November is knocking at our doors, and so is an army of new releases that all sound positively delectable. So get yourself a cup of tea and get ready to build up a fantasy shopping cart (or go wild, and actually check out once you have all the books you want, I dare you). Here are some of the awesome books on my radar for November!
Jump to
- Fantasy 🪄
- Seven Deadly Thorns
- Fallen City
- The House Saphir
- The Tower of the Tyrant
- Ship of Spells
- Heart of Ruin
- The Whisper of Stars
- Daughters of Nicnevin
- Break Wide the Sea
- Turns of Fate
- Snake-Eater
- Alchemy & Ashes
- Shadows and Secrets
- In Ice We Steel
- The Bookshop Below
- I, Medusa
- Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore
- As Many Souls as Stars
- Ember Eternal
- Daughter of the Otherworld
- Sci-Fi 🛸
- Non-Fiction 🎩
- Historical Fiction 📚
- Mysteries 🔎
Fantasy 🪄
Seven Deadly Thorns
Amber Hamilton
Now, with the upswell of dark academia romantasy (and the number of super ‘eh’ books in that), I’m always a little cautious about new releases, but also very hopeful. The punishment for magic in this book, is death. We have students, we have an assassin, and we have someone with 7 days to live. This does sound rather exciting.
About the book
The Cruel Prince meets Powerless in this dark academia romantasy that will tattoo itself onto your heart.
In the cursed Kingdom of Aragoa, the punishment for magic is death.
Even the students at Vandenberghe Academy aren’t spared. When Viola Sinclair’s deadly shadow magic is discovered, the queen gives her assassin a new assignment and a new cursed tattoo: seven-thorned rose on his arm for the seven days he has to hunt Viola down and kill her. If he doesn’t, he will be the one to die.
The assassin is Roze Roquelart–entitled prince, arrogant fellow student, and the one person Viola hates more than anyone. Roze should revel in the chance to end her life, but he desperately needs something from Viola and her magic. And he’s willing to spare her life–and fake their engagement–to get it.
Forced to work together, Viola and Roze must contend with deadly threats, dangerous secrets, and an impossible attraction. Will they give in to their deepest desires, even if it means destroying Aragoa–and risking both their lives?
HER WORST ENEMY. HIS ONLY CHANCE.
Be swept away by the sizzling, irresistible enemies-to-lovers romantasy with magic more destructive than your darkest nightmares.
Fallen City
Adrienne Young
There are a couple of covers for this one, and I can’t decide which one I like more (here’s the other cover). But that aside, let’s get excited for a new book from Adrienne Young! I really must actually read one of the many books by her I have on my shelves. This time, we’ve got a Greco-Roman inspired fantasy.
About the book
In the great walled city of Isara, political turmoil ignites a rebellion one hundred years in the making. But when a legionnaire falls in love with a Magistrate’s daughter, their love will threaten the fate of the city and the will of the gods.
Luca Matius has one purpose—to carry on the family name, maintaining its presence in the Forum once his powerful and cruel uncle dies. But his noviceship with the city’s Philosopher places him in the middle of a catastrophe that will alter the destiny of his people.
Maris Casoeria was raised amidst the strategic maneuvers of the Citadel’s inner workings, and she knows what her future holds—a lifetime of service to a corrupt city. But her years of serving as a novice to the last Priestess who possesses the stolen magic of the Old War has made her envision a different kind of future for the city. When she meets Luca, a fated chain of events is set into motion that will divinely entangle their lives.
As a secret comes to light and throws the city into chaos, Luca and Maris hatch a plot to create a calculated alliance that could tip the scales of power. But when an execution forces Luca to become the symbol of rebellion, he and Maris are thrown onto opposite sides of a holy war. As their fates diverge, they learn they are at the center of a story the gods are writing. And even if they can find their way back to each other, there may be nothing left.
The House Saphir
Marissa Meyer
A new Marissa Meyer, to boot! I’ve been loyally collecting her latest releases over the past few years (but am, admittedly, slightly behind in reading them), but doesn’t this one look fun!? We’re talking romantasy, witches and murder.
About the book
Mallory Fontaine is a fraud. Though she comes from a long line of witches, the only magic she possesses is the ability to see ghosts, which is rarely as useful as one would think. She and her sister have maintained the family business, eking out a paltry living by selling bogus spells to gullible buyers and conducting tours of the infamous mansion where the first of the Saphir murders took place.
Mallory is a self-proclaimed expert on Count Bastien Saphir—otherwise known as Monsieur Le Bleu—who brutally killed three of his wives more than a century ago. But she never expected to meet Bastien’s great-great grandson and heir to the Saphir estate. Armand is handsome, wealthy, and convinced that the Fontaine Sisters are as talented as they claim. The perfect mark. When he offers Mallory a large sum of money to rid his ancestral home of Le Bleu’s ghost, she can’t resist. A paid vacation at Armand’s country manor? It’s practically a dream come true, never mind the ghosts of murdered wives and the monsters that are as common as household pests.
