Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Spice Gate by Prashanth Srivatsa, The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman, & The Astrology House by Carinn Jade

      
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.

The Spice Gate by Prashanth Srivatsa
Publication: July 16th, 2024
Harper Voyager
Hardcover. 464 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"The weight of spice is more than you know.

Relics of a mysterious god, the Spice Gates connect the eight far-flung kingdoms, each separated by a distinct spice and only accessible by those born with a special mark. This is not a caste of distinction, though, but one of subjugation: Spice Carriers suffer the lashes of their masters, the weight of the spices they bear on their backs, and the jolting pain of the Gates themselves.

Amir is one such Spice Carrier, and he dreams of escaping his fate of being a mule for the rich who gorge themselves on spices like the addicted gluttons they are. More important than relieving his own pain, though, is saving his family, especially his brother, born like him with the unfortunate spice mark that designates him for a life of servitude.

But while Amir makes his plans for freedom, something stirs in the inhospitable spaces between the kingdoms. Fate has designs of its own for Amir, and he soon finds himself drawn into a conspiracy that could disrupt the delicate dynamics of the kingdoms forever.

The more Amir discovers truth and myth blurring, the more he realizes that his own schemes are insignificant compared to the machinations going on around him. Forced to chase after shadows with unlikely companions, searching for answers that he never even thought to question, Amir’s simple dream of slipping away transforms into a grand, Spice Gate–hopping adventure. Gods, assassins, throne-keepers, and slaves all have a vested interest in the spice trade, and Amir will have to decide—for the first time in his life—what kind of world he wants to live in…if the world survives at all."

Hopefully I enjoyed this book about spice more than I enjoyed another well-known book about spice! But in all seriousness, I'm so intrigued by this premise and am really eager to check it out. 

The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman
Publication: July 16th, 2024
Viking
Hardcover. 688 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"A gifted young knight named Collum arrives at Camelot to compete for a spot on the Round Table, only to find he’s too late. The king died two weeks ago at the Battle of Camlann, leaving no heir, and only a handful of the knights of the Round Table survive.

They aren’t the heroes of legend, like Lancelot or Gawain. They’re the oddballs of the Round Tables, from the edges of the stories, like Sir Palomides; the Saracen Knight; and Sir Dagonet, Arthur’s fool, who was knighted as a joke. They’re joined by Nimue, who was Merlin’s apprentice until she turned on him and buried him under a hill. Together this ragtag fellowship will set out to rebuild Camelot in a world that has lost its balance.

But Arthur’s death has revealed Britain’s fault lines. God has abandoned it, and the fairies and monsters and old gods are returning, led by Arthur’s half-sister Morgan le Fay. Kingdoms are turning on each other, warlords are laying siege to Camelot, and rival factions are forming around the disgraced Lancelot and the fallen Queen Guinevere. It is up to Collum and his companions to reclaim Excalibur, solve the mysteries of this ruined world and make it whole again. But before they can restore Camelot they’ll have to learn the truth of why the lonely, brilliant King Arthur fell and lay to rest the ghosts of his troubled family and of Britain’s dark past."

Arthurian books are always a bit hit or miss for me–thought admittedly they end up more as misses than they do hits–but I'm still always excited to try a new one, and I'm looking forward to see what Lev Grossman does with this one. I have so many mixed feelings about his Magicians trilogy, so let's see how I feel about this one!

The Astrology House by Carinn Jade
Publication: July 16th, 2024
Atria Books
Hardcover. 320 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In a mysterious town that lies hidden in our collective subconscious, there's a quaint little store where all kinds of dreams are sold ...

Day and night, visitors both human and animal from all over the world shuffle in sleepily in their pyjamas, lining up to purchase their latest adventure. Each floor in the department store sells a special kind of dream, including nostalgic dreams about your childhood, trips you've taken, and delicious food you've eaten, as well as nightmares and more mysterious dreams.

