Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson, Atalanta by Jennifer Saint, & The Book of Stolen Dreams by David Farr

 

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson
Publication: May 16th, 2023
Orbit
Paperback. 528 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"The war is over, but peace can be hell.

Demons continue to burn farmlands, violent mercenaries roam the wilds, and a plague is spreading. The country of Eidyn is on its knees.

In a society that fears and shuns him, Aranok is the first mage to be named King's Envoy. And his latest task is to restore an exiled foreign queen to her throne.

The band of allies he assembles each have their own unique skills. But they are strangers to one another, and at every step across the ravaged land, a new threat emerges, lies are revealed, and distrust could destroy everything they are working for. Somehow, Aranok must bring his companions together and uncover the conspiracy that threatens the kingdom—before war returns to the realms again."

I'm currently reading an ARC of The Lost War and I'm really enjoying it! I've been looking for a new big fantasy to get into, so I'm hoping this fills that void. 

Atalanta by Jennifer Saint
Publication: May 9th, 2023
Flatiron Books
Hardcover. 304 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"When Princess Atalanta is born, a daughter rather than the son her parents hoped for, she is left on a mountainside to die. But even then, she is a survivor. Raised by a mother bear under the protective eye of the goddess Artemis, Atalanta grows up wild and free, with just one if she marries, Artemis warns, it will be her undoing.

Although she loves her beautiful forest home, Atalanta yearns for adventure. When Artemis offers her the chance to fight in her name alongside the Argonauts, the fiercest band of warriors the world has ever seen, Atalanta seizes it. The Argonauts' quest for the Golden Fleece is filled with impossible challenges, but Atalanta proves herself equal to the men she fights alongside. As she is swept into a passionate affair, in defiance of Artemis's warning, she begins to question the goddess's true intentions. Can Atalanta carve out her own legendary place in a world of men, while staying true to her heart?

Full of joy, passion, and adventure, Atalanta is the story of a woman who refuses to be contained. Jennifer Saint places Atalanta in the pantheon of the greatest heroes in Greek mythology, where she belongs."

Too many Greek myth retellings have been coming out lately, but... I'm still going to read them! I'm really excited to see this story about Atalanta and I feel like it's in good hands with Jennifer Saint. 

The Book of Stolen Dreams by David Farr
Publication: May 2nd, 2023
Graydon House
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"An exhilarating, awe-inspiring debut from a master storyteller writing for children for the first time, perfect for fans of Philip Pullman, Katherine Rundell and Eva Ibbotson.

Rachel and Robert live a grey, dreary life under the rule of cruel Charles Malstain. But when their librarian father enlists their help to steal a forbidden book, they are plunged into adventure. With their father captured, it is up to Rachel and Robert to uncover the secrets of the Book of Stolen Dreams and track down its mysteriously missing final page in order to save him.

What they are not expecting is to discover a family of ghosts, a door to the dead and that the Book grants the power of immortality. But they will do anything to stop it falling into Malstain's hands - for if it does, he could rule for ever.

Step inside the pages of an immortal adventure and discover a truly unforgettable journey of wonder, courage and magic..."

This sounds so fun! I haven't read any middle grade books in a while and I've missed their magic and joy, so I'm hoping to get a chance to check this one out. :) I'm a huge sucker for premises like this!

Blog Tour + Review: ELEKTRA by Jennifer Saint

Today, I am pleased to share with you all my stop on the blog tour for Jennifer Saint's most recent release, Elektra, which is on sale now!

