Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Nudge by Joseph Fink, Scion by James Islington, & Our Cut of Salt by Deena Helm

   

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released!

The Nudge by Joseph Fink

Publication: September 1st, 2026

Podium Publishing

Hardcover. 144 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"On the open road, evil doesn't chase you. It waits . . . 

Late one night, a wounded man checks into a remote roadside hotel. He's running from something he can't explain or escape. And over the course of a night, he'll tell the hotel's proprietor how his life fell apart.  

It started with his wife. Subtle changes. Smiles that didn't belong to her. Then violence—sudden, intimate, almost casual. Therapy offered hope. Recovery seemed possible. Until it wasn't. He believes a hidden influence has attached itself to him, one that never forces, never commands. It whispers. It suggests. Nudges people toward their worst impulses.  

Now the man wanders the country as a fugitive, hoping to break free from the evil that's wormed its way into him. But as our narrator's story unfolds, he begins to question whether he's fled far enough . . .  

Tense, atmospheric, and chilling, The Nudge is a slow-burn tale of suspense that will linger like a whisper in the dark, long after the story is over."

This sounds like the perfect little horror novella to welcome in the beginnings of the fall season!

Scion by James Islington

Publication: September 1st, 2026

S&S/Saga Press

Hardcover. 240 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"John Wick meets Blade Runner in this fast-paced cyberpunk thriller by the #1 NYT bestselling author of The Will of the Many.  

My job, when you think about it, isn’t so different from a lot of people’s. I have to deal with a ton of boring planning. Inconvenient hours. Some pretty awkward face-to-face interactions. And like most of us, I’m really only clocking in to try and crawl out from beneath my debts.  

The more old-fashioned crowd do still get hung up on the ‘killing people’ part, I guess, but that’s a them problem: it’s been perfectly legal to take out lifers for ages. Besides, once ultrawealthy morons realised they had a way to live forever—limited resources be damned—there was only ever going to be one genuinely practical deterrent. So someone’s got to do it.  

And luckily, my genetic compatibilities make me really, really good at it.  

Still. This next job… I don’t know. It’s something I haven’t had to deal with in years. Kind of the opposite of my regular duties. Strange, that it got thrown my way.  

I’m sure it’ll all go totally fine though."

I've already finished an ARC of this one and my review will be up soon for it, but I'm still really excited for it to be released to the public and see what everyone thinks about! If you like sci-fi thrillers, this is pretty much the perfect read. 

Our Cut of Salt by Deena Helm

Publication: September 22nd, 2026

Tor Nightfire

Hardcover. 128 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"In this lyrical debut, three generations of Palestinian women must put the haunting of their ancestral home to rest, before the secrets of the past drown them all. Our Cut of Salt is a powerful and intimate look at what it means to make a home, to lose it, and to return, only to find it irrevocably changed.  

There is something haunting Nuhad’s childhood home in Haifa. Cats avoid its perimeter, strange noises come from within, and residents have mysteriously vanished without a trace. Although Nuhad has not returned to her home since the Nakba in 1948, she always held a place for the house in her heart.  

And, in return, the house did the same for her.  

After Nuhad passes away, her granddaughter, Marina, is determined to visit her grandmother’s home after a lifetime of being kept in the dark about her culture and family history. Marina's mother, Haifa - named for the city that was lost to their family - reluctantly agrees to her trip, though she knows firsthand that some secrets are better left buried.  

But the house is no longer a home. It is a painful, festering wound that infects everything it touches. The more Marina digs into her family’s past, the sicker she becomes. Despite Nuhad’s ghostly warnings, Haifa rushes to help her daughter.  

As the three women converge in their ancestral home, they must put the haunting to rest before the secrets of the past drown them all."

This sounds like the type of haunting story that will stick with you, and I can't wait to have a chance to check it out!

