Want Now Wednesday: The Beautiful

Happy Wednesday, y’all! I’m mixing it up with the title on “Waiting on Wednesday” because most of the time I feel stronger for the books I feature than just “waiting on”. I want them NOW! And this week’s book is a huge want for me…

The Beautiful
Author: Renée Ahdieh
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Release Date: October 8th, 2019
Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Renée Ahdieh returns with a sumptuous, sultry and romantic new series set in 19th century New Orleans where vampires hide in plain sight.

In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she’s forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine quickly becomes enamored with the vibrant city from the music to the food to the soirées and—especially—to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city’s glitzy underworld, known as Le Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group’s leader, the enigmatic Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of Le Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sébastien’s guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.

When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose—one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface.

At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful

I cannot begin to describe how much I want this. I’ve always been a huge fan of vampires, through good times and bad, and this book seems very promising. Decadence, horrible secrets, enigmatic love interest who just might be the villain of the story? SIGN ME UP RIGHT THE HECK NOW!

I also love that this story is going to be set in 1872 New Orleans. It gives me Interview with the Vampire vibes and I am so here for that. I can just picture reading this book with a glass of dark red wine in my hand.

Is it October 8th yet????

Pre-order links can be found at the publisher’s website.

Want Now Wednesday: Magic for Liars

Magic for Liars
Author: Sarah Gailey
Release Date: June 4, 2019
Publisher: Tor
Synopsis: Ivy Gamble has never wanted to be magic. She is perfectly happy with her life—she has an almost-sustainable career as a private investigator, and an empty apartment, and a slight drinking problem. It’s a great life and she doesn’t wish she was like her estranged sister, the magically gifted professor Tabitha.
But when Ivy is hired to investigate the gruesome murder of a faculty member at Tabitha’s private academy, the stalwart detective starts to lose herself in the case, the life she could have had, and the answer to the mystery that seems just out of her reach.

So, to be honest, this is really a “Waiting on my own damn self to read this book Wednesday”, but that doesn’t work very well for a succinct blog post title. I was lucky enough to win an ARC of this book from Goodreads (I’m still happy dancing over it!). I am desperately hoping to get a chance to read this one either March or April. But enough about me, let’s talk about this phenomenal sounding book.

Private investigator with a slight drinking problem and an aversion to magic? Hello, is it me you’re looking for? Private magical academy with a murder problem? You’re all I’ve ever wanted. The stalwart detective losing herself in the case and the life she could have had? My arms are open wide. MYSTERY THAT SEEMS JUST OUT OF REACH? I want to tell you so much, I love you. (And now I’m going to have Hello by Lionel Richie stuck in my head all day…)

This book sounds so right up my alley I don’t even know what to do. What I do know though, is that you should probably get this book pre-ordered like I have. Pre-order links are here at the publisher’s website.

Side note: huge, massive, unending thanks to the publisher and Goodreads for hosting the giveaway in which I won this ARC.

Want Now Wednesday: The Ten Thousand Doors of January

The Ten Thousand Doors of January
Author: Alix E. Harrow
Publisher: Redhook (Hachette Book Group)
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Synopsis: In the early 1900s, a young woman searches for her place in the world and the mystery behind a magical door in this captivating debut.

In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place.

Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own.

Um, hi, I need this book. NOW.

I stumbled upon this one while browsing Goodreads giveaways and I full stopped and just started at this cover with that intriguing title. Then I read the synopsis and I was done. Dead. Deceased.

Peculiar treasures? The wealthy (and hopefully grumpy) Mr. Locke? Strange books? LOVE, ADVENTURE, DANGER? Sign me up, post haste.

Pre-order links can be found at the publisher’s website.

Want Now Wednesday: Serpent & Dove

Serpent & Dove
Author: Shelby Mahurin
Publisher: HarperTeen
Cover Designer: Sarah Kaufman
Cover Artist: Katt Phatt
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Synopsis: For her sixteenth birthday, Louise le Blanc’s mother gave her three things: a sacrificial altar, a ritual knife, and a wicked scar.

Lou’s death would have ended the ancient war between the Church and witches, but Lou refuses to become a martyr. Forsaking her coven, she escapes to the gloomy city of Cesarine and hides her magic as a thief in the criminal underworld. But life in Cesarine has its own dangers. Huntsmen roam the city revered as holy men. Witches burn without trial. And the Archbishop, the Church’s austere patriarch, revels in violence.