But when murder again comes to the House Saphir, Mallory finds herself at the center of the investigation—and she is almost certain the killer is mortal. If she has any hope of cashing in on the payment she was promised, she’ll have to solve the murder and banish the ghost, all while upholding the illusion of witchcraft.
But that all sounds relatively easy compared to her biggest learning to trust her heart. Especially when the person her heart wants the most might be a murderer himself.
The Tower of the Tyrant
J.T. Greathouse
This sounds like a solid epic fantasy. I’ve been really in the mood for long quests and unlikely bands of characters setting out on adventures together, so this is vibing up my alley. We’ve got a sorceress on a dangerous hunt for artefacts, a cursed land and unlikely friendships.
About the book
A LAND DIVIDED. A HISTORY INKED IN BLOOD. ONE SORCERESS’S QUEST FOR ANSWERS.
The world beyond the City of the Wise is fraught with danger. But Fola, a talented sorceress who has left the safety of its walls, is unconcerned. She’s on the hunt for magical remnants left behind by the First Folk – ancient beings who are but the whisper of a memory. Only by finding them might she uncover the secret to their power and a way to pull the riven lands out of the darkness.
Danger lies ahead for Fola, however she feels about it. And when events conspire to drag her into a cursed kingdom to investigate the death of its king, she’s soon faced by threats from both the living and the dead.
Fola will need to rely on her wits, her magic and her unlikely friends if she’s going to survive. But there is always hope, no matter how dark things get. And three things remain true, above all else.
Fellowship is stronger than isolation.
The past will come back to haunt you.
Nothing stays secret forever.
Ship of Spells
H. Leighton Dickson
As soon as this mentioned there was a sentient ship, I was sold. This book sounds both similar to many things I’ve read before, and unique and exciting. I can never turn away from piratical or seafaring themes, so I’m really excited to see what this is all about.
About the book
A war-scarred mage. A sentient ship. A secret that could drown empires.
When Ensign Bluemage Honor Renn is rescued from the wreckage of her first naval post, she expects death or disgrace. Instead, she wakes aboard the Touchstone, a mythic vessel whispered of in dockside ballads and royal war rooms alike. With a crew of misfits. A mysterious, elven captain. And a mission tied to the Dreadwall, the crumbling barrier that has kept the Overland and Nethersea from open war for a hundred years.
But the tragedy that sank her last ship didn’t just take lives—it left something behind.
Now Renn carries a secret everyone wants. A magik that’s chimeric, arcane…and slowly killing her. But the captain’s mission may be her only chance to survive, even if he still doesn’t trust her.
Caught between privateers, princes, and spies, Renn knows each choice could sink her future—or set the sea on fire.
Heart of Ruin
A.C. Arthur
Dark academia will not cease to be popular. This is set in ‘Blackstone Academy’ and it’s where an elite group of spellcasters maintain the balance of good and evil. I’m always keen to try new magic school settings, but they can be very hit or miss.
About the book
Beneath the centuries old buildings and cobblestone streets of the elusive Blackstone Academy, runs a mecca of magic so tumultuous that it has taken an elite lineage of casters to maintain the balance good and evil. Now, one young woman in need of a fresh start finds that more than her own future hangs in the balance in this new dark academia fantasy duology from bestseller A.C. Arthur.
The Whisper of Stars
Cristin Williams
The cover *chef’s kiss*, the title *intriguing*, the tagline *sold*. I think this book is going to be my sort of thing. This is pitched as Leigh Bardugo meets Alias in 1920s Russia, like I’m sorry, this could not have me more excited. Read the blurb below.
About the book
Anarchist poet Katya Efremova has spent ten months imprisoned in a covert government laboratory. When an escape attempt goes terribly wrong, she’s transferred to a new prison colony being established on Solovetsky Island in the White Sea. She learns her arrest wasn’t due to her involvement in a magic-fueled resistance against the Bolsheviks—it was because of her murdered mother’s research into the legendary folk hero, Stenka Razin. Katya finds a clue her mother left for her the day she died, which may contain a cipher: Listen to the whisper of stars.
Given his title of nobility, imprisoned aristocrat Dima Danilov knows he’ll never leave Solovetsky Island alive. Dima finds a 250-year-old manuscript written by his ancestor which gives a first-person account of Stenka Razin’s rebellion against the tsar. Desperate for his life to mean something before it’s over, Dima decides to write an epic poem based on Razin’s life, hoping to encourage Russians to revolt against Bolshevik tyranny.
