Must-Have Monday #192
Must-Have Monday is a feature highlighting which of the coming week’s new releases I’m excited for. It is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all books being published that week; only those I’m interested in out of those I’m aware of! The focus is diverse SFF, but other genres sneak in occasionally too.
SIX books this week!
(Books are listed in order of pub date, then Adult SFF, Adult Other, YA SFF, YA Other, MG SFF.)
Saints of Storm and Sorrow by Gabriella Buba Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Filipino-coded cast and setting, bisexual biracial MC, sapphic biracial love interest, Filipino-coded disabled love interest, secondary trans character
Published on: 25th June 2024
Goodreads
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In this fiercely imaginative Filipino-inspired fantasy debut, a bisexual nun hiding a goddess-given gift is unwillingly transformed into a lightning rod for her people's struggle against colonization.
Perfect for fans of lush fantasy full of morally ambiguous characters, including The Poppy War and The Jasmine Throne.
María Lunurin has been living a double life for as long as she can remember. To the world, she is Sister María, dutiful nun and devoted servant of Aynila's Codicían colonizers. But behind closed doors, she is a stormcaller, chosen daughter of the Aynilan goddess Anitun Tabu. In hiding not only from the Codicíans and their witch hunts, but also from the vengeful eye of her slighted goddess, Lunurin does what she can to protect her fellow Aynilans and the small family she has created in the convent: her lover Catalina, and Cat's younger sister Inez.
Lunurin is determined to keep her head down—until one day she makes a devastating discovery, which threatens to tear her family apart. In desperation, she turns for help to Alon Dakila, heir to Aynila's most powerful family, who has been ardently in love with her for years. But this choice sets in motion a chain of events beyond her control, awakening Anitun Tabu's rage and putting everyone Lunurin loves in terrible danger. Torn between the call of Alon’s magic and Catalina’s jealousy, her duty to her family and to her people, Lunurin can no longer keep Anitun Tabu’s fury at bay.
The goddess of storms demands vengeance. And she will sweep aside anyone who stands in her way.
Saints of Storm and Sorrow is exactly as awesome as its premise – a Filipino-inspired fantasy featuring a bisexual stormcaller on the run from her vengeful goddess…hiding out in a convent, where she’s in a secret romance with another nun-novice…quietly resisting the worst efforts of the Codicíans (fantasy-Spaniards) colonising her home. Until it’s no longer possible – or bearable – to do so quietly. Morally grey heroines, Women’s Wrongs, an unexpectedly great love triangle (and I hate love triangles), and incredibly immersive prose – this is an amazing debut, absolutely *chef’s kiss*, and you can expect to see it on my Best of 2024 list!
The Daughters' War (Blacktongue) by Christopher Buehlman Genres: Adult, Fantasy, High Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Sapphic MC, F/F
Published on: 25th June 2024
Goodreads
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Enter the fray in this luminous new adventure from Christopher Buehlman, set during the war-torn, goblin-infested years just before The Blacktongue Thief.
The goblins have killed all of our horses and most of our men.
They have enslaved our cities, burned our fields, and still they wage war.
Now, our daughters take up arms.
Galva — Galvicha to her three brothers, two of whom the goblins will kill — has defied her family’s wishes and joined the army’s untested new unit, the Raven Knights. They march toward a once-beautiful city overrun by the goblin horde, accompanied by scores of giant war corvids. Made with the darkest magics, these fearsome black birds may hold the key to stopping the goblins in their war to make cattle of mankind.
The road to victory is bloody, and goblins are clever and merciless. The Raven Knights can take nothing for granted — not the bonds of family, nor the wisdom of their leaders, nor their own safety against the dangerous war birds at their side. But some hopes are worth any risk.
Another probable Best of 2024, but much more horror-y; this is a kind of prequel to Buehlman’s The Blacktongue Thief, but you can read this without having read that if you so choose! I wouldn’t call it grimdark, but it is dark; the goblins are monstrous, and I’ll be having nightmares about That Ship’s sail for years. And yet…still very moving, with moments of beauty and hilarity. It’s excellent!
Unexploded Remnants by Elaine Gallagher Genres: Adult, Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: Trans MC
Published on: 25th June 2024
Goodreads
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An A.I. wages war on a future it doesn't understand.
Alice is the last human. Street-smart and bad-ass.
