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Muñeca

Cynthia Gómez

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A vivid, surreal Gothic about a queer, Latine, working class witch who sets out to rescue a bespelled heiress and loses control of her powers and her heart in the process.

It is 1968 Oakland, and Natalia Fuentes has been hearing rumors about the beautiful Violeta Miramontes. The young heiress to Spanish colonial wealth has been left paralyzed by a mysterious illness. But Nati knows a thing or two about witchcraft, and she is certain that this is the work of dark magic.

Armed with a plan to break the spell and earn a handsome reward, Nati works her way into the house as Violeta’s caretaker, and immediately discovers her suspicions are true. But who cursed Violeta? And why?

As feelings between the two women bloom into romance, Nati grows more and more reckless, and is forced to face her own ghosts—ones she hoped would stay gone forever.

Riveting and richly layered, Muñeca explores how far one will go to save the person they love—even if that means damning themselves. Cynthia Gómez fills her debut novel with moments that chill your bones and warm your heart, a razor-sharp examination of deep-rooted issues that will haunt readers long after the last page is turned.

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Posts about this title from Boozhoo Books

Boozhoo Books\ \ Naomi\ \ • Jun 24

Letters And Literature

7 books

11

Boozhoo Books\ \ Naomi\ \ • Mar 14

Here are 10 horror books written by women I'm looking forward to: \ \ 01. She Waits Where Shadows Gather by Michelle Tang\ \ \ \ Avery and Carlos Tam have built their lives on logic, not legends. Carlos, the host of a hit reality show that exposes paranormal hoaxes, has made a name disproving the supernatural.\ \ But when they travel to his ancestral home in the Philippines, darkness clings to every corner. The mirrors are shrouded. The housekeeper won't stay in the house alone. And no one will speak of the tragedies the family has seen.\ \ Then a brutal car crash leaves Carlos trapped in his own body―silent, helpless, and utterly vulnerable. As Avery tends to him, the house begins to stir. It watches. It listens. And it speaks―in a voice only Carlos can hear―offering a twisted kind of comfort.\ \ And as the lies buried by Carlos and his family begin to surface, Avery must confront the truth: if the past won't rest, their future may never begin.\ \ Some inherit memories. Others inherit monsters.\ \ 02. Not Your Final Girl by Mikayla Rudolph\ \ \ \ A feminist slasher novel fueled by female rage and haunted by gruesome murders, in this contemporary reimagining of Tess of the D’Urbervilles there can only be one Final Girl.\ \ 03. The Temptation of Charlotte North byCamilla Bruce\ \ \ \ A rebellious young woman desperate to escape her predetermined life.\ \ \ \ The handsome but married priest who has caught her eye.\ \ \ \ And the resolute schoolteacher who values science above all.\ \ \ \ In 1910, on a small, remote island that boasts more sheep than people, the fates of Charlotte North, Jasper Hill, and Ruth Russel are perched on the edge of a cliff, and a strange wind is blowing. . . .\ \ \ \ When an ancient tower—rumored to have once imprisoned a witch—crumbles, it releases something powerful: a restless spirit that knocks inside the walls and sends household objects flying. A spirit that seems to be drawn to Charlotte, who sees in it a potential for power and change.\ \ \ \ But first she must overcome Jasper’s piety and Ruth’s fierce determination to banish the terrifying entity. Only then will she gain the power to claim the life that she desires.\ \ 04. Accumulation by Aimee Pokwatka\ \ \ \ A twisty, searing, conversation-starting novel about a filmmaker-turned-housewife who moves into her dream house and is forced to consider whether it's the house or herself that is haunted.\ \ 05. We Could Be Anyone by Anna Maria Mclemore\ \ \ \ Two teen con-artists must execute an almost impossible scam at an exclusive mansion in this thriller that's White Lotus meets Mexican Gothic - for teens.\ \ 06. The Girl With The Thousand Faces by Sunyi Dean\ \ \ \ a stunning Gothic tale set in a historical Hong Kong that meshes ancient myths and local legends into a haunting story of ghosts, grief, and women who will not forgive.\ \ 07. Neon Moon by Grace Reynolds\ \ \ \ Darlene Boone is a survivor. For more than a year, she’s been bartending at the famous Teegarden Saloon, a honky tonk in the Texas Hill Country, while attempting to put her life back together in the wake of an abusive past. But when an axe-wielding maniac descends on The Teegarden during one of the bar's busiest nights of the year, Darlene, along with everyone else in the crowded establishment, will have to put down their whiskeys and take up the nearest weapon if they're to survive this unexpected night from hell. No one knows if they'll make it out alive, least of all Darlene, but one thing's for sure no matter what: Texans don't go down without a fight.\ \ 08. Doe by Rebecca Darrow\ \ Thrilling crossover YA Horror perfect for fans of Krystal Sutherland and Tiffany Jackson, where the captain of a high school cheer team is caught in a bitter rivalry and turns to an ancient, supernatural creature for help, not knowing she’s just made a deal with a devil and could lose everything that matters, including her life.\ \ 09. The Summer of the Serpent by Cecilia Eudave\ \ \ \ This surreal, horror-tinged, Guadalajara-set work of Latin American “literature of the unusual” is a kaleidoscopic descent into the small violences and hidden horrors of one sweltering summer, forming a coil of vignettes that slither under the skin for a strange, deeply human portrait of memory, myth, and family.\ \ 10. Muneca by Cynthia Gomez\ \ \ \ A vivid, surreal Gothic about a queer, Latine, working class witch who sets out to rescue a bespelled heiress and loses control of her powers and her heart in the process.

