Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem, The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James, & House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A. Craig

  

 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 Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem
Publication: July 18th, 2023
Orbit
Paperback. 523 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In this Egyptian-inspired debut fantasy, a fugitive queen strikes a deadly bargain with her greatest enemy and finds herself embroiled in a complex game that could resurrect her scorched kingdom or leave it in ashes forever.

Ten years ago, the kingdom of Jasad burned. Its magic outlawed; its royal family murdered down to the last child. At least, that’s what Sylvia wants people to believe.

The lost Heir of Jasad, Sylvia never wants to be found. She can’t think about how Nizahl’s armies laid waste to her kingdom and continue to hunt its people—not if she wants to stay alive. But when Arin, the Nizahl Heir, tracks a group of Jasadi rebels to her village, staying one step ahead of death gets trickier.

In a moment of anger Sylvia’s magic is exposed, capturing Arin’s attention. Now, to save her life, Sylvia will have to make a deal with her greatest enemy. If she helps him lure the rebels, she’ll escape persecution.

A deadly game begins. Sylvia can’t let Arin discover her identity even as hatred shifts into something more. Soon, Sylvia will have to choose between the life she wants and the one she left behind. The scorched kingdom is rising, and it needs a queen."

An Egyptian-inspired fantasy sounds incredible and I'm really excited for another debut fantasy from new authors!

The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James
Publication: July 25th, 2023
John Scognamiglio Book
Paperback. 304 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In this beguiling midcentury historical fiction novel set in 1960s Italy, an ambitious American actress and single mother snags the starring role in a mysterious horror movie shooting on location in a crumbling medieval castle outside Rome...

Readers who enjoy the moody gothic allure of Kate Morton and Silvia Moreno-Garcia or the immersive settings of Lucinda Riley and Fiona Davis will be enthralled by Kelsey James' spellbinding web of intriguing mystery, family secrets, forbidden love, and midcentury Italian flair.

Rome, 1965: Aspiring actress Silvia Whitford arrives at Rome's famed Cinecitt Studios from Los Angeles, ready for her big break and a taste of la dolce vita. Instead, she learns that the movie in which she was cast has been canceled. Desperate for money, Silvia has only one choice: seek out the Italian aunt she has never met.

Gabriella Conti lives in a crumbling castello on the edge of a volcanic lake. Silvia's mother refuses to explain the rift that drove the sisters apart, but Silvia is fascinated by Gabriella, a once-famous actress who still radiates charisma. And the eerie castle inspires Silvia's second chance when it becomes the location for a new horror movie, aptly named The Revenge of the Lake Witch--and she lands a starring role.

Silvia immerses herself in the part of an ingenue tormented by the ghost of her beautiful, seductive ancestor. But when Gabriella abruptly vanishes, the movie's make-believe terrors seep into reality. No one else on set seems to share Silvia's suspicions. Yet as she delves into Gabriella's disappearance, she triggers a chain of events that illuminate dark secrets in the past--and a growing menace in the present . . ."

The premise for this one has absolutely grabbed me and I can't wait to dive into an ARC of this one! I love how mysterious this sounds. 

House of Roots and Ruin (Sisters of the Salt #2) by Erin A. Craig
Publication: July 25th, 2023
Delacorte Press
Hardcover. 544 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In a manor by the sea, one sister is still cursed.

Despite dreams of adventures far beyond the Salann shores, seventeen-year-old Verity Thaumas has remained at her family’s estate, Highmoor, with her older sister Camille, while their sisters have scattered across Arcannia.

When their sister Mercy sends word that the Duchess of Bloem—wife of a celebrated botanist—is interested in having Verity paint a portrait of her son, Alexander, Verity jumps at the chance, but Camille won’t allow it. Forced to reveal the secret she’s kept for years, Camille tells Verity the truth one day: Verity is still seeing ghosts, she just doesn’t know it.

Stunned, Verity flees Highmoor that night and—with nowhere else to turn—makes her way to Bloem. At first, she is captivated by the lush, luxurious landscape and is quickly drawn to charming, witty, and impossibly handsome Alexander Laurent. And soon, to her surprise, a romance . . . blossoms.

But it’s not long before Verity is plagued with nightmares, and the darker side of Bloem begins to show through its sickly-sweet façade. . . ."

I really adored House of Salt and Sorrows when I read it a number of years ago so I was really surprised and excited to see there was a sequel coming out! I really don't remember all that much from the first book, so maybe I'll have to do a re-read before getting to this one. 

Anticipated July 2023 Releases!

