All The Best Books Releasing In September
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Bliss Montage: Stories by Ling Ma
Ma’s follow-up to 2018’s lauded post-apocalyptic social satire Severance is a series of eight short stories, each with her poignant perspective and warped sense of humor: A woman in LA lives with her husband, children, and 100 ex-boyfriends. A portal in a college professor’s closet leads to another world. A yeti and a human make love. In “Tomorrow,” an arm protrudes from an expectant mother’s vagina during her pregnancy. In the suspenseful “Returning,” a married couple fly to the husband’s home country to attend a healing ceremony that involves being buried alive overnight, but they get separated at the airport. It’s a haunting centerpiece to a surreal collection. —Emerson Malone
On the Rooftop by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton
As a theater nerd, what initially drew me to On the Rooftop was the hint that it was based on Fiddler on the Roof. But I was not prepared for how this book would knock me over with its rich characterizations and intricate plot that handles major social issues such as racism and gentrification while telling an intimate story of a family in transition. Centered around The Salvations, a singing trio of sisters managed by their mother, this novel is written tenderly with language that sings as much as the music it describes. When faced with enormous change, these finely drawn characters face the universal struggle of whether to accept what life has thrown at them or to resist change and lose everything they've worked so hard to achieve. I couldn’t put it down. —David Vogel
Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions by Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi
This beautifully written collection of interconnected short stories takes place in Nigeria’s past, present, and future, and centers on a group of women and their descendants connected through a moment of shared trauma. In a Nigerian all-girls boarding school, Nonso, Remi, Aisha, and Solape lead a revolt when their headmistress fires all the best teachers. The repercussions of that revolt follow each of them through the years. In one story, a successful Nigerian-American businesswoman has a moment of epiphany after revisiting her childhood home and riding the bus. In the future, US hospitals incarcerate those with hospital debt, and a Nigerian grandmother takes the place of her son with cancer in one such hospital so he can receive the treatment he needs in Nigeria. In the past, a woman navigates infertility by paying other women to bear children for her, but the growing presence of white people and their religion shifts local perceptions of that practice. It’s a powerful collection of stories that readers of Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi will enjoy. —Margaret Kingsbury
The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh
The Fortunes of Jaded Women starts with a somewhat ominous first sentence: “Everyone in Orange County’s Little Saigon knew the Duong sisters were cursed.” If that doesn’t entice you to keep reading, I don’t know what else will. From the start of this intergenerational saga about one Vietnamese American family and their struggles to find love, happiness, and fulfillment, I was hooked. It’s hilarious, touching, and relatable to anyone who’s ever struggled to get away from the weight of familial expectations and the ghosts of intergenerational trauma. This debut novel was a delight to read. —David Vogel
I Fear My Pain Interests You by Stephanie LaCava
Margot is a child of privilege raised by famous musicians who didn’t give her great examples of what healthy relationships look like. After a particularly brutal breakup, she escapes New York City for the Pacific Northwest, where her time with an unknowable stranger will force her to contemplate her body and how it’s storing her trauma. Nonlinear in format and stark in its use of language, this brief but impactful novel is going to stay with me for a while. Not afraid to be uncomfortable in the frank way it deals with trauma and grief, I Fear My Pain Interests You is a stark and singularly unforgettable read. —David Vogel
None of this Rocks by Joe Trohman
From the lead guitarist and cofounder of the renowned band Fall Out Boy comes an insightful and humorous memoir. While Trohman delivers details on the formation and rise of Fall Out Boy, he also gets candid about his own history. Taking us back to his childhood during the late ‘80s and ’90s, Trohman recalls his distant and oftentimes rocky relationship with his mentally ill mother, anti-Semitism from his peers and community, moving around the country, advocating for his own mental health and therapy, and the misogyny and racism he witnessed within the punk scene. None of it's vague or sugar-coated. Instead, Trohman’s candor allows us to authentically glimpse into the highs and lows of his life growing up as a loner kid who loved music. —Farrah Penn
Year of the Tiger by Alice Wong
