Looking Ahead… July 2020 Releases

This is a post that I do at the end of every month where I share the books I am looking forward to in the next month. I am always looking for books to add to my TBR so I hope to hear about what books you are looking forward to in the coming month in the comments.

Looking Ahead … July Releases

Check out the titles that I am excited for that come out this month. Make sure to comment below if you have read any of these or want to read any of these titles so we can discuss them!

I may have went a little overboard with the eARCs this month, but I’ve been reading a lot lately. There are a lot of great titles coming out this month that I’m pretty psyched for!

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Physical ARCs

NONE! I haven’t been requesting many physical ARCs.

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eARCs

Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang

Publication Date: July 1st, 2020

New York City, 1899. Tillie Pembroke’s sister lies dead, her body drained of blood and with two puncture wounds on her neck. Bram Stoker’s new novel, Dracula, has just been published, and Tillie’s imagination leaps to the impossible: the murderer is a vampire. But it can’t be—can it?

A ravenous reader and researcher, Tillie has something of an addiction to truth, and she won’t rest until she unravels the mystery of her sister’s death. Unfortunately, Tillie’s addicted to more than just truth; to ease the pain from a recent injury, she’s taking more and more laudanum…and some in her immediate circle are happy to keep her well supplied.

Tillie can’t bring herself to believe vampires exist. But with the hysteria surrounding her sister’s death, the continued vampiric slayings, and the opium swirling through her body, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for a girl who relies on facts and figures to know what’s real—or whether she can trust those closest to her.

This book looks like it could be amazing. The murder mystery, possible vampires and the setting had me requesting this book in a heartbeat. Unfortunately I’ve been on a non-stop fantasy kick lately and just haven’t fit this one in quite yet. But the early reviews are pretty great! This is a mash up of genres that looks so good! A YA historical mystery story with possible vampires? How could I resist?

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The Princess Will Save You by Sarah Henning

Publication Date: July 7th, 2020

A PRINCESS
A STABLE BOY
A QUEST

When her father dies, Princess Amarande is given an ultimatum: Marry the leader of one of the four neighboring kingdoms, or lose her crown—and possibly her life. And to force her hand, her beloved, the stable boy Luca, is kidnapped.

But Amarande was raised to be a warrior, not a sacrifice.

And nothing will stop her from saving her true love and rescuing her kingdom.

The acclaimed author of Sea Witch turns the classic damsel-in-distress tale on its head with this story of adventure, identity, and love.

This book has been receiving a lot of hype, but not that many people seem to have actually read it yet. I am pretty excited for a retelling of The Princess Bride and I hope that I really enjoy this one. I will probably be reading this one pretty soon though because publication is coming up and I really want to see what I think of this one!

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Unravel the Dusk (The Blood of Stars #2) by Elizabeth Lim

Publication Date: July 7th, 2020

The thrilling sequel to SPIN THE DAWN, a magical series steeped in Chinese culture.

Maia Tamarin’s journey to sew the dresses of the sun, the moon and the stars has taken a grievous toll. She returns to a kingdom on the brink of war. The boy she loves is gone, and she is forced to don the dress of the sun and assume the place of the emperor’s bride-to-be to keep the peace.

But the war raging around Maia is nothing compared to the battle within. Ever since she was touched by the demon Bandur, she has been changing . . . glancing in the mirror to see her own eyes glowing red, losing control of her magic, her body, her mind. It’s only a matter of time before Maia loses herself completely, but she will stop at nothing to find Edan, protect her family, and bring lasting peace to her country.

YA fantasy readers will love the sizzling forbidden romance, mystery, and intrigue of UNRAVEL THE DUSK.

It seems like it’s the year of sequels and series for me! There are so many series that I am continuing this year where last year I started a ton. I had some mixed feelings about Spin the Dawn, but I did really enjoy it. It sounds like the plot to this one has more politics at play, which is great because lately I’ve been really into political fantasies!

Check out my review of Spin the Dawn here!

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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 haven’t been reading a ton of thrillers lately, but I had to get a copy of Rory Power’s latest novel just because Wilder Girls was so fantastic. This one focuses on a mother-daughter relationship, but I expect Rory Power’s writing to blow me away again. I haven’t been in the mood for a non-fantasy in a while now, but as soon as I am this one is at the top of my list.

Check out my review of Wilder Girls here!

