As the leaves fall and we get into the swing of autumn, ’tis the season to read a nice fantasy book by the fire. Or cosy up in bed with a heart-thumping crime novel as the days get colder. Or perhaps a spooky read with all the lights on in advance of Halloween?
Regardless of where or what you choose to read, below are our favourites picks from the new releases this month to help inspire your next exciting read:
Our top pick:
Title: Comfort Me With Apples
Author: Catherynne M. Valente
Genre: Horror, Thriller
First impressions: Why is it that all books that have “perfect marriages” are never truly perfect? We can’t wait to see what will be uncovered this time!
Sophia’s life is perfect. Her husband – perfect. Their home in Arcadia Gardens – perfect. So what if her husband is away so much. He just works hard. She misses him and he says he misses her. He’s perfect. But there are strange things – dark things – that Sophie can’t help but think about. Like the look on his face after he returns from a long business trip. The questions he avoids. The locked basement she should never enter. The neighbours that can’t quite meet her gaze… Everything is perfect; at least that’s what Sophia tells herself.
Honourable mentions:
- Nanny Needed by Georgina Cross (Thriller)
- We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride, Jo Piazza (Contemporary)
Just JJ’s top pick:
Title: Little Thieves
Author: Margaret Owen
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
First impression: How can I possible resist a book with such a pretty cover, strong female lead and intriguing blurb?!
A year ago, Vanja Schmidt stole the life of Princess Gisele in order to secure her future. While the real Gisele became penniless and ordinary ,Vanja uses her new position to access the wealth of the nobles and fund her great escape. With her freedom just one heist away, Vanja crosses the wrong god and is cursed for her greed. If she is to break the curse and make her gateway before it is too late, Vanja must pull off her biggest grift yet. Oh yeah, let not the forget the feral guardian half-god, sinister fiancé, and overeager junior detective she will have to avoid to execute her plans.
Honourable mentions:
- Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood (Fantasy)
- Jade Fire Gold by June C.L. Tan (Fantasy)
- The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker (Fantasy)
- Crossbones by Kimberly Vale (Fantasy)
Simply Esther’s top pick:
Title: Sankofa
Author: Chibundu Onuzo
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
First impression: Guess your twenties is not the end of life transitions and identity crises!
Anna is separated from her husband, her daughter is all grown up and her mum is dead. She is at a point of confusion and faces turmoil, questioning her identity and place in the world. Whilst searching through her deceased mother’s possessions, she discovers clues about her African father who she never knew. It turns out that he is alive… The spirit of Sankofa is said to be taking the good things of the past and bringing them into the present. This premise takes us on a journey into Anna’s life as she pursues her newly found father and who she really is.
Honourable mentions:
- Fight night by Miriam Toews (Contemporary)
- Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers (Historical Fiction)
- On Girlhood: 15 Stories from the Well-Read Black Girl Library by Glory Edim (Non-fiction)
Feel free to let us know in the comments below if you are excited about any of the books mentioned above or any other books coming out this month.
Definitely adding ‘Comfort me with apples’ to my reading list! Good shout!
Also..that cover! Eerie, but in an intriguing way. Can’t wait to be creeped out.