Natasha is a rogue witch who has been experimented on in the government laboratory for two years. When she’s offered her freedom in exchange for spying on Katya, she jumps at the chance, though she has her own reasons for wanting to solve the conspiracy surrounding Katya’s mother’s death.
As their goals intertwine, the three imprisoned Russians work together to uncover the secret behind Stenka Razin’s rebellion, a secret woven into the history of Solovetsky Island.
Discovering the island’s legendary power might be the key to overthrowing the Bolshevik regime, but as Katya solves the puzzle of her mother’s murder she realizes she wasn’t sent to Solovetsky by chance. The head of the government’s spy network is using her to find Stenka Razin’s power, and there will be no hope of a free Russia if he takes hold of the magic hidden beneath the White Sea snow.
Daughters of Nicnevin
Shona Kinsella
They had me at ‘for readers of Outlander‘ on this one. Set in Scotland, this is a fantastical, witchy tale that is full of folklore and witchcraft. It’s set in 1745 during the Jacobite uprising. And if that ain’t an exciting setting for a witch book, I don’t know what is.
About the book
Readers of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander will love this fantasy tale of folklore and witchcraft from Scotland.
Mairead and Constance, two powerful witches, meet in the early days of the 1745 Jacobite uprising. While the men of the village are away fighting, the villagers face threats from both the Black Watch and raiders, and the women are confronted with their vulnerability. They enlist the help of Nicnevin, fae queen of witches, to bring men made of earth to life to help protect their village. But just who do they need protection from? And what will happen when the village men return?
Break Wide the Sea
Sara Holland
Ships + a race against time = yes, please. I’m really loving the sound of the fae folk in this book – everything is centred around the sea and so, instead of the usual haunts we visit when it comes to the fae, things are a little different. Plus, there’s a curse at play, slowly turning the main character in a monster. And don’t we all just love a good monster?
About the book
A young woman cursed with a fatal heartbreak-induced sickness must race against time to find a cure and protect her family legacy from the ancient finfolk that would destroy it, the fiancé that would kill her for it, and the boy who would love her if she forsook it.
The seafaring humans of Kirkrell have always been plagued by finfolk—bloodthirsty fae who haunt the seas, sinking ships and cursing bloodlines. Yet it’s only by hunting magical whales that Kirkrell can prosper. Nineteen-year-old Annie is heir to the Fairfax Whaling Company, but their family’s success came at a cost: a curse by which heartbreak turns Fairfaxes slowly into monsters. And six years ago, the shipwreck that killed Annie’s parents left her with scales spreading up her arms, claws sprouting from her fingertips.
The love of her fiancé, August, salved her heart for a while—but when she learns August is maneuvering to take over the company, the curse worsens. Fearing her time is running out, she strikes a bargain with a disreputable young captain, half-finfolk and half-human Silas Price: on a voyage to hunt whales in the far north, Silas will take Annie to the finfolk queen, who can lift the curse in return for a promise to end whaling forever.
As Annie, August and Silas sail north, she is determined to uphold her family’s legacy, but the threat of the finfolk tests her resolve. Lies corrupt her relationship with August; meanwhile a dangerous connection with Silas blooms—but he’s keeping secrets too, and his might be the most dangerous of all.
As heiress, it’s Annie’s responsibility to deliver whale magic to her city. But as heartbreak looms, she must choose between saving herself and her family’s legacy—and hope it doesn’t cost her everyone she loves.
Turns of Fate
Anne Bishop
I’m yet to read anything by Anne Bishop – her backlist is intimidating! But perhaps this new fantasy (the start of a new series) offers an opportunity? It sounds so good, with a young detective, paranormal beings and dark twists of fate, it sounds very moody and very fun.
About the book
A young detective investigating crimes of the uncanny will learn that bargains can change your fate—for good or ill—in this darkly enthralling fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of the Others and the Black Jewels series.
Words have power. Intentions matter.
Most people come to Destiny Park for entertainment. They come to have their cards read to tell them a bit about their future. They come to walk through a beautiful park and to eat at the hotel’s restaurant. They come in the hope of catching a glimpse of the Arcana, the paranormal beings who rule the Isle of Wyrd.
But some people come to make a bargain with the Arcana—to change their fate. And some people come for dark purposes.
When Detective Beth Fahey is sent to Destiny Park to inquire about a “ghost gun,” she will begin a strange journey on which she must learn to navigate the Arcana’s unforgiving laws and dangerous attractions. Her search will draw her into seemingly impossible cases and the secrets of her own past as tensions rise between the Arcana and their human neighbors across the river.
For the Isle of Wyrd is a place where the dead ride trains to their final destinations, predators literally become prey, and seekers’ true natures are revealed in the ripples of destiny unknowingly stirred in their wakes.
Who will live? Who will die? And who will be lost in between?
