Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Library of Traumatic Memory by Neil Jordan, Honeysuck by Bar Fridman-Tell, & The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts by Kim Fu

    

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released

The Library of Traumatic Memory by Neil Jordan
Publication: March 12th, 2026 (UK release)
Head of Zeus
Hardcover. 336 pages.
Pre-order: Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"The first literary science fiction novel from Neil Jordan, visionary director of The Company of Wolves and Interview with the Vampire In a windswept corner of a forgotten peninsula, love and loss echo through the halls of a mansion built on secrets. Here memory is currency of the future, and the past refuses to stay buried.

In the year 2084, Christian Cartwright, a quiet librarian at the enigmatic Huxley Institute, spends his days archiving the world’s most painful memories in the Library of Traumatic Memory.

But when his lover Isolde dies in a mysterious car crash, Christian secretly resurrects her as a digital consciousness — an act of grief, obsession, and defiance.

As Christian navigates a world where memories can be edited, dreams harvested, and the dead made to speak, he uncovers a deeper conspiracy buried in the Institute’s foundations — one that stretches back centuries to his 18th-century ancestor Montagu Cartwright, the architect of the Huxley Mansion.

Montagu’s obsidian mirror and copper model may hold the key to a reality where architecture shapes fate and time loops back on itself.

Blending gothic mystery, speculative science, and philosophical depth, The Library of Traumatic Memory is a haunting meditation on love, loss, and the ethics of memory. As the past and future collide, Christian must decide what it means to remember — and what it costs to forget."

Honeysuckle by Bar Fridman-Tell

Publication: March 24th, 2026

Bloomsbury Publishing

Hardcover. 336 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"The Bear and the Nightingale meets Weyward in this enchanting, deeply compelling debut about love and power, autonomy and consent.

Once upon a time, on the edge between meadow and forest, there was a lonely child with only his older sister for company. In exchange for being left in peace, his sister made him a playmate-Daye, a girl woven from flowers and words. And for the first time, this boy, Rory, had a friend.

Rory couldn't be happier, until he learns that Daye is a short-lived creature. At the end of each season, she must be woven back together or fall gruesomely apart. And every time Daye falls apart might be her last.

As Rory and Daye grow older and the line between friendship and romance begins to blur, Rory becomes desperate to break this cycle of bloom and decay. But the farther Rory pushes his research and experiments to lengthen Daye's existence, the more Daye begins to wonder just how much control she really has over her own life.

As a loose reimagining of the story of Blodeuwedd from Welsh mythology, Honeysuckle is an entrancing, inventive, and unsettling debut."

The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts by Kim Fu
Publication: March 3rd, 2026
Tin House
Paperback. 240 pages.
Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:
"An eerie, spellbinding novel of grief, ghosts, apocalyptic rain, and slowly splintering reality, from an author who “writes with a pen as sharp and precise as a lancet.” —PEN/Hemingway Award judges’ citation

In the aftermath of her mother's death, Eleanor is unmoored. For years, her mother orchestrated every detail of her life—from meals, to laundry, to finances—as Eleanor focused on her career as an online therapist. Left to navigate the world on her own, Eleanor clings to her mother’s final directive: use her inheritance to buy a house.

Desperate to obey her mother one last time, Eleanor impulsively buys a model home in a valley-turned-construction site, a picturesque development steeped in a shadowy history. It feels like a fresh start, until the rain comes—an endless, torrential downpour. As water seeps in through the house’s cracks, the line between what is real and what is not begins to blur. Haunted by the stories of her clients, a stream of workmen and bureaucrats she can’t trust, and visions of ghosts from her past and present, Eleanor’s reality unravels, and she is forced to reckon with the secrets she’s buried and the choices she’s made."

Review: The Aftermyth by Tracy Wolff

The Aftermyth by Tracy Wolff

Aladdin
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Hardcover. 448 pages.

About The Aftermyth:

"In a world ruled by the tenets of Greek mythology, one girl’s fate is more than it appears in the first book in a new dark academia fantasy middle grade series from #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Crave series Tracy Wolff.

What’s your myth?

Penelope Weaver has spent her whole life preparing to attend Anaximander’s Academy, where students learn how to bring to life the stories of Greek mythology as well as discover the Greek god whose principles they most embody. Penelope knows she’s an Athena—all smart, practical, and rule-following girls who take part in stories that matter are Athenas.

