Category: Highlights

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Here’s hoping all those April (snow) showers are going to bring some May Flowers this month! We are getting up against the summer months, with promises of outdoor get togethers, sunnier weather, and hopefully some fun books coming up on the horizon. Books that maybe we can read outside in balmy, seasonable weather (now look at how we’ve probably jinxed this). Here are some of the ones we are looking forward to the most for May!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “A Crown of Ivy and Glass” by Claire Legrand

Publication Date: May 9, 2023

Why I’m Interested: I really enjoyed Legrand’s YA “Empirium” duology. It walked the line of adjusting YA fantasy tropes just enough to be both recognizable as a staple of the genre but also able to stand on its own strengths. And one of those strengths was the overall quality of writing, in general. That being the case, I’m very excited to see what Legrand has in store for readers with this, her first adult fantasy romance novel. It’s been compared to “Bridgerton” and, of course, “A Court of Thorns and Roses.” Love the former, hate the latter….so…we’ll see!

Book: “The Late Mrs. Willoughby” by Claudia Gray

Publication Date: May 16, 2023

Why I’m Interested: I was blown away by the first book in this series, “The Murder of Mr. Wickham.” There’s no over emphasizing the sheer feat of mastery that was handling almost the entire cast of Jane Austen’s romantic heroes and heroines and never seeming to miss a step. Add on top of that an excellent mystery and two original characters, and…yeah, truly amazing. Given that she was able to manage all of that, I barely have any concerns about a second book falling prey to “sequel syndrome.” Instead, I’m simply happily looking forward to yet another murder mystery to be solved by our beloved Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney!

Book: “Witch King” by Martha Wells

Publication Date: May 30, 2023

Why I’m Interested: I’ve been a big fan of Martha Wells’ for forever. And since I haven’t had a chance to review any of her books yet for the blog, when I saw this upcoming stand-alone novel coming out this spring, I knew this was my opportunity! The description also sounds right up my alley, with the story following an “over it” demon who wakes up after having his body killed off and must travel around gathering up his scattered group of friends and piecing together what exactly went so wrong as to leave him “dead” at the bottom of the ocean. Again, my familiarity with the reliability of this author allows me to happily sit back and anticipate what will surely be an awesome read!

Kate’s Picks

Book: “Warrior Girl Unearthed” by Angeline Boulley

Publication Date: May 2, 2023

Why I’m Interested: “Firekeeper’s Daughter” was my favorite read of 2021. Like, hands down, no contest whatsoever. So when I saw that not only did Angeline Boulley have a new YA thriller coming out, but that it was bringing back some of the characters from her debut, “Warrior Girl Unearthed” officially became one of my most anticipated reads of 2023. Perry Firekeeper-Birch expected her summer to be pretty chill, but after she crashes her Aunt Daunis’s Jeep she has to work to pay off the damages. When she gets a job working at a local tribal museum, she starts to learn about Indigenous artifact repatriation, and makes it her mission to bring Ojibwe objects back to her tribe. When a promise to return artifacts is broken, Perry decides that the only way to bring her peoples’ history back is by other, more heist-like means. Not only am I excited to read a new story by Boulley, I’m also excited to see what Daunis has been up to…

Book: “We’ll Never Tell” by Wendy Heard

Publication Date: May 16, 2023

Why I’m Interested: Soapy sudsy thrillers always pique my interest, and I have been waiting for Wendy Heard to have a new YA thriller since I devoured “She’s Too Pretty to Burn”. Because of these two factors, I am VERY stoked for “We’ll Never Tell”, which combines salacious Hollywood secrets, teenage gossip, and a murder house. WOOOOOOO, bring it on! The YouTube channel “We’ll Never Tell” is run by a group of teens who anonymously explore urban areas of L.A. that are generally off limits. With their senior year in full swing, the friends decide to take on a notorious location, a house that had a brutal murder/suicide in the 1970s. But after one of their own is attacked during the shoot, they have to figure out what happened, and if one of them is responsible. This one is going to be hard to put down.

Book: “The Salt Grows Heavy” by Cassandra Khaw

Publication Date: May 2, 2023

Why I’m Interested: Cassandra Khaw’s previous novella “Nothing But Blackened Teeth” really set me on edge, so of course I wanted to read whatever they came out with next. And when I saw that “The Salt Grows Heavy” was coming out, and that it sounded like a gory retelling of “The Little Mermaid”, I couldn’t have been more excited. A mermaid and a plague doctor have fled the kingdom she had been the queen of, as her children destroyed the land and left it in ruin. But when the mermaid and the plague doctor stumble into a village with three mysterious surgeons with dark motives, they find themselves in danger once again. Khaw knows how to bring the body horror so this one has some serious potential to be super disturbing, which is great.

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

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

As predicted, March was a big dud on the whole “spring” front. Instead, we had several dumps of snow and had to shovel quite a lot. But we’re all really crossing our fingers that April will come through for us! At least the temperatures are begrudgingly climbing out of the below thirties and it’s getting lighter and lighter later in the evenings. Of course, more light just means more time to read before feeling guilty about not getting the sleep we guess we need. Here are some books we’re looking forward to this month!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “One for My Enemy” by Olivie Blake

Publication Date: April 4, 2023

Why I’m Interested: I feel like Olivie Blake is kind of taking the “Silvia Moreno-Garcia” route to book popularity. She had published several books already before she became a big hit. And now publishers are digging into her back catalog and breathing new life into some of these titles that didn’t get major releases the first go around. So, too, “One for My Enemy,” a “Romeo and Juliet” retelling that places the classic love story in modern NYC and also adds in a healthy dose of Russian folklore, like Baba Yaga and Koschei the Deathless. Every single aspect of that sounds great to me, so I can’t wait to see what this has to offer! I’ve also never read a book by Blake before, so this should be a great first introduction!

