Well, September totally escaped me. (I’ll probably get to the end of December and be like “what happened to 2017…”.) Here were the new releases in September that I wanted to get (and mostly got)
Stephanie Burgis’s SNOWSPELLED (fantasy romance): I’ve a couple of Stephanie Burgis’s books on my TBR pile, but haven’t quite gotten around to them yet. However, I convinced myself that I could make time for a (long-ish) novella and wasn’t disappointed – SNOWSPELLED is a satisfying alt-historical fantasy romance, with some clever reworking of historical romance tropes. It’s the first in a series, and I’m definitely picking up the next one.
In nineteenth-century Angland, magic is reserved for gentlemen while ladies attend to the more practical business of politics. But Cassandra Harwood has never followed the rules…
Four months ago, Cassandra Harwood was the first woman magician in Angland, and she was betrothed to the brilliant, intense love of her life.
Now Cassandra is trapped in a snowbound house party deep in the elven dales, surrounded by bickering gentleman magicians, manipulative lady politicians, her own interfering family members, and, worst of all, her infuriatingly stubborn ex-fiancé, who refuses to understand that she’s given him up for his own good.
But the greatest danger of all lies outside the manor in the falling snow, where a powerful and malevolent elf-lord lurks…and Cassandra lost all of her own magic four months ago.
To save herself, Cassandra will have to discover exactly what inner powers she still possesses – and risk everything to win a new kind of happiness.
A witty and sparkling romantic fantasy novella that opens a brand-new series for adults from the author of Kat, Incorrigible, Masks and Shadows and Congress of Secrets.
Out now
*
Seanan McGuire’s THE BRIGHTEST FELL (urban fantasy): Once upon a time, I’d haunt the bookstores a couple of weeks before release date, hoping to stumble across an early copy of the latest Toby Daye book. While this isn’t necessarily the case anymore, this is still one of my favourite UF series, and Seanan McGuire has delivered another solid installment for the longtime reader.
For once, everything in October “Toby” Daye’s life seems to be going right. There have been no murders or declarations of war for her to deal with, and apart from the looming specter of her Fetch planning her bachelorette party, she’s had no real problems for days. Maybe things are getting better.
Maybe not.
Because suddenly Toby’s mother, Amandine the Liar, appears on her doorstep and demands that Toby find her missing sister, August. But August has been missing for over a hundred years and there are no leads to follow. And Toby really doesn’t owe her mother any favors.
Then Amandine starts taking hostages, and refusal ceases to be an option.
Out now
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Sarina Bowen and Sarah Mayberry’s TEMPORARY (contemporary romance): I’m a bit off contemp romance at the moment, but this collaboration sounds great and is going on my to-buy list.
The most beautiful man I’ve ever seen is the one who can ruin everything…
The first time I lay eyes on Callan Walker, I know he’ll be trouble. With his smug grin, hot Aussie accent and thousand dollar shoes, he’s just the kind of rich guy who always gets what he wants.
And he wants two things: a night of sin, and my cooperation as he outmaneuvers his powerful mother to take control of his uncle’s estate.
I can’t afford either one. I’m the only thing standing between my little sister and the foster care system. He may have money and charm on his side, but I have something even more powerful — pure desperation. This temp job at his mother’s company can become a full time job for me. It has to.
But when Callan’s eyes rake over my body, sometimes I forget my obligations. His piercing gaze finds the fun, optimistic girl I used to be and not the tired person I’ve become.
And it works–if only for a moment. Our night together was a mistake. I can’t afford to get sucked into his high-powered family’s treachery. But the closer I get to Callan, the more layers I find beneath those expensive clothes. Though I can’t forget this is temporary. He’s temporary. I have too much to lose.
Too bad my foolish heart didn’t get the memo…
Out now
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Kristin Cashore’s JANE, UNLIMITED (fantasy?): According to Goodreads, this is YA fantasy/mystery – who knows? The blurb leaves it pretty ambiguous. Anyway, Kristin Cashore has written some of my favourite YA fantasy books, and a new book from her is always a cause for celebration.
If you could change your story, would you?
Jane has lived a mostly ordinary life, raised by her recently deceased aunt Magnolia, whom she counted on to turn life into an adventure. Without Aunt Magnolia, Jane is directionless. Then an old acquaintance, the glamorous and capricious Kiran Thrash, blows back into Jane’s life and invites her to a gala at the Thrashes’ extravagant island mansion called Tu Reviens. Jane remembers her aunt telling her: “If anyone ever invites you to Tu Reviens, promise me that you’ll go.”
What Jane doesn’t know is that at Tu Reviens her story will change; the house will offer her five choices that could ultimately determine the course of her untethered life. But every choice comes with a price. She might fall in love, she might lose her life, she might come face-to-face with herself. At Tu Reviens, anything is possible.
Out now
*
Catherine Asaro’s THE BRONZE SKIES (SF): I’ve been a fan of Catherine Asaro’s Skolian books since forever, though I didn’t really care for the first in this spin-off series (possibly because it was a revised and extended version of an older novella, and it showed). I’m glad to report I enjoyed this one better – while not quite vintage Asaro, it had strong worldbuilding and the mystery kept me absorbed.
Major Bhaajan achieved the impossible. Born Undercity, the slums below the City of Cries on the planet Raylicon, she broke free to become a military officer with Imperial Space Command. Now retired from military duty, she works as a private investigator on retainer to the Majda Family.
Hired by The Ruby Pharaoh herself, Major Bhaajan is tasked with finding a killer. But this is no ordinary murderer. The Ruby Pharaoh witnessed a Jagernaut cut down Assembly Councilor Tap Benton—which shouldn’t have been possible. The Jagernauts are the elite of the elite soldiers in the Imperial Space Command. What’s more, the spinal node implanted in all Jagernauts should have prevented the murder. But the Ruby Pharaoh is sure of what she saw, and she has reason to believe that the Jagernaut will kill again.
Now, Major Bhaajan must hunt down a killer before it is too late. To do so, she must return to the one place on Raylicon she knows best: Undercity.
Out now
*
Jodi Taylor’s WHITE SILENCE (suspense): I discovered Jodi Taylor last year, pretty much raced through her backlist, and am now snapping up her new releases, even when it’s branded a “supernatural thriller”, which isn’t exactly my thing. This one’s waiting for me on my Kindle.
“I don’t know who I am. I don’t know what I am.”
Elizabeth Cage is a child when she discovers that there are things in this world that only she can see. But she doesn’t want to see them and she definitely doesn’t want them to see her.
What is a curse to Elizabeth is a gift to others – a very valuable gift they want to control.
When her husband dies, Elizabeth’s world descends into a nightmare. But as she tries to piece her life back together, she discovers that not everything is as it seems.
Alone in a strange and frightening world, she’s a vulnerable target to forces beyond her control.
And she knows that she can’t trust anyone…
White Silence is a twisty supernatural thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Out now
*
And my maybes:
- While I adored Stephanie Perkins’s super-charming YA romance novels, her newest, THERE’S SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE, reads too much like horror for my liking – I am so not a horror fan.
- I’ve never read Marie Lu before, but I’ve heard good things and WARCROSS sounds right up my alley.
- I’m trying to stop buying short story collections, but Leigh Bardugo’s THE LANGUAGE OF THORNS is proving hard to resist.
- More
