Review: The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz

   

The Sun and the Void (The Warring Gods #1) by Gabriela Romero Lacruz

Orbit
Publication Date: July 25th, 2023

Paperback. 511 pages.

About The Sun and the Void:

"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."

The Sun and the Void is a story with a strong premise and start, but excessive amounts of dense info-dumping and a struggling storyline prevented the story from becoming something a bit more special for me. This book was very hit and miss for me at various points of the story. I really wanted to love this book and still think it's a very solid fantasy, but unfortunately it just wasn't executed as well as I'd like it to have been. 

The premise of The Sun and the Void is fascinating and follows protagonists Reina and Eva, two women living very different lives in very different places–though they aren't without their similarities, as both have trains of races that are deemed unacceptable in their current societies. We are introduced to a world in which certain races of people are slowly being eradicated to varying extents in different locations, and we get a glimpse into how both Reina and Eva are treated in their own societies. Reina is drawn into working with her grandmother on a task that centers on some fairly dark tasks, while Eva is forced to determine how to balance her interest in magic with the fact that magic is publicly denounced where she lives. 

The story follows a split narrative between Reina and Eva, and I'll admit that I sometimes struggled to tell these two apart based on their individual voices alone. I really liked getting to follow Reina in particular on her journey because she goes through some fairly intense experiences in this book, and I found Eva also compelling in how she was learning to navigate her own struggles. Despite this interest, that was pretty much where a lot of my curiosity about these characters ended, as I didn't find myself all that invested in their storylines overall and honestly found them both slightly grating by the end of the book. 

I struggled a lot with the plotting in this book, and I think it's largely because there seemed to be a lot of world-building and backstories and additional information that the author wanted to input into the story and the plot as it stood just did not hold up to that much detail and complexity. The plotting also felt a little up and down in terms of consistency and importance, and it felt as though there were often a lot of different questions or plot points mentioned that didn't really end up having a satisfying execution or conclusion to fully answer those. Since this is the start of a series, I'm sure some of this could be addressed in later books, but it still just didn't quite work for me in this book. 

Because of these plotting issues, I found the pacing quite inconsistent as well. The story started off strong with exciting introductions to both Reina and Eva and I found myself excited to see how the story would continue. Unfortunately, these exciting starts were quickly brought to a halt as the pacing slowed and almost ground to a halt as things were slowly explained to readers and the overall plot of the story had to be introduced. There would be moments throughout the book where I found myself actively engaged and looking forward to what was next, but these were almost as constant as the times when I found myself having to push myself through the book when I was starting to lose interest in slower-paced moments. It felt like there was a lot of filler and scenes that could have been edited out. 

As I've mentioned, there was a lot of world-building and background that was presented in this story, and while this had the potential to create a really lush and vivid world, something about it felt just a bit too overdone and forced to where it didn't feel like it worked cohesively with the rest of the story. I wanted to really love this world and fall into the extensive lore the author has created, but I just couldn't ever get into it because of how disconnected it all felt. It was a little frustrating since I found the setting itself really interesting and did want to know more about this world, but the execution of it just didn't seem to work out for me. I also felt like the magic system could have been developed slightly more, but that is something that I would honestly expect to have an even stronger in future books. 

Lastly, I just want to mention that despite all of the issues I had with The Sun and the Void, I did really enjoy the author's writing style and think that there is a lot of potential for growth with her work. Some of the excessive world-building or descriptions may. not have worked for the pacing of the story, but they were still well-written and had a distinct style to them that I could see working well for other stories by this author in the future. 

Overall, I've given The Sun and the Void three stars. This is a really solid fantasy for anyone who enjoys some in-depth backgrounds and compelling overall storyline, but I didn't really connect with it all that well myself.  I will probably check out the sequel to see if any of the issues I had with this book are resolved int he next one, and I'd certainly be curious about any other future books from Gabriela Romero Lacruz as well. 

*I received a copy of The Sun and the Void courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Review: Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

  

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

Tor Nightfire
Publication Date: July 18th, 2023

Hardcover. 256 pages.

About Camp Damascus:

"A searing and earnest horror debut about the demons the queer community faces in America, the price of keeping secrets, and finding the courage to burn it all down.

They’ll scare you straight to hell.

Welcome to Neverton, Montana: home to a God-fearing community with a heart of gold.

Nestled high up in the mountains is Camp Damascus, the self-proclaimed “most effective” gay conversion camp in the country. Here, a life free from sin awaits. But the secret behind that success is anything but holy."