Disabled activist and Chinese American Wong's memoir pushes back against the nauseating stereotypes that disability memoirs need to be at turns inspiring and depressing, and center the writer with disabilities as overcoming their disability. Instead, through a collection of scrapbook-style ephemera that includes essays, interviews, transcripts, questionnaires, and photographs, Wong presents a life full of disabled joy: a loving family, delicious food, a happy childhood, and community. Disability is an integral part of Wong's identity. At the same time, amid Wong's disabled joy is a simmering anger against the ableism that pervades American institutions, especially healthcare. This hybrid memoir shows the richness and nuance of disabled life, while also challenging non-disabled readers to confront their own ableism and their complacency in allowing discrimination against disabled people to continue. —Margaret Kingsbury
Before We Were Trans by Kit Heyam
This is a fascinating trans and gender nonconforming history that shows the diversity of how societies across history have defined gender and the people who lived outside gender binaries. From Anne Lister to actors playing women on and off stage in a prison war camp to two-spirit and ọgbanje identities, Heyam depicts the complexities of gender identity across cultures. They prove that being trans and breaking away from traditional gender roles is not a new phenomenon and, in fact, has a deep and rich history. Though academic and heavily researched, it’s an accessible and engagingly written read. Heyam provides an extensive list of further reading at the end. The audiobook, narrated by the author, is excellent. —Margaret Kingsbury
Uncultured by Daniella Mestyanek Young
Mestyanek Young’s unflinching and powerful memoir reflects on her time growing up within The Children of God religious cult and the unimaginable abuse and educational suppression she endured while living within the commune. At 15 years old, Mestyanek Young escaped from The Family, journeying to Texas to seek out a high school and college education, and enrolled in the military soon after. But in Afghanistan, she drew unsettling parallels to her old life and her new life within the military. It’s a story of resilience and survival that will stay with you long after you finish. —Farrah Penn
Mr. Wilder and Me by Jonathan Coe
Mr. Wilder and Me is a charming coming-of-age story perfect for fans of Old Hollywood and historical fiction. It takes place in the summer of 1977 as a young woman named Calista unexpectedly finds herself working as an assistant on a film by award-winning director Billy Wilder, an experience which changes her life forever by kickstarting her career in film. This novel is a contemplative look at what happens when artistic trends change and personalities who were once titans in their fields struggle to adapt. A perfect read for the end of summer, or for anyone who needs a creative boost. —David Vogel
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
Maggie O’Farrell, author of Hamnet, is back this fall doing what she does best: writing historical fiction that breathes new life into settings that may seem stuffy or inaccessible to many readers. Set in the 16th century and based on the life of Lucrezia de' Medici, The Marriage Portrait is as vivid and timely as any novel this year with a contemporary setting. A masterful use of language and subtle commentary on the roles women play in society, at times forced to subvert their hopes and dreams to survive, make this novel sing. I was transported and found myself savoring each finely crafted sentence until the very end. —David Vogel
The Two Lives of Sara by Catherine Adel West
When Sara King boards a train to Memphis, she has nothing to her name besides her secrets and the child growing in her belly. Trying to outrun her past in Chicago, she winds up in the open arms of Mama Sugar, the kind matriarch of a popular boarding house. In 1960s Memphis, segregation is still rampant, but change is looming over the city. Freedom Riders and people like Martin Luther King Jr.'s messages are spreading, and Sara finds herself drawn to a local schoolteacher, Jonas, who shares her tentative hope for a better future. But when Mama Sugar's past comes back to haunt her, Sara and Jonas will be caught in the middle, and their next choices will impact everything. A captivating novel that captures a tumultuous time period with a dazzling mix of heaviness and joy. —Kirby Beaton
Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young
While Young’s fascinating, atmospheric, and mystical adult debut blends a few different genres, it is a mystery at its core. Set on Saoirse Island off the coast of Washington, this story unfolds from multiple points of view but is primarily told through the lens of two main characters: Emery Blackwood and August Salt. While Emery had big dreams of moving away from her remote island after high school graduation, the unexpected death of her best friend tied her to her community. August, her high school sweetheart and first love, was accused of killing her best friend Lily, which is why he’s no longer welcome on Saoirse. But after his mother’s death, August returns to the island to sell her home and lay her to rest, and he’s unsurprised to find the town has still turned on him. Now, Emery finds herself drawn to August as she begins to uncover an array of secrets that might just reveal a different story. —Farrah Penn
