The Bathala Games by E. Manawari (PREORDER)

This is a preorder. The Bathala Games will be available September 1, 2026 and will be shipping out in September.

Michelle Macabebe--aka Chi--dreams of adventure outside her home island of Luna Asul. All she has to do is survive the boredom of high school to one day escape to a university in a faraway land. The adventure she seeks comes early and against her will when a fat, talking cat chooses her for a suspicious, out-of-this-world (literally) competition.

Bickering deities, (not-so) gentle giants, a moon-eating dragon--all the forgotten stories from her childhood have come to life. Chi navigates the lands of gods and spirits, competing against (and struggling alongside) four other contestants to complete their missions. Meanwhile, her real-life problems are piling up too--a strict mother, a one-sided crush, a secret that will break her heart (and potentially her brother's and best friend's too).

Amidst her confusing search for meaning, will Chi find the right answers?