Do you feel that in the air? The slight change of temperature and the way that the sun is starting to set earlier? Yep, Fall has begun. Well, at least theoretically, as it’s still a bit warm here in Minnesota. But school has started for our kids, Serena is planning a trip abroad, and Kate’s favorite season is on our doorstep. We also have a list of books we are looking forward to this month!
Serena’s Picks
Book: “The Thief and the Traitor Bride” by V. L. Bovalino
Publication Date: September 26, 2026
Why I’m Interested: I absolutely loved the first book in this series of stand alone romantic fantasies. “The Second Death of Locked” blew me away not only with its unique magic system and complicated political world building, but also with the lovely slow burn romance that leaned hard into all the yearning. So this has been down as a must read for quite some time. I’m definitely excited, but I will say that while I love second chance romance when done right, it’s also one of the harder romantic tropes to pull off well. Too often these love stories rely on miscommunication or some other nonsense to justify the original break. But as the first book was done so well, I have high hopes that the author can pull it off again here! If anything, I’m holding out hope for a few more glimpses of Locke and Keir here in this second book!
Book: “The Wretched Divine” by Adalyn Grace
Publication Date: September 26, 2026
Why I’m Interested: I had a bit of a messy break up with Grace’s last YA trilogy. I absolutely loved “Belladonna,” but from there the series took a steady nose dive culminating in what felt like a bit of a dumpster fire with the last book (especially because that third book started with such great potential!). But hope lives eternal, and I know that this author can definitely procure books that hit just right for me. This one does have a steep hill to climb as it is clearly telegraphing some of love triangle right from the start, but hey, that was one of the main perks of “Belladonna,” that the author had managed to write a love triangle that I didn’t hate! On the other hand, this triangle consists of what sounds like a blonde angel and a dark-haired demon. Hmm, wonder which one she’ll end up with?? But like I said, maybe she’ll surprise me! This is also a switch to an adult romantasy series, so I’m excited to see how Grace adjust her storytelling for an older audience. Definitely both nervous and excited for this one!
Book: “Scion” by James Islington
Publication Date: September 1, 2026
Why I’m Interested: I missed the initial hype train for this author. While I fully intended to get to “The Will of the Many” one of these days, I’m definitely behind the curve here. That being the case, I was excited to see that the author was releasing a new sci-fi/cyberpunk novel this month. What’s more, it’s a bit on the shorter side, so a great entry point to get a taste of what this author has in store! Based on the book description, this definitely has “Murderbot” vibes with the story following a quick witted, rather snarky body guard as he trails around behind expensive clientele. It’s looks like one of those cases where the style and tone of the writing will really be the make or break factor for reader enjoyment. However, I’ve really been living “Murderbot,” so if this manages to capture the same magic, sign me up!
Kate’s Picks
Book: “Something Followed Us Home: Tales of Latiné Horror” by Cynthia Pelayo (Ed.)
Publication Date: September 29, 2026
Why I’m Interested: This one has been on my list pretty much all year, and I was not only lucky enough to get a copy at ALAAC26, I also got to meet Cynthia Pelayo and tell her how excited I was to read it. This new horror collection showcases horror short stories by various authors from the Latiné diaspora, with many authors from all kinds of backgrounds and perspectives being centered. Some I’m familar with, others I’m not, and I’m very excited to take this one on!
Book: “Kiss, Slay, Replay” by Rachel Harrison
Publication Date: September 1, 2026
Why I’m Interested: Rachel Harrison is still a favorite horror author of mine, and one I love to recommend to people who want something spooky, but perhaps not super scary. And her newest book “Kiss, Slay, Replay” sounds like it’s a wedding based time travel tale that has vibes of “Happy Death Day” and “Groundhog Day”. Willa is excited to be involved in her best friend’s wedding. But the night of the ceremony, a killer wreaks havoc, Willa being one of the victims… But then she wakes up after being killed, and finds it is once again the morning of the wedding. This keeps happening, and Willa needs to figure out how to get out of the loop. It sounds like a lot of fun.
Book: “Mazywood” by Tananarive Due
Publication Date: September 22, 2026
Why I’m Interested: After loving “The Reformatory” and diving back into some older titles (and enjoying them as well), Tananarive Due’s newest book “Mazywood” is a top priority for me this month. A man goes to his family cabin in the California wilds, hoping to get material for a documentary about his grandmother, a famous Black actress in mid 20th Century Hollywood. But as he stays there, he encounters not only her anger and backstory (also told through flashbacks to her time), but also something lurking in the woods. Hollywood, racism, monsters, and a mystery, super compelling and I can’t wait to pick it up.
The Library Ladies 