Happy release day to Kill the Beast, the debut novel by Serra Swift! This was one of my most anticipated books this fall, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint! Thirteen years after a horrible beast killed her brother, Lyssa has made a career of slaying evil fairy creatures. But her ultimate goal... Continue Reading →
Happy rerelease to Hollow by Karina Halle! First published two years ago, it has just been republished with a gorgeous new cover. Hollow is the first half of A Gothic Shade of Romance duology; the second part, Legend, comes out in December. Hollow is a retelling of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving.... Continue Reading →
I loved Chelsea Abdullah's debut novel, The Stardust Thief, the first in her Sandsea Trilogy. That one ended on quite the cliffhanger! This year book two came out: The Ashfire King. Here, Loulie and Mazen are navigating the realm of djinn underground, with a mission of breaking several bindings before the whole world crumbles. Meanwhile,... Continue Reading →
Last week Rosália Rodrigo released her exciting historical fantasy, Beasts of Carnaval. Rooted in Caribbean (especially Puerto Rican) history and culture, this novel follows Sofía as she searches for her missing twin brother Sol in el Carnaval de Bestias. But there's something very disorienting about her travels, and soon she's not entirely sure what she's... Continue Reading →
I said earlier this year that I'm in my mermaid era, so it's no surprise that Venessa Vida Kelley's debut novel, When the Tides Held the Moon, was high on my list of new releases. Set in 1911 on Coney Island, it showcases a cast of characters who perform in Morgan's Menagerie of Human Oddities.... Continue Reading →
Next week, V. E. Schwab will release her highly anticipated new novel, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil. Divided between three timelines—1520s and 1530s in Spain; 1827 in London; 2019 in Boston—it follows three young women craving something more in life. But there's a price to pay when seeking freedom and answers. Though I've... Continue Reading →
My most anticipated book this week was Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods. If the title and cover aren't already enough to entice you, here's more: Unfolding like a fairytale, this novel is set in 1750s France, where Luce, adopted as an orphan, has always felt loved but like something is missing. She longs... Continue Reading →
Last year I absolutely loved The Pomegranate Gate, the first in Ariel Kaplan's Mirror Realm Cycle trilogy. Set during the Spanish Inquisition but in a differently named world and a whole Mazik realm, it was a book that was a little bonkers and a ton of fun. Now, the second installment is here: The Republic... Continue Reading →
I didn't know what to expect going into A Song to Drown Rivers, the adult debut from Ann Liang. It's a retelling of the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, though I was not familiar with that legend. This book has also been labeled as fantasy, though I would... Continue Reading →
Two years ago, I really enjoyed Vaishnavi Patel's debut novel, Kaikeyi, so I was excited to read her newest release, Goddess of the River. Also inspired by Hindu mythology, this one reimagines the story of the goddess Ganga, specifically her role in the Mahabharata. Special thanks to Redhook and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of... Continue Reading →
Several months ago, before the cover had even been unveiled, I was intrigued about The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang. Spanning three disparate timelines, spotlighting gay Chinese men, and infusing it all with a theme of rebirth and fate, this is a fantasy debut I knew could not be missed. Special thanks... Continue Reading →
Between her first two novels, I’ve become a big fan of Yangsze Choo. Now she’s back with her third novel, The Fox Wife, and I was thrilled to get an early read of it. Like her previous two books, this one combines historical fiction, fantasy, and mystery together, along with Asian settings and mythologies. This... Continue Reading →
Although I had November reading plans lined up, all that got derailed when I saw this month's Amazon First Reads selections. Salt & Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher was compared to one of my favorite novels, Jane Eyre, and I was helpless to resist. And after having some health issues lately, I was in need... Continue Reading →
This month I've been all about reading books involving vampires. My final vampiric novel is one I've had on my shelf for a couple of years: The Lights of Prague by Nicole Jarvis. I picked this up when it first came out, in part because of its eye-catching cover, and partly because I'm interested in... Continue Reading →
One of the books I was most excited for this year is Scarlet by Genevieve Cogman. It's the first in her Scarlet Revolution trilogy, a retelling of The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy. This novel has 1790s France (vive la révolution!), secret missions, vampires, and adventure—perfect if you want a fast-paced historical fantasy to sink... Continue Reading →
Though I don’t read much YA anymore, one author I’ve enjoyed is Isabel Ibañez. Her third novel, Together We Burn, came out last year, and I’ve been eager to get to it. Set in a Spain-inspired world, it follows a flamenco dancer who must learn to fight dragons in order to save her family home. ... Continue Reading →
I’m not alone in saying that Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite classic novels, and I’m always happy to see new retellings of it. One that I’ve greatly been looking forward to is The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melinda Taub. As the title suggests, this novel focuses on the wild,... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books this fall has been The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan, the first in her Mirror Realm Cycle trilogy. Set during the Spanish Inquisition, it exists in a realistic world not unlike the one we know… plus a fantasy world that mirrors it. It’s inspired by Jewish folklore and combines... Continue Reading →
Last year I enjoyed T. Kingfisher’s novella, What Moves the Dead. It was my first time reading her, and I’ve been eager to explore more of her writing. Her newest novella is Thornhedge, a take on a classic fairy tale, but flipped on its head. I liked this book even more, and it is definitely... Continue Reading →
For the last couple of years, one of the books that's been highest up on my TBR has been The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec. With her second novel, The Weaver and the Witch Queen, coming out imminently (July 25th, to be exact!), I decided that it was officially time to read her debut. Though... Continue Reading →
A new book I was greatly looking forward to this month was Maddalena and the Dark by Julia Fine. Set in Venice in 1717, it follows two teenage girls attending the Ospedale della Pietà, learning to play their instruments and even get training from Antonio Vivaldi. But there's also a dark magic lurking in the... Continue Reading →
For the past two years, I've been itching to read She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. Finally, I decided to listen to the audiobook version a few weeks ago, partially in honor of AAPI Month. Set in 1345, it fictionalizes the rise of Emperor Zhu Chongba and the start of the Ming Dynasty.... Continue Reading →
A fantasy book I was super excited for last year was The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah. Her debut novel, it's also the first in the Sandsea Trilogy. In all honesty, I was first drawn to the cover and the Aladdin vibes I got from it. Even so, this book is all its own, an... Continue Reading →
Last year, I fell in love with Zoraida Córdova's writing, reading three of her novels back-to-back in an August whirlwind. I was excited when she released a new anthology of short stories, Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms & Space. Zoraida Córdova edited the anthology, which also features stories from other young adult latine... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 