If you’re new to Hide Your Wallet, this is where we list new releases we’re pretty excited for in the coming month.
Each reviewer has a book maximum (five per person), but we’ve separated HYW into two parts. The first HYW of the month will cover books that release from the 1st to the 14th. The second HYW will cover books released from the 15th to the end of the month.
We also think this will help us feature books from smaller publishers who don’t have buy links up as quickly as the big five.
As always, if we missed any books that you’re particularly looking forward to, tell us all about them in the comments.
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Full Moon in Leo
Author: Brooklyn Ray
Released: October 1, 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, RomanceSmall-town magic, two heavy hearts—one unforgettable winter solstice
Cole Morrison left Jewel’s snow-covered fir trees ten years ago. But after a disastrous family Thanksgiving, Jewel seems like the only place left to go. When a run-in with a gorgeous stranger leaves him with debt to pay, Cole’s escape from his past turns out to be much more than a lonely Christmas vacation.
Jesse Carroway, the local Jewel witch, has been running his family’s successful, small-town Apothecary ever since his grandmother passed away. When Cole stumbles into his shop and accidentally wrecks a good portion of his inventory, Jesse does the only thing he can possibly think of—offers Cole a job and himself some help for the upcoming holiday rush.
Cole’s clumsy with candles and doesn’t trust easily, but soon Jesse gets a peek at the guy behind his bad-boy reputation. As the nights lengthen toward Yule, Jesse wonders if magic is to blame or if Cole might’ve fallen into his life for a reason…
A heartwarming Queer holiday romance
Shana: A m/m, where the town witch falls for a lonely prodigal during Christmas? These are some of my favorite things! Please tell me there’s a kiss over comforting mug of tea…
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The Archive of the Forgotten
Author: A.J. Hackwith
Released: October 6, 2020 by Ace
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Series: Hell's Library #2In the second installment of this richly imagined fantasy adventure series, a new threat from within the Library could destroy those who depend upon it the most.
The Library of the Unwritten in Hell was saved from total devastation, but hundreds of potential books were destroyed. Former librarian Claire and Brevity the muse feel the loss of those stories, and are trying to adjust to their new roles within the Arcane Wing and Library, respectively. But when the remains of those books begin to leak a strange ink, Claire realizes that the Library has kept secrets from Hell–and from its own librarians.
Claire and Brevity are immediately at odds in their approach to the ink, and the potential power that it represents has not gone unnoticed. When a representative from the Muses Corps arrives at the Library to advise Brevity, the angel Rami and the erstwhile Hero hunt for answers in other realms. The true nature of the ink could fundamentally alter the afterlife for good or ill, but it entirely depends on who is left to hold the pen.
Aarya: I am loving all the recent library-themed fantasies. I can’t get enough of magical librarians!
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Blazewrath Games
Author: Amparo Ortiz
Released: October 6, 2020 by Page Street Kids
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young AdultExperience the World Cup with dragons in this debut fantasy, set in an alternate contemporary world, in which riders and their steeds compete in an international sports tournament
Lana Torres has always preferred dragons to people. In a few weeks, sixteen countries will compete in the Blazewrath World Cup, a tournament where dragons and their riders fight for glory in a dangerous relay. Lana longs to represent her native Puerto Rico in their first ever World Cup appearance, and when Puerto Rico’s Runner—the only player without a dragon steed—is kicked off the team, she’s given the chance.
But when she discovers that a former Blazewrath superstar has teamed up with the Sire—a legendary dragon who’s cursed into human form—the safety of the Cup is jeopardized. The pair are burning down dragon sanctuaries around the world and refuse to stop unless the Cup gets cancelled. All Lana wanted was to represent her country. Now, to do that, she’ll have to navigate an international conspiracy that’s deadlier than her beloved sport.
Amanda: The World Cup but with dragons!
