"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at
Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!
Dangerous Impulses by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Expected Publication: November 3rd, 2026
The Naturals are BACK! #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Lynn Barnes delivers the highly anticipated new installment in her beloved Naturals series.
Cassie Hobbes joined the FBI’s Naturals program at seventeen because she had an incredible ability to read people. Since then, Cassie, fellow profiler Dean, emotion‑reader Michael, lie‑detector Lia, and statistical genius Sloane have caught serial killers, outsmarted masterminds, and saved countless lives.
Now, eight months after the most twisted, traumatizing case of their lives and still dealing with the psychological fall-out, the Naturals decide to take on a joyful mission for playing matchmaker. With Christmas fast approaching, how hard could it be for an emotion‑reader, a deception detector, two profilers, and a statistician armed with a wealth of data on romantic relationships to secure a happily ever after for two people who are already very obviously in love?
Turns out…very. Because to bring their FBI mentors back together, the Naturals will first have to solve the mystery of why Special Agent Veronica Sterling can’t let herself have the very thing she wants the most. Profiling a profiler is tricky business, and it soon becomes clear that to solve this mystery, the Naturals need to uncover the past. Add in a puzzling series of interconnected crime scenes, an UNSUB with a fondness for snow, and a cold case on the verge of heating up, and it’s shaping up to be a killer Christmas.
The Last King of Faerie by Cassandra Clare
Expected Publication: November 3rd, 2026
From Goodreads:The highly anticipated first book of The Wicked Powers, the final Shadowhunters trilogy! #1 New York Times bestselling author Cassandra Clare brings the saga that began in The Mortal Instruments to a stunning conclusion.
It’s Drusilla Blackthorn's third year at Shadowhunter Academy when a chance encounter at a nightclub turns into a kidnapping. Dru finds herself held prisoner by Prince Ash Morgenstern in the land of Faerie, a place that proves just as dangerous as it is beautiful. Despite herself, Dru is drawn to Ash and the darkness that seems to surround him—but one false move could cost her life.
Meanwhile, a shocking disappearance rocks the foundations of the Shadowhunter world. Kit Herondale and Ty Blackthorn must set aside the bitterness that lingers between them and join forces on a perilous quest to save everything they cherish.
The first installment of the long-awaited concluding trilogy to the Shadowhunter Chronicles has all the nail-biting adventure, heart-pounding romance, and trademark humor that makes Cassandra Clare the reigning queen of YA romantasy.
Defying the Dusk by Danielle L. Jensen
Expected Publication: November 3rd, 2026
From Goodreads:When darkness means certain death and survival depends on reaching the dawn, the woman whose magic broke the world will carve another path: defy the dusk. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom comes the first book in a gritty post-apocalyptic fantasy duology.
In the Sundered world, there are two options: Ride the dawn, or face what rises in the night.
Twenty years ago, Lirien’s magic fractured the world and unleashed nocturnal creatures that brought civilization to its knees. Amidst the carnage came salvation: The most powerful survivors were invited to board Dawnrider, a high-speed rig that would deliver those aboard into a new era.
The rest of humanity was left to die.
Instead, a king rose from the darkness to lead them.
In the years since, Lirien has dedicated her magic to Dawnrider while secretly plotting to overthrow the tyrant who rules the rig with an iron fist. But just as Lirien is ready to strike against him, she is violently abducted by Vox—the king of the feralists.
The mercurial Vox gives her two choices: Fight the creatures that hunt the night or be fed to them. Lirien agrees to join his ranks, but embarks on a strategy of seduction that will return her to Dawnrider.
Yet as Vox pushes the limits of her magic, Lirien begins to question whether defying the dusk is the true path to salvation. Intoxicated by both Vox and his war against the night, Lirien must decide where her loyalties truly lie—and how far she’s willing to go for redemption.
Cursekeeper by Alexandra Christo
Expected Publication: November 3rd, 2026
From Goodreads:Torn from her home and forced to train at the brutal Forge as a child, Thalia Marrow has only ever known the life of a Scion—one sworn to guard the Library of Curses. But on the night she crosses paths with an enigmatic Fae, the Library is ransacked, and her brother is taken by demons, leaving Thalia as one of the last Scions still alive.
Desperate to find her only family, Thalia follows the bloody trail to the mysterious Soren—a ruthless warrior who was cursed and banished from the Fae world. Everything about him is dangerous. Everything about him calls to her.
Bound by necessity, the warrior librarian and the Fallen Fae must now work together to uncover what happened at the Library and unmask the shadowy new demon leader unleashing curses across the realm. But in the decadent, treacherous city of Delfs, not all is as it seems. As the threat of war rises and Thalia’s feelings for Soren grow, so too does the truth of his bloody past—and the curse that could destroy them both.
A Glimmer of Death by Laurell K. Hamilton
Expected Publication: November 3rd, 2026
From Goodreads:New York Times bestselling author Laurell K. Hamilton returns for the first in a two-book epic conclusion to her genre-defining Merry Gentry Series.