  

Another month, more amazing releases! This year has just been packed with incredible new books, and July is not going to disappoint. I've had the chance to read a number of ARCs from July already and I am so excited to see them all released. I'm currently reading The Sun and the Void and I am loving it so far. I doubt I'll ever catch up on all my ARCs and new releases, but I'm going to try my best. :) What books are you all most excited for in July?

The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz  || July 25th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Beast You Are by Paul Tremblay  || July 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Carnivale of Curiosities by Amiee Gibbs  || July 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Militia House by John Milas  || July 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei  || July 18th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Horses of Fire by A.D. Rhine  || July 25th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec  || July 25th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem  || July 18th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera  || July 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Sea Elephants by Shastri Akella  || July 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia  || July 18th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A. Craig  || July 25th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa  || July 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle  || July 18th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

St. Ambrose School for Girls by Jessica Ward  || July 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James  || July 25th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Alchemy of a Blackbird by Claire McMillan  || July 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Bones of the Story by Carol Goodman  || July 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Silence for the Dead by Simone St. James  || July 4th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates  || July 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter  || July 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington || July 25th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

What are your anticipated July releases?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz, Horses of Fire by A.D. Rhine, & The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera

     

 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 Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero-Lacruz
Publication: July 25th, 2023
Orbit
Paperback. 511 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In a lush world inspired by the history and folklore of South America, a sweeping epic fantasy of colonialism, ancient magic, and two young women's quest for belonging unfolds.

Reina is desperate.

Stuck living on the edges of society, her only salvation lies in an invitation from a grandmother she’s never known. But the journey is dangerous, and prayer can’t always avert disaster.

Attacked by creatures that stalk the region, Reina is on the verge of death until her grandmother, a dark sorceress, intervenes. Now dependent on the Doña’s magic for her life, Reina will do anything to earn—and keep—her favor. Even the bidding of an ancient god who whispers to her at night.

Eva Kesare is unwanted.

Illegitimate and of mixed heritage, Eva is her family’s shame. She tries her best to be perfect and to hide her oddities. But Eva is hiding a secret: magic calls to her. Eva knows she should fight the temptation. Magic is the sign of the dark god, and using it is punishable by death. Yet, it’s hard to deny power when it has always been denied to you.

Eva is walking a dangerous path, one that gets stranger every day. And, in the end, she’ll become something she never imagined."

Isn't that cover gorgeous!? I am also so excited about this South American folklore-inspired setting and think this entire premise sounds like it'll make for an incredible new fantasy.

Horses of Fire by A.D. Rhine
Publication: July 25th, 2023
Dutton Books
Paperback. 528 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"I know the stories they will tell. I've heard the echoes of their songs--songs that will outlive us all. But this song is not theirs. It is mine.

Behind the timeless tale you know is the captivating story you never heard: a sweeping epic in which Troy's strong, yet misunderstood women take center stage in the most famous war in history.

Andromache is cast as the doting wife of Prince Hector, yet her Amazon warrior name means "battler of men." The only one with the cunning to outwit the invading Greeks, she must gather a band of outcasts and become the military commander she was born to be before the life she and Hector have built is reduced to ashes. Rhea is a war refugee and a horse whisperer who finally earns a place and sense of belonging in Hector's stables. To save her new home, she must become an unlikely spy and face down a forbidden love that will test all her loyalties. Helen is blamed by all for starting the Trojan War, but no one knows her real story. To escape her tormentor and foil a plot to undermine Hector, Helen must risk everything by revealing her true face to the one who despises her most.

Set in the wider landscape of the late Bronze Age collapse, this realistic and immersive Troy is a perilous battleground for warriors and politicians alike, not a playground where the fate of men and women make sport for gods and goddesses. It's a harrowing novel of palace intrigue, the transcendent bond of female friendship, and the everyday bravery of invisible heroes in times of war.

The women of Troy are threads spinning on a single loom. Can they reweave the tapestry of fate?"

Do we really need more stories focused on the women of Troy? The answer is yes. I love the sound of this one and can't wait to see A.D. Rhine's take on this!

The Sint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera
Publication: July 11th, 2023
Tordotcom
Hardcover. 368 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"The Saint of Bright Doors sets the high drama of divine revolutionaries and transcendent cults against the mundane struggles of modern life, resulting in a novel that is revelatory and resonant.

Fetter was raised to kill, honed as a knife to cut down his sainted father. This gave him plenty to talk about in therapy.

