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[Blog Tour] Macario’s Scepter by MJ McGriff – A Swashbuckling Author Q&A!

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It’s my blog tour stop with MTMC Tours to interview the author of Macario’s Scepter!

You might remember my review for Macario’s Scepter by M.J. McGriff back in February, where I talked about this action-packed adventure of sisters and pirate schemes and dazzling plot twists. Now today I get to interview the author!! But first šŸ‘€šŸ‘ŒšŸ» a little recap on why this book should be on your tbr…

Reasons To Read Macario’s Scepter

  • Think PIRATES (including charming roguish pirate love interests)
  • enemies to lovers romance
  • destines and prophecies and a search for magic and secrets
  • it features twin sisters, Seraphina and Samara, who are like ice and fire (and we love them for it!!) Samara is the headstrong badass who wants to dive into adventure, while Seraphina is the nun, trying to live a quiet and contemplative life but ends up chasing after her sister’s mad and reckless adventure.
  • banter and bickering and sibling bonds
  • reluctant Chosen Ones
  • sea serpents and fights
  • magic and mayhem

It’s definitely the kind of fun pirate adventure that you won’t want to put down!

She belonged out on the sparkling sea, sailing into that beautiful sunset. No more veils. No more prayers. No more judging eyes. This time when she left, she’d leave for good.

An unlikely Chosen One, her pirate captain ex-lover, and a treasure-hunting nun. A prophecy that unleashes a fire-breathing sea serpent pouring its wrath on the isles. A magical scepter with the power to destroyā€”or saveā€”the world.
Samara is a ship wrecked at sea. She canā€™t seem to get anything right, especially her love life. Her former pirate captain, the famous Baz Blackwater, broke her heart and stranded her on an island of religious hypocrites. Samara wants nothing more than to escape to the freedom of the sea, so when her ex-lover shows up offering a chance at a magical treasureā€”and secret revengeā€”she jumps at the chance.
Seraphina prays every day for her wayward twin sister to stop chasing the pirate life and find the peace sheā€™s discovered in her own quiet life at the convent. But Samara has nothing but contempt for her sisterā€™s beliefs and religious rituals. Yet when Seraphina uncovers an ancient prophecy revealing the horrifying curse of the treasure Samara and Baz seek, she must leave her conventā€”risking the wrath of her Orderā€”and search for the truth about Macarioā€™s scepter.
In a world of friendship and betrayal, monsters and magic, seedy pubs and adventure on the high seas, will Samaraā€™s magical powers, Bazā€™s cunning plans, and Seraphinaā€™s unshakable faith be enough to slay a cursed sea serpent destroying everything they love?

Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | Book DepositoryĀ  | Blackwellā€™s |Ā Goodreads!

MJ McGriff writes fast-paced YA fantasy and sci-fi stories featuring pirates, exotic locations, and amazing characters of color. She loves all things Marvel, Star Wars, and whatever she can find on a dessert menu. She lives in sunny South Florida with her two daughters who love to play pretend just as much as she does. Find her online at Website | Instagram | Goodreads | Twitter

Hi MJ! Thanks so much for chatting with us about Macario’s Scepter! Can you tell us a bit about how it went from first idea to published novel?

I first got the idea to write a story about a female pirate back in the summer of 2017. I was on maternity leave with my second daughter and had my 4-year oldĀ  home with me too. So in between nap times I was watching Black Sails, a pirate drama on Starz and got the idea for a story. It would take another year to get the first draft to my editor.

I thought the story was solid, thinking I would only need to do a couple of tweaks.

Boy was I wrong!

I had to cut out 30,000 words and an entire main character and get the draft back to my editor — in a month. šŸ˜­

After a 2-day pity party with cheesecake and wine, I got to work taking apart the story, putting it back together with \ stronger characters and a better storyline..

By the time the second round of edits were completed we were in the middle of a very nasty pandemic. But we pulled it together and I self-published Macarioā€™s Scepter in ebook, paperback, and hardcover in April of 2020.

Honestly cheesecake helps ALL writing crises. So glad Macario’s came together so marvellously in the end šŸ˜©šŸ™ŒšŸ» What’s your favourite part about writing epic fantasy?

Creating the worlds is my absolutely favorite part! Iā€™m a bit of a history nerd so I get to mash up my favorite historical events as well as weave in rich cultures you donā€™t see often in the YA fantasy genre. By doing that I get to create worlds that truly reflect what I love as well as what I want to change about the world we live in.

Escapism is such an incredible part of the reading experience for sure too. Now to talk about the stars of the book…can you introduce us to Samara and Seraphina?

Samara and Seraphina are identical twins but thatā€™s where their similarities end. Samara is brave but impulsive, who took the first opportunity to leave her island home for a life on the seas. After the pirate captain she served left her stranded and broken-hearted, sheā€™s back in the Majestic Isles trying to scrape together a new life.

Seraphina chose a life of religion and service, committing herself to a life as a nun for the Order, the religious government of the Majestic Isles. She would love nothing more than to keep her nose in the books and spread the light and love.

What I love about their relationship is that they learn to love each other for who they are and not in spite of who they are. Itā€™s an amazing thing to watch unfold.

I adored their relationship too!! I have such a soft spot for sister stories (I have 4 sisters of my own!!) and Samara and Seraphina are the bessst šŸ˜ A sneaky question now … šŸ‘€ Can you give us a sneak peek on what you’re working on next?

Iā€™m in the second round of developmental edits for The Spell Keeper, the third book in the series. After the events of The Secret Library, the 2nd book in the series that was released this past April, the gang from both books are all back together. Theyā€™re in a new land where they have to work with a new set of heroes to defeat evil monsters and the sorceress controlling them. This book is so much fun because I finally get to have a story thatā€™s very Avengerā€™s-like in style and action.

We are so looking forward to it!! Would you rather spend a day in Samara and Seraphina’s world…or bring them into our modern world for a day?

Oh I would LOVE to spend a day in Samara and Seraphinaā€™s world! The island realm is heavily inspired by Santorini, Greece and itā€™s just absolutely breathtaking. Plus, I get to play on a pirate ship — and who wouldnā€™t want to do that for a day?

I absolutely would choose to be a pirate for a day too šŸ˜‚ And lastly! Was any chocolate harmed in the making of this novel? šŸ˜‰

No chocolate, but many slices of cheesecake have lost their lives during the making of the story! LOL

Cheesecake is the best anyway so I highly approve. So lovely to have you, MJ, and learn more behind-the-scenes details about Macario’s Scepter!! Good luck with writing book 3!! šŸ˜

Enter the Rafflecopter below to win a hardcover of Macarioā€™s Scepter via Book Depository! This is open internationally & it ends on August 4th, 2021 at 11:59pm EST.

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MTMC TOURS Schedule

July 26
Paper Fury
July 27
Review Thick & Thin
@anabellasbooks
July 28
GivernyReads
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July 29
The Reader and the Chef
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July 30
@regallywritten
July 31
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The Bookish Raven

2021 Mid Year Book Freak-Out Tag (Wherein I Have Read A Lot And Yet Nothing)

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We’re halfway through the year and I have read a lot and also nothing!!

I never understand how this works šŸ˜Ŗ Apparently if you read 1 book and add 3 to your TBR pile, it will, in fact, never go down. Trying to ignore this. I am a bit late with this tag as it’s already July, but always excited to do a bit of a mid-year-recap!

So far for me, 2021 has been more dedicated to writing. I’m always disappointed when I don’t read as much as I used to. (Cannot fathom the year I read 300+ books. Who was that. WHO.) But at the same time, I’m fiercely proud of the writing I’ve been doing lately. I’ve written over 200,000 words so far this year (estimating) and am having a small lull for July to catch up on reading.

I always feel I should apologise for the way my blog slid. But it is what it is, and writing + managing health issues is a lot, plus I just use instagram as my micro-blog anyway. Do join me over there. Many memes, much explosions of obsessive book love. And I do have exciting reviews coming up for Paper Fury here soon too so keep an eye out.

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Open Here To Grab The Tag Questions For Your Own Blog
Note: I’ve used a few different ones and made up some haha. But these are the original questions:

1. Best book youā€™ve read so far in 2019
2. Best sequel youā€™ve read so far in 2019
3. New release you havenā€™t read yet, but want to
4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year
5. Biggest disappointment
6. Biggest surprise
7. Favorite new author (debut or new to you)
8. Newest fictional crush
9. Newest favorite character
10. Book that made you cry
11. Book that made you happy
12. Most beautiful book youā€™ve bought so far this year (or received)
13.What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
14. Favorite book community member

1. HOW MUCH HAVE YOU READ?

This time last year I’d already read 100 so šŸ„ŗ missing those days of reading hard and fast. But I am stressing less about reading and THAT I enjoy.

2. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN READING?

This is a question I add in each year for an excuse to make pie charts. I do love pie (who doesn’t?!).

Okay so my star-ratings are not GREAT and I feel a bit sheepish here šŸ˜‚I don’t actually do public star-ratings unless it’s 4 or 5 these days, so these are just recorded on my spreadsheet. Basically only 47% of my reeds have been good (I consider 3 a meh rating) which is a statistic that is a solid yikes. As for my genres, I pretty consistently favour contemporary (and contemporary fantasy) so this isn’t a surprise.

3. Best book youā€™ve read so far in 2020

I have literally only had ten 5-star ratings; and most were rereads so šŸ’€šŸ‘ŒšŸ»again we are improving that later. But I’ve already reread These Violent Delights TWICE and I’m dying. It is so downright phenomenal that it has wrecked my life.

