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 →
For months I've been anticipating Clarence A. Haynes's adult debut, The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery. This is one of those books that plays like a movie, with high action and plenty of other-worldly intrigue to hold your interest from start to finish. Set in present-day New York City, it follows Gwendolyn, an overworked but effective... Continue Reading →
Tomorrow is the release day for one of my most anticipated books this year, Behooved by M. Stevenson. This debut romantasy novel is for the horse lovers out there. When Bianca is sent to marry the neighboring kingdom's heir apparent, Aric, she doesn't expect to turn her new husband into a horse on their wedding... Continue Reading →
Two years after releasing her first novel, Emilia Hart is back with her second book, The Sirens. Set mainly in Australia in alternating timelines between 1800, 1999, and 2019, it follows pairs of sisters grappling with what makes them different and the otherworldly rumors surrounding their communities. Why I Chose This Book: Though I haven't... Continue Reading →
One month ago, Jude Deveraux released Order of Swans, the first in her Blue Swan duology. This blend of fantasy and sci-fi follows Kaley, a PhD student devoted to folklore, who gets sucked into a real-life fairy tale... on another planet. She and two companions (Tanek and Sojee) are on a mission to find a... 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 →
In the past few years, Sue Lynn Tan has been known for her popular YA duology, the Celestial Kingdom. (There's also a short story collection that's part of it.) Now, the author marks her adult debut with Immortal. It's set in the same world as the Celestial Kingdom books, but completely stands on its own.... 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 →
Today Raquel Vasquez Gilliland releases her second Wild Magic novel, Lightning in Her Hands. This book follows middle sister Teal, a volatile woman whose gift is changing the weather according to her moods. But she was four when her mother abandoned the family, taking a piece of Teal's magic with her; Teal has never had... Continue Reading →
Tomorrow Raquel Vasquez Gilliland releases her second Wild Magic book, of which I have an ARC... but I hadn't yet read the first installment! Witch of Wild Things had been on my TBR since it came out last year, and I'm glad I read it first. In Witch of Wild Things, Sage is back home... 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 →
A few years ago, I absolutely loved Constance Sayers’s debut novel, A Witch in Time. Now she’s back with her third release, The Star and the Strange Moon. Like her previous work, this one combines fantasy and horror seamlessly. It’s about a 1960s actress who goes missing, the cult horror film left behind and the... Continue Reading →
I’m officially in my paranormal romance era! And my pirates era, too? For months, I’ve been intrigued about Hunt on Dark Waters, the first in Katee Robert’s Crimson Sails series. Equal parts romance and fantasy, it’s set in the magical sea realm of Threshold, connecting many other realms, including one just like our own. It... 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 →
By now, Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an author I fully trust, no matter the genre or subject matter. Her latest release is a short story called The Lover, part of the Amazon Original Stories collection. It comes out on November 1st, but I was able to get it as part of the Amazon First Reads program... 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 →
A few years ago, I loved Alix E. Harrow’s debut novel, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, and I’ve been eager to read more from her since. Now she has an incredible new novel out: Starling House. A gothic tale of creepy houses, its wardens, and the desperation of those in the area, this is... 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 →