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All These Monsters by Amy Tintera

Publication Date: July 7th, 2020

From New York Times best-selling author Amy Tintera, a high-stakes sci-fi adventure about a teen girl who will do anything to escape her troubled home—even if that means joining a dangerous monster-fighting squad. Perfect for fans of Warcross and Renegades. 

Seventeen-year-old Clara is ready to fight back. Fight back against her abusive father, fight back against the only life she’s ever known, and most of all, fight back against scrabs, the earth-dwelling monsters that are currently ravaging the world. So when an opportunity arises for Clara to join an international monster-fighting squad, she jumps at the chance.

When Clara starts training with her teammates, however, she realizes what fighting monsters really means: sore muscles, exhaustion, and worst of all, death. Scrabs are unpredictable, violent, and terrifying. But as Clara gains confidence in her battle skills, she starts to realize scrabs might not be the biggest evil. The true monsters are the ones you least expect.

Okay so I was SUPER hype for this book when I first heard about it, but since then my excitement for this book has died down. I also put off reading this book after reading Race the Sands because I had just read a book about a world with monsters in it and I didn’t want to compare the two. But they do sound very different, so I don’t think it will be an issue. I feel like this book hasn’t gotten much hype at all, but the reviews are great. Apparently this is a pretty fast paced book, so I will probably read it as soon as I’m feeling a little slumpy, but no matter what I will be reading this one soon!

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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.

I picked up this book after reading several 5 star reviews and I am pretty excited for it. I love books about rebellion and feminist re-tellings are like catnip for me. This fresh twist on a fairy tale is exciting, but it also feels super relevant with everything going on lately.

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An Education in Ruin by Alexis Bass

Publication Date: July 7th, 2020

A sophisticated standalone YA suspense for readers of E. Lockhart and Karen McManus, featuring themes of scandal, deception, wealth, and greed, by the acclaimed author of Happily and Madly.

The Mahoney brothers are the golden boys of Rutherford Institute.

Collins Pruitt is going to ruin them.

Theo Mahoney is well-connected and popular. He’s charming and beloved. But he’s hiding something.

Jasper Mahoney is lauded for his intellect and athleticism. He’s studious and focused. But he isn’t as impenetrable as he seems.

Collins will earn their trust—and then she’ll destroy them. But the closer she gets, the more she questions the reason she was sent to Rutherford in the first place…and if it’s possible to ruin the Mahoneys without also destroying herself.

I can’t get enough of these types of books. I love a book with a boarding school setting that is filled to the brim with drama. This book seems to be flying under the radar, but is exactly the type of book I turn to when I need something quick and entertaining.

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Evil Thing by Serena Valentino

Publication Date: July 7th, 2020

Cruella De Vil is the perfect villain: stylish, witty, relentless…and possibly cursed.

From her lonely childhood, to her iconic fashion choices, to that fateful car crash (you know the one), Cruella tells all in this marvelous memoir of a woman doomed. Even the cruelest villains have best friends, true loves, and daring dreams. Now it’s Cruella’s turn to share hers.

This latest novel by the author of the wildly popular and darkly fascinating Villains series brings readers a tale told by the Evil Thing herself-a tale of the complicated bonds of female friendship, of mothers and daughters, and of burning, destructive desire.

After all, nothing is as simple as black and white.

Okay so I didn’t expect to get this review copy at all because it is from Disney Hyperion, but here we are. I haven’t read the Villains series, but I don’t think that will be an issue as I believe each book can be read as a stand alone. I was absolutely obsessed with 101 Dalmatians when I was a kid, so of course I’m excited to read this even though it’s a bit out of my normal comfort zone. I love getting the villain’s perspective and I’m pretty excited for it, but I also have no idea how they can humanize someone who wanted to kill puppies! I don’t know what to expect at all! All the early reviews absolutely rave about this book, so I am just hoping that I wind up loving it too.

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Mayhem by Estelle Laure

Publication Date: July 14th, 2020

A YA feminist mash up inspired by The Lost Boys and The Craft.

