Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Haunting Season by Bridget Collins, et al., Far From the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson, & Comfort Me With Apples by Catherine M. Valente

**Quick note: from September 1st-7th, I will be out of town and therefore will likely not be responding to comments on these pre-scheduled posts/blog hopping as much as usual-sorry! I will be sure to catch up once I'm back.  Happy reading!

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: 

The Haunting Season by Bridget Collins, Natasha Pulley, Laura Purcell, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, et al.
Publication: October 21st (UK)/October 12th (US), 2021

Sphere (UK)/Pegasus (US)

Hardcover. 464 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Eight bestselling, award-winning writers return to the time-honored tradition of the seasonal ghost story in this spellbinding collection of new and original haunted tales. 

Long before Charles Dickens and Henry James popularized the tradition of supernatural horror, the shadowy nights of winter have been a time for people to gather together by the flicker of candlelight and experience the intoxicating thrill of a spooky tale. 

Now eight bestselling, award-winning authors—all of them master storytellers of the sinister and the macabre—bring the tradition to vivid life in a spellbinding new collection of original spine-tingling tales. 

Taking you from the frosty fens of the English countryside, to the snow-covered grounds of a haunted estate, to a bustling London Christmas market, these mesmerizing stories will capture your imagination and serve as your indispensable companion to cold, dark nights. So curl up, light a candle, and fall under the ghostly spell of winters past . . ."

It's the beginning of September, which means it's time to start preparing for October reads! First up is what sounds like it's going to be a perfect book of ghost stories for the spooky season, and I am so excited to check it out. (It's also, as the blurb notes, perfect for winter, so maybe save it for then, also?) I have really enjoyed Bridget Collins' books, so I am most excited for her story, but many of the other authors included, like Laura Purcell and Kiran Millwood Hargrave, have stories that I'm really excited to check out as well!

and...

Far From the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson

Publication: October 26th, 2021

Orbit

Paperback. 384 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Tense and thrilling, Arthur C. Clarke Award winner Tade Thompson's new science fiction is an unforgettable vision of humanity's future among the stars. 

The colony ship Ragtime docks in the Lagos system, having traveled light-years from home to bring thousands of sleeping souls to safety among the stars. 

Some of the sleepers, however, will never wake - and a profound and sinister mystery unfolds aboard the gigantic vessel as its skeleton crew make decisions that will have repercussions for the entire system - from the scheming politicians of Lagos station to the colony of Nightshade and the poisoned planet of Bloodroot, poised for a civil war."

I loved Tade Thompson's Wormwood trilogy and I have high hopes that this book is going to be amazing! It sounds exactly like something I'm interested in checking out.

and...

Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente

Publication: October 26th, 2021

Tordotcom

Hardcover. 112 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"A terrifying new thriller from bestseller Catherynne M. Valente, for fans of Gone Girl and Spinning Silver 

Sophia was made for him. Her perfect husband. She can feel it in her bones. He is perfect. Their home together in Arcadia Gardens is perfect. Everything is perfect. 

It's just that he's away so much. So often. He works so hard. She misses him. And he misses her. He says he does, so it must be true. He is the perfect husband and everything is perfect. 

But sometimes Sophia wonders about things. Strange things. Dark things. The look on her husband's face when he comes back from a long business trip. The questions he will not answer. The locked basement she is never allowed to enter. And whenever she asks the neighbors, they can't quite meet her gaze... 

But everything is perfect. Isn't it?"

Catherynne M. Valente is one of my favorite and most-read authors, and I am truly ecstatic that she has another book coming--and that it sounds so good! I cannot wait to read this one.

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

Review: Rosewater Redemption by Tade Thompson

Rosewater Redemption (The Wormwood Trilogy #3) by Tade Thompson

Orbit

Publication Date: October 15th, 2020

Paperback. 416 pages

Previous books in this trilogy:

Rosewater (The Wormwood Trilogy, #1) - Review

The Rosewater Insurrection (The Wormwood Trilogy, #2) - Review

About Rosewater Redemption:

"The Rosewater Redemption concludes the award-winning, cutting edge Wormwood trilogy, set in Nigeria, by one of science fiction's most engaging new voices.

Life in the newly independent city-state of Rosewater isn't everything its citizens were expecting.

The Mayor finds that debts incurred during the insurrection are coming back to haunt him. Nigeria isn't willing to let Rosewater go without a fight. And the city's alien inhabitants are threatening mass murder for their own sinister ends...

Operating across spacetime, the xenosphere, and international borders, it is up to a small group of hackers and criminals to prevent the extra-terrestrial advance. The fugitive known as Bicycle Girl, Kaaro, and his former handler Femi may be humanity's last line of defense."