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In a Holidaze
Author: Christina Lauren
Released: October 6, 2020 by Gallery
Genre: Contemporary Romance, RomanceLove Actually meets Groundhog Day in the quintessential holiday romance by the New York Times bestselling author of The Honey-Don’t List.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.
But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.
The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.
Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark “downright hilarious” (Helen Hoang, author of The Bride Test) hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays.
Amanda: I’m not usually a fan of holiday romances, but I will any and all exceptions for CLo.
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The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Author: V.E. Schwab
Released: October 6, 2020 by Tor Books
Genre: Historical: European, Romance, Science Fiction/FantasyFrance, 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.
In the vein of The Time Traveler’s Wife and Life After Life, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is New York Times bestselling author V. E. Schwab’s #1 New York Times Bestselling Author genre-defying tour de force.
Amanda: Is there anything V can’t do?!
Sarah: This book is incredibly sticky and difficult to put down, plus it’s atmospherically gorgeous.
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Murder on Cold Street
Author: Sherry Thomas
Released: October 6, 2020 by Berkley
Genre: Historical: European, Mystery/Thriller
Series: Lady Sherlock #5Charlotte Holmes, Lady Sherlock, is back solving new cases in the USA Today bestselling series set in Victorian England.
Inspector Treadles, Charlotte Holmes’s friend and collaborator, has been found locked in a room with two dead men, both of whom worked with his wife at the great manufacturing enterprise she has recently inherited.
Rumors fly. Had Inspector Treadles killed the men because they had opposed his wife’s initiatives at every turn? Had he killed in a fit of jealous rage, because he suspected Mrs. Treadles of harboring deeper feelings for one of the men? To make matters worse, he refuses to speak on his own behalf, despite the overwhelming evidence against him.
Charlotte finds herself in a case strewn with lies and secrets. But which lies are to cover up small sins, and which secrets would flay open a past better left forgotten? Not to mention, how can she concentrate on these murders, when Lord Ingram, her oldest friend and sometime lover, at last dangles before her the one thing she has always wanted?
Aarya: As a longtime Sherry Thomas fangirl, I can assure fans that Murder on Cold Street is an excellent installment. It might be my second favorite in the series.
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One More for Christmas
Author: Sarah Morgan
Released: October 6, 2020 by HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance, RomanceFrom the USA TODAY bestselling author of The Christmas Sisters comes this sparkling tale of Christmas redemption. Brimming with Sarah Morgan’s trademark festive cheer, you won’t want to miss it!
For sisters Samantha and Ella Mitchell, Christmas is their most precious time of the year—a time for togetherness, love and celebration. Most of all, it’s about making up for everything their childhood Christmases lacked. But this year, they’ll be buying presents for the most unexpected guest of all—their estranged mother. It’s been five years since they last saw each other. But when their mom calls out of the blue and promises that this Christmas will be different, Samantha and Ella cautiously agree to spend it all together…
Gayle Mitchell is at the top of her career, but her success has come at a price—her relationship with her daughters. She never seemed to say or do the right things. Her tough-love approach was designed to make them stronger, but instead managed to push them away…until a brush with her own mortality forces Gayle to make amends. As the snowflakes fall on their first family celebration in years, the Mitchell women must learn that sometimes facing up to the past is all you need to heal your heart…
Aarya: Morgan’s WF is a hit or miss for me (I really miss her romance novels!), but I’m still looking forward to her annual Christmas story.
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The Searcher
Author: Tana French
Released: October 6, 2020 by Viking
Genre: Mystery/ThrillerA spellbinding, propulsive new novel from the bestselling mystery writer who “is in a class by herself.” (The New York Times)
Cal Hooper thought a fixer-upper in a bucolic Irish village would be the perfect escape. After twenty-five years in the Chicago police force and a bruising divorce, he just wants to build a new life in a pretty spot with a good pub where nothing much happens. But when a local kid whose brother has gone missing arm-twists him into investigating, Cal uncovers layers of darkness beneath his picturesque retreat, and starts to realize that even small towns shelter dangerous secrets.