Snake-Eater
T. Kingfisher
I believe this falls somewhat into the spookier, horror side of fantasy. I’m very curious to read Kingfisher’s other books one day, and the cover for this is so beautiful, but horror makes me nervous. It does feature a dog however, so either that’s a good thing, or a bad/sad omen.
About the book
In an isolated desert town, a young woman seeking a fresh start is confronted by ancient gods, malevolent supernatural forces, and eccentric neighbours. A witty horror-tinged fantasy, perfect for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Chuck Tingle, and Rachel Harrison.
When Selena travels to the remote desert town of Quartz Creek in search of her estranged Aunt Amelia, she is desperate and short of options. Fleeing an unhappy marriage, she has exactly twenty-seven dollars to her name, and her only friend in the world is her dog, Copper.
On arrival, Selena learns Amelia is dead. But the inhabitants of Quartz Creek are only too happy to have a new resident. Out of money and ideas, Selena sees no harm staying in her aunt’s lovely house for a few weeks, tending to her garden and enjoying the strange, desolate beauty of the desert. The people are odd, but friendly, and eager to help Selena settle into her new home.
But Quartz Creek’s inhabitants share their town with others, old gods and spirits whose claim to the land long predates their human neighbours. Selena finds herself pursued by disturbing apparitions, visitations that come in the night and seem to want something from her.
Aunt Amelia owed a debt. Now her god has come to collect.
Alchemy & Ashes
Amy Yorke
I’m willing to give this one a go – epic fantasy featuring heroines and broken kingdoms. It does sound slightly generic (failed rebellion, murderous king, a love to tear apart a kingdom), butttttt, sometimes those tropes just slap, right?
About the book
The daughter of a failed rebellion. The king who killed her father. A love that could tear the kingdom apart.
Sylvie has always lived in her sister Adria’s shadow. But at the Great Festival, she finally has her chance to step into the by striking down God-King Ronan, the man who destroyed her family. Adria may have led the rebellion, but Sylvie will be the one to finish it.
Ronan has spent years rebuilding a kingdom broken by the war that claimed his father and shattered his faith. But peace has come at a price. Surrounded by enemies and burdened by secrets too dangerous to reveal, he’s losing of his court, his magic, and maybe even himself.
The closer Sylvie gets to Ronan, the more she’s drawn to the man she vowed to kill. Wanting him would mean betraying not just her sister, but her people and the memory of her parents. Trusting Sylvie could cost Ronan the throne—or his life. Because even if Sylvie refuses to strike, Adria won’t hesitate to finish the job.
The road to the throne runs through his heart. And only one sister will claim it.
Shadows and Secrets
Arcadia Rayne
Alright, this one will either be super fun or super lame. We’ve got high fantasy with fae, magic and a competition. I do love a competition. But, it opens along the lines of, she was sent to kill him, now she might have to marry him. There’s something about throwing marriage into a fantasy story that is a ‘meh’ factor for me, but I’m still going to keep an eye out for the reviews for this one.
About the book
She was sent to kill him. Now she might have to marry him.
Huntyr Lachlan is Velia’s deadliest assassin, and the fae prince who destroyed her family just walked into her kingdom.
But when her plan goes wrong, she’s thrust into the Conclave, an ancient competition for the prince’s hand.
Now trapped in a deadly game, Huntyr must navigate rival suitors, perilous trials, and a prince who is far more dangerous, and captivating, than she ever imagined.
In a world where nothing is as it seems, though, her greatest enemy may be the one she least expects.
In Ice We Steel
Ayleen K. Kyrstin
Right, so, the title makes no sense to me, honestly. But I love the sound of the blurb. This is all about a rebellion and it has a fascinating cast of characters. There are also some excellent advance reader reviews out.
About the book
Rebellions aren’t born. They are forged.
On Kerti Island, where knowledge is scarce and belongs solely to the regime, Zea is a Truth Seeker: scholar, polymath, advisor, prisoner—born and raised to serve. But she is done serving. Her fate will be hers to decide. And her plan might just be the spark that ignites a revolution.
Ax, a thief, doesn’t care about rebellion—only money. But what if even the right price can’t buy freedom under tyranny?
Veyre, a soldier, is sworn to uphold order, hunting down rebels without question. But can she keep her honor when the orders no longer demand loyalty—but her conscience?
Tricks, lies, and secrets uphold the Great Leaders’ regime. And tricks, lies, and secrets will bring it to its knees.
But for Kerti Island to rise, they need more than hope. More than a plan. More than a spark. Above all—they need the right story.
And sometimes, a story is all it takes.
The Bookshop Below
Georgia Summers
This is from the same author who wrote The City of Stardust, and while I haven’t read that yet, it received many good reviews. This sounds super duper good. It’s about a disgraced bookseller who’s given the chance to restore a magical bookstore. Say no more!
