This being the second Tuesday of September means we’ve got an abundance of books to talk about. Some of the books I included as this month’s best are officially out this week. They include: Taipei Story by R.F. Kuang and Adam, Mine. by K. Ancrum.
Kuang and Ancrum aren’t the only bestsellers with new releases. There’s also Harlan Coben, though his latest (Plot Twist) is a departure from his usual thriller fare, as it’s a writing memoir. There’s also The Art of Junji Ito Collection by the king of horror manga, just in time for spooky season. On the fantasy front, Premee Mohamed’s Wickhills serves up a side of espionage, while Kamilah Cole’s latest (Wicked Endeavors) is a YA romantasy with tyrannical witches.
Speaking of witches, among the books below is Alice Hoffman’s latest, which features 1950s witches, and a follow-up to a popular YA Latine brujx’s story. There’s also a short story collection by Megan Giddings, historical fiction about the first woman brought from China to the US, and much more.
The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman
Hoffman knows a thing or two when it comes to writing about witches, and her latest witchy work involves a secret society. It’s the 1950s in Cambridge, Massachusetts, when two young women who are polar opposites—super bright Ava and wild and rich Lauren—meet each other at Radcliffe College. Soon, both women are recruited by the Lilith Society, a secret society of witches that dates back hundreds of years. Their power and friendship grow within the safety of Radcliffe, but then girls from their society start to go missing.
All access members continue below for more of the books out this week you should know about.
Black Arts: Stories by Megan Giddings
This is the first short story collection from the best-selling author of The Women Could Fly and Lakewood. The 13 stories here have everything from nuanced family dynamics to romances, alluring ghosts, communing artists, and more.
Queenie Is Working on It by Candice Carty-Williams
THis follow up to 2019’s Queenie—which has been adapted into a Hulu TV show—sees the formerly hot mess UK girlie as…still a bit of a hot mess. Kind of. Make no mistake—the almost 10 years that have been added to her age look good on her. She’s the editorial director for a successfful media network that highlights Black women’s voices, but then comes an appointment for research, and everything just kind of goes downhill. Suddenly, she’s feeling pressure from the ticking clock of biology, and her love life is a tangled mess that needs unraveling. Then there’s her family: they want her to settle down (but with who?!), and her grandmother is sick. There’s a lot going on, but our girl is working it out.
Switzy by Emma Cline
In her first book since The Guest, Emma Cline details a man’s unraveling. David Cody is on a trip—the last one he will ever take. The retired executive flies over Greenland, and makes various stops in London and France, all while heading towards his final destination in Zurich. Along the way, the life he’s accumulated seems to slough away, layer by layer. Suddenly, memories of childhood summer vacations and Sunday roasts by mom are at the forefront of his mind as the present steadily slips away.
Cemetery Boys: Espíritu by Aiden Thomas
I kinda can’t believe it’s been six years since Aiden Thomas first introduced us to Yadriel and Julian (and my personal fave, prima bestie Maritza). We’re finally headed back to the graveyard in Espíritu, where Julian is navigating life post-sacrificial ritual. Things are going great, until they aren’t. The advanced copy of this book is burning a hole in my ereader! —Vanessa Diaz
The Chinese Lady by Bo Wang
This debut novel explores the life of the first woman brought from China to the United States in the 1800s. She was known by many names: Little Sparrow, Julia, Afong Moy, Madame Moy, The Chinese Lady. But what her true name was may never be known. She’s traded from hand to hand, first sold off by her mother in Canton, then brought to New York and given to P.T. Barnum to feature in his American Museum. It’s not until she finds her way to San Francisco’s Chinatown that she finally reclaims her name and her independence. —Rachel Brittain
Other Book Riot New Releases Resources:
- All the Books, our weekly new book releases podcast, where Liberty and a cast of co-hosts talk about the books out this week we’re most excited about.
- The New Books Newsletter, where we send you an email of the books out this week that are getting buzz.
- Finally, if you want the real inside scoop on new releases, you have to check out Book Riot’s New Release Index! That’s where I find 90% of new releases, and you can filter by genre, age category, and even LGBTQ new releases!
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