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Women, Seated by Zhang Yueran, Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher, & Unseen by Ania Ahlborn, & The Faceless Thing We Adore by Hester Steel

 

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released

Women, Seated by Zhang Yueran, transl. Jeremy Tiang
Publication: August 12th, 2025
Riverhead Books
Hardcover. 208 pages.
Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:
"From the award-winning author, an enthralling novel about the unravelling lives of a nanny and the family she works for following the downfall of its patriarch, a prominent Chinese politician

Enter the world of an elite Chinese a life of luxury, limitless power, and around-the-clock service, which includes their trusted nanny Yu Ling. Slipping in and out of the shadows, careful to speak deferentially, meticulous in her care of their only son Kuan Kuan, Yu has served the family for years and knows their secrets. But little do they suspect that Yu has secrets of her own.

In the pressure-cooker political environment of China, the fates of even the most powerful families can reverse overnight. When Kuan Kuan’s father and grandfather are arrested and his socialite mother goes on the run, Yu is left behind to make a series of life-changing choices. Will she be able to outrun her own past, and how far will she go to claim what she considers her due?"

This sounds like something that I could absolutely devour, and I'm so eager to check it out! I always love reading new (to me) translated fiction as well, so I'm excited about that as well.

Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher

Publication: August 19th, 2025

Tor Books

Hardcover. 368 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes Hemlock & Silver, a dark reimagining of “Snow White” steeped in poison, intrigue, and treason of the most magical kind

Healer Anja regularly drinks poison.

Not to die, but to save—seeking cures for those everyone else has given up on.

But a summons from the King interrupts her quiet, herb-obsessed life. His daughter, Snow, is dying, and he hopes Anja’s unorthodox methods can save her.

Aided by a taciturn guard, a narcissistic cat, and a passion for the scientific method, Anja rushes to treat Snow, but nothing seems to work. That is, until she finds a secret world, hidden inside a magic mirror. This dark realm may hold the key to what is making Snow sick.

Or it might be the thing that kills them all."

It's new T. Kingfisher, of course I'm excited to read it!

The Unseen by Ania Alhborn
Publication: August 19th, 2025
Gallery Books
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:
"A terrifying new novel from bestselling #HorrorBookTok sensation Ania Ahlborn—the acclaimed author of the modern classic Brother.

Hailed as a writer of “some of the most promising horror I’ve encountered in years” (Seanan McGuire, author of the Ghost Roads series), Ania Ahlborn delivers a novel that pushes the boundaries of horror into a new realm.

Isla Hansen, a mother reeling from a devastating loss, is beside herself when a mysteriously orphaned child appears on the outskirts of the Hansens’ secluded Colorado property. Although strange and unexplainable, the child’s presence breathes new life into Isla. But as the child settles in, Isla’s husband, Luke, and their five children notice peculiarities that hint at something far beyond the ordinary—anomalies that challenge the very fabric of reality itself. The tension within the Hansen household grows, and with it, the sense that there is something very wrong with the new kid in the house.

The Unseen is a haunting tale that walks the line between the familiar and the unknown, drawing us into a chilling narrative where reality itself feels just out of reach."

I've heard some really great things about Ania Ahlborn, and it's just about time for horror (although, I say it's always time for some horror), so I'm curious to check this one out. 

The Faceless Thing We Adore by Hester Steel

Publication: August 5th, 2025

Page Street Horror

Hardcover. 416 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"It’s a tale as old as time: break up with your shitty boyfriend, travel to a foreign country to find yourself . . . end up in a sex-fueled commune worshiping an angry God. When Aoife stumbles across the Farmstead, she finds everything she’s been missing—a community that loves her, sexual freedom, a greater purpose. She could actually be happy here. . .

If it weren’t for the teenager they keep locked up in a cabin with no windows. Or the mysterious rot spreading through the farmland. Or that some of her new friends talk about their leader Jonah with more fear than love.

When the god wakes up and it all goes wrong, it’s only Aoife who has the power to choose what will become of their tiny reality. Awkward, clumsy Aoife, who was always told she was weak, and is just now realizing the depths of her strength—and the pleasures of her rage."