But when Penelope and her twin brother Paris arrive at Anaximander’s, it appears fate has other plans. Penelope isn’t placed with Athena but with students who are anything but practical and who prefer parties to rules. And that’s just the beginning. She’s given the world’s worst muse, her assigned tasks feel impossible, and the magic of Anaximander’s is overwhelming. Not to mention, there are two very different boys making her new life even more confusing.

But as things go from bad to dangerously worse, one thing becomes clear: in a world where everything is fated to happen a certain way, some stories need to be rewritten. As the world around her shifts and cracks, Penelope is asked to forget everything she thought she knew to help create a better story…even if that changes every plan and breaks every rule."

The Aftermyth was such a blast! In this story, we follow Penelope Weaver as she embarks on a new adventure: attending Anaximander's Academy, something she's been anticipated her entire life. Things seem to go a little off track the moment Penelope arrives at Anaximander's and, well, that's where our story begins!

I really loved how Tracy Wolff incorporated so many elements of Greek mythology and Ancient Greek life into this story, from the setup of the school to including elements and names like the Stoa, the student houses, and even using Anaximander as the school name (and if you’ve never heard of/read anything from the actual Anaximander, I recommend it!). Some of the references were things I expected to see, such as having the Greek gods be prominent figures, but what really stood out to me was more how Wolff used them. Rather than sticking closely to traditional interpretations and methods of incorporating Greek myth into stories, she took all of these mythological ideas and Ancient Greek concepts in new directions that felt genuinely innovative and fun.

I’ll admit that in the past I used to be much more concerned with things feeling ‘authentic’ or ‘respectful’ when it comes to Greek mythology/etc., but these days I mostly just appreciate seeing stories that incorporate them in ways that creative and interesting, but most of all fit the story they are trying to tell (while also keeping in mind their origins and not going too far off course, of course). The Aftermyth absolutely worked for me in this way, and it’s clear to me that Wolff knows the ‘source material’ (“source material” used loosely since there’s not really any hard source material for this) and is not afraid to remix it.

I really enjoyed learning about all of the different houses as well. The interpretation of Aphrodite’s house in particular as colorful, open, and loving in a friendship/human way (rather than just romantic love) was a delight and I thought really gives Aphrodite some real depth beyond her surface level portrayal as the love goddess stereotype, and I loved the warmth and personality it gave her. The Athena House being full of bookish sticklers and strategists also made me chuckle and felt very fitting. It’s clear to me that Wolff had a lot of fun with her inspiration, and that sense of joy is readily apparent.

Another thing that I really appreciated is how big this world feels. It’s immediately accessible as we dive into this new school setting with our protagonist, but there are definitely hints and signs here and there that there’s much more happening beneath the surface. There’s so much more to explore, and I'm very excited about that.

That being said, the only negative I’d say about the world is that it also felt a bit confusing and left me unclear how exactly it is oriented in the world at large--are the gods universally accepted and known in the larger world? Is this more like a religion or just a known fantasy world? Are these characters at the school part of a specific subset of people or just representative of the rest of the world? Are there other schools like this? Unless I missed any of the answers to these questions, I found myself feeling slightly unsure and I’m hoping future books dive into these questions a bit. Although, just to contradict myself a bit, I did enjoy this book and the world as it is as if it were in a vacuum, so maybe it would keep working--who knows.

Lastly, I wanted to touch on the pacing and plotting of this book. The pacing is pretty wild. It’s a decently hefty book, and it felt like we spent a lot of time on the very first day and subsequently settling into the beginning of the school year before rushing through more time later in the book. I didn’t necessarily mind this, as in the moment it was quite enjoyable either way, but looking back, it feels a bit off. Somehow, though, I think part of what made this book fun and work is that it almost felt as if it didn’t care as much about traditional plot progression or “perfect” pacing, and I know that sounds like a backhanded compliment, but it’s really not. The storytelling does what feels right for characters and the story in the moment, rather than sticking rigidly to a formula. Somehow, that looseness and flexibility worked really well.

Overall, The Aftermyth is creative, full of energy, and clearly written with a genuine joy of its inspirations. If you enjoy Greek mythology, magical schools, or fantasy worlds that aren’t afraid to get a little funky with their source material, then this one is absolutely worth checking out.