On Your RADAR: Women in Horror

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Posts about this book from across Bindery

ash.reads.horror\ \ ash\ \ • Jul 3

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It's time to wrap up what I read in June. I read a total of 15 books this month! \ \ Also, stay tuned for some Bindery updates!\ \ What Hunger by Catherine Dang--A coming of rage cannibalisim story dealing with loss and tragedy. 4 stars\ \ Going To The Six by A.C. Hessenauer--A found footage, documentary style horror novel about the discovery of a sunken ship in Lake Superior. 4 stars\ \ The Vessel by Adam L.G. Nevill--A woman takes the job of caregiver to an CREEPY elderly lady. 5 stars\ \ Knock Knock, Open Wide by Neil Sharpson--Steeped in Irish folklore, this book follows a child's tv show keeping a sinister goat puppet in a box. 3.5 stars\ \ Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward--Nowhere is a place where runaways and lost kids can go for safety. The ranch is also the place of a murdered movie star. 3.5 stars\ \ Corpse De Ballet by Megan Kearney-- A graphic novel reminiscent of Suspiria following a cut-throat ballet school. 4 stars\ \ Ghost Beach by R.L. Stine--Two kids are visiting family on a possible haunted island. 4 stars\ \ The Devil and Mrs. Davenport by Paulette Kennedy-- A 1950's housewife starts getting visions from ghosts--one being a girl who was recently murdered. 5 stars\ \ Decomposition Book by Sara Van Oh--A woman staying in a cabin finds a dead body and its journal. 4 stars\ \ Muñeca by Cynthia Gomez-- A witch takes the job as a caregiver to a woman trapped in her own body. 3.5\ \ Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams--A twisty thriller of a woman fighting for her life in a cave system. 5 stars\ \ The Anomaly by Michael Rutger-- A crew of explorers travel to the Grand Canyon to see if they can find a legendary cave. 5 stars\ \ Twisted Tales To Tell In The Night: Another Halloween Anthology-- A fun, nostalgic Halloween collection of short, spooky stories. 4 stars\ \ The Tumor In The Clay by Nick Francis--A Graphic Novel about an elderly man who is a retired surgeon. He elects to try and take his tumor out at home in his bathtub. 5 stars\ \ Odessa by Gabrielle Sher-- When his daughter is murdered, a Jewish man will stop at nothing to bring her back. Even if she comes back changed. 4 stars.\ \ Join for free or login

June-Wrapped

15 books

Boozhoo Books\ \ Naomi\ \ • Jun 24

Letters And Literature

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Sunny's Book Truck\ \ CJ\ \ • Jun 21

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[Hi nerds,\ \ Last night we held our recurring event, Sunny's Salon. This month the prompt was to come prepared to talk about your favorite queer read for Pride month. Below you will find 20ish book recommendations gathered from the Yuma community.\ \ \ \

What our community is reading for Pride

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22 books

3

Bien Leidos\ \ tomesandtextiles\ \ • Jun 2

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[Happy Tuesday, mis internet amigxs,\ \ We had a lovely chat with Natalia Hernandez last night. That chat will be posted on YouTube soon, but until then...\ \ BOOK CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS\ \ Book club announcement is up on social media today, but here is a written out list of our book club books for the next few months (in addition to all the books being linked below):\ \

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: June 2nd Latine Book Release

15 books

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Children of Diaspora\ \ Rae the Reviewer\ \ • Jun 2

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June BIPOC Book Releases!

