There are SIX new SFF releases I’m excited about this week, ranging from the eventual fates of imaginary friends to hunts for ancient books of sex magic. YOU’RE WELCOME!
Genres: Fantasy
Published on: 8th February 2022
Robert has been an imaginary twin brother to Lillian for over eighteen years.
After the sudden and deliberate death of their older sister, Robert is forced to confront the inevitability of his own death as an imagined being.
Interspersed between Robert's grappling with the logistics of what he is, are the voices of his family members: Lillian, who needed an imaginary friend late in life; Lacey and Samantha, the older twin sisters who grow apart on purpose; and Jillian, the result of a teenage pregnancy, who feels she's treated more like an imaginary being than Rob is.
The Moment You Remember, You Forget challenges the perception of what is real by exploring the boundaries of love, dependency, and grief.
I love stories about imaginary friends, and this one sounds incredibly interesting! An imaginary friend who has to deal with the idea of dying??? I mean, I know it sounds kind of grim, but it’s a premise I’ve never come across before, and I really can’t wait to see what Jimenez does with it!
Genres: Fantasy
Published on: 8th February 2022
Goodreads
Two misfits, Carys Price and Angharad 'Hazard' Evans, strike out from their disenfranchised seaside town to take ownership of the High Fields, a mythical island brimming with world-bending promise.
Objecting to the demands of modern society, they hope to find a place where they can live as they choose, but instead they find an ancient power that tears their friendship apart.
Ten years later, Carys returns to the collapsing world of the High Fields to face the terrifying power of the friend-turned-goddess she left behind.
'The Queen of the High Fields' is a Folk Horror, Dark Fantasy novella about domineering friendships, Welsh mythology and the search for lost cultural heritage.
This gives me the same kind of vibes as Waking the Moon, the Elizabeth Hand cult classic, and I am HERE for that! Also, we need more stories featuring Welsh mythology; keep ’em coming!
Genres: Fantasy
Published on: 8th February 2022
Goodreads
The highly anticipated new thriller from internationally renowned author Sara Gran, author of Come Closer and the Claire DeWitt series.
A mysterious book that promises unlimited power and unrivaled sexual pleasure. A down-on-her-luck book dealer hoping for the sale of a lifetime. And a twist so shocking, no one will come out unscathed.
After a tragedy too painful to bear, former novelist Lily Albrecht has resigned herself to a dull, sexless life as a rare book dealer. Until she gets a lead on a book that just might turn everything around. The Book of the Most Precious Substance is a 17th century manual on sex magic, rumored to be the most powerful occult book ever written—if it really exists at all. And some of the wealthiest people in the world are willing to pay Lily a fortune to find it—if she can.
Her search for the book takes her from New York to New Orleans to Munich to Paris, searching the dark corners of power where the world’s wealthiest people use black magic to fulfill their desires. Will Lily fulfill her own desires, and join them? Or will she lose it all searching for a ghost?
The Book of the Most Precious Substance is an addictive erotic thriller about the lengths we’ll go to get what we need—and what we want.
It’s a running joke in my friends-group that I can’t even watch the kiss scenes in Disney movies, never mind get through a book about sex magic. But the premise of this is just so cool! So I might end up blushing so hard I pass out and don’t finish the book – but I want to try it anyway!
Genres: Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: Lesbian MC
Published on: 8th February 2022
Goodreads
Lesbian gunslinger fights spies in space!
Three factions vie for control of the galaxy. Rig, a gunslinging, thieving, rebel with a cause, doesn’t give a damn about them and she hasn’t looked back since abandoning her faction three years ago.
That is, until her former faction sends her a message: return what she stole from them, or they’ll kill her twin sister.
Rig embarks on a journey across the galaxy to save her sister – but for once she’s not alone. She has help from her network of resistance contacts, her taser-wielding librarian girlfriend, and a mysterious bounty hunter.
If Rig fails and her former faction finds what she stole from them, trillions of lives will be lost--including her sister's. But if she succeeds, she might just pull the whole damn faction system down around their ears. Either way, she’s going to do it with panache and pizzazz.
This one didn’t quite gel with me, but I think a lot of other readers will love it, especially if you’re looking for something that moves fast and feels light, even when dealing with heavier topics.
Genres: Fantasy
Published on: 10th February 2022
Goodreads
A spellbinding and haunting literary fable of loss, perfect for fans of The Binding and The Night Circus.
'A transporting, delicious fairytale about loss, beauty, and love.' Kiran Millwood Hargrave
'A haunting journey of self-discovery, bursting with metaphor, and with the feel of a classic fairytale. Prepare to get lost in this spellbinding world.' Ava Reid
How do you heal a broken house?
First you unlock its secrets.Alone on an island, surrounded by flowers that shine as dusk begins to fall, sits an old, faded house. Rooms cannot be rented here and visits are only for those haunted by the memory of loss.
When Liddy receives an invitation, she thinks there must be some mistake - she's never experienced loss. But with her curiosity stirred, and no other way to escape a life in which she feels trapped, she decides to accept.
Once there, she meets Vivienne, a beautiful, austere woman whose glare leaves Liddy unsettled; Ben, the reserved gardener; and Raphael, the enigmatic Keymaker. If Liddy is to discover her true purpose in the house, she must find the root of their sorrow - but the house won't give up its secrets so easily . . .
'Haunting, surreal, and intricate, Cartwright has deftly crafted a story about what we find when we believe we are lost.' Heather Walter, author of the Malice duology.
'Enchanting, poetic prose that enriches a beautiful fairytale world.' A. E. Warren, author of the Tomorrow's Ancestors series.
Cartwright’s prose in her previous novel was absolutely gorgeous, so even though I’m not sure I’m in the right headspace for a book about loss right now, The House of Sorrowing Stars is definitely going on my tbr! (And isn’t that just a beautiful title???)
Genres: Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: M/M
Published on: 12th February 2022
Goodreads
Max Remus couldn’t care less about finding his mate—unlike the rest of his fate-obsessed pack. He totally prefers hanging with his bestie, eating his dad’s steak sandwiches, and drawing in his trusty sketchbook.
But all that is about to change at the Blue Moon Festival—a summer camp where Elite Pack wolves go to find their mates. The festival is a right of passage for every teen werewolf, and this year’s festival will be one to howl home about. The alpha’s son, Jasper Apollo, is attending for the first time.
When Max finds himself inexplicably linked with the exceptionally handsome but totally jerk-faced heir, he’s forced to grapple with the unexpected feelings clawing at his soul.
If Max rejects his destiny, will fate’s bite be worse than its bark?Netflix's Young Royals meets Teen Wolf meets Twilight––the first instalment in a thrilling new series, The Alpha's Son is a heart-wrenching Young Adult, wolf shifter romance; full of yearning, comedy, and adventure.
The description for The Alpha’s Son reads like fanfic, and that freaking DELIGHTS me! Mating-bond rom-com complete with YearningTM??? Questions of ~Fate~??? A queer werewolf who would rather be drawing in his room than doing the whole dating thing??? GIMME!
(I do have my fingers crossed that these werewolves actually turn into wolves, though. The Teen Wolf comp in the blurb has me a tiny bit concerned. No of course I’m not still holding a grudge over Jeff Davis’ wolfless werewolves, why would you ask that???)
But seriously, this sounds cute as hell with just the right combination of tropes and fun and Feels, and I’m looking forward to pouncing on it!
Will you be reading any of these? Did I miss any books I should know about? Let me know!
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