I usually like to throw in a nonfiction option on these posts, but since we are slowly entering the season for horror there are an abundance of new horror options, so I just had to share this last one here. What a premise and I have absolutely no idea what to expect, so I'm definitely intrigued!

Review: Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

 

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

Orbit

Publication Date: August 27th, 2024

Paperback. 464 pages.

About Long Live Evil:

"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."

Long Live Evil is a clever and entertaining twist on the epic fantasy with a portal fantasy style and where the protagonist takes on the role of the villain. Sarah Rees Brennan embraces and provides a self-aware take on stereotypical fantasy tropes, offering a fresh perspective highly entertaining story. 

Rae is dying in her hospital when she's met with a choice: continue on her current path or have a chance at life by entering the world of her favorite fantasy book and completing a specific quest. As one might expect, her grim reality was pushed aside and a trip to the fantasy world was in order. Once Rae is plopped into her new fantasy world, Rae discovers she's actually the villain of the story and must embrace her new role in order to outwit her opponents, forge alliances, and be clever enough-and more importantly, evil enough-to complete her quest.

Rae's is easily the highlight of this book as she embarks on this new journey, and I loved following along with her development. She is cynical and general resigned to her fate, but her sharp wit, dry humor, and sarcasm leave her with threads of defiance that prompt her to continue trying at every turn. Rae is someone with a bit of a hard outer shell who tends to keep things close to her chest, as well as someone who possesses plenty of anger at everything that's happened, and her journey throughout the book really allows her to explore her own emotions and undergo some great growth and development along the way. I felt that Rae's journey added some much-needed depth to the narrative and made this a much more compelling story.

There are a lot of other equally engaging characters in this book that made it that made it an even more enjoyable experience. I was particular taken by Key, Rae's (or rather, Lady Rahela, her villain counterpart) bodyguard of sorts, and was fully entertained by his somewhat psychopathic-leaning tendencies. Scenes with Key always made me laugh, even though he is technically not a great person. In addition to Key are a variety of different characters (including one known as Cobra who is a true delight to meet), from evil to 'good' to everything in between, and I had an incredible time meeting all of them. 

The self-awareness of Long Live Evil allows for clever engagement with traditional fantasy tropes, as Rae directly addresses them and often critiques them with sarcasm and often a good deal of exasperation. This 'meta-commentary' can feel overdone or overutilized at times, but overall it made for a really entertaining time and really lets us as readers feel like we're in on the joke. 

This book is well written, but I struggle with whether I think this is really a "good" book. I found the pacing was really hit and miss, often times going really quickly and other times it felt like we were just dragging along with a lot of extraneous content added in. Things are honestly a bit messy at times, but somehow it fit with the story so I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. I think the only way this book really works is because of the meta/self-aware aspect that makes it somewhat campy and therefore makes the sometimes weird or awkward dialogue and predictable story beats work. Without this, this book simply wouldn't work, and I think that's sort of what makes this such an entertaining and successful book, because Brennan hits those notes excellently. 

Overall, I've given Long Live Evil 3.75 stars! This is an excellent choice for readers who enjoy a campy, self-aware story with a focus on deconstructing fantasy tropes and plenty of laughs along the way. This is also a perfect book for anyone who loves villains and would love to follow someone along as they embrace their role as villain and have a lot of fun doing it. 

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

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Can't-Wait Wednesday: A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher & Mystery Lights by Lena Valencia

        

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.

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
Publication: August 6th, 2024
Tor Books
Hardcover. 336 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"A dark retelling of the Brothers Grimm's Goose Girl, rife with secrets, murder, and forbidden magic

Cordelia knows her mother is unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors between rooms, and her mother doesn't allow Cordelia to have a single friend—unless you count Falada, her mother's beautiful white horse. The only time Cordelia feels truly free is on her daily rides with him. But more than simple eccentricity sets her mother apart. Other mothers don’t force their daughters to be silent and motionless for hours, sometimes days, on end. Other mothers aren’t sorcerers.