Our Shadows Have Claws by Amparo Ortiz and Yamile Saied Méndez
Short stories are certainly not in short supply this September! This incredible anthology, edited by Yamile Saied Méndez and Amparo Ortiz, features 15 monster stories. Each short story is set across Latin America and its diaspora, and is opened by a stunning illustration by Ricardo López Ortiz. Contributors are some of the best voices in literature, such as Julia Alvarez, Racquel Marie, Gabriela Martins, Claribel A. Ortega, Lilliam Rivera, and so many more. Vampires, shapeshifters, brujas, wolf-gods, and more await you in the deliciously dark pages of this collection. —Rachel Strolle
The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson
There has never been a better example of a one-sitting read than this absolutely killer YA contemporary horror from Jackson. Springville High is hosting its first integrated prom (a last-minute fix after a viral bullying video revealed the school’s racist roots). Maddy, who attends Springville, has always been an outcast at her school but is worried about becoming more of a target when it's revealed that she is biracial and has been passing as white to please her fanatical white father. Though it seems she's getting more of a normal life, even being asked to prom by the Black superstar quarterback, the other secret that Maddy has been hiding is about to be unmasked at the dance. —Rachel Strolle
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
Upon their retirement, professional spies Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie get an all-expenses paid vacation. But on the trip, they appear to be targeted. And since only the highest up in their organization can order the assassination of one of their own, they’ll have to rely on each other to turn against their own former employers. Following them from their first mission to their final one, this Golden Girls meets James Bond thriller is a journey you want to be part of. —Rachel Strolle
Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans
This first book in a new epic fantasy series set in a queer normative world has an intriguing magical system, intricate world building, and entertaining characters. In the city of Bezim, wealthy alchemists practice their magic in an exclusive club while the Inquisitors hunt down illicit alchemy. When the rich need more alchemical supplies, they call on Siyon Velo, who travels the multi-dimensional planes to gather ingredients. He dreams of training to become an alchemist, but as the offspring of poor fishermen, he doesn’t have the social rank to buy himself into the alchemy’s ranks. When he unintentionally pulls off a stunning bit of magic saving a falling girl in public, the alchemists suddenly accept him into their ranks. However, the Inquisitors now hunt him. Meanwhile, the planes have become unbalanced, and the alchemists must figure out how to re-establish balance before it’s too late. It was a lot of fun getting lost in the audiobook narrated by Kirsten Foster. —Margaret Kingsbury
Big Bad by Lily Anderson
The best thing in the Buffyverse is this new tie-in novel! Following familiar characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, with a twist, this is a book I have not stopped thinking about since the second I finished it. Quite literally set in an alternate universe version of Sunnydale, called Demondale, the villains are in charge. Demon Anya and Trio member Jonathan serve as narrators, with an assist from a universe-hopping Buffy. With no slayer-in-residence to speak of, the sudden appearance of one is a huge threat to their happy existence, and they'll all have to team up to try and stop Buffy...for good. In addition to delightful character appearances (Vampire Willow! Giles as Ripper!), there are some romantic pairings that should not work, but in Anderson's hands are golden. It's so much fun. —Rachel Strolle
Bindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa
This 1920s historical fantasy set in Kansas City is such a fun read. The sexy part-time reporter and part-time speakeasy owner Luna Alvarado gets her bruja skills from her Mexican abuela and her white-passing skin tone from her no-good, wealthy white father. She uses that skin tone to pass as white in a world where being Mexican means constant racism and fewer opportunities, and she already has few enough being a woman. Even though much of her time is spent denying her culture and pretending to be white, she longs for time with her family and to just be herself. She’s saving up to buy her own jazz club when she crosses the wrong mobsters. Her plans for the future begin to crumble as all the crooks in Kansas City descend upon her. She does have one trick up her sleeve: her magical ability to charm men with a touch of skin. Her magic is growing, too, but she needs to figure out how to harness it before she ruins her business and puts her family’s lives in danger. The audiobook narrated by Frankie Corzo is great. —Margaret Kingsbury