It’s 1987 and unfortunately it’s not all Madonna and cherry lip balm. Mayhem Brayburn has always known there was something off about her and her mother, Roxy. Maybe it has to do with Roxy’s constant physical pain, or maybe with Mayhem’s own irresistible pull to water. Either way, she knows they aren’t like everyone else. But when May’s stepfather finally goes too far, Roxy and Mayhem flee to Santa Maria, California, the coastal beach town that holds the answers to all of Mayhem’s questions about who her mother is, her estranged family, and the mysteries of her own self. There she meets the kids who live with her aunt, and it opens the door to the magic that runs through the female lineage in her family, the very magic Mayhem is next in line to inherit and which will change her life for good. But when she gets wrapped up in the search for the man who has been kidnapping girls from the beach, her life takes another dangerous turn and she is forced to face the price of vigilante justice and to ask herself whether revenge is worth the cost.

From the acclaimed author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back, Estelle Laure offers a riveting and complex story with magical elements about a family of women contending with what appears to be an irreversible destiny, taking control and saying when enough is enough.

The main reason I requested a copy of this book is because it is a feminist mash up of The Lost Boys and The Craft. Both of those movies are incredible and have me pretty excited for this book. Outside of that I have no real expectations for this book and have no idea what it is actually about. I am going to dive into this one pretty blind and I think it should be a wild ride. The last book I read that was marketed as similar to The Craft was The Furies by Katie Lowe and I really loved that book.

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Ashes of the Sun by Django Wexler

Publication Date: July 21st, 2020

Long ago, a magical war destroyed an empire, and a new one was built in its ashes. But still the old grudges simmer, and two siblings will fight on opposite sides to save their world, in the start of Django Wexler’s new epic fantasy trilogy

Gyre hasn’t seen his beloved sister since their parents sold her to the mysterious Twilight Order. Now, twelve years after her disappearance, Gyre’s sole focus is revenge, and he’s willing to risk anything and anyone to claim enough power to destroy the Order.

Chasing rumors of a fabled city protecting a powerful artifact, Gyre comes face-to-face with his lost sister. But she isn’t who she once was. Trained to be a warrior, Maya wields magic for the Twilight Order’s cause. Standing on opposite sides of a looming civil war, the two siblings will learn that not even the ties of blood will keep them from splitting the world in two.

This is an epic fantasy published by Orbit that has been on my wish list for quite a while now. It sounds like it has a pretty intricate world and it is a monster sized book. When I’m in the mood for an intricate fantasy I will be picking this one up and I have my fingers crossed that it might be a 5 star read!

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Splinters of Scarlet by Emily Bain Murphy

Publication Date: July 21st, 2020

A YA historical fantasy set in nineteenth-century Denmark, where secrets can kill and magic is a deadly gift.

For Marit Olsen, magic is all about strategy: it flows freely through her blood, but every use leaves behind a deadly, ice-like build-up within her veins called the Firn. Marit knows how dangerous it is to let too much Firn build up—after all, it killed her sister—and she has vowed never to use her thread magic. But when Eve, a fellow orphan whom Marit views like a little sister, is adopted by the wealthy Helene Vestergaard, Marit will do anything to stay by Eve’s side. She decides to risk the Firn and uses magic to secure a job as a seamstress in the Vestergaard household.

But Marit has a second, hidden agenda: her father died while working in the Vestergaards’ jewel mines—and it might not have been an accident. The closer Marit gets to the truth about the Vestergaard family, the more she realizes she and everyone she’s come to love are in danger. When she finds herself in the middle of a treacherous deception that goes all the way up to the king of Denmark, magic may be the only thing that can save her—if it doesn’t kill her first.

I am super thrilled that I have an ARC of this book. The only reason I haven’t read it just yet is because I’ve had some issues with my eARC since I have a PDF version of it. But now that I’ve got those solved this might be the next book that I read. The blurb sounds fantastic and the early reviews are positively glowing. I am so excited for this one!

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Shielded by KayLynn Flanders

Publication Date: July 21st, 2020

For fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Furyborn comes a thrilling new fantasy about a kingdom ravaged by war, and the princess who might be the key to saving not only those closest to her, but the kingdom itself, if she reveals the very secret that could destroy her.

The kingdom of Hálendi is in trouble. It’s losing the war at its borders, and rumors of a new, deadlier threat on the horizon have surfaced. Princess Jennesara knows her skills on the battlefield would make her an asset and wants to help, but her father has other plans.

As the second-born heir to the throne, Jenna lacks the firstborn’s–her brother’s–magical abilities, so the king promises her hand in marriage to the prince of neighboring Turia in exchange for resources Hálendi needs. Jenna must leave behind everything she has ever known if she is to give her people a chance at peace.