*I received a copy of The Aftermyth courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Bookshop.org | Amazon

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman, The Fourth Princess by Janie Chang, & Patchwork Dolls by Ysabelle Cheung

   

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released

Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman
Publication: February 10th, 2026
Ace
Hardcover. 448 pages.
Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:
"A man must fight for his planet against impossible odds when gamers from Earth attempt to remotely annihilate it in this epic, fast-paced novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl.

All colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do was run the family ranch with his sister, maybe play a gig or two with his band, and keep his family’s aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking as long as possible. He figures it will be a good thing when the transfer gate finally opens all the way and restores instant travel and full communication between Earth and his planet, New Sonora. But there’s a complication.

Even though the settlers were promised they’d be left in peace, Earth’s government now has other plans. The colossal Apex Industries is hired to commence an “eviction action.” But maximizing profits will always be Apex’s number one priority. Why spend money printing and deploying AI soldiers when they can turn it into a game? Why not charge bored Earthers for the opportunity to design their own war machines and remotely pilot them from the comfort of their homes?

The game is called Operation Bounce House.

Oliver and his friends soon find themselves fighting for their lives against machines piloted by gamers who’ve paid a premium for the privilege. With the help of an old book from his grandfather and a bucket of rusty parts, Oliver is determined to defend the only home he’s ever known."

I, like many, many other people, have been a huge fan of Matt Dinniman's Dungeon Crawler Carl series, so I'm very eager to check out this new book! I read one of Dinniman's previous LitRPG works and was impressed with the creativity there as well, so I think something new from him is very promising.

The Fourth Princess by Janie Chang

Publication: February 10th, 2026

William Morrow

Paperback. 336 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"From the internationally bestselling author of The Porcelain Moon comes a haunting Gothic novel set in 1911 China. Two young women living in a crumbling, once-grand Shanghai mansion face danger as secrets of their pasts come to light, even as the mansion’s own secret threatens the present.

Shanghai, 1911. Lisan Liu is elated when she is hired as secretary to wealthy American Caroline Stanton, the new mistress of Lennox Manor on the outskirts of Shanghai’s International Settlement. However, the Manor has a dark past due to a previous owner’s suicide, and soon Lisan’s childhood nightmares resurface with more intensity and meld with haunted visions of a woman in red. Adding to her unease is the young gardener, Yao, who both entices and disturbs her.

Newly married Caroline looks forward to life in China with her husband, Thomas, away from the shadows of another earlier tragedy. But an unwelcome guest, Andrew Grey, attends her party and claims to know secrets she can’t afford to have exposed. At the same party, the notorious princess Masako Kyo approaches Lisan with questions about the young woman’s family that the orphaned Lisan can’t answer.

As Caroline struggles with Grey’s extortion and Thomas’s mysterious illness, Lisan’s future is upended when she learns the truth about her past, and why her identity has been hidden all these years. All the while, strange incidents accelerate, driving Lisan to doubt her sanity as Lennox Manor seems unwilling to release her until she fulfills demands from beyond the grave."

I've really enjoyed some of Janie Chang's previous books and this sounds like it'll be another fantastic read. 

Patchwork Dolls by Ysabelle Cheung
Publication: February 10th, 2026
Blair
Paperback. 200 pages.
Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:
"In this debut story collection, Ysabelle Cheung weaves an eerie fabulism with tales that cross continents, technology, and time.

Set in Hong Kong and America—between the present day and an uncannily altered future—this story collection warps the familiar rules of our world to ask: what does it mean to be Asian and a woman—living under the specter of state and technological surveillance—or trying to break free from it?

In the title story, a young woman of color realizes she can make her fortune by surgically selling her facial features to whiter, wealthier clients. In “Please, Get Out and Dance,” a group of rebels escapes a city that is literally disappearing around them—building by building, person by person—to migrate to a new home beneath the ocean, defying their government’s mandate. “Herbs” follows an elderly widow who, when the clones of her dead husband start to appear uninvited in her home, must grapple with her memories.

In each of these stories, Cheung tilts the world just slightly off its axis to bring together a haunting meditation on what it means to survive within our increasingly digitized and mechanized world."

I was fortunate enough to have already worked my way through an early copy of this and it was so good, I can't wait for it to be released (my review will also be up closer to it's publication)!

