Review: The Lord of the Wood by E.M. Anderson

 

The Lord of the Wood by E.M. Anderson
Hanover Square Press
Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Paperback. 448 pages.

About The Lord of the Wood:

"The cozy fantasy of TJ Klune meets the creeping horror of T. Kingfisher in this magical novel about a man who enters a deadly enchanted forest expecting it to endanger his life, but not his heart…

Clockmaker Arthur Throckmorton lives a quiet life with his sister and her children, only dreaming of adventure. So when a wealthy client offers him a job that involves traversing Shiftleaf—an enchanted forest that claimed his father decades ago—he reluctantly accepts. The forest is treacherous, but the money will change his family’s lives. The journey quickly turns perilous. Fleeing from monstrous birds, Arthur stumbles upon a hidden vale where he meets the Lord of the Wood—a figure from his father’s many stories. Instead of the fairy prince Arthur always imagined, Ira is a morose man, slowly transforming into a beast, his power over a dying forest waning.

Arthur enjoys the safety of the vale, and Ira’s company. But he yearns for his family. To safely return home and rescue Ira from a cursed and lonely existence, Arthur and Ira must reach the heart of the wood to heal the forest. Except the further they venture from the vale, the more beastly Ira becomes. If they can’t complete their mission before he turns completely, Arthur could lose the man he’s falling for—and never see his family again."

The Lord of the Wood first caught my attention with its absolutely gorgeous cover, but once I learned it centered around a strange and magical forest, I immediately knew I had to check it out. The Lord of the Wood is pitched as a "cozy horror" of sorts, and that's exactly what I'd say, though I'd note that those looking for true horror will not necessarily find that here. What you will find, however, is a magical forest that is shrouded in mystery and a dark atmosphere, some lingering melancholy throughout the pages, delightful characters, a bit of romance, and much more inside. 

We follow Arthur, a clockmaker, who lives with his sister, Charlotte, who is widowed with two children. One day, he is offered a job to traverse through Shiftleaf, the notorious and mysterious forest that surrounds their village. This forest is dangerous enough on its own, but it's also quite personal to Arthur and his sister. Their father, who regularly traversed through the forest when he was alive, claimed to have met the infamous Lord of the Wood on his journeys, but unfortunately one day went into the forest and never returned. Arthur, with mixed feelings, accepts the job and sets off into the forest--which pretty much immediately turns into a bit of a disaster. However, he soon runs into the Lord of the Wood himself,  and so the rest of the our story begins. 

Arthur is an incredibly easy protagonist to root for. He’s struggling to figure out where he belongs in life, and I thought Anderson captures those feelings of loneliness, uncertainty, and a lacking companionship really well. I also appreciated the insightful exploration of what it means to be queer in a world that doesn’t accept you, and I found that Anderson tackled that topic in a couple different ways that was very thoughtful. While my own experiences don't entirely overlap with Arthur's, the emotions behind Arthur’s search for belonging felt genuine and very deftly and thoughtfully handled. 

As a fan of magical and mysterious forests, I was of course very excited to explore Shiftleaf. It’s somewhat eerie without being overly oppressive in its intensity, and it feels like it’s brimming with magic without feeling too whimsical. And, most importantly, it’s very much unpredictable in what to expect most of the time (except a few things that seem to be staples). I really enjoyed exploring the forest alongside Arthur, although perhaps “enjoyed” is not the right word since many of Arthur’s experiences in the forest are downright negative and often quite terrifying. Still, I liked not knowing what creature or phenomenon might be waiting around the corner. The sickness that has been spreading through the forest also added another layer of unease that made the setting feel even more tragic and haunting. 

Readers looking for true horror may not find this to be quite up to their expectations, but that doesn’t mean there was nothing unsettling in this one. There's not too much that will haunt anybody's dreams, but there may be a few elements from the forest that could provide some disturbing visuals. I think there is a part of me that wishes a few ideas from this story had been expanded upon just a bit to flesh things out even more (and I also would've loved a bit more clockmaking than there actually was--which wasn't enough!), but I also understand what this book was trying to set out to do and the story it was trying to tell, and it did exactly that, so I really can't fault it for that. 