“One of the greatest crime novelists writing today” (Vox) weaves a masterful, atmospheric tale of suspense, asking what we sacrifice in our search for truth and justice, and what we risk if we don’t.
Elyse: I’m a huge fan of French and I’m looking forward to this standalone mystery.
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Spoiler Alert
Author: Olivia Dade
Released: October 6, 2020 by Avon
Genre: Contemporary Romance, RomanceOlivia Dade bursts onto the scene in this delightfully fun romantic comedy set in the world of fanfiction, in which a devoted fan goes on an unexpected date with her celebrity crush, who’s secretly posting fanfiction of his own.
Marcus Caster-Rupp has a secret. While the world knows him as Aeneas, the star of the biggest show on TV, Gods of the Gates, he’s known to fanfiction readers as Book!AeneasWouldNever, an anonymous and popular poster. Marcus is able to get out his own frustrations with his character through his stories, especially the ones that feature the internet’s favorite couple to ship, Aeneas and Lavinia. But if anyone ever found out about his online persona, he’d be fired. Immediately.
April Whittier has secrets of her own. A hardcore Lavinia fan, she’s hidden her fanfiction and cosplay hobby from her “real life” for years—but not anymore. When she decides to post her latest Lavinia creation on Twitter, her photo goes viral. Trolls and supporters alike are commenting on her plus-size take, but when Marcus, one half of her OTP, sees her pic and asks her out on a date to spite her critics, she realizes life is really stranger than fanfiction.
Even though their first date is a disaster, Marcus quickly realizes that he wants much more from April than a one-time publicity stunt. And when he discovers she’s actually Unapologetic Lavinia Stan, his closest fandom friend, he has one more huge secret to hide from her.
With love and Marcus’s career on the line, can the two of them stop hiding once and for all, or will a match made in fandom end up prematurely cancelled?
Shana: I love celebrity + fan romances. I’ve read an ARC and it was dreamy.
Catherine: I do love it when fandom turns up in a romance. Totally in for this.
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The Vicar and the Rake
Author: Annabelle Greene
Released: October 12, 2020 by Carina Press
Genre: Historical: European, LGBTQIA, Romance
Series: Society of Beasts #1As a young man, Sir Gabriel Winters left behind his status as a gentleman, turning his back on his secret desires and taking a self-imposed vow of celibacy. Now he’s a chaste, hardworking vicar, and his reputation is beyond reproach. But, try as he might, he’s never forgotten the man he once desired or the pain of being abandoned by his first love.
Edward Stanhope, the Duke of Caddonfell, is a notorious rake, delighting in scandal no matter the consequence. With a price on his head, he flees to the countryside, forced to keep his presence a secret or risk assassination. When Edward finds Gabriel on his estate, burning with fever, he cannot leave him to die, but taking him in puts them both in jeopardy.
With the help of a notorious blackmailer, a society of rich and famous gentlemen who prefer gentlemen, and a kitten named Buttons, they might just manage to save Edward’s life—but the greatest threat may be to their hearts.
Lara: I devoured this ARC in record time and will be keeping my eyes peeled for more from this author.
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A Stitch in Time
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Released: October 13, 2020 by K.L.A. Fricke Inc
Genre: Historical: European, Time Travel, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Series: A Stitch in Time #1Thorne Manor has always been haunted…and it has always haunted Bronwyn Dale. As a young girl, Bronwyn could pass through a time slip in her great-aunt’s house, where she visited William Thorne, a boy her own age, born two centuries earlier. After a family tragedy, the house was shuttered and Bronwyn was convinced that William existed only in her imagination.
Now, twenty years later Bronwyn inherits Thorne Manor. And when she returns, William is waiting.