The Faceless Thing We Adore by Hester Steel

Publication: August 5th, 2025

Page Street Horror

Hardcover. 416 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"It’s a tale as old as time: break up with your shitty boyfriend, travel to a foreign country to find yourself . . . end up in a sex-fueled commune worshiping an angry God. When Aoife stumbles across the Farmstead, she finds everything she’s been missing—a community that loves her, sexual freedom, a greater purpose. She could actually be happy here. . .

If it weren’t for the teenager they keep locked up in a cabin with no windows. Or the mysterious rot spreading through the farmland. Or that some of her new friends talk about their leader Jonah with more fear than love.

When the god wakes up and it all goes wrong, it’s only Aoife who has the power to choose what will become of their tiny reality. Awkward, clumsy Aoife, who was always told she was weak, and is just now realizing the depths of her strength—and the pleasures of her rage."

I usually like to throw in a nonfiction option on these posts, but since we are slowly entering the season for horror there are an abundance of new horror options, so I just had to share this last one here. What a premise and I have absolutely no idea what to expect, so I'm definitely intrigued!

Anticipated February 2026 Releases

Putting this post together has shown me that February is absolutely packed with new releases, and I'm not sure if any of us can keep up, haha, be we can certainly try! I've already read a few (The Aftermyth--so fun!--Patchwork Dolls, and The Red Winter, to name a few) and I am currently working on a couple others (Strange Animals, and Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter, to name a couple!) and so far it's shaping up to be a fantastic month of new books. I cannot wait to have a chance to read so many of these, and I'm curious to hear what books you all are most looking forward to reading in February! Be sure to let me know in the comments, and if I somehow left off the book(s) you're most looking forward to (because even with how long this list is, there were still more books that didn't fit on the list), then be sure to let me know what those ones are, too. 
Happy reading, everyone!

The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan || February 24th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson || February 10th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

White River Crossing by Ian McGuire || February 24th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

She Made Herself a Monster by Anna Kovatcheva || February 10th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman || February 10th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Eradication by Jonathan Miles || February 10th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Forest on the Edge of Time by Jasmin Kirkbride || February 3rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett || February 17th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Iron Garden Sutra by A.D. Sui || February 24th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

For Human Use by Sarah G. Pierce || February 10th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn || February 17th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Weavingshaw by Heba Al-Wasity || February 24th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Renovation by Kenan Orhan || February 10th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Fox Hunt by Caitlin Breeze || February 24th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Pohaku by Jasmin 'Iolani Hakes || February 3rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Hospital at the End of the World by Justin C. Key || February 3rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Heap Earth Upon It by Chloe Michelle Howarth || February 3rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi || February 24th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Trident and the Pearl by Sarah K.L. Wilson || February 24th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward || February 24th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

After the Fall by Edward Ashton || February 24th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Boundless Deep by Richard Holmes || February 10th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

A Slow and Secret Poison by Carmella Lowkis || February 10th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Fourth Princess by Janie Chang || February 10th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Every Exit Brings You Home by Naeem Murr || February 3rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Queen of Faces by Petra Lord || February 3rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Bone Queen by Will Shindler || February 3rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Patchwork Dolls by Isabelle Cheung || February 10th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Antique by Seth Panitch || February 3rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Dead First by Johnny Compton || February 10th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Everything Lost Returns by Sarah Domet || February 17th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Body by Bethany C. Morrow || February 10th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Aftermyth by Tracy Wolff || February 3rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

A World Appears by Michael Pollan || February 24th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Little One by Olivia Muenter || February 3rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Rebel English Academy by Mohammed Hanif || February 17th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Laws of Thought by Tom Griffiths || February 10th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Optimists by Brian Platzer || February 24th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Price of Mercy by Emily Galvin Almanza || February 17th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Apparently, Sir Cameron Needs to Die by Greer Stothers || February 3rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Superfan by Jenny Tinghui Zhang || February 3rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Bad Asians by Lillian Li || February 17th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Secret of Snow by Tina Harnesk || February 3rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

A Crown of Stars by Shana Abe || February 24th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Glowing Hours by Leila Siddiqui || February 3rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Where the False Gods Dwell by Denny S. Bryce || February 24th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Nightshade and Oak by Molly O'Neill || February 3rd -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

What are your anticipated February releases?