Lastly, I'll note that I was a little uncertain about one of the romances. I understood what it was trying to accomplish and overall it was perfectly lovely and sweet, but there was a bit of weird dynamic to it that felt decidedly odd to me. I can't really get into too many details so as to keep things spoiler-free, but I am definitely curious to hear others' thoughts on this and whether it's just me or not that felt this way. That being said, I really loved that we had two beautiful queer relationships featured in this story in a way that felt natural and meaningful to the story.

Overall, I think many readers will really love The Lord of the Wood. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Shiftleaf with Arthur, and I found myself invested in both his journey and the fate of the forest. If you enjoy magical forests with a dark edge and stories that balance an eerie atmosphere with some heartfelt and well-developed characters, then The Lord of the Wood is probably the next book you should pick up!

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

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Anticipated August 2026 Releases

 

August is right around the corner, it is absolutely packed with some incredible new releases. As always, I've collected a bit of a variety of just some of the books coming out next month, but trust me when I say there are so many more than just what's on this list. I've read a few already and I have more than a few of these as ARCs that I'm trying to keep up with (the eternal struggle!), and it is looking like yet another great month for publishing. Be sure to take a look below and let me know what books you're most looking forward to reading in August! 

Happy reading!

A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-Young || August 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Infinite State by Richard Swan || August 4th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett || August 5th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Calamities by Chuck Wendig || August 18th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Dungeon Book by Gareth Hanrahan || August 12th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Reliquary by Hannah Whitten || August 12th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Etna by Paul Yoon || August 4th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Castle and the Cloister by Laura E. Waymouth || August 4th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Salt King by Natasha Pulley || August 18th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Freight by Ryan Lowell || August 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The House that Eats the Dead by Max Doty || August 18th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Portrait of a Witch Undone by K.S. Shay || August 25th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Devil Knows Her Name by C.N. Vair || August 25th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Nobody Code by Miciah Bay Gault || August 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher || August 25th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Hirsohima, 8:15: The Lost Memoir by Kiyoshi Tanimoto || August 5th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Upon the Forge of Battle by Anthony Ryan || August 25th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Dreamland by Olivie Blake || August 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Kitten by Stacey Yu || August 5th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Sheep's Clothing by Celia Dale || August 18th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Inevitable Undoing by Leslye Penelope || August 12th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Night Pool by Lauren Lee Smith || August 25th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Sunrise by Téa Obreht || August 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty || August 5th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Shadows that Listen by Louisa Carmody || August 18th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Piñen by Daniela Catrileo || August 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Gingerbread Bones by Lindsay Lovise || August 4th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

A Tender Age by Chang-rae Lee || August 11th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Art of Charming a Changeling by Sylvia Cathrall || August 25th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

What are your anticipated August releases?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett, Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher, and Freight by Ryan Lowell

  

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

A Trade of Blood (Shadow of the Leviathan #3) by Robert Jackson Bennett

Publication: August 4th, 2026

Del Rey

Hardcover. 400 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"Detective Ana Dolabra must prove a condemned man’s innocence and confront a terrifying magical technology in this fantasy-mystery from the bestselling author of The Tainted Cup, winner of the Hugo and World Fantasy awards.

The heir to one of the Empire’s most powerful families sits in jail, accused of murder. His hands are covered in the victim’s blood, and he can neither deny his guilt nor explain his actions.

But if the great detective Ana Dolabra cannot save him from the noose, the farming canton of Sapirdad will explode into war, threatening to plunge the whole Empire into starvation and chaos.

As Ana investigates—her assistant Dinios Kol, as ever, acting as her eyes and ears—she fears her task is even more daunting than it seemed. For this murder is just the latest in a deeper, subtler web of death, woven by a mastermind with an ancient weapon at his disposal.

With their customary skill, Ana and Din pursue their adversary through the canton’s wild ranges, sprawling ranches, and reeking slaughterhouses. Yet even they are not prepared to learn the horrifying secret behind their opponent’s powers."