William Thorne is no longer the boy she remembers. He’s a difficult and tempestuous man, his own life marred by tragedy and a scandal that had him retreating to self-imposed exile in his beloved moors. He’s also none too pleased with Bronwyn for abandoning him all those years ago.
As their friendship rekindles and sparks into something more, Bronwyn must also deal with ghosts in the present version of the house. Soon she realizes they are linked to William and the secret scandal that drove him back to Thorne Manor. To build a future, Bronwyn must confront the past.
Elyse: This historical has all kinds of Gothic elements.
Ellen: Chanting: SPOOKY SHIT! SPOOKY SHIT! SPOOKY SHIT!
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Best Practice
Author: Carsen Taite
Released: October 13, 2020 by Bold Strokes Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance
Series: Legal Affairs #3Perry Clark takes pride in her legal work for a needy nonprofit. When disaster strikes, leaving her unemployed and homeless, her sister Campbell comes to the rescue with a job offer. Perry accepts reluctantly—working for corporate clients is only temporary, right? But after Campbell assigns Grace, Perry’s childhood crush, as her mentor, Perry’s heart might be making longer-term plans.
Grace Maldonado remembers Perry Clark as her best friend’s sometimes annoying, often rebellious, little sister, so she isn’t prepared when she discovers Perry is now brilliant and gorgeous—though still bullheaded—and challenges her at every turn. When she isn’t arguing with Perry, Grace is fighting a growing attraction she can’t seem to ignore. Because not only is it wrong to fall in love with your best friend’s sister, Perry has no intention of sticking around.
Tara: This series is about a legal practice with three friends, each of them finding love. I’ve enjoyed the other two books and am looking forward to seeing the final friend find love. This is especially true now that I know she’s going to fall for the sister of one her friends.
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The Big Tow
Author: Ann McMan
Released: October 13, 2020 by Bywater Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance“Welcome to the National Recovery Bureau, where your assets are as sacred as God’s holy word.”
Vera “Nick” Nicholson is an overtaxed and underpaid attorney wasting away on the bottom rung of the gilded ladder at Turner, Witherspoon, Anders, and Tyler, PA in Winston-Salem, NC. When a high-priced luxury car belonging to one of the firm’s top clients goes missing, Nick gets saddled with the unenviable job of recovering the vehicle—and its mysterious contents—without involving the cops. Enter Fast Eddie and his quirky band of misfits at The National Recovery Bureau, a repo agency located in a sleepy town called K-Vegas.
When Nick is unceremoniously furloughed from TWAT, she throws caution to the wind and signs on to become the newest agent of the NRB, teaming up with moonlighting third-grade schoolteacher, Frances “Frankie” Stohler. Frankie’s mortician father and beautician mother are stalwarts of the Winston-Salem community—so it’s no surprise that everyone across three counties has some connection to her family. What is surprising, however, is the Slim Jim Frankie carries in her purse and her preternatural talent for jacking cars.
Nick and Frankie’s stumbling entrée into the surreal world of asset recovery takes them on a hilarious, fast-paced and mind-bending journey across the back roads and byways of the Tar Heel state, setting into motion a chain of misadventures that lead them both toward financial independence, cataclysmic legal jeopardy, and the discovery that true love can sometimes lurk in the most unlikely places.
Tara: Ann McMan has written some of my very favourite books ever, so I’m very much excited about this one. The world is such a shitshow right now and I am ready to laugh with these characters.
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Black Sun
Author: Rebecca Roanhorse
Released: October 13, 2020 by Gallery / Saga Press
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Series: Between Earth & Sky #1From the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Resistance Reborn comes the first book in the Between Earth and Sky trilogy, inspired by the civilizations of the Pre-Columbian Americas and woven into a tale of celestial prophecies, political intrigue, and forbidden magic.
A god will return
When the earth and sky converge
Under the black sunIn 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.
Amanda: I’ve been a huge fan of Roanhorse since Trail of Lightning!
Shana: I love Roanhorse’s books and I get shivers every time I see this cover.
