Hey there! I hope you’re having a wonderful day! The end of June is upon us, and with July comes some fantastic-sounding new releases. I’m really looking forward to a bunch of romance, YA, and fantasy reads. Let’s take a look at some of the books I’m most excited for!!
July 6th: The Queen Will Betray You by Sarah Henning
Series: Kingdoms of Sand and Sky #2
Page Length: 352
Publisher: Tor Teen
Synopsis: The breathtaking sequel to The Princess Will Save You in the Kingdoms of Sand and Sky duology — a brilliantly-executed YA fantasy homage to The Princess Bride
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE CROWN…
After a thousand years of political stability, the realm of The Sand and Sky is up for grabs. Four kingdoms, four rulers vying for the ultimate prize, sovereignty over the entire continent: A ruthless old king spinning webs, whose schemes encompass generations. A widowed queen whose only credo is all kings must die. A runaway queen whose unexpected return upends everyone’s plans. And a prince-in-waiting determined to wait no more.
Standing against them are a dispossessed princess and her stable boy love with a surprising claim of his own. Their only hope in the face of unspeakable betrayals, enemies hidden in the shadows, and insurmountable odds is the power of true love…
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
July 6th: Capture the Crown by Jennifer Estep
Series: A Gargoyle Queen – Book 1
Page Length: 464
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Synopsis: Gemma Ripley has a reputation for being a pampered princess who is more interested in pretty gowns, sparkling jewelry, and other frivolous things than learning how to rule the kingdom of Andvari. But her carefully crafted persona is just an act to hide the fact that Gemma is a powerful mind magier—and a spy.
Gemma is undercover, trying to figure out who is stealing large amounts of tearstone from one of the Ripley royal mines when she encounters Prince Leonidas Morricone of Morta—her mortal enemy. Gemma tries to steer clear of the handsome prince, but when she finds herself behind enemy lines, she reluctantly joins forces with Leo. Also coming to Gemma’s aid is Grimley, her beloved gargoyle.
Despite the fact that Andvari and Morta are old, bitter enemies, a dangerous attraction sparks between Gemma and Leo. Further complicating matters is Leo’s murderous family, especially Queen Maeven Morricone, the mastermind behind the infamous Seven Spire massacre.
The closer Gemma gets to the stolen tearstone, the more deadly plots she uncovers. Everyone is trying to capture the crown, but only one queen can sit on the throne…
July 6th: Elle’s A to Z of Love by Claire Huston
Page Length: 231
Publisher: Goldcrest Books International
Synopsis: Haileybrook, a beautiful village in the peaceful Cotswolds countryside, is most people’s idea of heaven on earth.
Born and raised in this small slice of paradise, Elle Bea can’t wait to leave.
It should be easy, but every time she packs her bags for exotic adventures, old loves and loyalties pull her back.
Will Elle be forced to forget her dreams of far-flung places and epic romance, or can she grab one last chance to have it all?
An uplifting, romantic story about friends, family and the relationships that make a place a home.
LINKS: Goodreads
July 6th: Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian
Page Length: 448
Publisher: Ace
Synopsis: Everyone knows the legend. Of Arthur, destined to be a king. Of the beautiful Guinevere, who will betray him with his most loyal knight, Lancelot. Of the bitter sorceress, Morgana, who will turn against them all. But Elaine alone carries the burden of knowing what is to come–for Elaine of Shalott is cursed to see the future.
On the mystical isle of Avalon, Elaine runs free and learns of the ancient prophecies surrounding her and her friends–countless possibilities, almost all of them tragic.
When their future comes to claim them, Elaine, Guinevere, Lancelot, and Morgana accompany Arthur to take his throne in stifling Camelot, where magic is outlawed, the rules of society chain them, and enemies are everywhere. Yet the most dangerous threats may come from within their own circle.
As visions are fulfilled and an inevitable fate closes in, Elaine must decide how far she will go to change fate–and what she is willing to sacrifice along the way.
The Lady of Shalott reclaims her story in this bold feminist reimagining of the Arthurian myth from the New York Times bestselling author of Ash Princess.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
July 6th: Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
Series: Six Crimson Cranes #1
Page Length: 464
Publisher: Knoph
Synopsis: Shiori, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted, but it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.
Raikama has dark magic of her own, and she banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes, and warning Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.
Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and, on her journey, uncovers a conspiracy to overtake the throne—a conspiracy more twisted and deceitful, more cunning and complex, than even Raikama’s betrayal. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she’s been taught all her life to contain—no matter what it costs her.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
July 11th: The Code of Us by Liv Evans
Page Length: 174
Synopsis: “Some things are worth breaking for…”
When Mia and Arden Drew are in a horrific car accident, the dreams they shared for their future balance on a precipice. As a talented neuropsychologist working for one of the world’s foremost experimental human research facilities, Mia uses the resources at her fingertips to save her husband’s life.
