Tuesdays Means New Books There really isn't a better time to snuggle up somewhere with a book than in the Fall. I read regularly (which is a hobby once again gaining popularity) but during the days of distancing, it's officially my go-to activity when I want to be outside in the sun but avoid people. If you're trying to find things to do in what spare time you've got or are in need of some escapism well then Tuesday is ALWAYS a good day to think about buying (or putting in a request at your local library) some books. Notable Oct. 13th Releases Synopsis: In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world. Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain. Crafted with unforgettable characters, Rebecca Roanhorse has created an epic adventure exploring the decadence of power amidst the weight of history and the struggle of individuals swimming against the confines of society and their broken pasts in the most original series debut of the decade. Release Date: October 13, 2020 Buy the Book: Indiebound | Bookshop | Synopsis: In the Jim Crow South, white supremacy reigns and tensions are high. But Evalene Deschamps has other things to worry about. She has two little sisters to look after, an overworked single mother, and a longtime crush who is finally making a move. On top of all that, Evvie’s magic abilities are growing stronger by the day. Her family calls it jubilation—a gift passed down from generations of black women since the time of slavery. And as Evvie’s talents waken, something dark comes loose and threatens to resurface… And when the demons of Evvie’s past finally shake free, she must embrace her mighty lineage, and summon the power that lies within her. Release Date: October 13, 2020 Buy the Book: Indiebound | Bookshop | Synopsis: Emanuela Ragno has always gotten exactly what she wanted. The privileged daughter of the House of Ragno, her daring and sharp mind has kept her from being the traditional young lady everyone wishes she would be. What other people think of her is no consequence, though--she is about to marry Ale, her best friend and heir to the first house of Occhia, despite the fact that they are both secretly gay. Through Ale, Emanuela will be able to rule the city. However, Emanuela has another, deeper secret that could shatter her plans. In Occhia, the source of all water is the watercrea, a mysterious being with blood magic who requires all Occhians to give themselves to her when their first bruise-like omen appears on their skin. Throughout history, all Occhians have obeyed this rule. Except Emanuela. She has kept the tiny omen on her hip out of sight for years. When the watercrea exposes her during her wedding ceremony, Emanuela fights back and kills her. But Occhia's water supply is dangerously low, and now they have no water source. In a race against time, Emanuela and Ale must travel through the mysterious, blood red veil that surrounds their city in order to uncover the secrets of the watercrea's magic and find a way to save Occhia--by any means necessary. Release Date: October 13, 2020 Buy the Book: Indiebound | Bookshop | Ro Recommends: Historical Fantasy Stand Outs: I was lucky enough to get early access* to a few books releasing October 13th and I know I'll be talking about these two all year. Novella Recommendation: Quick Take: Ring Shout peers into the 'dark heart' of America with a story featuring a group of badass women fighting a dark sorcerer - and literal demons - for the soul of the country. It's bold, fierce, and deeply ironic. P. Djèlí Clark's accessible voice and writing style grounds Ring Shout's inventive plot and works in a magic system built on spiritual elements rooted in Black culture. Clark mixes the supernatural into the past so imaginatively it leaves the reader no choice but to believe. Plus, there's a magic sword. What else do you need? Synopsis: D. W. Griffith is a sorcerer, and The Birth of a Nation is a spell that drew upon the darkest thoughts and wishes from the heart of America. Now, rising in power and prominence, the Klan has a plot to unleash Hell on Earth. Luckily, Maryse Boudreaux has a magic sword and a head full of tales. When she's not running bootleg whiskey through Prohibition Georgia, she's fighting monsters she calls "Ku Kluxes." She's damn good at it, too. But to confront this ongoing evil, she must journey between worlds to face nightmares made flesh--and her own demons. Together with a foul-mouthed sharpshooter and a Harlem Hellfighter, Maryse sets out to save a world from the hate that would consume it. Release Date: October 13, 2020 Buy the Book: Indiebound | Bookshop | Full Length Novel Recommendation: Quick Review: Alt-history on many fronts, Alix E. Harrow's Once & Future Witches blends the mundane & the mystical into a tale of three sisters who are NOT to be discounted. It's a masterful, magical, and savvy call to arms woven into a captivating adventure. This one builds slow, burns bright, and practically dares you to resist reading it through in one sitting. Harrow's got a way with words that creates sublime prose and imbues it with the power to transport. Synopsis: In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box. But when the Eastwood sisters--James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna--join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote-and perhaps not even to live-the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive. There's no such thing as witches. But there will be. Release Date: October 13, 2020 Buy the Book: Indiebound | Bookshop | Notable Oct.6th Releases They Write It, I Read It Victoria Schwab is a fantasy author who wrote my all time favorite superhero/villain origin story, Vicious. Schwab is best know for the Shades of Magic trilogy, a gaslamp fantasy (which means it's set in a magical version of 19th century England) that's a must read if you enjoy portal fantasies. Her latest, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - released October 6 - is a story that's been ten years in the making. And with the time put in, and given Schawb's serious talent for building immersive worlds and weaving rich and magical tales, it's almost certain to be a new favorite. Synopsis: France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world. But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name. Release Date: October 6, 2020 Buy the Book: Indiebound | Bookshop | Julie C. Dao is a Vietnamese-American fantasy author. She's best know for her East-Asian-inspired story about the evil queen from Snow White in Forest of a Thousand Lanterns. Dao has a smooth and readily accessible style that brings the drama, unravels mysteries and brings worlds to life with vibrant descriptions. She has a way with fairytale retellings and it should be an open secret by now how much I adore those. Her latest, Broken Wishes, is a the first in a series called The Mirror (built around a magical heirloom - and devastating curse) and follows one family through the generations. Dao book will be followed by titles written by fellow authors, Dhonielle Clayton, J. C. Cervantes and L. L. McKinney to complete the series. Synopsis: 1865 - Hanau, Germany Sixteen-year-old Elva has a secret. She has visions and strange powers that she will do anything to hide. She knows the warnings about what happens to witches in their small village of Hanau. She’s heard the terrible things people say about the Witch of the North Woods, and the malicious hunts that follow. But when Elva accidentally witnesses a devastating vision of the future, she decides she has to do everything she can to prevent it. Tapping into her powers for the first time, Elva discovers a magical mirror and its owner—none other than the Witch of the North Woods herself. As Elva learns more about her burgeoning magic, and the lines between hero and villain start to blur, she must find a way to right past wrongs before it’s too late. Release Date: October 6, 2020 Buy the Book: Indiebound | Bookshop | Second in Series Worth Continuing Synopsis: Tristan Strong, just back from a victorious but exhausting adventure in Alke, the land of African American folk heroes and African gods, is suffering from PTSD.