Ellen: This sounds VERY cool.
Maya: I can’t wait for the audiobook!! It is narrated by the same woman (Tanis Parenteau) who narrated Trail of Lightning and she was so great!!
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Daughters of Jubilation
Author: Kara Lee Corthron
Released: October 13, 2020 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genre: Historical: American, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young AdultFrom the award-winning author of The Truth of Right Now comes a stunning, grounded fantasy in the vein of Dread Nation that follows a black teen as she finds her place among a family of women gifted with magical abilities.
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.
Aarya: I love everything about this blurb.
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Guardian’s Grace
Author: Rebecca Zanetti
Released: October 13, 2020 by Lyrical Press
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Series: Dark Protectors #12Duty—or desire?
Vampire soldier Adare O’Cearbhaill’s default setting is cranky. Or irritated. Or down-right hostile. Still, as a Highlander of honor and duty he stepped up to save an enhanced and special human female by mating her—with merely a bite and a brand. The last person he wants in his life is a fragile human, yet he can’t get her out of his mind as she regains her strength before taking off for parts unknown. And when he discovers she is in danger, nothing can stop him from hunting her down—whether she likes it or not.
There’s only one way to find out . . .
Photographer Grace Cooper has had it with vampires, demons, and the rest of an immortal world she was happier not knowing about. She also doesn’t believe she’s destined for some great battle because of an old birthmark. Forget the fact that her mate is the sexiest thing on two stubborn feet, or that her brand is fading along with her health. She’ll handle things on her own—until an old enemy reappears and she learns the only way to stay alive is to actually mate, wild sex and all, with that ripped and dangerous Adare—a powerful, captivating Highlander who demands nothing less than everything . . .
Maya: Help! I’m trapped in a only-want-to-read-PNR-spiral and I can’t get out! *grabs another PNR*
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The Magic Fish
Author: Trung Le Nguyen
Released: October 13, 2020 by Random House Graphic
Genre: Graphic Novel, LGBTQIATiến loves his family and his friends…but Tiến has a secret he’s been keeping from them, and it might change everything. An amazing YA graphic novel that deals with the complexity of family and how stories can bring us together.
Real life isn’t a fairytale.
But Tiến still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents from the books he borrows from the local library. It’s hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tiến, he doesn’t even have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he’s going through?
Is there a way to tell them he’s gay?
A beautifully illustrated story by Trung Le Nguyen that follows a young boy as he tries to navigate life through fairytales, an instant classic that shows us how we are all connected. The Magic Fish tackles tough subjects in a way that accessible with readers of all ages, and teaches us that no matter what—we can all have our own happy endings.
Ellen: One of my longtime favorite artists forays into graphic novels!! I am so excited.
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The Midnight Bargain
Author: C.L. Polk
Released: October 13, 2020 by Erewhon
Genre: Romance, Science Fiction/FantasyFrom the beloved World Fantasy Award-winning author of Witchmark comes a sweeping, romantic new fantasy set in a world reminiscent of Regency England, where women’s magic is taken from them when they marry. A sorceress must balance her desire to become the first great female magician against her duty to her family.
Beatrice Clayborn is a sorceress who practices magic in secret, terrified of the day she will be locked into a marital collar that will cut off her powers to protect her unborn children. She dreams of becoming a full-fledged Magus and pursuing magic as her calling as men do, but her family has staked everything to equip her for Bargaining Season, when young men and women of means descend upon the city to negotiate the best marriages. The Clayborns are in severe debt, and only she can save them, by securing an advantageous match before their creditors come calling.
In a stroke of luck, Beatrice finds a grimoire that contains the key to becoming a Magus, but before she can purchase it, a rival sorceress swindles the book right out of her hands. Beatrice summons a spirit to help her get it back, but her new ally exacts a price: Beatrice’s first kiss . . . with her adversary’s brother, the handsome, compassionate, and fabulously wealthy Ianthe Lavan.
