Waiting on Wednesday #733

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

THE WITCH WHO STORMED THE PALACE 
(Faye #2) BY RYAN GRAUDIN

Goodreads Description:

In this sequel to The Girl Who Kept the Castle, Faye must face down the trial of three other Wizards and defeat the Shadow Queen once and for all to become the first Witch of the West.

Defeating an evil sorceress was supposed to be the hard part. But now that Faye has succeeded in saving Celurdur from the Shadow Queen, she has an entirely different set of challenges to face. To become the first Witch of the West, she must win the favor of the country’s three wizards—North, South and East. Their trials await Faye in the capitol. If she fails to impress these men, she’ll lose her nomination, and magic will stay strangled by archaic laws. 

Alas, things are not off to a great start. Faye crashes into the capitol on the back of a dragon, feeds the wizards illegal enchanted pastries, and fails to leave a good impression. To make matters worse, there are signs that the Shadow Queen is on the move again.

The kingdom’s future depends on Faye proving herself a worthy witch, but time is quickly running out…

Format: 352 pages, Hardcover
Expected Publication: September 23, 2025 by Quill Tree Books
Pre-Order: Blackwells and Amazon US and Amazon UK

So curious about this second book. <3 I did like the first one :) Though my memory has not been the best, oops. But hoping to read this sequel next year :) It was such a cute story. I loved the magical parts of it :)
What are you waiting for on this magical Wednesday?

In My Mailbox #730

Happy belated Halloween :D Hope you all had a great time. <3 I have gotten my Halloween decorations down, and gotten most of my Christmas stuff up, ahh :D Will get my Christmas tree up tomorrow, and I'm all kinds of excited. I just love Christmas season. Sigh. So I have it up early :) It has been a long week for me. Been having too much pain in my shoulder and arm. I do not like it. Hope it will pass soon. Sigh. Also had a hospital visit this week. Going to try some new medicine later this month. Hope it works better. Also had a good shopping day with mom and the best swimming in the warmest pool. Sigh. Wish we had it like that too. Hmph. Have not gotten to read more yet, but starting my yearly re-read of The Scorpio Races in the next few days, I think :D So excited. I also finished my re-watch of Stranger Things, eee :D And it was so good. Sigh. I cannot wait for the final season shortly, ahh :D Wish it was here already, haha. Also got a bit too much mail, oops. <3 This week I'm waiting on If Looks Could Kill :D Hope you are all doing well. <3

The Rose Field. Oh. Waterstones exclusive and regular UK editions. I have read a review. May not be for me. At least not for a long time. Sigh. But what I was dreading didn't happen, but still. Not what I wanted.
The House of Quiet. International paperback edition :D Had to get this edition too, as I loved it so much :)
Confessions from the Group Chat. New Jodi Meadows book :) So behind on her books. This looks cute.
Heartless. Eee. German edition :D It is gorgeous. And arrived with an artcard. Had to have it. Precious.
Funko Pop. Had to buy this from the Amazon DE site, as I could not resist owning it. Love Alien, eee :D
Pop Mart. More popmart items, haha :D Love them. Not the cutest Skullpanda mini bag, but it is still cute. I like the Chucky figure that I got; creepy. Didn't get a better 2nd Zootopia figure, ha :) Trying a third time. Oh, also got a full set of Have A Seat Labubus. But still no secret for me. Sobs. So I'm trying to sell them.
Animal Crossing. Eeee. I finally managed to get the regular kids sized Crocs that are normal height. Love.

Bukowski. Yeah. This order of mine was a bit too big. Oops. I could not resist, haha. Always want to buy more Bukowski plush. And finally found a Swedish site that sends to Norway. So I placed an order of 14 plushes, and two Christmas gifts for my niece and nephew. And the four bottom ones were bought at the airport when on my hospital trip. I wanted even more. Ahh. But too expensive, haha :) Could not resist buying these, though. So precious. Eee. And one TY plush, from a different site. Cute little penguin. <3 Anyway. So so so happy with all my Bukowski plushes, ahh :D I want more, haha. They are the softest.

More Instagram photos here. <3

Waiting on Wednesday #732

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

IF LOOKS COULD KILL BY JULIE BERRY

Goodreads Description:

From Printz Honor–winning and New York Times bestselling author Julie Berry, a true-crime-nailbiter-turned-mythic-odyssey pitting Jack the Ripper against Medusa. A defiant love song to sisterhood, a survivors’ battle cry, and a romantic literary tour de force laced with humor.