He walked among invisible devils and anti-gods that mock the mortal form. He learned a lethal catechism, lost his shadow, and gained a habit for secrecy. After a blood-soaked childhood, Fetter escaped his rural hometown for the big city, and fell into a broader world where divine destinies are a dime a dozen.

Everything in Luriat is more than it seems. Group therapy is recruitment for a revolutionary cadre. Junk email hints at the arrival of a god. Every door is laden with potential, and once closed may never open again. The city is scattered with Bright Doors, looming portals through which a cold wind blows. In this unknowable metropolis, Fetter will discover what kind of man he is, and his discovery will rewrite the world."

I've had an ARC of this sitting around for a while now because I've been waiting til closer to its release, but my curiosity is getting far too high for me to wait much longer. This sounds like a really unique story and I have no idea what to expect from it. 

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Beast You Are by Paul Tremblay, The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec, & The Sea Elephants by Shastri Akella

    

 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 Beast You Are: Stories by Paul Tremblay
Publication: July 11th, 2023
William Morrow
Hardcover. 352 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Paul Tremblay has won widespread acclaim for illuminating the dark horrors of the mind in novels and stories that push the boundaries of storytelling itself. The fifteen pieces in this brilliant collection, The Beast You Are, are all monsters of a kind, ready to loudly (and lovingly) smash through your head and into your heart.

In "The Dead Thing," a middle-schooler struggles to deal with the aftermath of her parents' substance addictions and split. One day, her little brother claims he found a shoebox with "the dead thing" inside. He won't show it to her and he won't let the box out of his sight.In "The Last Conversation," a person wakes in a sterile, white room and begins to receive instructions via intercom from a woman named Anne. When they are finally allowed to leave the room to complete a task, what they find is as shocking as it is heartbreaking.

The title novella, "The Beast You Are," is a mini epic in which the destinies and secrets of a village, a dog, and a cat are intertwined with a giant monster that returns to wreak havoc every thirty years.

A masterpiece of literary horror and psychological suspense, The Beast You Are is a fearlessly imagined collection from one of the most electrifying and innovative writers working today."

I've enjoyed a number of Paul Tremblay's books in the past, so I'm intrigued by a short story collection from him! These sound like they'll be quite a ride. 

The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec
Publication: July 25th, 2023
Ace
Hardcover. 368 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"The lives of two women—one desperate only to save her missing sister, the other a witch destined to become queen of Norway—intertwine in this spellbinding, powerful novel of Viking Age history and myth from the acclaimed author of The Witch’s Heart.

Oddny and Gunnhild meet as children in tenth century Norway, and they could not be more different: Oddny hopes for a quiet life, while Gunnhild burns for power and longs to escape her cruel mother. But after a visiting wisewoman makes an ominous prophecy that involves Oddny, her sister Signy, and Gunnhild, the three girls take a blood oath to help one another always.

When Oddny’s farm is destroyed and Signy is kidnapped by Viking raiders, Oddny is set adrift from the life she imagined—but she's determined to save her sister no matter the cost, even as she finds herself irresistibly drawn to one of the raiders who participated in the attack. And in the far north, Gunnhild, who fled her home years ago to learn the ways of a witch, is surprised to find her destiny seems to be linked with that of the formidable King Eirik, heir apparent to the ruler of all Norway.

But the bonds—both enchanted and emotional—that hold the two women together are strong, and when they find their way back to each other, these bonds will be tested in ways they never could have foreseen in this deeply moving novel of magic, history, and sworn sisterhood."

I adored Gornichec's The Witch's Heart and have no doubt that this is going to be just as beautifully written. I have been a little burnt out on Norse-related stories lately, but I think this one will hit the spot anyway!

The Sea Elephants by Shastri Akella
Publication: July 11th, 2023
Flatiron Books
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"For fans of Shuggie Bain and A Burning, a queer coming-of-age novel set in 1990s India, about a young man who joins a traveling theater troupe

Shagun knows he will never be the kind of son his father demands. After the sudden deaths of his beloved twin sisters, Shagun flees his own guilt, his mother’s grief, and his father’s violent disapproval by enrolling at an all-boys boarding school. But he doesn’t find true belonging until he encounters a traveling theater troupe performing the Hindu myths of his childhood.

Welcomed by the other storytellers, Shagun thrives, easily embodying mortals and gods, men and women, and living on the road, where his father can’t catch him. When Shagun meets Marc, a charming photographer, he seems to have found the love he always longed for, too. But not even Marc can save him from his lingering shame, nor his father’s ever-present threat to send him to a conversion center. As Shagun’s past begins to engulf him once again, he must decide if he is strong enough to face what he fears most, and to boldly claim his own happiness.

