Highlights: September 2020

The summer heat and humidity is slowly fading away, and the days are starting to get a little shorter. It was a very strange, somewhat lost summer that we experienced here in Minnesota, though we’re trying to get some final summer-y outdoor activities in before the cold and the pandemic sends us back inside. But along with those last summer activities, we also have books that we are looking forward to this month!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “A Dance with Fate” by Juliet Marillier

Publication Date: September 1, 2020

Why I’m Interested: I really enjoyed the first book in Marillier’s new trilogy, “The Harp of Kings.” While I didn’t find the mystery itself super compelling, I was very intrigued by the new set of characters it introduced, mainly Liobhan and Dau. Judging by the book description, it seems that most of this story will be devoted to these two as well, which is fine by me. I’m curious whether we’ll see anymore of Brocc after the events of the last book, as it did seem that there were some mysteries left open-ended on his side. Either way, I’m always down for a new Marillier title, so I can’t wait to dive into this one!

Book: “The Silvered Serpents” by Roshani Chokshi

Publication Date: September 22, 2020

Why I’m Interested: On the other end of the spectrum, I was not overly thrilled with the first book in Chokshi’s series, “The Guilded Wolves.” I’m definitely in the minority with this author as I’ve struggled in some way or another with all of the books by her I’ve read. But, again, the characters that were introduced were more compelling than the ones I’d found in her other stories, so I thought it was worth continuing on. Plus, the events at the end of the last book were pretty dramatic. Maybe too dramatic… *side-eyes this book for unnecessary angst potential*

Book: “A Deadly Education” by Naomi Novik

Publication Date: September 29, 2020

Why I’m Interested: I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Naomi Novik. Unequivocally. Completely. Utterly. So I was over the moon when I spotted this book on Edelweiss and instantly put out a request for it. The book description is somewhat vague…something about a dangerous, magical school and a main character who has some type of destructive abilities and a talent for not making friends? It’s also been hyped as a darker “Harry Potter,” which, could either be totally awesome or…worrying. But Novik hasn’t lead me wrong so far, so I’m going to place my bets on totally awesome. Can’t wait to find out!

Kate’s Picks

Book: “Don’t Look For Me” by Wendy Walker

Publication Date: September 15, 2020

Why I’m Interested: I greatly enjoyed Wendy Walker’s previous novel “The Night Before”, and because of that I was very interested to see what she would come up with next. A missing woman, a daughter who is on the case, and the possibility that the wife and mother just walked away from her life due to guilt? I’m in! There isn’t much in terms of plot description, which no doubt means that Walker wants to keep things close to the vest as she has twists and turns in store. Regardless, Molly Clarke is a wife and mother who stopped in a small down on the way home, and never returned. While a note was found saying that she was running away from her guilt, her daughter isn’t so sure. And when a tip comes through that places her mother getting into a stranger’s car, she goes to investigate. Walker has delivered some intriguing thrills before, so “Don’t Look For Me” has some promise to do so again.

Book: “Night of the Mannequins” by Stephen Graham Jones

Publication Date: September 1, 2020

Why I’m Interested: Given that I slept on this creepy and talented horror author Stephen Graham Jones until the book “The Only Good Indians”, I feel like I have some catching up to do. So I am excited to dive into a new horror novella that involves a potentially killer mannequin! Who doesn’t like the idea of a haunted doll story, especially ones that promise to have some tweaks upon the subgenre? Sawyer and his friends love playing practical jokes, and decide to pull one on their friend Shana, involving the use of an old mannequin named Manny they found when they were younger. But Sawyer soon realizes that Manny isn’t any old mannequin, and begins to believe that Manny wants them all dead once one of his friends is killed in a strange way. It’s up to Sawyer to save the people around him… But at what cost? This sounds like it will be a quick horror read just in time for the Halloween season!

Book: “Grown” by Tiffany D. Jackson

Publication Date: September 15, 2020

Why I’m Interested: Given that Tiffany D. Jackson is one of my favorite YA authors writing right now, I of course was supremely excited to hear that she had a new book coming out. And “Grown” sounds like it’s going to be a dark and difficult thriller that talks about some very relevant social issues regarding race, sexual assault, gender, and misogynoir. Enchanted is a teenager who has dreams of becoming a singer, and at an audition she meets the famous R and B star Korey Fields. Korey tells her that she has supreme talent, and that he wants to make her a star. Enchanted jumps at the chance, and when he starts to romance the underage girl she believes that they are falling in love… until Korey’s abusive and controlling side comes out, and he starts to control her every move. There are clear real life inspirations here, and while it’s almost assuredly going to be a hard read, I know that Jackson is going to bring lots of illumination to these difficult subjects.

What books are you looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!