Here are a few of the titles that are releasing this month that have piqued my interest.
*links are to the author/publisher page for the book*
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros- the third book in the Empyrean series. While book 2 was a bit of a letdown for me, book 1 was engaging enough that I am willing to keep going. If this one is a flop however, I will be letting this series go. I probably won’t be able to get to this one until February
The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis- this is a historical fiction novel that is set at least partially in Egypt. The cover of this is what first attracted my notice, plus I find Egyptian history really fascinating.
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix- This one intrigued me, but I don’t normally read much horror. I’ve heard a lot of good things about Grady Hendrix and thought I might try this as opposed to his backlist.
The Note by Alafair Burke- This is a new thriller from Burke that follows three friends who are reuniting as adults. I love when thrillers use the “something bad happened when we were kids/teens and we’ve hid it until now” trope, and it seems like that’s what this story is going to be. I first read from Burke when she partnered with Mary Higgins Clark for the Under Suspicion series, and really enjoyed those titles, so I’ve explored a few more of her independent works since then.
The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Phifer- I fully admit that the beautiful cover and the word “bookstore” were really enough to put this one on my radar, but then learning it involved witches and had a speculative aspect sold me on this title. I haven’t read from this publisher before, and it seems like they publish a little bit of everything, so I’ll be interested to see how this one lands for me.
The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill- Did I mention that I’m a sucker for a beautiful cover and the word “bookstore”. This one seems a little more serious than the previous title, but no less potentially engaging. I may even read these back-to-back in a “who did it better?” competition. That could be a fun series: similar titles with different concepts go head-to-head. Stay tuned.
Let’s Call Her Barbie by Renee Rosen- I have a confession to make: I haven’t seen the Barbie movie. Some days it feels like I’m the only one. I’m not sure why I haven’t given in and watched it, but I just haven’t been drawn to it. Which is why I was really surprised that the synopsis for this title grabbed me. It’s a historical fiction imagining of the team that pitched and brought the doll to fruition. I’m not sure how much of it is going to be based on historical research (confession: I originally thought this was a non-fiction title when I read the summary).
Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor-I have been meaning to try Okorafor for years (I actually own the complete Binti series) and this concept grabbed me. We’re following an author who faces some personal and professional down times and decides to write a very different kind of book. The story the author decides to write deals with androids and AI and is successful, but the synopsis says, “the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur.” Sold! I think as I see AI being forced on us more and more often, I’m really going to enjoy readng more stories where AI runs amok.
Boudicca by PC Cast-This is pure nostalgia for me. In high school, we read about Boadicea (same character) in a World Lit class and we spent a few weeks on it and I fell in love with the character. The teacher for that class even had us listen to the song by Enya, which immediately came back to mind when I read the description for this book. Cast is also a nostalgia author for me because I read the House of Night books when I was a teen. I am very happy to see more female warriors featured in historical fiction.
Mystery Royale by Kaitlyn Cavalancia-This YA fantasy mystery has yet another great cover that caught my eye when I was scrolling through the many publisher emails I get. I really enjoy YA mysteries and I enjoy YA fantasy, but I don’t generally read a blend of the two, so I’m looking forward to see if the combination works for me.
The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley-This is billed as The Count of Monte Cristo meets Bridgerton. Bridgerton was an unexpected hit for me that I ended up binging in a matter of days, so I’ve been looking to explore that style of story a little more. I’m finding it listed as YA, and my gut instinct is that I’m probably going to wish it was an adult novel, but we’ll see.
The Outcast Mage by Annabel Campbell-This is a debut featuring a magic Academy and a young mage who does not have control of her abilities. There are political machinations at work and the potential for a civil war on the horizon. This one came to my attention because Orbit is one of my favorite publishers and this title is recommended for fans of James Islington and Samantha Shannon.
The Baby Dragon Cafe by Aamna Qureshi-This is being pitched as a cozy romantasy set in a cafe for fans of Legends and Lattes and the Pumpkin Spice Cafe. I don’t think there’s a lot of substance plot-wise and I don’t know what the spice level is going to be, but I’m game to give this one a try.
Books Dani Likes 