Monday, November 13, 2023

Blog Tour: Good Girls Don't Die by Christina Henry

Today I'm excited to share with you all my blog tour stop for Christine Henry's latest release, Good Girls Don't Die. I have been absolutely loving this book and I think anyone who enjoys a twisty, suspensfeul thriller will as well. This is a unique story that has really kept me excited to turn each page because I really feel like I have no idea what exactly is going to happen next. Below, you'll find some information about the book, some early praise, and a brief excerpt to get you excited. Thanks for stopping by!



ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: GOOD GIRLS DON'T DIE
Author:  Christina Henry
Pub. Date: November 14th, 2023
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 
336
Find it: Bookshop.org | Amazon |  


SYNOPSIS:
A sharp-edged, supremely twisty thriller about three women who find themselves trapped inside stories they know aren’t their own, from the author of Alice and Near the Bone.

Celia wakes up in a house that’s supposed to be hers. There’s a little girl who claims to be her daughter and a man who claims to be her husband, but Celia knows this family—and this life—is not hers…

Allie is supposed to be on a fun weekend trip—but then her friend’s boyfriend unexpectedly invites the group to a remote cabin in the woods. No one else believes Allie, but she is sure that something about this trip is very, very wrong…

Maggie just wants to be home with her daughter, but she’s in a dangerous situation and she doesn’t know who put her there or why. She’ll have to fight with everything she has to survive…

Three women. Three stories. Only one way out. This captivating novel will keep readers guessing until the very end."



Excerpt:  

         Allie realized she should never have agreed to this trip. Once Cam and Madison backed out on their deal and showed up with the Wonder Twins in tow, she should have said she felt sick, had to study for a test, anything to stay back in the dorm for the week- end. But she’d felt boxed in by Cam and Madison’s pleading faces, by the mocking way Brad had looked at her as she hesitated before picking up her backpack and climbing into the car.
         He’d looked like he could read her mind, could see right through to her reluctance (and, if she was honest with herself, anger), like he was daring her to come anyway.
         Allie knew it was stupid, knew it was childish, but she could never back down from a dare.
Besides, she was the reason for this weekend in the first place. If she had decided to stay back at school, she’d never hear the end of it.
         They’d all shown up in Brad’s car—a BMW, of course, which Allie was sure his parents had bought for him. Cam and Madison had moved off campus that semester, and Cam was supposed to be driving her old Toyota. It was going to be Allie and Cam and Madison, the Three Musketeers back together again, off to a beach cottage that Cam’s parents’ friends owned and said they could use for the weekend.
         Instead, there was Brad, driving his stupid rich boy car and watching her with those eyes that told Allie never to be caught alone with him. Cam and Madison had yelled from the backseat, and Allie had swallowed her annoyance and climbed in, crammed in the middle seat because “you’re the smallest and legroom doesn’t matter for you.”
         Cam and Madison had whooped and shouted, slapping a paper “Birthday Girl” crown on her head and dropping a package of Hostess Cupcakes in her lap.
         “Let’s get this twenty-first-birthday party started!” Cam had shouted, her arm around Allie’s shoulders.
         Allie had smiled, the way she was supposed to, but she didn’t miss the look Brad had given her in the mirror. Something sneaky, something snakey, something that didn’t bode well at all for the weekend.
         They’d driven away from the campus, and almost immediately Steve had handed a thermos to Madison, shaking it meaningfully.
         “A little juice for the party,” he’d said.
         Madison had immediately opened it and guzzled a bunch, and then passed it to Allie, who didn’t want to drink alcohol at ten in the morning, and especially did not want to drink some mystery cocktail prepared by Steve. But everyone had been watching her and waiting, so she’d taken a sip and made herself not wrinkle her nose, because whatever was in there tasted like gasoline. Cam had shouted, “Yeah, girl!” and grabbed the thermos, downing a fair amount herself.
         They’d passed the bottle back and forth, Allie taking only small sips, but Cam and Madison hadn’t seemed to notice. Despite limiting her intake, Allie had still dropped off to sleep in the back- seat, only waking when they had pulled up in front of the cabin.
         “Where the hell are we?” she’d asked, sitting up straight.
         Cam and Madison were out cold on either side of her. Whatever Steve had put in that bottle had packed a punch.
         “This is not the beach.”
         “‘This is not the beach,’” Brad had said, his voice high and mocking. “I see why your GPA is so high. Nothing gets by you, Brockman.”
         Cam had stirred beside her, then sat up and looked out the window. “Are we there yet?”
         “Well, we’re somewhere,” Allie had said, trying to draw on her patience. She’d had no idea where Brad had driven them, and since he was the only one in the vicinity with a car, she needed to convince him to stop fucking around and take them to the cottage.
         “Is this the woods?” Cam had said. “A cabin in the woods?”
         “Just like the movie!” Madison had squealed, jumping out and slamming the door behind her. Steve had followed, chasing her around the clearing in front of the cabin’s porch.
         “Everyone died in that movie,” Allie had muttered. “Like, actually everyone.”