I honestly don't think I ever expected to be posting a review of a Chuck Tingle book (or at least a serious one?), but here we are! Camp Damascus is the perfect summer horror novel to read on vacation–what's more relaxing than some religious trauma, anyway? This book was definitely not what I expected and I ended up having some fun with this one. Before diving in to this review, I would like to advise caution for anyone who may be sensitive to reading a book that centers around a conversion camp and everything surrounding that topic, as those are obviously quite prominent topics featured throughout the story. I also think this fits somewhere between the YA and adult categories, as there was nothing that really made it seem like it had to be an adult book and could easily be read as YA, in my opinion.

In all honestly, I expected Camp Damascus to be a little more predictable in how the conversion camp was set up and what the horror elements would be, but it ended up being much different than I anticipated and really brought some new (and truly terrible) ideas to the table. I was absolutely riveted for the first half of this book as I watched everything slowly build up and eventually unravel, and I think the author does a great job of really creating a story that will keep you entertained. 

We follow Rose Darling, resident of the somewhat secluded, sheltered town of Neverton, Montana. This town is also home to well-known conversion camp run by the local church, Kingdom Pine, that is considered to be one of the best and most successful (yes, residents actually are proud of this fact). Rose is a proud member of Kingdom Pine and happily commits her life to following God and her religion. Rose lives an extremely sheltered life when we are introduced to her, and I really liked getting this glimpse into her thought process, both from the start and through the many different tumultuous events that occur throughout the story. I won't be going into many more plot details than that because I feel like giving anything else away would be a bit too spoiler-y, so I'll be leaving the plot details a bit vague for this review.

I liked getting to know Rose and all of the different figures that make up her life, both those she knows when the story starts and subsequent characters we meet along the journey of this book. I would say that most of the characters felt somewhat like stereotypes of the roles they were meant to play, which works well for the story, but also gave it a bit of a 'campy' vibe than anything else, which was enjoyable to read while removing a bit of the more serious elements. The villains were bad in all the ways expected, and most of the things they had to say felt very predictable as well. There is definite character development of growth from Rose, but it also felt as though it went along a path that was well-defined by many stories before her. None of this predictability negates the enjoyment of reading this book, but it moreso took away from some of the more unique elements that this story does incorporate (such as the unique incorporation of demons in this story, which I won't say more about). 

The pacing felt fairly consistent throughout and I think this book's shorter length worked in its favor. This story is very efficient at doing what it sets out to do. There aren't really any subplots or additional things to consider–the main plot is what we get and the story sets out to follow along that plot. There's nothing wrong with this–in fact, in a way it's somewhat nice–but it does leave this feeling much more like a one dimensional story that arrived to tell one story and did just that. I applaud Tingle for managing to convey such an important message of tolerance, acceptance, and found family in such a concise and entertaining way. 

Lastly, I am not a religious person at this point in my life and, in all honesty, am not a huge fan of religion in general, and I really appreciated the author's rather nuanced take on religion and exploring the various consequences and influences of religion, both for the good and the bad. Although there are certainly plenty of anti-religion sentiments in this book, I actually appreciated that it wasn't outright hateful of all religion and actually does offer some strong points about why religion may work for some people–this felt like a more balanced approach than I sometimes see and I really liked how it was incorporated into a story that clearly poses the religious church as the main antagonist to our main character. 

Overall, I've given Camp Damascus 3.75 stars! This is a super solid horror novel that incorporates plenty of demons and sin and all the best things that go into a horror book with a strong religious components. 

*I received a copy of Camp Damascus courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

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!?

Review: The Militia House by John Milas

 

The Militia House by John Milas

Henry Holt and Co. 
Publication Date: July 11th, 2023

Hardcover. 272 pages.

About The Militia House:

"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."

The Militia House is the perfect quiet, creeping horror to fill your long summer days. It is John Milas’ debut horror novel and is set in Kajaki, Afghanistan in 2010 during the war. I listened to the audiobook version of The Militia House and absolutely devoured it–this is sure to be a book that I will continue to think about and possibly re-read for many years.

We follow Corporel Loyette as he and his unit are moved to a new base in Afghanistan where a British unit has already been stationed. Loyette is unsettled by a few odd occurrences he notices around base, but thinks nothing of it outside of his mind playing tricks on him. However, Loyette and his unit are soon informed by the British unit of an abandoned militia house nearby that was the site of a violence battle and is now believed to be haunted.

Since Loyette and his unit are sufficiently bored on base, they manage to plan a visit to the site, where they have a deeply unnerving experience that they op to ignore and not talk about with anyone else once they make it safely back to base. Unfortunately, things don’t go right back to normal as each individual person seems to begin having uniquely odd experiences that begin to put strains on the group as they attempt to maintain an existence in this war-torn area where all they have is themselves and one another.

Milas does an excellent job at conveying the monotonous reality of living on base in Afghanistan and the many different ways in which it can begin to affect each person’s mental wellbeing. At the same time, Milas also does an excellent job at exploring the psychological aspects of being at war, including PTSD, difficulties adapting to civilian life, and how the aforementioned monotony can create varying levels of uncertainty among a unit.

