Can't-Wait Wednesday: A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson, The Night Ship by Jess Kidd, & Malice House by Megan Shepherd

  Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

 

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
Publication: October 4th, 2022
Redhook
Hardcover. 304 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:

"S.T. Gibson's sensational novel is the darkly seductive tale of Dracula's first bride, Constanta. 

This is my last love letter to you, though some would call it a confession. . . 

Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things. 

Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband's dark secrets. With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death."

So I've actually already read a pre-Orbit/Redhook copy of this book, but I'm super excited to re-read it and see the final product since it has been picked up by the publisher! I can't wait for this to come out and I hope everyone loves it as much as I did. 

and...

The Night Ship by Jess Kidd
Publication: October 4th, 2022
Atria Books
Hardcover. 400 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:

"Based on a real-life event, an epic historical novel from the award-winning author of Things in Jars that illuminates the lives of two characters: a girl shipwrecked on an island off Western Australia and, three hundred years later, a boy finding a home with his grandfather on the very same island. 

1629: A newly orphaned young girl named Mayken is bound for the Dutch East Indies on the Batavia, one of the greatest ships of the Dutch Golden Age. Curious and mischievous, Mayken spends the long journey going on misadventures above and below the deck, searching for a mythical monster. But the true monsters might be closer than she thinks. 

1989: A lonely boy named Gil is sent to live off the coast of Western Australia among the seasonal fishing community where his late mother once resided. There, on the tiny reef-shrouded island, he discovers the story of an infamous shipwreck…​"

I love how it sounds like these two timelines may intersect, and in general I am always happy for more epic historical fiction. I'm really excited for this one, and I really like this cover's illustration as well!

and...

Malice House by Megan Shepherd
Publication: October 4th, 2022
Hyperion Avenue
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:

"'One step away from our world lies another: a land of violent fantasies, of sharp-toothed delights. . . .' 

Of all the things aspiring artist Haven Marbury expected to find while clearing out her late father’s remote seaside house, Bedtime Stories for Monsters was not on the list. This secret handwritten manuscript is disturbingly different from his Pulitzer-winning works: its interweaving short stories crawl with horrific monsters and enigmatic humans that exist somewhere between this world and the next. The stories unsettle but also entice Haven, practically compelling her to illustrate them while she stays in the house that her father warned her was haunted. Clearly just dementia whispering in his ear . . . right? 

Reeling from a failed marriage, Haven hopes an illustrated Bedtime Stories can be the lucrative posthumous father-daughter collaboration she desperately needs to jump-start her art career. However, everyone in the nearby vacation town wants a piece of the manuscript: her father’s obsessive literary salon members, the Ink Drinkers; her mysterious yet charming neighbor, who has a tendency toward three a.m. bonfires; a young barista with a literary forgery business; and of course, whoever keeps trying to break into her house. But when a monstrous creature appears under Haven’s bed right as grisly deaths are reported in the nearby woods, she must race to uncover dark, otherworldly family secrets—completely rewriting everything she ever knew about herself in the process."

I've really loved some of Megan Shepherd's previous books (The Madman's Daughter is a favorite!) so I'm really excited about this new release! This sounds right up my alley and I can't wait to have a chance to check it out. 

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

Double Mini-Reviews: Rule by Ellen Goodlett & Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd

Rule by Ellen Goodlett

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Hardcover. 376 pages.

About Rule:

"Three girls with three deadly secrets. Only one can wear the crown. 

The king is dying, his heir has just been murdered, and rebellion brews in the east. But the kingdom of Kolonya and the outer Reaches has one last option before it descends into leaderless chaos. 

Or rather, three unexpected options. 

Zofi has spent her entire life trekking through the outer Reaches with her band of Travelers. She would do anything to protect the band, her family. But no one can ever find out how far she's already gone. 

Akeylah was raised in the Eastern Reach, surrounded by whispers of rebellion and abused by her father. Desperate to escape, she makes a decision that threatens the whole kingdom. 

Ren grew up in Kolonya, serving as a lady's maid and scheming her way out of the servants' chambers. But one such plot could get her hung for treason if anyone ever discovers what she's done. 