Eternally Yours edited by Patrice Caldwell
Listen, as someone who was fully immersed in the paranormal YA romance boom of the 2010s, I have been so excited for this anthology since it was first announced. And after having read it, I can tell you there is so much to love about this jam-packed anthology. From merfolk falling in love in Adib Khorram's story to soulmates across lifetimes in Chloe Gong's story. A personal favorite is a romance involving Bloody Mary written by Casey McQuiston. Caldwell is no stranger to putting together powerhouse authors (see the fantastic A Phoenix First Must Burn for more evidence of that), and every story in this anthology is a delight. —Rachel Strolle
Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
The third book in the Locked Tomb quartet is as mind-bendingly complex and intriguing as the previous books. Nona does not remember anything before awakening six months earlier in the care of Pyrrha, Camilla, and Palamedes. While she inhabits Harrowhawk’s body, she has Gideon’s eyes, and Camilla and Palamedes take extensive notes in their quest to discover who exactly Nona is. The sweet and naive Nona is very unlike either of her possible previous selves and has neither Harrow’s necromancy powers nor Gideon’s skill with the sword. She likes to spend her days volunteering at a local school, trying to impress one of the students, and walking the science teacher’s dog. Unfortunately, for Nona, the Emperor Undying would like to use her as a weapon, and the entire planet is on the verge of war in their quest to eliminate zombies. In her dreams, Nona sees a woman with a skull-painted face. —Margaret Kingsbury
Thistlefoot by Gennarose Nethercott
Jewish and Eastern European folklore entwine in this magical, queer-inclusive contemporary fairytale about inherited trauma and sibling relationships. Bellatine Yaga and her brother Isaac Yaga haven’t seen each other in years, not since Isaac ran away from home as a teenager. Since then, Isaac has been traveling from city to city using his shapeshifting ability to con people, while Bellatine has become a woodworker and hides her powers to animate inanimate objects. They meet again when they inherit a house on chicken legs from a distant relative and decide to take it on the road and become a traveling puppet show. However, Isaac and Bellatine aren’t the only ones interested in the house. An evil follows them, the Longshadow Man, intent on destroying the house. To combat the evil, the siblings must look to the past and their Jewish ancestry for answers. It’s a captivating read, at turns both dark and disturbing and whimsical and sweet. —Margaret Kingsbury
The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
The constant cliffhangers finally come to a more than satisfying conclusion in the final book in the Scholomance trilogy, my favorite book of the three. It’s a high-octane blast of a novel that at turns had me sobbing and biting my fingernails. El’s plan to escape Scholomance and save every student in it has mostly succeeded, with one big exception. She’s now bemoaning her life in an angsty, depressive rut at her mother’s hut and refusing to communicate with her friends. She once again joins the real world when the London enclave asks her for help, which sends her on a whirlwind spiral of heroism, saving enclaves and the people she reluctantly loves from destruction while awaiting her grandmother’s dark prophecy to come true. If you haven’t read this snarky and compulsively readable magic-school trilogy yet, now’s the time to pick it up. It begins with A Deadly Education. —Margaret Kingsbury
House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson
In this lesbian horror fantasy, girls are sold to wealthy houses as bloodmaids. Their aristocratic owners drink their blood to rejuvenate themselves. Marion Shaw sees the chance to become a bloodmaid as an opportunity to escape her poverty-stricken and miserable life. When she's sold to the mistress of one of the wealthiest houses, The House of Hunger, she finds herself falling in love with the mistress and gladly offers up her blood. While at first she and the other bloodmaids bond, when Marion supplants the first bloodmaid and becomes the mistress's favorite, the other bloodmaids begin to shun her. However, all is not what it seems at the House of Hunger, and Marion's rise in the household order puts her more at risk, not less, and the secrets she discovers could kill them all. This gruesome, feminist read is perfect for the spooky season. —Margaret Kingsbury
Do You Take This Man by Denise Williams
Williams' newest pits divorce lawyer/wedding officiant RJ against wedding planner Lear for an enemies-to-lovers romance that makes a few stops at Benefit Town along the way. With her history and his scarring last relationship, both of them tend to play it close to the vest, which only makes their hard-won happy ending all the sweeter. It's impossible not to root for these two to find happiness in this sweet, chemistry-filled charmer. —Dahlia Adler
Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistakes by Mazey Eddings