Excerpted from Good Girls Don't Die by Christina Henry Copyright © 2023 by Christina Henry. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

 
Early Praise:  
 

“A thriller so deliciously original you’ll want to devour it whole. Breakneck pacing, compelling characters, and clever meta threads elevate the tension and pull toward a stunning conclusion. An electrifying read.” – Rachel Harrison, National bestselling author of Cackle and Such Sharp Teeth

“Henry comes out swinging in this clever, twisty thriller, and it’s a knockout! Full of mystery, horror, and women who’ve had enough, Good Girls Don’t Die is Christina Henry at her best. TikTok take note…you’re going to love this one!”—Christopher Golden, New York Times bestselling author of Road of Bones and All Hallows

“Henry has a lot of fun playing with genre here, but at its heart, this book is pure thriller… fast-paced and accessible.” – Publishers Weekly

“In this very satisfying thriller, three women wake up in strange versions of classic story set-ups…can this please be turned into a Black Mirror episode?” – CrimeReads


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Christina Henry 
is a horror and dark fantasy author whose works include Horseman, Near the Bone, The Ghost Tree, Looking Glass, The Girl in Red, The Mermaid, Lost Boy, Alice, Red Queen, and the seven-book urban fantasy Black Wings series. She enjoys running long distances, reading anything she can get her hands on, and watching movies with samurai, zombies, and/or subtitles in her spare time. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son. Learn more online at www.christinahenry.net.

Author photo by Kathryn McCallum Osgood (2015)




Friday, November 10, 2023

The Friday Face-Off: Current Read #17

          Friday Face Off New

 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 #17

For this week's Friday face-off, I'm featuring a book I've been slowing working my way through and really enjoying: Anne Eekhout's Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein. This is a reimagining of Mary Shelley's life centering around 1814 and 1816 in the period leading up to her creation of Frankenstein.This book was originally written in Dutch and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it has quite a variety of different cover editions out there, most of which are really lovely! Let's have a look at them. :) 

        
2023 US | 2021 Dutch

          
 2022 Italian | 2023 UK

          
2023 Danish | 2023 French

My choice(s):
These are all so beautiful! I have to say that the UK edition really stands out to me, though I also am drawn to the aesthetics of the Danish edition, as well. But I also like the Dutch edition and think some about the US edition is really classic and captures the historical setting well, so I'm not sure I have one true favorite from these. Which cover(s) do you like best?

Thursday, November 9, 2023

Review: Labyrinth's Heart (Rook & Rose #3) by M.A. Carrick

          

Labyrinth's Heart (Rook & Rose #3) by M.A. Carrick
Orbit
Publication Date: August 15th, 2023
Paperback. 639 pages.

About Labyrinth's Heart:

"'Lush, engrossing and full of mystery and dark magic' (BookPage), Labyrinth's Heart is the thrilling conclusion to M. A. Carrick's Rook & Rose trilogy, in which a con artist, a vigilante, and a crime lord become reluctant allies in the quest to save their city from a dangerous ancient magic.

May you see the face and not the mask.

Ren came to Nadežra with a plan. She would pose as the long-lost daughter of the noble house Traementis. She would secure a fortune for herself and her sister. And she would vanish without a backward glance. She ought to have known that in the city of dreams, nothing is ever so simple.

Now, she is Ren, con-artist and thief. But she is also Renata, the celebrated Traementis heir. She is Arenza, the mysterious pattern-reader and political rebel. And she is the Black Rose, a vigilante who fights alongside the legendary Rook.