Ā 4. Best sequel youā€™ve read so far in 2020

The Theft of Sunlight wasĀ incredible. I thad the thoughtful political and social commentary that I crave from YA fantasy (and sadly rarely get šŸ˜Ŗ) coupled with gorgeous prose and dimensional characters. Such an underrated series truly. I also really appreciate Rebecca Westscott & Libby Scott’s autistic middle-grade contemporary series. It is the BEST and absolutely captures the heart of what it is to be autistic.

5. New release you havenā€™t read yet, but want to

Was just laughing as I looked at least year’s list for this question and I still haven’t read a single one. Let me lay down softly and weep. For this year I will say…

6. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

I am most thoroughly dying for Summer Sons. Like if I could only have ONE more book in 2021, it would be this. But also the others too because I want all the books and cannot be stopped.

7. Out of Your Comfort Zone

I technically haven’t finished A Little Life buuuuut…it’s an adult literary novel so that’s definitely out of my comfort zone. (Cannot say I’m “enjoying” it but it is deeply, deeply affecting me.) Also Winter’s Orbit! I rarely read adult sci-fi but I adored this one.

8. Biggest surprise

Maybe Rain City Lights because this book absolutely hit me in the guts and I loved it (as well as suffered for it šŸ˜­) and it’s super underrated so please pick up a copy!!

I also adored Lifestyles of Gods & Monsters which is a super bizarre modern Ariadne and the Minotaur retelling, and it got me so emotional!!

9. New Favourite author (debut or new to you)

Into The Heartless Wood came out of nowhere for me and I just ADORED it with my whole soul!! I listened to an audio and never wanted to turn it off (also the narrator was so peaceful). It’s almost a cozy fantasy, but also feral tree girls who eat hearts and soft boys who bake. šŸ„ŗGhostwood Song is a southern lowkey horror about grief and ghosts and heavily features a fiddle and messy family relationships and it was just excellent. The Boy From The Mish is such a heartfelt and beautiful story of an indigenous teen coming out and fitting being gay in with his culture. Tweet Cute was just so so CUTE, like downright funny and adorable.

Ā 

10. underrated gems you’ve discovered recently

Tap through for my reviews on these but they’re AMAZING and I want everyone to take notice of these perfect books. I’ve actually read more underrated than popular this year, and just fell in love with so many.

11. rereads this year

THE WAY I’VE REREAD THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS TWICE WITHIN 3 MONTHS THOUGH. I do need to do more rereads before the year ends because I miss prioritising them. I also reread a few first books with intentions of reading the sequels finally…can report I still have not read the sequels.

12. Book that made you cry

Will say These Violent Delights again just to suffer with myself. It didn’t make me cry, I suppose? Just my soul ached. I actually haven’t felt teary this year for anything. Getting tough in my old, old age. Although Heartstopper’s unconditional love themes always make me šŸ„ŗand Volume 4 was beyond perfect.

13. Book that made you happy

Tweet Cute for the levels of adorable!! And Roman and Jewel was also just one of those books that is soĀ fun, you can’t help but smile. Also Social Queue! It’s not out yet but the it nailed the autistic experience with such finesse I just šŸ˜™šŸ‘ŒšŸ».

14. Most beautiful book youā€™ve bought so far this year (or received)

Ariadne (UK edition) has stolen my heart!! But also Ghost Wood Song and Things That Grow were total cover buys and I do not regret it.

Ā 

15. goals for the rest of the year

  • I am aiming for 150 reads and will probably overachieve a bit but not aiming for 200 this year. Less pressure šŸ˜©šŸ‘ŒšŸ»
  • I would like to write another book! Maybe for NaNoWriMo, still?
  • Dreaming of hitting 90K on instagram but that one is a little far-fetched.
  • Read more ebooks and eARCs šŸ¤ØšŸ™ŒšŸ»actually TRY for this and get my Netgalley ratio back up.
  • I’d like to have read all my books from book boxes by the time 2021 ends.
  • Challenge myself to pick up more adult books because I’m really enjoying them this year for some reason. Probably because of all my white hair.

| What about you? |

time to tell me all your half-yearly news!! are you behind or on track with your Goodreads goal? what have been your highlight reads of 2021 so far? have you done any writing?

 

2021 New Young Adult Releases For Your Towering TBR Pile!! [Ft May to August]

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It’s that time again, when I do not help your TBR piles!!

In fact! I am the opposite of help and probably will make you add 394092 new books to your pile šŸ˜Ŗ I’d say sorry but I’m not. What I WILL say is that I need to fall down a goldmine and accidentally inherit it all to be able to afford these. (Why have book prices in Australia exploded so steeply šŸ˜­ it hurts.)

So below I’ve picked out a ton of new Young Adult book releases coming out in May, June, July and August, 2021! All are linked to Goodreads so enjoy šŸ¤— You can also catch my first releases post from early this year (the January to April edition).

Note: I have included a few adult titles in here, just because they caught my eye and I am here to break the rules of my own post.

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āž¢ 2020 New YA Releases January, March, April
āž¢ 2020 New YA Releases May, June, July
āž¢ 2020 New YA Releases August, Sept, Oct, Nov
āž¢ Why It’s Perfectly Acceptable To Have An Enormous TBR Pile

The House of Always (#4) by Jenn Lyons | Goodreads

This is one of my top anticipated books of the YEAR okayĀ  šŸ˜‚šŸ™ŒšŸ» I am so hyped! Chorus of Dragons is my new favourite series and this is book 4. I will never stop recommending it!!

What if you were imprisoned for all eternity?
In the aftermath of the Ritual of Night, everything has changed.
The Eight Immortals have catastrophically failed to stop Kihrin’s enemies, who are moving forward with their plans to free Vol Karoth, the King of Demons. Kihrin has his own ideas about how to fight back, but even if he’s willing to sacrifice everything for victory, the cost may prove too high for his allies.
Now they face a choice: can they save the world while saving Kihrin, too? Or will they be forced to watch as he becomes the very evil they have all sworn to destroy.Ā 
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Off The Record by Cameron Garrett | Goodreads

I really loved the author’s debut and this sounds so fascinating too! A teen journalist, the #MeToo movement, and a story that’s dangerous to unravel.

The behind-the-scenes access ofĀ Almost Famous meets the searing revelations of #metoo in this story of a teen journalist who uncovers the scandal of the decade.
Ever since seventeen-year-old Josie Wright can remember, writing has been her identity, the thing that grounds her when everything else is a garbage fire. So when she wins a contest to write a celebrity profile forĀ Deep Focus magazine, sheā€™s equal parts excited and scared, but also ready. Sheā€™s got this.
Soon Josie is jetting off on a multi-city tour, rubbing elbows with sparkly celebrities, frenetic handlers, stone-faced producers, and eccentric stylists. She even finds herself catching feelings for the subject of her profile, dazzling young newcomer Marius Canet. Josieā€™s world is expanding so rapidly, she doesnā€™t know whether sheā€™s flying or falling. But when a young actress lets her in on a terrible secret, the answer is clear: sheā€™s in over her head.
One womanā€™s account leads to another and another. Josie wants to expose the man responsible, but sheā€™s reluctant to speak up, unsure if this is her story to tell. What if she lets down the women who have entrusted her with their stories? What if this ends her writing career before it even begins? There are so many reasons not to go ahead, but if Josie doesnā€™t step up, who will?
Ā 
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Burn It All Down by Nicolas DiDomizio | Goodreads

So this just sounds thoroughly chaotic and I am intrigued. šŸ˜‚ An Italian queer teen boy and his mum end up ditching their problematic respective boyfriends and go on a petty crime spree? Am in šŸ˜Œ

Eighteen-year-old aspiring comic Joey Rossi just found out his boyfriend has been cheating on him for the past ten months. But what did he expect? Joey was born with an addiction to toxic jerksā€”something he inherited from his lovably messy, wisecracking, Italian-American spitfire of a mom (and best friend): 34-year-old Gia Rossi.
When Giaā€™s latest non-relationship goes up in flames only a day later, the pairā€™s Bayonne, New Jersey apartment can barely contain their rage. In a misguided attempt at revenge, Joey and Gia inadvertently commit a series of crimes and flee the state, running to the only good man either of them has ever knownā€”Giaā€™s ex, Marco. As they hide out from the law at Marcoā€™s secluded lake house, Joey and Gia must confront all the bad habits and mistakes theyā€™ve made that have led them to this momentā€”and find a way to take responsibility for what theyā€™ve done.Ā 
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Mister Impossible (#2) by Maggie Stiefvater | Goodreads

You know am always dying for the next book about Ronan Lynch šŸ˜©šŸ™ŒšŸ»The blurb gives absolutely NO information šŸ˜‚ but I’m expecting more typical Stiefvater chaos.

From the #1Ā New York TimesĀ bestselling author ofĀ The Raven Boys, a mesmerizing story of dreams and desires, death and destiny.
The stakes have never been higher as it seems like either the end of the world or the end of dreamers approaches.
Do the dreamers need the ley lines to save the world . . . or will their actions end up dooming the world? As Ronan, Hennessy, and Bryde try to make dreamers more powerful, the Moderators are closing in, sure that this power will bring about disaster. In the remarkable second book of The Dreamer Trilogy, Maggie Stiefvater pushes her characters to their limits – and shows what happens to them and others when they start to break. Ā 
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Black Water Sister by Zen Cho | Goodreads

The blurb of this one has me enthralled! Reluctant mediums, Malaysian-set fantasy, estranged grandmother ghosts!! I think this is also adult and I need it.

