Hi and welcome to the reading world!
Hi and welcome to the reading world!
Today’s post is another Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This is another seasonal TBR post, and I’m excited to share my picks!
How I’ve been organizing my seasonal TBRs (here’s my Summer TBR, Spring TBR and my Winter TBR if you’re curious about just how bad I am about finishing TBRs) is by sharing 5 backlist books (which I’m defining as books already published as of this post going live) and 5 upcoming releases!
If any of these reads are sequels, their synopsis is hidden to prevent spoilers for the first book. My seasonal TBRs are typically organized by books on my TBR and upcoming 2022 autumnal releases. Let’s get into the list!
On my TBR:
S.T. Gibson's sensational novel is the darkly seductive tale of Dracula's first bride, Constanta. This is my last love letter to you, though some would call it a confession. . . Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things. Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband's dark secrets. With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death. "A dizzying nightmare of a romance that will leave you aching, angry and ultimately hopeful." --Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf
A Dowry of Blood by S. T. Gibson
Published by Orbit on March 22, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Historical, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Medieval, Fiction / Romance / Paranormal / Vampires
Pages: 304
"Alice Feeney is great with TWISTS and TURNS." —Harlan Coben The NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR of Rock Paper Scissors returns with a locked-room mystery when a family reunion leads to murder in a delightfully twisty and atmospheric thriller, as seen on the TODAY show. “A dysfunctional family meets Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None with a truly gasp-inducing twist. This is the book you've been looking for.” —Catherine Ryan Howard, bestselling author of 56 Days Daisy Darker was born with a broken heart. Now after years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in her crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. The family arrives, each of them harboring secrets. When the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours. But at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later, the next family member follows... Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide goes out and all is revealed. As seen on the TODAY show and picked by Book of the Month, Daisy Darker's family secrets and Alice Feeney's trademark shocking twists will keep readers riveted.
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
Published by Flatiron Books on August 30, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Gothic, Fiction / Thrillers / Psychological, Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense
Pages: 352
*BEST MYSTERY/THRILLER FOR THE YEAR* for NPR A Most Anticipated Book Goodreads * Publishers Weekly * Crime Reads * Popsugar * Bookish * #1 Loanstar Pick in Canada A Library Reads Pick! The Blair Witch Project meets Midsommar in this brilliantly disturbing thriller from Camilla Sten, an electrifying new voice in suspense. Documentary filmmaker Alice Lindstedt has been obsessed with the vanishing residents of the old mining town, dubbed “The Lost Village,” since she was a little girl. In 1959, her grandmother’s entire family disappeared in this mysterious tragedy, and ever since, the unanswered questions surrounding the only two people who were left—a woman stoned to death in the town center and an abandoned newborn—have plagued her. She’s gathered a small crew of friends in the remote village to make a film about what really happened. But there will be no turning back. Not long after they’ve set up camp, mysterious things begin to happen. Equipment is destroyed. People go missing. As doubt breeds fear and their very minds begin to crack, one thing becomes startlingly clear to Alice: They are not alone. They’re looking for the truth... Come find out. "RELENTLESSLY CREEPY." —Alma Katsu, author of The Hunger (An NPR Best Horror Novel) "IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP READING." —Ragnar Jonasson, author of The Island "Readers will revel in the chills." - Booklist 
The Lost Village by Camilla Sten
Published by St. Martin's Publishing Group on March 23, 2021
Genres: Fiction / Horror, Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense
Pages: 320
"Come for the mounting horror and scares, but stay for a devastating examination of the nature of family secrets." - New York Times book review
"[A] scary, highly entertaining debut...that pays homage to Shirley Jackson." - South Florida Sun Sentinel
An Indie Next pick!
But what if it finds them first?
'METICULOUSLY PLOTTED, EDGE-OF-YOUR-SEAT SPACE OPERA WITH A SOUL' Kirkus on Velocity Weapon But getting to those coordinates is a problem she can't solve alone. They exist beyond a deadgate - a sealed-off Casimir gate that opens up into a dead-end system. And there's a dangerous new player who wants the coordinates for their own ends - a player who will happily crack her open to get them. Dazzling space battles, intergalactic politics and rogue AI collide in the follow-up to the Philip K. Dick award-shortlisted Velocity Weapon. Praise for the series: 'A brilliantly plotted yarn of survival and far-future political intrigue' Guardian 'Full of twists, feints, and deception, O'Keefe's latest presents a visionary world rife with political intrigue and space adventure' Booklist (starred review) 'Skillfully interweaves intrigue, action, and strong characterization' Publishers Weekly 'A must-read for fans of James S. A. Corey and Alastair Reynolds' Bookbag 'O'Keefe keeps the pace pumping, timing the big twists perfectly' SFX
Chaos Vector by Megan E. O'Keefe
on July 30, 2020
Pages: 560
The fate of the galaxy is on the line in the second book of this gripping, visionary space opera by award-winning author Megan E. O'Keefe.
Sanda and Tomas are fleeing for their lives after letting the most dangerous smartship in the universe run free. Now, unsure of who to trust, Sanda knows only one thing for certain - to be able to save herself from becoming a pawn of greater powers, she needs to discover the secret of the coordinates hidden in her skull.