Did Mazey Eddings release her debut romance earlier this year? Yes. Is she releasing her second in the same year? Also, yes. How blessed are we? Lizzie Blake is the joyful, voicey, sex-positive rom-com my soul needed. Lizzie is a little bit of a mess. As a side effect of her uncontrolled ADHD, she struggles with organization and focus, which has led her to being fired from a number of bakery jobs. To drown out her feelings of failure from being fired from another gig, she hooks up with a hot Australian man she meets at a bar. Rake is emotionally unavailable, but interested in a no-strings-attached fling with Lizzie, especially since he’s headed back to his home country. But when Lizzie reveals she’s got a bun in the oven, Rake steps up in order to be part of his child’s life, which means moving to Philly. And the more Lizzie gets to know Rake, the more she begins to realize that she’s worthy of real love. —Farrah Penn
The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas
Rosie Graham is in a bit of a rut. She recently quit her high-paying job to focus on her passion for writing romance stories, but she still hasn’t worked up the courage to tell her family. As Rosie tries to navigate through her writer’s block, the ceiling to her New York City apartment literally collapses right before her eyes. Desperate for a change of scenery and a clear mind, Rosie decides to stay at her best friend Lina’s place while she’s on her honeymoon. But unbeknownst to Rosie, Lina already promised her empty studio to her cousin Lucas — the same Lucas Rosie has been secretly Insta-stalking and obsessing over for months. So, when Lucas offers to let her stay with him in the apartment until she finds temporary housing, Rosie’s luck finally seems to take a turn for the best. And who knows, maybe living with her crush and listening to his delectable accent for days on end will be just the inspiration she needs to get her out of her creative slump. This sweet dual-POV romance will leave your heart aching for more! Author Elena Armas has a knack for making readers fall madly in love with fictional characters, and this book is no different! —Morgan Murrell
Court of the Vampire Queen by Katee Robert
I'm officially crowning September the month of the vampire, and this extra steamy romance is a part of the reason why. Mina is half human, half vampire. With a powerful father who seeks a pawn, Mina is brought to vampire Malachi, who has a dangerous reputation. Thrown into Malachi's world, and realizing she could truly belong there, she also makes the acquaintance of Wolf and Rylan. All three of the men have a deep history with each other, one that Mina will soon become a part of. With a plot from her father threatening to overthrow everything the foursome has built, it will require every piece of each of them to overcome. Katee Robert is truly an icon in the realm of hot magic-infused romance. —Rachel Strolle
Something in the Heir by Suzanne Enoch
This sweet historical romance introduces us to Emmeline Pershing, granddaughter of the Duke of Welshire, who entered an arranged marriage with William Pershing in order to abide by her family's inheritance rules. This is the only way she's able to keep their home, but William is shocked when the Duke requests the presence of their children at his birthday dinner. What children? Ah, yes — the ones Emmeline made up in order to fulfill the inheritance requirements, which means they'll have to borrow two of the most rowdy and rebellious orphans in Britain in order to keep up appearances. —Farrah Penn
The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers by Adam Sass
Micah Summers is Prince Charming in this delightfully queer retelling of Cinderella. He's handsome, talented, and part of a famous Chicago family. But despite the name of the novel, he's never had a boyfriend. Actually, he's never even been on a date. Too nervous to ask out any of his crushes, he sketches fantasy versions of them instead for his popular Instagram account. When his followers have massive expectations for Boy 100, he knows it's finally time to ask out a guy for real, but just when the perfect boy appears on the train — and seems interested! — he vanishes, leaving behind only a jacket with a hand-stitched pumpkin as a clue. Micah's quest to find his mystery boy, and his happy ending, is exhilarating and addicting from the beginning, but the messy reality of Micah’s “happily ever after” is where this novel truly shines, proving real life's unexpected twists can be just as magical as any fairytale. —Will Hunt
Seoulmates by Susan Lee
Hannah Cho plans to spend the summer with her boyfriend Nate, but out of nowhere, Nate breaks up with her. While Nate’s interests include K-pop and K-dramas, Hannah has spent years erasing her Korean identity in order to fit in. Now that she has, it’s ironically contributed to her feeling like an outsider. In another unexpected twist, Jacob Kim, Hannah’s ex-BFF and current enemy, plans to spend the summer with Hannah and her family in San Diego. In Korea, Jacob has found instant fame from starring in a K-drama, but an injury contributes to his time off. Reunited for the first time in years, Hannah and Jacob are forced to confront their past in order to move forward in the future. Lee’s delightful dual POV YA sparkles with a sweet, tender romance. More than that, it’s a heartfelt, honest story about embracing your heritage and personal identity. —Farrah Penn