Last year, I read Jennifer Saint's debut novel Ariadne and really enjoyed it and appreciated Saint's incredible work in retelling the story of a lesser known figure in Greek myth who I feel is overlooked quite often. I was excited to see that Saint was back this year with another Greek myth retelling to dive into, this time featuring the cursed House of Atreus. The Greek tragedy "Agamemnon" by Aeschylus is one of my favorite Greek tragedies and is actually one I translated while studying Greek, so I was really looking forward to reading this retelling, especially since it was in the hands of an author I already enjoyed and respected! Below you will find some general information about the book as well as my own review, so be sure to read on and check it out. :)

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: ELEKTRA
Author:  Jennifer Saint
Pub. Date: May 3rd, 2022
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Pages: 320
Find it: Bookshop.org | B&N | Amazon |  

SYNOPSIS:

“The House of Atreus is cursed. A bloodline tainted by a generational cycle of violence and vengeance. This is the story of three women, their fates inextricably tied to this curse, and the fickle nature of men and gods. 

Clytemnestra 
The sister of Helen, wife of Agamemnon - her hopes of averting the curse are dashed when her sister is taken to Troy by the feckless Paris. Her husband raises a great army against them, and determines to win, whatever the cost. 

Cassandra
Princess of Troy, and cursed by Apollo to see the future but never to be believed when she speaks of it. She is powerless in her knowledge that the city will fall. 

Elektra
The youngest daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, Elektra is horrified by the bloodletting of her kin. But, can she escape the curse, or is her own destiny also bound by violence?"

 

        Review:  

Elektra tells the story of three women tied to the House of Atreus, a family line that has been plagued by a curse of violence for generations. In this story, we visit a time before the Trojan War when Clytemnestra and Helen were just two sisters of Sparta preparing for marriage, we visit the time of the Trojan War and everything that occurs within it, and we finally visit the time after the Trojan War when King Agamemnon returns home to Clytemnestra and the Greek world must go back to their regular way of life. 

In Elektra, we follow three women who are a part of this myth: Cassandra, the cursed seer; Clytemnestra, a daughter of Spartan rulers who is wed to the king Agamemnon of Mycenae; and Elektra, daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon who is left behind with her mother in Mycenae when Agamemnon goes off to fight in what would be the Trojan War. 

I appreciated Saint's candid portrayal of Clytemnestra in showing how her actions and motivations are both understandable and extreme in varying circumstances. Saint makes it easy to follow along with Clytemnestra's character development and gradual evolution as she is affected by various experiences in her life, and particularly a traumatic one involving the death of one of her daughters. 

I also really liked having a POV from Cassandra, as she is always a figure that has intrigued me and that I’ve connected with for some reason. She was cursed by the god Apollo to where she would always be able to accurately receive prophecies, but no one would ever believe what she told them–and I can only imagine unbelievably infuriating that would be. I loved getting a more multi-dimensional view of Cassandra, as I've always found her a very sympathetic and intriguing character. 

Elektra herself was surprisingly the most difficult character for me to connect with in this book and I have to say I really didn’t care for her or her portrayal. I found her very close-minded and difficult to connect with at times, but I did understand her headspace and her choices that were necessary for the myth and was relevant in the myth as well. 

Saint’s writing is incredibly thoughtful and quiet, but still very powerful. We really got to hear each character's unique voice, no matter how big or small their role was. Her prose is vivid and thorough, but not overdone in conveying the many events of this myth story that range from the traumatic and tragic to the loyalty between family and long family curses. There’s a very lovely simplicity about it that I think lended itself to the story really well, and I appreciated that it followed the myth fairly closely in the areas she chose to include. I didn’t end up connecting with Elektra to the same extent that I did Ariadne, but I think that’s solely due to my own interest level and how much I loved Ariadne and the minotaur story and I really liked and appreciated the story within Elektra and had a great time reading it. 

This is a beautiful and heartbreaking story of grief, tragedy, power, betrayal, and family. Overall, I've given Elektra four stars! If you are at all interested in Greek mythology, tales of fascinating women, and/or books in the same vein as Circe and Ariadne, then Elektra is a book that should definitely be on your radar. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 Jennifer Saint is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Her debut novel, ARIADNE, was shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year 2021 and was a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards Fantasy category in 2021. Her second novel, ELEKTRA, comes out in 2022 and is another retelling of Greek mythology told in the voices of the women at the heart of the ancient legends.(from Goodreads)

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Blog Tour Review: Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

Today I'm thrilled to share my blog tour stop with you all for Jennifer Saint's Ariadne, which is available now! I was so excited when Amelia from Flatiron Books reached out about reading a copy of Ariadne and participating in this blog tour. My post will feature some info about the book, as well as my review!