Book: “Untethered Sky” by Fonda Lee

Publication Date: April 11, 2023

Why I’m Interested: I really loved Fonda Lee’s “Jade City” trilogy. But it can’t be denied that all three were fairly massive tomes. So I was excited to see that she was releasing a novella next, something where I could again experience the thrill of her action-packed writing style and creative world build while also…not having to commit tons of time to the endeavor. I also love the general premise of this book, a young woman who makes it her life’s mission to join a group who trains and flies massive birds, using them to protect the realm from dangerous manticores. Plus, the cover on this one is super cool; who could pass on that??

Book: “Divine Rivals” by Rebecca Ross

Publication Date: April 4, 2023

Why I’m Interested: Here’s another author whose work I’ve already really enjoyed! Plus, this one is ticking a lot of my own particular boxes. As the name suggests, it’s an “enemies to lovers” romance that focuses on a pair of journalists who are vying for the same promotion at the newspaper where they work. But Iris, the young woman of the pair, soon takes a job that brings her to the front lines in a war between gods. As a big fan of Lois Lane, I’m always down for a story about intrepid reporters in my fantasy stories. I can’t wait to check this one out!

Kate’s Picks

Book: “The Haunting of Alejandra” by V. Castro

Publication Date: April 18, 2023

Why I’m Interested: There are two big blaring elements of this book that makes me super, super excited for it. The first is that I really love V. Castro’s horror style, as she has lyrical prose, a lot of feminist perspectives, and a Chicana voice that comes to all of her stories. The other is that I have been full on obsessed with the La Llorona folktale ever since I was in grade school. The idea of a weeping woman snatching up children scared the piss out of me, and I’ve loved it ever since. So V. Castro taking on La Llorona is PERFECTION! Alejandra is a frazzled mother of three in a crumbling marriage. She has been uprooted from Texas to Pennsylvania due to her husband’s job, and staying at home with the kids is stressful. On top of that she’s started seeing visions of a sinister, sobbing woman in white, and her hatred towards herself is spilling over. When she starts to look into her family history and the women before her, their unspoken traumas also led to the woman in white. Alejandra needs to solve the mystery of this family curse before she falls to it as well. GIVE IT TO ME!

Book: “Sisters of the Lost Nation” by Nick Medina

Publication Date: April 18, 2023

Why I’m Interested: This is an example of one that has been popping up on my various social media feeds from book influencers and lovers that I know and love. Given that this is a debut I am unfamiliar with Nick Medina, but this one has enough buzz that I have high hopes to be adding a new must read author to my list! Anna is an Indigenous girl living on a reservation just trying to get through each day, between the cruelties of her peers and the outside visitors to the casino she is always on alert. Then girls in the community start to disappear, with members of the tribe looking for answers but finding little, and Anna begins to try and do her own investigation into the missing girls as well as the history of the reservation and the casino. And when her own sister disappears, Anna’s investigation becomes personal. But she starts to wonder if otherworldly forces are coming into play. It sounds like a mix of a hardboiled mystery and some kind of horror story, so obviously I’m in.

Book: “For You and Only You” by Caroline Kepnes

Publication Date: April 25, 2023

Why I’m Interested: Can I just say ‘it’s the new Joe Goldberg book’ and call it a day? No? Okay, well, fine, I can expand on that. It’s the new Joe Goldberg book, and I love the “You” series so I am always going to be amped when a new one comes out. But I am also always interested in seeing what Joe is going to do next, and how author Caroline Kepnes is going to keep the very clear formula of these books (aka Joe obsesses over a new one, stalks her, and fucks her life totally up) fresh, interesting, and suspenseful. After the death of Mary Kay and a short stint in Florida, Joe is now living in Boston and has written a book! Not only that, he has entered an fellowship program at Harvard in hopes of getting his book out there and promoted by some of the best academic minds in literature. But Joe is predictably Joe, and when he meets fellow aspiring author Wonder he is completely obsessed. But Joe’s past is filled with skeletons, they are starting to crop up. Welcome back, Joe!

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

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

So a lot of people may be able to say that March is a signal towards the beginning of Spring. In like a lion, out like the lamb and all that. Not necessarily so here in Minnesota, as winter really likes to hold on, and on, and on. So while we may have some hope of getting outside at the end of the month and out of our winter hovels, it’s not a guarantee. So we cling to our books, and we both have some anticipated titles this month!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “The Foxglove King” by Hannah Whitten

Publication Date: March 7, 2023

Why I’m Interested: I really enjoyed Whitten’s “For the Wolf” duology, even if the second book, “For the Queen,” was a bit weaker than the first. Either way, Whitten had proven her fantasy chops as far as I am concerned. I also liked the premise of this book as following a young woman named Lore who has some sort of death magic and then, of course, gets caught up into palace schemings and wars between gods. On the other hand, the book description makes no effort to hide the likely love triangle between Lore, the “bad boy” prince, and the “dutiful” monk. I can make some overall predictions, I think, just on those character beats alone. I’m on the record as not enjoying love triangles, but I do think Whitten is a supremely capable author, especially with her characters, so I’m hopeful!