A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in this compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.
Jessamyn Teoh is closeted, broke and moving back to Malaysia, a country she left when she was a toddler. So when Jess starts hearing voices, she chalks it up to stress. But there’s only one voice in her head, and it claims to be the ghost of her estranged grandmother, Ah Ma. In life Ah Ma was a spirit medium, the avatar of a mysterious deity called the Black Water Sister. Now she’s determined to settle a score against a gang boss who has offended the god–and she’s decided Jess is going to help her do it.
Drawn into a world of gods, ghosts, and family secrets, Jess finds that making deals with capricious spirits is a dangerous business. As Jess fights for retribution for Ah Ma, she’ll also need to regain control of her body and destiny. If she fails, the Black Water Sister may finish her off for good.Ā 
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All Kinds of Other by James Sie | Goodreads

I only recently heard about this one and it sounds like it’ll pack a punch to the feels šŸ„ŗ Coming-of-age with trans kids and new schools. The cover is also super gorgeous.Ā 

In this tender, nuanced coming-of-age love story, two boysā€”one who is cis and one who is transā€”have been guarding their hearts to protect themselves, until their feelings for each other give them a reason to stand up to their fears.
Two boys are starting at a new school.
Jules is just figuring out what it means to be gay and hasnā€™t totally decided whether he wants to be out at his new school. His parents and friends have all kinds of opinions, but for his part, Jules just wants to make the basketball team and keep his head down.
Jack is trying to start over after a best friend break-up. He followed his actor father clear across the country to LA, but heā€™s also totally ready to leave his past behind. Maybe this new school where no one knows him is exactly what he needs.
When the two boys meet, the sparks are undeniable. But then a video surfaces linking Jack to a pair of popular transgender vloggers, and the revelations about Jackā€™s past thrust both Jack and Jules into the spotlight theyā€™ve been trying to avoid. Suddenly both boys have a choice to makeā€”between lying low where itā€™s easier or following their hearts.Ā 
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In The Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland | Goodreads

When the pitch is, “A pansexual bloodmage reluctantly teams up with an undead spirit to start a rebellion among the living and the dead” yeah I know I need it šŸ˜Œ Also from an ace author!

In Thanopolis, those gifted with magic are assigned undead spirits to guard themā€”and control them. Ever since Rovanā€™s father died trying to keep her from this fate, sheā€™s hidden her magic. But when she accidentally reveals her powers, sheā€™s bound to a spirit and thrust into a world of palace intrigue and deception.
Desperate to escape, Rovan finds herself falling for two people she canā€™t fully trust: Lydea, a beguiling, rebellious princess; and Ivrilos, the handsome spirit with the ability to control Rovan, body and soul.
Together, they uncover a secret that will destroy Thanopolis. To save them all, Rovan will have to start a rebellion in both the mortal world and the underworld, and find a way to trust the princess and spirit battling for her heartā€”if she doesnā€™t betray them first.Ā 
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The Other Side of Perfect by Mariko Turk | Goodreads

I have an ARC of this one so I’m really excited to dive in! It’s about ballet dancers and disability and also deals with racism in the dance industry.

Alina Keeler was destined to dance, but one terrifying fall shatters her leg–and her dreams of a professional ballet career along with it.
After a summer healing (translation: eating vast amounts of Cool Ranch Doritos and binging ballet videos on YouTube), she is forced to trade her pre-professional dance classes for normal high school, where she reluctantly joins the school musical. However, rehearsals offer more than she expected–namely Jude, her annoyingly attractive cast mate she just might be falling for.
But to move forward, Alina must make peace with her past and face the racism she had grown to accept in the dance industry. She wonders what it means to yearn for ballet–something so beautiful, yet so broken. And as broken as she feels, can she ever open her heart to someone else?
Touching, romantic, and peppered with humor, this debut novel explores the tenuousness of perfectionism, the possibilities of change, and the importance of raising your voice.
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Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar | Goodreads

Another one where I loved the author’s debutĀ  (The Henna Wars!) so I’m excited for their next book. šŸ„°Fake dating is SUCH a fun trope too. I have this one preordered šŸ‘€šŸ‘ŒšŸ»

Everyone likes Humaira “Hani” Khanā€”sheā€™s easy going and one of the most popular girls at school. But when she comes out to her friends as bisexual, they invalidate her identity, saying she canā€™t be bi if sheā€™s only dated guys. Panicked, Hani blurts out that sheā€™s in a relationshipā€¦with a girl her friends absolutely hateā€”Ishita “Ishu” Dey. Ishu is the complete opposite of Hani. Sheā€™s an academic overachiever who hopes that becoming head girl will set her on the right track for college. But Ishita agrees to help Hani, if Hani will help her become more popular so that she stands a chance of being elected head girl.
Despite their mutually beneficial pact, they start developing real feelings for each other. But relationships are complicated, and some people will do anything to stop two Bengali girls from achieving happily ever after.Ā Ā 
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Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean | Goodreads

This is the “girl discovers she’s secretly a princess” like Princess Diaries! But JapaneseĀ šŸ‘€šŸ™ŒšŸ»I am so, so intrigued. I also enjoyed the author’s epic fantasy, Empress of All Seasons, a few years ago!

Izumi Tanaka has never really felt like she fit inā€”it isnā€™t easy being Japanese American in her small, mostly white, northern California town. Raised by a single mother, itā€™s always been Izumiā€”or Izzy, because ā€œItā€™s easier this wayā€ā€”and her mom against the world. But then Izzy discovers a clue to her previously unknown fatherā€™s identityā€¦and heā€™s none other than the Crown Prince of Japan. Which means outspoken, irreverent Izzy isĀ literallyĀ a princess.
In a whirlwind, Izzy travels to Japan to meet the father she never knew and discover the country she always dreamed of. But being a princess isnā€™t all ball gowns and tiaras. There are conniving cousins, a hungry press, a scowling but handsome bodyguard who just might be her soulmate, and thousands of years of tradition and customs to learn practically overnight.
Izzy soon finds herself caught between worlds, and between versions of herselfā€”back home, she was never ā€œAmericanā€ enough, and in Japan, she must prove sheā€™s ā€œJapaneseā€ enough. Will Izumi crumble under the weight of the crown, or will she live out her fairytale, happily ever after?Ā Ā 
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Honourable Mentions!

The Coming Storm by Regina M. Hansen | Goodreads

It had me at “music, myth, and horror” to be honest šŸ‘€šŸ‘ŒšŸ»I’m a huge fan of music stories (my debut is about a pianist!!) so this was a preorder for me too šŸ˜‚

Thereā€™s a certain wild magic in the salt air and the thrum of the sea. Beet MacNeill has known this all her life. It added spice to her childhood adventures with her older cousin, Gerry, the two of them thick as thieves as they explored their Prince Edward Island home. So when Gerry comes up the path one early spring morning, Beet thinks nothing of it at first. But he is soaking wet and silent, and he plays a haunting tune on his fiddle that chills Beet to the bone. Something is very, very wrong.
Things only get worse when Marina Shaw saunters into town and takes an unsettling interest in Gerryā€™s new baby. Local lore is filled with tales of a vicious shape-shifting sea creature and the cold, beautiful woman who controls himā€”a woman who bears a striking resemblance to Marina. Beet is determined to find out what happened to her beloved cousin, and to prevent the same fate from befalling the handsome new boy in town who is winning her heart, whether she wants him to or not. Yet the sea always exacts a price…Ā 
Music, myth, and horror blend in this romantic, atmospheric fantasy debut about a teen girl who must fight a powerful evil thatā€™s invaded her Prince Edward Island homeā€”perfect for fans ofĀ An Enchantment of Ravens.Ā 
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The Ghosts We Keep by Mason Deaver | Goodreads

The author’s debut (I Wish You All The Best) was one of my absolute favourites! So of course I am stoked about for their newest book šŸ˜­šŸ’› This one seems to be dealing with grief, so ready for these tough themes.

When Liam Cooper’s older brother Ethan is killed in a hit-and-run, Liam has to not only learn to face the world without one of the people he loved the most, but also face the fading relationship with his two best friends.
Feeling more alone and isolated than ever, Liam finds themself sharing time with Marcus, Ethan’s best friend, and through Marcus, Liam finds the one person that seems to know exactly what they’re going through, for the better, and the worse.
This book is about grief. But it’s also about why we live. Why we have to keep moving on, and why we should.
Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli, this book will rip your heart out before showing you how to heal from tragedy and celebrate life in the process.Ā 
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The Marvelous by Claire Kahn | Goodreads

Okay this one sounds SO FUN! Like a diverse, queer Westing Game! It’s pitched as “six teens locked together in a mansion, contending for a life-changing cash prize in a competition run by a reclusive heiress” and I want it šŸ˜‚

Everyone thinks they know Jewel Van Hanen. Heiress turned actress turned social media darling who created the massively popular video-sharing app, Golden Rule.
After mysteriously disappearing for a year, Jewel makes her dramatic return with an announcement: she has chosen a few lucky Golden Rule users to spend an unforgettable weekend at her private estate. But once they arrive, Jewel ingeniously flips the script: the guests are now players in an elaborate estate-wide game. And sheā€™s tailored every challenge and obstacle to test whether they have what it takes to win–at any cost.
Told from the perspective of three dazzling players–Nicole: the new queen of Golden Rule; Luna: Jewelā€™s biggest fan; and Stella: a brilliant outsider–this novel will charm its way into your heart and keep you guessing how it all ends because money isnā€™t the only thing at stake.Ā 
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Sisters of the Snake by Sarena & Sasha Nanua | Goodreads

This sounds like an Indian genderbent Prince & The Pauper style!! And I quite am here for it! Also the cover is so golden and lovely. Also the authors are sisters!

