Fall is here, and it is now, officially, the Season of the Witch: Halloween Season! While Kate is steeping herself in all things horror, scary, and spooky (as well as kicking off Horrorpalooza for the rest of the month), Serena is cozying up in cardigans and the changing of the seasons (and trying not to think about the upcoming winter). And both of them are prepping for trick or treating with their toddlers, which may mean hyperactivity, but it will also mean candy that they can take claim over. And with a new month comes new books! Check out what we’re looking forward to this month!
Serena’s Picks
Book: “Night of the Witch” by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis
Publication Date: October 3, 2023
Why I’m Interested: Well, it is October, and while this month is definitely Kate’s time to shine, there are often some good witchy titles that fall more firmly on the fantasy side rather than horror. Such is this book telling the story of a witch and a witch hunter who find themselves teamed up in an effort to defeat a powerful enemy. I’m always a bit nervous about these alternating POV fantasy stories with a strong romantic focus as I’ve seen them go very wrong. But at the same time, they’ve also gone very well, so here’s to hoping! I’m also intrigued by the focus on Germany as a historical setting for this one.
Book: “Flower and Thorn” by Rati Mehrotra
Publication Date: October 17, 2023
Why I’m Interested: I’ve had a fairly rocky experience with this author’s books in the past. I’ve never absolutely loved any of them, but then, time and again, when I read the description of her next book, I’m drawn in! She’s got a real talent for creative ideas, and this one’s no different following the story of a young woman who uses her talents as a flower hunter to support her people. But when her handsome friend finds a rare flower, she becomes sucked into an even larger plot. Beyond the creative fantasy elements with magical flowers, I’m definitely excited to read a romance that is a friends-to-lovers story. While I love enemies-to-lovers as much as the next person, there are about a million and one of them coming out nowadays. Much more rare is this type of love story.
Book: “Starling House” by Alix E. Harrow
Publication Date: October 3, 2023
Why I’m Interested: I absolutely loved “The Ten Thousand Doors of January” when we read it for bookclub, so I was always going to be interested in Harrow’s next book. But even without that, I also have a thing for gothic houses with mysterious pasts. I’m a bit nervous about the contemporary setting for this one, as I always struggle a bit with that it seems, but I have faith in the strength of Harrow’s writing to pull me through. Plus, the cover on this one is stunning. I’m tempted to just buy it now, regardless of how I feel about the actual book!
Kate’s Picks
Book: “Beholder” by Ryan La Sala
Publication Date: October 3, 2023
Why I’m Interested: I saw Ryan La Sala talking about “Beholder” at a panel at ALAAC23 and I was absolutely entranced by the description of this book. And given that I liked “The Honeys”, I knew that any follow up to that was sure to be a treat. Athan is struggling to get by as an under the table art handler, living with his grandmother and just trying to live his life (while also dealing with a strange power passed down through his family). When he tests out some aspects of his power while in the bathroom at an high brow artist party, he hears a horrible commotion on the other side of the door. When he leaves the bathroom, he finds all of the guests have been horrifically killed. Now Athan is all swept up in occultism, a monster perhaps of his making, and a race against time to try and stop it. It sounds nuts and I’m here for it.
Book: “Edenville” by Sam Rebelein
Publication Date: October 3, 2023
Why I’m Interested: This has been a buzzy horror title for a few months now, with a few horror people online talking about it and the online anticipation brimming to the point that I was VERY interested. When an author’s debut novel is a bit of a flop, he’s left feeling aimless and despondent. So when he is offered a job as a writer in residence by a college in the town of Edenville, he thinks that perhaps this could be what turns things around for him. His girlfriend is hesitant, and she grew up near Edenville and knows that it has a bit of a history and a bit of a strange reputation. But they move there anyway. And what they find is a bit more than just a small town with a few secrets. I love creepy small town tales and this one sounds like it has more spooky layers to it.
Book: “The Haunting on the Hill” by Elizabeth Hand
Publication Date: October 3, 2023
Why I’m Interested: I really love the story “The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson, and while some adaptations have soared (Mike Flanagan’s miniseries, the 1963 film “The Haunting”), others have really, really sucked (the 1999 remake of “The Haunting”). But never has there been a literary follow up, until now. Yes, “The Haunting on the Hill” is the first authorized continuation of the story of Hill House, this time with Elizabeth Hand at the helm. Director Holly has a new play that she feels is going to really bring her career to new heights. While on a trip to the countryside with her girlfriend and collaborator, she stumbles upon a massive mansion called Hill House, and thinks it’s the perfect place for the cast to workshop the show. But as Holly and her cast move into Hill House for a couple of weeks, strange things start to happen. Hill House has inhabitants again. And it has so much in store. The PERFECT read for the Halloween season!
The Library Ladies 