The Leaning Pile of Books is a feature in which I highlight books I got over the last week that sound 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.
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org, and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Since I ended up making last-minute plans last weekend and didn’t have time to do a post, this includes books that normally would have been covered then. Last weekend’s post would have highlighted three book purchases, including a couple of books inspired by Greek mythology since I wanted more after reading The Song of Achilles. There are a lot of those to choose from so I bought the two with the beginnings I liked the best from some samples.
The book for this week is one I’ve been excited about for a while. Both this and one of my purchases appeared on my list of anticipated 2024 book releases!
Mistress of Lies (The Age of Blood #1) by K. M. Enright
K. M. Enright’s dark romantic fantasy debut novel came out just a couple of weeks ago (trade paperback, ebook, audiobook). This is the first book in a trilogy.
The publisher has an excerpt from Mistress of Lies.
I’ve wanted to read this ever since seeing the description: “A villainous, bloodthirsty heroine finds herself plunged into the dangerous world of power, politics and murder in the court of the vampire king.” Court politics/power games and villainous characters are very much up my fictional alley, so this sounds excellent to me.
A villainous, bloodthirsty heroine finds herself plunged into the dangerous world of power, politics and murder in the court of the vampire king in this dark romantic fantasy debut.
Fate is a cruel mistress.
The daughter of a powerful but disgraced Blood Worker, Shan LeClaire has spent her entire life perfecting her blood magic, building her network of spies, and gathering every scrap of power she could. Now, to protect her brother, she assassinates their father and takes her place at the head of the family. And that is only the start of her revenge.
Samuel Hutchinson is a bastard with a terrible gift. When he stumbles upon the first victim of a magical serial killer, he’s drawn into the world of magic and intrigue he’s worked so hard to avoid – and is pulled deeply into the ravenous and bloodthirsty court of the vampire king.
Tasked by the Eternal King to discover the identity of the killer cutting a bloody swath through the city, Samuel, Shan and mysterious Royal Blood Worker Isaac find themselves growing ever closer to each other. But Shan’s plans are treacherous, and as she lures Samuel into her complicated web of desire, treason and vengeance, he must decide if the good of their nation is worth the cost of his soul.
Fans of From Blood and Ash and Kingdom of the Wicked will devour this decadent, bloodthirsty debut.
Medea by Eilish Quin
This debut novel reimagining the story of Medea came out earlier this year (hardcover, ebook, audiobook). It will be coming out in trade paperback in January 2025.
The publisher’s website has an excerpt and audio sample from Medea.
I’m partial to myths and retellings, and I was especially interested in this one after reading this interview with Eilish Quin on The Nerd Daily and what she had to say about storytelling:
In my mind, the whole purpose of the retelling as a distinct genre is that it serves as a kind of radical reorientation. Retellings allow historically censored protagonists the space to break free from the contexts and biases which might have previously ensnared them, and permit readers the ability to exalt in novel forms of complexity. Retellings are meant to make us question the reliability of the narrators we are given, and consider the other elements of form which we might normally consume passively. I hope that my Medea makes people think critically about how storytelling, when proliferated in the interest of existing powers of oppression, can compound harm– that by doing something as simple as recentering a traditionally marginalized experience, exhilarating and vivacious narratives can spring up.
Discover the full story of the sorceress Medea, one of the most reviled and maligned women of Greek antiquity, in this “haunting, deeply moving” (Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author) debut in the tradition of Circe, Elektra, and Stone Blind.
Among the women of Greek mythology, the witch Medea may be the most despised. Known for the brutal act of killing her own children to exact vengeance on her deceitful husband, Jason, the leader of the Argonauts, Medea has carved out a singularly infamous niche in our histories.
But what if that isn’t the full story?
The daughter of a sea nymph and the granddaughter of a Titan, Medea is a paradox. She is at once rendered compelling by virtue of the divinity that flows through her bloodline and made powerless by the fact of her being a woman. As a child, she intuitively submerges herself in witchcraft and sorcery but soon finds her skills may not be a match for the prophecies that hang over her entire family like a shroud.
As Medea comes into her own as a woman and a witch, she also faces the arrival of the hero Jason, preordained by the gods to be not only her husband but also her lifeline to escape her isolated existence. Medea travels the treacherous seas with the Argonauts, battles demons she has never imagined, and falls in love with the man who may ultimately be her downfall in this fresh and propulsive “must-have” (Library Journal, starred review) read in which you will finally hear Medea’s side of the story through a fresh and feminist lens.
Ithaca (Songs of Penelope #1) by Claire North
The first book in the Songs of Penelope trilogy is out now (hardcover, trade paperback, ebook, audiobook).
The publisher’s website has an excerpt from Ithaca.
This novel is followed by House of Odysseus and The Last Song of Penelope, which was just released in June.
From the multi-award-winning author Claire North comes a daring reimagining that breathes life into ancient myth and gives voice to the women who stand defiant in a world ruled by ruthless men. It’s time for the women of Ithaca to tell their tale . . .
“North brings a powerful, fresh, and unflinching voice to ancient myth. Breathtaking.” —Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne
Seventeen years ago, King Odysseus sailed to war with Troy, taking with him every man of fighting age from the island of Ithaca. None of them has returned, and the women of Ithaca have been left behind to run the kingdom.
Penelope was barely into womanhood when she wed Odysseus. While he lived, her position was secure. But now, years on, speculation is mounting that her husband is dead, and suitors are beginning to knock at her door.
No one man is strong enough to claim Odysseus’ empty throne—not yet. But as everyone waits for the balance of power to tip, Penelope knows that any choice she makes could plunge Ithaca into bloody civil war.
This is the story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before. Beyond Ithaca’s shores, the whims of gods dictate the wars of men. But on the isle, it is the choices of the abandoned women—and their goddesses—that will change the course of the world.
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
This novel has been out for a few years and can be found in trade paperback, ebook, and audiobook.
The publisher’s website has an excerpt using the “Look Inside” feature.
I’ve heard a lot about this book and how weird it is with a great twist, so I finally decided to get a copy and read it. After finishing it last night, I’m still not entirely sure what to think. Maybe my expectations were just too high since I liked it well enough, but I didn’t love it or think the novel as a whole or the twist was all that amazing.
A missing God.
A library with the secrets to the universe.
A woman too busy to notice her heart slipping away.
Carolyn’s not so different from the other people around her. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. Clothes are a bit tricky, but everyone says nice things about her outfit with the Christmas sweater over the gold bicycle shorts.
After all, she was a normal American herself once.
That was a long time ago, of course. Before her parents died. Before she and the others were taken in by the man they called Father.
In the years since then, Carolyn hasn’t had a chance to get out much. Instead, she and her adopted siblings have been raised according to Father’s ancient customs. They’ve studied the books in his Library and learned some of the secrets of his power. And sometimes, they’ve wondered if their cruel tutor might secretly be God.
Now, Father is missing—perhaps even dead—and the Library that holds his secrets stands unguarded. And with it, control over all of creation.
As Carolyn gathers the tools she needs for the battle to come, fierce competitors for this prize align against her, all of them with powers that far exceed her own.
But Carolyn has accounted for this.
And Carolyn has a plan.
The only trouble is that in the war to make a new God, she’s forgotten to protect the things that make her human.
Populated by an unforgettable cast of characters and propelled by a plot that will shock you again and again, The Library at Mount Char is at once horrifying and hilarious, mind-blowingly alien and heartbreakingly human, sweepingly visionary and nail-bitingly thrilling—and signals the arrival of a major new voice in fantasy.