Even with the help of Grey Serrado and Derossi Vargo, it is too many masks for one person to wear. And as the dark magic the three of them helped unleash builds to storm that could tear the very fabric of the city apart, it's only a matter of time before one of the masks slips—and everything comes crashing down around them."

You can find my reviews for books one and two in the Rook & Rose trilogy here:
Book 1: Mask of Mirrors
Book 2: The Liar's Knot

Labyrinth's Heart, the concluding book in the Rook & Rose trilogy, has proven itself to be a highly entertaining and satisfying ending to what has been a stunning series. Since this is the final book in a series, I will be keeping this review a bit sparse on the details in order to avoid any major spoilers. 

Once again, I loved diving back into this world and reuniting with all the wonderful characters created by Carrick. These characters have been through so much throughout this trilogy and I've appreciated following along everyone's resilience amidst their many respective journeys. The characters really stole the show in this book–as they often did in the previous books as well–with their compelling arcs that showcased some remarkable development. Their individual journeys were filled with so many obstacles and allowed each character to understand the importance of trust, empathy, and understanding, and it was very fulfilling to watch them all work through some of the biggest issues. Trust has been a huge component of this series as a whole and I think watching how different characters managed to overcome their doubts or uncertainties and learn to trust one another was truly compelling to follow. 

I don't mind the addition of new characters in a series, but  I didn't love some of the newer characters that were included more in this, such as more 'villain'-type characters that didn't really seem to bring all that much to the table. It was almost as if some of them were brought in more to fill a role than to really have a meaningful purpose. 

Labyrinth's Heart also does not let up on the political machinations and intrigue that have been such a core part of this trilogy, and there were plenty more to explore in this book as well. I found it immensely satisfying to watch all of the previous open plot threads finally come together and actually get so many different questions answered. It's been a long journey full of what seemed like endless secrets, deceit, and uncertainties, and I was often impressed with how Carrick managed to wrap everything up. Because there was so much to cover in this book, I found the pacing fairly consistent through, with a strong mix of action and calmer moments to enjoy. 

At the same time, however, this conclusion did at times feel a little bit as though it was written to fulfill a lot of readers' wishes. While I don't necessarily mind a little wish fulfillment meant to please readers and leave us all feeling satisfied (I mean, does anyone really dislike when a book goes how they want it??), it did sometimes feel like things were a bit too easy, if that makes sense. There were a lot of coincidences or things that just sort of seemed to magically work themselves out in ways that felt a bit too rushed or as though they were just trying to get to an ending. Again, this makes sense because there was a lot that needed to be wrapped up in this book, but I definitely still had that sense of wish fulfillment. 

Laslty, I'd like to briefly touch on how much I've enjoyed learning about this magic system and seeing it develop as our characters also learn more and more about it. There is so much history and lore associated with all the magic and the ways in which this world works that it really makes for a rich and intriguing world and experience. It's a little hard for me to keep track of all the details sometimes, but when I am able to remember everything and keep up and everything clicks into place, it's a wonderful experience and really allows me to enjoy the story to its fullest extent. 

Overall, I've given Labyrinth's Heart 4.5 stars! This has been a phenomenal fantasy series that I believe is severely underrated and I cannot recommend it enough to any fantasy fans that love strong characters and plenty of secrets and intrigue and multiple plot threads. 


*I received a copy of Labyrinth's Heart courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Into Siberia by Gregory J. Wallance & The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong

       

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:

Into Siberia: George Kennan's Epic Journey Through the Brutal, Frozen Heart of Russia by Gregory J. Wallance
Publication: December 5th, 2023
St. Martin's Press
Hardcover. 304 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In the late nineteenth century, close diplomatic relations existed between the United States and Russia. All that changed when George Kennan went to Siberia in 1885 to investigate the exile system and his eyes were opened to the brutality Russia was wielding to suppress dissent.

Over ten months Kennan traveled eight thousand miles, mostly in horse-drawn carriages, sleighs or on horseback. He endured suffocating sandstorms in the summer and blizzards in the winter. His interviews with convicts and political exiles revealed how Russia ran on the fuel of inflicted pain and fear. Prisoners in the mines were chained day and night to their wheelbarrows as punishment. Babies in exile parties froze to death in their mothers’ arms. Kennan came to call the exiles’ experience in Siberia a “perfect hell of misery.”

