Must-Have Monday is a feature highlighting which of the coming week’s new releases I’m excited for. It is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all books being published that week; only those I’m interested in out of those I’m aware of! The focus is diverse SFF, but other genres sneak in occasionally too.
ELEVEN books this week!
(Books are listed in order of pub date, then Adult SFF, Adult Other, YA SFF, YA Other, MG SFF.)
Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Sapphic MC, F/F, secondary biracial Indigenous character, minor MLM character, minor bi/pansexual character
Published on: 9th April 2024
Goodreads
Set on the stormy shores of Nova Scotia in 1832, A Sweet Sting of Salt is debut author Rose Sutherland's bold and magical queer retelling of the Celtic folktale The Selkie Wife with a feminist twist.
In 19th century Nova Scotia, village midwife Jean Langille’s first love ended in a quiet her childhood sweetheart married to a man on the far side of the colony, Jean's reputation in tatters. Now, all she wants is to be left alone in her cottage by the shore, to do her work and try to forget she ever knew how to love at all.
Then, a labouring woman appears in the salt marsh behind Jean’s home in the dead of night. Muirin is beautiful, enigmatic . . . and barely speaks a word of English, having come from away to marry the fisherman who lives up on the hill. As Jean picks apart the knot of Muirin's silence and the two women grow ever closer, Jean feels a growing unease. She suspects the marriage between Muirin and her husband Tobias may not be all it seems.
When Jean’s own past comes calling in the form of an unexpected visitor, stirring up old rumours and drawing her relationship with Muirin into question, she finds herself caught up in a deadly foxhunt with a desperate man in search of a mysterious stolen treasure. Jean must brave the depths of her own heart to save the woman she loves and uncover what Tobias is hiding—a Pandora’s box containing a wave big enough to drown Jean and Muirin both.
I got to read this early, and the moment I finished it it went on my Best of 2024 list! I love this so much – there’s very little actual magic, and you need to know going in what a selkie is because the book never stops to lay it out for you…but my gods, it’s a beautiful book and a wonderful love story!
Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Representation: Jewish MC
Published on: 9th April 2024
Goodreads
From the New York Times bestselling author of Ninth House, Hell Bent, and creator of the Grishaverse series comes a highly anticipated historical fantasy set during the Spanish Golden Age
In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family's social position.
What begins as simple amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain's king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England's heretic queen—and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king's favor.
Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the line between magic, science, and fraud is never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition's wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santangel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.
It’s been a while since I read anything by Bardugo – I loved the collection of folktales set in her Grisha verse! – but I checked out the sneak peek on this one, and between that and the glowing reviews from reviewers I trust most faithfully… I’m looking forward to nabbing myself a copy!
Genres: Fantasy
Representation: Thai-inspired/coded setting and cast
Published on: 9th April 2024
Goodreads
Ambitious Phi Hunter and perpetual lone wolf, Ex, finds his road to glory interrupted when a heavily pregnant runaway enlists his help to escape through the ghost-infected forest…
Ex, the youngest member of the Phi Hunters Order, has spent his life slaying the ghosts and demons of Suyoram Kingdom. While he takes great pride in his mystical trade, collecting dwindling bounties and peddling butchered spirit organs lacks the glory he craves. He’s determined to hunt down Shar-Ala, a demon of nightmares, of madness – who has eluded even Ex’s masters.
In a provincial village along the way, Arinya, a charming muay-boran champion, saves him from an ass-kicking, despite being nine months pregnant. In return, she asks him to escort her through the dangerous, spirit-filled forest, where ghosts salivate over the scent of the unborn.
But as more of Arinya’s secrets emerge, and the elusive demon nears, Ex must face dangers from both men and monsters, or lose not only the respect of the Phi Hunters, but the Hunters themselves, along with the woman he’s trying not to fall in love with.
Monster-hunters are not usually my thing – I tend to side with the monsters! – but adventure-fantasy pulling from Thai mythology??? And I mean, that COVER! Who could resist???
Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
Published on: 9th April 2024
Goodreads
When the archangel Gabriel crashes down into a London Accident and Emergency department on a busy Saturday night, Grace's already hellish shift turns into a living nightmare. Soon the spiritual sensitivity that has tortured her most of her life is revealed to be a unique gift passed down through generations-one that could save humanity.
Meanwhile, having come to admire humanity's resolve, the Damned and his dark angels prepare to defend the very beings they were tasked to lead astray. As archangel Michael's minions descend to cleanse creation of humankind, its chief corruptor, the Damned must rally his reluctant compatriots, make hard choices, and choose a side, fast. Can an unlikely band of heroes and imperfect humans come together in time to find their salvation in the Lightbearer?
Blending the grit of Game of Thrones with the supernatural flair of Good Omens, Andrew Bryan introduces us to a world of archangels and fallen angels that weave through human history closer to the mythology's origins than ever before.
I am MAJORLY into angels, and this sounds like an interesting take – the Lightbringer being the one to rally a defense of humanity?! Come on, I HAVE to check that out!
Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy
Representation: MC with depression
Published on: 9th April 2024
Goodreads
A thief who can travel through mirrors, a video game that threatens to spill out of the virtual world, a doomsday cult on a collision course with destiny, and a missing teenager at the center of it all. With the world on the brink of every kind of apocalypse, humanity needs a hero. What it gets is Sid Catchpenny.
"I absolutely loved it. Catchpenny is a brilliant book, full of heart and the language is pitch-perfect. If Elmore Leonard had ever written a fantasy novel, this would be it.” —Stephen King
Sidney Catchpenny has had a bad run. Laid low by a years-long bout of debilitating depression, he’s all but squandered his reputation as one of the most uniquely talented thieves in LA. There aren’t many who can do what Sid does. He’s a sly , a special kind of crook with the uncanny ability to move through mirrors. And the spoils he’s after are equally unusual. Forget jewels and cold cash—Sid steals curiosities— items imbued with powerful mojo , a magical essence gleaned from the accumulated emotion that seeps into interesting, though often banal objects. That spot on the carpet where your old dog used to lay at your feet? The passed-down family heirloom nobody wants but everybody refuses to throw away? These curiosities are full of mojo, which is both the currency of the criminal underground and the secret source of magic in the world.
When a friend from Sid’s past comes looking for his help with an important client, and the chance to pay off old debts presents itself, Sid seizes the opportunity … as best he can. But the case he stumbles into is more complicated than it seems, and it portends a seismic shift in the world, one that will leave no one untouched. As the fog of his depression begins to lift, Sid sees connections everywhere he looks, and the once disparate threads of the case—a missing teenage girl, an entire bedroom saturated with mojo, and Sid’s own long-dead wife—begin to coalesce.
The magic system here sounds really interesting, and early reviews promise that Sid is the dark-humour kind of depressed, which, I feel you my dude. Definitely going to give it a go; I have my fingers crossed for it!
Genres: Science Fantasy
Published on: 9th April 2024
Goodreads
The second volume in the bestselling, ground-breaking Library Trilogy, following The Book That Wouldn’t Burn.
We fight for the people we love. We fight for the ideas we want to be true.
Evar and Livira stand side by side and yet far beyond each other's reach. Evar is forced to flee the library, driven before an implacable foe. Livira, trapped in a ghost world, has to recover her book if she's to return to her life. While Evar's journey leads him outside into the vastness of a world he's never seen, Livira's destination lies deep inside her own writing, where she must wrestle with her stories in order to reclaim the volume in which they were written.
And all the while, the library quietly weaves thread to thread, bringing the scattered elements of Livira's old life – friends and foe alike – back together beneath new skies.
Long ago, a lie was told, and with the passing years it has grown and spread, a small push leading to a chain of desperate consequences. Now, as one edifice topples into the next with ever-growing violence, it threatens to break the world. The secret war that defines the library has chosen its champions and set them on the board. The time has come when they must fight for what they believe, or lose everything.The Library Trilogy is about many things: adventure, discovery, and romance, but it's also a love letter to books and the places where they live. The focus is on one vast and timeless library, but the love expands to encompass smaller more personal collections, and bookshops of all shades too.
The first book in this series was pretty damn impressive, and I have no idea where Lawrence is taking this story next!
Genres: Queer Protagonists
Representation: Queer MC
Published on: 9th April 2024
Goodreads
An extraordinary, gloriously uplifting novel about the power of friendship and the puzzling ties that bind us
Clayton Stumper might be twenty-six years old, but he dresses like your grandpa and drinks sherry like your aunt. Abandoned at birth on the steps of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, he was raised by a group of eccentric enigmatologists and now finds himself among the last survivors of a fading institution.
When the esteemed crossword compiler and main maternal presence in Clayton's life, Pippa Allsbrook, passes away, she bestows her final puzzle on him: a promise to reveal the mystery of his parentage and prepare him for life beyond the walls of the commune. As Clay begins to unpick the clues, he uncovers something even the Fellowship have never been able to solve—and it's a secret that has the potential to change everything.
This just sounds whimsical and ridiculous in the best way, like a great cosy read! Been really looking forward to this one for a while!
Genres: Fantasy
Representation: Pacific Island-inspired/coded setting and cast
Published on: 9th April 2024
Goodreads
From acclaimed author Makiia Lucier, a dazzling, romantic fantasy inspired by Pacific Island mythology.
In the old tales, it is written that the egg of a seadragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person’s greatest sorrow. An unwanted marriage, a painful illness, and unpaid debt ... gone. But as with all things that promise the moon and the stars and offer hope when hope has gone, the tale comes with a warning.
Every wish demands a price.
Hanalei of Tamarind is the cherished daughter of an old island family. But when her father steals a seadragon egg meant for an ailing princess, she is forced into a life of exile. In the years that follow, Hanalei finds solace in studying the majestic seadragons that roam the Nominomi Sea. Until, one day, an encounter with a female dragon offers her what she desires most. A chance to return home, and to right a terrible wrong.
Samahtitamahenele, Sam, is the last remaining prince of Tamarind. But he can never inherit the throne, for Tamarind is a matriarchal society. With his mother ill and his grandmother nearing the end of her reign. Sam is left with two to marry, or to find a cure for the sickness that has plagued his mother for ten long years. When a childhood companion returns from exile, she brings with her something he has not felt in a very long time - hope.