I have been really enjoying this series and am very eager to continue it!

Daggerbound (Swordheart #1) by T. Kingfisher

Publication: August 25th, 2026

Bramble

Hardcover. 448 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"Learned Edmund, a disillusioned scholar, is transporting yet another precious relic from one stuffy temple to a different stuffy temple. Another great adventure for the ages…

But when Edmund is set upon by bandits, in desperation, he breaks the cardinal rule and grabs for the relic, an ancient sword. To his surprise, instead of unsheathing a rusty, ancient weapon, an alarmingly handsome man appears, wielding daggers of blue steel and cutting the thieves down.

This man is the Dervish, an immortal warrior who’s been trapped for centuries in a sword of enchanted steel, and is angry as hell about it. He hates the curse that put him there, and he wants to hate Edmund, just as he has hated every wielder before him.

But the damned scholar is just so sweet and clever and kind. And while the Dervish may be able to protect Edmund from bandits, cultists, dragons, and strange inhuman diplomats, he may find it much harder to protect his own heart."

Although I didn't love Swordheart as much as I've enjoyed other works from Kingfisher, I'm always up for new Kingfisher anyway and will definitely check this one out.

Freight by Ryan Lowell

Publication: August 11th, 2026

Little, Brown and Company

Paperback. 224 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"As a lone semi-truck makes its snowy way to the US-Canadian border, a series of vivid characters are inexorably drawn into a desperate, comedic, and murderous scheme to steal its precious cargo.

Curtis, a newly hired dispatcher with a newly pregnant wife at home, holds a scrap of paper that identifies a semi-truck trailer that shouldn’t exist.

Billy Trask is a weathered and charismatic sociopath, who thinks nothing of quietly killing whomever may come in his way, and carefully guards the coordinates for a truck loaded with $10 million dollars-worth of Canadian pharmaceuticals.

Jimmy, Theo, and Sarah are the not-so-innocent locals poised to stand in Billy's way, none more so than Sarah, a local party girl with the heart and will of a colossus, and who will leave her own trail of mayhem and carnage in her 75-mile-per-hour wake.

In the rough-and-tumble tradition of Dennis Lehane, S.A. Cosby, and classic American noir, Freight is a thrill-ride view of the world of labor, life and love—a searing portrait of men at work and also at their worst."

Something about this one just really seems like something I'd like, so I'm curious to check it out!

Review: The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood by H.G. Parry

The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood by H.G. Parry
Redhook

Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Paperback. 448 pages.

About The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood:

"From the author of The Magician's Daughter comes a historical fantasy where dreams come to life and Arthurian legends are reborn, perfect for fans of The Everlasting and The Once and Future King.

Wales, 1941. As the second world war ravages the globe and bombs fall from the sky, people all over the world begin to dream of King Arthur. The dreams spread like a fantastical plague, flooding people's sleep night after night. Whispers arise of wonders and unexplained sights―dragons in the London Underground, and strange lights over Stonehenge. Self-proclaimed prophets claim they are miracles, heralding Arthur's return at the time of Britain's greatest need.

Elaine Ambrose has never dreamed of Arthur, and she doesn't believe in miracles. A librarian at the British Museum, she wants only to protect the museum's collection from the London Blitz, and is frustrated to be sent instead to catalogue a reclusive professor's private library on the coast of North Wales. But all is not as it seems. Soon Ellie must confront what she's tried to ignore: she dreams not of Arthur, but of Nimue―the Lady of the Lake. And her dreams promise not salvation, but a return to the darkness of the last days of Camelot.

“A dreamy tale about the power of stories. Beautifully conceived and impossible to put down.” ―Morgan Ryan, author of A Resistance of Witches

“A true feast of myth and wonder.” ―Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light"

I've loved just about everything I've read from H.G. Parry, and that means that I was exceptionally eager to read her latest upcoming release, The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood. I will admit that I--to my own disappointment--have never been very big on Arthurian tales and legends, and no matter how many times I have tried to read them or read books that incorporate them, something in my brain just seems to fog over and I can never really get into it. I genuinely have no idea why this is, but it's a pattern that I've noticed that made me slightly concerned when I saw that this book would revolve largely around the topic. I also have found in recent years that historical fiction centered around the World War II time period is not something that I tend to gravitate towards anymore, so these two things made me the slightest bit hesitant about this one. I am, however, pleased to report that this may be the first Arthurian-influenced story I've come across that I've thoroughly enjoyed and remained fully captivated by for the entire story.