Only, on the journey to reach her betrothed and new home, the royal caravan is ambushed, and Jenna realizes the rumors were wrong–the new threat is worse than anyone imagined. Now Jenna must decide if revealing a dangerous secret is worth the cost before it’s too late–for her and for her entire kingdom.

I feel like the blurb for this book doesn’t really explain what the book is truly about besides that it might be a political fantasy. The reviews are really positive so far and I’ve heard this is a relatively fast paced fantasy. I think this is one that I will go into feeling pretty blind, but I do have really high hopes for this book.

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The Sin in the Steel by Ryan Van Loan

Publication Date: July 21st, 2020

A sparkling debut fantasy set in a diverse world, featuring dead gods, a pirate queen, shapeshifting mages, and a Sherlockian teenager determined to upend her society.

Buc:
Brilliant street-rat
Her mind leaps from clues to conclusions in the blink of an eye.

Eld:
Ex-soldier
Buc’s partner-in-crime.

No. Not in crime―in crime-solving.

They’ve been hired for their biggest job yet―one that will set them up for a life of ease.

If they survive.

Buc and Eld are the first private detectives in a world where pirates roam the seas, mages speak to each other across oceans, mechanical devices change the tide of battle, and earthly wealth is concentrated in the hands of a powerful few.

It’s been weeks since ships last returned to the magnificent city of Servenza with bounty from the Shattered Coast. Disaster threatens not just the city’s trading companies but the empire itself. When Buc and Eld are hired to investigate, Buc swiftly discovers that the trade routes have become the domain of a sharp-eyed pirate queen who sinks all who defy her.

Now all Buc and Eld have to do is sink the Widowmaker’s ship….

Unfortunately for Buc, the gods have other plans.

Unfortunately for the gods, so does Buc.

This book looks like it could be absolutely amazing. There are morally grey characters and a world that sounds incredible. I picked this book up because of the blurb and even though this book seems to be flying under the radar I have high hopes that this could be really great.

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He Started It by Samantha Downing

Publication Date: July 21th, 2020

Beth, Portia, and Eddie Morgan haven’t all been together in years. And for very good reasons—we’ll get to those later. But when their wealthy grandfather dies and leaves a cryptic final message in his wake, the siblings and their respective partners must come together for a cross-country road trip to fulfill his final wish and—more importantly—secure their inheritance.

But time with your family can be tough. It is for everyone.

It’s even harder when you’re all keeping secrets and trying to forget a memory—a missing person, an act of revenge, the man in the black truck who won’t stop following your car—and especially when at least one of you is a killer and there’s a body in the trunk. Just to name a few reasons.

But money is a powerful motivator. It is for everyone.

I picked up a copy of this because I really loved the author’s previous book My Lovely Wife, but this book sounds rather different from that one. I do love books about road trips and I have high hopes for this one. I haven’t read it just yet though because I’ve been on a fantasy kick for the last few months.

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Want to Read

Ever Cursed by Corey Ann Haydu

Publication Date: July 28th, 2020

Damsel meets A Heart in a Body in the World in this incisive and lyrical feminist fairy tale about a princess determined to save her sisters from a curse, even if it means allying herself with the very witch who cast it.

The Princesses of Ever are beloved by the kingdom and their father, the King. They are cherished, admired.

Cursed.

Jane, Alice, Nora, Grace, and Eden carry the burden of being punished for a crime they did not commit, or even know about. They are each cursed to be Without one essential thing—the ability to eat, sleep, love, remember, or hope. And their mother, the Queen, is imprisoned, frozen in time in an unbreakable glass box.

But when Eden’s curse sets in on her thirteenth birthday, the princesses are given the opportunity to break the curse, preventing it from becoming a True Spell and dooming the princesses for life. To do this, they must confront the one who cast the spell—Reagan, a young witch who might not be the villain they thought—as well as the wickedness plaguing their own kingdom…and family.

Told through the eyes of Reagan and Jane—the witch and the bewitched—this insightful twist of a fairy tale explores power in a patriarchal kingdom not unlike our own.

This feminist fairy tale grabbed my attention right away with that stunning cover. I love fairy tales with a feminist twist and I love stories about sisters. I haven’t seen many reviews for it yet, but once they start coming in I will decide if I want to get this or not.

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A Wicked Magic by Sasha Laurens

Publication Date: July 28th, 2020

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina meets The Craft when modern witches must save teens stolen by an ancient demon in this YA fantasy-thriller debut.