But Hanalei and Sam are not the only ones searching for the dragonfruit. And as they battle enemies both near and far, there is another danger they cannot escape…that of the dragonfruit itself.
AHHHHHHH, I’M SO EXCITED TO FINALLY GET TO READ THIS! Everything about it gives me the biggest heart-eyes! And there are so many potential clues/Easter eggs in that gorgeous cover…!
Genres: Fantasy
Representation: West African-inspired/coded setting and cast
Published on: 9th April 2024
Goodreads
From a debut Nigerian author: a spectacular young adult fantasy rooted in West African mythology and brimming with adventure.
In this mesmerizing fantasy rooted in Urhobo and West African folklore, sixteen-year-old Naborhi longs for a life away from her small, traditional clan in Kokori. But as her rite of passage approaches and she is betrothed to an arrogant young man, Naborhi feels her dreams slipping away from her.
Then Naborhi becomes bonded to a mysterious animal and begins having harrowing visions of a kidnapped boy. She soon meets Atai, the son of an Oracle from a rival queendom, and learns that she is being guided by the gods. She and Atai, along with Naborhi’s eager-for-adventure cousin, Tamunor, set off across the continent to rescue the mysterious boy. But when they find him―and find out his true identity―Naborhi realizes there is more than just her freedom at stake: she must stop a war that has already been set in motion.
With lush, unique worldbuilding and a dynamic cast of characters, The Smoke That Thunders is a gripping story of political intrigue, fierce love, and what it means to be free.
Non-European mythology, bonding with a ‘mysterious’ animal (a magical version of a real-world animal, or a mythological beastie?) and a CROSS-CONTINENTAL quest? Um, I love this??? Yes please, gimme???
Genres: Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Ace-spectrum sapphic autistic MC, major character with ADHD, major brown character
Published on: 11th April 2024
Goodreads
Ale's Well That Ends Well...
Resistance members Reed Thorley and Gladys the Destroyer can't believe their luck when the Immortal Emperor herself wanders into their favorite bar, unguarded and playacting an ordinary citizen. This is their chance to give the rebellion the upper hand against the Empire—after a few pints, of course. The middle-aged halfling musician and his elderly barbarian partner are seasoned enough to know that when Emperor Vallora invites them to join her worldwide food tour, their best bet is to say “Yes, chef!” and wait for an opportunity to strike.
But hot as a greased griddle behind them comes Captain Andromeda Stagge, Vallora’s personal bodyguard, intent on returning the Emperor to the palace. She's only doing her job. She isn't pissed off at being left behind. It's not as if the Emperor is her only real friend, given the difficulty of fitting in when you're a 200-year-old autistic elf from a lower-class socioeconomic background. It isn't that at all!
Vallora's worldwide food tour hinges on her ability to escape the capital city with Reed and Gladys without being caught. The Emperor isn’t supposed to be sampling local cheeses in the company of commoners. Though why the most powerful person in the Endless Empire needs to be under lock and key in Zenith Palace is anyone’s guess…
Join the party on this brand new adventure comedy as the chase ensues. Make sure you have some good food on hand, because you're bound to get hungry along the way.
Foodie fantasy-comedy? THANKS I AM HERE FOR IT! McCloud also happens to be one of my favourite tarot creators (seriously, check out the Numinous Tarot if you’re a deck hoarder like myself) and they’ve already written beautiful soft fantasy about magical libraries, so I know I like their writing style. This should be fun!
Genres: Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Middle Eastern-inspired/coded setting and cast, M/M/F
Published on: 13th April 2024
Goodreads
A deadly trial to keep his throne. A dangerous game to win his heart.
King Heroux was a famed warlord who sought to extend his Merovian lands by invading and conquering foreign kingdoms to create a vast and wealthy empire.
Until Henri killed him.
Now Henri has claimed his entire empire. The desert land of Merovia is different from anything he has ever known. The heat is punishing and the customs are strange. But more formidable than that are the people who do not want to embrace him as their new king, and the other Merovian kings who are keen to exact revenge on him for slaying one of their own.
As former regent and brother to the late King Heroux, Malik understands his people’s hatred toward the foreign king. But with a long-forgotten threat rising in the north, and the pending summit which will pitch all Merovian kings in a fight to the death to retain their kingdoms, Malik has little time to concern himself with Henri. Even if he does find him aggravatingly handsome.
When a highly coveted courtesan known as the Silk Rose is gifted to Henri in the hopes of securing an alliance, motives are questioned and loyalties are tested. But the Silk Rose has her own secrets, and she refuses to be sacrificed in this world of gods and kings.
Set in a rich Middle Eastern inspired world, Of Sand & Silk is an adult fantasy romance filled with intrigue, elemental magic, deities, plot twists, bisexual awakening, multiple POV, and MMF romance.
Middle Eastern setting, court intrigue, DEITIES (!!!) and bisexual awakenings??? BE STILL MY BEATING HEART! This is all so VERY up my alley; here’s hoping it’s as great as it sounds!
Will you be reading any of these? Let me know!
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