After discovering what appears to be an A.I. personality in an antique data core, Alice decides to locate its home somewhere in the stargate network. At the very least, she wants to lay him to rest because, as it turns out, she’s stumbled upon the sentient control unit of a deadly ancient weapon system.
Convincing the ghost of a raging warrior that the war is over is about as hard as it sounds, which is to say, it’s near-impossible. But, if Alice fails and the control unit falls into the wrong hands, the balance of power her side of the Milky Way could fall apart. As Alice ports throughout the known universe seeking answers and aid she will be faced with impossible choice after impossible choice and the growing might of an unstoppable foe.
Reviews are pretty mixed on this one, but I’m always curious about aliens, and if the MC is the last human, that must mean everyone else is not-human, yes? Plus, what happened to humanity? I probably won’t read it right away, but it’s going on the tbr!
We Shall Be Monsters (We Shall be Monsters, #1) by Tara Sim Genres: Fantasy, YA
Representation: Desi-coded cast and setting
Published on: 25th June 2024
Goodreads
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Frankenstein meets Indian mythology in this twisty, darkly atmospheric fantasy where the horror is not the monsters you face but the ones you create.
After her sister Lasya’s sudden death, Kajal vows to do whatever it takes to bring her back. No cost is too great, even if it means preventing Lasya’s soul from joining the cycle of reincarnation. But as Kajal prepares for the resurrection, her sister’s trapped soul warps into a bhuta—a violent, wraith-like spirit hell-bent on murdering those who wronged it in life. With each kill, the bhuta becomes stronger and fiercer, and Kajal’s chances of resurrecting Lasya with her soul intact grow slimmer.
Blamed for Lasya’s rampage and condemned as a witch, Kajal is locked away with little hope of escape. That is, until two strangers who label themselves rebels arrive and offer to free her. The catch: She must resurrect the kingdom’s fallen crown prince, aiding their coup to overthrow the usurper who sits the throne. Desperate to return to Lasya’s body, Kajal rushes to revive the crown prince . . . only to discover that she’s resurrected another boy entirely.
All her life, Kajal has trusted no one but her sister. But with Lasya dead and rebels ready to turn her over to the usurper’s ruthless soldiers, Kajal is forced to work with the boy she mistakenly revived. Together, they must find the crown prince before the rebels discover her mistake, or the bhuta finally turns its murderous fury on the person truly responsible for Lasya’s death: Kajal.
I did not enjoy Sim’s Adult Fantasy, but I’m tentatively interested in this one. Monstrous/morally grey/dark girls doing terrible things is kinda my jam, so I’m crossing my fingers that this’ll be good!
Point of Hopes: A Novel of Astreiant by Melissa Scott, Lisa A. Barnett Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Gay MC, bisexual MC, matriarchal queernorm culture
Published on: 27th June 2024
Goodreads
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One of my favourite series is getting republished! The Astreiant books are my top comfort reads; I reread the entire series at LEAST once a year. I haven’t heard that this edition has new content, so long-term readers don’t need to buy this one – but if you’re unfamiliar with the series, this is a great time to start it!
I Dream of Dancing (The Sapphia Institue) by Gwen Leonhard, Joel Glover, Simon Keller Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Trans MC, brown sapphic love interest
Published on: 30th June 2024
Goodreads
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After spending her last semester at the Sophia Institute of Art and Magic in heartbreak, Acelina realises that she must finally overcome her shyness. She decides to ask her friend Florence out on a date. To her own surprise, she learns that being rejected is nowhere near as scary as being accepted – especially because being an undead girl sometimes brings unwanted side effects to the table.
‘I Dream Of Dancing’ is a queer love story about two young women falling in love. About two souls finding each other in a world of prejudice and unspoken rules. About communication and forgiveness. About being true and accepting – to both oneself and to others – about trust, and what it truly means to fall in love.
At the same time, it’s a story tackling insecurities and trauma. It talks about topics of abusive parents, guilt in past actions, and jealousy. And the joy of finding someone who loves you exactly as you are – whether you are undead or not.
A trans woman at magic university? Okay, I’m listening! I’ve heard almost nothing about this one, but I’d be really like it to be great!
Also, ‘undead’?!
Will you be reading any of these? Did I miss any releases you think I should know about? Let me know!
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