Can’t-Wait Wednesday | Lakelore – Books. Libraries. Also, cats.

Can’t Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings where bloggers share the books they can’t wait for. I use it here on my blog to highlight an upcoming release I’m excited for and tell you why it should be on your TBR!

Note: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and will receive a small commission if you choose to purchase via the link in this post. This is a way to support indie bookstores & the work I put into this blog! It’s appreciated, but never expected.

Title: Lakelore

Author: Anna-Marie McLemore

Publisher: Feiwel Friends

Category: Young adult

Genre: Contemporary, magical realism

Release date: March 8, 2022

Pre-order It from Bookshop.org!

Synopsis: “In this young adult novel by award-winning author Anna-Marie McLemore, two non-binary teens are pulled into a magical world under a lake – but can they keep their worlds above water intact?

Everyone who lives near the lake knows the stories about the world underneath it, an ethereal landscape rumored to be half-air, half-water. But Bastián Silvano and Lore Garcia are the only ones who’ve been there. Bastián grew up both above the lake and in the otherworldly space beneath it. Lore’s only seen the world under the lake once, but that one encounter changed their life and their fate.

Then the lines between air and water begin to blur. The world under the lake drifts above the surface. If Bastián and Lore don’t want it bringing their secrets to the surface with it, they have to stop it, and to do that, they have to work together. There’s just one problem: Bastián and Lore haven’t spoken in seven years, and working together means trusting each other with the very things they’re trying to hide.”

Anna-Marie McLemore is one of my favorite YA authors ever! Their books are always at the very top of my TBR because of their lush, gorgeous writing and the queer Latinx rep in their books.
I’ve been obsessed with the cover ever since it was revealed. I love the illustration style and I really like that the pastel color pallet is so different from Anna-Marie McLemore’s other books.
As a teen services librarian, I am always looking for YA books featuring non-binary characters to purchase for my library’s teen collection. I’m super excited to add this one to our shelves!
I love books with water themes–whether it’s oceans, lakes, rivers, or pools–because I grew up on an island and was a swimmer all through high school. I’m really interested to see how the lake setting plays out in this one.
It’s queer and TBH that’s all I really need to know to be excited about a YA book!

Because you should be supporting queer & trans Latinx authors like Anna-Marie McLemore!
It’s magical! If you’ve enjoyed Anna-Marie McLemore’s books in the past or are fans of other authors who write magical twists like Emily XR Pan, Samantha Mabry, or Zoraida Córdova, you’ll definitely want to check this one out.
If you’ve never read any of Anna-Marie McLemore’s books, this is a great one to start with.
Magical books like this one act as a great bridge between contemporary and fantasy genres. If you’re mostly a contemporary reader but want to get into fantasy (or the other way around), this is a great way to slowly ease yourself in.
The cover is absolutely stunning, and if that doesn’t hook you then I don’t know what will!

I want to take a moment to remind you about the legislation currently attacking trans youth in the USA. It is everyone’s duty to find for and protect trans youth. I urge you to check out these action items today and to reach out to your local trans advocacy groups to find out what you can do to help.