A new month means a whole new list of my most exciting and anticipated releases! Like always, I picked this list based off of the hook of the synopsis, the cover design, the author, and the general vibes I’m getting from all of these things combined. What’s another 22 books (plus some honorable mentions at the very end) added to our eternal TBR?

Since I tend to read Fantasy, Young Adult, and Romance, that’s what a majority of this list will contain. But other genres tend to sneak in, especially Mystery/Thriller, Literary Fiction, Horror, and Nonfiction

Let’s get into these amazing books and see what October has in store!

*All dates below are expected publication, but they are all also subject to change

Best Hex Ever

by Nadia El-Fassi

Why this pick?:

I love me a seasonal romance. This looks absolutely adorable, plus it has expected fall themes (like a palm reading) to make it a perfect holiday read. I’ve seen this advertised all over the place, so it’s definitely on the list! (I'll be recieving this in a book box subscription.)

Publication Date: October 1, 2024

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Genre: Supernatural | Romance | Adult

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As a skilled kitchen witch, Dina Whitlock knows her way around a pastry recipe. In fact, she runs her very own London café serving magic-infused pastries for her loyal customers. But only a select few friends know about her magical abilities or the hex that has plagued her love life. It’s hard to fall in love when your partner is guaranteed to have a string of bad luck the second they start to have feelings for you.

Scott Mason is back from traveling the world and is excited to begin his new job as a curator at the British Museum. After leaving London to heal from a brutal breakup two years ago, Scott only now realizes how much he missed out on. Now that his best friend’s wedding is right around the corner, Scott is determined to be the most amazing best man ever, but he doesn’t expect to be bewitched by the maid of honor, who also happens to be the owner of his new favorite café and, more surprisingly, a witch?!

After a weekend in the countryside full of peculiar hedge mazes, palm readings by candlelight, and a midnight Halloween ritual, there’s no denying the chemistry between them. But there’s just one problem: The hex still holds, and Dina knows that Scott is in danger. In the past, she’s always cut her losses, but this time is different. Scott could be the one. Will Dina be able to undo the hex, before it’s too late?

The Bitter End

by Alexa Donne

Why this pick?:

There’s something about a locked-door mystery that draws me in without fail. I’ll admit, it’s been a while since I’ve read one that’s YA instead of adult, but this caught my eye! Especially since we get the added (potential survival) element of the blizzard. Oh, the nostalgia of my more innocent Nancy Drew days!

Publication Date: October 15, 2024

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Genre: Mystery/Thriller | Young Adult

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The trip of a lifetime might be the death of them all.

The students of LA’s elite Warner Prep can’t wait for their Senior Excursion—five days of Instagrammable adventure in one of the world’s most exclusive locations. This is not your average field trip.

Which is why eight students can’t believe their bad luck when they end up on a digital detox in an isolated Colorado ski chalet. Their epic trip is panning out to be an epic bore . . . until their classmates start dropping in a series of disturbing deaths. The message is clear: this trip is no accident.

And when a blizzard strikes, secrets are revealed, betrayals are exposed, and survival is at stake in a race to the bitter end.

THE BOG WIFE

by Kay Chronister

Why this pick?:

I read this synopsis and was immediately drawn back to college when I read Margaret Atwood’s short story, “The Bog Man”. Bogs have such a quiet horror element to them, and the premise of this story already gives me goosebumps. I can’t wait to snatch this up! (I'm reading this for the Seasonal Spooky Challenge. Check out my full TBR announcement!)

Publication Date: October 1, 2024

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Genre: Gothic | Horror | Adult

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Since time immemorial, the Haddesley family has tended the cranberry bog. In exchange, the bog sustains them. The staunch seasons of their lives are governed by a strict covenant that is renewed each generation with the ritual sacrifice of their patriarch, and in return, the bog produces a “bog-wife.” Brought to life from vegetation, this woman is meant to carry on the family line. But when the bog fails—or refuses—to honor the bargain, the Haddesleys, a group of discordant siblings still grieving the mother who mysteriously disappeared years earlier, face an unknown future.