Mia’s grief-fuelled decision catapults her into the depths of a messy court case where her actions are subjected to intense public scrutiny. Her intentions, relationships, and career are put to the ultimate test as the people around her question how far she should have gone to save her husband, and whether he is still the man she fell in love with. Now, she must face the truth of what she’s done and try to piece together the shards of her shattered dreams, or risk losing her husband once and for all.
July 20th: Untethered by Kaylynn Flanders
For fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Furyborn comes the thrilling sequel to Shielded about a world in a deadly magical war and the newly crowned king and feisty princess who must defeat the deadliest of foes before there’s nothing left to save.
Although King Atháren’s sister, Jennesara, saved Hálendi from the Gray Mage, the reprieve came at a steep price–the life of their father. Now Ren rules over a divided kingdom, with some who want him dead, and a Medallion that warns of worse trouble brewing in the south.
As second born, Princess Chiara is the perfect Turian royal–perfectly invisible. She longs to help restore peace on the Plateau, but with no magic and no fighting skills, she doesn’t stand a chance against a mage. So when a member of the Turian royal family goes missing and Chiara finds a clue about the rumored resting place of the mages’ long-lost artifacts, she decides it’s time to be seen.
As Ren’s and Chiara’s paths cross, they find the depth of the mages’ hold on the Plateau is more powerful than anyone suspected, and that they must learn to trust themselves, and each other, before the mages retrieve their artifacts and become too powerful to ever defeat.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
July 20th: She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
Series: The Radiant Emperor #1
Page Length: 416
Publisher: Tor Books
Synopsis: In a famine-stricken village on a dusty yellow plain, two children are given two fates. A boy, greatness. A girl, nothingness…
In 1345, China lies under harsh Mongol rule. For the starving peasants of the Central Plains, greatness is something found only in stories. When the Zhu family’s eighth-born son, Zhu Chongba, is given a fate of greatness, everyone is mystified as to how it will come to pass. The fate of nothingness received by the family’s clever and capable second daughter, on the other hand, is only as expected.
When a bandit attack orphans the two children, though, it is Zhu Chongba who succumbs to despair and dies. Desperate to escape her own fated death, the girl uses her brother’s identity to enter a monastery as a young male novice. There, propelled by her burning desire to survive, Zhu learns she is capable of doing whatever it takes, no matter how callous, to stay hidden from her fate.
After her sanctuary is destroyed for supporting the rebellion against Mongol rule, Zhu uses takes the chance to claim another future altogether: her brother’s abandoned greatness.
Mulan meets The Song of Achilles; an accomplished, poetic debut of war and destiny, sweeping across an epic alternate China.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
July 20th: These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan
Series: These Hollow Vows #1
Page Length: 464
Publisher: HMH
Synopsis: From New York Times best-selling author Lexi Ryan, Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses in this sexy, action-packed fantasy about a girl who is caught between two treacherous faerie courts and their dangerously seductive princes.
Brie hates the Fae and refuses to have anything to do with them, even if that means starving on the street. But when her sister is sold to the sadistic king of the Unseelie court to pay a debt, she’ll do whatever it takes to get her back—including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the Seelie court.
Gaining unfettered access to the Seelie court is easier said than done. Brie’s only choice is to pose as a potential bride for Prince Ronan, and she soon finds herself falling for him. Unwilling to let her heart distract her, she accepts help from a band of Unseelie misfits with their own secret agenda. As Brie spends time with their mysterious leader, Finn, she struggles to resist his seductive charm.
Caught between two dangerous courts, Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty. And with her heart.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
July 29th: Red Wolf by Rachel Vincent
Page Length: 368
Publisher: Harper Teen
Synopsis: This high stakes, pacey reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood is perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber and Megan Spooner.
For as long as sixteen-year-old Adele can remember the village of Oakvale has been surrounding by the dark woods—a forest filled with terrible monsters that light cannot penetrate. Like every person who grows up in Oakvale she has been told to steer clear of the woods unless absolutely necessary.
But unlike her neighbors in Oakvale, Adele has a very good reason for going into the woods. Adele is one of a long line of guardians, women who are able to change into wolves and who are tasked with the job of protecting their village while never letting any of the villagers know of their existence.