Book: “A Tempest at Sea” by Sherry Thomas

Publication Date: March 14, 2023

Why I’m Interested: Thomas’s “Charlotte Holmes” series is by far my favorite currently running mystery series. While I’ve had favorites, I haven’t had any major problems with any of them. A minor quibble here or there, but nothing to hang your hat on. Instead, her mysteries have been reliable complicated and compelling, and I have enjoyed getting to know the large cast of characters who surround our brilliant detective. What’s more, I’m particularly excited for this book given the dramatic manner in which the last one ended, with Charlotte faking her own death to throw Moriarty off of her trail. How will she handle this going forward? I can’t wait to find out!

Book: “The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill” by Rowenna Miller

Publication Date: March 28, 2023

Why I’m Interested: While I have yet to finish “The Unraveled Kingdom” trilogy, I do remember quite enjoying the first book in the series, “Fray.” It was a unique combination of fantasy story and social commentary. So, too, this book sounds like it has a lot to offer, telling the two of a family whose orchard has always shared a boarder with the Fae, with whom they have relied upon for small trades and bargains throughout their tenure. But when two sisters find themselves slamming up against the restraints put upon women of this time, they begin to wonder whether these tried and true bargains can be pushed further. One can imagine where this story will likely go, but I’m also intrigued by this combination of fantasy elements and a historical novel that is focused on some of the issues of the time.

Kate’s Picks

Book: “Piñata” by Leopoldo Gout

Publication Date: March 14, 2023

Why I’m Interested: The cover immediately caught my eye when it showed up on one of my social media feeds. And after looking into it, I realized that “Piñata” by Leopoldo Gout was going to be a searing and uncompromising possession story. Architect Carmen has traveled to Mexico to work on a large project involving a centuries old Church, bringing daughters Izel and Luna with her. But after an accident on site opens a long forgotten room, and Luna is involved in the aftermath, they return home under stress. Once home, Luna starts to act strange, and all of them are plagued with strange and disturbing images and visions. Something in the room is out now, and it is angry. This is the kind of possession story that catches my eye.

Book: “Lone Women” by Victor LaValle

Publication Date: March 28, 2023

Why I’m Interested: While westerns aren’t really a genre I find myself gravitating towards, if Victor LaValle is involved I am going to take a big old chance on a western. I’ve loved his other horror works that not only take on scares, but also contemporary societal issues, and now it’s taking on historical societal issues that undoubtedly have resonance today! In 1914, Adelaide is running from a terrible secret and a terrible background, bringing a locked steamer trunk with her wherever she goes. She decides to try and take advantage of a Government offer of land for anyone who can make a living on it, and heads to Montana in hopes of laying low. But she soon realizes that there are other dangers besides a murky past, and that the secret she’s been keeping may need to come out if she wants to survive. So vague, so of course that just makes me more interested!

Book: “London Séance Society” by Sarah Penner

Publication Date: March 21, 2023

Why I’m Interested: I loved Sarah Penner’s previous novel “The Lost Apothecary” and how she weaved both historical fiction and psychological women’s thriller fiction into one well crafted story. So of course I was interested in her next book, “The London Séance Society”, and what a bonus ghosts and Victorian Spiritualism were! When her younger sister Evie is murdered, Lenna seeks out Vaudeline, a world renowned medium who also happened to be Evie’s former teacher. Lenna becomes a new apprentice, and when Vaudeline gets word that a friend and head of the London Séance Society has been murdered as well, both women seek out the exclusive group to see if they can help solve the crime. Lenna soon realizes that Evie had her own connection to the group, and then the two women wonder just what the London Séance Society may be hiding. Historical intrigue and ghosts, what more could I want?

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

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

It’s February! The month of flowers! The month of chocolate! The month of romance! The month where if you have kids you sit around at home and fantasize about some nebulous future where you can once again go on a romantic dinner date but instead you just drink wine and re-watch episodes of “The Office.” Luckily for us, being homebound always comes with the perk of more time to check out the many books we’re looking forward to this month!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “The Last Tale of the Flower Bride” by Roshani Chokshi

Publication Date: February 14, 2023

Why I’m Interested: I’ve been a bit hit or miss with Roshani Chokshi’s books in the past. But even while I sometimes struggle with her flowery writing style, it’s undeniable that she’s a talented author. So I was excited to see that she was releasing her first fantasy novel for adults this winter. I know that she does an excellent job with characters, so perhaps being freed from some of the YA fantasy tropes will free her up to really dive into this aspect of her writing. Plus, the gothic vibes of the story about a husband who travels to his wife’s strange ancestral home and discovers many secrets in her past sounded right up my alley!

Book: “Empire of Ruin” by Django Wexler

Publication Date: February 23, 2023

Why I’m Interested: I’ve really been enjoying Wexler’s “Burningblade and Silvereye” trilogy so far. But of course, it all comes down to the last book in the series where the whole thing will either come together or crash into a burning pile of disappointment. But I’m really not too worried about the latter. Wexler is proven author will several solid ending under his belt. So now it’s a matter of just how it all concludes. The end of the book saw the return of one of the all-powerful Chosen who had died out years before but, of course, he’s quite evil and has his own plans for their world. I’m so excited to see how our beloved siblings deal with him and, hopefully, figure out their own stuff, too.