A lost princess. A dark puppet master. And a race against timeā€”before all is lost.
Princess Rani longs for a chance to escape her gilded cage and prove herself. Ria is a street urchin, stealing just to keep herself alive.
When these two lives collide, everything turns on its head: because Ria and Rani, orphan and royal, are unmistakably identical.
A deal is struck to switch placesā€”but danger lurks in both worlds, and to save their home, thief and princess must work together. Or watch it all fall into ruin.
Deadly magic, hidden temples, and dark prophecies: Sisters of the Snake is an action-packed, immersive fantasy that will thrill fans of The Crownā€™s Game and The Tiger at Midnight.Ā 
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Ace of Spades by Faridah ƀbĆ­kĆ©-ƍyĆ­mĆ­dĆ© | Goodreads

Dark academia from a POC author!! I am very much needing all dark academia books please and thank you.

An incendiary and utterly compelling thriller with a shocking twist that delves deep into the heart of institutionalized racism, from an exceptional new YA voice. Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is bringing two students’ dark secrets to light. Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can’t escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl Chiamaka isn’t afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power. Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they’re planning much more than a high-school game…Ā Ā 
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This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron | Goodreads

This is from the author of Cinderella Is Dead!! Which I loved šŸ¤—and this is about gardens and poisonous plants and that aesthetic is also what I love. So HERE I am.

Briseis has a gift: she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms with a single touch.
When Briseis’s aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Bri and her parents decide to leave Brooklyn behind for the summer. Hopefully there, surrounded by plants and flowers, Bri will finally learn to control her gift. But their new home is sinister in ways they could never have imagined–it comes with a specific set of instructions, an old-school apothecary, and a walled garden filled with the deadliest botanicals in the world that can only be entered by those who share Bri’s unique family lineage.
When strangers begin to arrive on their doorstep, asking for tinctures and elixirs, Bri learns she has a surprising talent for creating them. One of the visitors is Marie, a mysterious young woman who Bri befriends, only to find that Marie is keeping dark secrets about the history of the estate and its surrounding community. There is more to Bri’s sudden inheritance than she could have imagined, and she is determined to uncover it . . . until a nefarious group comes after her in search of a rare and dangerous immortality elixir. Up against a centuries-old curse and the deadliest plant on earth, Bri must harness her gift to protect herself and her family.
From the bestselling author of Cinderella Is Dead comes another inspiring and deeply compelling story about a young woman with the power to conquer the dark forces descending around her.Ā 
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The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon | Goodreads

Faeries and witches and trans main characters!!! The cover isn’t my favourite style but I do love the diversity there?! So I’m really keen for this one.

Wyatt would give anything to forget where he came fromā€”but a kingdom demands its king.
In Asalin, fae rule and witches like Wyatt Croftā€¦donā€™t. Wyattā€™s betrothal to his best friend, fae prince Emyr North, was supposed to change that. But when Wyatt lost control of his magic one devastating night, he fled to the human world.
Now a coldly distant Emyr has hunted him down. Despite transgender Wyattā€™s newfound identity and troubling past, Emyr has no intention of dissolving their engagement. In fact, he claims they must marry now or risk losing the throne. Jaded, Wyatt strikes a deal with the enemy, hoping to escape Asalin forever. But as he gets to know Emyr, Wyatt realizes the boy he once loved may still exist. And as the witches face worsening conditions, he must decide once and for all whatā€™s more importantā€”his people or his freedom.Ā Ā 
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The Sea Is Salt and So Am I by Cassandra Hartt| Goodreads

I so so love sea aesthetics so this one caught my eye immediately! Also promises queer and mental health rep!

West Finch is one hurricane away from falling into the sea.
Yet sixteen-year-old Harlow Prout is determined to save her small Maine hometown. If only she could stop getting in her own way and find someone, anyone, willing to help. But her best friend Ellis MacQueen ā€œfixesā€ problems by running away from themā€•including his broken relationship with his twin brother, Tommy. And Tommyā€™s depression has hit a new low, so heā€™s not up for fixing anything.
In the wake of the townā€™s latest devastating storm, Tommy goes out for a swim that he doesnā€™t intend to survive. Itā€™s his unexpected return that sets into motion a sea change between these three teens. One that tests old loyalties, sparks new romance, and uncovers painful secrets. And nothing stays secret in West Finch for long.Ā 
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Honourable Mentions!

Ā 

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim | Goodreads

Okay this sounds amazing about a princess with powers who’s brothers turn into cranes! I was always obsessed with the fairytale of the seven swans, so this seems similar and I can’t wait šŸ„ŗšŸ‘ŒšŸ»

Shiori, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted, but it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.
Raikama has dark magic of her own, and she banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes, and warning Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.
Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and, on her journey, uncovers a conspiracy to overtake the throneā€”a conspiracy more twisted and deceitful, more cunning and complex, than even Raikama’s betrayal. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in the very boy she fought so hardĀ notĀ to marry. And she must embrace the magic she’s been taught all her life to containā€”no matter what it costs her.Ā Ā 
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The River Has Teeth by Erica Waters | Goodreads

Another case of “I loved the author’s debut!!” I just finished Ghost Wood Song and it was fantastic, so yes please for more contemporary magic with a sinister hint in the background.

Natashaā€™s sister is missing.
Her car was found abandoned on the edge of a local nature preserve known as the Bend, but as the case goes cold, Natashaā€™s loss turns to burning anger.
Sheā€™ll do anything to find answers.
Dellaā€™s family has channeled magic from the Bend for generations, providing spells for the desperate. But when Natasha appears on her doorstep, Della knows it will take more than simple potions to help her.
But Della has her own secrets to hide.
Because Della thinks she knows the beast whoā€™s responsible for the disappearance ā€” her own mother, who was turned into a terrible monster by magic gone wrong.
Natasha is angry. Della has little to lose.
They are each otherā€™s only hope.Ā Ā 
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The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass | Goodreads

Private school kids mixing with horror and ghosts? Yesssss. I’ve been looking for more horror lately so this has come at the perfect time!

Jake Livingston is one of the only Black kids at St. Clair Prep, one of the others being his infinitely more popular older brother. Itā€™s hard enough fitting in but to make matters worse and definitely more complicated, Jake can see the dead. In fact he sees the dead around him all the time. Most are harmless. Stuck in their death loops as they relive their deaths over and over again, they donā€™t interact often with people. But then Jake meets Sawyer. A troubled teen who shot and killed six kids at a local high school last year before taking his own life. Now a powerful, vengeful ghost, he has plans for his afterlifeā€“plans that include Jake. Suddenly, everything Jake knows about ghosts and the rules to life itself go out the window as Sawyer begins haunting him and bodies turn up in his neighborhood. High school soon becomes a survival gameā€“one Jake is not sure heā€™s going to win.Ā Ā 
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XOXO by Axie Oh | Goodreads

This features a cellist!! And as a former-cellist myself, I know I need it šŸ˜­šŸ’›Also it has a girl falling in love with a K-pop star who is forbidden to date!

Cello prodigy Jenny has one goal: to get into a prestigious music conservatory. When she meets mysterious, handsome Jaewoo in her uncleā€™s Los Angeles karaoke bar, itā€™s clear heā€™s the kind of boy who would uproot her careful plans. But in a moment of spontaneity, she allows him to pull her out of her comfort zone for one unforgettable night of adventureā€¦before he disappears without a word.
Three months later, when Jenny and her mother arrive in South Korea to take care of her ailing grandmother, sheā€™s shocked to discover that Jaewoo is a student at the same elite arts academy where sheā€™s enrolled for the semester. And heā€™s not just any student. Heā€™s a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the worldā€”and heā€™s strictly forbidden from dating.
When a relationship means throwing Jennyā€™s life off the path sheā€™s spent years mapping out, sheā€™ll have to decide once and for all just how much sheā€™s willing to risk for love.Ā Ā 
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What We Devour by Linsey Miller | Goodreads

A girl with gods inside her? šŸ‘€šŸ‘ŒšŸ»Sounds dark and terrific and I would like. The pitch is: “a dark and intricate story of a girl who must tether herself to a violent ruler to save her crumbling world.”

Lorena Adler has a secretā€”she holds the power of the banished gods, the Noble and the Vile, inside her. She has spent her entire life hiding from the world and her past. Sheā€™s content to spend her days as an undertaker in a small town, marry her best friend, Julian, and live an unfulfilling life so long as no one uncovers her true nature.But when the notoriously bloodthirsty and equally Vile crown prince comes to arrest Julianā€™s father, he immediately recognizes Lorena for what she is. So she makes a dealā€”a fair trial for her betrothedā€™s father in exchange for her service to the crown.The prince is desperate for her help. Heā€™s spent years trying to repair the weakening Door that holds back the Vileā€¦and heā€™s losing the battle. As Lorena learns more about the Door and the horrifying price it takes to keep it closed, sheā€™ll have to embrace both parts of herself to survive.Ā 
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Honourable Mentions!