I am Meredith Gentry. Princess of the realm of faerie, private investigator in the mortal land of Los Angeles, mother of triplets, and lover to my men—the royal guards sworn to protect me. With a family and a court to support back home, I can’t say no to a job investigating a string of magical attacks against up-and-coming Hollywood actresses. Not when the case raises old nightmares from my own past. This time when I find out who is responsible for all this pain, I can make him pay.
But affairs in the land of faerie keep interrupting my hunt. Aisling is supposed to be the next king of the Seelie Court, but he is doubly cursed once by beauty and once by despair. If we cannot cure him my uncle Taranis, former King of Light and Illusion, may regain the throne. If he does he will destroy me and everyone I care about. Only true love will cure Aisling of his curse but is my love true enough? If not, I will share his fate and lose myself to the haunted magic that torments him.
While we fight for one kingdom of faerie, my aunt Andais, Queen of Air and Darkness, claims my deceased best friend, Keelin, has turned up alive and well along with a child supposedly sired by her dead son. If this baby is the true child of my former rival to the Unseelie throne, my enemies might use it to take the throne from me. Mysterious fey babies, curses both ancient and new are shaking the delicate balance of the faerie courts, and I am still hunting a monster terrorizing the women of Los Angeles.
A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters: Illustrated Tales from Elfhame by Holly Black, Illustrated by Solenne Songer
Expected Publication: November 3rd, 2026
From Goodreads:From the brilliant mind of #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black comes a collection of short stories, gorgeously illustrated in full color and set in the Faerie world, where beauty can be monstrous and love can be capricious….
A reluctant king is thrown into turmoil when the girl he loves to hate is stolen by the Undersea.
An exiled redcap, trapped in the mortal world, must rediscover his inner monster.
A mortal girl sacrifices the other half of herself for an unworthy faerie lover.
A tiny sprite’s determination to prove herself puts the entire High Court in danger.
In this collection, #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black combines her signature wit and lush world-building with stunning full-color art by Frostbite Studios in six irresistible tales that return readers to the world of the Modern Faerie Tales and Elfhame, including two never-before-seen stories: one revealing the interior life of Madoc while in exile and the other featuring the moment that High King Cardan realizes what he most desires.
The Lost Souls of Saint Oda's by Jess Armstrong
Expected Publication: November 3rd, 2026
From Goodreads:Jess Armstrong’s USA Today Bestselling and award winning Ruby Vaughn Mysteries return in The Lost Souls of Saint Oda’s
1923. American heiress Ruby Vaughn hoped the new year would bring less murder and far less of the occult, allowing her to spend her days at the rare book shop she runs alongside her octogenarian employer, and exploring her fledgling romance with Ruan Kivell, the intriguing folk healing Pellar she met in Cornwall. But fate often has other plans. Ruby has long believed her entire family died when the Lusitania sank in 1915, however when her solicitor brings news that her mother inexplicably survived the catastrophe and he believes he’s found her in a Belgian hospital just across the channel, Ruby dares not hope it’s true. For if there’s one thing Ruby Vaughn knows, it is that hope is the surest way to a broken heart.
With trepidation, Ruby and Ruan set off for Belgium with a simple task—to go the hospital at St. Oda’s priory, find her mother, and bring her home. However, upon her arrival at the priory, Ruby learns the woman they sought had died and been hastily buried days before. Stunned, Ruby refuses to believe that her mother is truly gone. Perhaps it is her jaded heart, or all the time she’s spent lady detectiving as her employer, Mr. Owen, calls it, but the more Ruby inquires into the woman’s fate, the more suspicious the death becomes and Ruby and Ruan fear that both the occult and murder are at work in Belgium. As Ruby unfurls the mystery surrounding the woman, she finds more missing souls and a sinister secret that has been simmering at St. Oda’s since the Great War and it’s up to Ruby to find the truth.
Snowed In by Navessa Allen
Expected Publication: November 3rd, 2026
From Goodreads:Ella Jones knows what to expect from the long, hard winters in the northern reaches of Maine. Mostly boredom and monotony, broken up with a bit of skiing or quality time spent with her family. Which leaves her utterly unprepared for the arrival of Benjamin Kakoa, an ex-football star turned advocate in need of a break from fame and notoriety. For Ella, it's crush at first sight. But with a rocky past and an uncertain future, Ben's walls are tougher to tear down than she ever could have imagined. And once they fall, Ella and Ben will have to come to terms with the potentially tragic reality of their love.Sharpest Court by Kiera Azar
Expected Publication: November 3rd, 2026
From Goodreads:With an unputdownable plot, incredible twists, and an extraordinary high fantasy world filled with court intrigue, heart-racing action, a unique magic system, and sizzling chemistry, Sharpest Court is the thrilling sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller, Thorn Season.
Alissa Paine has fled her home, the Kingdom of Daradon – forced to say goodbye to her old old life in order to escape the clutches of both the cruel, tyrannical King Erik to whom she was once betrothed, and the Hunters who persecute Wielders like Alissa.
But she has not left Daradon empty-handed, and Alissa has in her possession an object that Erik greatly desires – a mysterious and ancient spellmade compass which has the potential to reshape the world, if Alissa – or Erik – can unlock its secrets.