Book: “The Magician’s Daughter” by H. G. Parry

Publication Date: February 21, 2023

Why I’m Interested: First off, I’m really digging this cover. It’s definitely eye-catching and stands out from the other covers you see a lot of right now. I also love stories that blend fantasy with historical fiction, so this book, set in 1917 sounded right up my alley. The story follows Biddy, a young woman being raised by a magician as her guardian. But soon she learns her guardian is hiding dark secrets and she begins to question everything. I love that the central relationship in this book seems to be between Biddy and Rowan, the magician. We see a lot of siblings and romances, but guardian and ward seems pretty unique. Can’t wait to check this one out!

Kate’s Picks

Book: “Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Stephen Graham Jones

Publication Date: February 7, 2023

Why I’m Interested: The first and obvious reason is that I love Stephen Graham Jones and think he is a genius and a horror master. The second is that I am VERY happy that he has decided to continue his Jade Daniels series, which he started with “My Heart Is A Chainsaw”. Love Jones’s love for all things horror, and love how much he deep dives into the genre and just turns it on its head. In “Don’t Fear The Reaper” Jade has left prison behind after being released, and is returning to Proofrock. Just when another horror movie situation has started to unfold, as an escaped serial killer has descended on the town during the snow storm. While Jade doesn’t want to be bound to horror anymore, she will have to tap into her suppressed knowledge if she wants to survive. LET’S GOOOOOO!

Book: “She Is a Haunting” by Trang Thanh Tran

Publication Date: February 28, 2023

Why I’m Interested: Ghost stories are always my jam, and this one popped up in my mailbox and grabbed by attention almost immediately. I mean sheesh, look at that cover! And I also love a ghost story that takes on greater themes like grief, broken families, and colonialism, and this sounds like it’s teeming with all of that. When Jade (another Jade!) returns to her ancestral home of Vietnam to visit her father (with whom she has a troubled relationship), she thinks the worst thing is going to be the awkwardness. But when she settles into the mid-restoration French colonial home, it’s clear that something is wrong with the house. From visions of ghostly brides to the unnerving feeling of insects everywhere, Jade is convinced something is wrong. Though her family doesn’t believe her, she knows she needs to unearth the house’s secrets to save her loved ones. How creepy. I’m IN.

Book: “Spite House” by Johnny Compton

Publication Date: February 7, 2023

Why I’m Interested: Another haunted house story! And this was one that was jumping all over my various social media feeds, and the hype really caught my eye. Eric and his daughters Dess and Stacy are traveling in their car back to his home state of Texas, fleeing from a mysterious past and trying to stay together in spite of the tension and dwindling funds. So when Eric sees an employment ad that is looking for a caretaker of a local house, that happens to be notoriously haunted, he jumps at the chance, agreeing to help the elderly owner find some evidence of any kind of supernatural activity. But once he and his daughters move in, things start happening, and they realize that this slightly creepy job is actually a nightmare. Two haunted house stories this month, how lucky are we?

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

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

How is it 2023?!! I mean, we probably say that every year, but still, it’s always a bit shocking. All the more so when you have kids and every year marks another year they’ve been around being little terrors joys. But with the new year comes a whole new pile of books to get through! Here are the ones we’re particularly excited about this month!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries” by Heather Fawcett

Publication Date: January 10, 2023

Why I’m Interested: This book checks off a lot of boxes for me. Scholarly, unsocial leading lady? Yes. Historical fantasy with an emphasis on folklore and faeries? Yes. Comedic love interest? Yes. While I’m always a bit nervous about books that are written a diary format, as I’ve struggled with this style in the past, I’m hopeful that the premise of these being working scholarly journals will help that for me. I also really like this cover. It’s fairly simple, but I think it nicely sets a particular tone for the type of fantasy novel the reader is picking up.

Book: “Mysteries of Thorn Manor” by Margaret Rogerson

Publication Date: January 17, 2023

Why I’m Interested: Umm, obviously! I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Margaret Rogerson. And beyond that, this is a novella that she has described as “an author writing fanfic for their own novel.” Yes, please! I’m really excited to see more from Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and their demon companion, Silas. The romance had only just begun at the end of “Sorcery of Thorns,” so I can’t wait to see how this relationship develops further. And, of course, Silas’s return from the dead was a big surprise at the end of the novel, so I imagine there is a decent well of emotional drama to be drilled there, too. I’ll be getting to this one right away, count on that!

Book: “Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame” by Meg Long

Publication Date: January 17, 2023

Why I’m Interested: I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed Long’s first book in this series, “Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves.” It was a clever, science fiction novel with the bond between a young woman and her half-feral wolf at the heart of the story. Along the way, they pick up some friends, including Remy, a young woman on the run from the corporation who created her. This is her story, and it promises to be one of revenge, betrayal, and the power of friendship. Yes, I’m a bit sad that there’s not an equivalent animal companion, but I guess you can’t have everything.