About the book
In this extraordinary standalone from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The City of Stardust, a disgraced bookseller is offered the chance to restore a magical bookshop to its former glory, and enters a dark underworld of unscrupulous collectors, deadly ink magic and shady societies.
If you want a story that will change your life, Chiron’s bookshop is where you go. For those lucky enough to grace its doors, it’s a glimpse into a world of deadly bargains and powerful, magical books.
For Cassandra Fairfax, it’s a reminder of everything she lost, when Chiron kicked her out and all but shuttered the shop. Since then, she’s used her skills in less . . . ethical ways, trading stolen books and magical readings to wealthy playboys looking for power money can’t buy.
Then Chiron dies. And if Cassandra knows anything, it’s the bookshop must always have an owner.
To restore the shop, she’ll need the help of Lowell Sharpe, a rival bookseller who is everything Cassandra is not – and knows it, too.
But as she is plunged into a world of unscrupulous collectors, deadly ink magic and shady societies, a dark force threatens to unravel the bookshops entirely . . .
I, Medusa
Ayana Gray
Now, without even reading the blurb, I think we can all agree that we will be picking up a copy of this to grace our shelves purely for the cover.
I’ve actually read a good handful of Medusa origin stories at this point (who can resist Greek myth retold?), and I’m eager for another. This one focuses on Medusa training as an acolyte under Athena, and I’m really curious to see how it compares and differs to stories by authors such as Natalie Haynes and Nikita Gill.
About the book
From New York Times bestselling author Ayana Gray comes a new kind of villain origin story, reimagining one of the most iconic monsters in Greek mythology as a provocative and powerful young heroine.
Meddy has spent her whole life as a footnote in someone else’s story. Out of place next to her beautiful, immortal sisters and her parents—both gods, albeit minor ones—she dreams of leaving her family’s island for a life of adventure. So when she catches the eye of the goddess Athena, who invites her to train as an esteemed priestess in her temple, Meddy leaps at the chance to see the world beyond her home.
In the colorful market streets of Athens and the clandestine chambers of the temple, Meddy flourishes in her role as Athena’s favored acolyte, getting her first tastes of purpose and power. But when she is noticed by another Olympian, Poseidon, the course of Meddy’s promising future is suddenly and irrevocably altered.
When her locs are transformed into snakes as punishment for a crime she did not commit, Medusa must embrace a new identity—not as a victim, but as a vigilante—and with it, the chance to write her own story as mortal, martyr, and myth.
Exploding with rage, heartbreak, and love, I, Medusa portrays a young woman caught in the crosscurrents between her heart’s deepest desires and the cruel, careless games the Olympian gods play.Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore
Emily Krempholtz
I’m always on the fence with these cute cosy fantasies (because there are just so many, and how to choose the good ones?!) But this does sound super cute. It gives me serious The Secret Society of Very Irregular Witches vibes, and that can only be a good thing.
About the book
A powerful plant witch and a grumpy alchemist must work together to save their quiet town from a magical plague in this debut cozy fantasy romance about starting over, redemption, and what it really means to be a good person.
Guy Shadowfade is dead, and after a lifetime as the dark sorcerer’s right-hand, Violet Thistlewaite is determined to start over—not as the fearsome Thornwitch, but as someone kind. Someone better. Someone good.
The quaint town of Dragon’s Rest, Violet decides, will be her second chance—she’ll set down roots, open a flower shop, keep her sentient (mildly homicidal) houseplant in check, and prune dark magic from the twisted boughs of her life.
Violet’s vibrant bouquets and cheerful enchantments soon charm the welcoming townsfolk, though nothing seems to impress the prickly yet dashingly handsome Nathaniel Marsh, an alchemist sharing her greenhouse. With a struggling business and his own second chance seemingly out of reach, Nathaniel has no time for flowers or frippery—and certainly none for the intriguing witch next door.
When a mysterious blight threatens every living plant in Dragon’s Rest, Violet and Nathaniel must work together through their fears, pasts, and growing feelings for one another to save their community. But with a figure from her past knocking at her door and her secrets threatening to uproot everything she’s worked so hard to grow, Violet can’t help but wonder…does a former villain truly deserve a happily-ever-after?
As Many Souls as Stars
Natasha Siegel
This is all about an unlikely lovely story between a witch and a demon – and the publisher compares it to the likes of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. So, you know, I’ve got some pretty high expectations for this now. Plus, it’s set in the 16th century, and there’s nothing I love more than fantasy about witches set in the past.
About the book
For fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, an inventive and romantic speculative novel about two women—a witch and an immortal demon—who make a Faustian bargain and are drawn into a cat-and-mouse chase across multiple lifetimes.