Redemptor (#2) by Jordan Ifueko | Goodreads

This is the sequel to Raybearer and I absolutelyĀ loved it last year! I listened to an audiobook so I probably will be grabbing the audio for this one too!

For the first time, an Empress Redemptor sits on Aritsar’s throne. To appease the sinister spirits of the dead, Tarisai must now anoint a council of her own, coming into her full power as a Raybearer. She must then descend into the Underworld, a sacrifice to end all future atrocities.
Tarisai is determined to survive. Or at least, that’s what she tells her increasingly distant circle of friends. Months into her shaky reign as empress, child spirits haunt her, demanding that she pay for past sins of the empire.
With the lives of her loved ones on the line, assassination attempts from unknown quarters, and a handsome new stranger she can’t quite trust . . . Tarisai fears the pressure may consume her. But in this finale to the Raybearer duology, Tarisai must learn whether to die for justice . . . or to live for it.Ā 
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How We Fall Apart by Katie Zhao | Goodreads

Dark academia and murder!!! One of the best ways to get me to want a book!! I’ve anticipated this one for a while and heard it’s super good.

Nancy Luo is shocked when her former best friend, Jamie Ruan, top ranked junior at Sinclair Prep, goes missing, and then is found dead. Nancy is even more shocked when word starts to spread that she and her friends–Krystal, Akil, and Alexander–are the prime suspects, thanks to “The Proctor,” someone anonymously incriminating them via the school’s social media app.
They all used to be Jamie’s closest friends, and she knew each of their deepest, darkest secrets. Now, somehow The Proctor knows them, too. The four must uncover the true killer before The Proctor exposes more than they can bear and costs them more than they can afford, like Nancy’s full scholarship. Soon, Nancy suspects that her friends may be keeping secrets from her, too.Ā 
In a YA thriller that isĀ Crazy Rich AsiansĀ meetsĀ One of Us is Lying, students at an elite prep school are forced to confront their secrets when their ex-best friend turns up dead.Ā 
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The Wild Ones by Nafiza Azad | Goodreads

The blurb sounds reallyĀ  heartbreaking and whimsical šŸ„ŗand I am very much here for this gorgeous cover. It sounds like a story of sisterhood and survival.

Meet the Wild Ones: girls who have been hurt, abandoned, and betrayed all their lives. It all began with Paheli, who was once betrayed by her mother and sold to a man in exchange for a favor. When Paheli escapes, she runs headlong into a boy with stars in his eyes. This boy, as battered as she is, tosses Paheli a box of stars before disappearing.
With the stars, Paheli gains access to the Between, a place of pure magic and mystery. Now, Paheli collects girls like herself and these Wild Ones use their magic to travel the world, helping the hopeless and saving others from the fates they suffered.
Then Paheli and the Wild Ones learn that the boy who gave them the stars, Taraana, is in danger. Heā€™s on the run from powerful forces within the world of magic. But if Taraana is no longer safe and free, neither are the Wild Ones. And thatā€¦is a fate the Wild Ones refuse to accept. Ever again.
From William C. Morris Finalist Nafiza Azad comes a thrilling, feminist fantasy about a group of teenage girls endowed with special powers who must band together to save the life of the boy whose magic saved them all.Ā 
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Phantom Heart by Kelly Creagh | Goodreads

Okay this sounds quite fun šŸ˜‚I really love Phantom of the Opera and this seems like a highschool drama/haunted house twist!

Seventeen-year-old Stephanie Armand doesnā€™t believe in ghosts or spirits. Despite her six-year-old sister, Charlie, insisting a masked figure is hiding in her closet, and the rumors at school, Stephanie isnā€™t convinced her fatherā€™s latest renovation projectā€“a crumbling Victorian mansionā€“houses the soul of a monster.
So when the very charming (and paranormal obsessed) Lucas Cheney takes an interest in both Stephanie and her notorious home, the supernatural and romantic activity escalates to an all-time high. And that doesnā€™t even take into account the dashing, British-accented eighteen-year-old boy, Erik, whoā€™s taken up residence in Stephanieā€™s nightly dreams. A boy who may have something to do with the man in the mask, and the strange occurrences taking place at Moldavia.
A steamy YA romance withĀ TwilightĀ vibes, inspired by Gaston Lerouxā€™s classicĀ The Phantom of the Opera.Ā 
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Vampire Hearts And Other Dead Things by Margie Fuston | Goodreads

It’s pitched as “The Coldest Girl in ColdtownĀ meetsĀ They Both Die at the End” and that’s all I need to know?! Like YES. It seems to be magical realism meets heartstabbing contemporary too!

Victoria and her dad have shared a love of the undead since the first vampire revealed his existence on live TV. Public fear soon drove the vampires back into hiding, yet Victoria and her father still dream about finding a vampire together. But when her dad is diagnosed with terminal cancer, itā€™s clear thatā€™s not going to happen. Instead, Victoria vows to find a vampire herselfā€”so that she can become one and then save her father.
Armed with research, speculations, and desperationā€”and helped by her estranged best friend, Henryā€”Victoria travels to New Orleans in search of a miracle. There she meets Nicholas, a mysterious young man who might give her what she desires. But first, he needs Victoria to prove she loves life enough to live forever.
She agrees to complete a series of challenges, from scarfing sugar-drenched beignets to singing with a jazz band, all to show she has what it takes to be immortal. But truly living while her father is dying feels like a betrayal. Victoria must figure out how to experience joy and grief at once, trusting all the while that Nicholas will hold up his end of the bargainā€¦because the alternative is too impossible to imagine.Ā 
In this heart-wrenching debut YA novel thatā€™sĀ The Coldest Girl in ColdtownĀ meetsĀ They Both Die at the End, a teen girl takes a trip to New Orleans with her estranged best friend to find a vampire to save her dying father.Ā 
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The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino | Goodreads

It’s about a cellist AND books?! šŸ„ŗšŸ’›So basically me. And also there is a book demon and I do admit that is exactly what I need to read about.

Tess Matheson only wants three things: time to practice her cello, for her sister to be happy, and for everyone else to leave her alone.
Instead, Tess finds herself working all summer at her boarding school library, shelving books and dealing with the intolerable patrons. The worst of them is Eliot Birch: snide, privileged, and constantly requesting forbidden grimoires. After a bargain with Eliot leads to the discovery of an ancient book in the library’s grimoire collection, the pair accidentally unleash a book-bound demon.
The demon will stop at nothing to stay free, manipulating ink to threaten those Tess loves and dismantling Eliotā€™s strange magic. Tess is plagued by terrible dreams of the devil and haunting memories of a boy who wears Eliot’s face. All she knows is to stay free, the demon needs her… and he’ll have her, dead or alive.Ā Ā 
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A Snake Falls To Earth by Darcie Little Badger | Goodreads

Elatsoe was another standalone I absolutely adored last year, so I’m excited to see what the author does for her sophomore book! This has #ownvoices indigenous American rep.

Nina is a Lipan girl in our world. She’s always felt there was something more out there. She still believes in the old stories.
Oli is a cottonmouth kid, from the land of spirits and monsters. Like all cottonmouths, he’s been cast from home. He’s found a new one on the banks of the bottomless lake.
Nina and Oli have no idea the other exists. But a catastrophic event on Earth, and a strange sickness that befalls Oli’s best friend, will drive their worlds together in ways they haven’t been in centuries.
And there are some who will kill to keep them apart.
Darcie Little Badger introduced herself to the world withĀ Elatsoe. InĀ A Snake Falls to Earth, she draws on traditional Lipan Apache storytelling structure to weave another unforgettable tale of monsters, magic, and family. It is not to be missed.Ā 
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Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden | Goodreads

Queer ballet story from an Australian author! I am super keen to try this one and hope it has good disability rep šŸ‘€

Luca Mason has been preparing to audition for the Australian Ballet School for more than a decade when a missed step on a flight of stairs lands him in hospital. But itā€™s not all badā€”as Luca settles into a life of doctorā€™s appointments, unwieldy crutches, and absolutely no ballet (and no, he does not want to talk about it) he strikes up an unlikely friendship with the perfect-in-every-way rowing star of his new school, Jordan Tanaka-Jones.Ā 
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Honourable Mentions!

 

 

[Blog Tour] Q&A With Raven Kennedy, Author of GILD (A Dark Adult Fantasy King Midas Retelling!)!

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It’s my stop with MTMC Tours to talk about Gild by Raven Kennedy!

Gild is glittering fantasy that pulls together myths and legends to create a dark and dangerous world. It’s centred around the myth of King Midas (which I find fascinating because I’d not read a retelling of this before) and it’s packed with intrigue and danger, and perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas and Jennifer L Armentrout. Auren is gold-touched and forced to live in a cage in King Midas’s castle. Their relationship is complicated and there are some secrets you’ll never guess.

It delivers a story of resilience in the face of abuse and is a fast read. (Note: it explores explicit adult themes, content warnings below.) A fast read for fans of fae, mythology, and tricky plot twists. It ends on a cliff-hanger that will have you reaching for the next book!

There’s a Q&A with the author below and a giveaway, as well as another giveaway over on my instagram!