Kate’s Picks

Book: “The House in the Pines” by Ana Reyes

Publication Date: January 3, 2023

Why I’m Interested: This is one of my last ALAAC22 ARCs, and it took a lot of willpower to keep myself from jumping in a little too quickly given that its release was pretty much six months after obtaining it. But the time is here! When Maya was seventeen and about to go away to school, she met Frank, and was instantly smitten. But then her best friend Aubrey, who never liked Frank, died suddenly and mysteriously, and Maya was convinced Frank had something to do with it. Now seven years later, after running and never looking back, Maya sees a viral video of a woman dropping dead for no apparent reason, and sees that Frank is the man with her. Now she has to return to her hometown, and to Frank’s cabin in the woods, to try and get answers. Nothing good ever happens in a thriller with a remote cabin, so this one could be super tense.

Book: “How To Sell a Haunted House” by Grady Hendrix

Publication Date: January 17, 2023

Why I’m Interested: I’m always up for some Grady Hendrix, a horror writer that brings some quirkiness and humor to his really effective horror stories. And it occurred to me when I read this description that the man hadn’t taken on the haunted house story until this one! So I’d say we’re about due! Louise and her brother Mark are estranged, living different lives on different parts of the country. But when their parents die in a tragic car accident, Louise returns to their home of Charleston and has to confront not only their deaths, but also the brother she has resented and been away from for all these years. They squabble about the house and the inheritance, but as they start trying to clean it out, strange things begin happening. There are weird sounds from the locked attic. Things turn on and off. And their mother’s puppet collection seems to be moving. Louise and Mark have to learn to get along, because how are you going to confront a haunting alone? Knowing Hendrix there will be some genuine heart with the scares and the humor.

Book: “One Girl in All the World” by Kendare Blake

Publication Date: January 31, 2023

Why I’m Interested: Well, for one, I absolutely LOVED the first book in the series, “In Every Generation”. For another, anything that brings back some of my favorite “Buffy” characters and does right by them is getting some love from me. But mostly, I am very eager to see where Kendare Blake takes Frankie Rosenberg and her new Scooby Gang. Frankie is still getting used to her slayer-witch powers, and with Buffy and the other slayers still missing she and her friends are doing their best to hold down the Hellmouth. But it doesn’t help that her new powers and the rumors of a dead Buffy have attracted some old friends back to the Hellmouth. On top of that, whispers of a new big bad, The Darkness, are making their way to Frankie and her friends and loved ones. What is The Darkness? And is Buffy alive out there somewhere? I am very pumped for this continuation! Especially if we get to see Spike as a school librarian some more.

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

Kate weeps for the end of the Halloween Season, but now we are in November and we are barreling forward towards the winter holidays, where food and family rule and the cold weather in Minnesota starts to close in. Snow is pretty, but snow is also cold. Hopefully we still have some time to wait, and while we do we have some books that we are looking forward to this month!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “Saint” by Adrienne Young

Publication Date: November 29, 2022

Why I’m Interested: I don’t know if I can properly express just how much I hate this cover. Honestly, if I didn’t know that Adrienne Young is an established author with a good number of well-received books under her belt already, I’d glance at this and think it was one of more poorly designed self-published books I’ve seen. That aside, however….this is the prequel to the “Fable” duology and tells the story of her famous father, Saint, and of her mother, a woman who died before Fable’s own story began. I’m really excited to see the love story play out between these two characters. Though I’m a bit hesitant, as it’s always kind of a bummer to read about character who you know are going to hit up against tragedy hard in their future.

Book: “Raven Unveiled” by Grace Draven

Publication Date: November 8, 2022

Why I’m Interested: Grace Draven is another author whom I’ve really enjoyed reading. I’ve gone through a lot of her back catalog over the years, but it has been especially fun reading her “Fallen Empire” trilogy as it’s come out. We’ve seen a lot familiar romantic pairing tropes covered and covered well. And like the first book, this romance is one of my favorites: enemies to lovers! It also features two characters who were introduced in the second book (to varying extents between them) and whose conflict was built into that book. After meeting them there, I was primed with excitement to see how their story would play out here, with Gharek, the late Queen’s “fixer” essentially, chasing after Siora, the woman who used to care for his daughter but whom he now sees as the person who betrayed them. Can’t wait to check this one out!

Book: “Tread of Angels” by Rebecca Roanhorse

Publication Date: November 15, 2022

Why I’m Interested: I’ve really been enjoying this author’s “Between Earthand Sky” series, so she’s become kind of a no-brainer for lists like this. She comes out with a new book? It’ll probably end up here. But this novella also sounds particularly interesting, following the story of a young woman setting out to try and save her sister who is accused of murder. Add in fallen angels, demons, and a strange new world, and this book sounds like just my cup of tea. Not to mention, November is a busy reading month for me; there are so many great upcoming books that I couldn’t fit on this list! That being the case, I’m happy to get my hands on a novella every once in a while.

Kate’s Picks

Book: “White Horse” by Erika T. Wurth

Publication Date: November 1, 2022

Why I’m Interested: You know how much I love a good horror story, especially if there are ghosts involved, and “White Horse” by Erika T. Wurth is getting a lot of hype in the horror community from people I trust. Kari has been perfectly satisfied with her metal music, her horror novel collection, and sitting at the local bar The White Horse a few nights a week. She tries not to think of the mother who left her when she was two days old, or her father’s accident that threw her into a caregiver role. But when her cousin Debbie brings Kari a bracelet that once belonged to her missing mother, Kari starts seeing the woman’s ghost, as well as visions of other, scarier things. Kari is determined to find out what happened to her mom, and to try and stave off whatever monster has come along for the ride.