1592. Cybil Harding is a First Daughter. Cursed to bring disaster to those around her, she is trapped in a house with a mother paralyzed by grief and a father willing to sacrifice everything in pursuit of magic.
Miriam Richter is a creature of shadow. Forged by the dark arts many years ago, she is doomed to exist for eternity and destined to be alone—killing mortals and consuming their souls for sustenance. Everything changes when she meets Cybil, whose soul shines with a light so bright, she must claim it for herself. She offers a bargain: she will grant Cybil reincarnation in exchange for her soul.
Thus begins a dance across centuries as Miriam seeks Cybil in every lifetime to claim her prize. Cybil isn’t inclined to play by the rules, but when it becomes clear that Miriam holds the key to breaking her family curse, Cybil finds that—for the first time in her many lives—she might have the upper hand. As they circle each other, drawn together inescapably as light and dark, the bond forged between them grows stronger. In their battle for dominance, only one of them can win—but perhaps they can’t survive without each other.
Natasha Siegel has written an unexpected love story that feels both epic and deeply personal. Ambitious, gothic, and magical, As Many Souls as Stars is about the lengths we go to protect ourselves, our legacy, and those we love.
Ember Eternal
Chloe Neill
A romantasy where a thief meets an assassin and a royal disguised as a bodyguard? Yes please. This is everything we ever need in romantasy these days. Hand me those tropes and watch me devour them.
About the book
A new romantasy, following a thief whose dramatic encounter with an assassin and a crown bodyguard (who happens to be a royal in disguise) launches her into a world of swirling palace intrigue, from New York Times bestselling author Chloe Neill.
Fox is a thief with morals—she steals from those who can afford it and only a little at that. She has no choice. Fox and her three closest companions entered into indentured servitude to the Lady, a mysterious noble with widespread political power by questionable means, in order to pay off familial debts. While searching for an easy mark in town, Fox helps a royal bodyguard fend off a would-be assassin’s attack on a prince’s life.
But what started off as protecting the prince out of good conscience has now unwittingly embroiled this thief in a vast world of politics, high stakes, and romance. And though Fox longs to be free of her debts, she must decide if love is its own kind of cage.
Daughter of the Otherworld
Shauna Lawless
This sounds so good! It’s historical fantasy set in medieval Ireland during the time of the Norman invasion. I’m a big fan of fantasy and Ireland, they make for a great combination. I’m expecting we will have druidic-like magic (though the main character is magic-less, crucial to the story) and lots of epic politics.
About the book
From the author of the Gael Song trilogy, an epic new historical fantasy set in the tumultuous, magical world of medieval Ireland during the time of the Norman invasion.
Over a hundred years after she went missing, Isolde, born to the family of a famous Irish king and a powerful immortal, inexplicably reappears.
Her mother’s kin, the Descendants, are one of the two magical races of Ireland. But no Descendant can understand the reasons for Isolde’s disappearance, and worse yet, she is giftless – born with no magical ability, a dangerous thing when the magic-rich Fomorians, ancient enemies of the Descendants, are growing in strength.
The Fomorians no longer control any Irish kingdoms, but they still desire control over the mortal world. They seek to spread their dangerous webs wider by manipulating England’s Norman lords to invade Ireland.
Not yet eighteen, Isolde’s world is about to change for ever. But when death and destruction seem inevitable, her true worth will show itself, for Isolde is far more than she seems.
Sci-Fi 🛸
The Merge
Grace Walker
This sounds super unique. It’s been a while since I’ve come across a dystopian novel that’s offered something so different to everyone else that I can’t help but pause and pick it up. I’ll be curious, however, to see reviews before actually diving into this. It’s about a world where Earth has been pushed to the brink of collapse, and there’s a new procedure available that allows people to merge two consciousnesses together. Eerie. Go read the blurb.
About the book
A thrilling and ominously prophetic debut set in a world when Earth and its resources have been pushed to breaking point, giving rise to a revolutionary—and highly controversial—procedure in which two people’s consciousness can be combined to exist in one body.
How far would you go to never say goodbye?
Laurie is sixty-five and living with Alzheimer’s. Her daughter Amelia, a once fiery and strong-willed activist, can’t bear to see her mother’s mind fade. Faced with the reality of losing her forever, Amelia signs them up to take part in the world’s first experimental merging process for Alzheimer’s patients, in which Laurie’s ailing mind will be transferred into Amelia’s healthy body and their consciousness will be blended as one.
Soon Amelia and Laurie join the opaque and mysterious group of other merge teenage Lucas, who plans to merge with his terminally ill brother Noah; Ben, who will merge with his pregnant fiancée Annie; and Jay, whose merging partner is his addict daughter Lara. As they prepare to move to The Village, a luxurious rehabilitation center for those who have merged, they quickly begin to question whether everything is really as it seems.