Middle child Wenna, summoned back to the dilapidated family manor just as her marriage is collapsing, believes the Haddesleys must abandon their patrimony. Her siblings are not so easily persuaded. Eldest daughter Eda, de facto head of the household, seeks to salvage the compact by desecrating it. Younger son Percy retreats into the wilderness in a dangerous bid to summon his own bog-wife. And as youngest daughter Nora takes desperate measures to keep her warring siblings together, fledgling patriarch Charlie uncovers a disturbing secret that casts doubt over everything the family has ever believed about itself.

Brimming with aching loss and the universal struggle between honoring family commitments and the drive to strike out on one’s own, The Bog Wife is a haunting invocation of the arcane power of the habits and habitats that bound us.

THE CITY IN GLASS

by Nghi Vo

Why this pick?:

I’m already obsessed with this book solely based upon the blurb. A celestial, star-crossed, enemies-to-lovers concept that feels as though it will absolutely rip my heart out—I can’t wait. Just the fact that Vitrine is already calling him “her angel” in this snippet makes me love both characters. Can I claim a potential 5 star read already? Because this book seems right up my alley.

Publication Date: October 1, 2024

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Genre: Fantasy | Romance | Novella | Adult

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The demon Vitrine—immortal, powerful, and capricious—loves the dazzling city of Azril. She has mothered, married, and maddened the city and its people for generations, and built it into a place of joy and desire, revelry and riot.

And then the angels come, and the city falls.

Vitrine is left with nothing but memories and a book containing the names of those she has lost—and an angel, now bound by her mad, grief-stricken curse to haunt the city he burned.

She mourns her dead and rages against the angel she longs to destroy. Made to be each other’s devastation, angel and demon are destined for eternal battle. Instead, they find themselves locked in a devouring fascination that will change them both forever.

Together, they unearth the past of the lost city and begin to shape its future. But when war threatens Azril and everything they have built, Vitrine and her angel must decide whether they will let the city fall again.

The City in Glass is both a brilliantly constructed history and an epic love story, of death and resurrection, memory and transformation, redemption and desire strong enough to burn a world to ashes and build it anew.

A DARK AND SECRET MAGIC

by Wallis Kinney

Why this pick?:

I’m a fan of all things witchy. More than that, though, this reads like we’ll get themes of family and romance that fluctuate between past and present ties. I imagine this will be a lovely novel about magic and personal growth. Perfect for spooky season

Publication Date: October 8, 2024

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Genre: Supernatural | Romance | Mystery | Adult

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Hecate Goodwin, Kate to her friends, has curated the perfect life as a hedge witch, living in a secluded cottage with only a black cat for company. She spends her days foraging herbs from the Ipswich forest, gardening, and creating tinctures to sell at the apothecary she owns. Most evenings pass without her speaking to another human being, an arrangement she quite prefers.

Kate’s solitude is thrown into disarray when her older sister, Miranda, reaches out and asks her to host their coven’s annual Halloween gathering. The day marks the beginning of the new year for witches and is also Kate’s birthday. The pressure from her coven to make the evening memorable mounts as the event draws near. To complicate things further, a handsome man from Kate’s past turns up at her cottage, asking for sanctuary. It is Kate’s duty as a hedge witch to honor this request, much to her dismay. Matthew Cypher is no ordinary lost soul–he’s a practitioner of forbidden magic who’s tricked Kate once before, and her guard is up.

As she juggles Matthew’s arrival and the preparations for Halloween, Kate comes across an old tome shrouded in dark magic. She is horrified when she realizes the blood-red inscription is written in familiar handwriting: her recently deceased mother’s. Afraid to even touch the dark magic her mother secretly studied, Kate can turn only to Matthew for help. Her idealized memory of her mother begins to distort, and as she and Matthew grow closer, Kate has to reevaluate whom she can really trust.

A Dark and Secret Magic is a celebration of the Halloween season and a love letter to anyone who drinks pumpkin spice in August and carries the spirit of a witch inside their heart all year long.