Book: “Wayward” by Chuck Wendig

Publication Date: November 15, 2022

Why I’m Interested: Back in 2019, Chuck Wendig wrote a pandemic thriller/dystopia story called “Wanderers” in which a fungus based disease took out a huge majority of Earth’s population. And then a year later we were in the midst of an actual real-life pandemic, and while it wasn’t as deadly as White Mask by any means, it still turned the whole world upside down. And now we have the sequel, “Wayward”, and I have to say it’s an achievement of my own anxiety and mental health that I could pick up an 800+ page book about a pandemic raged America. The town of Ouray is home to the former sleepwalkers, Shepherds, and Black Swan, the AI that predicted world’s end. Benji is a well respected member of the community, Shana is awaiting the birth of her child after being in stasis for years, and Matthew is barely hanging on. But then Black Swan starts acting strange, and its followers are becoming more fervent. Soon Ouray doesn’t seem as utopic as it once did. I smell a cult, guys, and that sounds awesome.

Book: “Five Survive” by Holly Jackson

Publication Date: November 29, 2022

Why I’m Interested: I really loved Holly Jackson’s “Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” Trilogy, so it was a no brainer that I absolutely needed to read her next YA thriller novel “Five Survive”. Her stories are so addictive and fun, and this one goes in a whole different direction than what we saw with Pip in that previous series. Six friends are on an RV road trip hoping to meet up with friends for a relaxing and fun vacation. But when the RV’s tires blow, they are completely confused as to what could have happened, since the road looks clear. Then they realize that someone shot them out, and is watching them with a gun. The shooter says that they want a secret that one of them is hiding, and that person had better come clean, or else people will die. Soon the friends start questioning who they really are to each other.

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

Fall is officially here, and Kate’s season has arrived. Beyond all of the spooky reads to be found, we are both planning what our kids will be for Halloween while, more importantly, planning how we can steal most of their candy for ourselves. Hey, they’re still toddlers, we’re just being good parents by preventing tiny cavities! But we’re also both looking forward to pulling out all of the cozy blankets and curling up with some great reads. Here are a few we’re looking forward to this month!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “The River of Silver” by S.A. Chakraborty

Publication Date: October 11, 2022

Why I’m Interested: This book of short stories has been released in audiobook format for a bit now. But it’s just now releasing as a physical book and so I’m including it here now since this is the format I prefer to read for this series. I’m very excited to return to this world, and the book description promises a nice balance of perspectives between fan favorite characters, characters we’ve only seen in the background, and a couple of completely brand new faces. Given how sprawling this world and history is, I’m sure there are plenty of stories to be mined, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store!

Book: “Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove” by Rati Mehrotra

Publication Date: October 18, 2022

Why I’m Interested: While most fantasy fiction readers have read a ton of European medieval fantasy, what’s more rare is medieval fantasy set in other parts of the world. So with this story coming in as a fantasy version of medieval India, I was definitely interested from the get go. I also really like this cover. It’s not doing anything super flashy, but it speaks to my old-school fantasy loving self somehow. I’m a bit concerned by the book description which lists our teenage female protagonists as “the best guardswoman ever,” as I’m on record as having a major eye-roll problem with this particular trope. But we’ll see if Mehrotra has a new take on some of this.

Book: “Princess of Souls” by Alexandra Christo

Publication Date: October 11, 2022

Why I’m Interested: Speaking of covers, this one reminds me strongly of “The NeverEnding Story” and its intertwined snake pendant. That aside, I was able to nab an ARC of this from ALA, so I’ve been eagerly waiting for my chance to pick it up. It’s sold as a Rapunzel-inspired story following a young woman with the ability to steal souls. I’m not quite sure where the Rapunzel stuff gets into this (even reading the full Goodreads description, I’m not sure), but I do love a good fairytale retelling, so I’m quite hopeful!

Kate’s Picks

Book: “Malice House” by Megan Shepherd

Publication Date: October 4, 2022

Why I’m Interested: This was one of my ARC highlights from ALAAC22, as it had been on my radar for a few months by the time I was headed to the conference. Chuck Wendig was singing its praises and that was good enough for me! Haven is an aspiring illustrator who returns to her author father’s seaside estate, Malice House, after his death following a long battle with dementia. While staying there she finds a hand written manuscript of a book he never published, and as a horror collection it’s a creepy departure from his literary works. Haven thinks that it could be the key to jump starting her illustration career, and begins to draw the creatures from its pages. But then strange things start happening, ranging from scary noises at night to people dying in town. Her father had always said the house was haunted, and now Haven may be living her own horror story. This Gothic horror novel is sure to scratch a haunted house itch!

Book: “Such Sharp Teeth” by Rachel Harrison

Publication Date: October 4, 2022

Why I’m Interested: Rachel Harrison has been a must read author for me ever since her debut “The Return”, and then the tonal shift between that scary story and her whimsical witch tale “Cackle” showed her versatility. Now she’s taking on the werewolf story, and I am very, very excited about it. Rory has returned to her small hometown after her twin sister Scarlett begged her to come be with her. Scarlett is pregnant and recently single, and Rory, though she hates her hometown, drops everything to be with her twin. But one night after bar hopping at the old haunts, Rory is attacked by a ferocious creature, leaving a weird injury that bleeds silver. Now Rory is starting to notice weird changes to her body and personality, which only get worse as the full moon gets closer. After transforming into a werewolf, Rory is determined to keep those she loves safe… and determined to figure out if she can break this werewolf curse. Harrison always has snappy feminist themes in her books, and I expect this one will be the same!