The Wormwood Trilogy has been quite unlike anything else I've ever read, and I am sorry to see this world go. Much like in my first review, I still am not even sure how to review this book because anything said out of context is just not going to make much sense, so this will one again probably be a slightly shorter review.

Rosewater Redemption returns readers to our favorite characters, both old and new, and includes a few new perspectives to follow as well. The lives of the characters in this trilogy have altered in so many ways from the beginning of the story in Rosewater to now. I can't go into too many specifics about just what I'm referring to, but let's just say that things have changed a lot for characters like Kaaro and Aminat, as well as the mayor Jack Jacques and a few others we've been introduced to over the arc of the story.

This book contains not only the same alien elements we've been dealing with, but there is now also a bit of time travel to play around with as well, and I was surprised at how well Thompson seemed to work that into the story. I'll admit that there were times where I felt slightly lost at everything that was going on in this book, but even when I wasn't sure what a character was doing or where they were, I was still engaged with the scene, if that makes sense.

I think one of my favorite things about this book other than the characters would simple be the worldbuilding and Thompson's incredibly vibrant descriptions. Despite how completely weird things are in this setting, I have continued to feel extremely connected to it and vivid creation of its inhabits, both human and non-human alike, sentient and non-sentient. I am extremely eager to read more from Thompson and see what other creations his mind can come up with, because if this trilogy has been any indication, there's a lot more that can be developed. Thompson's writing is so effortless and the pacing is always consistent, which makes for a great reading experience.

The ending is, quite frankly, best described as "weird," but it was weird in a great way. I'm not sure I was as satisfied with Thompson's method of wrapping everything up, but I think overall I'm pretty content with where things were left. Rosewater Redemption has such a weird mix of content and plot elements and it never ceases to amaze me how Thompson manages to work those into a coherent and utterly compelling story. This entire journey has been a pedal-on-the-floor experience and I was so grateful to see that nowhere along the ride did Thompson ever lose steam or lose sight of what the purpose of this story was.

I know this review is a bit short and lacking on details, but it's just not something that I feel can be done justice with a brief summary and description. For that, you'll just have to read this incredibly inventive trilogy. Overall, I've given Rosewater Redemption four stars!

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

Buy: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Review: The Rosewater Insurrection by Tade Thompson

*The Rosewater Insurrection will be available Tuesday, March 12th from Orbit!*

The Rosewater Insurrection by Tade Thompson

Orbit, 2019
Publication Date: March 12th, 2019

Paperback. 416 pages.

About The Rosewater Insurrection:

"The Rosewater Insurrection continues the award-winning, cutting edge Wormwood trilogy, set in Nigeria, by one of science fiction's most engaging new voices. 

All is quiet in the city of Rosewater as it expands on the back of the gargantuan alien Wormwood. Those who know the truth of the invasion keep the secret. 

The government agent Aminat, the lover of the retired sensitive Kaaro, is at the forefront of the cold, silent conflict. She must capture a woman who is the key to the survival of the human race. But Aminat is stymied by the machinations of the Mayor of Rosewater and the emergence of an old enemy of Wormwood...'"

I read and reviewed Rosewater back in November and absolutely loved it for its inventiveness and fresh take on the sci-fi genre. I was excited to read this sequel because I knew it would follow more of Aminat's character, and on that count this book absolutely delivered. The Rosewater Insurrection picks up pretty quickly after the events of the first book, which made it easy to jump right back into it. 

I can't go into any specifics in this review because I don't want to give anything away, but the premise mainly focuses on Aminat as she is set to track down a woman who has proven to be vitally important to the survival of the human race itself. In addition to Aminat's storyline, we also largely follow Jack Jacques (a tongue-twister of a name for me), mayor of Rosewater, who is fighting to make Rosewater independent from Nigeria and thus angering the Nigerian president in the process.

The simple, matter-of-fact writing style that was present in Rosewater was just as strong here in the sequel and it also continued to keep be a style that kept me engaged. There's something about the clear cut style that helps me follow along an otherwise potentially complex plotline with many components to explore. Thompson does a wonderful job of examining the human vs. alien dynamic and how this sort of 'invasion' onto Earth could occur and what the ramifications of that could be. There are a lot of thoughtful themes to explore on this matter and that is also what makes these books so incredible. I also think the way that Thompson created his alien species was really inventive and had so many possibilities attached to it that kept me wanting to know more about them.