While The Militia House is military horror and there are many war experiences mentioned, there is not much of an emphasis on military action itself in the present, which for me worked well on keeping the attention focused on Loyette and some of the more psychological components of the story. I really appreciated Milas’ exploration of war and introspection concerning the moral and ethics surrounding war and the soldiers’ experiences.

The Militia House is not a horror story that really throws things in your face and focuses on gore and shock value, but rather one that focuses on the slow burn build up of unease and a sense of haunting that slowly builds into a crescendo that truly echoes long after the last page is closed. It is incredibly disquieting is the type of book that is full of images and ideas that are sure to stick around in your head for far longer than you’d like them to.

Milas has a writing style that is both simple and complex in how he crafts his ideas and subsequently conveys them in ways that left me riveted to every word. There is a perfect blend of detail and description mixed in with just enough left unsaid to really impart a sense of terror at the unknown. I will also warn you that this is a story that falls into more of the open ending territory, and I think this was the perfect choice for Milas to end his story with. It probably won't be for everyone–in fact, I'm sure some people will probably end up quite frustrated–but I thought it was the perfect ending to match this atmospheric tale of creeping horror. 

Overall, I’ve given The Militia House five stars! This is a stunningly written work of military horror that filled me with dread until the very last page (and honestly still does) and I genuinely cannot wait to see what’s next from Milas.

*I received a copy of The Militia House courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Friday Face-Off: Current Read #10

    

 Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme at Books by Proxy. Join us every Friday as we pit cover against cover, and publisher against publisher, to find the best artwork in our literary universe.  You can find a list of upcoming topics at Lynn's Books.

This week's topic is:

Current Read #10

This week, only one of the books I'm reading has more than one cover edition and that book is The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec! I read and loved Gornichec's The Witch's Heart last year, so I'm hoping to enjoy this one just as much, and so far so good. I think both covers for this book are beautiful, so let's take a look at them. 

2023 US Ace Hardcover

2023 UK Titan Books Paperback

My choice(s):

 I really like that both covers match the styles of the covers for The Witch's Heart (US and UK). I really like both of these covers and think they match the overall atmosphere of the story well so far. I'm slightly leaning towards the US cover more, but I don't think you can go wrong with either! Which cover do you prefer?

Month in Review: June 2023

  

This was supposed to be posted last Saturday, but apparently Blogger decided to just not publish my scheduled post and I just realized it, so... here we are, a bit delayed!

June went by so ridiculously quickly, I'm still feeling lost about what's going on this year. Honestly, time is genuinely flying lately. Does it feel that way for anyone else? Nothing exceptionally exciting has happened this month for me, which is honestly probably for the best, haha. Growing up, I was never really a summer person and preferred winter, but I feel like lately I've been enjoying the brighter days (well... somewhat brighter days now that LA seems to slowly be moving out of the consistent gloom) and calmer vibes, even if nothing else in my life has really changed. Do you enjoy summer? (Probably a dumb question because most people enjoy summer, but not all!)

In reading news, I read some fantastic books in June! I caved and read an early ARC of Thornhedge (I usually wait until closer to a book's publication date, which is in August!) and absolutely loved it, and I also really enjoyed getting into John Milas' The Militia House. Min Jin Lee's Pachinko was also a great historical fiction that made me really want to get back to more historical fiction this year. I read a lot of other great books as well, and I'll list all those below, as well as my usual roundup of posts from the past month. I've been a bit behind in blogging in general and am a little disappointed by the number of reviews I managed to get up, but once again a new month brings hope that maybe I can stay on top of things and get back into things (even though this delayed post isn't the best indicator of a great start, haha!). There are a lot of awesome July releases that I have to write reviews for, so hopefully I'll start having those up soon!

How was your June? What books did you read? Let me know in the comments and feel free to link your own wrap-ups (or any posts, really!), and I hope you all have a wonderful July!

# books read: 11
   

The Militia House by John Milas
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC

Thoughts: This was an awesome military horror that hit all the right notes for me. Super atmospheric, eerie, and with an ending that I loved. 

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC

Thoughts: I love T. Kingfisher and this novella only continues to show me why!

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC

Thoughts: This felt like a very classic Chuck Wendig horror, full of super creepy elements, complex and well-developed characters, and a plot that is full of twists and turns. 

The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC

Thoughts: I have such mixed feelings on this one! It had a strong start that I felt was very promising, but I felt my interest waning a bit as the story progressed and things just felt like I'd read them before. It's very info-dumpy, but it also has a rich world and background, so a bit of a mix there. I'll probably still read the sequel and go from there with deciding whether I want to continue the series or not. 