After returning to the United States, Kennan set out to generate public outrage over the plight of the exiles, writing the renowned Siberia and the Exile System . He then went on a nine-year lecture tour to describe the suffering of the Siberian exiles, intensifying the newly emerging diplomatic conflicts between the two countries which last to this day. In a book that ranks with the greatest adventure stories, Gregory Wallance’s Into Siberia is a thrilling work of history about one man’s harrowing journey and the light it shone on some of history’s most heinous human rights abuses."

As we know, I love any type of survival/adventure nonfiction story, and I think the fact that this touches on some bigger historical impacts as well should make for a potentially difficult but fascinating read. 


The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong
Publication: December 5th, 2023
Minotaur Books
Hardcover. 336 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"An atmospheric gothic mystery that beautifully brings the ancient Cornish countryside to life, Armstrong introduces heroine Ruby Vaughn in her Minotaur Books & Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award-winning debut, The Curse of Penryth Hall.

After the Great War, American heiress Ruby Vaughn made a life for herself running a rare bookstore alongside her octogenarian employer and house mate in Exeter. She’s always avoided dwelling on the past, even before the war, but it always has a way of finding her. When Ruby is forced to deliver a box of books to a folk healer living deep in the Cornish countryside, she is brought back to the one place she swore she’d never return. A more sensible soul would have delivered the package and left without rehashing old wounds. But no one has ever accused Ruby of being sensible. Thus begins her visit to Penryth Hall.

A foreboding fortress, Penryth Hall is home to Ruby’s once dearest friend, Tamsyn, and her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth. It’s an unsettling place, and after a more unsettling evening, Ruby is eager to depart. But her plans change when Penryth’s bells ring for the first time in thirty years. Edward is dead; he met a gruesome end in the orchard, and with his death brings whispers of a returned curse. It also brings Ruan Kivell, the person whose books brought her to Cornwall, the one the locals call a Pellar, the man they believe can break the curse. Ruby doesn’t believe in curses―or Pellars―but this is Cornwall and to these villagers the curse is anything but lore, and they believe it will soon claim its next Tamsyn.

To protect her friend, Ruby must work alongside the Pellar to find out what really happened in the orchard that night.
"

I'm a sucker for anything gothic, historical, and that takes place in a creepy location. I think this sounds like the perfect gothic read for the current season.

Monday, November 6, 2023

Review: Red River Seven by A. J. Ryan

          

Red River Seven by A.J. Ryan
Orbit
Publication Date: October 10th, 2023
Paperback. 304 pages.

About Red River Seven:

"Seven strangers. One mission. Infinite horror.

A man awakes on a boat at sea with no memory of who or where he is. He's not alone - there are six others, each with a unique set of skills. None of them can remember their names. All of them possess a gun.

When a message appears on the onboard computer - Proceeding to Point A - the group agrees to work together to survive whatever is coming.

But as the boat moves through the mist-shrouded waters, divisions begin to form. Who is directing them and to what purpose? Why can't they remember anything?

And what are the screams they can hear beyond the mist?

Internationally bestselling fantasy author Anthony Ryan - writing as A. J. Ryan - delivers a nerve-shredding thriller in which seven strangers must undertake a terrifying journey into the unknown."

Seven strangers wake up on a boat in the middle of the sea, enshrouded by fog, with absolutely no memory whatsoever of who they are, where they are, or why they've been seemingly dropped on boat in the middle of nowhere. We, as readers, know exactly as much as each one of these characters, and we learn more information as they learn it. Because Red River Seven is a book best experienced knowing as much as the characters do–which is to say, next to nothing– I will keep this review on the shorter side and as vague as I possibly can so as not to give away anything. I'd encourage any potential reader to go into this book as blind as possible as well. 

I was excited to see what A.J. Ryan (pseudonym of the well-known fantasy author Anthony Ryan) would do with a dystopian-like thriller premise such as this, and the result has made me curious to see if he'll continue to work within some newer genres. I loved this set up and think it made for a really exciting general story to follow. I loved slowly learning more and more about each character and the "mission" the group appeared to be on. I also found myself riveted by what ended up being the big 'reveal' of what's really going on and how the author explored the concept. At first, I was worried that it was going to end up being somewhat predictable as it seemed to be following some well-worn tropes, but Ryan managed to pull out some new ideas and concepts to make things fresh and exciting, and I was really impressed. 