The fae abandoned this world to us. And the ones with power rule.
Gold.
Gold floors, gold walls, gold furniture, gold clothes. In Highbell, in the castle built into the frozen mountains, everything is made of gold.
Even me.
King Midas rescued me. Dug me out of the slums and placed me on a pedestal. Iā€™m called his precious. His favored. Iā€™m the woman he Gold-Touched to show everyone that I belong to him. To show how powerful he is. He gave me protection, and I gave him my heart. And even though I donā€™t leave the confines of the palace, Iā€™m safe. Until war comes to the kingdom and a deal is struck.
Suddenly, my trust is broken. My love is challenged. And I realize that everything I thought I knew about Midas might be wrong. Because these bars Iā€™m kept in, no matter how gilded, are still just a cage. But the monsters on the other side might make me wish Iā€™d never left.
The myth of King Midas reimagined. This compelling adult fantasy series is as addictive as it is unexpected. With romance, intrigue, and danger, the gilded world of Orea will grip you from the very first page.

Please Note: This book contains explicit content and darker elements, including mature language, violence, and sexual assault. It is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age. This is book one in a series.

Amazon | Book Depository | Indiebound | Blackwellā€™s | Goodreads!

ABOUT RAVEN KENNEDY

Raven Kennedy writes in a range of genres, including fantasy, paranormal, contemporary, dark romance, and romcoms.
Whether she makes you laugh or cry, she loves creating worlds and making characters you can root for.
She is a California girl born and raised, drinker of tea, and lover of dark chocolate. When she’s not writing, she can be found binge watching The Office and The Great British Baking Show, or with her nose stuck in a book. Find her at Website | Instagram | Goodreads

Hi Raven! Thanks for stopping by my blog today to talk about your latest novel, Gild! Can you tell us a little about how Unwritten went from seed of an idea to finished novel on our shelves?

Hey! So, I had this idea for writing a story inspired by King Midas, because I have always been intrigued by that myth. I wanted to do my very own twist with it, in a different way than people might expect. I think the interesting thing about Midas is how the richest man in the world can still lack anything of real worth, and I wanted to delve into the cost of greed. I also wanted to highlight women empowerment that might look differently than the usual FMC who is immediately strong and powerful, and instead, show someoneā€™s growth not just physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. Plusā€¦ I always knew I wanted to do a fae twist, because I love fae romance.

The twists were definitely epic, especially at the end there (ahhh!) As a prolific author of many incredible books, has your writing process changed since you started?

My writing process has been mostly consistent, although I have learned my lesson about taking really good notes and keeping that updated as I go. But for the most part, I always envision the main character first and foremost, and then I just see where she or he takes me.

I’m very much a character-first writer too, so I love that! Favourite part to write: beginning, middle or finale of your story?

Beginning, definitely. Planning is not my strength, so by the time I get to the middle and end of a book, I have to ā€¦outline (*shudder*) instead of just listening to my characterā€™s voice, and thatā€™s harder for me.

Sort of feel books should start to write themselves by the middle šŸ˜Ŗ We started them off nicely after all šŸ˜ŒšŸ™ŒšŸ» Can you introduce us to Auren and your world in Gild?

Auren is a woman who has had some major hardships, but what I love about her is that she doesnā€™t let the bad win. She will grow throughout the series, maybe not in the way people expect, but it will be true to herself, and she will also learn what love really looks like.

I’m a huge fan of retellings and using the myth of King Midas is such a unique and fascinating idea! Are there any other myths or classics or fairytales you think would be fun to retell?

To be honest, I gravitate toward the more obscure myths or classics that I havenā€™t seen anyone else delve into. My first published series was inspired by cupids, and this one, Midas, because I hadnā€™t seen any other books with those elements. So, if I ever do another inspired-by series, it will probably be another more obscure one.

Honestly the underdone myths need more love. We’ll keep an eye out for whatever you do next! And lastly! Was any chocolate harmed in the making of this novel? šŸ˜Œ

Chocolate is harmed in every novel. Dark chocolate espresso beans, mounds bars, and the occasional Reeseā€™s had to be sacrificed.

They went to a worthy cause šŸ˜ŖšŸ™ŒšŸ»Thank you so much for this super fun interview, Raven! All the best with Gild and the sequels’ being out in the world!!

Enter the Rafflecopter below to win 1 of 10 digital copies of Gild.
Ends on May 22nd, 2021. Winners will be announced in the rafflecopter & contacted via email by MTMC Tours.

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[Blog Tour] Frosted by M.C. Frank – Q&A About the new Regency Enemies-To-Lovers Romance!

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It’s my stop with MTMC Tours to talk about FROSTED by M.C. Frank!

With a pitch like “Frozen meets Jane Austen in an enemies-to-lovers Regency novel” I knew I had to have this. (And cannot stop staring at the absolutely gorgeous cover.) This was both a fun and engaging read, featuring two characters who absolutely adore each other and absolutely (for so many reasons) cannot be together. It’s filled with secrets and ice cold interactions, passionate declarations of love and sharp rejections. It’s a story of yearning and loneliness and will keep you guessing whether Stella and Vaughn are perfect for each other —Ā  or if they’ll drive shards of ice into each other’s hearts.

It’s set in the 1800s and the story starts with Stella and Vaughn meeting again after years of bitter silence after Stella left Vaughn with no explanation just before they were meant to marry. Vaughn’s heart was broken and he turned to being a pirate privateer. You know, post-break-up-career-choices šŸ˜Ŗ We all would do it. Stella has a request for him but Vaughn is still torn to shreds from being dumped. The chemistry is there, the mystery, the questions — we just need to know why it all went wrong.

The story then goes back in time, and I did liked heading back to their simplistic and carefree teenage-life. It was really sweet šŸ„ŗšŸ‘ŒšŸ»watching their accidental courtship. Although it is strewn with unexpected heartache for Stella’s personal life.

Stella also has no fortune and Vaughn is half-French with no family, so they both strike up kinship from feeling their futures are limited. They are perfect for each other. Until — they’re not.

Definitely one to pick up if you love regency romances with high emotional stakes, sweet and bitterness combined, and some scathingly good banter!Ā Ā 

Be sure to head over to my instagram for the giveaway too!

Can two people hate each other more than these two? She has a heart of stone. He is the notorious pirate every lady swoons for. They have vowed never to meet again.
Meeting place: The Frosted Ball.
What follows: Chaos. Noisy ballrooms. Starry skies. White flurries. Hungry kisses. Haughty stares. Frozen lakes. Shaking breaths. The truth. Finally.
Frosted is a heart-wrenching romance about a pirate and an ice-cold lady who seem to have hated each other for years, inspired by winter-themed fairytales like The Snow Queen and The Steadfast Tin Soldier. It is set in a witty, glittering Regency world made up of a little bit of Jane Austen, a little bit of Georgette Heyer, and a lot of a modern heart yearning for romance, passion and a tall gentleman with a smoldering gaze. This is a broken tale of beauty, dark secrets and love lost.

Amazon | Book Depository |Ā Goodreads!

ABOUT MC FRANK
M.C. Frank (writer, reader, designer, physicist and teacher, to name a few) has been living in a world of stories ever since she can remember (that’s before she knew how to write). She started writing them down when she could no longer stand the characters in her head screaming at her to give them life, and while those first scribblings weren’t exactly good (nor were they books, although she insisted on calling them that), they were enough for her to discover her passion in life.
She got her university degree in physics a few years ago (yes, she’s like Sheldon, only a bit crazier!) and is now free to pursue her love of reading and writing, as well her free-lance job as editor-in-chief. She lives with her ‘dude’ in a home filled with candles, laptops and notebooks, where she rearranges her overflowing bookshelves every time she feels stressed. Which is often, since (as you might have noticed) she doesn’t pick the easiest subjects for her novels. Website | Instagram | Goodreads | Twitter

Hi M.C.! Thanks for chatting with me today about your novel, Frosted! Can you tell us two things that inspired it?

Hi, Paper Fury! It is a dream come true to be talking to you, and official proof that fairies are real. Here *thrusts cake in your direction awkwardly*. Ā I have been reading Jane Austen and Georgette Heyerā€™s books over and over again since I was 16, so of course they are a major influence in my writing. But Frosted specifically was inspired by 3 Taylor Swift songs (Speak Now, Seven and How You Get The Girl), and 2 period movies that came out in 2019 and 2020 (Little Women and Emma). And and the face of a certain actor who is called TimothĆ©e *hides away in shame*.

I hope you are calling me a fairy because I accept šŸ˜©šŸ™ŒšŸ»Also now we know who to fancast Vaughn as, yes yes? šŸ‘€šŸ‘ŒšŸ»So enemies to lovers is definitely one of my favourite tropes. Do you have any other favourite tropes to write?

Great minds think alike, right? I have so many other favorite tropes like girl disguised as boy, childhood friends to lovers, tortured hero and found family, and of course I have written all of these in my books (or they would have yelled at me). But I also love turning tropes on their heads, or gender-bending them. For example, I contrary to the ā€œchosen oneā€ trope, I made one of my protagonists a random girl, which ended up being an important part of the plot. Also, I have my heroines rescue my heroes more often than the reverse ĀÆ\_(惄)_/ĀÆ and I ended up writing a book about a guy who falls for a ā€œruinedā€ girl, even though we usually read about male protagonists who are ruined. I just think itā€™s important to change things around, so that we can avoid stereotypes and read stories that actually make us question everything and think for ourselves.

I absolutely agree! I love genderbending typical tropes and heroines rescuing the heroes. We have good taste in tropes here šŸ˜Œ As the author of many amazing novels, has anything about your writing process changed since you started?