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Source: Purchased | Format: Paperback

Thoughts: I'd been meaning to get to this book for years and I'm so glad I finally did. This was an incredible multi-generational story. 

The Cloisters by Katy Hays
Source: Purchased | Format: Hardcover

Thoughts: Hm, this had all the right ingredients to be a new favorite, but the execution didn't quite work for me. It was still a pretty enjoyable read, but there were a few too many things that just didn't flow or quite make sense.

Savage Crowns (Savage Rebellion #3) by Matt Wallace
Source: Publisher | Format: Paperback

Thoughts: This was a wonderful conclusion to a really enjoyable trilogy. I've really enjoyed these books and am sorry to see that it's over!

The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us by Stephen Brusatte
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: This was a fascinating book about the history of mammals and their evolution from beginning until now. Highly recommended for anyone even remotely interested in the topic–Brusatte does an excellent job of sharing complex ideas in approachable ways.

Gothikana by RuNyx
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: This was a dark romance I'd seen mentioned a lot, so figured I'd check it out. I loved the setting and had a good time with it, though probably not a favorite. I just saw a couple days ago that it's been picked up by Tor's new imprint, Bramble, so congrats to RuNyx!

Boy Parts by Eiza Clark
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: This was... messy? I think if you really liked Maeve Fly you'd like this, but the protagonist is somewhat less likable and it makes it a little harder to get invested in the story. I almost DNF'd this a lot, but curiosity got the best of me. It's a worthwhile read, but it's a little disgusting at times and made me feel pretty weird whenever I listened to it. That being said, I think it's supposed to do that, so kudos to it for succeeding!

City of Nightmares by Rebecca Schaeffer
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: Hm, so this wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I still loved the creativity involved and I think Schaeffer really explored anxiety and truama/fear through the protagonist in incredible ways. I felt really seen and connected a lot

DNF/To-Be-Finished:

The Antiquity Affair by Lee Kelly, Jennifer Marie Thorne
This is really fun so far, but I just found myself not focusing on it as much as I'd like to be, so I took a break. I'm hoping to finish it this month, though!

The Company by J.M. Varese
This is the perfect gothic mystery and really reads like a classic, but it wasn't working for me at the moment. Still, I don't have much of it left so plan to finish it up this month as well. 

 

The Will of the Many by James Islington
The First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson
The Rise and Reign of the Mammals by Steve Brusatte
Savage Crowns by Matt Wallace

Original Posts:

(other than reviews)

Month in Review: May 2023
Blog Tour: The Savage Rebellion Trilogy
Anticipated July 2023 Releases

Blog Memes:

Top Ten Tuesday:
Summer TBR Hopefuls

Can't-Wait Wednesday:

6/7: The Carnivale of Curiosities by Amiee Gibbs, The Militia House by John Milas, & The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei

6/14: The Beast You Are by Paul Tremblay, The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec, & The Sea Elephants by Shastri Akella

6/21: The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz, Horses of Fire by A.D. Rhine, & The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera

6/28: The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem, The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James, & House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A. Craig

The Friday Face-Off:

Current Read #8
Current Read #9

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher & Cassiel's Servant by Jacqueline Carey

   

 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: 

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
Publication: August 15th, 2023
Tor Books
Hardcover. 128 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"There's a princess trapped in a tower. This isn't her story.

Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?

But nothing with fairies is ever simple.

Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He's heard there's a curse here that needs breaking, but it's a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold…"

So I may have already read an ARC of this because I couldn't wait, but I'm still extremely excited for its release because it was amazing. 

Cassiel's Servant (Kushiel's Legacy #1.5) by Jacqueline Carey
Publication: August 1st, 2023
Tor Books
Hardcover. 528 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Returning to the realm of Terre d’Ange which captured an entire generation of fantasy readers, New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline Carey brings us a hero’s journey for a new era.

In Kushiel’s Dart , a daring young courtesan uncovered a plot to destroy her beloved homeland. But hers is only half the tale. Now see the other half of the heart that lived it.

Cassiel’s Servant is a retelling of cult favorite Kushiel’s Dar t from the point of view of Joscelin, Cassiline warrior-priest and protector of Phèdre nó Delaunay. He’s sworn to celibacy and the blade as surely as she’s pledged to pleasure, but the gods they serve have bound them together. When both are betrayed, they must rely on each other to survive.

From his earliest training to captivity amongst their enemies, his journey with Phèdre to avert the conquest of Terre D’Ange shatters body and mind… and brings him an impossible love that he will do anything to keep.

Even if it means breaking all vows and losing his soul."

The Kushiel's Legacy series is one of my favorite trilogies, so I'm unbelievably excited to have this installment in the series from Cassiel's perspective!