I got started a little early with my 2024 fourth quarter book releases roundup. There are quite a few October 2024 releases in my list that interest me. I didn’t find as many December 2024 releases, but as time goes on I hope to add on to this post. But, for the time being, here’s my main pass at a 2024 fourth quarter book release list. Lots of good stuff here!
- October 2024 Book Releases
- A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
- Odd Spirits by S.T. Gibson*
- Blood of the Old Kings by Sung-Il Kim and Anton Hur (Translator)
- The Black Hunger by Nicholas Pullen
- Januaries: Stories of Love, Magic & Betrayal by Olivie Blake
- The Nightward by R.S.A. Garcia
- The Book of Purrs by Luis Coelho*
- The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry*
- This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher*
- La Vie de Guinevere by Paula Lafferty*
- Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
- November 2024 Book Releases
- December 2024 Book Releases
* = I have an ARC of this book.
** = I preordered this book.
October 2024 Book Releases
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
Series: None
Genre: Historical Fantasy, Legends & Mythology, Romance
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publish Date: October 1, 2024
Print Length: 336
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, A Song to Drown Rivers is an epic novel steeped in myth about womanhood, war, sacrifice, and love against all odds as the fate of two kingdoms hangs in a delicate balance.
Her beauty hides a deadly purpose.
Xishi’s beauty is seen as a blessing to the villagers of Yue–convinced that the best fate for a girl is to marry well and support her family. When Xishi draws the attention of the famous young military advisor, Fanli, he presents her with a rare opportunity: to use her beauty as a weapon. One that could topple the rival neighboring kingdom of Wu, improve the lives of her people, and avenge her sister’s murder. All she has to do is infiltrate the enemy palace as a spy, seduce their immoral king, and weaken them from within.
Trained by Fanli in everything from classical instruments to concealing emotion, Xishi hones her beauty into the perfect blade. But she knows Fanli can see through every deception she masters, the attraction between them burning away any falsehoods.
Once inside the enemy palace, Xishi finds herself under the hungry gaze of the king’s advisors while the king himself shows her great affection. Despite his gentleness, a brutality lurks and Xishi knows she can never let her guard down. But the higher Xishi climbs in the Wu court, the farther she and Fanli have to fall–and if she is unmasked as a traitor, she will bring both kingdoms down.
Odd Spirits by S.T. Gibson*
Series: The Summoner’s Circle, #0.5
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Angry Robot
Publish Date: October 8, 2024
Print Length: 200
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
Learn more about the characters from The Sunday Times bestselling author S.T. Gibson’s Evocation in this gorgeously illustrated prequel novella to The Summoner’s Circle series.
It takes a lot of commitment to make a marriage between a modern ceremonial magician and a tarot witch work, but when a malevolent entity takes up residence in Rhys and Moira’s home, their love will be pushed to the limits.
Brewing up a solution is easier said than done when your magical styles are polar opposites; throw a psychic ex and a secret society in the mix, and things are bound to get messy.
Blood of the Old Kings by Sung-Il Kim and Anton Hur (Translator)
Series: None(?)
Genre: Fantasy
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Tor Books
Publish Date: October 8, 2024
Print Length: 368
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
From award-winning Korean author Sung-il Kim & translated by the world-renowned Anton Hur, Blood of the Old Kings begins an epic journey unlike any other.
There is no escaping the Empire.
Even in death, you will serve.
In an Empire run on necromancy, dead sorcerers are the lifeblood. Their corpses are wrapped in chains and drained of magic to feed the unquenchable hunger for imperial conquest.
Born with magic, Arienne has become resigned to her dark fate. But when the voice of a long-dead sorcerer begins to speak inside her head, she listens. There may be another future for her, if she’s willing to fight for it.
Miles away, beneath a volcano, a seven-eyed dragon also wears the Empire’s chains. Before the imperial fist closed around their lands, it was the people’s sacred guardian.
Loran, a widowed swordswoman, is the first to kneel before the dragon in decades. She comes with a desperate plea, and will leave with a sword of dragon-fang in hand and a great purpose before her.
In the heart of the Imperial capital, Cain is known as a man who gets things done. When his best friend and mentor is found murdered, he will leave no stone unturned to find those responsible, even if it means starting a war.
