Can't-Wait Wednesday: Cast in Firelight by Dana Swift

 "Can’t-Wait Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Wishful Endings, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

Cast in Firelight

Dana Swift

(Wickery #1)

Publication Date: January 19, 2021

Hardcover, 448 pages, HarperTeen

Genres: YA, Fantasy

Goodreads

The first book in an epic, heart-pounding fantasy duology about two royal heirs betrothed to be married, but whose loyalties are torn, and a ruthless enemy who threatens their world, perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Hafsah Faizal, and Renée Ahdieh.

Adraa is the royal heir of Belwar, a talented witch on the cusp of taking her royal ceremony test, and a girl who just wants to prove her worth to her people.

Jatin is the royal heir to Naupure, a competitive wizard who's mastered all nine colors of magic, and a boy anxious to return home for the first time since he was a child.

Together, their arranged marriage will unite two of Wickery's most powerful kingdoms. But after years of rivalry from afar, Adraa and Jatin only agree on one thing: their reunion will be anything but sweet.

Only, destiny has other plans and with the criminal underbelly of Belwar suddenly making a move for control, their paths cross...and neither realizes who the other is, adopting separate secret identities instead.

Between dodging deathly spells and keeping their true selves hidden, the pair must learn to put their trust in the other if either is to uncover the real threat. Now Wickery's fate is in the hands of rivals..? Fiancées..? Partners..? Whatever they are, it's complicated and bound for greatness or destruction.

My Thoughts

Such a pretty cover. I’m a little wary of the new trend of illustrated book covers, but this one is lovely. I have a feeling Cast in Firelight will be in a lot of book subscription boxes in November. (Update: New January 2021 release date due to COVID-related printing issues, so it may not be in any boxes this year.) I’m ready for it, though. So ready. I just hope they don’t change the color scheme of the art. I have a NetGalley review copy of this one, so at least I don't have to wait to read it. :)

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir

 "Can’t-Wait Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Wishful Endings, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

A Sky Beyond the Storm

Sabaa Tahir

(An Ember in the Ashes #4)

Publication Date: December 1, 2020

Hardcover, 464 pages, Penguin Random House

Genres: YA, Fantasy

Goodreads

Prepare for the jaw-dropping finale of Sabaa Tahir's beloved New York Times bestselling An Ember in the Ashes fantasy series, and discover: Who will survive the storm?

Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off...

The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory--or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life--and love--he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save--or destroy--all that he knows.

My Thoughts

I have put off starting this series since the first book came out. And boy, am I glad that I did. Now, I can binge read the entire thing at once. Without the years of wait between sequels. Also, this cover is GORGEOUS! It’s probably my favorite cover of 2020. I just hope Penguin releases a box set of all four books so I can have them all in these lovely matching covers. It is kind of sad, though, that my original copy of An Ember in the Ashes is signed. Guess I can’t get rid of it unless I hate the series. And I really hope I don’t hate it.

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: A Warm Heart in Winter by J.R. Ward

 "Can’t-Wait Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Wishful Endings, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

A Warm Heart in Winter

J.R. Ward

(Black Dagger Brotherhood #18.5)

Publication Date: November 24, 2020

Paperback, 448 pages, Pocket Books

Genres: Adult, Romance, Paranormal, LGBT+

Goodreads

#1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward is heating things up this winter with a holiday novel featuring some of her most iconic Black Dagger Brothers.

In this romantic and sexy addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series, a beloved couple has everything arranged... until it all goes horribly wrong.

Blay and Qhuinn always intended to do a proper mating ceremony, but life has a way of getting in the way. With a pair of young, responsibilities to the King, and a grueling fighting schedule, the two are exhausted and overwhelmed. When Qhuinn gives his male the proposal of a lifetime, however, they are excited for their special night and more in love than ever.

Everyone in the Black Dagger Brotherhood’s mansion gets into the preparations, and the after party takes on epic- and immortal- proportions when Lassiter forms the Party Planning Committee. The celebrations promise to be all that the couple deserves... until a Nor’easter land locks Caldwell in a fierce storm, and things go from lighthearted to deadly dangerous.

Battling nature and responding to emergencies, Blay and Qhuinn get separated, and when a catastrophic chain of events puts one of their lives in jeopardy, the night they had so looked forward could mean the end of everything...