Our story begins with Elaine Ambrose, or Ellie, in 1941 England. The war is waging on, and Ellie, a librarian, is sent off to North Wales by the British Museum to catalogue some professor's private library at his estate, Camlan. Ellie is not thrilled about this, as she feels she is deserting the war effort by doing so, but reluctantly agrees. Once at Camlan, she begins to learn a bit more about the estate, herself, and the new people she meets there, and things begin to feel more and more mysterious as new discoveries are unearthed. 

At the same time, Ellie has been having dreams of Nimue, the Lady of the Lake of Arthurian legends. And while this may seem odd, it is slightly less so due to the fact that the entirety of the country seems to suddenly be having dreams of King Arthur (though not Nimue, specifically, as that is unique to Ellie). All of these pieces work together to bring us deep into this plot of mixed timelines and intriguing concepts that make for a captivating story.

The story alternates chapters between Ellie's present day situation in 1941 and her dreams of Nimue, which are essentially told of Nimue's own perspective of her days when she first begins her life at Camelot under Merlin's tutelage. At first, I found myself much more intrigued by Ellie's POV and found myself worrying that I would remain less interested in Nimue's, which would in turn make the story drag a bit in places, but after the first two or three chapters featuring Nimue's POV, I was quickly enraptured in her story and found myself enjoying each perspective equally. Both women have a strong drive towards achieving their goals and following in what feels morally right for them--even when the goals they initially set out to strive towards may change in their nature. Or, even when they themselves realize that their own opinions or thoughts on things change as well and they must decipher exactly what it is they want to do that feels like it fits with who they are. 

I thought Parry did an excellent job weaving these narratives and plot threads together. I think the way this story flows and eventually melds together required some very careful plotting and deftness in its writing, and in the hands of another author I'm not sure it would have worked out as well as it did. It would have been extremely easy for this story to end up madly confusing--and there were a few times when I did find myself needing to re-read to better understand something--but it all made sense in the end and I was fascinated by how all the pieces worked out.

I most appreciate how so many of the additional characters were portrayed and developed, especially Merlin and Tom. They felt incredibly well-developed, with so many different components to their characterization that it always seemed there was something more to them. Merlin, in particular, from Nimue's POV, was one of the more captivating figures--which is often the case, it seems--and I loved how Parry made him feel both timeless (well...) and airy in the way he flits around the world, while at the same time being even more enigmatic, with darker undertones that hint at his greater powers or what he has witnessed (or will witness?). 

The pacing is fairly consistent throughout, though I will say that the last ~80 or so pages felt like it started to get a little bit rushed in how it suddenly decided to bring things together, and it just felt like a lot of info-dumping in some ways about how things worked and the like. It wasn't a huge drawback or anything, but it didn't quite fit for me with how the rest of the story's pacing had been throughout. Despite this, I think this book strikes a nice balance between sharing new information with characters and readers, the occasionally faster-paced/slightly more action-y scenes, and moments of stronger character development and background. 

If you are already a fan of King Arthur, Merlin, Camelot, The Lady of the Lake, everything Arthurian legend, this is probably what I'd say is a must-read for you. Parry seemed to really know, respect, and appreciate the legends and work with them in a way that felt like it really honed in on the themes and ideas from them, and it's made me come away with a newfound interest in them as well--and even a better understanding, in many ways. 