The more Beatrice is entangled with the Lavan siblings, the harder her decision becomes: If she casts the spell to become a Magus, she will devastate her family and lose the only man to ever see her for who she is; but if she marries—even for love—she will sacrifice her magic, her identity, and her dreams. But how can she choose just one, knowing she will forever regret the path not taken?
Shana: C.L. Polk is an auto-buy author for me.
Catherine: This sounds completely fascinating – I’m a sucker for ‘regency but with magic’ books, and everything about the setup here sounds great.
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Miracles and Menorahs
Author: Stacey Agdern
Released: October 13, 2020 by Tule Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Series: Friendships and Festivals #1Sarah Goldman loves Hanukkah, and she’s thrilled to be appointed as vice chair of the Hollowville Hanukkah Festival. So when the festival is threatened with cancellation, she comes up with an idea: a new slogan and advertising campaign topped off with a metal menorah large enough to fill the center of town. But even though her heart and dreams are large, the committee’s budget constraints threaten to stop her grand plans right in their tracks.
Famous metal sculptor Isaac Lieberman also loves Hanukkah. But his vision of a perfect Hanukkah isn’t a commercial community event—it’s spending time with family, following age-old traditions. He’s not interested in the festival, no matter how many times his grandmother, his bubbe, asks him to contribute one of his sculptures.
Then Sarah comes tumbling into his life…can she change his mind about more than just the holidays? Sarah Goldman loves Hanukkah, and she’s thrilled to be appointed as vice chair of the Hollowville Hanukkah Festival. So when the festival is threatened with cancellation, she comes up with an idea: a new slogan and advertising campaign topped off with a metal menorah large enough to fill the center of town. But even though her heart and dreams are large, the committee’s budget constraints threaten to stop her grand plans right in their tracks.
Famous metal sculptor Isaac Lieberman also loves Hanukkah. But his vision of a perfect Hanukkah isn’t a commercial community event—it’s spending time with family, following age-old traditions. He’s not interested in the festival, no matter how many times his grandmother, his bubbe, asks him to contribute one of his sculptures.
Then Sarah comes tumbling into his life…can she change his mind about more than just the holidays?
Aarya: All the holiday romances are coming out now! I don’t feel super festive yet (unlike last year, where I was reading them in August!), but I’m definitely bookmarking the new releases for later. This looks like it might have grumpy/sunshine vibes.
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Ring Shout
Author: P. Djeli Clark
Released: October 13, 2020 by Tor.com
Genre: Historical: American, Novella, Science Fiction/FantasyNebula, Locus, and Alex Award-winner P. Djèlí Clark returns with Ring Shout, a dark fantasy historical novella that gives a supernatural twist to the Ku Klux Klan’s reign of terror.
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.
Amanda: If you’re riding high from watching Lovecraft Country, you’re going to love this.
Maya: Looks like another story that pairs horror and racism and I am excited to get into it!
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Simmer Down
Author: Sarah Smith
Released: October 13, 2020 by Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance, RomanceIn this finger-licking good rom-com, two is the perfect number of cooks in the kitchen.
Nikki DiMarco knew life wouldn’t be all sunshine and coconuts when she quit her dream job to help her mom serve up mouthwatering Filipino dishes to hungry beach goers, but she didn’t expect the Maui food truck scene to be so eat-or-be-eaten—or the competition to be so smoking hot.
But Tiva’s Filipina Kusina has faced bigger road bumps than the arrival of Callum James. Nikki doesn’t care how delectable the British food truck owner is—he rudely set up shop next to her coveted beach parking spot. He’s stealing her customers and fanning the flames of a public feud that makes her see sparks.
The solution? Let the upcoming Maui Food Festival decide their fate. Winner keeps the spot. Loser pounds sand. But the longer their rivalry simmers, the more Nikki starts to see a different side of Callum…a sweet, protective side. Is she brave enough to call a truce? Or will trusting Callum with her heart mean jumping from the frying pan into the fire?