My Thoughts

I am very on the fence for this one. While I loved Blay and Qhuinn’s relationship in their original book, Lover at Last (#11 in this very long series), The Chosen made Qhuinn into an abusive a$$. I’m thinking about re-reading the entire series to see how I feel once I get back into the world. But I don’t know. I’m just so disappointed with what Ward did to my favorite characters. I stopped reading the books after what happened in The Chosen, and that’s book #15. There are three more after that one, plus a bunch of novellas. I just don’t know if it’s worth catching up. But, this one is a Christmas special, so maybe I can just dive in? I’m so conflicted. *sigh*

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter

 "Can’t-Wait Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Wishful Endings, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

The Fires of Vengeance

Evan Winter

(The Burning #2)

Publication Date: November 10, 2020

Hardcover, 544 pages, Orbit

Genres: Adult, Fantasy

Goodreads

"Intense, inventive and action-packed from beginning to end - a relentlessly gripping, brilliant read." -- James Islington

In order to reclaim her throne and save her people, an ousted queen must join forces with a young warrior in the second book of this must-read epic fantasy series by breakout author Evan Winter.

Tau and his Queen, desperate to delay the impending attack on the capital by the indigenous people of Xidda, craft a dangerous plan. If Tau succeeds, the Queen will have the time she needs to assemble her forces and launch an all out assault on her own capital city, where her sister is being propped up as the 'true' Queen of the Omehi.

If the city can be taken, if Tsiora can reclaim her throne, and if she can reunite her people then the Omehi have a chance to survive the onslaught.

My Thoughts

I know I’m going to love this series, but I haven’t started it yet. Not because I don’t want to, but because it’s a four-book adult fantasy series and this is only book two. I’m cautious with fantasy series because sometimes it takes the authors a long time to finish writing the entire series. I do own book one, The Rage of Dragons, and I will read it. It just may be after The Fires of Vengeance or even book three or four comes out that I binge the series. I’ve heard very good things, though.

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Master of One by Jones & Bennett

 "Can’t-Wait Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Wishful Endings, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

Master of One

Jaida Jones & Danielle Bennett

Publication Date: November 10, 2020

Hardcover, 544 pages, HarperTeen

Genres: YA, Fantasy, LGBTQ+

Goodreads

Sinister sorcery. Gallows humor. A queer romance so glorious it could be right out of fae legend itself. Master of One is a fantasy unlike any other.

Rags is a thief—an excellent one. He's stolen into noble’'s coffers, picked soldier's pockets, and even liberated a ring or two off the fingers of passersby. Until he's caught by the Queensguard and forced to find an ancient fae relic for a sadistic royal sorcerer.

But Rags could never have guessed this "relic" would actually be a fae himself—a distractingly handsome, annoyingly perfect, ancient fae prince called Shining Talon. Good thing Rags can think on his toes, because things just get stranger from there...

With the heist and intrigue of Six of Crows and the dark fairy tale feel of The Cruel Prince, this young adult fantasy debut will have readers rooting for a pair of reluctant heroes as they take on a world-ending fae prophecy, a malicious royal plot, and, most dangerously of all, their feelings for each other.

My Thoughts

I have heard nothing about this book beyond the cover reveal post HarperTeen did a few months ago. Yet for some reason, I am obsessed with it. I want me some M/M fae young adult romance, goshdarnit. It would be cool if it was new adult, but YA is fun too. I’ve requested Master of One for review on NetGalley, but my request is still pending. I doubt I get approved, but I had to try.

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Brightest Night

 "Can’t-Wait Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Wishful Endings, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

The Brightest Night

Jennifer L. Armentrout

(Origin #3)

Publication Date: October 20, 2020

Hardcover, 512 pages, Tor Teen

Genres: YA, Sci-Fi

Goodreads

The thrills, drama, and intrigue continue in the third installment of the Origin series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout.

He is the darkest star.

You are the burning shadow.

And together, you will bring about the brightest night.

Less than a year ago, Evelyn Dasher was a normal girl, living an unremarkable life.

Now, she's on the run, under the protection of the beautiful, deadly inhuman Luc. She's been betrayed by those who were closest to her. And she's learned truths about herself that she never saw coming--things she once knew, and was made to forget. Truths with devastating consequences. She's caught in the eye of the storm.

She is the eye of the storm.

My Thoughts

I could have sworn I already used this one for a “Can’t-Wait” post, but it looks like I was mistaken, unless I didn’t tag the post correctly. Which is totally a thing I might do. But anywho, yeah. The Brightest Night. I’m actually not really that excited for this book. I LOATHE Luc, the male love interest. LOATHE. However, it’s JLA, and there’s supposed to be a baby-related short story at the end of the U.S. first editions. I NEED the baby story! But the stupid cover change is ridiculous. I wasn’t particularly thrilled with the original covers, but changing them to something so 2010 is irritating. I know JLA mentioned trying to get special cover copies for reader. I hope that still happens. I think that’d be a great preorder incentive. Without that incentive, I’ll probably just ask my mom to pick up a copy for me for Christmas or something.