The eeriness of the setting is spot on and executed with precision. I felt very on edge while reading this and not knowing what was going to be coming next. It definitely helps (or doesn't help?) that there were occasional mentions of human-sounding screams that could be heard off in the distance beyond the fog that surrounds the characters. There's a strong sense of unease that really lets the readers understand just what the characters are going through, and the slow unveiling of more and more clues about what's going on only served to enhance that feeling and experience. 

Even though the characters don't seem to know anything about themselves, I appreciated the ways in which Ryan managed to bring them each to life and still convey very unique personalities and skillsets over time. Because of the way this story is set up, however, I never felt like I fully knew any of the characters, and this did slightly impact my ability to really feel connected to their roles in the story. 

I think something was lacking ever so slightly from this, and it's hard for me to really put my finger on what exactly it was. Usually, in a book with this type of urgency I'd expect to speed through it and be constantly turning pages. With Red River Seven, I felt some sort of disconnect from the story and characters that left me not as fully invested as I'd expect to be. There was something that always seemed to keep at arm's length from really getting into the story, almost as if something about the plotting or writing felt a little rough. That being said, there were still many incredibly strong aspects of this book that worked extremely well, as mentioned above. 

Overall, I've given Red River Seven 3.75 stars! This was a thrilling quest into the unknown that, although didn't quite live up to all of my expectation, still proved to be a solid and highly entertaining story. 

*I received a copy of Red River Seven courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Friday, November 3, 2023

Month in Review: October 2023


October has been a crazy month. It had a rough start, there have been a lot of ups and downs, and to be honest I was a little bummed that one of my favorite months was going so poorly, haha. I won't bore you all with the detail, but fortunately things have improved a bit in the last couple weeks so I'm hoping I can hold onto that. This has just been a weird year, so I'm always grateful to have books and the book community to keep me company and feeling better.

Despite a rough month, I actually read a pretty surprising and unexpected number of books! I didn't read a lot that I meant to, and I definitely didn't get to as many of the horror books I wanted to, but I'm absolutely not complaining. Some highlights from this past month include: Never Whistle at Night, Assassin's Quest, Labyrinth's Heart, and The Bell in the Fog!

How was everyone's October? Are you someone that enjoys all things spooky, or do you lay low during this month? Let me know how your month was and what you've been reading!


# books read: 15
   

Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology edited by Shane Hawk, Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.
Source: Owned | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: This was an amazing collection of dark fiction stories! I really loved that there were so many different cultures and I'm excited that I have a list of awesome indigenous authors to check out. I was glad to see some stories from Cherie Dimaline, Waubgeshig Rice, David Heska Wanbli Weiden, an introduction from Stephen Graham Jones, and so many more. 

Anoka by Shane Hawk
Source: Owned | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: This was a collection of dark fiction I'd been saving for October and it was great. I liked that there was a nice variety and length of stories, as well. 

Assassin's Quest (Farseer Trilogy #3) by Robin Hobb
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: I still think the highlight of the trilogy is the second book, but this was a really strong conclusion and I am so eager to continue on with Hobb's work. 

The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers
Source: | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: I'd had this on my TBR for what seems like years now and I'm glad I finally got to it because it was a fascinating collection of interconnected stories. 


The Blade Itself (The First Law #1) by Joe Abercrombie
Source: Owned | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: This is my second time reading The Blade Itself because I've been wanting to continue the trilogy, and honestly, I'm not sure it's for me? Everything about this book seems like something I should enjoy, but for some reason I can never really get into it?

Head Like a Hole: A Novel of Horror by Andrew Van Wey
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: This was a pretty trippy horror that I hadn't heard of until pretty much right before I started reading it. I'd recommend it if you like some weird horror!

Red River Seven by A.J. Ryan
Source: Publisher | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: This was very promising, but wasn't executed quite as well as I'd hoped it might be. I loved all the different ideas this played with and thought the concept was really fun. 

