Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event originally created and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are all eagerly anticipating. Jill has been MIA since August of 2016. Despite this, the meme lives on….Hope you come back Jill! Until then I will be joining Tressa at Wishful Endings and her meme Can’t-Wait Wednesday.
Happy Wednesday y’all! This week I’m eagerly waiting on Midnight on the Celestial by Julia Alexandra, a dark YA fantasy set aboard a magical luxury cruise ship where the staff are trying to earn a second chance to keep their magic. When I first read the blurb for this one, it reminded me a little of Hotel Magnifique, which I loved, and Caraval, one of my all-time favorites. While I haven’t read this one yet, I can’t confirm my suspicions. However, I do have high hopes for it.
Midnight on the Celestial by Julia Alexandra Published by Wednesday Books on 2026-03-03
Age Range: 13+
Length: 352 pages
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Roe Damarcus has never been afraid of the dead. Her power to summon spirits has awed the guests of her esteemed family’s galas for as long as she can remember. Her future is certain, and her gift will be another shining jewel in the Damarcus legacy.
But when she fails her realm’s trial to keep her magic and is deemed too dangerous for society, she faces a harrowing choice: give up her gift or serve a punishment sentence aboard the Celestial, a luxurious magical cruise ship where staff members compete for guest votes to earn a coveted retrial.
As a concierge, Roe juggles the demands of affluent guests, cruel bosses, and the suspicion that an infuriatingly handsome silks performer, Ivander, is determined to keep her from a retrial.
But the true dangers surface after her shift ends when the Celestial transforms into halls of nightmares that kill staff members after dark. Faced with the reality of serving aboard, Roe begins to question the ship, trials, and the system that put her there. But the moment Roe sinks into the ship's dark history, she's wrongly framed for a guest's murder. Vowing to conjure her own second chance, Roe will use whatever power she has to uncover the secrets of the ship, her family, and their entwined bloody past... before she becomes the Celestial’s next victim.
About Julia Alexandra
Julia Alexandra lives in Orlando, Florida with her best friend, who also happens to be her twin sister. Julia works as a pre-licensed therapist while writing fantasy stories with magic, danger, and chaotic found families. She is passionate about mental health and is grateful to have writing on her own mental health journey. Julia writes for those who find magical worlds a comforting escape from their own. She enjoys reading, collecting too many stuffed animals, and writing to orchestral music.
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