Shuffling the Shelves, September Part Two
By Anais Aguilera
Now that we’ve officially stepped into the fall season, it’s the perfect time to cosy up with one of these books and watch the leaves change outside your window.
Amazon
High in the Amazon charts is None of This is True by Lisa Jewell. This book follows a podcaster named Alix Summer, who meets a woman named Josie Fair while celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. As it turns out, the two women share the same birthday. After another coincidental meeting, Josie requests to be a subject of Alix’s podcast, but as the podcast goes on, Alix begins to realise something is off with Josie. Alix quickly becomes entangled in her own true crime story.
The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods conjures up the magical feeling of sitting in a bookshop surrounded by thousands upon thousands of stories. When three strangers meet at a lost bookshop tucked away in Dublin, their own stories spiral out in ways they never could have imagined. Each of these strangers finds themselves at the centre of a new story, worlds away from their normal lives. Combining historical fiction with magical realism and romance, this novel will transport you to a world of unexpected wonders.
WHSmith
The buzzworthy young adult fantasy novel, Bonesmith, is making its way up the WHSmith Bestsellers list. Author Nicki Pau Preto’s latest book tells the story of Wren, a banished bonesmith determined to prove her worth and join the ranks of her peers as an esteemed ghost-fighting warrior (known as a valkyr). To do this, she must venture into a dangerous wasteland and save a prince. Marketed as “Gideon the Ninth meets the Game of Thrones White Walkers,” this story delivers an action-packed punch.
Another thrilling book to read is Livid by Patricia Cornwell. The ever-popular Kay Scarpetta mysteries return with this instalment, which follows a murder that occurs while Scarpetta is acting as a witness in another murder trial. The judge’s sister is found dead, but the cause of death is unclear; evidence suggests that there is much more to her death than meets the eye. Patricia Cornwell’s masterful storytelling has solidified her as a classic in the mystery genre and a sure choice to pick up this month.
Waterstones
Stephen King is back with his newest release, Holly. We meet Holly Gibney, a familiar face for long-time readers of King’s work, who has grown into a resourceful detective. She warily agrees to take on the case of Penny Dahl’s missing daughter and comes up against two married professors who seem to be harbouring secrets related to her case. Faithful Stephen King readers and first-timers alike should add this one to their to-be-read list.
Released just this month, The Last Devil to Die is already making strides on the Waterstones Bestselling list. This is the fourth novel in Richard Osman’s bestselling Thursday Murder Club series. After a dangerous package is lost and a friend of the group is killed, they must race against time to make things right before it’s too late. Our favourite characters now face their most formidable opponents yet in this suspenseful addition to the series.
Social Media
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer has been the talk of the town on social media since it was released. Before becoming a book, this story originated as Hannah Nicole Maehrer’s popular TikTok series about a morally grey villain and their assistant. Described by Maehrer as a “dramedy romance,” the book keeps all of the humour of the series while weaving in plotlines of drama and romance to keep readers hooked.
Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton is a spine-chilling psychological thriller that is making the rounds over on BookTok. This one is another villainous story, but with a much darker twist. A writer named Adeline returns to her late grandmother’s home and discovers secrets about her grandmother, while also realising she has a stalker on her hands. The synopsis of the book is eerily vague but critics report that it is a dark, twisting tale that will stick with you for days.
Noteworthy Author
Our noteworthy author for the second half of September is Rebecca Yarros. It seems only right to spotlight this author after the immense response to her latest release, Fourth Wing, from both social media and critics alike. Now, Yarros is set to release the much-anticipated sequel, Iron Flame, this coming November. Prior to her dive into fantasy, Rebecca also made a name for herself with a host of romance novels. Her books have garnered starred reviews from the likes of Publishers Weekly Kirkus. She has also been named a ‘New York Times’ bestselling author.