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

 "Can’t-Wait Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Wishful Endings, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

Black Sun

Rebecca Roanhorse

(Between Earth and Sky #1)

Publication Date: October 13, 2020

Hardcover, 646 pages, Saga Press

Genres: Adult, Fantasy

Goodreads

From the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Resistance Reborn comes the first book in the Between Earth and Sky trilogy, inspired by the civilizations of the Pre-Columbian Americas and woven into a tale of celestial prophecies, political intrigue, and forbidden magic.

A god will return

When the earth and sky converge

Under the black sun

In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.

Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.

Crafted with unforgettable characters, Rebecca Roanhorse has created an epic adventure exploring the decadence of power amidst the weight of history and the struggle of individuals swimming against the confines of society and their broken pasts in the most original series debut of the decade.

My Thoughts

This is a book I don’t know much about. I believe it’s a fantasy story with myths based on indigenous people and history, which is a concept I’m sad to say I’ve read zero of, despite reading oh-so-many fantasy books. Thus, it’s time for me to branch out of that white-female author group I gravitate towards. Nothing wrong with white, female authors, I just know there’s more out there that I’m sure I’ll love if I simply take a chance. I think this one could truly be a new favorite. I mean, S.A. Chakraborty gave it five stars and sang its praises! That means it has to be good, right?!

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

 "Can’t-Wait Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Wishful Endings, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

Legendborn

Tracy Deonn

(Legendborn #1)

Publication Date: September 15, 2020

Hardcover, 512 pages, McElderry Books

Genres: YA, Urban Fantasy

Goodreads

Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy Legendborn offers the dark allure of City of Bones with a modern-day twist on a classic legend and a lot of Southern Black Girl Magic.

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

A flying demon feeding on human energies.

A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.

And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

My Thoughts

I keep hearing about this book. Not actual reviews, but just how much other people are excited for it. Thus, I decided to add it to my own TBR. I think I’ll wait to purchase Legendborn once more people have gotten ahold of it, but I am intrigued. Maybe it’ll come in one of my book subscription boxes. That would be cool.

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire

 "Can’t-Wait Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Wishful Endings, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire

Jennifer L. Armentrout

(Blood and Ash #2)

Publication Date: September 1, 2020

Paperback, Blue Box Press

Genres: New Adult, Fantasy

Goodreads

A Betrayal…

Everything Poppy has ever believed in is a lie, including the man she was falling in love with. Thrust among those who see her as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she barely knows who she is without the veil of the Maiden. But what she does know is that nothing is as dangerous to her as him. The Dark One. The Prince of Atlantia. He wants her to fight him, and that’s one order she’s more than happy to obey. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.

A Choice...

Casteel Da’Neer is known by many names and many faces. His lies are as seductive as his touch. His truths as sensual as his bite. Poppy knows better than to trust him. He needs her alive, healthy, and whole to achieve his goals. But he’s the only way for her to get what she wants—to find her brother Ian and see for herself if he has become a soulless Ascended. Working with Casteel instead of against him presents its own risks. He still tempts her with every breath, offering up all she’s ever wanted. Casteel has plans for her. Ones that could expose her to unimaginable pleasure and unfathomable pain. Plans that will force her to look beyond everything she thought she knew about herself—about him. Plans that could bind their lives together in unexpected ways that neither kingdom is prepared for. And she’s far too reckless, too hungry, to resist the temptation.

A Secret…

But unrest has grown in Atlantia as they await the return of their Prince. Whispers of war have become stronger, and Poppy is at the very heart of it all. The King wants to use her to send a message. The Descenters want her dead. The wolven are growing more unpredictable. And as her abilities to feel pain and emotion begin to grow and strengthen, the Atlantians start to fear her. Dark secrets are at play, ones steeped in the blood-drenched sins of two kingdoms that would do anything to keep the truth hidden. But when the earth begins to shake, and the skies start to bleed, it may already be too late.

My Thoughts

The cover has finally, FINALLY been revealed. And IT IS B-E-A-UTIFUL. I thought for sure it would be black, but it’s white! So pretty. I’m extremely excited JLA is releasing these books every six months, though I’m not sure if the release schedule for books three and four will have the same schedule. I really hope so.

But anywho, this is going to be part of my birthday present to myself. I’m going to preorder AKOFAF and order a print copy of From Blood and Ash. There’ll be a few more titles in the order, but these are the ones I’m most excited for. New adult fantasy romance is the best. I wish it was more mainstream in the publishing world.

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?