Thank you so much for your kind words, I am NOT crying. (You are.) My process has changed a lot, mainly because I get bored easily, and every book is a different world and I need the process to reflect that. So I began as a ā€˜vampyre writerā€™ as I usually refer to myself on my blog, writing only at night well into dawn, but for Frosted I ended up writing during the day mostly. That was because Frosted was my isolation book, (meaning the quarantine ugh), and it helped keep me sane during the day. My job turned into online lessons (donā€™t ask), so I had extra writing time (yay). Another change is that I outline more and more heavily with every book I write, and I end up with cleaner first drafts. Also, I tend to have less and less hair, as I tear it out with every new book I write.

Ooh I relate to this a lot! With my own writing I went from wild first drafts to outlining really intensely to get those clean drafts. It’s more satisfying, I find? Maybe saves time too šŸ‘€šŸ™ŒšŸ» What was your favourite part to write: the beginning, middle, or end?Ā 

So I have this thing with every book I write: The very first idea that comes to me when I get inspired for a new story is a very specific scene. Then I start digging to discover the characters and the plot that brought them to that specific point, and what happens afterwards. I know itā€™s a pretty backwards way to plot a book, but I am crazy, so what did you expect. Anyway, the specific scene that inspired Frosted is the very first scene in the prologue, with the wedding and theā€¦you know. So I was writing towards that at first, I mean the actual point where it happens in the story, which is in the beginning part of the middle. And then another scene appeared in my head, and it was super piratey, and that is towards the end. So, it was the beginning part of the middle and the ending part of the middle! (what an intelligent answer, now that Iā€™m reading it back *thumbs up aggressively*)

I love this method! Like catching one glimpse through a window and you have to go peeking through keyholes and locks to see the rest of what’s going on. šŸ˜ Can you tell us something you loved about writing Vaughn and Lady Stella?

I loved everything, because once I got to know the characters, I fell in love with them and I just wanted to give them a hug and tell them that everything would be ok. Only it wouldnā€™t, becauseā€¦of me. But I did love to write about their brokenness, which was inspired by my own struggles. I have been putting all my pain in my books as a form of therapy (lucky readers). I relate to Vaughnā€™s loneliness and low self-esteem, and to Stellaā€™s sudden change in circumstances so much that itā€™s not even funny. I wish I had Vaughnā€™s caring nature (and musical talent) and Stellaā€™s optimism (and fashion sense), and I enjoyed giving them these attributes. Writing these characters was hard and emotional and cathartic. In the end, I gave them resolution and healing, and isnā€™t that what we all want for ourselves? That was my favorite part of all.

Writing can be so cathartic and such a good way to process how we feel about life too. Vaughn and Stella are so easy to adore šŸ˜©šŸ’› And now lastly! Was any chocolate harmed in the making of this novel? šŸ˜Œ

I would like to say no, but that would be a lie. Tons of chocolate were consumed, because as everyone knows, chocolate is the antidote to tears. And there were a lot of them while writing and publishing this book. A lot a lot. So yes. I am nowhere near as a skilled baker as you, but oh, chocolate was harmed in a major way. Actually, now that Iā€™m thinking about it, maybe I should stop writing altogether and focus solely on chocolate. Hmm. HMMMMMM.

Look that chocolate went down for a noble cause. And what is a novel if not built open chocolate šŸ˜ŖšŸ™ŒšŸ» Thank you so much for this amazing interview, M.C.!! I had a blast getting to chat withĀ  you! šŸ¤—Ā Ā 

MTMC TOURS Schedule

April 26
@thereaderandthechef – Bookstagram + Book Blog
April 27
@gcreads04 – Bookstagram
April 28
@paperfury – Boostagram + Book Blog
April 29
@nelthewhichcraftsbooks – Bookstagram + Book Blog
April 30
@kalisbookishrambles – Bookstagram
May 1
@bookishy – Bookstagram + Book Blog
May 2
@greta_in_blues – Bookstagram + Book Blog
May 3
@joyfulreader – Bookstagram
May 4
@foksha_1996 – Bookstagram + Book Blog
May 5
@aliyahherondale – Bookstagram

2021 Young Adult New Books We’re Going To Need [Ft January to April Releases]

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It’s that time of year again — when I help your tbrs crush you flat!!

Honestly, that’s very kind of me and you are welcome in advance. I’ve collected 60+ release coming out from January to April that I think sound super good and I want to read them!! Is that possible? šŸ˜ŒšŸ‘ŒšŸ»absolutely not. Will I pretend I could though? Absolutely yes.

We scoff in the face of realism. (Also I need to inherit a small fortune.)

I hope you enjoy and find some you’re excited for too! All covers link to Goodreads. I do feel I’m missing more YA fantasies, though?! So shout out in the comments which ones you’re excited for.

 

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āž¢ 2020 New YA Releases January, March, April
āž¢ 2020 New YA Releases May, June, July
āž¢ 2020 New YA Releases August, Sept, Oct, Nov
āž¢ Why It’s Perfectly Acceptable To Have An Enormous TBR Pile

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas | Goodreads

Angie Thomas is such a phenomenalĀ storyteller and an auto-buy author so šŸ˜­šŸ™ŒšŸ»of course this goes instantly on my tbr! I’m also super lucky to have an ARC so I can’t wait to read this!

If thereā€™s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, itā€™s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dadā€™s in prison.
Lifeā€™s not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mavā€™s got everything under control.
Until, that is, Maverick finds out heā€™s a father.
Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But itā€™s not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when heā€™s offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where heā€™s expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove heā€™s different.
When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can’t just walk away. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. Heā€™ll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.Ā 
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The Girls I’ve Been byĀ  Tess Sharpe | Goodreads

Apparently January is for blood red covers but šŸ‘€šŸ‘ŒšŸ»am okay with that. This is pitched as “the daughter of a con artist who is taken hostage in a bank heist” and I simply adore con artists and heists.

Nora Oā€™Malleyā€™s been a lot of girls. As the daughter of a con-artist who targets criminal men, she grew up as her motherā€™s protĆ©gĆ©. But when mom fell for the mark instead of conning him, Nora pulled the ultimate con: escape.
For five years Noraā€™s been playing at normal. But she needs to dust off the skills she ditched because she has three problems:
#1: Her ex walked in on her with her girlfriend. Even though theyā€™re all friends, Wes didnā€™t know about her and Iris.
#2: The morning after Wes finds them kissing, they all have to meet to deposit the fundraiser money they raised at the bank. Itā€™s a nightmare that goes from awkward to deadly, because:
#3: Right after they enter bank, two guys start robbing it.
The bank robbers may be trouble, but Noraā€™s something else entirely. They have no idea who theyā€™re really holding hostageā€¦ Ā 
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Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant | Goodreads

Books about writers!!! These always go straight onto my tbr because relate šŸ˜ŒšŸ‘ŒšŸ» teen-writer-me would’ve been so excited for this book too šŸ˜Ā 

Sixteen-year-old Tessa Johnson has never felt like the protagonist in her own life. Sheā€™s rarely seen herself reflected in the pages of the romance novels she loves. The only place sheā€™s a true leading lady is in her own writingā€”in the swoony love stories she shares only with Caroline, her best friend and #1 devoted reader.
When Tessa is accepted into the creative writing program of a prestigious art school, sheā€™s excited to finally let her stories shine. But when she goes to her first workshop, the words are just…gone. Fortunately, Caroline has a solution: Tessa just needs to find some inspiration in a real-life love story of her own. And sheā€™s ready with a list of romance novel-inspired steps to a happily ever after. Nico, the brooding artist who looks like he walked out of one of Tessaā€™s stories, is cast as the perfect Prince Charming.
But as Tessa checks each item off Carolineā€™s list, she gets further and further away from herself. She risks losing everything she cares aboutā€”including the surprising bond she develops with sweet Sam, who lives across the street. Sheā€™s well on her way to having her own real-life love story, but is it the one she wants, after all? Ā 
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What Beauty Is There by Cory Anderson | Goodreads

I simply exist for angsty contemporaries about families and brothers and broken messiness šŸ˜© you know I do. This also gives me vibes not too dissimilar from my books so!!! I really want to read it.

Jack Morton has nothing left. Except his younger brother, Matty, who he’d do anything for. Even die for. Now with their mother gone, and their funds quickly dwindling, Jack needs to make a choice: lose his brother to foster care, or find the drug money that sent his father to prison. He chooses the money.
Ava Bardem lives in isolation, a life of silence. For seventeen years her father has controlled her fate. He has taught her to love no one. Trust no one. Now Victor Bardem is stalking the same money as Jack. When he picks up Jack’s trail, Ava must make her own wrenching choice: remain silent or help the brothers survive.Ā 
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Into The Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer | Goodreads

Forests!! Monsters!! My aesthetic!! It’s pitched as “impossible love between a monstrous tree siren and a boy who lives at the edge of her wood” and I was just THERE, ready and needing it.