Dan and Liss are witches. The Black Book granted them that power. Harnessing that power feels good, especially when everything in their lives makes them feel powerless.

During a spell gone wrong, Liss’s boyfriend is snatched away by an evil entity and presumed dead. Dan and Liss’s friendship dies that night, too. How can they practice magic after the darkness that they conjured?

Months later, Liss discovers that her boyfriend is alive, trapped underground in the grips of an ancient force. She must save him, and she needs Dan and the power of The Black Book to do so. Dan is quickly sucked back into Liss’s orbit and pushes away her best friend, Alexa. But Alexa has some big secrets she’s hiding and her own unique magical disaster to deal with.

When another teenager disappears, the girls know it’s no coincidence. What greedy magic have they awakened? And what does it want with these teens it has stolen?

Set in the atmospheric wilds of California’s northern coast, Sasha Laurens’s thrilling debut novel is about the complications of friendship, how to take back power, and how to embrace the darkness that lives within us all.

Comparing a book to The Craft always gets me interested. This book has witches and some powerful magic in it. It has those dark vibes that I absolutely love when reading about witches and I’m totally here for it. While this book does look like it is flying under the radar all of the early reviews look pretty good, so this book is on my wish list!

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Have Read

The Lost City by Amanda Hocking

Publication Date: July 7th, 2020

New York Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking returns to the magical world of the Trylle with The Lost City, the first book in the final Trylle arc.

Nestled along the bluffs of the forested coast lays the secret kingdom of the Omte—a realm filled with wonder…and as many secrets.

Ulla Tulin was left abandoned in an isolated Kanin city as a baby, taken in by strangers and raised hidden away like many of the trolls of mixed blood. Even knowing this truth, she’s never stopped wondering about her family.

When Ulla is offered an internship working alongside the handsome Pan Soriano at the Mimirin, a prestigious institution, she jumps at the chance to use this opportunity to hopefully find her parents. All she wants is to focus on her job and the search for her parents, but all of her attempts to find them are blocked when she learns her mother may be connected to the Omte royal family.

With little progress made, Ulla and Pan soon find themselves wrapped up in helping Eliana, an amnestic girl with abilities unlike any they have ever seen before—a girl who seems to be running from something. To figure out who she is they must leave the city, and possibly, along the way, they may learn more about Ulla’s parents.

When I heard that Amanda Hocking was coming out with a spin off series set in the same world as the Trylle trilogy I had to get a copy. I am on a blog tour for this book, and can not wait to talk about it!

Expect my 4 Star review on Thursday July 9th!

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Barshardoust

Publication Date: July 7th, 2020

A captivating and utterly original fairy tale about a girl cursed to be poisonous to the touch, and who discovers what power might lie in such a curse…

There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.

As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.

Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming…human or demon. Princess or monster.

This book was pretty incredible! I am so excited to be on the blog tour for Girl, Serpent, Thorn and share my thoughts with everyone about this incredible book! It’s based on Persian myths and is a really lush dark fairy tale re-telling.

Expect my 4 Star review on Thursday July 9th!

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Ghost Wood Song by Erica Waters

Publication Date: July 14th, 2020

Sawkill Girls meets Beautiful Creatures in this lush and eerie debut, where the boundary between reality and nightmares is as thin as the veil between the living and the dead. 

If I could have a fiddle made of Daddy’s bones, I’d play it. I’d learn all the secrets he kept.

Shady Grove inherited her father’s ability to call ghosts from the grave with his fiddle, but she also knows the fiddle’s tunes bring nothing but trouble and darkness.

But when her brother is accused of murder, she can’t let the dead keep their secrets.

In order to clear his name, she’s going to have to make those ghosts sing.

Family secrets, a gorgeously resonant LGBTQ love triangle, and just the right amount of creepiness make this young adult debut a haunting and hopeful story about facing everything that haunts us in the dark.

This book reminded me just how much I love gothic vibes! While I’m not typically a huge fan of ghost stories, I absolutely loved this book and devoured it so quickly. Erica Waters’ writing is absolutely fantastic and I will read anything she writes!

Expect my 4 Star Review on Tuesday July 7th!

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Let’s Chat!

What books are you looking forward to this month? Have you read any of the books on my list? Are any of them on you TBR?  What has been your favorite read that comes out in June? Are there any books coming out this month that I shouldn’t miss out on? Make sure to comment below so we can talk about upcoming books we’re excited about!