We are nearing 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) The Wake Up Call by Beth O'Leary
Romance
To Be Released: September 26th, 2023
Two hotel receptionists--and arch-rivals--find a collection of old wedding rings and compete to return them to their owners, discovering their own love story along the way.
It's the busiest season of the year, and Forest Manor Hotel is quite literally falling apart. So when Izzy and Lucas are given the same shift on the hotel's front desk, they have no choice but to put their differences aside and see it through.
The hotel won't stay afloat beyond Christmas without some sort of miracle. But when Izzy returns a guest's lost wedding ring, the reward convinces management that this might be the way to fix everything. With four rings still sitting in the lost & found, the race is on for Izzy and Lucas to save their beloved hotel--and their jobs.
As their bitter rivalry turns into something much more complicated, Izzy and Lucas begin to wonder if there's more at stake here than the hotel's future. Can the two of them make it through the season with their hearts intact?
I am a Beth O'Leary 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. While all of Beth's books have been generally well received, at least to my knowledge, I don't see enough readers recommending her books--with the exception of one (The Flatshare) which received a lot of traction on BookTok. I need more people to jump on the Beth O'Leary bandwagon and recognize how consistent and solid of a writer she is!!
To read more about The Wake Up Call or add it to your "Want to Read" shelf on Goodreads use the link: here! If you would like to pre-order The Wake Up Call, you can find it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
2) Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliand
Magical Realism/Fantasy
To Be Released: September 12th, 2023
Legend goes that long ago a Flores woman offended the old gods, and their family was cursed as a result. Now, every woman born to the family has a touch of magic.
Sage Flores has been running from her family—and their “gifts”—ever since her younger sister Sky died. Eight years later, Sage reluctantly returns to her hometown. Like slipping into an old, comforting sweater, Sage takes back her job at Cranberry Rose Company and uses her ability to communicate with plants to discover unusual heritage specimens in the surrounding lands.
What should be a simple task is complicated by her partner in botany sleuthing: Tennessee Reyes. He broke her heart in high school, and she never fully recovered. Working together is reminding her of all their past tender, genuine moments—and new feelings for this man are starting to take root in her heart.
With rare plants to find, a dead sister who keeps bringing her coffee, and another sister whose anger fills the sky with lightning, Sage doesn’t have time for romance. But being with Tenn is like standing in the middle of a field on the cusp of a summer thunderstorm—supercharged and inevitable.
September is the official start of 'Spooky Season'...at least it is in my mind! I am looking for all the spooky themes and strong lead witchy women are my favorite!! I don't usually read a lot of fantasy novels but this seems like a 'sweet spot' for me. I am intrigued by this one and will probably have to check it out before Halloween.
To read more about Witch of Wild Things or add it to your "Want to Read" shelf on Goodreads use the link: here! If you would like to order Witch of Wild Things, you can find it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
3) Mother Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon
Mystery
To Be Released: September 5th, 2023
Nothing brings an estranged family together like a murder next door.
High-powered businesswoman Lana Rubicon has a lot to be proud of:her keen intelligence, impeccable taste, and the L.A. real estate empire she’s built. But when she finds herself trapped 300 miles north of the city, convalescing in a sleepycoastal town with her adult daughter Beth and teenage granddaughter Jack, Lana is stuck counting otters instead of square footage—and hoping that boredom won’t kill her before the cancer does.
Then Jack—tiny in stature but fiercely independent—happens upon a dead body while kayaking near their bungalow. Jack quickly becomes a suspect in the homicide investigation, and the Rubicon women are thrown into chaos. Beth thinks Lana should focus on recovery, but Lana has a better idea. She’ll pull on her wig, find the true murderer, protect her family, and prove she still has power.
With Jack and Beth’s help, Lana uncovers a web of lies, family vendettas, and land disputes lurking beneath the surface of a community populated by folksy conservationists and wealthy ranchers. But as their amateur snooping advances into ever-more dangerous territory, the headstrong Rubicon women must learn do the one thing they’ve always resisted: depend on each other.
Okay, I read the synopsis for this book and was hooked instantly. This is giving me very 'Only Murders in the Building' vibes. If you are a fan of that show or are a true crime podcast lover, I think this would be a good pick for you! The reviews look really promising so far, which is always a good sign.
To read more about Mother Daughter Murder Night or add it to your "Want to Read" shelf on Goodreads use the link: here! If you would like to pre-order Mother Daughter Murder Night, you can find it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
4) Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter
Thriller
To Be Released: September 19th, 2023
A shocking thriller about a cold case, a fictional true crime series, and the family caught in the middle.
SIX EPISODES. ONE KILLER.
It was a case that gripped the nation. In December 2003, Luke Ryder, the stepfather of acclaimed filmmaker Guy Howard (then aged 10), was found dead in the garden of their suburban family home.
Luke Ryder's murder has never been solved. Guy Howard's mother and two half-sisters were in the house at the time of the murder--but all swear they saw nothing. Despite a high-profile police investigation and endless media attention, no suspect was ever charged.
But some murder cases are simply too big to forget...
Now comes the sensational new Netflix series Infamous, dedicated to investigating--and perhaps cracking--this famous cold case. The production team will re-examine testimony, re-interview witnesses, and once again scour the evidence. The family will speak. The key players will be reunited--on camera. The truth will come out.
Are you ready to see it?
As an avid Dateline watcher, this is a book that seems like it was made for me. I also love how 'meta' this is. As someone who studies/has worked in the criminal justice field, I do see the benefits and drawbacks of social media/television media in criminal investigations. While the internet can be used to hold law enforcement accountable, renew interest in cold cases, and bring awareness, I also think that true crime sensationalism has, in many ways, desensitized the public to such heinous crimes. There are always exceptions to this rule (certain programs that are more fact centric and justice oriented) but I am willing to admit that I (as a true crime viewer) can be a hypocrite for absorbing that kind of media. Maybe it is too much to ask for from a thriller novel, but I am kind of hoping for some social commentary on the current 'true crime frenzy'-phenomenon!
To read more about Murder in the Family or add it to your "Want to Read" shelf on Goodreads use the link: here! If you would like to order Murder in the Family, you can find it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
5) Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison
Horror
To Be Released: September 12th, 2023
Nobody has a “normal” family, but Vesper Wright’s is truly...something else. Vesper left home at eighteen and never looked back—mostly because she was told that leaving the staunchly religious community she grew up in meant she couldn’t return. But then an envelope arrives on her doorstep.
Inside is an invitation to the wedding of Vesper’s beloved cousin Rosie. It’s to be hosted at the family farm. Have they made an exception to the rule? It wouldn’t be the first time Vesper’s been given special treatment. Is the invite a sweet gesture? An olive branch? A trap? Doesn’t matter. Something inside her insists she go to the wedding. Even if it means returning to the toxic environment she escaped. Even if it means reuniting with her mother, Constance, a former horror film star and forever ice queen.
When Vesper’s homecoming exhumes a terrifying secret, she’s forced to reckon with her family’s beliefs and her own crisis of faith in this deliciously sinister novel that explores the way family ties can bind us as we struggle to find our place in the world.
Another spooky read---I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself! All of these Halloween-y new releases are making my heart burst. This is my favorite time of the year and I am ready to check out some books to get me in the Fall spirit. Rachel Harrison's books have yet to let me down, and I am hoping that this one does the same!
To read more about Black Sheep or add it to your "Want to Read" shelf on Goodreads use the link: here! If you would like to order Black Sheep, you can find it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
I am so excited to see that September 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