In Dallergut Dream Department Store we meet Penny an enthusiastic new hire; Dallergut, the flamboyant owner of the department store; Agnap Coco, producer of special dreams; Vigo Myers, an employee in the mystery department as well as a cast of curious, funny and strange clientele who regularly visit the store. When one of the most coveted and expensive dreams gets stolen during Penny's first week, we follow along with her as she tries to uncover the workings of this wonderfully whimsical world.

A captivating story that will leave a lingering magical feeling in readers' minds, this is the first book in a bestselling duology for anyone exhausted from the reality of their daily life."

This honestly just sounds like a lot of fun and I think the setup is perfect for how prominent astrology seems to be in pop culture/tends/etc. right now. Books with these setups often disappoint by the end, but I'm going to hold out hope and just have a good time with it whenever I get to read it.

Review: The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim

The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim

Del Rey

Publication Date: June 4th, 2024

Paperback. 416 pages.

About The God and the Gumiho:

"Kim Hani has retired from a life of devouring souls. She is, simply put, too full. Once known as the infamous Scarlet Fox, she now spends her days working in a coffee shop and annoying a particularly irritating, if unfairly handsome, trickster god as often as she can.

That god is Seokga the Fallen. Exiled from the heavenly kingdom of Okhwang, he now begrudgingly resides in the mortal realm, working toward his redemption and suffering through his interactions with the particularly infuriating, if sneakily charming, gumiho barista at his favorite café.

But when a powerful demon escapes from the underworld and threatens to end all of humanity, Okhwang’s emperor offers Seokga an enticing bargain: Kill this rogue creature, as well as the legendary and elusive Scarlet Fox, and he will be reinstated as a god. Hani, however, has no intention of being caught. Seokga might be a trickster god, but she has a trick of her own that he’ll never see coming: teaming up. As Seokga’s assistant, Hani will undermine and sabotage his investigation right under his overly pointy nose. Sure, she’ll help him kill the demon, but she certainly won’t allow him to uncover her secret identity while they’re at it.

As the bickering partners track their case down a path of mayhem and violence, the god and the gumiho find themselves inescapably drawn to each other. But will the unlikely couple stand together to prevent the apocalypse, or will they let their secrets tear them—and the world—apart?"

The God and the Gumiho surprised me in the best way possible. I was admittedly a little uncertain how much I would enjoy this book, but I ended up really having a fun time with it and I loved the Korean mythology-influenced world.

The God and Gumiho follows Seokga, a trickster god now exiled to the mortal realm where he works as an investigator; and Hani, a Gumiho who was once known as the infamous Scarlet Fox, but now works at a coffee shop that Seokga happens to frequent. Hani is not exactly in hiding, but she’s also not exactly broadcasting her past life in which she went on a bit of a rampage and devoured the souls of far too many men, leaving full for the many years since in which she has not devoured any more men. Seokga was exiled to the mortal realm and has been grudgingly living out his exile as an investigator while slowly fulfilling the terms of his sentence. The two cross paths when a demon from the underworld escapes and begins killing people, which leads police to a sticky situation that Hani was involved in. In order to prevent her and her friend from being found and Hani’s identity discovered, Hani decides to team up with Seokga as his assistant in order to sabotage his investigation and focus on finding the demon. And because that synopsis ended up being so much longer and more difficult and confusing that I expected: long story short– Seokga and Hani do not like each other, but are paired up to work together. Both are very sarcastic and sharp-witted, and everything you might imagine happens with that premise ensues.
Phew.

Seokga and Hani's interactions and evolving relationship with one another is a bit cliche'd and definitely felt like a dynamic I've read many times before, but I don't necessarily think every book has to have something totally 'new' in order to be an engaging read. In fact, I think Sophie Kim took a well-loved and sometimes overused trope and really embraced it and made it something exceptionally fun and entertaining by bolstering it with a vibrant world and engaging dialogue that brought everything to life in a captivating way. 