Happy Caribbean Heritage and Pride Month 🥳🥳🥳

There are so many amazing books coming out this month and quite a few feature Caribbean and/or queer characters like The Lovers, the Liars, and Me by @deandrawrites or The Heirs by @faridahlikestea or Hold Me Like a Grudge by @readwithcel and even more within this 70+ book list 😘

I just finished making this today and I couldn’t wait to share it with y’all. Let me know your most anticipated reads and releases for June in the comments!

#junebooks #newreleasetuesday #pridemonth #caribbeanheritagemonth #diversebooks

16 books

2

Two Stories Bookshop\ \ Queer-Owned Shelves🌈\ \ • Jun 2

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[Happy New Release Tuesday!\ \ Here are some new releases we are excited for today!\ \

June 2 Releases

5 books

Ronnica Reads\ \ Ronnica Fatt\ \ • Jun 1

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June 2nd is my 8th wedding anniversary. But that's old news...here are some NEW books to be excited about!\ \ Bookstore Girls by Kei Aono 4/5 stars\ \ Put this on your TBR if you love heart-warming stories of found family or stories set in a bookstore.\ \ Meeting New People by Daniel M. Lavery 3.25/5 stars\ \ Put this on your TBR if you enjoy stories with gossip and older protagonists...especially ones that may be the problem.\ \ The Heart of the Nhaga by Lee Young-Do 3/5 stars\ \ Put this on your TBR if you enjoy fantasy from a non-western lens. Fantasy and I are still in fight so it wasn't particularly for me, but I'm thankful we have this finally translated from Korean.\ \ And ones that I'm excited to get my hands on:\ \ Muneca by Cynthia Gomez\ \ Why it interests me: gothic and queer, yes please.\ \ Sublimation by Isabel J. Kim\ \ Why it interests me: a speculative fiction take on an immigration story. I was happy to see that it was an Aardvark Book Club pick for this month.\ \ They All Fall in Love at the End by Haili Blassingame\ \ Why it interests me: messy young queer people.\ \ Mad Eden by Morgan Thomas\ \ Why it interests me: it's been praised for beautiful prose, and is said to "challenge us to confront and reinvent questions of language, sex, prejudice, identity, and the shifting scales of morality."\ \ Jellyfish Problem by Tessa Yang\ \ Why it interests me: it sounds strange (a jellyfish that changes people?). I'm in.\ \ There's Only One Sin in Hollywood by Rasheed Newson\ \ Why it interests me: another gay, Black historical fiction book from the author of My Government Means to Kill Me.\ \ The Secret World of Briar Rose by Cindy Pham\ \ Why it interests me: I've followed Cindy's process to get here on social media and am so excited to see it out in the world. This is queer sleeping beauty retelling.

June 2nd New Releases by Marginalized Authors

10 books

Bien Leidos\ \ tomesandtextiles\ \ • May 31

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[Happy Sunday, mis internet amigxs,\ \ I wanted to kickstart you summer reading with ALL the Latine books on my radar releasing in June, but before that, some book club announcements!\ \ We will be chatting with Natalia Hernandez TOMORROW NIGHT on Zoom! Questions for Natalia are open until 8 PM EST on Discord.\ \ Book club announcements coming up on social media this week, but here is a list of our book club books for the next few months:\ \

EXCLUSIVE NEWSLETTER: June Latine Releases

28 books

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Sunny's Book Truck\ \ CJ\ \ • May 31

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[Poll:\ \ July Book Club\ \ \ \ Friends! Enemies! Everyone in between!\ \ I hope you're all doing as best as you can be and taking care of yourselves. It's time to vote for the July book club!\ \