DON’T LET THE FOREST IN

by C.G. Drews

Why this pick?:

I mean, if this cover isn’t gorgeous enough to pull me in (which, it is), the the comps my mind started making as soon as I read the synopsis sealed the deal. It’s giving a hybrid between the MMC from Starling House if he met the artist in the television series Wednesday. Sign me up!

Publication Date: October 29, 2024

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Genre: Gothic | Horror | Young Adult

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Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him.

Protect him. Lie for him. Kill for him.

High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales that he writes for the only person who can ground him to reality—Thomas Rye, the boy with perpetually ink-stained hands and hair like autumn leaves. And with his twin sister, Dove, inexplicably keeping him at a cold distance upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew finds himself leaning on his friend even more.

But something strange is going on with Thomas. His abusive parents have mysteriously vanished, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve. Thomas won’t say a word about it, and shuts down whenever Andrew tries to ask him questions. Stranger still, Thomas is haunted by something, and he seems to have lost interest in his artwork—whimsically macabre sketches of the monsters from Andrew’s wicked stories.

Desperate to figure out what’s wrong with his friend, Andrew follows Thomas into the off-limits forest one night and catches him fighting a nightmarish monster—Thomas’s drawings have come to life and are killing anyone close to him. To make sure no one else dies, the boys battle the monsters every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters, and Andrew begins to fear that the only way to stop the creatures might be to destroy their creator…

FOR SHE IS WRATH

by Emily Varga

Why this pick?:

YES! I already want Dania to conquer all based on the cover and the blurb alone. Girl, go get your vengeance and toss that boy to the side. This title screams READ ME, and you know I will! (I'll be recieving this in a book box subscription.)

Publication Date: October 29, 2024

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Genre: Retelling | Fantasy | Young Adult

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Three hundred and sixty-four days.

Framed for a crime she didn't commit, Dania counts down her days in prison until she can exact revenge on Mazin, the boy responsible for her downfall, the boy she once loved—and still can't forget. When she discovers a fellow prisoner may have the key to exacting that vengeance--a stolen djinn treasure--they execute a daring escape together and search for the hidden treasure.

Armed with dark magic and a new identity, Dania enacts a plan to bring down those who betrayed her and her family, even though Mazin stands in her way. But seeking revenge becomes a complicated game of cat and mouse, especially when an undeniable fire still burns between them, and the power to destroy her enemies has a price. As Dania falls deeper into her web of traps and lies, she risks losing her humanity to her fight for vengeance--and her heart to the only boy she's ever loved.

A GRIM REAPER’S GUIDE TO CATCHING A KILLER

by Maxie Dara

Why this pick?:

To be honest, this one is a bit out of my comfort zone, but something about that intrigued me? This book feels so different from every other launch and release I came across, and I thought it deserved a spot on the list! I checked out some of the reviews and people are saying good things, so I wanted to give it a go!

Publication Date: October 8, 2024

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Genre: Retelling | Fantasy | Young Adult

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Kathy Valence is forty-two, mid-divorce, and pregnant with her ex's baby. She's also a modern-day grim reaper employed by S.C.Y.T.H.E. (Secure Collection, Yielding, and Transportation of Human Essences), but frankly that's the easiest part of her life right now. Or at least it was, until her latest client's soul goes missing.

When she finally tracks down seventeen-year-old Conner Ortiz, he angrily denies he died of natural causes, despite what his file says. He insists that someone at S.C.Y.T.H.E. murdered him, and he demands Kathy find out who and why.

Kathy has only forty-five days to figure out what happened to Conner and help him move on before the boy's soul is doomed to roam the Earth as a ghost forever. She’s forced to rely on the help of her retired mentor, her almost ex-husband—and some sneaky moves by Conner himself. This is the wildest case of her career. . .and one wrong move could cost Kathy her job, not to mention her life.