Step into a world of necromancy, murder, and twisted magic. A world in need of a hero.
The Black Hunger by Nicholas Pullen
Series: None
Genre: Horror, Gothic, Epistolary
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Redhook
Publish Date: October 8, 2024
Print Length: 400
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
A spine-tingling, queer gothic horror debut where two men are drawn into an otherworldly spiral, and a journey that will only end when they reach the darkest part of the human soul.
“A gothic masterpiece. A devastating exploration of humanity’s capacity for evil.”​ – Sunyi Dean, author of The Book Eaters
John Sackville will soon be dead. Shadows writhe in the corners of his cell as he mourns the death of his secret lover and as the gnawing hunger inside him grows impossible to ignore.
He must write his last testament before it is too late.
The story he tells will take us to the darkest part of the human soul. It is a tale of otherworldly creatures, ancient cults, and a terrifying journey from the stone circles of Scotland to the icy peaks of Tibet.
It is a tale that will take us to the end of the world.
Januaries: Stories of Love, Magic & Betrayal by Olivie Blake
Series: None
Genre: Fantasy, Legends & Mythology
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Tordotcom
Publish Date: October 15, 2024
Print Length: 400
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six comes Januaries, a stunning collection of short fiction featuring fourteen magical ruminations on life, death, and the love–or desire for revenge–that outlasts both
Once upon a time in a land far, far away, a wish-granting spirit rapidly approaches burnout. Meanwhile, a banished fairy answers a Craigslist ad, a Victorian orphan navigates an occult situationship, and a multiverse assassin contemplates the one who got away.
With both iconic fan-favorite stories and entirely original pieces, Januaries features modified fairy tales, contemporary heists, absurdist poetry, and at least one set of actual wedding vows. Escape the slow trudge of mortality by diving into these enchanting new worlds with a master of imagination.
The Nightward by R.S.A. Garcia
Series: Waters of Lethe, #1
Genre: Fantasy — Epic, Science Fiction
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publish Date: October 15, 2024
Print Length: 432
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
Sturgeon, Nebula, Locus, and Ignyte awards finalist R.S.A. Garcia’s scifantasy debut novel–the first in a duology–in which Caribbean mythology meets The Witcher, introduces a world where women warrior-magicians rule, and a child princess and her bodyguard must flee an attempted coup and evade the wave of darkness sent to kill her.
For 500 years Gaiea’s Hand has stood as a ward against the Dark. The Age of Chaos is a faded memory. The Goddess has left Gailand and given her Blessing to the Queens to rule in her stead.
Princess Viella of the court of Hamber is the Spirit of Gaiea, presumptive heir to the throne and budding wielder of magic. And yet she’s still a child–not yet ten years old–and a day spent evading her teachers and her dutiful bodyguard, Luka, is much more satisfying than learning about telepathy, illusions, and other spells, or obeying even her mother, the Queen.
There is time enough…until there isn’t.
For the night the Queen hosts the Ceremony to confirm Viella as the next Hand of Gaiea, everything changes for her–in the most horrific way imaginable: the assassination of Viella’s mother.
Now Viella is Queen.
Luka, despite resenting his position as royal babysitter, does not hesitate. He rushes his charge from the Court and vows to keep her safe. Yet he is unsure how to help a burgeoning Hand of Gaiea, let alone contend with his place as a man in a matriarchal world and the secret that is burning inside him.
Together, they are on the run from darkness in a world where the lines between magic and technology are blurring and it’s up to a child and her protector to bring clarity and light back to the Queendom.
The Book of Purrs by Luis Coelho*
Series: None
Genre: Comedy
Age Category: All Ages
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Publish Date: October 22, 2024
Print Length: 96
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
The internet’s favorite googly-eyed feline–@purr.in.ink–wrote a book to send you a little bit of love and a whole lot of joy.
As every cat-lover knows, purring is the way a cat shows affection and happiness, and The Book of Purrs is just that! From cover to cover, Portuguese illustrator Luis Coelho’s delightful collection of comics–an extension of his popular Instagram @purr.in.ink–is filled with affirmations and encouraging reminders to find joy in making mistakes, chasing lost dreams, and refilling empty food bowls…they are still cats, after all.