The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen by Isaac Blum
It's always nerve-wracking to read a book that's supposed to represent you and your community, especially the aspects most people never see, but in my not-all-that-humble opinion, Blum absolutely nails it in his sharp, witty, insightful, and resonant debut, in which nobody's thrilled with Orthodox Jewish teen Hoodie Rosen. He's fallen for the non-Jewish mayor's daughter (a negative on two counts), and that mayor and her town aren't exactly happy for the recent influx of Jewish residents, either. As anti-Semitic activity rises in response to the town's growing Jewish population, Hoodie has to figure out where he stands: with his heart or with his people. Being on the insider track for this one, I'll admit it's at times a deeply uncomfortable read, but only in the way the very best books are. —Dahlia Adler
Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong
Chloe Gong’s exciting new duology, inspired by Shakespeare’s As You Like It, is set in 1930s Shanghai and follows a familiar character from These Violent Delights: Rosalind Lang. You may also call her Janie Mead, as Rosalind must take on this new identity in order to determine the culprits behind a new terror plot that threatens multiple lives. Oh, and she also is forced play the wife of the arrogant, showy Orion Hong in order to reduce suspicion. But Rosalind is keeping a secret: The mysterious experiment that kept her from dying is also the very thing that keeps her immortal. And she’s pretty sure Orion is keeping his own secrets. Gong balances a cast of vibrant new characters mixed with familiar faces that’s set within a rich and thoughtfully built world. It’s a pulse-pounding thrill ride you won’t want to miss. —Farrah Penn
I’m the Girl by Courtney Summers
New York Times bestselling author Courtney Summers returns with a queer thriller that explores sexism, misogyny, and the dangerous power men hold in this world. After 16-year-old Georgia is the first to stumble upon the body of 13-year-old Ashley, she teams up with Ashley’s sister Nora to help bring justice to her family, all while being thrust into the world of Aspera, a club for the privileged and wealthy. It’s a gritty, uncomfortable exploration of power imbalance and what it means to free yourself from it. —Farrah Penn
The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber
This is the captivating sequel to Once Upon a Broken Heart, the stunning YA fantasy romance where readers were introduced to Evangeline Fox and Jacks, the Prince of Hearts. After an intense cliffhanger, Evangeline swears to never trust Jacks again. She believes Jacks needs her to open the Valor Arch, and after his betrayal, that’s the last thing Evangeline plans to do. But of course, nothing is as simple as it seems, and when Evangeline becomes all too aware of a new curse affecting her happily ever after, she’ll have to team up with Jacks once again in order to try and break it. With heart-dropping twists and turns, Garber raises stakes to a whole new level. —Farrah Penn
Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore
New York City, 1922. Nicolás Caraveo's future is in New York, the promise of a future as a professional guiding the trans 17-year-old from Minnesota to the big city. Renting a house in West Egg from his cousin Daisy, who he's shocked to discover passes as white and goes by Daisy Fay and not Fabrega, Nick quickly discovers his next-door neighbor is the pinnacle of spectacle. Jay Gatsby's parties are dazzling — and slightly terrifying — to Nick, who learns both that Jay's true goal is to impress Daisy, and that Jay is also transgender. YA treasure Anna-Marie McLemore adds their signature touch to the Remixed Classics series with this impeccable take on Gatsby. —Rachel Strolle
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas
Teo (a Jade semidiós, the trans son of Quetzal, goddess of birds) isn't worried about the Sunbearer Trials, where 10 semidióses are selected by Sol to compete to find a winner who carries light and life to the temples of Reino del Sol. After all, Teo's strong best friend Niya (daughter of Tierra, god of earth), and the powerful Aurelio are much more likely choices. Alas, when the time comes, Sol chooses Xio (child of Mala Suerte, god of bad luck) and Teo, leading to five mysterious trials they have to put their all into surviving. Because losing means being sacrificed to Sol. —Rachel Strolle
How to Succeed in Witchcraft by Aislinn Brophy
Shay Johnson is a junior at T.K. Anderson Magical Magnet School, where one learns all about being a witch. Her drama teacher, Mr. B, wants her to star in this year's musical, even though she's not particularly enthused by the idea. But Mr. B is also the head of the scholarship committee that decides who gets a full ride university scholarship, and she wants to impress him to win it. With her main competition, Ana, cast alongside her as the other lead, she slowly begins to realize there's more to her than Shay ever thought. And a scholarship on the line soon is the least of her worries, when Mr. B's unwanted attention slowly turns Shay's way. The perfect witchy read for fall, this debut is a wonderful contemporary fantasy. —Rachel Strolle
