Can’t Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa of Wishful Endings. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, which was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine.
Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber
Release date: July 30th, 2024
Summary (from goodreads): After a mysterious attack claims the lives of her parents, all Estela has left is her determination to solve the case. Suffering from survivor’s guilt so intense that she might be losing her grip on reality, she accepts an invitation to live overseas with an estranged aunt at their ancestral Spanish castle, la Sombra.
Beneath its gothic façade, la Sombra harbors a trove of family secrets, and Estela begins to suspect her parents’ deaths may be linked to their past. Her investigation takes a supernatural turn when she crosses paths with a silver-eyed boy only she can see. Estela worries Sebastián is a hallucination, but he claims he’s been trapped in the castle. They grudgingly team up to find answers and as their investigation ignites, so does a romance, mistrust twined with every caress.
As the mysteries pile up, it feels to Estela like everyone in the tiny town of Oscuro is lying and that whoever was behind the attack has followed her to Spain. The deeper she ventures into la Sombra’s secrets, the more certain she becomes that the suspect she’s chasing has already found her… and they’re closer than she ever realized.
The part where I talk: I am such a sucker for Gothic romance and I’m especially hugely into Gothic fiction where there’s a giant house with something Wrong with it. Give me those Crimson Peak/Mexican Gothic/Haunting of Hill House vibes any day. I’m so here for it.
And now for a middle grade moment!
It Came from the Trees by Ally Russell
Release date: July 30th, 2024
Summary (from goodreads): The wilderness is in Jenna’s blood. Her Pap was the first Black park ranger at Sturbridge Reservation, and she practically knows the Owlet Survival Handbook by heart. But she’s never encountered a creature like the one that took her best friend Reese. Her parents don’t believe her; the police are worthless, following the wrong leads; and the media isn’t connecting the dots between Reese’s disappearance and a string of other attacks. Determined to save her friend, Jenna joins a new local scout troop, and ventures back into the woods.
When the troop stumbles across suspicious huge human-like footprints near the camp, scratch marks on trees, and ominous sounds from the woods, Jenna worries that whatever took Reese is back to take her too. Can she trust her new scout leader? And will her new friend Norrie—who makes her laugh and reminds her so much of Reese—believe her?
After the unthinkable happens, the scouts, armed with their wits and toiletries, band together to fight the monster and survive the night.
The part where I talk: I’m sorry but if the concept “Bigfoot horror novel for middle grade” doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what will. I love middle grade horror and this sounds so good.
What upcoming books are you looking forward to? Feel free to link your Can’t Wait Wednesday posts in the comments!
– Laina
Laina Has Too Much Spare Time 