HEIR

by Sabaa Tahir

Why this pick?:

I’ve been meaning to read a Tahir for years and still haven’t gotten around to picking one up. Any launch by her has to be mentioned because I already know I’ll adore her writing. Luckily, I will get a copy of Heir, so there won’t be any way put this author off on my TBR! Plus, this will be a duology, and I’m a HUGE duology buff. (I’ll be receiving this in one of my book box subscriptions.)

Publication Date: October 1, 2024

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Genre: Fantasy | Young Adult

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An orphan.

An outcast.

A prince.

And a killer who will bring an empire to its knees.

Growing up in the Kegari slums, AIZ has seen her share of suffering. An old tragedy fuels her need for vengeance, but it is love of her people that propels her. Until one hot-headed mistake lands her in an inescapable prison, where the embers of her wrath ignite.

Banished from her tribe for an unforgiveable crime, SIRSHA is a down-on-her-luck tracker who speaks to the earth, air, and water to trace her marks. Destitute, she agrees to hunt down a killer who has murdered children across the Empire. All she has to do is carry out the job and get paid. But then, she falls for a charismatic and inconvenient fugitive who keeps getting in her way.

QUIL is the crown prince of the Empire, nephew of a famed and venerated empress, but he’s loathe to pick up the mantle when his aunt steps down. As the son of the most hated emperor in the history of his people, he, better than anyone, understands that power corrupts. When a vicious new enemy threatens the survival of the Empire, Quil must ask himself if he can rise above his tragic lineage and be the heir his people need.

Beloved storyteller Sabaa Tahir masterfully interweaves the lives of three young people as they grapple with the burdens of power, the treachery of love and the devastating consequences of unchecked greed. Get ready for a dark and breathless journey that will captivate readers and that may cost these young people their lives―and their hearts. Literally.

INHERITANCE OF SCARS

by Crystal Seitz

Why this pick?:

I have yet to read a book based upon Slavic folklore that I didn’t love. This brought my mind back to The Darkest Part of the Forest in terms of lore and an FMC finding a legendary monster in the wood. It’s a concept I’ll read every time, and here we get the added bonus of a family mystery. I can’t wait for the release!

Publication Date: October 1, 2024

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Genre: Mythology/Folklore | Young Adult

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Never go beyond the stave church.

Within Tiveden Forest, bloodthirsty monsters known as draugr lurk behind every tree, and secrets run through the soil like twisted roots. When her grandmother vanishes into the forest, Astrid won’t let Crohn’s disease get in the way of finding her. But in searching for her lost loved one, Astrid soon uncovers an even greater mystery:

A conflict that’s haunted her village and family for generations.

An ancient blood oath her ancestor made to protect them.

A deadly draugr imprisoned for centuries…who Astrid accidentally awakens.

Newly revived, Soren first mistakes Astrid for her ancestor, his ex-lover turned enemy. Astrid can’t tell if he would rather kill her or kiss her. But Soren knows the forest better than anyone, and Astrid quickly realizes that she’ll need his help to rescue her grandmother.

The deeper they venture into Tiveden, the closer Astrid gets to the cold, alluring Soren and the truth behind her grandmother’s disappearance. To save her home, a dark ritual must be performed before Midwinter—and only Astrid can fulfill her ancestor’s blood oath…or break it.

That is, if Soren—or the forest—doesn’t break Astrid first.

LEGEND OF THE WHITE SNAKE

by Sher Lee

Why this pick?:

I adore folklore-based novels, and am especially excited for the romance in this one. I’m not expecting this novel to have a super intence plot, but to instead focus on the characters, and I’m in need of a good fantasy read that’s low on a world-build, but high on character journeys. Plus, look at this cover! Stunning!

Publication Date: October 15, 2024

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Genre: Mythology/Folklore | Romance | Young Adult

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When Prince Xian was a boy, a white snake bit his mother and condemned her to a slow, painful death. The only known cure is an elusive spirit pearl—or an antidote created from the rare white snake itself. Desperate and determined, Xian travels to the city of Changle, where an oracle predicted he would find and capture a white snake.

Seven years ago, Zhen, a white snake in the West Lake, consumed a coveted spirit pearl, which gave him special powers—including the ability to change into human form.