The First Thing About You by Chaz Hayden
Harris has just moved from California to New Jersey and wants to be known as more than just the kid in the powered wheelchair. But first, he'll need a new nurse, and that's where Miranda comes in. She's a young nursing student and a graduate of the high school Harris is now attending, and she sees all the wonderful things about Harris. As Harris spends more time in his new world (with the help of both Miranda and his get-to-know-you question "What's your favorite color?" that weeds out greens and purples in exchange for yellows, oranges, and reds), he gets to know geeky Zander (favorite color: yellow) and starts to fall for Nory (favorite color: unknown). But soon, he begins to wonder if Miranda has his best interests at heart. —Rachel Strolle
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
Salama has been volunteering at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who have entered through their doors since the revolution broke out in Syria. Her desperation to find a way out before her sister-in-law gives birth has manifested as Khawf, an imagined companion who tries to get her to leave her beloved home. As her loyalty to her country and her fight to survive clash within her, she'll begin to see the world around her in a new light, and will rely upon the courage and heart inside to make impossible choices. —Rachel Strolle
Everything Is OK by Debbie Tung
This beautifully illustrated graphic novel resonated so deep within my soul that I’m not ashamed to say I cried while reading it. It’s a touching, tender, emotional journey, and I’m positive many others will relate. Everything Is OK follows one woman’s struggle with depression and anxiety, ambition and failure of fear, and feelings of hopelessness and loss. After everything we as individuals have been through in the last few years, it’s a stunning reminder that we’re not alone in our feelings. That there is a way forward. That asking for help is not a sign of weakness. At its core, it’s a stunning story of what it means to be a complex human being. —Farrah Penn
Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton
In this powerful and brilliant graphic memoir, Beaton depicts the two years she spent working in the oil sands of Alberta, Canada, to pay off her student loans. As one of the few women working in the claustrophobic, mostly male oil camps, she experienced relentless misogyny. It would be easy for Beaton and the reader to hate all the men Beaton encountered in the camps, yet Beaton does not allow the reader that too-easy reaction. She challenges the reader to see that these men could be anyone's fathers, brothers, cousins, and friends. She shows their humanity while at the same time unflinchingly addressing the day-to-day horrors she experienced. It's a vulnerable, moving, and empathetic glimpse into the micro-society the isolation of oil camps develops. However, it's clear that the misogyny, though worse in the camps, does not exist only within its confines. Beaton also confronts her own culpability in the climate destruction caused by the oil camps, something she had not considered when, fresh from college, she had signed up for the camps. This is easily the best graphic work I've read this year. —Margaret Kingsbury
The Vanquishers by Kalynn Bayron
YA darling Kalynn Bayron enters the middle grade realm with this vampire hunting story. Boog has grown up in a world without vampires, because vampire hunting group The Vanquishers got rid of all of them decades ago. But no one seems to have told her parents that. Though most people in their area have given up on vampire precautions, her family still follows all the classic rules (garlic, daylight, etc.). When Aaron, one of Boog's friends, goes missing, she's concerned that vampires might be back. Or, maybe it's just the school counselor, who's definitely seemed suspicious recently. Boog, and other friends Cedric and Jules, will have to band together to try and rescue Aaron from whatever fiend, fanged or not, has him in their grasp. —Rachel Strolle
You Only Live Once, David Bravo by Mark Oshiro
David Bravo is not having the best middle school experience. He's trying to figure out how to give a presentation on his heritage, without knowing how or if to explain he's adopted. He doesn't have any classes with his best friend Antoine. And David's first cross country race ends in a hurt ankle for Antoine. A wish to start all over again, unexpectedly, leads to a talking dog who can bring him back in time. There's a choice David made in his past that led to all these events, and Fea, the dog, can help him undo it. But, timelines aren't as easy to fix as David might hope, and neither he or Fea are entirely sure what they're setting out to fix. Mark Oshiro's second middle grade brings another touch of magic into a middle school world in an all-too-relatable experience. —Rachel Strolle