As mentioned, The Rosewater Insurrection follows both Aminat and Jack as its main protagonists, but it also occasionally jumps to a man named Eric's POV. Eric is the only POV that jumps between various time periods, so if the back and forth POVs of the first book were frustrating for you then you'll appreciate this book's much more linear storytelling. There are one or two other characters that pop up throughout the book, but these are also minimal and add some interesting extra elements. Aminat continues to be an awesome character who I really enjoy following. She's tough and not someone I'd want to mess with, but she's certainly not heartless or without care for others, both of which are traits that make her a well-rounded and engaging character.

The only less than positive thing I have to say about this book is that I felt slightly disassociated with the actions of the story at times. I've been trying to determine whether this was a personal issue since I read this during a couple of anxiety/stress-heavy days or whether there was something about the narrative that held me at a bit of an arm's length. There was just something about this book that didn't pull me in or make me feel quite as invested as I was with the first book. Things seemed to happen too quickly and I think part of it might simply be that I never had a chance to really ingratiate myself into the world since everyone was constantly on the move. A slight slowing of the pacing might have benefited this book.

Overall, I've given The Rosewater Insurrection four stars! If you enjoyed Rosewater, then I highly recommend you pick up the sequel if you weren't already planning to do so. If you didn't like Rosewater due to the POV and time shifts, then I still recommend you pick this one up and give it another chance! The alien/human aspect of this book is fascinating and totally worth the read.

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Rosewater Insurrection by Tade Thompson & The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees

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 spotlight is:

The Rosewater Insurrection by Tade Thompson
(The Wormwood Trilogy #2) 
Publication Date: March 12th, 2019

Orbit
416 pages

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository 

From Goodreads: 

"The Rosewater Insurrection continues the award-winning, cutting edge Wormwood trilogy, set in Nigeria, by one of science fiction's most engaging new voices. 

All is quiet in the city of Rosewater as it expands on the back of the gargantuan alien Wormwood. Those who know the truth of the invasion keep the secret. 

The government agent Aminat, the lover of the retired sensitive Kaaro, is at the forefront of the cold, silent conflict. She must capture a woman who is the key to the survival of the human race. But Aminat is stymied by the machinations of the Mayor of Rosewater and the emergence of an old enemy of Wormwood..."

I thought Rosewater, the first book in the Insurrection trilogy, was fascinating and I am dying to know more about what's going on in his world. This is already such a unique and fresh sci-fi that holds so many complexities--I really can't wait for the sequel!

             and...

The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees
Publication Date: March 12th, 2019
Delacorte
304 pages

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository 

From Goodreads: 

"Pan's Labyrinth meets The Hazel Wood in this novel about a girl with terrifying visions and a wish-granting witch whose lives collide in the most unexpected of ways. 

The waking forest has secrets. To Rhea, it appears like a mirage, dark and dense, at the very edge of her backyard. But when she reaches out to touch it, the forest vanishes. She's desperate to know more--until she finds a peculiar boy who offers to reveal its secrets. If she plays a game. 

To the Witch, the forest is her home, where she sits on her throne of carved bone, waiting for dreaming children to beg her to grant their wishes. One night, a mysterious visitor arrives and asks her what she wishes for, but the Witch sends him away. And then the uninvited guest returns. 

The strangers are just the beginning. Something is stirring in the forest, and when Rhea's and the Witch's paths collide, a truth more treacherous and deadly than either could ever imagine surfaces. But how much are they willing to risk to survive?"

I actually just found out about this book from the wonderful Suzanne at The Bookish Libra's Top Ten Tuesday post, but I'm already so interested in it! Creepy forests are one of my favorite things and I just think this sounds like quite the adventure. I'll definitely be trying to check this one out.

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

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Review: Rosewater by Tade Thompson

Rosewater by Tade Thompson
Orbit, 2018

Paperback. 464 pages.

About Rosewater:

"Tade Thompson's Rosewater is the start of an award-winning, cutting edge trilogy set in Nigeria, by one of science fiction's most engaging new voices. 

Rosewater is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a mysterious alien biodome, its residents comprise the hopeful, the hungry and the helpless—people eager for a glimpse inside the dome or a taste of its rumored healing powers. 

Kaaro is a government agent with a criminal past. He has seen inside the biodome, and doesn't care to again—but when something begins killing off others like himself, Kaaro must defy his masters to search for an answer, facing his dark history and coming to a realization about a horrifying future."

This was a fascinating book! However, this has proven to be a difficult review to write because it's hard to fully explain how things in this world work without writing pages and pages of information, but I'll do my best to discuss the structure itself and give you an idea of what to expect.

