It's a new month which means that it is time to talk about new book releases!
I always look forward to getting to talk about some of my most anticipated new releases for each month! In these posts, I present five(ish) new book releases for the upcoming month that I am looking forward to reading. I try to include books over several genres on these lists, so there is usually something to appeal to readers in most genres.
1) Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead
Thriller
Released: October 3rd, 2023
This is a twisted tale of murder, obsessive love, and the beastly urges that lie dormant within us all...even the God-fearing folk of Bottom Springs, Louisiana. In her small hometown, librarian Ruth Cornier has always felt like an outsider, even as her beloved father rains fire-and-brimstone warnings from the pulpit at Holy Fire Baptist.
Unfortunately for Ruth, the only things the townspeople fear more than the God and the Devil are the myths that haunt the area, like the story of the Low Man, a vampiric figure said to steal into sinners' bedrooms and kill them on moonless nights. When a skull is found deep in the swamp next to mysterious carved symbols, Bottom Springs is thrown into uproar—and Ruth realizes only she and Everett, an old friend with a dark past, have the power to comb the town's secret underbelly in search of true evil.
A dark and powerful novel like fans have come to expect from Ashley Winstead, Midnight is the Darkest Hour is an examination of the ways we've come to expect love, religion, and stories to save us, the lengths we have to go to in order to take back power, and the monstrous work of being a girl in this world.
I am an Ashley Winstead fan and I am sure that her newest release will make me even more of a fan. I just love the way she writes and there is nothing she's written that I didn't thoroughly enjoy. I have written about her several times on the blog--and her book, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife, was my favorite book that I read last year. I have super high hopes for this one, but I have a feeling that this book will exceed all of my expectations!
To read more about Midnight is the Darkest Hour or add it to your "Want to Read" shelf on Goodreads use the link: here! If you would like to order Midnight is the Darkest Hour, you can find it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
2) In Light of All Darkness: Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for America's Child by Kim Cross
Non-Fiction, True Crime
Released: October 3rd, 2023
Paced like a thriller and full of insider information on the history and science of Crime Scene Investigation , In Light of All Darkness embeds readers in one of the most famous true-crime stories of our generation—the kidnapping of Polly Klaas—a case as pivotal in the history of the FBI as the Unabomber or Oklahoma City bombing. On October 1, 1993, a 12-year-old girl was kidnapped at knifepoint from her bedroom in Petaluma, California, during a sleepover with two friends, while her mother slept soundly in the room next door. This rarest of all kidnappings—a stranger abduction from the home—triggered one of the largest manhunts in FBI history.
Many Americans remember Polly's face, which appeared on the national news every night, on the cover of People magazine, and on more than 8 million flyers distributed as far as China. The emotional gravity of Polly’s story touched every agent, police officer, and forensic technician who worked on her case. Many of these investigators have never shared their stories—until now.
New York Times bestselling author Kim Cross has written the first comprehensive account of what happened on that fateful night in October, as well as how the case forever transformed the Bureau’s approach to solving crimes. With unprecedented access to case files, crime scene photos, a videotaped murder confession, and inside sources, In Light of All Darkness follows the investigators who pieced together the evidence that led to the arrest and conviction of the kidnapper—and made the victim a household name and a girl who will never be forgotten.
As an avid Dateline watcher, I was interested to see this upcoming release after watching an episode that covered this case. I was so excited to find a copy in my mailbox this week---thank you Grand Central Publishing, you always spoil me. If you are familiar with the Polly Klaas case, want to learn more about it, or just enjoy true crime/non-fiction books---add this one to your list this month.
To read more about In Light of All Darkness or add it to your "Want to Read" shelf on Goodreads use the link: here! If you would like to order In Light of All Darkness, you can find it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
3) A Winter in New York by Josie Silver
Romance
Released: October 3rd, 2023
A young chef stumbles on a secret family recipe that might lead her to the love—and life—she’s been looking for in this stunning novel.