These Burning Stars (The Kingdom Trilogy #1) by Bethany Jacobs
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thoughts: I didn't enjoy this nearly as much as I'd hoped, unfortunately, but I'd love to still give the series a shot once the next book is out. 


Knock Knock, Open Wide by Neil Sharpson 
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC
Thoughts: This was such a complex and surprising horror read, I really had a great time with it. 

Labyrinth's Heart (Rook & Ruin #3) by M.A. Carrick
Source: Publisher | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: This was a wonderful conclusion to a trilogy that I've really loved and that I think is very underrated!

You've Lost a Lot of Blood by Eric LaRocca
Source: Owner | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: I didn't care for this one as much as I've liked some of LaRocca's other work, but still enjoyed the general journey we went on with it. 

The Bell in the Fog (Andy Mills #2) by Lev A.C. Rosen
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thoughts: I've been really loving this Andy Mills series and this was a fantastic sequel. I can't wait for more books in this series!

The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles #1) by Tony DiTerlizzi
Source: Owned | Format: Paperback
Thoughts: I never read this series as a kid, but I feel like I would've loved it. My husband had told me how much he enjoyed this series as a kid, so I decided to try it out and it was so fun! It definitely skews a little younger middle grade than I tend to read, but I would read the rest for fun, and I think there's an adaptation coming out soon that could be fun to check out as well.

The Bellwoods Games by Celia Krampien
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thoughts: This was a pretty spooky middle grade that I had a really fun time with. 

Falling Out of Time (Running Out of Time #2) by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Source: Publisher | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: I recently read the first book after it and this book were sent to me by the publisher and I have to say that this definitely didn't live up to the first. It was a fun concept, but pretty much ran way too close to the plot of the first book, so it just felt like a bit of a rehash. 

DNF/To-Be-Finished:
None that I can recall!



 Posts:
(other than reviews)

Blog Memes:

Top Ten Tuesday:
Atmospheric Books



The Friday Face-Off:

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Can't-Wait Wednesday: All the Hidden Paths (The Tithenai Chronicles #2) by Foz Meadows & The End of the World is a Cul de Sac by Louise Kennedy

      

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:


All the Hidden Paths (The Tithenai Chronicles #2) by Foz Meadows
Publication: December 5th, 2023
Tor Books
Hardcover. 528 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"The follow-up to Foz Meadows's A Strange and Stubborn Endurance , a sultry political & romantic fantasy exploring gender, sexuality, identity, and self-worth.

With the plot against them foiled and the city of Qi-Katai in safe hands, Velasin and Caethari have begun to test the waters of their relationship. But the wider political ramifications of their marriage are still playing out across two nations, and all too soon, they’re summoned north to Tithena’s capital city, Qi-Xihan, to present themselves to its monarch.

With Caethari newly invested as his grandmother’s heir and Velasin’s old ghosts gnawing at his heels, what little peace they’ve managed to find is swiftly put to the test. Cae’s recent losses have left him racked with grief and guilt, while Vel struggles with the disconnect between instincts that have kept him safe in secrecy and what an open life requires of him now.

Pursued by unknown assailants and with Qi-Xihan’s court factions jockeying for power, Vel and Cae must use all the skills at their disposal to not only survive, but thrive – because there’s more than one way to end an alliance, and more than one person who wants to see them fail."

I absolutely adored the first book in the Tithenai Chronicles, A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, and I genuinely cannot wait to finally get a chance to read the sequel!


The End of the World is a Cul de Sac: Stories by Louise Kennedy
Publication: December 5th, 2023
Riverhead Books
Hardcover. 304 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In The End of the World is a Cul de Sac the political is intertwined with the personal, as Louise Kennedy reveals how ordinary lives can get caught up in a wider, national drama.

Sarah, abandoned by her partner, sits alone in their brand new house.

Orla, facing the strange revenge of her husband, is forced to judge a contest in the local fête.

Peter raises his daughter in rural seclusion, at what might as well be the end of the world.

Louise Kennedy started writing at the age of forty-seven, and her prose is instilled with a clarity and wisdom born of her own experience. This collection announces a major new voice in literary fiction for the twenty-first century.
"

I've found I really enjoy checking out collections of short stories from new authors, and I'm intrigued by the theming of this one.