Wuthering Heights is one of the world's greatest tales of unrequited love, captivating readers with its intense passion and drama since its publication in 1847. In this special collector's edition, the powerful, complex bond between Heathcliff and Catherine that unfolds in the wild, romantic landscape of the Yorkshire moors is beautifully presented in illustrated form for the first time. 
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Published by Harper Collins on August 30, 2011
Genres: Art / Popular Culture, Fiction / Classics
Pages: 408
Upcoming Releases in Autumn:
Less Is Lost by Andrew Sean Greer
on September 20, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Humorous / General, Fiction / LGBTQ+ / Gay, Fiction / Literary
Pages: 272
A young poet tells the unforgettable story of his harrowing migration from El Salvador to the United States at the age of nine in this moving, page-turning memoir hailed as “the mythic journey of our era” (Sandra Cisneros)
Solito by Javier Zamora
Published by Random House Publishing Group on September 6, 2022
Genres: Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs, Social Science / Emigration & Immigration
Pages: 400
“A new landmark in the literature of migration, and in nonfiction writ large.”—Francisco Cantú, author of The Line Becomes a River
Trip. My parents started using that word about a year ago—“one day, you’ll take a trip to be with us. Like an adventure.”
Javier Zamora’s adventure is a three-thousand-mile journey from his small town in El Salvador, through Guatemala and Mexico, and across the U.S. border. He will leave behind his beloved aunt and grandparents to reunite with a mother who left four years ago and a father he barely remembers. Traveling alone amid a group of strangers and a “coyote” hired to lead them to safety, Javier expects his trip to last two short weeks.
At nine years old, all Javier can imagine is rushing into his parents’ arms, snuggling in bed between them, and living under the same roof again. He cannot foresee the perilous boat trips, relentless desert treks, pointed guns, arrests and deceptions that await him; nor can he know that those two weeks will expand into two life-altering months alongside fellow migrants who will come to encircle him like an unexpected family.
A memoir as gripping as it is moving, Solito provides an immediate and intimate account not only of a treacherous and near-impossible journey, but also of the miraculous kindness and love delivered at the most unexpected moments. Solito is Javier Zamora’s story, but it’s also the story of millions of others who had no choice but to leave home.
Offering a steamy, queer spin on the feel-good tropes of a Hallmark movie, this sweet, funny #OwnVoices rom-com is perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Alexandria Bellefleur! A BUZZFEED MOST ANTICIPATED LGBTQ ROMANCE "[The] second-chance, friends-to-lovers romance I was craving. Treat yourself to the beautiful magic of Courtney Kae's writing!" - Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis Morgan Ross can plan world-class events, but she didn't plan on returning to the hometown that broke her heart seven years ago--and re-discovering the girl of her dreams . . . "Perfect for the holidays!" --Helen Hoang, New York Times bestselling author of The Kiss Quotient "Wintry perfection, a cozy flannel blanket of a book that wraps its reader in the warmest hug, full of wish-they-were-real characters and off-the-charts sexual tension. [In The Event of Love] made me laugh, weep, and believe in the fairy-lit magic of second chances." - Rachel Lynn Solomon, bestselling author of The Ex Talk "In the Event of Love is ultra cozy, heart-meltingly sweet, and full of warm wit. Courtney Kae shines with a fresh, bright voice and supremely relatable characters including a dreamy lumberjane who instantly stole my heart!" - Rosie Danan, author of The Roommate
In the Event of Love by Courtney Kae
Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation on August 30, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy
Pages: 320
"The small-town winter romance of my dreams...The sapphic slow-burn love story is both gorgeously soft and steamy, the feelings will wreck you, and the laugh-out-loud moments will make you want to text entire paragraphs to your best friend." - Lana Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Payback's a Witch
With her career as a Los Angeles event planner imploding after a tabloid blowup, Morgan Ross isn't headed home for the holidays so much as in strategic retreat. Breathtaking mountain vistas, quirky townsfolk, and charming small businesses aside, her hometown of Fern Falls is built of one heartbreak on top of another . . .
Take her one-time best friend turned crush, Rachel Reed. The memory of their perfect, doomed first kiss is still fresh as new-fallen snow. Way fresher than the freezing mud Morgan ends up sprawled in on her very first day back, only to be hauled out via Rachel's sexy new lumberjane muscles acquired from running her family tree farm.
When Morgan discovers that the Reeds' struggling tree farm is the only thing standing between Fern Falls and corporate greed destroying the whole town's livelihood, she decides she can put heartbreak aside to save the farm by planning her best fundraiser yet. She has all the inspiration for a spectacular event: delicious vanilla lattes, acoustic guitars under majestic pines, a cozy barn surrounded by brilliant stars. But she and Rachel will ABSOLUTELY NOT have a heartwarming holiday happy ending. That would be as unprofessional as it is unlikely. Right?