*I received a copy of The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating or enjoyment.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

More H.G. Parry reviews:
The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry
The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry
The Magician's Daughter by H.G. Parry

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Bury Your Dead by Ana Paula Maia & Kitten by Stacey Yu

  

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

Bury Your Dead by Ana Paula Maia

Publication: August 25th, 2026

Charco Press

Paperback. 128 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"By the International Booker Prize Shortlisted Author of On Earth As It Is Beneath 

Edgar Wilson has a gruesome job, one he is entirely unsentimental about―he cleans up roadkill in rural Brazil. But one day vultures are circling in the woods, and he can’t not go see what they’re gathering for. What transpires is a quest―a miserable day-long journey―for a couple of poor working men who only want to acknowledge that everybody (and in this case, every literal body) has the right to be treated as more than just scrap or trash. Dead animals, defrocked priests, corpses abandoned in the woods, and a criminal outfit trafficking in body parts―Bury Your Dead is an exhortation, a road trip, a story of friendship, and a hymn to the small ways we can shape the world. Ana Paula Maia’s alchemy with the grimmest of ingredients makes this her more hopeful, generous novel yet."

This definitely sounds like the type of story that I wouldn't really expect, but would absolutely grab me. 

Kitten by Stacey Yu

Publication: August 4th, 2026

Random House

Hardcover. 304 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"An enchanting debut novel about a young woman whose growing obsession with her boyfriend’s cat opens new possibilities for her life—but not without threatening to unravel it.

Katie is far from home, fresh out of college, and desperate to skirt the demands of adult life. It doesn’t help that she’s no longer speaking to her mother. Or that she owes her roommate and closest friend months of rent money. Luckily, her self-assured, generous boyfriend James seems happy to make decisions for them both. When James takes Katie on vacation to his family’s seaside house, he brings Silver, his childhood cat, and Katie discovers a sudden, strange, and giddy connection.

Silver doesn’t mind that Katie can’t seem to get a job, hold her own at dinner parties, or make amends with her mother. Silver, who gets to lie around all day, misbehave spectacularly, act cute, be gross, and still get fed, seems to have the life Katie increasingly longs for. Soon enough, they’re inseparable, and something inside Katie begins to crack open . . . or maybe just crack.

Because if Katie has learned anything from her mother, it’s that devotion comes at a price. As Katie's affection for Silver deepens, her other relationships begin to falter, until she’s forced to confront what she really desires from life—and what she might have to risk to get it.

Darkly playful, wryly observant, and unexpectedly heartfelt, this debut from an irresistible new voice in fiction is a timeless reckoning with the uncertainty of becoming a person in an age that is as disorienting and lonely as it is full of hope and promise."

I am really not sure what tone to expect from this book, because parts of it just sound like a contemporary story, but there's quite the underlying hint of something sinister or off--or so it seems to me? I'm super curious about this one!

Review: The Winter Folk by Jen Julian

 

The Winter Folk by Jen Julian
Run For It

Publication Date: July 21st, 2026
Paperback. 384 pages.

About The Winter Folk:

"A woman returns to the mysterious lodge in the woods where she once worked, and to the inscrutable creature that bound her there, in this haunting Appalachian gothic horror from singular voice Jen Julian. Perfect for fans of Alix E. Harrow and T. Kingfisher.

This is the story of Moth, who earned her name working for the Winter Folk.

Every year, the Winter Folk gather at a secret lodge in the Appalachians, a place known as Deerhaven, refuge for the time-worn and weary. As a child, Moth heard warnings from her mother: They are heartless, wild creatures—and they got no concern of us. At twenty-one, Moth is a college dropout, indebted, impoverished, and desperate for better things. She falls instantly for Deerhaven’s beautiful antlered host, the mild-mannered Mr. Oslin. When he offers her a housekeeper’s contract—one wish granted for a winter of service—she signs without question.

But Deerhaven is a dangerous place. Staff must follow strict rules or else face dire consequences, and the guests can be unpredictable and savage. And yet, Moth endures, enticed by a rumor that Mr. Oslin is looking for a protégé. A singular worker who would stay with him forever and be transformed.

Decades later, Moth returns to Appalachia with her husband and teenage daughter. She can't shake the feeling that she needs to return to Deerhaven, which banished her twenty years ago. As she hunts for a way in, her haunting memories and harrowing experiences come roaring back — her friends and rivals, her growing obsession with Mr. Oslin, and her mysterious exile.