When Iris decides to move to New York to restart her life, she realizes she underestimated how big the Big Apple really is—all the nostalgic movies set in New York she’d watched with her mom while eating their special secret-recipe gelato didn’t quite do it justice.
But Bobby, Iris’s best friend, isn’t about to let her hide away. He drags her to a famous autumn street fair in Little Italy, and as they walk through the food stalls, a little family-run gelateria catches her eye—could it be the same shop that’s in an old photo of her mother’s?
Curious, Iris returns the next day and meets the handsome Gio, who tells her that the shop is in danger of closing. His uncle, sole keeper of their family’s gelato recipe, is in a coma, so they can’t make more. When Iris samples the last remaining batch, she realizes that their gelato and her gelato are one and the same. But how can she tell them she knows their secret recipe when she’s not sure why Gio’s uncle gave it to her mother in the first place?
Iris offers her services as a chef to help them re-create the flavor and finds herself falling for Gio and his family. But when Gio’s uncle finally wakes up, all of the secrets Iris has been keeping threaten to ruin the new life—and new love—she’s been building all winter long.
If there is one thing Josie Silver is going to do, it's write a winter/holiday themed romance novel.
....And if there's one thing I am going to do, it's absolutely eat it up! Also, I don't want to hear about how it is too early for Christmas reads. I am just as excited for Halloween as you are, okay?! The publishing industry is weird....They've released all the fall/Halloween reads between July-September and have shifted to Christmas and winter reads by now. Don't be mad at me, be mad at the system! I don't make the schedule, I just read the books. :)
To read more about A Winter in New York or add it to your "Want to Read" shelf on Goodreads use the link: here! If you would like to purchase A Winter in New York, you can find it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
4) Maybe Once, Maybe Twice by Alison Rose Greenberg
Romance
Released: October 3rd, 2023
You know that old saying, “if we are still single when we’re 35, we should get married?” Well, Maggie Vine made that vow with two different people, at two very different stages of her life.
And they both showed up.
Maggie Vine’s life is going extra-medium. At 35 she’s pursuing her dreams of being a singer and being a mother―though neither is successfully panning out. So when Garrett Scholl―stifled hedge fund manager by day but electrifying aspiring rock singer by night―comes to her 35th birthday party with the intention to kiss Maggie senseless, it feels like one piece might click into place. Except he’s engaged to someone else, and Maggie knows she won’t fit into the cookie-cutter life he’s building for himself.
Enter Asher Reyes. Her first boyfriend from summer camp, turned into heartthrob actor, he’s lived a successful yet private life ever since he got famous. When a career-changing opportunity is presented to Maggie after her reconnection with Asher, it feels like everything―music, love, family―will fall into place. But her past won’t let her move on without a fight.
This is a trope that I have seen a lot in shows and movies, but haven't read much in books. I read the synopsis for this one and was interested to see how it will play out in this format. The early ratings seem promising so far...fingers crossed this one is a winner!
To read more about Maybe Once, Maybe Twice or add it to your "Want to Read" shelf on Goodreads use the link: here! If you would like to order Maybe Once, Maybe Twice, you can find it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
5) The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
Memoir
To Be Released: October 24th, 2023
The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.
In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.
Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.
I haven't been this excited for a memoir since Prince Harry announced his....which I still have yet to read. I was thrilled when I saw that Britney signed this book deal and, like the rest of the world, I am eager to get my hands on a copy. Britney has lived a very eventful life that has been highly documented. I am interested to get a glimpse into her side of things that we may not have seen or even considered. Though I know she has had her ups and downs, I will forever be a Britney fan and I'll always wish her the best.
To read more about The Woman in Me or add it to your "Want to Read" shelf on Goodreads use the link: here! If you would like to order The Woman in Me, you can find it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
I am so excited to see that October looks to be a great month for book releases! I hope next month's releases are just as exciting!
Will you be checking out any of these books? Do you have any other new releases on your radar? Let me know so that I can add them to my list!
As always, thank you for reading!
XO,
Madison
Comments