Sunny’s Book Club is a monthly book club highlighting both new releases and backlist titles we love. A virtual discussion is hosted over Zoom on the last Sunday of the month.\ \ A new physical book will be shipped to you (or available for in store pickup) the month prior to when this month’s book club will take place. The July pick will ship the last week of June to ensure you have the entire month to read the book.\ \ The link for sign up is not a subscription service, you opt in on a monthly basis dependent on your interest in that months chosen title. We do however have a recurring book club subscription if you are interested here.\ \ \ \ A gripping, propulsive novel about succession, sex, and revenge on a California marijuana farm\ \ “Deliciously written and compulsively readable . . . As the ex-lovers of a missing weed farmer grapple for control of her land and harvest, they contend with the force of her presence and the complexities of their own pasts.”—Carmen Maria Machado, author of In the Dream House and Her Body and Other Parties\ \ Sapphire and her farm, Sourland, are fixtures of Northern California’s rugged wilderness, offering refuge to rejects, rebels, and outcasts—anyone willing to work and learn. But the haven Sapphire has built is fractured when she suddenly goes missing, her scorched truck abandoned on a mountain road.\ \ Frankie, a disgraced ballerina and Sapphire’s former girlfriend and right-hand woman, returns to Sourland, claiming ownership of the farm. When she arrives, Frankie finds that Fizz—Sapphire’s most recent lover, an ex–baseball player with a preternatural green thumb—has already begun prepping Sourland for its biggest harvest yet.\ \ As the two grapple for power, the farm’s fate hangs in the balance, and with it, the future Fizz and Frankie each covet for themselves. Past demons and scorned admirers remain hauntingly close, while the specter of Sapphire looms over the farm: in cryptic notes, in bud-tender gossip, in every blade of grass and whorl of smoke.\ \ A brilliantly constructed novel of desire and betrayal, Sourland sparkles with the beauty and grime of the California woods. Dixon’s novel warns that our true nature catches up to us all—no matter how far we run.\ \ \ \ “An extraordinary book. It’s a page-turner, full of mystery, but that’s the least of it. The language is dusted with magic. The Children reminded me of Ray Bradbury at his best.” —Stephen King\ \ The haunting new novel from New York Times bestselling author Melissa Albert, in which the estranged adult children of a legendary author, written into their dead mother’s beloved fantasy series, must contend with the vine-like creep of legacy, memory, and magic.\ \ Guinevere Sharpe has two childhoods.\ \ In one, she and her brother, Ennis, live in the wooded shadow of their family's isolated Vermont farmhouse; in the other, the pages of their mother’s world-famous Ninth City books, where their magical adventures have made them household names. In reality, Guinevere's childhood isn't the enchanted idyll her mother’s readers imagine: she and Ennis are growing up near-feral, unwashed and underfed, escaping each day to the wild woods they’ve made their playland. As Edith Sharpe’s books explode into epic popularity, the threats of a rural childhood give way to the escalating perils of fame—until the night it all goes up in flames, leaving Edith’s series unfinished and her children the sole survivors.\ \ Now an adult coasting on her mother's name, Guinevere is mid-promotion for a ghostwritten memoir when her estranged brother, an artist who has until now spurned his family's legacy, announces an upcoming installation titled, simply, Mother. As rumors swirl around a death connected to his last show, unsettling recollections from Guinevere’s childhood begin to surface. Her public facade starts to crack, forcing her to confront the questions she's spent the last twenty years running from: What really happened the night of the fire? And what dark history lies behind their mother’s fantasy world?\ \ The Children is wise to the mythic weight childhood memories gather over time, and the way our most beloved stories grow up with us. It's for anyone who's ever revisited an old favorite and found its pages cast in a darker light, the line separating magic from reality blurring as we discover the books that once comforted us carry shadows of their own.\ \ \ \ The acclaimed, prize-winning #1 New York Times bestselling writer returns with a moving, luminous novel that reminds us of the sweetness and impermanence of life and the power of connection to defy time.\ \ When Daphne Fuller and her husband Jonathan visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they notice an older, white-haired gentleman following them. The man turns out to be Eddie Triplett, her former stepfather, who had been married to her mother for a little more than year when Daphne was nine. Now fifty-three, Daphne hasn’t seen Eddie for many years, not since the fateful event that changed the direction of both their lives. Meeting again, time falls away; while their relationship was brief, it had a profound impact on them both, and now that they are reunited, they have no intention of ever being separated again.\ \ Whistler is a story about two adults looking back over the choices they made, and the choices that were made for them. It’s a story about bravery, memory, the often small yet consequential moments that define our lives, and the endless stream of loss that in time comes for us all. Beautiful in its simplicity, it is ultimately about how love endures, and how the feeling of being known by one other person, even for a short period of time, can change everything.\ \ \ \ A vivid, surreal Gothic about a queer, Latine, working class witch who sets out to rescue a bespelled heiress and loses control of her powers and her heart in the process.\ \ It is 1968 Oakland, and Natalia Fuentes has been hearing rumors about the beautiful Violeta Miramontes. The young heiress to Spanish colonial wealth has been left paralyzed by a mysterious illness. But Nati knows a thing or two about witchcraft, and she is certain that this is the work of dark magic.\ \ Armed with a plan to break the spell and earn a handsome reward, Nati works her way into the house as Violeta’s caretaker, and immediately discovers her suspicions are true. But who cursed Violeta? And why?\ \ As feelings between the two women bloom into romance, Nati grows more and more reckless, and is forced to face her own ghosts— ones she hoped would stay gone forever. \ \ Riveting and richly layered, Muñeca explores how far one will go to save the person they love—even if that means damning themselves. Cynthia Gómez fills her debut novel with moments that chill your bones and warm your heart, a razor-sharp examination of deep-rooted issues that will haunt readers long after the last page is turned.\ \ Four very compelling choices! Happy voting and remember we are reading Canon by Paige Lewis in June, today is your last day to sign up.\ \ Love what we do? Become a paid subscriberfor less than a cup of coffee a month. Your ongoing support helps us plan ahead, fund causes we care about, and create meaningful programming for our community.](https://sunnysbooktruck.binderybooks.com/item/lYYdBvqXgR5S0ayf8k8X/)