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: ARIADNE
Author:  Jennifer Saint
Pub. Date: May 4th, 2021
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Pages: 308
Find it: B&N | IndieBound | Amazon |  Google Play | Book Depostiory

SYNOPSIS:

“As Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the hoofbeats and bellows of the Minotaur echo from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur - Minos's greatest shame and Ariadne's brother - demands blood every year.

When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the beast, Ariadne falls in love with him. But helping Theseus kill the monster means betraying her family and country, and Ariadne knows only too well that in a world ruled by mercurial gods - drawing their attention can cost you everything.

In a world where women are nothing more than the pawns of powerful men, will Ariadne's decision to betray Crete for Theseus ensure her happy ending? Or will she find herself sacrificed for her lover's ambition?

Ariadne gives a voice to the forgotten women of one of the most famous Greek myths, and speaks to their strength in the face of angry, petulant Gods. Beautifully written and completely immersive, this is an exceptional debut novel."

 

Review:  

 

Ariadne is a beautiful retelling of the Greek myth of Theseus and the minotaur, with a spotlight on Ariadne and her sister Phaedra. As a Classicist, I am always excited about any Greek myth retelling and snatch them up as soon as possible, so I was particularly thrilled by the idea of Ariadne because this seems to spotlight a lesser known myth and even lesser known characters. 

 

Ariadne had a slow start for me while the world was being set up and some general background was developed, so I was a little hesitant about what to expect as the story continued. Fortunately, once the general plot really started, things started to fall into place and it became a much easier read for me that I ended up having a hard time pulling myself away from. Saint managed to craft the slower setup of the beginning of the book into a carefully told tale of the power of gods and men and how the women involved navigate their lives and the forces surrounding them.

 

I really enjoyed following Ariadne and Phaedra on their respective journeys which seemed to mirror one another in opposite ways. Both of these young women experience so much in this story and their methods of resilience emerge in very different ways, which I found particularly compelling. It was heartbreaking to read various points of this book, but also full of emotion and intrigue. The personalities of both women were wonderfully developed and I think their strong multi-dimensional aspects brought so much life to this incredible myth. 

 

One of my favorite things about this retelling was how Saint worked many original myth elements into the story. The way she retold the minotaur's conception was particularly enjoyable, as well as the small details added to create plot points matching the myth, all of which were done in a clever and original manner. I really got the sense from Saint's writing that she had a connection to this story and the characters she wrote about, and I think that really gave this story a life of it's own that beautifully incorporated the ancient and the modern with themes that feel universal and relevant to all.

 

Saint's prose was beautiful and lyrical, and was wonderfully paced, though slightly on the slower side. This isn't a book to be rushed through (despite my desire to find out what would happen), but rather a book to be savored and thought about. I was particularly impressed by and enjoyed Saint's insight into what the dynamics were like for human and god interactions, as well as an exploration of how some gods may perceive human life. For instance, the god Dionysus spends time throughout the book talking about the differences between a god's outlook on life versus a human's, the latter of which often has more passion in it since it is so much shorter, and I  really found myself engaged with these more philosophical discussions and thought experiments. 

 

 If you love a beautiful retelling full of vivid characters, incredible stories, and an exploration of the relationships between mortals and the Greek gods, then this is the book for you!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

JENNIFER SAINT grew up reading Greek mythology and was always drawn to the untold stories hidden within the myths. After thirteen years as a high school English teacher, she wrote ARIADNE which tells the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur from the perspective of Ariadne - the woman who made it happen. Jennifer Saint is now a full-time author, living in Yorshire, England, with her husband and two children.