But when following her calling means abandoning the person she loves, the future she imagined for herself, and her values she must decide how far she is willing to go to keep her neighbors safe.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
July 27th: The Highlander’s Irish Bride by Vanessa Kelly
Series: Clan Kendrick #4
Page Length: 352
Publisher: Zebra
Synopsis: Meet the most respectable member of the Kendrick Clan in bestselling author Vanessa Kelly’s intoxicating series—and the independent woman who has stolen his heart…
Miss Kathleen Calvert may be the daughter of an Irish aristocrat, but she has no intention of acting like one. All she desires is to return to her family’s estate to raise horses and manage her father’s magnificent gardens. But when a scandal threatens her reputation, her parents order her to a remote Scottish estate, hoping she will finally learn to behave like a proper lady. To make matters worse, her escort is a handsome Highlander who just happens to be the most boring man in all of Scotland…
After a youth of dangerous and wild escapades, Grant Kendrick surprised his family—and himself—by becoming a successful businessman and the most respectable Kendrick brother. But does that matter, when the beautiful and free-spirited Kathleen deems him a stodgy bore? Luckily, he gets the chance to prove her wrong when their carriage is ambushed by thieves. But it will take all his ingenuity to protect the beautiful lass who has stormed her way into his heart—and to convince her that a life with him will be a love-filled adventure…
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
July 27th: The Matchmaker Bride by Ginny Baird
Series: Blue Hill Brides #2
Page Length: 350
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Synopsis: Successful Boston matchmaker and television personality Meredith Galanes’s reputation is on the line. During a guest appearance on a morning talk show, she’s broadsided by questions about her own romantic attachments, just as she’s trying to secure a syndication deal. Afraid to admit her love life is a total disaster, Meredith blurts out that she’s seriously involved with a very special man—a boatbuilder in Maine. She never expects that small slip to get spun into a story about her supposed engagement.
Or that the paparazzi will track the guy down…
Derrick Albright is laid-back about many things. Being hounded by the press about some imaginary engagement to a woman he’s only met once—and couldn’t stand—isn’t one of them. Then Meredith actually shows up at his cabin in Blue Hill, Maine, with an apology, a pot roast, and a proposal—play along until she secures her TV deal, and she’ll help him win back his ex.
It’s a simple plan, but if they have any chance of pulling it off, they’ll have to survive each other first…
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
July 27th: Once a Laird by Mary Jo Putney
Series: Rogues Redeemed #6
Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Publisher: Kensington
Synopsis: He yearns to escape his past…
After the death of his fiancée, Kai Ramsey left Scotland to roam distant lands. He has searched ancient ruins, collected priceless antiquities, and escaped certain death after being imprisoned as a spy during the Napoleonic War. Ramsay has lived on the edge of danger for years—but everything changes the day a letter arrives for him from Scotland…
She’s determined to protect her future…
Signy Matheson has dedicated her life to the people of Scotland’s remote Thorsay Islands. With a fiery spirit and agile mind, she is a faithful ally to the aging laird. But now their leader is near death, and Signy must summon his successor at once. It’s time for Kai Ramsey to come home…
Together, they discover ancient treasures and disturbing attraction…
When Ramsay returns to Thorsay, he’s shocked to find that Signy has blossomed into an alluring beauty, and a force to be reckoned with. Their complicated past interferes with their unspoken desire as they work together for their people. Until a wild storm sparks first passion, then unexpected danger when a treasure trove left by their ancestors comes to light…
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Are you looking forward to any of these books? Which releases are you most anticipating? Comment below!
I’m also excited for six crimson crane and untethered
They both sound amazing!!!
Thank you for featuring Elle here with such an exciting list of books 😊💕
You’re so welcome! 🙂
Half Sick of Shadows and Red Wolf are on my list and I really liked These Hollow Vows
They all sound so good! I hope you enjoy them both. 🙂
Me too! I am more excited for Red Wolf
i need to read Kingdoms of Sand and Sky 😁
I really liked the first one in the series – the second sounds great too!
I see some really good books on here! I can’t wait for She who Became the Sun
Yes – it sounds fantastic! I won it in a Goodreads Giveaway and hope to start it this week!
Ooh, quite a few titles that I haven’t heard of but I’m now adding to my list! I’ve been so excited for Six Crimson Cranes though—that cover, the synopsis, everything about it just makes me want to read it now! 😍
Me too – it sounds amazing!!!
There are quite a few new books that I need to check out on your list! I had no idea that Elizabeth Lim has a new series coming out. I’ll have to make sure it is added to my tbr. Thanks for sharing these! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by! I’m glad you found a few new books. 🙂
Thank you for the mention <3 But honestly, I gotta stop checking out your blog, my bank account can't handle it! Some of these look AMAZING. I'm going to have to add The Queen Will Betray You, Six Crimson Cranes, Untethered, and These Hollow Vows to my TBR!
Lol – They all sound fantastic! 🙂