Book Thoughts: Fall Releases

While fall is the big season for movies (awards season! FINALLY all of the good movies are being released), for books it's sometimes not quite as hyped. After all, autumn is when we're going back to school and gearing up for major holidays. There's so much other stuff going on, but there's also some really exciting books being released soon. Here's a preview of some of the books I'm most looking forward to:

 Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld. The sequel to last year's "diesel-punk" Leviathan. I'm reading it now - expect a Sci-Fi Friday review in a week or two - and having A LOT of fun. I'm a little disappointed in the cover change - the hard cover version of Leviathan was just stunning and here the cover has been designed to match with Leviathan's paperback cover - but I'll be interested to see if the overall design looks like the first book (heavy paper, slightly larger dimensions) or if they've scaled back for the sequel (I'm reading from an ARC I picked up at ALA, so it's incredibly flimsy. And missing page 12). October 5.

 Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness. Another ARC I picked up at ALA, only instead of waiting months to read it I barely waited hours and finished it before I even left DC. This one comes out next week, and if everything goes according to plan I'll be posting my review tomorrow. It's an epic conclusion to the Chaos Walking trilogy, and I highly recommend you read the first two before diving into this tale of war, insurrection, backstabbing, friendship, and explosions. Lots and lots of explosions. September 28.

 Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry. I'm always a little disappointed in myself when I discover a book because I'm browsing at Barnes & Noble, rather than through blogs or other online resources. I feel like I'm failing a little as a blogger - I'm supposed to know these things in advance, right? Especially when it's a ZOMBIE book (like you couldn't guess that from the cover). From the Goodreads description: "In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human." September 15.

 Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler. Another title I saw at ALA (though I don't believe I got an ARC...will have to check the "October" row of my ARC shelf!) and was instantly intrigued by. Excerpted from the description on Goodreads: "Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?" I LOVE the juxtaposition of anorexia and Famine. This is the start of a new series, and I'm very interested to see how it's going to turn out. October 18.

 Jane by April Lindner. "What if Jane Eyre fell in love with a rock star" is the tagline on this one. I read Jane Eyre in college and didn't totally hate it (though I enjoyed The Wide Sargasso Sea so much more), so I have to admit I'm curious about this one. Excerpted from the Goodreads description: "Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, an iconic rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer, and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance." October 11.

 Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl. Colleen at Chasing Ray first highlighted this one, drawing attention to that fabulous cover. Then just this morning, Tara at The Bodacious Pen absolutely raved about this one. Excerpted from the Goodreads description: "London, 1838. Sixteen-year-old Liza's dreams of her society debut are dashed when her parents are killed in an accident. Penniless, she accepts the position of lady's maid to young Princess Victoria and steps unwittingly into the gossipy intrigue of the servant's world below-stairs as well as the trickery above. Is it possible that her changing circumstances may offer Liza the chance to determine her own fate, find true love, and secure the throne for her future queen?" October 13.

 The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney. Eary reviews of this initially had me thinking this was going to be about wacky revenge hijinks. Pretty sure this was an incorrect conclusions. From the Goodreads description: "Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way--the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds--a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers." "Date rape" and "hijinks" don't go hand in hand. November 2.

 The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle. It's the season of Bronte stories! This is a prequel to Wuthering Heights. Which I've never read. But since this is a pre-quel, that shouldn't be a problem, right? Excerpted from the Goodreads description: "Young Tabby Aykroyd has been brought to the dusty mansion of Seldom House to be nursemaid to a foundling boy. He is a savage little creature, but the Yorkshire moors harbor far worse, as Tabby soon discovers. The ghost of the last maid will not leave Tabby in peace, yet this spirit is only one of many. Why do scores of dead maids and masters haunt Seldom House with a jealous devotion that extends beyond the grave?" September 14.

Where the Streets had a Name by Randa Abdel-Fattah. A contemporary story set in the West Bank. I can't think of any other YA novels that have taken on that setting. From the Goodreads description: "Thirteen-year-old Hayaat is on a mission. She believes a handful of soil from her grandmother's ancestral home in Jerusalem will save her beloved Sitti Zeynab's life. The only problem is the impenetrable wall that divides the West Bank, as well as the checkpoints, the curfews, and Hayaat's best friend Samy, who is always a troublemaker. But luck is on their side. Hayaat and Samy have a curfew-free day to travel to Jerusalem. However, while their journey is only a few kilometres long, it may take a lifetime to complete." November 1.

 Girl, Stolen by April Henry. I like this version of a girl's face on the cover! Interesting take. Also interesting: this is the second book with a blind female protagonist I've seen this fall (the other is the already released Blindsided, where the girl is going blind. At least that's what the jacket said - still waiting on the book from the library). Excerpted from the Goodreads description: "Sixteen year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription at the pharmacy. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, their car is being stolen--with her inside! Griffin hadn’t meant to kidnap Cheyenne, all he needed to do was steal a car for the others. But once Griffin's dad finds out that Cheyenne’s father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes." September 28.

 Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein. Not so much a fan of this cover, but that's just because I think putting the face of a contemporary girl dresed in vaguely period clothes is some lazy design work (I'm very hard to please when it comes to covers - this is why I ignore them most of the time). I am, however, totally intrigued by Roanoke and don't think I've ever read a YA book set there. From the Goodreads description: "The greatest unsolved mystery of American history--what happened to all the colonists who landed on Roanoke Island in 1587? This novel traces the fortunes and misfortunes of one Cate Archer, banished to Virginia by a jealous Queen Elizabeth because of her dalliance with Sir Walter Ralegh. What will be her fate in this dangerous New World?" October 12.

 The Other Side of Dark by Sarah Smith. All I have to say is this sounds utterly creepy. And it has an interracial romance - you all know I'm not a romance fan, but I am so, so glad to see a paranormal story that isn't lily white. Excerpted from the Goodreads description: "Since losing both of her parents, fifteen-year-old Katie can see and talk to ghosts, which makes her a loner until fellow student Law sees her drawing of a historic house and together they seek a treasure rumored to be hidden there by illegal slave-traders." November 2.


 Sapphique by Catherine Fisher. This was the ARC at ALA that almost got my arm ripped off, Lynn was so eager to have it. She found her own copy, my arms are both intact, so we're both happy. Incarceron and Sapphique are unique in that this is a pair of books, rather than stretching into a trilogy. I really think the story would have suffered if it'd been drawn out into a third novel - the pair of books pull this story together in an extremely satisfying way. December 28.



Okay, I think it's about time that I stop. What titles are you looking forward to this fall?