Rosewater is one of those books where the reader is thrown into things without a lot of explanation. As the novel progresses, the author slowly unfolds more and more information about both what is occurring in the present timeline as well as what occurred in the past that has built up to present events. I'm often mixed on my opinion of books that throw the reader into too much without providing much background information about anything that's going on, largely because I then often find myself focusing too much on being lost and not the story itself--but not so in this case. To prevent this, Thompson feeds the reader just enough information to keep them grounded without ever giving away too much or overwhelming the reader. Even though I felt a bit confused or uncertain at times, I was surprised at how sucked into this story I was--I didn't want to put the book down, and whenever I did I was yearning to pick it back up again and find out hat was going on in this crazy story.

The protagonist, Kaaro, is the sole perspective to tell the story, which I was very thankful for--sometimes I just get tired of multi-perspectives in fantasy and sci-fi an prefer to stay with one person. However, the chapters do alternate between various times in Kaaro's past and the present, and it is done so in a way that melds together really well and lets the story unfold at solid, steady pace. Kaaro is a character that I really grew to love throughout the story. He first came across as someone who is a bit indifferent to the world around him, but as the story gained momentum and more about his past and current life were explored, his personality really started to show through. He's someone with a rather dry humor that adds subtle personality to an otherwise potentially mundane world; he's both reckless and careful, which makes for a thrilling combination.

Thompson's writing style is what I think made this book the most engaging for me. It's mostly a rather blunt, simple style, but it has a certain amount of deftness and precise storytelling that makes it something surprisingly compelling. I could never quite put my finger on what it was about this book that made it so captivating, but Thompson somehow continuously touches on deep, thoughtful topics in a simple way, then sprinkles in a bit of dry irony or humor and suddenly I'm glued to the pages.  He can take the complicated and write it in a simple way that is excessively readable. I also really liked the detail that was seemingly paid to each and ever word and sentence in this book. I felt as though there were a lot of very subtle references, metaphors, or other meaningful phrases and ideas that were quietly sneaked into the book. 

As I mentioned before, the pacing was really well done. There's enough intensity to keep the reader engaged, but it also moves at a somewhat slower pace at times that gives the reader a chance the get their bearings and better understand what is going on. There was no excessive info-dumping, but I always felt as though I had enough information at each given scene. The last third or so of Rosewater really picked up speed and that was where things really started to get crazy. I did find myself feeling a bit lost at various points near the end, but I can't tell if that was just me or if other people might also find themselves a bit confused and it was purposefully that way. Despite that, the ending was still extremely well done and has left me dying for a sequel.

Overall, I've given Rosewater 4.5 stars! I was so close to giving it five stars and there is a high likelihood that after I eventually re-reading this I might just raise it to that five.

*I received a copy of Rosewater courtesy of Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the novel.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

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Can't-Wait Wednesday: Rosewater by Tade Thompson & Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton

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 spotlight is:

Rosewater by Tade Thompson
Publication Date: September 18th, 2018

Orbit
432 pages

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository 

From Goodreads: 

"Tade Thompson's Rosewater is the start of an award-winning, cutting edge trilogy set in Nigeria, by one of science fiction's most engaging new voices. 

Rosewater is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a mysterious alien biodome, its residents comprise the hopeful, the hungry and the helpless - people eager for a glimpse inside the dome or a taste of its rumored healing powers. 

Kaaro is a government agent with a criminal past. He has seen inside the biodome, and doesn't care to again -- but when something begins killing off others like himself, Kaaro must defy his masters to search for an answer, facing his dark history and coming to a realization about a horrifying future."

I've been enjoying some good sci-fi now and then lately and the premise of Rosewater sounds pretty exciting. I love the sound of a Nigerian setting and the town of Rosewater itself sound like something I want to explore (in a book, of course).

and...

Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton
Publication Date: September 18th, 2018

Margaret McElderry Books
320 pages
Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository

From Goodreads: 

"Long ago, a village made a bargain with the devil: to ensure their prosperity, when the Slaughter Moon rises, the village must sacrifice a young man into the depths of the Devil’s Forest. 

Only this year, the Slaughter Moon has risen early. 

Bound by duty, secrets, and the love they share for one another, Mairwen, a spirited witch; Rhun, the expected saint; and Arthur, a restless outcast, will each have a role to play as the devil demands a body to fill the bargain. But the devil these friends find is not the one they expect, and the lies they uncover will turn their town—and their hearts—inside out."

 The Devil's Forest, witches, outcasts, the Slaughter Moon? I love everything about how this book is described and cannot wait for it to come out! Tessa Gratton is an author I've only recently started reading, but her prose is so beautiful that I can't wait to read more from her. Fingers crossed my library actually carries it!

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

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