Seeking refuge in the Ansoran Empire, Alissa is able to demonstrate her Wielding powers openly for the first time in her life. But Ansora is not a safe haven, and Alissa is quickly forced to navigate the rules and customs of another dangerous ruler. And even with her former ally, Kiel Arcus, by her side, Alissa soon learns that, while she may have been raised in the kingdom of thorns, she is yet to enter the sharpest court….
Perfect for fans of Powerless, Six of Crows, and The Rose Bargain, Sharpest Court is an extraordinary return to the world of Thorn Season.
Captive Traitor King by Brigid Kemmerer
Expected Publication: November 3rd, 2026
From Goodreads:Brigid Kemmerer returns with the sizzling, high-stakes sequel to the #1 international bestseller Warrior Princess Assassin—where the betrayals are deeper, the magic burns brighter, and love might be the most dangerous weapon of all.
CAPTIVE. Asher has always sworn loyalty to Jory, the princess he’s loved from afar—but now the King of Incendar has claimed a place in his heart too. Someone wants them both dead, and only Asher’s blade can keep them safe. Yet his past won’t let him go, and he must decide if he can break free—or remain prisoner to his old scars.
TRAITOR. Princess Jory of Astranza agreed to marry the King of Incendar to secure peace, but betrayal runs closer than she ever imagined. With her own brother unmasked as her enemy, two kingdoms teeter on the edge. To protect her people, she must take the throne. But there are still dark secrets to unravel that will force Jory to confront where her true allegiance lies.
KING. Maddox Kyronan has discovered trust—and something more—with his reluctant bride and her deadly protector, but the fragile alliance between their nations threatens to unravel. His people are starving. His enemies are circling in. Torn between the crown and his heart, Ky risks losing it all.
As buried truths surface and tensions reach a breaking point, Jory, Asher, and Ky must confront the desires that could save their kingdoms—or shatter them forever.
TROPES:
Why Choose/polyamorous romanceSecret Magic
Hidden Identity
Hurt/Comfort
Royal-Political Scheming
Betrayal/Redemption
A Grim Reapers Guide to Living Twice by Maxie Dara
Expected Publication: November 3rd, 2026
From Goodreads:He’s been charged with possession before, but never like this.
Jack McCoy was a thief and a liar. Then he died.
Margaret Chen transported souls for the biggest afterlife collection company in North America. Then she met Jack.
Possession isn’t really supposed to be possible, but Jack McCoy never let a little thing like reality stop him. Now he’s committing the ultimate identity theft, living a new life in Margaret’s body while his own lies six feet under. Keeping up appearances as a geriatric grim reaper for S.C.Y.T.H.E. is a full-time job, but when Jack is sent to collect the soul of an old friend, his criminal past catches up with him and suddenly he’s planning the heist of his (after)life with a gang of misfits he never thought he’d see again.
Now the only woman he’s ever loved depends on his success in stealing a priceless list of souls from S.C.Y.T.H.E., but someone keeps beating him at his own game. Time is running out. If Jack puts one bunioned foot out of line it will cost him not only the people who matter most but also his second chance at life. . .The Meridian Forge by Tara Sim
Expected Publication: November 3rd, 2026
From Goodreads:The heirs will face their strongest demons yet in the breathtaking conclusion to the Dark Gods Saga.
In the shocking aftermath of the battle in Solara, the heirs realize killing gods is trickier than they thought. They need to destroy not only the gods’ bodies but also the sources of their divine power. Each heir must return to their respective world to confront their ancestral deities. But the paths they take are dire and will require calling upon the unknown―and unstable―depths of their power.Meanwhile, Orsus, the long-dead fifth god, seeks to return to full strength, though their motives and methods remain suspect. Only one thing is for The answer lies at the Meridian Forge, the cradle of creation. For every heir there is a fate. But all fates have a cost.Fallen Beauty by Astrid Scholte
Expected Publication: November 3rd, 2026
From Goodreads:A HAUNTING, WINTERY TALE OF ART, OBSESSION, AND THE PRICE OF LOVE.
Eighteen-year-old Thorelea Winyard has been a prisoner her entire life, forced to paint dead animals pushed into her cell. She dreams of the world outside her tower and everything she’s been denied. When one of her subjects comes back to life, Thorelea is thrust into a royal court where she can have anything she desires—aside from her freedom.
Here, she learns that the king and queen have ruled for centuries; their immortality is gifted through the power of their court painter, who dutifully updates their magical portraits. It is also here that she meets the sole other mortal of the court: Prince Kelter. Desperate to become immortal so he can join the ranks of the battalion waging war against a neighboring kingdom, he offers her a deal. Thorelea will paint the portrait Prince Kelter has been denied by his parents, and he will help her escape from the ruthless royal court.
They meet each night in secret. As they grow closer, they must face the monstrous realities of Thorelea’s powers. Will she be forced to choose between her heart and her freedom?
Wow, November is kicking off with a bang! I love all these authors, I'm so excited for all of these books, there's some new releases to series/worlds that it's been a while, and I'm just so pumped for all of these books to be released! What about you guys? Happy reading!
