Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen

July 5, 2022 ~ Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense ~ 20 Comments

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings where bloggers share which upcoming releases they’re most looking forward to. Join us every Wednesday and watch your TBR list multiply.

I haven’t preordered a ton of debuts this year, but simply had to give into this debut YA fantasy. Gina Chen’s Violet Made of Thorns sounds messy and fun and I know I will be there for every second of it. I am loving the sound of these darker fantasies that are coming out lately and can never resist morally grey characters. Cover is linked to Goodreads.

Title: Violet Made of Thorns
Author: Gina Chen
Series: Violet Made of Thorns, #1
Pages: 368
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: July 26, 2022

“Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.
But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus.
Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can’t change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all.

Are you participating in Can’t-Wait Wednesday or Waiting on Wednesday? Is this book on your TBR? Be sure to leave a link to your post in the comments and I’ll visit!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Godslayers by Zoe Hana Mikuta

June 21, 2022 ~ Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense ~ 4 Comments

Zoe Hana Mikuta’s Gearbreakers was one of my favorite 2021 reads. Sapphic romance + mechas + found family made it an unforgettable read. I am highly anticipating the sequel, Godslayers, which concludes this action-packed sci-fi duology. If this series isn’t on your radar, what are you doing? Pick it up now! Cover is linked to Goodreads.

Title: Godslayers
Author: Zoe Hana Mikuta
Series: Gearbreakers, #2
Pages: 416
Publisher: Feiwel Friends
Publication Date: June 28, 2022

“The only way to kill a god is from the inside…
The Gearbreakers struck a devastating blow against Godolia on Heavensday, but the cost of victory has been steep. Months later, the few rebels who’ve managed to escape the tyrannical empire’s bloody retribution have fled to the mountains, hunted by the last Zenith–Godolia’s only surviving leader.
Eris has been held prisoner since the attack on the capital city, which almost killed her. And she begins to wish it had when she discovers Sona–the girl she loves, the girl she would tear down cities for–also survived, only to be captured and Corrupted by the Zenith. The cybernetic brainwashing that Sona has forcibly undergone now has her believing herself a loyal soldier for Godolia, and Eris’ mortal enemy.
With the rebellion shattered and Godolia moving forward with an insidious plan to begin inducting Badlands children into a new Windup Pilot program, the odds have never been more stacked against the Gearbreakers. Their last hope for victory will depend on whether Eris and Sona can somehow find their way back to each other from opposite sides of a war…”

Are you participating in Can’t-Wait Wednesday or Waiting on Wednesday? Is this book on your TBR? Be sure to leave a link to your post in the comments and I’ll visit!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid

June 14, 2022 ~ Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense ~ 9 Comments

One of my favorite debuts last year was Ava Reid’s The Wolf and the Woodsman, so as soon as I saw that Juniper & Thorn was in the same universe, I had to add it to my TBR. Then I learned that it was gothic fantasy book and there was no hope for me. Definitely one of my most anticipated releases of all of 2022. Please note that this one deals with sexual assault. Cover is linked to Goodreads.

Title: Juniper & Thorn
Author: Ava Reid
Series: N/A
Pages: 368
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: June 21, 2022

“From highly acclaimed bestselling author Ava Reid comes a gothic horror retelling of The Juniper Tree, set in another time and place within the world of The Wolf and the Woodsman, where a young witch seeks to discover her identity and escape the domination of her wizard father, perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson and Catherynne M. Valente.
A gruesome curse. A city in upheaval. A monster with unquenchable appetites.
Marlinchen and her two sisters live with their wizard father in a city shifting from magic to industry. As Oblya’s last true witches, she and her sisters are little more than a tourist trap as they treat their clients with archaic remedies and beguile them with nostalgic charm. Marlinchen spends her days divining secrets in exchange for rubles and trying to placate her tyrannical, xenophobic father, who keeps his daughters sequestered from the outside world. But at night, Marlinchen and her sisters sneak out to enjoy the city’s amenities and revel in its thrills, particularly the recently established ballet theater, where Marlinchen meets a dancer who quickly captures her heart.
As Marlinchen’s late-night trysts grow more fervent and frequent, so does the threat of her father’s rage and magic. And while Oblya flourishes with culture and bustles with enterprise, a monster lurks in its midst, borne of intolerance and resentment and suffused with old-world power. Caught between history and progress and blood and desire, Marlinchen must draw upon her own magic to keep her city safe and find her place within it.”

Are you participating in Can’t-Wait Wednesday or Waiting on Wednesday? Is this book on your TBR? Be sure to leave a link to your post in the comments and I’ll visit!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: A Proposal They Can’t Refuse by Natalie Caña

May 31, 2022 ~ Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense ~ 6 Comments

One of the best decisions I made in 2022 is to pick up more adult romance novels. They have honestly been a saving grace this year whenever I am feeling down or I feel myself slipping into a slump. 2022 has some amazing sounding romance releases and I am excited for so many including A Proposal They Can’t Refuse by Natalie Caña. Food. Romance. A fake engagement. I’m so very excited! Cover is linked to Goodreads.

Title: A Proposal They Can’t Refuse
Author: Natalie Caña
Series: N/A
Pages: 336
Publisher: Mira Books
Publication Date: June 7, 2022

“Natalie Caña turns up the heat, humor and heart in this debut rom-com about a Puerto Rican chef and an Irish American whiskey distiller forced into a fake engagement by their scheming octogenarian grandfathers.
Kamilah Vega is desperate to convince her family to update their Puerto Rican restaurant and enter it into the Fall Foodie Tour. With the gentrification of their Chicago neighborhood, it’s the only way to save the place. The fly in her mofongo–her blackmailing abuelo says if she wants to change anything in his restaurant, she’ll have to marry the one man she can’t stand: his best friend’s grandson.
Liam Kane spent a decade working to turn his family’s distillery into a contender. Now he and his grandfather are on the verge of winning a national competition. Then Granda hits him with a one-two punch: he has cancer and he has his heart set on seeing Liam married before it’s too late. And Granda knows just the girl…Kamilah Vega.
If they refuse, their grandfathers will sell the building that houses both their businesses. With their futures on the line, Kamilah and Liam plan to outfox the devious duo, faking an engagement until they both get what they want. But soon, they find themselves tangled up in more than either of them bargained for.”

Are you participating in Can’t-Wait Wednesday or Waiting on Wednesday? Is this book on your TBR? Be sure to leave a link to your post in the comments and I’ll visit!