Hani is a seemingly fearless and captivating character that I really enjoyed getting to know. Seokga is also a really interesting character to get to know and who has plenty of layers of his own that we as readers slowly get to learn more about. There wasn’t anything particularly groundbreaking that the author brought to Seokga's 'grumpy' character or the way the characters interacted, but the mixture of Seokga’s own backstory and vulnerabilities that we learn about over time mixed with the banter between Seokga and Hani and the wonderfully sharp, clever wit and dialogue brought everything together in the best way.

I found myself fascinated with Hani's background as the Scarlet Fox, as I think that brought a really interesting dynamic to the story, especially in relation to her own relationship with Seokga, since he himself is a powerful trickster god. Hani, however, is not just some random mortal, but is rather an extremely powerful Gumiho was her own long past that Seokga isn’t aware of, which I felt made the playing field a bit more even. In other stories with this general premise, there's often more of a difference in roles and power, but in this one each one has their own source of power from very different places that makes things a bit more interesting as they each add some unique elements to the dynamic.

One of my favorite parts of this book was simply the incorporation of so much Korean mythology that really made the entire world feel so much more vibrant and exciting. The author doesn't shy away from incorporating plentiful amounts of Korean lore into the story, for both background and current events and although it could at times seem like info-dumping, I actually found all of it captivating and didn't mind it at all. For instance, I loved learning more about Seokga's demotion because it allowed us to learn more about the different layers to the world and the mortal realm, and so much more. Everything made the world so much richer and added so much to the reading experience. 

This book is much bigger than I would have expected it to be, and when I look back on it part of me can't quite remember what exactly took up all those pages, but at the same time I never felt as thought the story dragged or had slow pacing. The entire book was actually a delight to read and I found myself always looking forward to sitting down with it and seeing what the characters would be up to. It's a longer book with a lot of information to take in at times, but Sophie Kim writes in such a way that it never feels like work and is always an enjoyable time.

Overall, I've given The God and the Gumiho four stars! Based on the ending, I desperately need and sequel and will look forward to it!

*I received a copy of  The God and the Gumiho in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Review: Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel

Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel

Redhook

Publication Date: May 21st, 2024

Hardcover. 416 pages.

About Goddess of the River:

"A powerful reimagining of the story of Ganga, goddess of the river, and her doomed mortal son, from Vaishnavi Patel, author of the instant New York Times bestseller Kaikeyi .

A mother and a son. A goddess and a prince. A curse and an oath. A river whose course will change the fate of the world.

Ganga, joyful goddess of the river, serves as caretaker to the mischievous godlings who roam her banks. But when their antics incur the wrath of a powerful sage, Ganga is cursed to become mortal, bound to her human form until she fulfills the obligations of the curse.

Though she knows nothing of mortal life, Ganga weds King Shantanu and becomes a queen, determined to regain her freedom no matter the cost. But in a cruel turn of fate, just as she is freed of her binding, she is forced to leave her infant son behind.

Her son, prince Devavrata, unwittingly carries the legacy of Ganga’s curse. And when he makes an oath that he will never claim his father’s throne, he sets in motion a chain of events that will end in a terrible and tragic war.

As the years unfold, Ganga and Devavrata are drawn together again and again, each confluence another step on a path that has been written in the stars, in this deeply moving and masterful tale of duty, destiny, and the unwavering bond between mother and son."

I adored Vaishnavi Patel's debut Kaikeyi and was so eager to return to her gorgeous and lyrical writing. Patel's writing is just as stunning as it was in Kaikeyi and she manages to once again craft an intricate, captivating, and vibrant world full of gods and mortal alike. Goddess of the River is a retelling of the ancient Hindu epic Mahabharata, this time following the river goddess Ganga and her son, Devavrata. Unlike with Kaikeyi where I was familiar with the Ramayana, I have less familiarity with the Mahabharata, so entering into this particular story was brand new for me, and it has made me even more interested in reading the Mahabharata itself sooner rather than later.