After a suspicious death in their small town, Cordelia’s mother insists they leave in the middle of the night, riding away on Falada’s sturdy back, leaving behind all Cordelia has ever known. They arrive at the remote country manor of a wealthy older man, the Squire, and his unwed sister, Hester. Cordelia’s mother intends to lure the Squire into marriage, and Cordelia knows this can only be bad news for the bumbling gentleman and his kind, intelligent sister.

Hester sees the way Cordelia shrinks away from her mother, how the young girl sits eerily still at dinner every night. Hester knows that to save her brother from bewitchment and to rescue the terrified Cordelia, she will have to face down a wicked witch of the worst kind."

I’ll read anything T. Kingfisher puts out! I really love the premise for this one and have no doubt that it’s in good hands.

Mystery Lights by Lena Valencia
Publication: August 6th, 2024
Tin House Books
Paperback. 256 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Set against the stark background of the Southwestern desert, Lena Valencia’s Mystery Lights glows with the promise―and fear―of the world we know and the worlds we don’t, following women and girls as they navigate dangers both supernatural and existential.

An influencer attempts to derail a viral TV marketing campaign with her violent cult following. A marriage between two ghost hunters is threatened when one of them loses her ability to see spirits. The lives of a famous painter in the twilight of her career and a teenage UFO enthusiast converge when a mysterious glowing orb appears in their small desert town. And a slasher-flick screenwriter looking for inspiration escapes a pack of wild dogs only to find herself locked in an SUV with a strange man beside her. Set primarily in deserts throughout the American Southwest, Lena Valencia’s Mystery Lights is a debut collection of stories about women and girls at the crossroads of mundane daily life and existential dread.

From the all-too-real horror of a sexual predator on a college campus to a lost sister transformed by cave-dwelling creatures, Mystery Lights grapples with terrors both familiar and fantastic, introducing an electrifying new voice in contemporary fiction while bringing to light the many faces of the forces that haunt us."

This sounds like such an interesting horror collection and I am so excited to read it. I have an ARC that I’ve been holding onto, but I might just give in and read it soon!

Can''t-Wait Wednesday: Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward, Medusa's Sisters by Lauren J.A. Bear, & Mister Magic by Kiersten White

 

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:

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward
Publication: August 8th, 2023
Tor Nightfire
Hardcover. 352 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In a lonely cottage overlooking the windswept Maine coast, Wilder Harlow begins the last book he will ever write. It is the story of his childhood summer companions and the killer that stalked the small New England town. Of the body they found, and the horror of that discovery echoing down the decades. And of Sky, Wilder’s one-time best friend, who stole his unfinished memoir and turned it into a lurid bestselling novel, Looking Glass Sound.

But as Wilder writes, the lines between memory and fiction blur. He fears he’s losing his grip on reality when he finds notes hidden around the cottage written in Sky’s signature green ink.

Catriona Ward delivers another mind-bending and cleverly crafted tale about one man’s struggle to come to terms with the terrors of his past… before it’s too late."

I always enjoy checking out Catriona Ward's new books, and Looking Glass Sound seems like it'll be another weird (in a great way!) one. Can't wait to check this out!

Medusa's Sisters by Lauren J.A. Bear
Publication: August 8th, 2023
Ace
Hardcover. 368 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"The end of the story is only the beginning…

Even before they were transformed into Gorgons, Medusa and her sisters, Stheno and Euryale, were unique among immortals. Curious about mortals and their lives, Medusa and her sisters entered the human world in search of a place to belong, yet quickly found themselves at the perilous center of a dangerous Olympian rivalry and learned—too late—that a god's love is a violent one.

Forgotten by history and diminished by poets, the other two Gorgons have never been more than horrifying hags, damned and doomed. But they were sisters first, and their journey from sea-born origins to the outskirts of the Parthenon is a journey that rests, hidden, underneath their scales. Monsters, but not monstrous, Stheno and Euryale will step into the light for the first time to tell the story of how all three sisters lived and were changed by each other, as they struggle against the inherent conflict between sisterhood and individuality, myth and truth, vengeance and peace."

