The Leaning Pile of Books is a feature in which I highlight books I got over the last week that sound like they may be interesting—old or new, bought or received in the mail for review consideration. Since I hope you will find new books you’re interested in reading in these posts, I try to be as informative as possible. If I can find them, links to excerpts, author’s websites, and places where you can find more information on the book are included, along with series information and the publisher’s book description. Cover images are affiliate links to Bookshop, and I earn from qualifying purchases.
There are no new posts since the last one of these features, so let’s get straight to the books!
The River of Silver: Tales from the Daevabad Trilogy by S. A. Chakraborty
This collection of stories related to the Daevabad Trilogy came out in audiobook earlier this year, and it is now also available in hardcover and ebook formats. The publisher’s website has audio and text samples from The River of Silver, as well as all three books in the trilogy:
My husband pre-ordered a signed copy of this plus signed copies of all three Daevabad books for me for Christmas and gave them to me as an early present. The River of Silver was one of my most anticipated 2022 releases since I rather enjoyed the Daevabad books for their blend of history and myth—especially the second book, which was one of my favorites of 2019 with all its politics and family drama. (The trilogy’s conclusion was also one of my favorite books of 2020.)
Bestselling author S. A. Chakraborty’s acclaimed Daevabad Trilogy gets expanded with this new compilation of stories from before, during, and after the events of The City of Brass, The Kingdom of Copper, and The Empire of Gold, all from the perspective of characters both beloved and hated, and even those without a voice in the novels. The River of Silver gathers material both seen and new—including a special coda fans will need to read—making this the perfect complement to those incredible novels.
Now together in one place, these stories of Daevabad enrich a world already teeming with magic and wonder. Explore this magical kingdom, hidden from human eyes. A place where djinn live and thrive, fight and love. A world where princes question their power, and powerful demons can help you…or destroy you.
A prospective new queen joins a court whose lethal history may overwhelm her own political savvy…
An imprisoned royal from a fallen dynasty and a young woman wrenched from her home cross paths in an enchanted garden…
A pair of scouts stumble upon a secret in a cursed winter wood that will turn over their world…
From Manizheh’s first steps towards rebellion to adventures that take place after The Empire of Gold, this is a must-have collection for those who can’t get enough of Nahri, Ali, and Dara and all that unfolded around them.
The Luminaries (Luminaries #1) by Susan Dennard
This YA contemporary fantasy novel will be released on November 1 (hardcover, ebook, audiobook). The publisher’s website has an excerpt from The Luminaries.
Susan Dennard ran a choose-your-own-adventure story involving this world and protagonist on Twitter in 2019. It was a lot of fun, and I looked forward to seeing the discussion about which poll options were best and seeing where the story went every day. Though this story differs from the novel, I’m curious about the order of monster hunters and have also been enjoying the new daily choose-your-own-adventure that started a few days ago.
From Susan Dennard, the New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands series, comes a haunting and high-octane contemporary fantasy, about the magic it takes to face your fears in a nightmare-filled forest, and the mettle required to face the secrets hiding in the dark corners of your own family.
Hemlock Falls isn’t like other towns. You won’t find it on a map, your phone won’t work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you.
Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, the ancient order that protects Winnie’s town—and the rest of humanity—from the monsters and nightmares that rise in the forest of Hemlock Falls every night.
Ever since her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor, Winnie and her family have been shunned. But on her sixteenth birthday, she can take the deadly Luminary hunter trials and prove herself true and loyal—and restore her family’s good name. Or die trying.
But in order to survive, Winnie enlists the help of the one person who can help her train: Jay Friday, resident bad boy and Winnie’s ex-best friend. While Jay might be the most promising new hunter in Hemlock Falls, he also seems to know more about the nightmares of the forest than he should. Together, he and Winnie will discover a danger lurking in the forest no one in Hemlock Falls is prepared for.
Not all monsters can be slain, and not all nightmares are confined to the dark.