Vote for the July book club! 🦀

Witches, weed, and weirdos

4 books

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Boozhoo Books\ \ Naomi\ \ • Mar 14

On Your RADAR: Women in Horror

10 books

5

Bookish AfroLatina's Library\ \ Gabby\ \ • Jan 3

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\ \ I don't know about y'all, but I've been screenshotting new releases every time I see them on Instagram! Between those and the books I've seen popping up on Netgalley, I was able to figure out which new books I'm excited to check out this year. Here's what I've got my eyes on:\ \ The Starseekers by Nicole Glover \ \ According to the publisher, this is "a stand-alone historical fantasy set in the world of The Conductors, in which the space race of the mid-20th century will be determined by magic...if not murder." This makes sense since the magic system is directly tied to the constellations. The cover and description also connect the story to _Hidden Figures_byMargot Lee Shetterly, which was a fascinating book to me. I'm currently finishing up The Undertakers (Murder and Magic #2)!\ \ Muñeca by Cynthia Gómez \ \ The cover of this novel caught my eye right away! The description says this is "a vivid, surreal Gothic about a queer, Latine, working class witch who sets out to rescue a bespelled heiress and loses control of her powers and her heart in the process." I've been loving Latine Gothic novels, thanks to authors like Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Isabel Cañas. Hopefully, this one will be another gripping read.\ \ Goldenborn by Ama Ofosua Lieb \ \ The cover of this book says, "Love, lies, and legacy–all tangled in a trickster's web," which makes me excited because it makes me think of Anansi, the West African trickster of lore. So I was pleased when I read the description, "When 17-year-old Akoma Addo stumbles into a world of ancient gods and modern magic, she’ll have to choose between saving her father… or staying true to everything she’s ever believed." I love that! Also, this novel takes place in San Francisco’s AfricaTown, which I've haven't read about before.\ \ Score by Kennedy Ryan \ \ Let's be real, Kennedy Ryan is an autobuy author for me. I love the Skyland Series and Reel was amazing. I'm pumped to read another book in the world of Reel! After I read the blurb below, I was completely sold. We've got a second-chance romance between a world-class musician and an award-winning screenwriter as they are forced to reconnect over an epic Harlem Renaissance biopic. swoon\ \ Bound by Fury by Noelle Monét \ \ This cover is gorgeous and one thing I'm loving in BIPOC fiction lately is the emphasis on ancestral magic and southern folklore! Read this description: " Legendborn meets The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina in this captivating contemporary fantasy debut about a teen whose newly awakened magical abilities send her searching for answers at an elite boarding school that has a mysterious connection to her family’s history." HELLO!?! That sounds amazing.\ \ Before We Burn (Born from the Ashes, #1) by Ophelia Reign \ \ I saw some exciting promos on the author's IG and decided to add this mysterious book to my list. Before We Burn follows ex-assassin Marzana, who teaches young vamps how to control their hunger, power, and rage, until her academy is raided by humans and her pupils are taken. Intriguing!\ \ To Ride a Rising Storm by Moniquill Blackgoose \ \ This pick was inevitable! I read To Shape a Dragon's Breath twice and loved it, so I've been waiting for news of book 2 for a while. Anequs has passed her first year at Kuiper’s Academy with flying colors and is ready for a break back on Masquapaug with her dragon Kasaqua and close friend Theod. Unfortunately, her notoriety brings an Anglish presence pressing to control her people. As if Anequs would let them have the chance! If you have a hard time with language in Fantasy books or even just want to make sure you have the pronunciation correct, I highly recommend the audiobooks for this series.