Vaishnavi Patel is doing an excellent job with her Indian epic retellings and Goddess of the River is no different. Although I didn't like this one quite as much as I liked Kaikeyi. I still think it was an extraordinary story crafted from an impressive undertaking. I felt fully immersed in this world and found myself appreciating the ability to experience the mortal world through Ganga's eyes, as well as through the eyes of her son's unique upbringing and experiences. There is a large cast of characters to be aware of that appear throughout this story, and I found it extremely helpful to have some family tree and character information at the beginning of the novel. 

We follow Ganga as she is cursed to become a mortal for as long as it takes her to fulfill the rules set out by the curse. While mortal, she encounters King Shantanu, whom she marries and begins to have children with. After many pregnancies, she gives birth to a son, Devavrata, who becomes another important player in this story. I thought Patel was incredible nuanced and successful in her portrayal of Ganga's many struggles as both goddess and during her rather lonely time as a mortal. Although I may not have always agreed with or related to Ganga, I absolutely empathized with her and could really understand her many difficult choices and actions throughout the novel thanks to Patel's thoughtful writing.

This book is told with many flashbacks and some short moments in which we experience some events from other people's lives via Ganga (that sounds a bit confusing, but it makes sense in the story). I didn't mind the flashbacks too much, but altogether the constant switching between people and times (and somewhat vague time descriptors at the start of each chapter) left me feeling a bit disconnected from the story as a whole. I wanted to spend more time with Ganga and get to know her more. The times with her son started out strong, but over time I felt they became too convoluted and included too many characters to where I began to lose interest and those chapters dragged quite a lot for me. Additionally, I found myself struggling every so often to fully understand some of the more precise details of what was occurring with the backstory and the war that was building up and eventually occurring. I'm not sure if that was my fault for not following along better or if more familiarity with things going into this book would have helped, but it did cause me to struggle a bit at times with my engagement.

Despite these frustrations, Patel's writing is what really makes these books such an enjoyable experience. Her writing flows with so much emotion and a clear connection to her characters that it makes me really feel as though I'm reading something special, and it also allows me to really feel like I can get a glimpse of who these characters are, especially with Ganga. Her writing is never over the top or too flowery, but instead seems to strike a perfect balance between succinct and descriptive and feels completely effortless.

Overall, I've given Goddess of the River four stars! Vaishnavi Patel remains an auto-buy author for me due to her incredible writing that I just can't seem to get enough of. If you like retellings or stories that feature complex woman at the heart of it, then you must give Goddess of the River a read. 

*I received a copy of  Goddess of the River in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The West Passage by Jared Pechaček, These Deathless Shores by P.H. Low, & Dallergut Dream Department Store by Lee Mi-Ye

        

 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.

The West Passage by Jared Pechaček
Publication: July 16th, 2024
Tordotcom
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"A palace the size of a city, ruled by giant Ladies of unknowable, eldritch origin. A land left to slow decay, drowning in the debris of generations. All this and more awaits you within The West Passage, a delightfully mysterious and intriguingly weird medieval fantasy unlike anything you've read before.

When the Guardian of the West Passage died in her bed, the women of Grey Tower fed her to the crows and went back to their chores. No successor was named as Guardian, no one took up the fallen blade; the West Passage went unguarded.

Now, snow blankets Grey in the height of summer. Rats erupt from beneath the earth, fleeing that which comes. Crops fail. Hunger looms. And none stand ready to face the Beast, stirring beneath the poisoned soil.

The fate of all who live in the palace hangs on narrow shoulders. The too-young Mother of Grey House sets out to fix the seasons. The unnamed apprentice of the deceased Grey Guardian goes to warn Black Tower. Both their paths cross the West Passage, the ancient byway of the Beast. On their journeys they will meet schoolteachers and beekeepers, miracles and monsters, and very, very big Ladies. None can say if they'll reach their destinations, but one thing is for the world is about to change."