I really like this idea of exploring some stories about Medusa's sisters–I don't think I've seen anything with this premise before!

Mister Magic by Kiersten White
Publication: August 8th, 2023
Del Rey
Hardcover. 288 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children’s program Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members have done their best to move on. But just as generations of cultishly devoted fans still cling to the lessons they learned from the show, the cast, known as the Circle of Friends, have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. The friendship. The feeling of belonging. And the protection of Mister Magic.

But with no surviving video of the show, no evidence of who directed or produced it, and no records of who—or what—the beloved host actually was, memories are all the former Circle of Friends has.

Then a twist of fate brings the castmates back together at the remote desert filming compound that feels like it’s been waiting for them all this time. Even though they haven’t seen each other for years, they understand one another better than anyone has since.

After all, they’re the only ones who hold the secret of that circle, the mystery of the magic man in his infinitely black cape, and, maybe, the answers to what really happened on that deadly last day. But as the Circle of Friends reclaim parts of their past, they begin to wonder: Are they here by choice, or have they been lured into a trap?

Because magic never forgets the taste of your friendship. . . ."

I love the sound of this setup and am so curious to see what Kiersten White does with it. 

Can''t-Wait Wednesday: The Handyman Method by Nick Cutter, Andrew F. Sullivan, The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall, & Terrace Story by Hilary Leichter

 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:

The Handyman Method: A Story of Terror by Nick Cutter, Andrew F. Sullivan
Publication: August 8th, 2023
Gallery/Saga Press
Paperback. 304 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"A chilling domestic story of terror for fans of Black Mirror and The Amityville Horror.

When a young family moves into an unfinished development community, cracks begin to emerge in both their new residence and their lives, as a mysterious online DIY instructor delivers dark subliminal suggestions about how to handle any problem around the house. The trials of home improvement, destructive insecurities, and haunted house horror all collide in this thrilling story perfect for fans of Nick Cutter’s bestsellers The Troop and The Deep."

I've still yet to read anything from Nick Cutter or Andrew F. Sullivan yet and I'm absolutely loving the sound of this horror.  I've put in my requests for it, so fingers crossed I get a chance to read it soon!

The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall
Publication: August 1st, 2023
Viking Books for Young Readers
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Everyone has heard the story of the Narrow. The river that runs behind the Atwood School is only a few feet across and seemingly placid, but beneath the surface, the waters are deep and vicious. It’s said that no one who has fallen in has ever survived.

Eden White knows that isn’t true. Six years ago, she saw Delphine Fournier fall into the Narrow—and live.

Delphine now lives in careful isolation, sealed off from the world. Even a single drop of unpurified water could be deadly to her, and no one but Eden has any idea why. Eden has never told anyone what she saw or spoken to Delphine since, but now, unable to cover her tuition, she has to make a her expenses will be paid in return for serving as a live-in companion to Delphine.

Eden finds herself drawn to the strange and mysterious girl, and the two of them begin to unravel each other’s secrets. Then Eden discovers what happened to the last girl who lived with she was found half-drowned on dry land. Suddenly Eden is waking up to wet footprints tracking to the end of her bed, the sound of rain on the windows when the skies are clear, and a ghostly silhouette in her doorway. Something is haunting Delphine—and now it’s coming for Eden, too.

Everything about this premise grabs me and I love how many unique elements this book sounds like it will have. 

Terrace Story by Hilary Leichter
Publication: August 29th, 2023
Ecco
Hardcover. 208 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Annie, Edward, and their young daughter, Rose, live in a cramped apartment. One night, without warning, they find a beautiful terrace hidden in their closet. It wasn't there before, and it seems to only appear when their friend Stephanie visits. A city dweller's dream come true! But every extra bit of space has a hidden cost, and the terrace sets off a seismic chain of events, forever changing the shape of their tiny home, and the shape of the world.