A door exists in the dark of the woods. After so long away, what has Deerhaven become?"

I meant to read Jen Julian's Red Rabbit Ghost last year, but never got around to it, so this ended up being my first Jen Julian book--and it will certainly not be my last (and now Red Rabbit Ghost is high on my TBR)! I absolutely loved how weird this was, in the best possible meaning of the word.

We begin our story following Vera (who we will later also come to know as Moth) in the present day as she embarks on a winter "vacation" with her husband a daughter to her hometown of Little Gunning. Once there, we as readers are whisked away to the past, where Moth recounts her time as a younger woman and begins working at Deerhaven, an offbeat and mysterious lodge run by the equally mysterious Mr. Oslin. Deerhaven exists somewhere just adjacent to our own world, and it is while working here that she is known only as Moth to her coworkers and herself, as it is forbidden to share your real name while at Deerhaven. Her job is to spend the three-month winter season serving the lodge's guests in exchange for one request of her own choosing (assuming Mr. Oslin approves and deems it possible). It sounds simple enough, but the guests are anything but ordinary, and the requests she receives quickly make it clear that Deerhaven is not a place everyone is capable of surviving, and that the tasks are far more challenging than anticipated.

The story alternates between the past and present, although we spend what I'd say is considerably more time with Moth at Deerhaven then we do in the present day. This worked well for me because those sections were by far my favorite and I was entirely enraptured in learning more about the lodge and Moth's role, as well as the other characters we comee to know, such as Birch, Crow, Mr. Oslin, Dr. Moon, and a variety of others. 

I love a story that has a constant feeling that's much, much more to the world than we know, with plenty of dark and unnerving undertones, and The Winter Folk absolutely nails that atmosphere. I particularly enjoyed getting to meet so many of the eclectic, weird, and truly unexpected guests, whose requests ranged from bizarre to quite horrifying in their own right. Everything that happens at Deerhaven feels like some sort of fever dream that toes the line of nightmarish at times. I really wasn't sure at any turn exactly what was going to happen, and this all kept me entirely captivated. 

Julian's writing itself is really thoughtful and thought-provoking, and I thought Julian's tone and cadence had a really lovely quality to it that felt fluid and immersive, and definitely embodied a haunting sense to it as well. I thought she did a really good job of capturing how Moth's early life experiences both at Deerhaven and back at her hometown with her mom and dad have affected her later in life with her husband and daughter. She captured how a lot of those seemingly minute traumas and experiences can have such lasting effects, and even larger ones and how they often come out later. This all worked to add a really effective emotional depth that grounded so much of the story and its happenings.

The only real "negative" I have for this one relates to a particular romance that occurs more than halfway through the book. I wasn't entirely convinced by it or the direction it took, and it never ended up entirely working for me. That said, I do understand why it existed and the role it played in the larger story, especially with how everything evolves and eventually resolves and can appreciate that aspect. I just almost wish there was a slightly different dynamic or even type of relationship used. 

Overall, I really enjoyed The Winter Folk and I am still finding myself really impressed by Julian's ability to blend this sort horror fantasy blend with emotional component and storytelling. If you enjoy weird fantasy that leans into darker themes and unsettling concepts, then I'd absolutely recommend giving this one a try. Although marketed as horror, I'd say it's not outright horror, but rather carries an uncanny atmosphere throughout and contains more than a few genuinely disturbing moments. 

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

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Dungeon Book by Gareth Hanrahan, The Salt King by Natasha Pulley, & Portrait of a Witch Undone by K.S. Shay

  

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 Dungeon Book by Gareth Hanrahan

Publication: August 11th, 2026

Orbit

Paperback. 352 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"A young girl is left to die in a wizard's dungeon but finds a new home with the monsters around her in this humorous and heartfelt standalone epic fantasy from acclaimed author Gareth Hanrahan.

"Full of wit and adventure, twists and turns, wonderful monsters, and astonishing revelations. An absolute joy." —M. R. Carey, author of Infinity Gate

Enter a world of dungeons and dragons, magic and manticores, and goblins and gargoyles ...