Book: “Jackal” by Erin E. Adams

Publication Date: October 4, 2022

Why I’m Interested: This was a book that ended up in my email box from the publisher, and while I hadn’t heard of it until then, I was immediately taken with the description. It has so many elements that I love: missing people. Small town secrets. Social horror themes. “Jackal” sounds like it could be more of a thriller, but my gut feeling is that this book is going to be scary as hell. Liz is returning to her rural Pennsylvania town after years of being away. Being one of the only Black people in Johnstown was incredibly difficult, but her childhood best friend is getting married, so she’s willing to return for that. But then the bride’s daughter Caroline goes missing. And it’s not the first time a young Black woman has disappeared in this town, as Liz remembers one from her youth who did as well, as was found dead with her heart removed. As Liz looks into it, she finds a disturbing pattern of Black girls missing and murdered. Liz is desperate to find Caroline before it happens to another one. I’m bracing myself for scares and probably lots of heartbreak with this one.

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

Summer has basically come to an end, and that means that Fall is here. For Kate this is great news, as it means the spooky season is nearly upon us. Serena isn’t as optimistic about the change in season, as that can only mean that Winter is coming. But before the cold really sets in, we have plans for the Fall, and that means that we also have some new books we’re looking forward to!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “Foul Lady Fortune” by Chloe Gong

Publication Date: September 27, 2022

Why I’m Interested: Kate nabbed a copy of this one for me at ALA this year, so it’s a given that it would end up on my highlights list for this month! I haven’t read the previous duology, a reimagining of “Romeo and Juliet,” but it sounded like this would be approachable even to newbies. The story follows Rosalyn, a character originally introduced in the first duology, a young woman who has devoted her life to trying to make amends for previous betrayals by working for her country as an assassin. But her life takes a shift when she finds herself assigned not to an assassination job but to go undercover as a spy alongside one of the most infuriating young men she’s ever met. I love both assassination and spy stories, so I’m very excited to check out this book.

Book: “Notorious Sorcerer” by Davinia Evans

Publication Date: September 13, 2022

Why I’m Interested: This is one of those cases where I’d pick up this book based purely on the title alone. It also has two of my favorite fantasy things: alchemy and magical libraries. It’s the story of a young street rat turned low-level alchemist who accidentally performs a magical feat far beyond his supposed capability. Now with more attention than he knows what to do with, Siyon doesn’t know who or what to trust. And things are about to get much, much worse when a threat arises that calls into the question of his entire world. I received an ARC for this in the mail, and definitely excited to see what it has to offer!

Book: “The Golden Enclaves” by Naomi Novik

Publication Date: September 27, 2022

Why I’m Interested: Obviously! I mean…obviously! And here’s where I reveal the extreme spoiledness that I’ve now become accustomed to: I have to wait for the book to actually release before getting to read it, as I haven’t found any eARCs available anywhere! I mean, I get it. This is the third book in a popular series; not like you need much word of mouth to drive sales on this one. Or…is it because it ends tragically and all of the reviewers will be too busy crying under their covers to post reviews early anyways? I’m so excited. I’m so nervous.

Kate’s Picks

Book: “The Weight of Blood” by Tiffany D. Jackson

Publication Date: September 6, 2022

Why I’m Interested: Tiffany D. Jackson is a must read author for me, and given that “Carrie” is one of my favorite Stephen King novels, the combination here is too rife with possibility to pass up. Maddy is an outcast at her school who has always passed for white, but when an unexpected rainstorm outs her as biracial, a racially charged bullying attack goes viral. Hoping to avoid being seen as racist, the school community decides to finally integrate the Prom, and Maddy is asked by a popular Black football player to attend at the behest of his white girlfriend… And you can probably guess where things go. Jackson reimagining “Carrie” with social themes of racism, colorism, and identity is inspired, and given how well she’s done with horror in the past, hopes are high for this one!

Book: “I’m The Girl” by Courtney Summers

Publication Date: September 13, 2022

Why I’m Interested: “Sadie” was a gut punch of a read, and I love how Courtney Summers has a no holds barred approach to her YA fiction in that she takes on dark topics and doesn’t sugarcoat, trusting her readers to be able to process and handle the themes she presents. “I’m The Girl” is her newest thriller, and I’m sure I will be steeling myself for it. Georgia is a teenage girl who has always known she is beautiful, and that if you wield your beauty it can be powerful. She wants to work at the local luxury resort, knowing it is good money, and that she could achieve what her mother, a former ‘Aspera Girl’, never did. But when she is hit by a car, and then finds the body of a thirteen year old girl thrown from the vehicle, she is entangled in a web of privilege, opulence, power, and danger. This was a much anticipated ALA grab for me, so it had to make the list.