The Book of Purrs: Everyday Thoughts from Your Feline Friends is the purr-fect gift for the cat lover in your life, and anyone in need of a daily dose of paws-itivity!
The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry*
Series: None
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Redhook
Publish Date: October 22, 2024
Print Length: 464
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
From the author of The Magician’s Daughter comes The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door, a mythic, magical tale full of secret scholarship, faerie curses, and the deadliest spells of all–the ones that friends cast on each other.
All they needed to break the world was a door, and someone to open it.
Camford, 1920. Gilded and glittering, England’s secret magical academy is no place for Clover, a commoner with neither connections nor magical blood. She tells herself she has fought her way there only to find a cure for her brother Matthew, one of the few survivors of a faerie attack on the battlefields of WWI which left the doors to faerie country sealed, the study of its magic banned, and its victims cursed.
But when Clover catches the eye of golden boy Alden Lennox-Fontaine and his friends, doors that were previously closed to her are flung wide open, and she soon finds herself enmeshed in the seductive world of the country’s magical aristocrats. The summer she spends in Alden’s orbit leaves a fateful mark: months of joyous friendship and mutual study come crashing down when experiments go awry, and old secrets are unearthed.
Years later, when the faerie seals break, Clover knows it’s because of what they did. And she knows that she must seek the help of people she once called friends–and now doesn’t quite know what to call–if there’s any hope of saving the world as they know it.
This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher*
Series: None
Genre: Fantasy, Romantic Comedy
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Avon Books
Publish Date: October 29, 2024
Print Length: 416
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
The Princess Bride meets People We Meet on Vacation in this cozy quest romantasy about a group of friends who once defended their magical land together but haven’t spoken since, reuniting to attend a royal wedding, and ending up on a new adventure to save the realm–and hopefully themselves.
Ten years ago, they saved the realm. It ruined their lives.
Everyone in Mythria knows the story of how best friends Beatrice and Elowen, handsome ex-bandit Clare, and valiant leader Galwell the Great defended the land from darkness. It’s a tale beloved by all–except the former heroes. They haven’t spoken in a decade, devastated by what their quest cost them.
But when they receive an invitation to the queen of Mythria’s wedding, it’s a summons they can’t refuse . . . and a reunion for the ages, with Clare secretly not over his long-ago fling with Beatrice, Beatrice fighting the guilt she feels over how everything ended, Elowen unprepared for the return of her former flame (the cunning Vandra), and all of them lost without Galwell’s presence. And if reuniting with old friends and lovers wasn’t perilous enough, dark forces from their past have returned, plotting a domination that only Mythria’s one-time defenders can stop. Maybe.
Dusting off old weapons and old instincts, they face undead nemeses, crystal caves, enchanted swords, coffee shops, games of magical Truth or Dare, and, hardest of all, their past–rife with wounds never healed and romances never forgotten.
This time around, will their story end in happily ever after?
La Vie de Guinevere by Paula Lafferty*
Series: None
Genre: Fantasy — Arthurian
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Avalon Books
Publish Date: October 29, 2024
Print Length: 536
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
After the sudden death of her boyfriend, Vera would have been happy to spend the rest of her days curiously unnoticeable, washing bed sheets and cleaning toilets in present day Glastonbury. But when the strange new guest at her hotel reveals himself to be Merlin and drags her back to seventh century Camelot, a place she knows only from legends, only Vera (or Queen Guinevere as Merlin calls her) can right the course of history and save Arthur’s kingdom from the will of a power-hungry mage. There’s one enormous problem: Guinevere was the sole witness to the curse that’s now draining the kingdom of its magic, and Vera doesn’t remember anything of her supposed life as Queen Guinevere. With Camelot’s peace ebbing ever closer to shattering, the clock is ticking. But working with Merlin’s magic to retrieve her long-lost memories and save the kingdom brings more questions than answers: why is it that King Arthur, who treats his subjects with loving benevolence, can’t even stand to look at her? And why does that make Vera’s soul feel like it’s splitting in two? What robbed her of her memories in the first place… And most importantly… Why? As Vera is about to discover; in a world of legend and power, the secrets of her memories are only the beginning.
Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
Series: None
Genre: Fantasy
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Del Rey Books
Publish Date: October 29, 2024
Print Length: 448
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
The first woman ever admitted to a prestigious order of mages unravels a secret conspiracy that could change the practice of magic forever, in this standalone dark fantasy from the author of The Sword of Kaigen.The stunning first edition hardcover will feature red stained edges, gold and red foil on the jacket, a full-color endpaper map, and an interior illustration of an in-world magical item
For twenty years, Sciona has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic, fueled by a mad desire to achieve the impossible: to be the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry at the University of Magics and Industry.
When Sciona finally passes the qualifying exam and becomes a highmage, she finds her challenges have just begun. Her new colleagues are determined to make her feel unwelcome–and, instead of a qualified lab assistant, they give her a janitor.
What neither Sciona nor her peers realize is that her taciturn assistant was not always a janitor. Ten years ago, he was a nomadic hunter who lost his family on their perilous journey from the wild plains to the city. But now he sees the opportunity to understand the forces that decimated his tribe, drove him from his homeland, and keep the privileged in power.
At first, mage and outsider have a fractious relationship. But working together, they uncover an ancient secret that could change the course of magic forever–if it doesn’t get them killed first.
November 2024 Book Releases
Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibañez
Series: Secrets of the Nile, #2
Genre: Historical Fantasy, Fantasy Romance
Age Category: Young Adult
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publish Date: November 5, 2024
Print Length: 400
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
Where the Library Hides is Isabel Ibañez’s stunning conclusion to the story that started in What the River Knows. A lush immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt filled with adventure, and a rivals-to-lovers romance like no other!
Inez Olivera traveled across the world to Egypt, seeking answers into her parents’ recent and mysterious deaths. But all her searching led her down a perilous road, filled with heartache, betrayal, and a dangerous magic that pulled her deep into the past.When TÃo Ricardo issues an ultimatum about her inheritance, she’s left with only one option to consider.Marriage to Whitford Hayes.Former British soldier, her uncle’s aide de camp, and one time nemesis, Whit has his own mysterious reasons for staying in Egypt. With her heart on the line, Inez might have to bind her fate to the one person whose secret plans could ruin her.
Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley**
Series: The Shards of Magic, #1
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Ace Books
Publish Date: November 12, 2024
Print Length: 464
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
In the underground Fae realm, only the strongest and most ruthless have power–but a young human woman forced into a life of servitude is about to change everything.
Kenna Heron is best known in her village for being a little wild–some say half feral–but she’ll need every ounce of that ferocity to survive captivity in the cruel Fae court.T
rapped as a servant in the faeries’ underground kingdom of Mistei, Kenna must help her new mistress undertake six deadly trials, one for each branch of magic: Fire, Earth, Light, Void, Illusion, and Blood. If she succeeds, her mistress will gain immortality and become the heir to Earth House. If she doesn’t, the punishment is death–for both mistress and servant.
With no ally but a sentient dagger of mysterious origins, Kenna must face monsters, magic, and grueling physical tests. But worse dangers wait underground, and soon Kenna gets caught up in a secret rebellion against the inventively sadistic faerie king. When her feelings for the rebellion’s leader turn passionate, Kenna must decide if she’s willing to risk her life for a better world and a chance at happiness.
Surviving the trials and overthrowing a tyrant king will take cunning, courage, and an iron will… but even that may not be enough.
The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson
Series: None
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Publish Date: November 12, 2024
Print Length: 560
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
From New York Times bestselling author Mary E. Pearson comes a thrilling romantic fantasy full of dangerous fae, dark secrets, and addictive romance
After losing both their parents, Bristol Keats and her sisters struggle to stay afloat in their small, quiet town of Bowskeep. When Bristol begins to receive letters from an “aunt” she’s never heard of who promises she can help, she reluctantly agrees to meet–and discovers that everything she thought she knew about her family is a lie. Even her father might still be alive, not killed but kidnapped by terrifying creatures to a whole other realm–the one he is from.Desperate to save her father and find the truth, Bristol journeys to a land of gods and fae and monsters. Pulled into a dangerous world of magic and intrigue, she makes a deadly bargain with the fae leader, Tyghan. But what she doesn’t know is that he’s the one who drove her parents to live a life on the run. And he is just as determined as she is to find her father–dead or alive.