In Changle, Xian encounters an enigmatic but beautiful stable boy named Zhen. The two are immediately drawn to each other, but Zhen soon realizes that he is the white snake Xian is hunting. As their feelings grow deeper, will the truth about Zhen’s identity tear them apart?

MAKE THE SEASON BRIGHT

by Ashley Herring Blake

Why this pick?:

I mean, how could this not have ended up on the list. I’m thrilled for my spooky season reads, but I’m also getting excited for all of the cozy winter reads as well. This will be on my December TBR for sure, to be reading while sipping hot cocoa and curled up on the couch with the pupperoos. (I'll be recieving this in a book box subscription.)

Publication Date: October 1, 2024

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Genre: Romance | Adult

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It's been five years since Charlotte Donovan was ditched at the altar by her ex-fiancée, and she’s doing more than okay. Sure, her single mother never checks in, but she has her strings ensemble, the Rosalind Quartet, and her life in New York is a dream come true.

As the holidays draw near, her ensemble mate, Sloane, persuades Charlotte and the rest of the quartet to spend Christmas with her family in Colorado—it is much cozier and quieter than Manhattan, and it would guarantee more practice time for the quartet’s upcoming tour. But when Charlotte arrives, she discovers that Sloane’s sister Adele also brought a friend home—and that friend is none other than her ex, Brighton.

All Brighton Fairbrook wanted was to have the holliest, jolliest Christmas—and try to forget that her band kicked her out. But instead, she’s stuck pretending like she and her ex are strangers—which proves to be difficult when Sloane and Adele’s mom signs them all up for a series of Christmas dating events. Charlotte and Brighton are soon entrenched in horseback riding and cookie decorating, but Charlotte still won’t talk to her. Brighton can hardly blame her after what she did.

After a few days, however, things start to slip through. Memories. Music. The way they used to play together—Brighton on guitar, Charlotte on her violin—and it all feels painfully familiar. But it’s all in the past and nothing can melt the ice in their hearts...right?

MODEL HOME

by Rivers Solomon

Why this pick?:

I can’t tell you how highly anticipated this novel is for me! A supernatural story that touches on real society horrors regarding racism and homophobia, I expect this to be a scathing, haunting take on our modern-day world and systemic hatred spun from past to present (I'm reading this for the Seasonal Spooky Challenge. Check out my full TBR!)

Publication Date: October 1, 2024

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Genre: Horror | Adult

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The three Maxwell siblings keep their distance from the lily-white gated enclave outside Dallas where they grew up. When their family moved there, they were the only Black family in the neighborhood. The neighbors acted nice enough, but right away bad things, scary things—the strange and the unexplainable—began to happen in their house. Maybe it was some cosmic trial, a demonic rite of passage into the upper-middle class. Whatever it was, the Maxwells, steered by their formidable mother, stayed put, unwilling to abandon their home, terrors and trauma be damned.

As adults, the siblings could finally get away from the horrors of home, leaving their parents all alone in the house. But when news of their parents' death arrives, Ezri is forced to return to Texas with their sisters, Eve and Emanuelle, to reckon with their family’s past and present, and to find out what happened while they were away. It was not a “natural” death for their parents . . . but was it supernatural?

Rivers Solomon turns the haunted-house story on its head, unearthing the dark legacies of segregation and racism in the suburban American South. Unbridled, raw, and daring, Model Home is the story of secret histories uncovered, and of a queer family battling for their right to live, grieve, and heal amid the terrors of contemporary American life.

MY KIND OF TROUBLE

by L.A. Schwartz

Why this pick?:

Okay, but please let this be the cutest, grandest contemporary romance of October! I adore that our MMC is an autism-rep and our FMC is plus-sized. Plus, he’s a librarian? A man after my own heart! Even the cover has me smiling because look at this two distinct personalities. I can’t wait to read this one!