When the king summons the girls, they arrive expecting arrest or even execution. Instead they learn the truth: they are his illegitimate daughters, and one must become his new heir. But someone in Kolonya knows their secrets, and that someone will stop at nothing to keep the sisters from their destiny... to rule. 

Magic, mystery, and blackmail abound in this sensational and striking fantasy debut."

LIKES: Ren, Zofi, and Akeylah were all wonderfully strong in their own unique way that stood out so much. Each girl was very different from the others, but they come together so well and learn to use their weakness as strengths, as well allowing their minds to be opened and consider new ideas. I think she did that beautifully. There was unnecessary hatred among them at first, but Goodlett did a wonderful job of having the girls mature and realize that hating each other was not going to solve anything. I also loved the handling of systemic racism and prejudice, discrimination, and other social issues, all of which I think were thoughtfully considered and also rather thought-provoking. I enjoyed the overall mystery and getting to know each of the girls through both their positive and negative decisions in life, as it really helped them become well-rounded figures.

DISLIKES: Honestly, I'm not sure why this has so many negative reviews. One reason could be because the magic system requires an individual to essentially cut into their arm/leg/etc., which could be found triggering for self-harm. That's totally valid and if that is something that would bother you, then do keep that in mind before reading this book. That being said, I thought it worked well as a magic system because by cutting into oneself for blood, it shows an immediate consequence of using your power and how it is limited. I would have liked more detailed world-building, as it did feel fairly limited at times and left me wondering. My main dislike is the cliffhanger ending. Look, I don't mind a bit of a cliffhanger--it keeps us excited!--but when it's literally akin to someone hanging off a cliff, it's almost cheap and feels like I'm being taken advantage of as a reader. Maybe I overreact, but it still bothers me.

Overall, I've decided to give Rule four stars!

*I received an ARC of Rule courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the novel.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd 
HMH Books for Young Readers
Hardcover. 376 pages.

About Grim Lovelies:

"Seventeen-year-old Anouk envies the human world, where people known as Pretties lavish themselves in fast cars, high fashion, and have the freedom to fall in love. But Anouk can never have those things, because she is not really human. Enchanted from animal to human girl and forbidden to venture beyond her familiar Parisian prison, Anouk is a Beastie: destined for a life surrounded by dust bunnies and cinders serving Mada Vittora, the evil witch who spelled her into existence. That is, until one day she finds her mistress murdered in a pool of blood—and Anouk is accused of the crime. 

Now, the world she always dreamed of is rife with danger. Pursued through Paris by the underground magical society known as the Haute, Anouk and her fellow Beasties only have three days to find the real killer before the spell keeping them human fades away. If they fail, they will lose the only lives they’ve ever known…but if they succeed, they could be more powerful than anyone ever bargained for. 

From New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd, Grim Lovelies is an epic and glittering YA fantasy. Prepare to be spellbound by the world of Grim Lovelies, where secrets have been long buried, friends can become enemies, and everything—especially humanity—comes at a price."

LIKES: I loved Shepherd's The Madman's Daughter, so I was pretty excited to check this book out and see what else she could do.  I thought that the general concept of the beasties, the witches, and how the magic system worked was pretty interesting. There is a time limit placed on the events of this book, which lent to a quick pace that kept the story moving at all times. This book also went darker than I expected at times, though the darker aspects were more told as a past event rather than something currently happening, though there is still some violence in this book. I was also rather shocked and impressed by the last quarter or so of the book, including the ending--it definitely wasn't how I expected Shepherd to end this tale. I also love the Goblin characters and their carefree, tricky nature, and I can't wait to see more of them in the sequel.

DISLIKES: As much as I enjoyed the beasties and the magic system, I would have liked a little more explanation of various histories related to it. Everything is fully explained, but it still felt rushed and I had to digest it all very quickly. In addition, the entire story felt a bit rushed. I'm not sure we spent quite enough time at the original house and with the characters before the big life-changing event occurs, and I think it would have helped with the development of the characters. I feel like we got to know the characters decently well, but they needed more depth to their personalities. The romance was also something I could have done without.

Overall, I ended up realizing I had a fun time reading this book and the plot was an interesting one, so I've given Grim Lovelies four stars! I would say a younger YA reader might be more drawn to this one, though it was a certainly an entertaining read no matter what one's age.