Book: “Ghost Eaters” by Clay McLeod Chapman

Publication Date: September 20, 2022

Why I’m Interested: Another ALA grab, though this one was autographed by the author himself (and he was a delight! He complimented my Motley Crüe tee shirt, in spite of the fact it was a clear indicator of last day fatigue, clothing effort wise)! I’ve been hearing deeply scary things about “Ghost Eaters”, so that makes me VERY excited for this book. After refusing to pick up her on again, off again boyfriend Silas from rehab, Erin thinks that setting this boundary will be far more healthy for them both. But after Silas ends up dead of an overdose shortly thereafter, the guilt is almost too much. Then, Erin hears whispers of a drug that allows you to see the dead, and that Silas had started messing with it, she wants answers to alleviate her guilt, and tries the drug herself in hopes of closure. Instead, terrifying visions of angry spirits start to plague her. Just in time for the Halloween season, and I’m definitely going to showcase it during this year’s Horrorpalooza!

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

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Hot, hot, hot. Have we mentioned that it’s been hot? But while Kate eagerly looks forward to the cool weather of the fall and the Halloween Horrorpalooza, Serena somehow remains sad to think of the hot weather going away. But either way (one of us sensibly staying in the AC indoors and the other sweating it out in the sun) we still have a lot of books to get through this summer. Here are a few we’re looking forward to this month!

Serena’s Picks:

Book: “Soul Taken” by Patricia Briggs

Publication Date: August 23, 2022

Why I’m Interested: I’ve been a faithful reader of the Mercy Thompson series for several years now. With all of that time, I’ve seen all of the highs and lows of the series. Currently, the series has been on a bit of a streak with some fun stories one after another. But that always makes me nervous that the trend could collapse at any moment. This story, revolving around an urban legend (a murderer with a scythe) that seems to have come to life, sounds kind of strange, but who knows? There also seems to be an emphasis on the local vampires, and as that is a particularly interesting supernatural group in this series, I’m excited to see what more there is to learn!

Book: “Wildbound” by Elayne Audrey Becker

Publishing Info: August 30, 2022

Why I’m Interested: I really loved last year’s “Forestborn.” It was one of those surprise hits where I really had no expectations going in, but by the time I had finished, I just loved it. It didn’t end on an outright cliffhanger, but it was right up to that line. So I knew when I saw this one coming out this summer that I’d be right at the front of the line. This time, it looks like the POV will be split between Rora and her brother, Helos. I’m not sure how I feel about that, as I really enjoyed Rora as a single narrator and Helos was not the most likeable character ever in that first book. But who knows? Either way, I’m excited to see this story wrapped up.

Book: “The Drowned Woods” by Emily Lloyd-Jones

Publication Date: August 16, 2022

Why I’m Interested: Ever since devouring “The Bone Houses” a few years ago, I’ve been stalking Emily Lloyd-Jones’s Goodreads page for news of another book from her. So I was beyond thrilled when I saw this book lined up to come out this summer. Even more exciting, I nabbed an ARC copy at ALA! Talk about a win! This book has been marketed as “Welsh Atlantis” and I have no idea what that means, but I’m excited. Really, I would have been excited if this had been marketed as “a book about a puddle of mud,” but a vengeful mage, a deadly assassin, and some sort of heist sounds right up my alley!

Kate’s Picks:

Book: “Shutter” by Ramona Emerson

Publication Date: August 2, 2022

Why I’m Interested: We all already know that stories about people who can see/communicate with ghosts are very much my jam, and that I have an enjoyment of crime procedurals as well. So when you take those two things, add in examinations of police corruption, and make it all from an Indigenous perspective, I am going to be 100% on board. I was lucky to snag “Shutter” by Ramona Emerson at ALAAC22, and I have been eager for it. Rita is a photographer who works for the Albuquerque police department, who has been able to see ghosts ever since she was a little girl growing up on a Navajo reservation with her grandmother. When a victim named Erma realizes that Rita can see her, she is hellbent on making Rita figure out what happened. But it gets Rita caught up in a dark underbelly of cartel violence as she reluctantly investigates. This has been a can’t wait read for 2022 and it’s finally here.

Book: “Kismet” by Amina Akhtar

Publication Date: August 1, 2022

Why I’m Interested: Far be it from me to be any kind of wellness or spiritual healing kind of person. The closest I get is the occasional bath bomb in the tub after a long day. But I am VERY interested to see what Amina Akhtar does with this culture, as she is known to be a balls to the wall thriller author. Ronnie has spent her entire life in Queens, living with an repressive aunt and wondering if she has any choices for herself. When she meets Marley, a self help influencer, they click, and Marley convinces her to leave her life behind and move with her to a wellness loving community in Arizona. Ronnie is excited to start over… until other wellness aficionados in their community start dying over the top deaths. Soon Ronnie starts fearing that their wellness based community is anything but. This seems like it could be raucous and fun.

Book: “The Devil Takes You Home” by Gabino Iglesias

Publication Date: August 2, 2022

Why I’m Interested: This has been on horror lists all year long in terms of most hyped and most anticipated, which is a strong argument on its own, but I read Gabino Iglesias’s previous book “Coyote Songs” and found it strange and unsettling, so that pushed it into ‘must read’ territory. Mario never imagined he would be a hit man, but when his young daughter was diagnosed with childhood leukemia, he had to take on this dangerous profession to pay the ever mounting bills. After she dies, Mario is left broken and despondent. When a friend approaches him with a very dangerous job, but one that would make him debt free and allow him to start over, Mario accepts. But their job takes them not only into the violent world of Mexican cartels, but also into otherworldly horrors that only progress as their mission goes on. Iglesias is a quickly rising star in the horror novel world, and this one will surely be on many horror fans lists this year.

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