Terrace Story follows the characters who suffer these repercussions and reverberations: the little family of three, their future now deeply uncertain, and those who orbit their fragile universe. The distance and love between these characters expands limitlessly, across generations. How far can the mind travel when it's looking for something that is gone? Where do we put our loneliness, longing, and desire? What do we do with the emotions that seem to stretch beyond the body, beyond the boundaries of life and death?

Based on the National Magazine Award-winning story, Hilary Leichter's profound second novel asks how we nurture love when death looms over every moment. From one of our most innovative and daring writers, Terrace Story is an astounding meditation on loss, a reverie about extinction, and a map for where to go next."

This premise sounds fascinating and I'm so curious to see how this author executes it!

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Whalefall by Daniel Kraus, My Name is Iris by Brando Skyhorse, & The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang

 

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:

Whalefall by Daniel Kraus
Publication: August 8th, 2023
MTV Books
Hardcover. 336 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Whalefall is a scientifically accurate thriller about a scuba diver who’s been swallowed by an eighty-foot, sixty-ton sperm whale and has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out.

Jay Gardiner has given himself a fool’s errand—to find the remains of his deceased father in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Monastery Beach. He knows it’s a long shot, but Jay feels it’s the only way for him to lift the weight of guilt he has carried since his dad’s death by suicide the previous year.

The dive begins well enough, but the sudden appearance of a giant squid puts Jay in very real jeopardy, made infinitely worse by the arrival of a sperm whale looking to feed. Suddenly, Jay is caught in the squid’s tentacles and drawn into the whale’s mouth where he is pulled into the first of its four stomachs. He quickly realizes he has only one hour before his oxygen tanks run out—one hour to defeat his demons and escape the belly of a whale."

How incredibly weird and awesome and kinda creepy does this sound? I definitely need to read this.

My Name is Iris by Brando Skyhorse
Publication: August 1st, 2023
Avid Reader Press
Hardcover. 272 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Iris Prince is starting over. After years of drifting apart, she and her husband are going through a surprisingly drama-free divorce. She's moved to a new house in a new neighborhood, and has plans for gardening, coffee clubs, and spending more time with her nine-year-old daughter Melanie. It feels like her life is finally exactly what she wants it to be.

Then, one beautiful morning, she looks outside her kitchen window—and sees that a wall has appeared in her front yard overnight. Where did it come from? What does it mean? And why does it seem to keep growing?

Meanwhile, a Silicon Valley startup has launched a high-tech wrist wearable called "the Band." Pitched as a convenient, eco-friendly tool to help track local utilities and replace driver's licenses and IDs, the Band is available only to those who can prove parental citizenship. Suddenly, Iris, a proud second-generation Mexican-American, is now of "unverifiable origin," unable to prove who she is, or where she, and her undocumented loved ones, belong. Amid a climate of fear and hate-fueled violence, Iris must confront how far she'll go to protect what matters to her most."

I just started an ARC of this and I can't wait to get deeper into it and see how it all goes. This sounds right up my alley!

The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang
Publication: August 22nd, 2023
Tor Books
Hardcover. 496 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In the jianghu, you break the law to make it your own.

Lin Chong is an expert arms instructor, training the Emperor's soldiers in sword and truncheon, battle axe and spear, lance and crossbow. Unlike bolder friends who flirt with challenging the unequal hierarchies and values of Imperial society, she believes in keeping her head down and doing her job.

Until a powerful man with a vendetta rips that carefully-built life away.

Disgraced, tattooed as a criminal, and on the run from an Imperial Marshall who will stop at nothing to see her dead, Lin Chong is recruited by the Bandits of Liangshan. Mountain outlaws on the margins of society, the Liangshan Bandits proclaim a belief in justice—for women, for the downtrodden, for progressive thinkers a corrupt Empire would imprison or destroy. They’re also murderers, thieves, smugglers, and cutthroats.

Apart, they love like demons and fight like tigers. Together, they could bring down an empire."

I love the sound of this fantasy, and how incredible is that cover!?