\ \ Heir of Prophecy by Analeigh Sbrana \ \ I loved Sbrana's Lore of the Wilds duology so it's no surprise that I wanted this book as soon as I saw it on her IG. The cover is amazing and the description has me floored. Audra, the female MC, is kidnapped by Fae to be trained as a soldier by the Priestesses at their cult-like school. They are looking for the Heir of Prophecy but Audra isn't going to just accept her fate as their prisoner while they search.\ \ The Summer Girlfriend by Kristina Forest \ \ A fake summer fling?! Fake dating romances give me life and I don't care who knows it. I loved the Greene sister series, so I think this will be right up my alley.\ \ Blood Rising (Volume 2 of The Blood Saga) by Markus Redmond \ \ Blood Slaves was one of the best books I read in 2025 and the ending was the perfect set-up for book 2. I can't wait to read it!\ \ Honey by Imani Thompson \ \ I feel like this book is gonna be a bit cathartic for many WOC in academia. Our MC is bored with her PhD program, work, and the crappy men in her life. Then, she accidentally kills one of them, a problematic professor, and feels a little more alive. She's been researching, writing, and teaching about feminism and racial solidarity for a while, but now it feels extremely useful. Of course, her stint of righteous murders can't continue forever...\ \ The Jellyfish Problem by Tessa Yang\ \ "A marine biologist makes the discovery of a lifetime when called to rescue the inhabitants of a small Maine island being menaced by a giant, glowing jellyfish in this richly imagined, wholly original debut." That sounds hella whimsical and like it might be weirdly scary which is intriguing!\ \ Until The Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow \ \ Listennnnnnn, I enjoy Alechia Dows books but the promos for this one have me locked in. " The Good Place meets the Brandy version of Cinderella in Until the Clock Strikes Midnight, a cozy, romantic fantasy from award-winning author Alechia Dow." Yes, please! \ \ Aicha by Soraya Bouazzaoui \ \ I was scrolling on IG minding everyone's business when I saw this queenly book cover and internally gasped. They say not to judge a book by it's cover so here's the description: "Aicha is the story of Morocco's warrior goddess, her strange magic, fierce rebellion, and devastating romance."\ \ The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura \ \ I've loved Jo Segura's first two books, Raiders of the Lost Heart and Temple of Swoon, so I know The Lust Crusade will give me that wonderful mix of archaeology, romance, and intrigue. On top of that, the female MC is a librarian (like me)!\ \ Burn Down Master's House by Clay Cane \ \ Since the plantation fire last year, I've felt inspired more and more by stories of resistance on those plots of Hell on Earth. I think this novel will be perfect for that. "Sparked by individual acts of resistance among those enslaved across the American South, their seemingly disparate rebellions fuel a singular inferno of justice, connecting them in ways quiet at times, explosive at others." I love that it follows multiple people seeking justice!\ \ Fire Sword and Sea by Vanessa Riley \ \ This novel is a new take on the "life of the legendary seventeenth-century pirate Jacquotte Delehaye." You might remember that I read The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron last year, which was very entertaining, so I'm looking forward to reading another about this fascinating figure.\ \ The Art of Loving You (The Forever Falling Series) by Natasha Bishop \ \ A beautiful cover and some of my fave Romance tropes: friends to lovers, he falls first, second-chance romance, Black joy, forced proximity, right person, wrong time. I'm in!\ \ Witch Queen Rising by Savannah Stephens \ \ Look at that baddie on the cover! This novel is about an outcast witch in New Orleans named Seraphine Barreau who can "feed on magic and make it her own." After her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, Barreau becomes the ruler of the same people who misunderstood her. I love stories like this!\ \ Devil of the Deep by Falencia Jean-Francois\ \ "Lu watched the love of his life walk the plank and sink into the inky-black depths of the sea. Nnenna was dead . . . or so he thought." Ooop! We've got another Black pirate adventure on our hands and I'm so down. In Devil of the Deep, a pirate, a fleet officer, and a mermaid who "must choose their loyalties, find their courage, and race to protect the island from false gods and forces of evil--or risk unleashing an ancient curse that could destroy them all."