I am absolutely captivated by this cover and equally so by the premise! I love stories that have such weird and creative sounding premises. 

These Deathless Shores by P.H. Low
Publication: July 9th, 2024
Orbit
Paperback. 464 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Jordan has gotten good at pretending.

On an Island where boys fly and fight pirates, but girls can only be mothers, Jordan's shaved head and false swagger are the only things keeping her adopted crew of Lost Boys from forcing her into a role she has never wanted. When she gets her first period, she's exposed and thrown back Outside—into a world where grown-ups die slowly in offices, flight is a fantasy, and withdrawal from the Island’s magical Dust slowly strips its afflicted of their dignity.

To Jordan, it’s a fate worse than death.

Nine years later, when the drug she has been using to medicate her withdrawal begins to show its fatal final symptoms, Jordan persuades her best friend and fellow ex-Lost Boy to return with her to the Island. With the help of a temperamental pilot and her long-estranged sister, she sets in motion a plan to oust Peter from his throne and seize control of the Island’s Dust supply.

But Peter isn't the only malevolent force moving against her. As Jordan confronts the nature of Dust, first love, and the violent legacy carved into the land itself, she realises the Island may have plans of its own..."

Maybe I just have a bad memory, but I can't recall many (any?) books I've read with a protagonist named Jordan (which, by the way, is my name) and that has really thrown me! Bonus is that this is a Peter Pan-inspired story which are some of my favorite books so it just feels perfect, haha. I'm reading an ARC of it right now and so far it's a little odd, but I'm super intrigued and can't wait to see where this story goes.

The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Lee Mi-ye
Publication: July 9th, 2024
Hanover Square Press
Hardcover. 288 pages.
Pre-order: Blackwells

From Goodreads:
"In a mysterious town that lies hidden in our collective subconscious, there's a quaint little store where all kinds of dreams are sold ...

Day and night, visitors both human and animal from all over the world shuffle in sleepily in their pyjamas, lining up to purchase their latest adventure. Each floor in the department store sells a special kind of dream, including nostalgic dreams about your childhood, trips you've taken, and delicious food you've eaten, as well as nightmares and more mysterious dreams.

In Dallergut Dream Department Store we meet Penny an enthusiastic new hire; Dallergut, the flamboyant owner of the department store; Agnap Coco, producer of special dreams; Vigo Myers, an employee in the mystery department as well as a cast of curious, funny and strange clientele who regularly visit the store. When one of the most coveted and expensive dreams gets stolen during Penny's first week, we follow along with her as she tries to uncover the workings of this wonderfully whimsical world.

A captivating story that will leave a lingering magical feeling in readers' minds, this is the first book in a bestselling duology for anyone exhausted from the reality of their daily life."

I believe this is only a UK release right now, but I am in love with the sound of it. This sounds absolutely magical and like something that would be pure delight to read (and a nice change from all the darkness and horror I put in my brain, haha). I can't wait to check it out!

Month in Review: May 2024

May was another busy month, but this time with something a little fun thrown in for once: my husband and I took a trip! I'ts honestly been quite a while since we've gone anywhere, so we took a somewhat short but really fun trip to England and Ireland. It was a really nice way to get a little introduction to both countries (very little!) and it was so nice to finally get away somewhere. Outside of that, it's business as usual and getting back to the regular routine and blogging. June is gearing up to be a very packed month of new releases, so hopefully I can try to keep up this month!

In reading news, I'm actually shocked at how many books I managed to get through this month with everything going on, but I owe a lot of that to audiobooks for accompanying me during all the travel. The Silverblood Promise was definitely my top book from May–I had really high hopes for it and they all came true! I'd been looking for a big, adventurous, exciting, some hints of darkness and danger, and also just plain fun fantasy for a while now and this checked all the boxes and was everything I'd been searching for. 