Buy the book:  Amazon | Book Depository

And as I won't be posting tomorrow for the holiday, I just want to wish everyone a very happy holiday! I  hope you all have a wonderful time with whatever your plans are! 

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd. Balzer and Bray, 2013. 464 pages. Ebook.

I've had this book sitting in my Kindle for quite a while now, and I can't believe I didn't read it sooner.

 I subscribe to daily Bookbub alert emails, which sends daily or weekly digests that highlight Kindle books that are on sale for $2.99 or less (I actually recommend it if that's something you're interested in). Now, you do have to sift through these sometimes to find the real gems, but when you do, it's totally worth it. For instance, The Madman's Daughter.

Just the summary alone had me hooked. It's an enticing story inspired by H.G. Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau, and boy, did it deliver. There were so many parallels to the original, yet also so many differences that that made it an absolutely perfect balance overall. I thought this brought a delightful twist to Wells' original haunting page-turner, and I had a hard time putting it down.

The story follows Juliet Moreau, whose father is the infamous Dr. Moreau. Dr. Moreau has been driven out of the country after his controversial experiments become public and he faces great public shame and potential legal conflicts. Juliet is left alone - her mother eventually dying of illness - and is forced to find work wherever she can take it, as her father's disgrace has also left her in disgrace and ill favor of society. Through unexpected events, she ends up on her father's island with Montgomery, her childhood friend and servant, and Edward, a shipwrecked man they take aboard on their journey to Dr. Moreau's island.  Once on the island, Juliet discover that her father has not discontinued his experiments, but is still working steadily away at things she never imagined...

Simple put, Megan Shepherd is master storyteller. Though the plot was somewhat predictable at times, it was also done so in a way that was almost unpredictable. I know, you probable think I sound rather contradictory, but hear me out: have you ever read something that seems familiar, yet is entirely new, or you feel like something is going to happen, but you don't know how or when? That's how I often felt while reading this, and it was perfect. I felt so engaged and enjoyed every gory and unnatural twist and turn that Shepherd threw at me.

It definitely had its gruesome moments, but they weren't excessive or unwarranted; they fit perfectly in each place and brought just the right amount of creepiness and horror to the narrative. This is a psychological journey as much as it s a battle for survival on this island filled with unnatural beings.

I found Juliet's personality quite likable; she was headstrong and determined in a way that I don't often see. She may have turned a blind eye in the beginning to what her father was doing, but once she was faced with facts, she accepted them and acted accordingly. Though Juliet did make a few impulsive moves (what main character doesn't?), she didn't do anything exceptionally stupid, which often frustrates me with headstrong, stubborn female protagonists. I found her incredibly intelligent, and I absolutely loved the internal struggle between giving into her scientific-minded side versus her more rational, ethic-oriented side. I thought it brought up an important topic and discussion on the morals of science - how much is too much? at what point does science cross a 'moral' line? is there a line if it's all for the sake of knowledge and advancement?

Montgomery and Edward were also two captivating gentlemen, and I enjoyed slowly unraveling their personalities and actions to find out more about them and how they became the men they are. The romance between Montgomery and Juliet as well as Edward and Juliet was a bit strong and it could have easily been removed, but it was an interesting element that created a more developed and complex storyline among the characters - though it did create the dreaded love triangle.

We also have Juliet's father, the madman himself. I actually don't want to discuss him too much because I feel as though he is one of those characters that you really have to experience yourself. However, I will say that Shepherd did exceptionally complex work in creating his character: he is at first  depicted as a loving father enraptured in science, but slowly revealing his true, inner nature and inability to deduce when science goes too far.

This ended up being the perfect Halloween read. It was truly spooky, and I found myself becoming so absorbed in the creepy, unexpected happenings of the story that I hardly noticed the time fly by - though I did, however, notice when absolutely anything around me moved or made an unnatural sound; it's very easy to get sucked in, and I certainly noticed an eerie atmosphere surrounding me as I read it.

Overall, I am giving The Madman's Daughter the big five stars! I had such a great time reading this, and I was absorbed from page one: the plot was intriguing and complex, the characters were well-developed, and it kept me both entertained and in suspense.

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