The West Wind by Alexandria Warwick
Series: The Four Winds, #2
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: S&s/Saga Press
Publish Date: November 12, 2024
Print Length: 464
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
From the author of The North Wind comes a darkly reimagined tale of forbidden love, inspired by the Greek myth of Hero and Leander and the Scottish ballad Tam Lin.
Brielle of Thornbrook has dedicated her life to the abbey. She spends her days forging iron and her evenings studying the Text, all in preparation of becoming an acolyte. Twenty-one years on this earth and she has never touched a man. And she never will.
But when she finds an injured stranger in the forest, Brielle can’t resist the urge to help him. The encounter leads her to the realm of Under, where the air breathes rot, and the fair folk dance and whisper. Where she discovers that the man she helped is actually a god: Zephyrus, the West Wind, Bringer of Spring.
There are few Brielle can trust in Under, least of all Zephyrus. He is charming, dangerously so, and never has a man so thoroughly ensnared her. As she embarks on a journey through the eerie banks and caves of Under, Brielle finds herself in a perilous situation. For here is where faith and heart collide–and where she risks not only her future…but her life.
Not For the Faint of Heart by Lex Croucher
Series: None
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ+
Age Category: Young Adult
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publish Date: November 26, 2024
Print Length: 400
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
From New York Times bestselling author Lex Croucher comes a queer historical YA romance, with all the swoons, laughs, and heart-pounding moments you’d expect from a story about the granddaughter of Robin Hood and the girl she’s accidentally kidnapped.
‘You aren’t merry, ‘ Clem said to her captor. ‘And you aren’t all men. So there’s been some marketing confusion somewhere along the line.’
Mariel, a newly blooded and perpetually grumpy captain of the Merry Men, is desperate to live up to the legacy of her grandfather, the legendary Robin Hood. Clem, a too-perky backwoods healer known for her new-fangled cures, just wants to help people.
When Mariel’s ramshackle band of bandits kidnap Clem as retribution for her guardian helping the Sheriff of Nottingham, all seems to be going (sort of) to plan … until Jack Hartley, Mariel’s father and Commander of the Merry Men, is captured in a deadly ambush. Determined to prove herself, Mariel sets out to get him back – with her annoyingly cheerful kidnappee in tow.
But the wood is at war. Many believe the Merry Men are no longer on the right side of history. Watching Clem tend the party’s wounds and crack relentlessly terrible jokes, Mariel begins to doubt the noble cause to which she has devoted her life. As the two of them grow closer, forced by circumstances to share a single horse and bed, one thing is clear. They must prepare to fight for their lives and for those of everyone they’ve sworn to protect.
Lex Croucher’s Not for the Faint of Heart is a thrilling adventure full of hijinks, found family, and romance destined to change the lives of the inhabitants of the Greenwood Forest forever.
City of Night Birds by Juhea Kim
Series: None
Genre: Literary Fiction
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Ecco Press
Publish Date: November 26, 2024
Print Length: 320
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
A once-famous ballerina faces a final choice–to return to the world of Russian dance that nearly broke her, or to walk away forever–in this incandescent novel of redemption and love
On a White Night in 2019, prima ballerina Natalia Leonova returns to St. Petersburg two years after a devastating accident stalled her career. Once the most celebrated dancer of her generation, she now turns to pills and alcohol to numb the pain of her past.
She is unmoored in her old city as the ghosts of her former life begin to resurface: her loving but difficult mother, her absentee father, and the two gifted dancers who led to her downfall.
One of those dancers, Alexander, is the love of her life, who transformed both Natalia and her art. The other is Dmitri, a dark and treacherous genius. When the latter offers her a chance to return to the stage in her signature role, Natalia must decide whether she can again face the people responsible for both her soaring highs and darkest hours.
Painting a vivid portrait of the Russian ballet world, where cutthroat ambition, ever-shifting politics, and sublime artistry collide, City of Night Birds unveils the making of a dancer with both profound intimacy and breathtaking scope. Mysterious and alluring, passionate and virtuosic, Juhea Kim’s second novel is an affecting meditation on love, forgiveness, and the making of an artist in a turbulent world.