Utterly immersive and spellbinding, The Sea Elephants is both dark and beautiful, harrowing and triumphant. An ode to the redemptive joys of art, Shastri Akella’s debut novel is a celebration of hard-won love—of others and for ourselves."

This premise sounds like a wonderful mix of all the things I love. I can't wait to have a chance to read it!

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Carnivale of Curiosities by Amiee Gibbs, The Militia House by John Milas, & The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei

   

 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 Carnivale of Curiosities by Amiee Gibbs
Publication: July 11th, 2023
Grand Central Publishing
Paperback. 448 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In Victorian London, where traveling sideshows are the very pinnacle of entertainment, there is no more coveted ticket than Ashe and Pretorius' Carnivale of Curiosities. Each performance is a limited engagement, and London's elite boldly dare the dangerous streets of Southwark to witness the Carnivale's astounding assemblage of marvels. For a select few, however, the real show begins behind the curtain. Rumors abound that the show’s proprietor, Aurelius Ashe, is more than an average magician. It's said that for the right price, he can make any wish come true. No one knows the truth of this claim better than Lucien the Lucifer, the Carnivale's star attraction. Born with the ability to create fire, he's dazzled spectators since he was a boy.

When Odilon Rose, one of the most notorious men in London, comes calling with a proposition regarding his young and beautiful charge, Charlotte, Ashe is tempted to refuse. After revealing, however, that Rose holds a secret that threatens the security of the troupe's most vulnerable members, Ashe has no choice but to sign an insidious contract.

The stakes grow higher as Lucien finds himself drawn to Charlotte and her to him, an attraction that spurs a perilous course of events. Grave secrets, recovered horrors, and what it means to be family come to a head in this vividly imagined spectacle—with the lives of all those involved suspended in the balance."

As we know, I'm always down for a good circus book, and this one sounds like it will be packed with all sorts of intrigues and drama and hopefully a bit of darkness. I can't wait to check it out!

The Militia House by John Milas
Publication: July 11th, 2023
Henry Holt and Co. 
Hardcover. 272 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Stephen King meets Tim O’Brien in John Milas’s The Militia House, a spine-tingling and boldly original gothic horror novel.

It’s 2010, and the recently promoted Corporal Loyette and his unit are finishing up their deployment at a new base in Kajaki, Afghanistan. Their duties here are straightforward―loading and unloading cargo into and out of helicopters―and their days are a mix of boredom and dread. The Brits they’re replacing delight in telling them the history of the old barracks just off base, a Soviet-era militia house they claim is haunted, and Loyette and his men don’t need much convincing to make a clandestine trip outside the wire to explore it.

It’s a short, middle-of-the-day adventure, but the men experience a mounting agitation after their visit to the militia house. In the days that follow they try to forget about the strange, unsettling sights and sounds from the house, but things are increasingly . . . not right. Loyette becomes determined to ignore his and his marines’ growing unease, convinced that it’s just the strain of war playing tricks on them. But something about the militia house will not let them go.

Meticulously plotted and viscerally immediate in its telling, The Militia House is a gripping and brilliant exploration of the unceasing horrors of war that’s no more easily shaken than the militia house itself."

This sounds so original and weird and leaves me with no idea what to expect from it. I've just discovered it's on NetGalley so fingers crossed I get a chance to read it!

The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei
Publication: July 18th, 2023
Flatiron Books
Hardcover. 416 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"TYume Kitasei's The Deep Sky is an enthralling sci fi thriller debut about a mission into deep space that begins with a lethal explosion that leaves the survivors questioning the loyalty of the crew.

They left Earth to save humanity. They’ll have to save themselves first.

It is the eve of Earth’s environmental collapse. A single ship carries humanity’s last hope: eighty elite graduates of a competitive program, who will give birth to a generation of children in deep space. But halfway to a distant but livable planet, a lethal bomb kills three of the crew and knocks The Phoenix off course.

Asuka, the only surviving witness, is an immediate suspect. Asuka already felt like an impostor before the explosion. She was the last picked for the mission, she struggled during training back on Earth, and she was chosen to represent Japan, a country she only partly knows as a half-Japanese girl raised in America. But estranged from her mother back home, The Phoenix is all she has left.

With the crew turning on each other, Asuka is determined to find the culprit before they all lose faith in the mission—or worse, the bomber strikes again."

The cover is really what first grabbed me about this book, but the premise is what kept me around! I love a deep space thriller, so this sounds right up my alley.