LINKS: Twitter | Goodreads

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Ariadne by Jennifer Saint, Master Artificer (The Silent Gods #2) by Justin Travis Call, Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

 

May is packed with releases, which means we are once again going to be featuring three books each week for Can't-Wait Wednesday because one or two are simply not enough. :)

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
Publication: May 4th, 2021

Flatiron Books

Hardcover. 320 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"A mesmerising retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Perfect for fans of CIRCE, A SONG OF ACHILLES, and THE SILENCE OF THE GIRLS.

 

As Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the hoofbeats and bellows of the Minotaur echo from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur - Minos's greatest shame and Ariadne's brother - demands blood every year.

 

When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the beast, Ariadne falls in love with him. But helping Theseus kill the monster means betraying her family and country, and Ariadne knows only too well that in a world ruled by mercurial gods - drawing their attention can cost you everything.

 

In a world where women are nothing more than the pawns of powerful men, will Ariadne's decision to betray Crete for Theseus ensure her happy ending? Or will she find herself sacrificed for her lover's ambition?

 

Ariadne gives a voice to the forgotten women of one of the most famous Greek myths, and speaks to their strength in the face of angry, petulant Gods. Beautifully written and completely immersive, this is an exceptional debut novel."

I'm reading this one right now, and there's something odd about it to me, but I'm also really enjoying it? Regardless, I'm excited for its release because I think it's awesome to have more Greek myth retellings--and it's so lovely!

and...

Master Artificer (The Silent Gods #2) by Justin Travis Call

Publication: May 18th, 2021

Gollancz

Hardcover. 866 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"The fabulous sequel to 2019's hit debut novel: Master of Sorrows.

 

Annev has avoided one fate. But a darker path may still claim him . . .

 

After surviving the destruction of Chaenbalu, new mysteries and greater threats await Annev and his friends in the capital city of Luqura. As they navigate the city’s perilous streets, Annev searches for a way to control his nascent magic and remove the cursed artifact now fused to his body.

 

But what might removing it cost him?

 

As Annev grapples with his magic, Fyn joins forces with old enemies and new allies, waging a secret war against Luqura’s corrupt guilds in the hopes of forging his own criminal empire. Deep in the Brakewood, Myjun is learning new skills of her own as apprentice to Oyru, the shadow assassin who attacked the village of Chaenbalu – but the power of revenge comes at a daunting price. And back in Chaenbalu itself, left for dead in the Academy’s ruins, Kenton seeks salvation in the only place he can: the power hoarded in the Vault of Damnation . . ."

I really enjoyed Master of Sorrows back when I read it and have been excited to dive back into this world! I was granted an early copy of this so I'm hoping to dive in soon--but at 800+ pages, it may take me a while, haha! The covers for this series have also been so gorgeous so far.

and...

Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee

Publication: May 4th, 2021

G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Hardcover. 304 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Southampton, 1912: Seventeen-year-old British-Chinese Valora Luck has quit her job and smuggled herself aboard the Titanic with two goals in mind: to reunite with her twin brother Jamie--her only family now that both their parents are dead--and to convince a part-owner of the Ringling Brothers Circus to take the twins on as acrobats. Quick-thinking Val talks her way into opulent firstclass accommodations and finds Jamie with a group of fellow Chinese laborers in third class. But in the rigidly stratified world of the luxury liner, Val's ruse can only last so long, and after two long years apart, it's unclear if Jamie even wants the life Val proposes. Then, one moonless night in the North Atlantic, the unthinkable happens--the supposedly unsinkable ship is dealt a fatal blow--and Val and her companions suddenly find themselves in a race to survive.

 

Stacey Lee, master of historical fiction, brings a fresh perspective to an infamous tragedy, loosely inspired by the recently uncovered account of six Titanic survivors of Chinese descent. "

I absolutely love the premise of this one and thinks it sounds like it'll be such an interesting perspective to follow. Really can't wait for this one!

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?