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Can’t Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings. I get to show off all the new book releases I'm excited to read. Have you read any of these? What did you think?
🖉 September 2021 Book Releases 🍂
THE FLAMES OF ALBIYON BY JEAN Z. MENZIES
Adult Fantasy
September 2, 2021
A century since the monarchy was overthrown, the country of Albiyon has become a haven for its citizens, the young scholar Adairia included. Raised within the Albiyan university’s walls she has dedicated her life to the pursuit of knowledge. Preferring to hole up in the library than seek adventure elsewhere, she has grown accustomed to her comfortable routine . . . until the day everything changes. When she unwittingly awakens a sleeping dragon’s egg, Adairia is thrust into unfamiliar territory. Never having dreamed of dragons she is forced to seek out guidance from the exhilarating Isla, last direct descendent of the royal family and companion to a century’s old dragon. Together they must navigate the surprises to come; for beyond the prospect of a new-born dragon Albiyon is about to face a dangerous conspiracy that threatens the peace of their realm.
Why I’m excited to read it: This is not my normal type of book. It’s high fantasy, and it’s written by a YouTuber. Usually, those things both earn an automatic “No” from me. I’ve been following Jean on YouTube for years. She’s smart, articulate, and funny, and I have confidence that she can write a thought-provoking book.
WHITE SMOKE BY TIFFANY D. JACKSON
Young Adult Thriller / Horror
September 14, 2021
Marigold is running from ghosts. The phantoms of her old life keep haunting her, but a move with her newly blended family from their small California beach town to the embattled Midwestern city of Cedarville might be the fresh start she needs. Her mom has accepted a new job with the Sterling Foundation that comes with a free house, one that Mari now has to share with her bratty ten-year-old stepsister, Piper.
The renovated picture-perfect home on Maple Street, sitting between dilapidated houses, surrounded by wary neighbors has its . . . secrets. That’s only half the problem: household items vanish, doors open on their own, lights turn off, shadows walk past rooms, voices can be heard in the walls, and there’s a foul smell seeping through the vents only Mari seems to notice. Worse: Piper keeps talking about a friend who wants Mari gone.
But “running from ghosts” is just a metaphor, right?
As the house closes in, Mari learns that the danger isn’t limited to Maple Street. Cedarville has its secrets, too. And secrets always find their way through the cracks.
Why I’m excited to read it: Goodreads describes it as “The Haunting of Hill House meets Get Out in this chilling YA psychological thriller and modern take on the classic haunted house story.” I’m sold. I love it when authors put modern spins on old tales. Also, I’ve read Tiffany D. Jackson’s books before, and they’re amazing. She’s the queen of plot twists. I expect this one will be a wild ride.
FROM THE NECK UP BY ALIYA WHITELEY
Horror Short Stories
September 14, 2021
The new collection of beautiful, strange and disarming short stories from the award-winning Aliya Whiteley, deftly unpeels the strangeness of everyday life with her trademark wit. Witness the future of farming in a new Ice Age, or the artist bringing life to glass; the many-eyed monsters we carry and the secret cities inside our bodies.
Why I’m excited to read it: I’m always on the lookout for good short story collections. Aliya Whiteley is a prolific horror writer whose work has tons of rabid fans online, so I should probably see what the hype is about. The cover of this collection is certainly creepy! I hate it.
FUZZ: WHEN NATURE BREAKS THE LAW BY MARY ROACH
Environment Nonfiction
September 14, 2021
What’s to be done about a jaywalking moose? A bear caught breaking and entering? A murderous tree? Three hundred years ago, animals that broke the law would be assigned legal representation and put on trial. These days, as New York Times best-selling author Mary Roach discovers, the answers are best found not in jurisprudence but in science: the curious science of human-wildlife conflict, a discipline at the crossroads of human behavior and wildlife biology.
Why I’m excited to read it: Mary Roach is one of my favorite nonfiction writers. Her work is fascinating and hilarious. She’s not afraid to ask the awkward questions that we’re all thinking about but are too afraid to say out loud. I’ll read anything she writes.
CLOUD CUCKOO LAND BY ANTHONY DOERR
Adult Historical Fiction (?) Science Fiction (?) I don’t know!