An exhilarating, immersive debut from an astonishing new voice, The Merge is a personal story of love, family, and sacrifice, as well as a thought-provoking examination of the limits of control, resistance, and freedom in our modern world.
Coldwire
Chloe Gong
I’ve got my eye on Chloe Gong as an author I really want to try. I didn’t come across very many sci-fi dystopians for November, but this certainly fits the bill. The blurb starts with ‘The future is loading …’ and if that doesn’t hook you, I don’t know what will.
About the book
The future is loading…
To escape rising seas and rampant epidemics, most of society lives “upcountry” in glistening virtual reality, while those who can’t afford the subscription are forced to remain in crumbling “downcountry.”
But upcountry isn’t perfect. A cold war rages between two powerful nations, Medaluo and Atahua—and no one suffers for it more than the Medan orphans in Atahua. Their enrollment at Nile Military Academy is mandatory. Either serve as a soldier or risk being labelled a spy.
Eirale graduated the academy and joined NileCorp’s private forces downcountry, exactly as she was supposed to. Then Atahua’s most wanted anarchist frames her for assassinating a government official, and she’s given a choice: cooperate with him to search for a dangerous program in Medaluo or go down for treason.
Meanwhile, Lia is finishing her last year upcountry at Nile Military Academy. Paired with her academic nemesis for their final assignment, Lia is determined to beat him for valedictorian and prove her worth. But there may be far more at stake when their task to infiltrate Medaluo and track down an Atahuan traitor goes wrong…
Though Eirale and Lia tear through Medaluo on different planes of reality, the two start to suspect they are puzzle pieces in a larger conspiracy—and the closer they get to the truth, the closer their worlds come to a shattering collision.
Slow Gods
Claire North
This sounds fascinating. It’s narrated in first person by a seemingly unreliable narrator, who is telling the reader about the lives they have lead since they … died. Set after a supanova event, I can only assume the main character is a clone, and it sounds like things are going to get super sci-fi-y.
About the book
My name is Mawukana na-Vdnaze, and I am a very poor copy of myself.
Slow Gods is the galaxy-spanning tale of one man’s impossible life charted against the fate of humanity amongst the stars—a powerfully imaginative space opera from multi-award-winning author Claire North.In telling my story, there are certain things I should perhaps lie about. I should make myself a hero. Pretend I was not used by strangers and gods, did not leave people behind.
Here is one out there in deep space, in the pilot’s chair, I died. And then, I was reborn. I became something not quite human, something that could speak to the infinite dark. And I vowed to become the scourge of the world that wronged me.This is the story of the supernova event that burned planets and felled civilizations. This is also the story of the many lives I’ve lived since I died for the first time.
Are you listening?
Non-Fiction 🎩
Book of Lives
Margaret Atwood
Naturally, I already have this on pre-order. I do love Margaret Atwood, so I’m really looking forward to reading a memoir(ish) by her. I’ve not delved too deep to find out more about what exactly is in this before it’s in my hot little hands, but the ‘a memoir of sorts’ subtitle certainly has be intrigued.
About the book
How does one of the greatest storytellers of our time write her own life? The long-awaited memoir from one of our most lauded and influential cultural figures.
‘Every writer is at least two beings: the one who lives, and the one who writes. Though everything written must have passed through their minds, or mind, they are not the same.’
Raised by ruggedly independent, scientifically minded parents – entomologist father, dietician mother – Atwood spent most of each year in the wild forest of northern Quebec. This childhood was unfettered and nomadic, sometimes isolated (on her eighth birthday: ‘It sounds forlorn. It was forlorn. It gets more forlorn.’), but also thrilling and beautiful.
From this unconventional start, Atwood unfolds the story of her life, linking seminal moments to the books that have shaped our literary landscape, from the cruel year that spawned Cat’s Eye to the Orwellian 1980s Berlin where she wrote The Handmaid’s Tale. In pages bursting with bohemian gatherings, her magical life with the wildly charismatic writer Graeme Gibson and major political turning points, we meet poets, bears, Hollywood actors and larger-than-life characters straight from the pages of an Atwood novel.
As we travel with her along the course of her life, more and more is revealed about her writing, the connections between real life and art – and the workings of one of our greatest imaginations.
Historical Fiction 📚
To Kill a Queen
Amie McNee
Elizabethan London + historical reimagining? Yes please. This is all kicks off when Queen Elizabeth I is nearly assassinated. It’s 1579 in London, and an heir to criminal legacy ends up on-side with the good guys to try and catch the assassin. This sounds like all the good vibes from Kerri Maniscalco’s Stalking Jack the Ripper series.
About the book
Enter a shadowy world of crime in Elizabethan London with this twisty historical mystery featuring a queer sleuth and a dash of romance!