December 2024 Book Releases
The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall*
Series: None
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Publish Date: December 3, 2024
Print Length: 496
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
Explosive and enthralling romantasy debut from New York Times bestselling author Rachel Howzell Hall…
Thrown into a desolate land of sickness and unnatural beasts, Kai wakes in the woods with no idea who she is or how she got there. All she knows is that if she cannot reach the Sea of Devour, even this hellscape will get worse. But when she sees the village blacksmith fight invaders with unspeakable skill, she decides to accept his offer of help.
Too bad he’s as skilled at annoying her as he is at fighting.
As she searches for answers, Kai only finds more questions, especially regarding the blacksmith who can ignite her body like a flame, then douse it with ice in the next breath.
And no one is what–or who–they appear to be in the kingdom of Vinevridth, including the man whose secrets might be as deadly as the land itself.
Oathbreakers by Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry
Series: None
Genre: Nonfiction
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Harper
Publish Date: December 10, 2024
Print Length: 304
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
The authors of The Bright Ages return with a real-life Game of Thrones saga–the story of the Carolingian Civil War, a bloody, protracted battle pitting brother against brother, father against son, that would end an empire, upend a continent, and lay down the modern borders of Europe.
By the early ninth century, the Carolingian empire was at the height of its power. The Franks, led by Charlemagne, had built the largest European domain since Rome in its heyday. Though they jockeyed for power, prestige, and profit, the Frankish elites enjoyed political and cultural consensus. But just two generations later, their world was in shambles. Civil war, once an unthinkable threat, had erupted after Louis the Pious’s sons overthrew him–and then placed their knives at the other’s neck. Families who had once charged into battle together now drew each other’s blood.
The Carolingian Civil War would rage for years as kings fought kings, brother faced off against brother, and sons challenged fathers. Oathbreakers is the dramatic history of this brutal, turbulent time. Medieval historians David M. Perry and Matthew Gabriele illuminate what happens when a once unshakeable political and cultural order breaks down and long suppressed tensions flare into deadly violence. Drawn from rich primary sources, featuring a wide cast of characters, packed with dramatic twists and turns, this is history that rivals the greatest fictional epics–with consequences that continue to shape our own world.
Oathbreakers offers lessons of what deep cracks in a once-stable social and political fabric might reveal, and the bloody consequences of disagreeing on facts and reality. The Civil War at the heart of this tale asks: who is “in” and who is “out”? And what happens when things fall apart?
A Monsoon Rising by Thea Guanzon**
Series: The Hurricane Wars, #2
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publish Date: December 10, 2024
Print Length: 400
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
Two hearts circle each other in the eye of the storm in this highly-anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller, The Hurricane Wars–prepare for more enemies-to-lovers romance, magical adventures, and political schemes in this Southeast Asian-inspired world.
After a lifetime of war, Alaric and Talasyn were thrust into an alliance between their homelands that was supposed to end the fighting; however, being married to their sworn foe feels far from peaceful. Now Talasyn must play the part of Alaric’s willing empress while her allies secretly plot to overthrow his reign. But the longer the couple are forced together, the harder it becomes to deny the feelings crackling like lightning between them. When the time comes to act, can she trust him, or must she ignore her heart for the sake of so many others?
As the master of the Shadowforged Legion, Alaric has trained for battle all his life, but marrying a Lightweaver might be his most dangerous challenge yet. With tensions between nations churning, he needs to focus on the greater threat–the Moonless Dark, a cataclysmic magical event that could devour everything. Only he and Talasyn can stop it, with a powerful merging of light and shadow that they alone can create together. But saving their world from this disaster is a mere preface to his father’s more sinister schemes, and his wife is a burning flame in the darkness, tempting both his loyalties and his desires.
The Hurricane Wars aren’t over. It’s time to choose what–and who–to fight for. The world holds its breath amidst a whirlwind of new magic and old secrets that could change everything.
North Is the Night by Emily Rath**
Series: Tuonela Duet, #1
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Erewhon Books
Publish Date: December 17, 2024
Print Length: 592
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
Two bold young women defy the gods and mortals, living and dead, in this darkly mythical, Finnish folklore-inspired fantasy duology for readers of T. Kingfisher’s Nettle & Bone, Danielle L. Jensen, Thea Guanzon, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec.