As a huntsman, Reid Diggory lives by one verse: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

He’s devoted his entire life to eradicating the occult and making his surrogate father, the Archbishop, proud. Finally given the chance to capture a witch of his own, Reid is devastated when a foul-mouthed thief thwarts him—and doubly devastated when she too disappears. Hell-bent on bringing her to justice, Reid vows she won’t escape again. But when Lou tricks him into public scandal trying to avoid capture, the two are forced into an impossible situation—marriage.

Marriage to a huntsman could provide real protection from the witches—if Lou can convince Reid she isn’t one herself. The secret proves difficult to keep as Lou begins practicing magic in secret within the heart of the Church, determined to prepare for her mother’s inevitable return. As time passes, however, Lou discovers yet another danger lurking: her own growing feelings for her husband. But Reid is still dangerous. He’s just as likely to tie her to the stake as defend her if he learns her true identity. With enemies closing in—and more than her own life at stake—Lou must decide who she can trust before it’s too late…and she’s not the only one with a secret.

For real though, I am currently dying for this book! EpicReads had a cover reveal post about it last week and described it as “A slow-burn romance between witch and huntsman, sworn enemies forced to marry if they want to survive. Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.” SLOW BURN! ENEMIES TO LOVERS!

I pre-ordered this book the moment I read that synopsis. And that cover y’all…DAT COVER THO! (that’s how the young kids say it, right?) That cover deserves a place of honor on my book shelves.

All I know is I’ll be stalking my mail person on September 3rd for my copy.

Pre-order links can be found on the publisher’s website.

Want Now Wednesday: ALL THE 2019 BOOKS!

Well folks, it’s the last Wednesday of 2018. Instead of focusing on just one book I’m wanting, I’ll be featuring one for each month of 2019. And because I am terrible at choosing just one, there are going to be more than a few honorable mentions for the months where more books have already been announced. Seriously, I’m the worst at making choices.

January
Kingdom of Copper (The Daevabad Trilogy #2)
Author: S.A. Chakraborty
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release Date: January 8, 2019
Synopsis: [Here]
I just finished The City of Brass, the first book in this series, the other day and hot damn do I need this next book in my life right now.

Honorable Mentions: King of Scars (1/29), The Vanishing Stair (1/22), Ship of Smoke and Steel (1/22)

February
Smoke and Summons
Author: Charlie N. Holmberg
Publisher: 47North
Release Date: February 1, 2019
Synopsis: [Here]
I read and loved The Paper Magician series by this author. When I stumbled upon the fact that they have a new book coming out I immediately added it to my 2019 TBR.

Honorable Mentions: Spectacle (2/12), A Soldier and A Liar (2/19), Last of Her Name (2/26), Stolen Time (2/5), Four Dead Queens (2/26)

March
A Question of Holmes (Charlotte Holmes #4)
Author: Brittany Cavallaro
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: March 5, 2019
Synopsis: [Here]

This series is one of the few contemporary books I will read. Probably because twisty and dark and just so damned dramatic in all the way I love. Even though the cover makes me want to scream in rage (ORANGE? WHY? WHY? WHY?), I will be picking this one up the moment it is released.

Honorable mentions: The Fever King (3/1), The Waking Forest (3/12), Once & Future (3/5), To Best the Boys (3/5)

April
Wicked Saints
Author: Emily A. Duncan
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: April 2, 2019
Synopsis: [Here]

Look, just go read the synopsis and try to not add it to your TBR. Go on, I’ll wait here…

Honorable Mentions: (April is gonna be a good month, btw) The Devouring Gray (4/2), Descendant of the Crane (4/2), The Raven’s Tale (4/16), We Rule the Night (4/2), The Hummingbird Dagger (4/16)

May
Aurora Rising
Author: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 7, 2019
Synopsis: [Here]

I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS ONE OMG IS IT MAY YET

Honorable Mentions: DEV1AT3 (5/2019), We Hunt the Flame (5/14), Dark Shores (5/7), Nocturna (5/7)

June
Blood Heir
Author: Amélie Wen Zhao
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: June 4, 2019
Synopsis: [Here]

I found this one through #bookstagram and damn does it sound good.

Honorable Mentions: Seven Deadly Shadows (6/4), The Beholder (6/4)

July
Dark Age
Author: Pierce Brown
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: July 9, 2019
Synopsis: [Here]

I’ve been reading the Red Rising books since the first one came out in 2014. Brown, besides being brutal to his reader’s emotions, is a creator of worlds and characters that I lose myself in. I am counting down the days until Dark Age is in my hands.