Publication Date: October 8, 2024

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Genre: Romance | Adult

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Conwoman Harmony Hale has sold lies up and down California for years, never looking back at her crafty scams or one-night stands. Now she’s come to Brookville, California, with her sights set on its wealthy mayor—the man who stole her father’s music-streaming algorithm and ruined his life. Harmony is finally ready to take him down, with her trusty con of selling a nonexistent music festival. All she needs is the cooperation of the man who owns the potential festival site.

Autistic librarian and piano teacher Preston Jones spends his days fighting book challengers trying to shut down his library programs. He’s responsible for raising his selectively nonspeaking little sister and needs to focus on keeping his job. He doesn’t have time for a romance like the ones in his books—and certainly none for the brassy festival promoter who wants to use his land for her “Coachella North.” Preston sees things in black and white, and he sees Harmony—amazing curves, flashy smile, and all—as nothing but trouble.

But when Harmony promises to help him win the public over and save his youth programs, Preston finds himself wondering if this hustler with a heart of gold might be the someone he’s been waiting for. Soon things are getting steamy in the stacks, and with her con coming to a crescendo, Harmony needs to choose: revenge and running again or the happy ending she never saw coming.

Romance readers and musical theater fans alike will adore this steamy, gender-swapped homage to The Music Man.

THE SCHOLAR AND THE FAERIE DOOR

by H.G. Parry

Why this pick?:

Color me intrigued by this novel. Unlike a lot of the cozy texts above, I imagine this to be steeped in deceit and nefarious plotting. Maybe a mash-up of the Atlas Six and Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries? I guess I’ll just have to read to find out!

Publication Date: October 22, 2024

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Genre: Historical | Fantasy | Adult

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Camford, 1920. Gilded and glittering, England's secret magical academy is no place for Clover, a commoner with neither connections nor magical blood. She tells herself she has fought her way there only to find a cure for her brother Matthew, one of the few survivors of a faerie attack on the battlefields of WWI which left the doors to faerie country sealed, the study of its magic banned, and its victims cursed.

But when Clover catches the eye of golden boy Alden Lennox-Fontaine and his friends, doors that were previously closed to her are flung wide open, and she soon finds herself enmeshed in the seductive world of the country's magical aristocrats. The summer she spends in Alden’s orbit leaves a fateful mark: months of joyous friendship and mutual study come crashing down when experiments go awry, and old secrets are unearthed.

Years later, when the faerie seals break, Clover knows it’s because of what they did. And she knows that she must seek the help of people she once called friends—and now doesn’t quite know what to call—if there’s any hope of saving the world as they know it.

A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS

by Ann Liang

Why this pick?:

Another folklore based novel! (Do you see a trend??) This one first popped on my radar when FairyLoot announced they’d be doing an exclusive edition. Since then, I’ve seen it a couple of places. It reminds me a little of Xingyin and Wenzhi from Daughter of the Moon Goddess, but with more plotting and subterfuge. Between that and the beautiful cover, I’m beyond excited for this release!

Publication Date: October 1, 2024

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Genre: Retelling | Fantasy | Young Adult

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Xishi’s beauty is seen as a blessing to the villagers of Yue—convinced that the best fate for a girl is to marry well and support her family. When Xishi draws the attention of the famous young military advisor, Fanli, he presents her with a rare opportunity: to use her beauty as a weapon. One that could topple the rival neighboring kingdom of Wu, improve the lives of her people, and avenge her sister’s murder. All she has to do is infiltrate the enemy palace as a spy, seduce their immoral king, and weaken them from within.

Trained by Fanli in everything from classical instruments to concealing emotion, Xishi hones her beauty into the perfect blade. But she knows Fanli can see through every deception she masters, the attraction between them burning away any falsehoods.

Once inside the enemy palace, Xishi finds herself under the hungry gaze of the king’s advisors while the king himself shows her great affection. Despite his gentleness, a brutality lurks and Xishi knows she can never let her guard down. But the higher Xishi climbs in the Wu court, the farther she and Fanli have to fall—and if she is unmasked as a traitor, she will bring both kingdoms down.

