Book Haul: New Fantasy Releases Fall 2020

I am so ridiculously excited by this stack of Fantasy reads. Each year, women continue to push more and more into this historically male dominated genre. The work and words they are contributing is magnificent. Here’s a look at my Fantasy book haul for the month of October … to be honest this was all purchased in a two week span … what can I say, there were just too many excellent options!

The Invisible Life of Addie Larue

Written by V. E. Schwab

Published by Tor Books

If you’re a bookworm who even slightly participates on bookstagram, you know all about this one. But here’s the just: France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Until 300 years later when a man in Brooklyn remembers her name.

You can find a copy here: Bookshop.org

The Once and Future Witches

Written by Alix E. Harrow

Published by Redhook

I’ve already finished this one and it is fantastic. I am particularly picky about witchy reads, but this one delivered the smart, magical, female sisterhood in a time of immense injustice and persecution that I’m looking for. A poignant commentary on current sociopolitical parallels, this is an impressive, immersive experience. In 1893, there’s no such thing as witches. There used to be, before the burnings began but now the only way for a woman to achieve some measure of power is to fight for the vote. When the Eastwood sisters–James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna–join the suffragists of New Salem, they quickly discover this will not be a fast, or fair, fight. They turn to the forgotten words and ways putting themselves and all who help them at great danger as the dark shadows and corrupt forces lurk at every corner, hell bent on keeping a “woman in her place.”

You can find a copy here: Bookshop.org

Black Sun

Written by Rebecca Roanhorse

Published by Gallery/Saga Press

A new fantasy series inspired by civilizations of Pre-Columbian Americas, I am very interested by this story that claims to be a “woven tale of celestial prophecies, political intrigue, and forbidden magic.” From Goodreads: In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world. Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.

You can find a copy here: Bookshop.org

The Bone Shard Daughter

Written by Andrea Stewart

Published by Orbit Books

I am super eager to dive into this highly reviewed new, Asian-inspired fantasy! Bone magic, falling empires, revolution, and magical animal companions … sign me up. From the author: “The Bone Shard Daughter is an epic fantasy in an Asian-inspired setting that follows several characters: a daughter trying to reclaim her rightful place as heir, a smuggler who professes not to care but can’t seem to stop doing good things, two women in an established relationship struggling with the class differences between them, and a stranger on a remote island trying to unravel the mystery of why she’s there.”

You can find a copy here: Bookshop.org

The Midnight Bargain

Written by C.L. Polk

Published by Erewhon

Here’s what I know: Magicians, Regency era, romance and a fight for women’s freedoms to parallel the current attacks on women’s rights and decisions. In a world where magic is very real but limited only to males (women are bound with collars to “protect” unborn children), Beatrice is a sorceress practicing in secret. She is desperate to avoid marriage but also guilt-ridden by her duty to marry well and save her family from poverty. When Beatrice stumbles upon a Grimoire that details how she can become a Magus, her prayers are answered … until she is betrayed by a rival sorceress. To retrieve the Grimoire, Beatrice makes a deal with a spirit which has unforeseen consequences as her world collides with her adversary’s brother, the handsome, compassionate, and fabulously wealthy Ianthe Lavan. Torn between love, duty, and freedom every choice will lead to heartbreak.

You can find a copy here: Bookshop.org

The Forgotten Kingdom

Written by Signe Pike

Published by Atria Books

This is the second instalment in the amazing The Lost Queen series you all are sleeping on. Signe Pike reimagines the story of Merlin (the real historical figure, not the Disney creation) but from the perspective of his lost-to-history sister, Queen Languoreth. This series has completely immersible world building, fantastically sharp characters, and a wholly enjoyable central tough-as-nails heroine. Signe Pike brings her immense scholarly knowledge to this series without simply “info dumping” on the reader. It’s a romantic, sweeping, historical fiction fantasy that is one of my ultimate favourite reads. If you want a Camelot-meets-Outlander fantasy then go read The Lost Queen and then pick up The Forgotten Kingdom.

You can find a copy here: Bookshop.org

A Deadly Education

Written by Naomi Novik

Published by Del Rey Books

Another incredibly popular and talked about release of 2020, I am looking forward to sinking into another Naomi Novik creation. She has such a talent for creating purposely paced stories with dynamically rich settings and characters. This time she’s bringing us to a deadly, magical boarding school: Scholomance. Where failure means certain death (for real) — until one girl, El, begins to unlock its many secrets. There are no teachers, no holidays, and no friendships, save strategic ones. Survival is more important than any letter grade, for the school won’t allow its students to leave until they graduate… or die! The rules are deceptively simple: Don’t walk the halls alone. And beware of the monsters who lurk everywhere.

You can find a copy here: Bookshop.org

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