face-Off: Current Read #30

                      

 Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme at Books by Proxy. Join us every Friday as we pit cover against cover, and publisher against publisher, to find the best artwork in our literary universe.  You can find a list of upcoming topics at Lynn's Books.

This week's topic is:

Current Read #30

It's been a minute since I've gotten a Friday Face-Off up, so I'm happy to be back with another one. I've just finished reading a delightful novel called Dallergut Dream Department Store by Lee Mi-ye, translated by Sandy Joosun Lee and figured it would make for a great choice for this week's Friday Face-Off because the covers for this book are so imaginative and fun. Let's take a look at them!

2023 UK Paperback | 2020 Korean | 2024 Polish

2024 US Hardcover | 2023 Italian | 2024 French

2021 Chinese | 2024 Arabic | 2021 Thai

2021 Indonesian | 2023 Italian | 2022 Vietnamese 

2021 Russian | 2024 Portuguese | 2021 Korean

2022 Turkish | 2023 Russian | 2021 Chinese

My favorite(s):

I honestly don't think I could pick a favorite for this one because so many are so wonderful. My copy is the 2023 UK paperback edition and I thought it was such a delight, but then I saw all these other editions and I think they're all a delight. I love how colorful they all are and how much they all seem to really capture the spirit of the book and a dreamlike quality. Which one(s) do you like the best?