We are thrilled to be revealing the cover for Kelly Murashige’s The Lost Souls of Benzaiten, which is a fantastical and heartfelt debut, quirky and transportive, that follows a young outcast on a journey of transformation . . . into a robot vacuum cleaner.
Releasing on July 23rd 2024, The Lost Souls of Benzaiten is now available for pre-order and to add to your Goodreads.
“I wish to become one of those round vacuum cleaner robots.” That’s what Machi writes while praying at the altar of Japanese goddess Benzaiten. She writes it because ever since her two best friends Angel and Sunny decided they want nothing to do with her, Machi hasn’t been able to speak. After months and months of online school and seeing different therapists, Machi still hasn’t uttered a word, and she can no longer see the point of being human. But she doesn’t expect Benzaiten to actually hear her prayer, much less offer a counter-prayer: to show Machi all the beauty of humanity, ultimately restoring her voice.
Benzaiten is enamored with the human world—possibly a little too enamored—and, as she’s the goddess of love, humanity is enamored right back. Being second-best to another friend isn’t helping Machi move past her trauma, and with each adventure they share, Machi is reminded of everything she’s lost. It isn’t until Machi starts interacting with the souls of the dead—a phenomena of spending so much time around a goddess—that she starts to understand pain can serve a purpose. And when she really stops to take a look around her, she realizes the potential for happiness, and for closure, has been there all along.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born and raised in Hawaiʻi, Kelly Murashige is a writer, reader, and dreamer. She writes for both young adult and adult audiences and specializes in contemporary fiction with fantastical twists based on Japanese mythology and culture. Despite being a total introvert, she hopes to connect with readers around the world.
Great cover!