Can’t Wait Wednesday — 7/1/20

Can’t Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings based on the meme Waiting on Wednesday by Breaking the Spine. In this weekly post people share a book that they’re excited about being released.

I have always loved reading these posts, looking forward at books that people can’t wait for. But I always find that I want a list and it is just one book. So I decided I would share three upcoming books that I can’t wait for. If you click on the title of the book it will take you to the book’s Goodreads page.

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Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

Publication Date: July 7th, 2020

It’s 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, but the fairy tale is over. Teen girls are now required to appear at the Annual Ball, where the men of the kingdom select wives based on a girl’s display of finery. If a suitable match is not found, the girls not chosen are never heard from again.

Sixteen-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia makes the desperate decision to flee, and finds herself hiding in Cinderella’s mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her step sisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for all–and in the process, they learn that there’s more to Cinderella’s story than they ever knew . . .

This fresh take on a classic story will make readers question the tales they’ve been told, and root for girls to break down the constructs of the world around them.

Initially I was going to pass on this book, but after seeing several raving reviews for this book I couldn’t help but be enticed. I feel like this book is super relevant with everything that is going on, and I’m a sucker for a feminist re-telling. A lot of my friends seemed to really love this books, so I hope that I will too! I love a good twist on a classic fairy tale and I hope that I really enjoy this one!

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Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power

Publication Date: July 7th, 2020

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Wilder Girls comes a new twisty thriller about a girl whose past has always been a mystery—until she decides to return to her mother’s hometown . . . where history has a tendency to repeat itself.

Ever since Margot was born, it’s been just her and her mother. No answers to Margot’s questions about what came before. No history to hold on to. No relative to speak of. Just the two of them, stuck in their run-down apartment, struggling to get along.

But that’s not enough for Margot. She wants family. She wants a past. And she just found the key she needs to get it: A photograph, pointing her to a town called Phalene. Pointing her home. Only, when Margot gets there, it’s not what she bargained for.

Margot’s mother left for a reason. But was it to hide her past? Or was it to protect Margot from what’s still there?

The only thing Margot knows for sure is there’s poison in their family tree, and their roots are dug so deeply into Phalene that now that she’s there, she might never escape.

I have to admit that I’m not super excited for this book. The blurb just doesn’t sound super thrilling to me, but I mean it’s Rory Power, so I am going to take a chance.I absolutely LOVED Wilder Girls. That book was so freaking vivid that a year later I can still visualize the scenes. I have heard that this book focuses on a mother-daughter relationship though, so I am excited about that. The last book I read about a mother-daughter relationship was Darling Rose Gold and I gave that book 5 stars. I don’t really know what else to expect at all, but Rory Power’s writing in Wilder Girls was absolutely incredible, so I am going to jump into this book semi-blind.

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Set Fire to the Gods by Sara Raasch and Kristen Simmons

Publication Date: August 4th, 2020

Ash is descended from a long line of gladiators, and she knows the brutal nature of war firsthand. But after her mother dies in an arena, she vows to avenge her by overthrowing her fire god, whose temper has stripped her country of its resources.

Madoc grew up fighting on the streets to pay his family’s taxes. But he hides a dangerous secret: he doesn’t have the earth god’s powers like his opponents. His elemental gift is something else—something that hasn’t been seen in centuries.

When an attempted revenge plot goes dangerously wrong, Ash inadvertently throws the fire and earth gods into a conflict that can only be settled by deadly, lavish gladiator games. The fights put Madoc in Ash’s path, and she realizes that his powers are the weapon her rebellion needs—but Madoc won’t jeopardize his family, regardless of how intrigued he is by the beautiful warrior.

But when the gods force Madoc’s hand, he and Ash uncover an ancient war that will threaten more than one immortal—it will unravel the world.

This YA fantasy looks like it has the potential to be incredible. It is inspired by Greek and Roman mythology, there are gods and magic and a revenge plot. It sounds like something that I might really love. The only thing that has me a little apprehensive is that some of the early reviews say that this book is mediocre. But none of my friends have actually read this book yet and since they’re typically who I trust I don’t think I can judge this book just yet. So I am going to go into this book with no expectations and hope that I wind up loving it!

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Let’s Chat!

Are there any books coming out that you’re excited for? Are any of these books on your TBR? Have you read any of these books? What did you think? Which of these books looks most exciting to you? Make sure to comment below so we can chat about the books you can’t wait for!