The forest is a dangerous place, where siren song lures men and women to their deaths. For centuries, a witch has harvested souls to feed the heartless tree, using its power to grow her domain.
When Owen Merrick is lured into the witchā€™s wood, one of her tree-siren daughters, Seren, saves his life instead of ending it. Every night, he climbs over the garden wall to see her, and every night her longing to become human deepens. But a shift in the stars foretells a dangerous curse, and Serenā€™s quest to become human will lead them into an ancient war raging between the witch and the king who is trying to stop her.Ā 
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Roman & Jewel by Dana L. Davis | Goodreads

I really loved this author’s debut (Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now) but I haven’t read anything else by her yet, and this!! must!! change!! Also this just sounds fantastic with a Romeo x Juliet twist. šŸ˜

If Romeo and Juliet got the Hamilton treatment…who would play the leads? This vividly funny, honest, and charming romantic novel by Dana L. Davis is the story of a girl who thinks she has what it takes…and the world thinks so, too.
Jerzie Jhames will do anything to land the lead role in Broadway’s hottest new show, Roman and Jewel, a Romeo and Juliet inspired hip-hopera featuring a diverse cast and modern twists on the play. But her hopes are crushed when she learns mega-star Cinny won the lead…and Jerzie is her understudy.
Falling for male lead Zeppelin Reid is a terrible idea–especially once Jerzie learns Cinny wants him for herself. Star-crossed love always ends badly. But when a video of Jerzie and Zepp practicing goes viral and the entire world weighs in on who should play Jewel, Jerzie learns that while the price of fame is high, friendship, family, and love are priceless.Ā Ā 
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The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick | Goodreads

Quickly sneaking in an adult epic fantasy (I want to read more adult!) because this one sounds SO GOOD. Also crime lords and it’s queer!

Nightmares are creeping through the city of dreams…
Renata Viraudax is a con artist who has come to the sparkling city of Nadezra — the city of dreams — with one goal: to trick her way into a noble house and secure her fortune and her sister’s future.
But as she’s drawn into the elite world of House Traementis, she realizes her masquerade is just one of many surrounding her. And as corrupt magic begins to weave its way through Nadezra, the poisonous feuds of its aristocrats and the shadowy dangers of its impoverished underbelly become tangled — with Ren at their heart.Ā Ā 
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The Boy From the Mish by Gary Lonesborough | Goodreads

One of my goals for 2021 is to read more Aussie books, and this is pitched as: “queer Indigenous YA novel, set in a rural Australian community, about seventeen-year-old Jackson finding the courage to explore who he is, even if it scares him” Yes yes!!!

‘I don’t paint so much anymore,’ I say, looking to my feet.
‘Oh. Well, I got a boy who needs to do some art. You can help him out,’ Aunty Pam says, like I have no say in the matter, like she didn’t hear what I just said about not painting so much anymore. ‘Jackson, this is Tomas. He’s living with me for a little while.’
It’s a hot summer, and life’s going all right for Jackson and his family on the Mish. It’s almost Christmas, school’s out, and he’s hanging with his mates, teasing the visiting tourists, avoiding the racist boys in town. Just like every year, Jackson’s Aunty and annoying little cousins visit from the city – but this time a mysterious boy with a troubled past comes with themā€¦ As their friendship evolves, Jackson must confront the changing shapes of his relationships with his friends, family and community. And he must face his darkest secret – a secret he thought he’d locked away for good.Ā Ā 
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The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry by C.M. Waggoner | Goodreads

It’s a sapphic bodyguard romance with thieves and fantasy worlds!!! What more needs to be said!!! I think this is adult too so šŸ‘€excuse me breaking my own list’s rules.

Hard-drinking petty thief Dellaria Wells is down on her luck in the city of Leiscourtā€”again. Then she sees a want ad for a female bodyguard, and she fast-talks her way into the high-paying job. Along with a team of other women, sheā€™s meant to protect a rich young lady from mysterious assassins.

At first Delly thinks the danger is exaggerated, but a series of attacks shows thereā€™s much to fear. Then she begins to fall for Winn, one of the other bodyguards, and the women team up against a mysterious, magical foe who seems to have allies everywhere.Ā Ā 

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Wings of Ebony by J. Elle | Goodreads

Demigods and #ownvoices Black Girl Magic and hidden magic societies!! I am super keen for this one šŸ˜

ā€œMake a way out of no wayā€ is just the way of life for Rue. But when her mother is shot dead on her doorstep, life for her and her younger sister changes forever. Rue’s taken from her neighborhood by the father she never knew, forced to leave her little sister behind, and whisked away to Ghizonā€”a hidden island of magic wielders.
Rue is the only half-god, half-human there, where leaders protect their magical powers at all costs and thrive on human suffering. Miserable and desperate to see her sister on the anniversary of their motherā€™s death, Rue breaks Ghizonā€™s sacred Do Not Leave Law and returns to Houston, only to discover that Black kids are being forced into crime and violence. And her sister, Tasha, is in danger of falling sway to the very forces that claimed their motherā€™s life.
Worse still, evidence mounts that the evil plaguing East Row is the same one that lurks in Ghizonā€”an evil that will stop at nothing until it has stolen everything from her and everyone she loves. Rue must embrace her true identity and wield the full magnitude of her ancestorsā€™ power to save her neighborhood before the gods burn it to the ground.Ā 
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Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala | Goodreads

I already read and LOVED this one!! It’s full of highly strung anxious gays who do craft and cosplay and the whole book is šŸ˜™šŸ‘ŒšŸ» a work of art.

Raffy has a passion for bedazzling. Not just bedazzling, but sewing, stitching, draping, pattern making–for creation. He’s always chosen his art over everything–and everyone–else and is determined to make his mark at this year’s biggest cosplay competition. If he can wow there, it could lead to sponsorship, then art school, and finally earning real respect for his work. There’s only one small problem… Raffy’s ex-boyfriend, Luca, is his main competition.
Raffy tried to make it work with Luca. They almost made the perfect team last year after serendipitously meeting in the rhinestone aisle at the local craft store–or at least Raffy thought they did. But Luca’s insecurities and Raffy’s insistence on crafting perfection caused their relationship to crash and burn. Now, Raffy is after the perfect comeback, one that Luca can’t ruin.
But when Raffy is forced to partner with Luca on his most ambitious build yet, he’ll have to juggle unresolved feelings for the boy who broke his heart, and his own intense self-doubt, to get everything he’s ever wanted: choosing his art, his way.
Project Runway goes to Comic Con in an epic queer love story about creativity, passion, and finding the courage to be your most authentic self.Ā 
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Honourable Mentions!

Ā 

A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth | Goodreads

I need something to fill the Cruel Prince shaped hole in my life soĀ  hello FAE and outcasts and a murder mystery for the gays šŸ˜ŖšŸ™ŒšŸ»I am so excited for this.

The ā€œironbornā€ half-fae outcast of her royal fae family.
A tempestuous Fury, exiled to earth from the Immortal Realm and hellbent on revenge.
A dutiful fae prince, determined to earn his place on the throne.
The princeā€™s brooding guardian, burdened with a terrible secret.
For centuries, the Eight Courts of Folk have lived among us, concealed by magic and bound by law to do no harm to humans. This arrangement has long kept peace in the Courtsā€”until a series of gruesome and ritualistic murders rocks the city of Toronto and threatens to expose faeries to the human world.
Four queer teens, each who hold a key piece of the truth behind these murders, must form a tenuous alliance in their effort to track down the mysterious killer behind these crimes. If they fail, they risk the destruction of the faerie and human worlds alike. If thatā€™s not bad enough, thereā€™s a war brewing between the Mortal and Immortal Realms, and one of these teens is destined to tip the scales. The only question is: which way?
Wish them luck. Theyā€™re going to need it.Ā Ā 
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The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna | Goodreads

I also am super lucky to have an ARC of this from a book box and šŸ˜āœØthis is going to be a real treat of an epic fantasy. It’s about a girl who’s going to join an all-girl army of immortals with magical powers.

Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.
But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.
Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki–near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire’s greatest threat.
Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she’s ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be–not even Deka herself.Ā Ā 
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A Pho Love Story by Loan Le | Goodreads

Okay the pitch is: “two Vietnamese-American teens fall in love and must navigate their newfound relationship amid their familiesā€™ age-old feud about their competing, neighboring restaurants.”Ā Feuding AND food?! šŸ˜©say no more.

If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, heā€™d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parentsā€™ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parentsā€™ fifth favorite employee. Not ideal.
If Linh Mai had to describe herself, sheā€™d say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and spark and fire. She loves art and dreams pursuing a career in it. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways theyā€™re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her familyā€™s pho restaurant.
For years, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighboring phį»Ÿ restaurants. Bao and Linh, whoā€™ve avoided each other for most of their lives, both suspect that the feud stems from feelings much deeper than friendly competition.
But then a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao together despite their best efforts and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. But then, of course, they immediately remember.
Can Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories?Ā 
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We Are Fire by Sam Taylor | Goodreads

This jsut sounds dark and gnarly šŸ‘€šŸ‘ŒšŸ»which is my kind of epic fantasy. Also reminds me of one of my old wips so that makes me extra keen to try it!

In the cold, treacherous land of Vesimaa, children are stolen from their families by a cruel emperor, forced to undergo a horrific transformative procedure, and serve in the army as magical fire-wielding soldiers. Pran and Oksanaā€•both taken from their homeland at a young ageā€•only have each other to hold onto in this heartless place.
Pran dreams of one day rebelling against their oppressors and destroying the empire; Oksana only dreams of returning home and creating a peaceful life for them both.
When they discover the emperor has a new, more terrible mission than ever for their kind, Pran and Oksana vow to escape his tyranny once and for all. But their methods and ideals differ drastically, driving a wedge between them. Worse still, they both soon find that the only way to defeat the monsters that subjugated them may be to become monsters themselves.Ā 
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Honourable Mentions!