Honorable Mentions: The Merciful Crow (7/30), The Storm Crow (7/9), The Beckoning Shadow (7/2), Grimoire Noir (7/23)

August
House of Salt and Sorrows
Author: Erin A. Craig
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: August 6, 2019
Synopsis: [Here]

I hate Summer and August is the most summery of the summer months. This book sounds dark and mysterious and will be a perfect world for me to escape into during my summer month dread.

Honorable Mentions: Wild Savage Stars (8/27)

September
Darkdawn (The Nevernight Chronicles #3)
Author: Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Synopsis: [Here]

MIA FUCKING CORVERE. Enough said.

Honorable Mentions: The Girl the Sea Gave Back (9/3), Serpent & Dove (9/3), A Treason of Thorns (9/10)

October
Into the Crooked Place
Author: Alexandra Christo
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Release Date: October 2019
Synopsis: [Here]

The synopsis has some of my key words: black magic and young crooks. Also, I’m here for the Crooked Place. I love names like that.

Honorable Mentions: Ninth House (10/1), Beyond the Black Door (10/29), The Never Tilting World (10/15)

November
Chain of Gold (The Last Hours #1)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: November 19, 2019
Synopsis: [Here]

I mean…it’s Shadowhunters. So I’m sold.

Honorable Mentions: The Sky Weaver (11/12)

December
…I’m sure there is something that will be released in December that I’ll be waitin on. I just don’t know what it is yet ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

If this has shown me anything, its that there are a lot of good books to read next year!

Want Now Wednesday: All the Jay Kristoff books

It should come as no surprise that I love Jay Kristoff, especially when he writes with Amie Kaufman (you can read me screaming and mildy curising about how much I love their Illuminae Files trilogy here). So, you can imagine the fact that not one, not two, BUT THREE Kristoff books coming out in 2019 makes me quite happy. Let’s break down all the ways I’ll be freaking out over his upcoming books.

Aurora Rising
Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman
Release Date: May 7, 2019
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Synopsis: From the internationally bestselling authors of THE ILLUMINAE FILES comes an epic new science fiction adventure.
The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…
A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm
A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates
A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder
An alien warrior with anger management issues
A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering
And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.
They’re not the heroes we deserve. They’re just the ones we could find. Nobody panic.

Where do I even start with this? Illuminae was my favorite read of 2018 (yes, I know I was late to the party. I blame that damned orange cover) and when I found out Kristoff and Kaufman were collaborating on a new sci fi trilogy I damn near lost my mind. I’ve basically been internally screaming since this book was announced.

DEV1AT3
Jay Kristoff
Release Date: May 2019
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

I am not going to put the synopsis here because it has straight up spoilers for LIFEL1K3, the first book in this series, but you can read the synopsis on Goodreads. Basically, LIFEL1K3 was a wacky and wild ride with one heck of an ending and OMG I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. LIFEL1K3 was one of my top ten book in 2018 and I’m fairly certain DEV1AT3 will be a favorite of 2019.

Darkdawn
Jay Kristoff
Release Date: September 3rd, 2019
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Once again, I won’t put the synopsis here since it has MASSIVE spoilers for the previous two books, Nevernight and Godsgrave, but you can find it here. Godsgrave was the book I finished on the last day of 2017 and what an ending that was. Kristoff really is kinda of a mad man when it comes to his endings and the extended wait for Darkdawn has been particularly painful. But with each day that passes, I get closer to continuing the stabby, smutty adventures of Mia Corvere.

What is a book that you are desperately waiting for to be released?

Want Now Wednesday: Never-Contented Things

Never-Contented Things
Author: Sarah Porter
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: March 19, 2019
Genre: FAIRIES! (Okay, not a genre, but still…FAIRIES!)
Publisher Website/Pre-order Links

Goodreads Synopsis:

Seductive. Cruel. Bored
Be wary of…

Prince and his fairy courtiers are staggeringly beautiful, unrelentingly cruel, and exhausted by the tedium of the centuries―until they meet foster-siblings Josh and Ksenia. Drawn in by their vivid emotions, undying love for each other, and passion for life, Prince will stop at nothing to possess them.

First seduced and then entrapped by the fairies, Josh and Ksenia learn that the fairies’ otherworldly gifts come at a terrible price―and they must risk everything in order to reclaim their freedom.

Okay, first off: when you use words like “seductive”, “cruel”, and “fairy” that is a sure fire way to get me to pre-order a book. Which is exactly what I did when I stumbled upon this book. I cannot wait until I have this sumptuous looking book in my hands.

I love different author’s takes on fairy lore and I am excited to see what Sarah Porter brings to the table. I’ve never read anything by this author so I’ll be going in with a fresh slate when I get this book.

What are some key words that get you excited about a book?

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