Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about but haven’t yet read. Most of the time they’re books that have yet to be released, but not always. It’s based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme, which was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week my Can’t-Wait-For Book is Where You’ll Find Us by Jen St. Jude!
Where You'll Find Us by Jen St. Jude
Genres: Fantasy, Magical Realism, Queer Protagonists, YA
Representation: Non-binary MC, trans and non-binary cast
Published on: 2nd June 2026
Goodreads
Calla Quick has no future. At least, that’s how it feels. Her parents disowned her via text message, and now she can’t afford to go to an all-women’s college with her girlfriend Ramona like they planned. But Calla wonders if maybe that’s for the best—because even though Calla told Ramona her parents disowned her because they found out she’s gay, the truth is, Calla has been questioning whether she’s a girl at all.
Calla wishes she had more time to figure everything out, and one night, her wish is seemingly granted. When Calla and Ramona stumble upon a mysterious farmhouse in the woods, they meet five teens who claim they’ve lived there for decades. The land, which they call Amaranth, acts as a safe haven for queer kids throughout history—a place free of hate, free of violence, free of time itself. Here, Calla can be Cal, and they feel instantly accepted. They don’t have to worry about the future because at Amaranth, it will never come—until one night when the clock strikes twelve.
Now under a literal ticking clock, the housemates must find a way to stop time again or face going back to their harsh realities, but as Cal learns everyone’s story, they begin to wonder what queer people lose when their history is lost to time.
I mean, do I really need to explain why I’m excited for this? It sounds beautiful and escapist and poignant, and like a story a lot of us (ESPECIALLY trans and non-binary teens) need right now.
I’m very uncertain of how I would prefer a story like this to end – on the one hand, I want these kids to have their sanctuary forever, and I’m wary that the Big Message will be ‘oh, but you must go and fight instead’. But I’m also very much in favour of empowering people and making them feel like they can go fight… I just think it would be easy to make either option – staying in Amaranth, or leaving it – bleak, which would undercut what I think this book’s trying to do.
All the early reviews are GLOWING, though, which does suggest that St. Jude manages to stick the landing. (The reviews also say the magical elements are pretty minimal, which might make it less fun for me, but I’d still like to try it!)
“I’m very uncertain of how I would prefer a story like this to end – on the one hand, I want these kids to have their sanctuary forever, and I’m wary that the Big Message will be ‘oh, but you must go and fight instead’.”
I really dislike these kinds of morals, especially when a story gets really preachy about it. A solution for ‘but how do we fight?’ is almost never presented, or if it is, it’s often lacklustre and has no basis in how society and cultures actually function, or how genuine change happens.
So I’ll be waiting for more reviews on this one, just in case.
Agreed… I’m hopeful because the reviews have been so positive, but I haven’t gotten any spoilers about the ending, so I’m still a bit wary of what the author’s going to do with it.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and I’m very excited to read it. Yes, the reviews have been positive so far, but I received the book early enough that the plot (reminds me of T.J. Klune) caught my attention before any reviews were posted (blog and journal). The story sounds very promising because it calls out to teens in need and the magical realism elements reminds me of “The Lonely Castle in the Mirror.” I hope this book doesn’t suck.
I haven’t read Lonely Castle in the Mirror! Haven’t even heard of it. I shall go investigate!