Bait doesn't remember a time before the dungeon. Before the dragon stole her from her cot. She doesn't know what her name was before she was handed over to the monstrous denizens of the dungeon beneath the sorcerer's tower. Luckily for Bait, they decided not to eat her. And so she grew up in the dark—the goblins her adopted family, a vengeful minotaur her protector, a sentient skull her tutor, and a blob of corridor slime her main source of nutrition.

But the labyrinthine dungeon, with its haunted halls, buried temples and forgotten magics, draws treasure hunters like moths to flame. And as the outside world starts to intrude, Bait will learn what it means to be monstrous and she will have to decide where she truly belongs."

I really enjoyed some of Hanrahan's previous work and I am always amazed by his creativity, so I'm extremely excited for this new work from him!

The Salt King by Natasha Pulley

Publication: August 18th, 2026

Bloomsbury Publishing

Hardcover. 464 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"An apocalyptic novel about belief, religion, and the power of myth that blends the gripping, end-of-the-world storytelling of The Passage with the biting wit and epic queer romance that makes Natasha Pulley's books “delightful” (The Washington Post).

Jesuit priest Avelyn Brocken was born into a mining family in Hreodwater, a small, totally isolated salt town in the Fens of England. At age 16, he fled, abandoning his faith in the god of the mine-the Salt King-and the mythology that killed his whole family.

When a fellow priest is miraculously healed only to then be turned to salt after a visit to Hreodwater, Avelyn is sent by the Vatican to investigate. But in Hreodwater, the town's gentle doctor, Jericho, tells him that the priest is not the only one experiencing strange cures-and may not be the only one in danger from a substance in the mine that the locals call “salt light.”

Avelyn and Jericho team up to protect the world from the salt light-but they may already be too late: strange happenings are occurring at mines all around the world. At an archaeological dig on the Dead Sea, electrical devices froth salt; at another salt mine in Russia, a KGB officer finds the bodies of five tourists who seem to have turned to salt; and at the huge salt works at Wieliczska in Poland, all communication is lost, and rumors circulate of total annihilation.

As salt light spreads, devastating cities around the world, Avelyn must decide what and who to believe-and whether his faith is strong enough to withstand an apocalypse."

There are things that do and don't captivate about this premise, haha, so I'm overall just really intrigued and curious about this one!

Portrait of a Witch Undone by K.S. Shay

Publication: August 25th, 2026

Erewhon

Hardcover. 368 pages.

Pre-order: Bookshop.org | Amazon

From Goodreads:

"Thirteen stolen works of art. One haunted marsh. And a Boston witch willing to risk everything for the friend she’s already failed.

An atmospheric, eerie debut for readers of Starling House and A Discovery of Witches, Isabella Stewart Gardner art heist aficionados, witchy girls, burnt-out former gifted kids, New England history buffs, the coven curious, ride-or-die friends, folklore fanatics, and anyone who’s ever wanted to wander through the looking glass.

Once, Maeve Ryan was the strongest witch of her generation. But Maeve messed up a spell to contact the Lady of the Fens, an eerie Revenant who lures the unwary to their deaths in the brackish marshlands of the North Shore. Maeve destroyed her reputation, hurt her best friend Ash, and tainted herself with unbound, wild magic that transforms witches into insane Revenants.

With unbound power eating away at Maeve’s mind, all she wants is to get rid of her magic. Forever. But Ash’s research into how the spell went awry leads in an unexpected direction: the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and a link between the Lady and a decades-old art theft worth $500 million. When Ash disappears through a stolen painting’s empty frame, Maeve has to follow.

Inside is the Other Marsh, a haunting, deadly realm where only the Lady’s rules apply. Within this half-world lie secrets about North Shore’s history, Maeve’s failure, and the fate of the masterpieces that disappeared over three decades ago. But as Maeve fights toward the truth, she risks her friendship, her coven, and her life against enemies hiding in plain sight."

I haven't been really drawn to witch books as much these days, but I'm liking the sound of this one, so I'd love to check it out.