SORCERY AND SMALL MAGICS

by Maiga Doocy

Why this pick?:

Okay, this has me absolutely giddy for all of the chaos and antics that will no doubt happen throughout! I’m expecting this to be one of my tops reads for October (possibly November depending on when I get my copy). I think this will have me laughing throughout and will leave my heart warm and filled to bursting. I can’t wait! (I'll be recieving this in a book box subscription.)

Publication Date: October 15, 2024

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Genre: Fantasy | Romance | Adult

BLURB:

Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics.

He can summon butterflies with a song, or turn someone’s hair pink by snapping his fingers. Such minor charms don’t earn him much admiration from other sorcerers (or his father), but anything more elaborate always blows up in his face. Which is why Leo vowed years ago to never again write powerful magic.

That is, until a mix-up involving a forbidden spell binds Leo to obey the commands of his longtime nemesis, Sebastian Grimm. Grimm is Leo’s complete opposite—respected, exceptionally talented, and an absolutely insufferable curmudgeon. The only thing they agree on is that getting caught using forbidden magic would mean the end of their careers. They need a counterspell, and fast. But Grimm casts spells, he doesn’t undo them, and Leo doesn’t mess with powerful magic.

Chasing rumors of a powerful sorcerer with a knack for undoing curses, Leo and Grimm enter the Unquiet Wood, a forest infested with murderous monsters and dangerous outlaws alike. To dissolve the curse, they’ll have to uncover the true depths of Leo’s magic, set aside their long-standing rivalry, and—much to their horror—work together.

Even as an odd spark of attraction flares between them.

THE STONE WITCH OF FLORENCE

by Aurora Palit

Why this pick?:

I’m always down for a plot that derives magic from runes and crystals. But what caught my attention here was that this plot has our FMC tracking a thief, which was a curveball I didn’t expect during my first read of the blurb. I’m definitely intrigued and hope to make room for this one amidst my other reads!

Publication Date: October 8, 2024

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Genre: Historical | Fantasy | Adult

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1348. As the Black Plague ravages Italy, Ginevra di Gasparo is summoned to Florence after nearly a decade of lonely exile. Ginevra has a gift—harnessing the hidden powers of gemstones, she can heal the sick. But when word spread of her unusual abilities, she was condemned as a witch and banished. Now the same men who expelled Ginevra are begging for her return.

Ginevra obliges, assuming the city’s leaders are finally ready to accept her unorthodox cures amid a pandemic. But upon arrival, she is tasked with a much different job. She must use her collection of jewels to track down a ruthless thief who is ransacking Florence’s churches for priceless relics—the city’s only hope for protection. If she succeeds, she’ll be a recognized physician and never accused of witchcraft again. But as her investigation progresses, Ginevra discovers she’s merely a pawn in a much larger scheme than the one she’s been hired to solve. And the dangerous men behind this conspiracy won’t think twice about killing a stone witch to get what they want…

THIS CURSED HOUSE

by Del Sandeen

Why this pick?:

All I needed to see was New Orleans and spirits. Sold! Add to that a cursed family and a medium who could save them, and I’m sold. Like my other haunted-house horror, this seems as though it will hit on themes of colorism and the impact of systemic racism. Plus, check out this cover? I love it! (I'm reading this for the Seasonal Spooky Challenge. Check out my full TBR!)

Publication Date: October 8, 2024

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Genre: Historical | Paranormal | Adult

BLURB:

In the fall of 1962, twenty-seven-year-old Jemma Barker is desperate to escape her life in Chicago—and the spirits she has always been able to see. When she receives an unexpected job offer from the Duchon family in New Orleans, she accepts, thinking it is her chance to start over.

But Jemma discovers that the Duchon family isn’t what it seems. Light enough to pass as white, the Black family members look down on brown-skinned Jemma. Their tenuous hold on reality extends to all the members of their eccentric clan, from haughty grandmother Honorine to beautiful yet inscrutable cousin Fosette. And soon the shocking truth comes The Duchons are under a curse. And they think Jemma has the power to break it.