Maya: Food truck romance with a WOC! I have high hopes based alone on the cover–so many tasty hot sauces from different cultures!! Each one a delight!!
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Slay: Stories of the Vampire Noire
Author: Nicole Givens Kurtz
Released: October 13, 2020 by Mocha Memoirs Press
Genre: Science Fiction/FantasyMocha Memoirs Press is proud to present Slay: Stories of the Vampire Noire – a revolutionary anthology celebrating vampires of the African Diaspora. Slay is a groundbreaking, unique collection and will be a must-have for vampire lovers all over the world. Slay aims to be the first anthology of its kind. Few creatures in contemporary horror are as compelling as the vampire, who manages to captivate us in a simultaneous state of fear and desire.
Drawing from a variety of cultural and mythological backgrounds, Slay dares to imagine a world of horror and wonder where Black protagonists take center stage – as vampires, as hunters, as heroes. From immortal African deities to resistance fighters; matriarchal vampire broods to monster hunting fathers; coming of age stories to end of life stories, Slay is a groundbreaking Afrocentric vampire anthology celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the African Diaspora.
Maya: I continue to be on an anthology kick and an Afrocentric vampire anthology sounds like a straight up delight.
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In addition to CROWNE RULES by CD Reiss (which dropped September 29 and which I’m reading now), here are the books I’m looking forward to in October:
It wouldn’t be the start of the month without a couple of new HPs from my favorite authors: Caitlin Crews releases CHRISTMAS IN THE KIBG’S BED and Clare Connelly drops THEIR IMPOSSIBLE DESERT MATCH. Both obviously royal/sheikh romances.
Molly O’Keefe’s CHRISTMAS AT THE RIVERVIEW INN is a revisit to an earlier series, this time focusing on a younger character who works in the Inn’s kitchen. O’Keefe also has another Christmas-themed book releasing this month, HOW MY BROTHER’S BEST FRIEND STOLE CHRISTMAS.
Part of the same Kane Family series as O’Keefe’s HOW MY BROTHER’S BEST FRIEND STOLE CHRISTMAS is Julie Kriss’s MY FAKE CHRISTMAS FIANCÉ. Obviously a fake relationship trope, but Kriss has a way of individualizing each trope she tackles.
I am looking forward to Ruth Cardello’s THE SECRET ONE. I think this is a series that is best read in order because there’s a “big shocking secret” about the Corisi family and how they might be connected to the family of an arch-rival that has been running through the earlier books.
Despite how prolific she is, I only recently read my first Lauren Blakely (ONE NIGHT ONLY), but I enjoyed it so much, I’m eager to read the next book in the series, ONE EXQUISITE TOUCH, which appears to be a business-rivals-to-lovers romance featuring two MCs who own competing Vegas hotels.
RETURN BILLIONAIRE TO SENDER by Annika Martin was postponed from its original drop date of September 29, so I’m hoping the new date of October 20 is the real deal.
At the end of the month, the prolific Clare Connelly wraps up her Montebellos series with BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN, which appears to be a Beauty & the Beast retelling featuring the reclusive brother from a large Greek-Italian family. I expect plenty of angsty heartache in this one.
Very much looking forward to the new Lady Sherlock installment!
@Aarya, may I enquire which one is your favorite if this might be your new second favorite in the series?
The final Guild Codex book, “Damned Souls and a Sangria” (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 8) by Annette Marie drops tomorrow on October 2 (KU) and her final Demonized book, “Delivering Evil for Experts” (The Guild Codex: Demonized Book 4), follows on October 16. Loved these series.
On October 6, THE HOLLOW PLACES by T. Kingfisher, another horror offering from this multigenre author.
Pretty sure I mentioned this before but release got pushed back to October 13, so I’ll repeat myself: CHARMING AS A VERB by Ben Philippe, a high school romcom between a pair of hustlers.