When Queen Elizabeth I is nearly assassinated, the rebellious heir to a criminal legacy seizes an opportunity for a better life.London, 1579. In the treacherous alleyways of London, Jack has left behind the life of petty crime, hoping to atone for the past by rooting out murderers. As the eldest child of a notorious and infamous figure who controls the slums, Jack has no safe place to land and dreams of a future off the streets. When an attempt is made on the Queen’s life, it falls to Jack to catch the would-be-assassin and fight for different future.
With the help of a coroner, Damian, a sultry barmaid with a secret, and the criminal connections from Jack’s past, the unlikely investigator dives into the case. But the former thief’s informants keep turning up dead, and every lead seems to vanish just when it feels within reach. As Jack follows the trail deeper into danger, the question who can truly be trusted?
With the promise of security and redemption hanging overhead, Jack must uncover who orchestrated the assassination attempt before time runs out in this historical mystery, perfect for fans of Tasha Alexander.
Mysteries 🔎
Desperate Spies
Mark de Castrique
Now, this is book 3 in this series, but I’ve only just discovered it. It features an elderly female detective and is described as the perfect read for those who love The Thursday Murder Club. Given that I’m currently binge the heck out of that series with glee, I think I need to start this series! I doesn’t sound like one you have to read in order, anyway.
About the book
For seventy-five-year-old former FBI agent Ethel Fiona Crestwater, her age is nothing but an advantage when it comes to ferreting out secrets. Who’s going to notice the little old woman in the corner? Besides, Ethel might be officially retired, but she knows everyone in DC law enforcement—and is smarter than all of them combined.
When a former colleague asks Ethel for help, she agrees without a second thought. But the favor throws Ethel back eighteen years, to the botched sting operation that resulted in the murder of an innocent young woman by a Russian gangster—and nearly ended Ethel’s own life too.
Soon, Ethel and her young tech-whizz sidekick Jesse, her double-first-cousin-twice-removed, find themselves in the crosshairs of some very bad—and very desperate—men who’ll do anything to get their hands on the state secrets they’re seeking. Ethel will have to use all the skills she’s learned during her long career if she’s to save the day, and keep both herself and her beloved cousin alive.
Murder Most British
Helena Dixon
To continue the trend of cosy crime series I’ve missed the bandwagon for, I present to you, Murder Most British – book three in its series. I do like the sound of this (and again, not sure reading sequentially is actually required), and I’m so in the mood for innocent bloodshed, ya know?
About the book
Big Ben chiming in the distance, chilly walks along the river Thames, cocktails at the Ritz… and a government secretary dead? Only Jane Treen can solve the case!
London, 1941. Miss Jane Treen is faced with another mysterious disappearance within her Secret Detective Agency’s team. Tabitha Moore, a government typist, was on her way to meet Jane with vital information about some secret codes. But she didn’t turn up for work and has seemingly vanished without trace. Then Jane and her colleague, handsome codebreaker Arthur Cilento, receive a a body has been found, and it matches Tabitha’s description…
It quickly becomes clear that Tabitha’s death was not due to ongoing air raids on the the silk scarf tied tightly around her neck suggests otherwise. The prime suspect is Tabitha’s fiancé Leo Cavendish, a dashing government official, but there are plenty of others with a motive too. Jane and Arthur scrutinise those around Tabitha at work and at home, including a charming newsreader reporting on government affairs, a jealous pianist in love with Leo, and a known womaniser and gambler fond of causing trouble.
Together, Jane, Arthur and her fluffy ginger cat Marmaduke hole up in her London townhouse, with black coffee in plentiful supply and a roaring fire in the grate. But just as they begin to piece together the puzzle, someone else is found dead. It’s clear they need to step up and catch the killer on the loose in the big smoke, before it’s their turn next…
If you love twisty crime novels, top-secret intrigue and the very best of Golden Age mysteries, then you will adore Helena Dixon’s totally gripping cozy novel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Verity Bright!
Trouble in the Alps
Vivian Conroy
Seeing as I’m on a roll with this, I present to you the sixth book in a series. This definitely doesn’t need to be read in order, though I think it would be fun to do so. The female detective in this series visits a new, sought-after destination for each investigation across the books. It just sounds like a glorious time.
About the book
A devastating accident
An isolated hotel
A murdered guest…
When Miss Atalanta Ashford learns that her dear friend Raoul Lemont has had a serious accident, she rushes to his remote hotel in the Alps only to discover he has no memory of her – or his life before.
Atalanta is determined to stay undercover while she helps Raoul recover. But when another resident is found dead, she is pulled into the hotel’s dark secrets. Can she untangle the web in time for them to escape the snowy mountains with their lives?
And that’s a wrap! So many exciting new books to dreamily add to shopping carts. I hope you find some excellent to hoard, and maybe even to read, this November!
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