September 28, 2021
The heroes of Cloud Cuckoo Land are trying to figure out the world around them: Anna and Omeir, on opposite sides of the formidable city walls during the 1453 siege of Constantinople; teenage idealist Seymour in an attack on a public library in present day Idaho; and Konstance, on an interstellar ship bound for an exoplanet, decades from now. Like Marie-Laure and Werner in All the Light We Cannot See, Anna, Omeir, Seymour, and Konstance are dreamers and outsiders who find resourcefulness and hope in the midst of peril.
An ancient text—the story of Aethon, who longs to be turned into a bird so that he can fly to a utopian paradise in the sky—provides solace and mystery to these unforgettable characters. Doerr has created a tapestry of times and places that reflects our vast interconnectedness—with other species, with each other, with those who lived before us and those who will be here after we’re gone.
Why I’m excited to read it: “Excited” is the wrong word because I’m completely confused. What even is this book? I don’t understand the synopsis. I’m interested in the book because I love All The Light We Cannot See. It’s vivid and beautifully written. I even taught a class on it and didn’t end up hating it! Usually I loathe a book by the time I finish teaching a class. I like Anthony Doerr’s writing enough that I’m willing to try this confusing new thing.
SHE KILLS ME: THE TRUE STORIES OF HISTORY’S DEADLIEST WOMEN BY JENNIFER WRIGHT
True Crime Nonfiction
September 28, 2021
A powerful collection of stories about women who murdered—for revenge, for love, and even for pleasure—rife with historical details that will have any true crime junkie on the edge of their seat.
In every tragic story, men are expected to be the killers. There are countless studies and works of art made about male violence. However, when women are featured in stories about murder, they are rarely portrayed as predators. They’re the prey. This common dynamic is one of the reasons that women are so enthralled by female murderers. They do the things that women aren’t supposed to do and live the lives that women aren’t supposed to want: lives that are impulsive and angry and messy and inconvenient. Maybe we feel bad about loving them, but we eat it up just the same. Residing squarely in the middle of a Venn diagram of feminism and true crime, She Kills Me tells the story of 40 women who murdered out of necessity, fear, revenge, and even for pleasure.
Why I’m excited to read it: If you’re a fan of Mary Roach, please check out Jennifer Wright’s work. Both authors have a similar tone. Their nonfiction is fast-paced and very readable. These are not dry textbooks! I’m a true crime junkie and can’t wait to get my hands on this book.
Which September book releases are you excited to read?
I absolutely cannot wait for White Smoke!
ReplyDeleteThe cover of White Smoke is stunning... and the synopsis is awesome.
ReplyDeleteWhite Smoke is outside my genre, but I think Jackson's books are fantastic, so I will most likely read that one.
ReplyDeleteI have not read any of these. I hope you enjoy them when you get a chance to read them :)
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, September releases were not really on my radar - thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWell I have just now added three more books to my already too long TBR. LOL. White Smoke, Fuzz, and She Kills You all sound so good!!
ReplyDeleteWhite Smoke looks and sounds amazing!
ReplyDeleteI'm also excited for She Kills Me! My roommate cannot wait for the New Mary Roach book, she's a big fan! Hope you enjoy them all!
ReplyDeleteI quite liked White Smoke, so I hope you do too! I am also VERY lost by Cloud Cuckoo Land. Like, what? It literally lost me at the first sentence. I figure I will wait to let other people figure out what the heck it is about, then if it seems good, I will go for it then.
ReplyDeleteA few great ones! I think She Kills Me sounds amazing!
ReplyDeleteThese books sound very interesting. I especially love the sound of White Smoke.
ReplyDeleteThe Flames of Albiyon sounds interesting. I keep seeing White Smoke everywhere. I hope it will be as good as it sounds! Mary Roach! I didn't know she had a new book coming out. I have enjoyed most of her other books. I will definitely check out Jennifer Wright now since you recommend her. Enjoy your reading!
ReplyDeleteWhite Smoke looks great!
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
I'm not a big nonfiction reader, but Fuzz sounds so interesting!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking at Cuckoo Cloud too ... though it confuses me as well. Multiple storylines can be either good or bad. But I won't get to it soon. I'm sort of looking reading Bewilderment ... by Richard Powers ... since I didn't get to his novel The Overstory yet.
ReplyDeleteI keep debating about reading the new book by Anthony Doerr or not!
ReplyDeleteI've added White Smoke and Fuzz to my wishlist! Thanks for the heads up. Interesting about the YouTuber writing a book, it looks good too.
ReplyDeleteShe Kills Me and White Smoke are both on my wish list.
ReplyDeleteLauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I really love the cover of White Smoke!
ReplyDelete