Birth of a Dynasty by Chinaza Bado
Publication: July 29th, 2025
Harper Voyager
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon
From Goodreads:
"We shall not forgive. We shall not forget. We will have our vengeance.
After witnessing the massacre of everyone he’s ever known and loved, M’Kuru Mukundi, the sole surviving member of the High Noble House Mukundi of Madada, vows revenge. M’kuru flees to a small village where he hides under the guise of farm boy Khalil Rausi… unaware that the real Khalil’s father is the bloodthirsty General of Zenzele army, and under the direction of the King’s scheming son, Prince Effiom, was responsible for the murder of M’kuru’s people. When an imposter claiming to be M’kuru shows up in the village, the real M’kuru—now Khalil—must bide his time amongst his enemies, pretending to be everything that he hates in order to get vengeance.
In another part of the country where giants roam free, young Zikora Nnamani, the only daughter of Lord Nnamani, knows nothing of political intrigue—she wants little more than to be a fierce Seh Llinga warrior. But a well-known prophecy places too much potential power on her small shoulders, and—as far as Prince Effiom and the King know—she is the only living threat to their dynasty ruling forever. However, when a messenger arrives to “invite” Zikora to stay at the palace, her family is not in a position to refuse. Before she is taken away, she begins The Rite of Blessing, a magical inheritance that she will need to learn how to use, but that may also bring the world one step closer to the completion of the prophecy that Prince Effiom so fears.
Between scheming ladies at court, backstabbing princes on the prowl, and paranoid kings, M’kuru and Zikora must do what they can, no matter how terrible, to save their people and claim vengeance for their families. But they are just two young people against an entire kingdom—and a prophecy destined to thwart their dreams—and the last thing they can do is trust anyone…even each other."
I'm not always a big fan of revenge stories (revenge just doesn't drive me, personally), but I do love a new dramatic epic fantasy with competing families. Count me in!
Predatory Natures by Amy Goldsmith
Publication: July 8th, 2025
Delacorte Press
Hardcover. 432 pages.
Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon
From Goodreads:
"A teen girl's dream job aboard a luxury train derails when she discovers the strange cargo being transported—a mysterious and beautiful greenhouse—but its flowering façade may hide deadly thorns beneath, in this atmospheric and lush novel from the author of Those We Drown.
When Lara Williams gets a summer job aboard the luxury train the Banebury, she thinks she’s landed a five-star escape from her past. Even after she learns that her ex-friend Rhys, who she definitely did not have feelings for before their relationship imploded, is one of her coworkers, she’s determined to make things work.
But on the first day of their journey, the trip takes a strange turn. Two mysterious carriages filled with an array of beautiful and rare plants are attached to the Banebury in the middle of the night.
And with them comes a pair of siblings. Wealthy, mysterious, and charismatic, Gwen and Gwydion claim the plants they’re transporting are for research, but Lara can’t shake the feeling that there’s something . . . otherworldly about the strange blooms. Something that will stop at nothing to ensure the Banebury never reaches its destination.
Soon Lara will learn: You can’t outrun your troubles. You have to grab them by their roots. And if she can’t unearth the secrets of the Banebury, they might drag her down for good. . . ."
I'm always up for anything involving weird things happening on or around a train (thinking of The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands here), and I am so on board (...get it?) for this one!
Publication: July 22nd, 2025
Mariner Books
Hardcover. 304 pages.
Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon
From Goodreads:
"From the acclaimed biographer of explorers Magellan, Columbus, and Francis Drake comes a unique exploration of life and influence of Jules Verne, the novelist whose mind spun the greatest adventures ever told and whose daring and prescient imagination sparked a lasting transformation of modern society and technology, inspiring everyone from J.R.R. Tolkien to Kurt Vonnegut to Jeff Bezos.
"We are all, in one way or another, the children of Jules Verne.” —Ray Bradbury
His stories inspired the greatest literary minds—J.R.R. Tolkien, Kurt Vonnegut, Ursula K. le Guin. He inspired real-world expeditions and discoveries, compelling undersea explorers, aviation pioneers, and astronauts to seek out the unknown. He’s one of the most widely translated authors in the world, outmatched only by Agatha Christie and Shakespeare. Jeff Bezos’s rocket factory includes a two-story replica of the spaceship from one of his novels.
Few writers have left such an enduring legacy on the world as Jules Verne. Widely considered the “father of science fiction,” Verne stands as the ultimate icon of inventiveness and applied imagination. His novels—including such revered classics as Around the World in 80 Days and Journey to the Center of the Earth—not only thrilled and entertained, but also predicted innovations and technological advancements that in time would become everyday realities. Brimming with intellect, science, adventure, and paradoxes, his work dared to imagine a world beyond the limits of what was thought possible and, in turn, inspired future generations to achieve the unthinkable.
From acclaimed biographer Laurence Bergreen, Jules Verne and the Invention of the Future is an engaging, vibrant, and richly researched account of a singular visionary who profoundly shaped our modern world."
I really don't know that much about Jules Verne himself and I think it'd be really interesting to read something about how much of a huge impact he's had, which I have no doubt of. This sounds like it'll have a lot of informative things to learn about Jules Verne and the sci-fi genre and its imapct.