As Jemma wrestles with the gift she’s run from all her life, she unravels deeper and more disturbing secrets about the mysterious Duchons. Secrets that stretch back over a century. Secrets that bind her to their fate if she fails.

UNTL WE SHATTER

by Kate Dylan

Why this pick?:

What I loved about this blurb was that our FMC has both too much, and not enough, magic to be allowed to live in peace. I’m so used to one other the other—magic v. no magic—that a concept built around the danger of being in between drew me in. While the rest of the blurb reads like a standard YA fantasy, that particular bit stands out! (I'll be recieving this in a book box subscription.)

Publication Date: October 17, 2024

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Genre: Fantasy | Young Adult

BLURB:

No matter where she goes, Cemmy's life is under threat.

The Church would see her killed for having any magic.

The Council of Shades wants her dead for not having enough.

So when her mother falls ill, Cemmy has no choice but to turn thief. And when she's offered a job that could solve all their problems, it's impossible to resist.

The catch? Cemmy will have to work with Chase - beautiful, dangerous, and full of secrets - to steal a powerful relic the Church has hidden within a deadly realm of shadows.

If she succeeds, Cemmy will finally be safe. But if she's caught, she risks igniting a spark that could destroy the city - and everyone inside . . .

THE WILD HUNTRESS

by Emily Lloyd-Jones

Why this pick?:

I’ve been need in a found-family based adventure fantasy told from multiple POVs, and this hits the mark! Each of the character plots has me interested enough that I want to know more. I’m expecting a solid reading experience out of this novel!

Publication Date: October 1, 2024

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Genre: Fantasy | Young Adult

BLURB:

Every five years, two kingdoms take part in a Wild Hunt. Joining is a bloody risk and even the most qualified hunters can suffer the deadliest fates. Still, hundreds gamble their lives to participate—all vying for the Hunt’s life-changing prize: a magical wish granted by the Otherking.

BRANWEN possesses a gift no other human has: the ability to see and slay monsters. She’s desperate to cure her mother’s sickness, and the Wild Hunt is her only option.

GWYDION is the least impressive of his magically-talented family, but with his ability to control plants and his sleight of hand, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his cruel older brother from becoming a tyrant.

PRYDERI is prince-born and monster-raised. Deep down, the royal crown doesn’t interest him—all he wants is to know is where he belongs.

If they band together against the monstrous creatures within the woods, they have a chance to win. But, then again, nothing is guaranteed when all is fair in love and the Hunt.

THE WOODSMOKE WOMEN’S BOOK OF SPELLS

by Rachel Greenlaw

Why this pick?:

I’m already entranced by how mystical this concept sounds. Between the family legacy, the ties to the mountains and nature, and the mysterious stranger, I need to know how Carrie’s story unfolds. Though there are hints of romance and secrets here, I think this will really be a story of personal growth. I wouldn’t quite call this cozy, but it certainly has an aura to it.

Publication Date: October 22, 2024

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Genre: Paranormal | Adult

BLURB:

There is an old tale woven through the mountain town of Woodsmoke about a stranger who appears as the first snow falls in winter, who will disappear without a trace as the frost thaws in spring, leaving a broken heart behind.

Carrie Morgan ran from Woodsmoke ten years ago, and the decision has haunted her ever since. Spending a decade painting and drifting around Europe, she tries to forget her family’s legacy and the friends she left behind. But the Morgan women have always been able to harness the power of the mountains surrounding the town, and their spells—and curses—are sewn into the soil. The mountains, they say, never forget.

Sure enough, when Carrie’s grandmother dies and leaves behind her dilapidated cottage, she returns to renovate—certain she will only be there for one winter. She meets Matthieu as the temperature dips, a newcomer who offers to help refurbish the cottage. Before long, and despite warnings from her great-aunt Cora of the old stories, Carrie finds herself falling for the charming stranger. But when the frost thaws in spring, Matthieu goes missing.

Carrie is convinced he’s real, and he’s in danger. As she fights her way across the mountains to find him, she must confront all the reasons why she left Woodsmoke and decide whether the place she’s spent the last decade running from is the home she’s been searching for.

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