In the Finnish wilderness, more than wolves roam the dark forests. For Siiri and Aina, summer’s fading light is a harbinger of unwelcome change. Land-hungry Swedes venture north, threatening the peace; a zealous Christian priest denounces the old ways; and young women have begun to disappear.
Siiri vows to protect Aina from danger. But even Siiri cannot stop a death goddess from dragging her friend to Tuonela, the mythical underworld. Determined to save Aina, Siiri braves a dangerous journey north to seek the greatest shaman of legend, the only person to venture to the realm of death and return alive.
In Tuonela, the cruel Witch Queen turns Aina’s every waking moment into a living nightmare. But armed with compassion and cleverness, Aina learns the truth of her capture: the king of the underworld himself has plans for her. To return home, Aina must bargain her heart–as Siiri plots a daring rescue of the woman she loves the most.
Are any of these on your anticipated 2024 fourth quarter book releases list?
October has so many new releases! I’m very excited for Odd Spirits and The Black Hunger especially, and very curious about City of Night Birds. And I can’t wait for The Last One, since I loved the author’s last book.
Yes it does! I’m also surprised how many of these I’ve already preordered or have an ARC of (and I know two more are on the way haha).
I’ve read two of your anticipated October releases – A Song To Drown Rivers which I loved (the writing was beautiful) & Januaries which I wasn’t a fan of but that was kind of a genre thing in the end as the stories were different than I’d imagined.
Blood Of The Old Kings & The Nightward sound amazing. Thanks so much for sharing them, I hadn’t heard of them before and now I need to check them out. The cover for Odd Spirits is stunning too.
I’m curious about Bristol Keats and have seen a stunning edition of it. And a lot of the others are on my TBR or I’ve just added 😂
I hope you enjoy the arcs and preorders. Once I’ve read most of my library books I’m probably going to request North Is The Night on Netgalley.
I’m a fan of Olivie Blake, so there’s a chance I’d like JANUARIES. But I’m behind on her books, so I opted not to order or request it. I find I kind of have to be in an academic mood to really get into her books.
As for BLOOD OF THE OLD KINGS, I probably would’ve requested it if I wasn’t taking a break on ARC requests for the past couple of months haha. I’ve seen all good things about it.
I’ve also read One For My Enemy by her and adored that one but I majorly need to catch up with her other books. Hopefully you’ll enjoy Januaries more than I did. It did have a kind of academic feel at times with how it reflected upon certain things.
I’m not surprised as it sounds incredible. Hopefully we’ll both get to check it out soon. And I hope you’re getting on okay with your ARC break.
A Song to Drown Rivers sounds AMAZING. I’ve definitely heard about Xishi (Four Beauties is one of those things you just absorb as you go through Chinese classes) so I’m so stoked she is getting her retelling!
I don’t really know much about Chinese folklore, which is honestly kind of nice because I can go into those fantasy books with zero concept of what the “original” myth is like. If you read A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS, I hope you like it! I’ve read a few reviews on NetGalley and many seem overall positive.
Hey girl,
it’s been a hot minute since I visited your site. But I found my way back.
Some of your presented books are already on my wishlist.
Odd Spirits is a current read at the moment, which I asked for as an ARC. I am 25% in and the writing style is very promising. Let’s see what this prequel novella has in store and if I will grab the first volume of the series right after this ARC. Because it is already sitting on my TBR.
Where the Libraries Hide is on my wishlist, even though the first volume wasn’t completely satisfying. But maybe the sequel can convince me. 😉
A couple month ago I already pre-ordered The Last One but the publishing date was always pushed back. Now I do hope it will finally arrive in December.
And The Monsoon Rising is a must-have and I hope FairyLoot will have the installment in store once it’s due to be published.
Cheerio
RoXXie
PS: I hope you have a great weekend.
Hey RoXXie! Welcome back! Sounds like so far you’re enjoying ODD SPIRITS…I plan to start it this weekend, hopefully! It also took me some time to get into WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS, but the ending made me want to continue with WHERE THE LIBRARY HIDES. That might be a book I get from the library since it’s not available for request on NetGalley.
I hope you have a good reading week!