\ \ The Missed Connection by Tia Williams \ \ This Romance is about a boss casting agent named Sasha, who, despite her typical thorniness around men, believes she might have found her soulmate on a flight to Paris. They miss their chance to exchange contact info but Sasha isn't going to give up that easily. As she enlists her work friend to help her search, Sasha realizes that she accidentally sent the email to the entire company and now they are also on the lookout. This sounds hilarious and wholesome!\ \ Charmed and Dangerous by Shelly Page\ \ "A teen mystic will do anything to solve a series of love-related magical mishaps plaguing her high school, including fake dating her boss's daughter, in this charming sapphic romance." Sounds adorable!!!\ \ The Case of Elmwood Ranch by Deanna Grey \ \ Romance and a haunted house? I'll take that!"A legacy paranormal investigator, loner horse rancher, and a haunted house."\ \ The Bridge Back To You by Riss M. Neilson\ \ "Exes discover they’ve both inherited the restaurant they love..." Tis' the year for second-chance romance, it seems! I'm looking forward to this one because I love a good foodie Romance, especially with a deep emotional connection.\ \ Death Card by Jasmine Smith \ \ The cover drew me in but this description made me wanna pre-order it: "A dark contemporary fantasy featuring witchcraft, tarot, death, and a bit of romance that's perfect for fans of Immortal Dark and Cinderella Is Dead."\ \ The Starter Ex by Mia Sosa \ \ Mia Sosa is an autobuy author for me because she always knows how to mix the perfect amount of hilariousness with tender and sexy romance. I know The Starter Ex won't let me down because the description has me hooked already. Vanessa Cordero had a side gig where she'd date your crush and annoy/scare the hell out them so they'd see how much of a catch you really are. Now, Vanessa's sister is asking her to do the same to Jason Torres, a "certified commitment-phobe" she has her eye on. The problem is, Jason actually wants a temporary ridiculous girlfriend so his mom will stop trying to get him to the altar. Uh oh!\ \ The Other Moctezuma Girls by Sofia Robleda\ \ "In sixteenth-century Mexico, a fearless young woman strives to uncover the secrets her mother kept as the last Aztec empress in a sweeping historical epic by the author of Daughter of Fire." Sounds like a fascinating novel!\ \ _The Rhythm of Raine at Dawn (Perfect Muse, # 1)_by Aricka Alexander \ \ This looks like a cute sapphic romance. Raine Williams, a choreographer, posts a video to R&B artist Dawn Anderson's newest hit and it goes viral. So viral that the musician herself reaches out. Then, she realizes that Dawn isn't only interested in her choreo...\ \ Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi\ \ "Cleopatra tells her own story in this evocative and sensuous historical epic from the bestselling and award-winning author of Faebound and The Final Strife." As someone who used to be obsessed with Ancient Egypt, I think this will be a really cool take on the story of Cleopatra VII.\ \ The Re-Do List by Denise Williams \ \ I feel like this book will be a great palette-cleanser after reading Fantasy or Horror."Willow experienced all her big firsts with her high school sweetheart. Now, reeling from their very public breakup, she wants to get a re-do on those important moments. While dog-sitting for her brother during his deployment, she has a chance to start over and spending time with his best friend gives her the confidence to start checking items off her “Re-Do list.”\ \ As you can see, I'm really hype about Fantasy, Historical, Romance, and Horror this year. I only realized after compiling this post that I don't have many men on the list and that was totally unintentional! If you know of any books by men of color and/or queer men you think I'd enjoy based on this list, please share! Did any of these books catch your eye? What are you excited to read this year?](https://bookish-afrolatina.binderybooks.com/item/OAiJvLeytAiBRF2D8MAp/)

30 New Books I'm Excited About In 2026

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