Miracles and Menorahs is BEGGING to be made into a Hallmark Holiday Movie.
THE IPPOS KING by Grace Draven is due out on October 6th. This is the third book in her Wraith King series. The first book is RADIANCE, the second is EIDOLON. It’s ebook only at this point, but I’m hoping for an audiobook to follow. I absolutely love this series. The Ippos King was due out earlier but has been moved a few times. I’m hoping it really will be available on 10/6 as scheduled (this time).
I’m looking forward to Olivia Dade’s Spoiler Alert and Sherry Thomas’s new Lady Sherlock. I have both on hold already at the library so I’m hoping they get both out on release date.
@Qualisign- I was going to post the Annette Marie books! Thanks for doing that. I’m sad to see the end these two series, but so excited to hear she’s going to do a series featuring Zak that comes out in Sept 2021! It’s Guild Codex:Unveiled The One and Only Crystal Druid.
I enjoyed the first book of Guild Codex: Warped, but it didn’t suck me in the way the other series have.
Daughters of Jubilation is the best YA novel I’ve read all year in a year when I’ve read so many strong YA novels I could make an entire top ten books of the year list just with YA titles. Evie’s the most memorable YA heroine I’ve encountered in years.
The new Lady Sherlock was AMAZING, and I’m on the waiting list for spoiler alert.
I keep giving Team Lauren chances but man, they just have not been able to satisfy me for books now.
I love Ruth Cardello and am ridiculously excited for The Secret One.
I need Slay, Simmer Down, The Midnight Garden, The Vicar and the Rake, The Midnight Bargain and Miracles and Menorahs in my life.
@Aarya What is your favorite Lady Sherlock book and why is it Hollow of Fear? 🙂
@Katty and @GradStudentEscapist:
Sorry for the wait; I don’t always read the comments and didn’t see the question until someone alerted me to look.
You have it right! Clearly you have excellent judgment like me. 😛 THE HOLLOW OF FEAR is my favorite Lady Sherlock book. Both THE HOLLOW OF FEAR and MURDER ON COLD STREET feature beloved characters in the role of a wrongly-accused murder suspect (Ingram in THOF and Treadles in MOCS), so maybe that’s a plot choice that I really like. 🙂
The final book in TJ Klune’s GREEN CREEK series, BROTHERSONG, is due out October 14. The series is m/m paranormal werewolf romance, only not always romantic. The first three in the series, WOLFSONG, RAVENSONG, and HEARTSONG are on sale for Kindle on Amazon right now.
No exaggeration when I say I am stupid in love with this whole series. I re-read the first three books regularly, and both laugh and cry every single time, which I seem to do with all of Klune’s books at some time or other.
Pam Rosenthal’s novella A House East of Regent Street releases 10/6, available for preorder. It’s been rewritten some, but it was way ahead of its time when it was first published in an anthology in ? 2003, 2005?? It’s very hot erotic romance, Regency set, not a duke in sight and has a great cover. Buy links, excerpt etc. at https://pamrosenthal.com/books/a-house-east-of-regent-street/
So nice to see Stacey’s book featured!
[…] releases: Smart Bitches (romance), AAR […]
Both A STITCH IN TIME and THE MIDNIGHT BARGAIN look great — adding to my TBR list now! I’m also super excited for the final book in the Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner, RETURN OF THE THIEF (pub date October 6). Not sure whether there will be any romance in this installment (and it’s middle-grade, anyhow, so it definitely won’t be steamy!), but there is a romantic arc in the first few books.
FYI it became known earlier this summer that Brooklyn Ray, whose book is listed first in this post, behaved in extremely problematic ways toward others authors, especially authors of color, including racism, harassment and abuse. It’s very disappointing that they seem to be moving forward with their career as if they did nothing wrong. (They also wrote under the names Taylor Brooke and Taylor B. Barton.)