It’s autumn 1888, and Jack the Ripper is on the run. As London police close in, he flees England for New York City seeking new victims. But a primal force of female vengeance has had enough. With serpents for hair and a fearsome gaze, an awakened Medusa is hunting for one Jack.

And other dangers lurk in Manhattan’s Bowery. Salvation Army volunteers Tabitha and Pearl discover that a girl they once helped has been forced to work in a local brothel. Tabitha’s an upstate city girl with a wry humor and a thirst for adventure, while farmgirl Pearl takes everything with stone-cold seriousness. Their brittle partnership is tested as they team up with an aspiring girl reporter and a handsome Irish bartender to mount a rescue effort, only to find their fates entwine with Medusa’s and Jack’s.

Format: 448 pages, Hardcover
Expected Publication: September 16, 2025 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pre-Order: Blackwells and Amazon US and Amazon UK

Whoops. Another book from last month that I forgot to share about. But that I already own and am so excited to read, eee :D Hoping to read it early next year. <3 I think it sounds all kinds of exciting. I have also been a fan of Julie and her books for years now. So this was a must have for me. Hope to love it :)
What are you waiting for on this deadly Wednesday?

In My Mailbox #729

Hi. I am a bit exhausted today, so trying to keep it short :) I took the last instagram photos outside of the year, which I am happy about. The next day it snowed a bunch, haha. So I managed it just before winter came :) Missing my spa bath already. Have a hospital trip next week, which I'm looking forward to, just for the shopping and the food and the pool, haha. Been tired this week. But doing okay. Just exhausted. And I have started my re-watch of Stranger Things, to get ready for the final season next month, ahh. <3 I will finish it before November, though, haha. Loving it so very much, as always. Got a little bit of precious mail as well. <3 This week I'm waiting on The Rose Field. <3 Reminder: I am dyying for a print ARC of A Rose of Blood and Binding by Claire Legrand. <3 I need this more than anything. Hope you are all doing well :)

Red City. New book by Marie Lu :D Her books have been hit and miss with me, but I'm curious about this.
The Witch Who Stormed the Castle. I enjoyed book one, so I'm excited to give book two a try one day :)
Pokemon Legends Z-A. So unsure about this. I don't really like battles, haha. But playing it soon, I hope.
Taylor Swift. Got the last of my precious CDs. <3 A little depressed about all the customs, ha. But love :D
Pop Mart. Only one package arrived this week :) Got the rest of the Skullpanda You Found Me set, eee. I had to get them all, haha, after I got two of them :) Sold those extra two, and now have all nine myself. <3

More Instagram photos here. <3

Waiting on Wednesday #731

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

THE ROSE FIELD (The Book of Dust #3) 
BY PHILIP PULLMAN

Goodreads Description:

Picking up right where The Secret Commonwealth left off, this story finds Lyra alone in a city haunted by daemons, searching for her beloved Pan. Malcolm Polstead isn't far behind, searching for Lyra. And they are both racing toward the desert of Karamakan, following the trail of roses said to hold the secret of Dust.

Their allies and enemies are converging on the mysterious red building at the heart of the desert: Marcel Delamare and the military might of the Magisterium; the radical Men from the Mountains; scientists, scholars and spies; troops of witches and other people of the air. And awaiting them all is a previously unseen and chilling new threat that will change everything.

The intertwining odysseys of Malcolm and Lyra, their journeys both internal and external, will test their limits and challenge even their most dearly held beliefs.

As ever, Philip Pullman is using the language of fantasy to illuminate our world and to explore the deepest questions of what it means to be alive and awake to all the splendors and horrors around us. The extraordinary novels of The Book of Dust speak powerfully to today's readers and will take their place alongside the forever-favorites of His Dark Materials.

Format: 672 pages, Hardcover
Expected Publication: October 23, 2025 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pre-Order: Blackwells and Amazon US and Amazon UK

I have been waiting so many years for this book. Ahhh. And now it is finally out. But I am not ready to read it at all, though. Not sure when I will be. Will need to peek a whole lot on it first. The ending first, as always. I just. I loved His Dark Materials trilogy so, so much. Lyra and Will are my most precious. And I loved the first Book of Dust book as well. But that second one? Yeah. It was not good. He ruined my Lyra a little. And I am not happy with it. And if that hinted at new romance actually happens? Yeah. I won't read it then. But fingers crossed my fears are wrong. I waited for more of Lyra for her to finally find Will again. Please let it be so. But I fear it will not happen. And that is just breaking my heart already, ahh. Nervous.
What are you waiting for on this dusty Wednesday?