How was your May?  Let me know how your month was below and what you've been reading!

   

# books read: 14

The Silverblood Promise by James Logan ★★★★★

Source: Library | Format: Paperback

Thoughts: I loved this! I had such an amazing time reading this book and am so eager for the sequel.

Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel ★★★★

Source: Library | Format: Paperback

Thoughts: I didn't love this quite like I loved Kaikeyi, but it was still a really beautiful story and I just can't get enough of Patel's writing. My review for it will be up this week!

Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird by Agustina Bazterrica ★★

Source: Library | Format: Paperback

Thoughts: I really wanted to love these given how enraptured I was with Bazterrica's Tender is the Flesh, but unfortunately most of these short horror stories were pretty... not great. A few were okay, but I don't think I'd really go out of my way to recommend this one unless you are just really curious about more work from Bazterrica. I don't regret reading it, but am a bit disappointed in the quality. 

Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky ★★★★

Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC

Thoughts: This was such a fun concept and I really like exploring Tchaikovsky execution of it. My review for this one is already up! 

Whale Fall by Elizabeth O'Connor ★★★★

Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC

Thoughts: I really liked the general idea behind this novel and thought O'Connor's writing was really strong, but it wasn't one I ended up loving. My review for this is already up as well!

Daughter of Calamity by Rosalie M. Lin ★★★

Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC

Thoughts: I have mixed feelings about this one and I'll have my review up in a week or two!

Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West by Blaine Harden ★★★★

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: I think this book stood out to me a lot from other North Korean-based books I've read because the man at the heart of it was quite different from others I've read, so I really appreciated getting new perspectives. 

The Latinist by Mark Prins ★★★★

Source: Library | Format: Hardcover

Thoughts: Even though I consider myself more of a Hellenist than a Latinist, I knew I had to read this one as soon as I saw it. I went into it with hesitance given the low Goodreads rating, but it was pretty good! I didn't love it and it had a lot of frustrating components, but overall I liked what it did and found the general plot and content interesting. 

Made Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky ★★★★

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: A really fun idea with a pretty good execution. I listened to this as an audiobook, but I think I'd rather read it sometime because I think I missed some things with the audio.

The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok ★★★★

Source: Library | Format: Hardcover

Thoughts: This was enjoyable while reading it, but feels oddly forgettable now that I've finished it.

Goddess of Filth by V. Castro ★★★

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: This has a really strong start, but I lost interest as the novella progressed, unfortunately.

The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng ★★★★

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: This was an interesting historical fiction novel that unfortunately never really clicked with me in the way I expected. 

The Islanders by Caroline Mitchell ★★★

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: This ended up being a much mellower thriller than I expected, but I still ended up liking it. I almost DNF'd, but stuck around and was pleasantly surprised by a nice twist–it wasn't the most original twist, but wasn't one I expected in this book, so that made it worth it.

Satan's Affair by H.D. Carlton 

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: I didn't really expect to like this that much, but I was curious and wanted to complete things set in this storyline and I had a pretty fun time with it. It was nice to read a bit more about Sibby's background, but a lot of the book felt gratuitous. 

DNF/To-Be-Finished:

None

 

Whale Fall by Elizabeth O'Connor

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
The Fireborne Blade by Charlotte Bond
Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky

 Posts:

Month in Review: April 2024
Anticipated June 2024 Releases

Blog Memes:

Can't-Wait Wednesday:
5/1: Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman & Moonbound by Robin Sloan
5/8: Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky, The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks, & The Last Song of Penelope by Claire North
5/15: Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay, Dancers of the Dawn by Zulekhá A. Afzal, & Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter
5/22: Daughter of Calamity by Rosalie M. Lin, Tiananmen Square by Lai Wen, & The Fire Within Them by Matthew Ward
5/29: Daughter of the Merciful Deep by Leslye Penelope, The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier, & Bear by Julia Phillips

The Friday Face-Off:
Current Read #28