The author of the “swoon-worthy debut” (Harper’s Bazaar) The Charm Offensive returns with a festive romantic comedy about a woman who fakes an engagement with her landlord…only to fall for his sister. One year ago, recent Portland transplant Ellie Oliver had her dream job in animation and a Christmas Eve meet-cute with a woman at a bookstore that led her to fall in love over the course of a single night. But after a betrayal the next morning and the loss of her job soon after, she finds herself adrift, alone, and desperate for money. Finding work at a local coffee shop, she’s just getting through the days—until Andrew, the shop’s landlord, proposes a shocking, drunken plan: a marriage of convenience that will give him his recent inheritance and alleviate Ellie’s financial woes and isolation. They make a plan to spend the holidays together at his family cabin to keep up the ruse. But when Andrew introduces his new fiancée to his sister, Ellie is shocked to discover it’s Jack—the mysterious woman she fell for over the course of one magical Christmas Eve the year before. Now, Ellie must choose between the safety of a fake relationship and the risk of something real. Perfect for fans of Written in the Stars and One Day in December, Kiss Her Once for Me is the queer holiday rom-com that you’ll want to cozy up with next to the fire.
Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun
Published by Atria Books on November 1, 2022
Genres: Fiction / LGBTQ+ / Gay, Fiction / Romance / Holiday, Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy
Pages: 368
Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake
on November 22, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy
Pages: 400
As a bonus, here’s some of my top picks from my Fall TBR from last year:
After Paul D. finds his old slave friend Sethe in Ohio and moves in with her and her daughter Denver, a strange girl comes along by the name of "Beloved." Sethe and Denver take her in and then strange things begin to happen. Set in rural Ohio several years after the Civil War, this profoundly affecting chronicle of slavery and its aftermath is Toni Morrison's greatest novel, a dazzling achievement, and the most spellbinding reading experience of the decade. A brutally powerful, mesmerizing story. At the center of Toni Morrison's fifth novel, which earned her the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, is an almost unspeakable act of horror and heroism: a woman brutally kills her infant daughter rather than allow her to be enslaved. The woman is Sethe, and the novel traces her journey from slavery to freedom during and immediately following the Civil War. Woven into this circular, mesmerizing narrative are the horrible truths of Sethe's past: the incredible cruelties she endured as a slave, and the hardships she suffered in her journey north to freedom. Just as Sethe finds the past too painful to remember, and the future just "a matter of keeping the past at bay," her story is almost too painful to read. Yet Morrison manages to imbue the wreckage of her characters' lives with compassion, humanity, and humor. Part ghost story, part history lesson, part folk tale, Beloved finds beauty in the unbearable, and lets us all see the enduring promise of hope that lies in anyones future.
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Published by Alfred A. Knopf on August 31, 2022
Genres: Fiction / African American & Black / General, Fiction / General, Fiction / Historical / General, Fiction / Literary
Pages: 316
In this World Fantasy Award-winning novel of magic and kungfu, four siblings battle rival clans for honor and power in an Asia-inspired fantasy metropolis. *Named one of TIME's Top 100 Fantasy Books Of All Time Jade is the lifeblood of the island of Kekon. It has been mined, traded, stolen, and killed for -- and for centuries, honorable Green Bone warriors like the Kaul family have used it to enhance their magical abilities and defend the island from foreign invasion. Now, the war is over and a new generation of Kauls vies for control of Kekon's bustling capital city. They care about nothing but protecting their own, cornering the jade market, and defending the districts under their protection. Ancient tradition has little place in this rapidly changing nation. When a powerful new drug emerges that lets anyone -- even foreigners -- wield jade, the simmering tension between the Kauls and the rival Ayt family erupts into open violence. The outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones -- and of Kekon itself. Praise for Jade City: "An epic drama reminiscent of the best classic Hong Kong gangster films but set in a fantasy metropolis so gritty and well-imagined that you'll forget you're reading a book." --Ken Liu, Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Award-winning author "A beautifully realized setting, a great cast of characters, and dramatic action scenes. What a fun, gripping read!" --Ann Leckie, Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author "An instantly absorbing tale of blood, honor, family and magic, spiced with unexpectedly tender character beats." --NPR The Green Bone Saga
Jade City by Fonda Lee
Published by Orbit on November 7, 2017
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Fantasy / Epic, Fiction / Fantasy / Historical, Fiction / Fantasy / Urban, Fiction / Thrillers / Crime
Pages: 600
* World Fantasy Award for Best Novel, winner
Jade City
Jade War
Jade Legacy
One of PureWow's 9 Books We Can't Wait to Read in October! A chilling look into an alternate near future where a woman and her daughter seek refuge in a women-only colony, only to find that the safe haven they were hoping for is the most dangerous place they could be. Miranda Reynolds always thought she would rather die than live in Femlandia. But that was before the country sank into total economic collapse and her husband walked out in the harshest, most permanent way, leaving her and her sixteen-year-old daughter with nothing. The streets are full of looting, robbing, and killing, and Miranda and Emma no longer have much choice--either starve and risk getting murdered, or find safety. And so they set off to Femlandia, the women-only colony Miranda's mother, Win Somers, established decades ago. Although Win is no longer in the spotlight, her protégé Jen Jones has taken Femlandia to new heights: The off-grid colonies are secluded, self-sufficient, and thriving--and Emma is instantly enchanted by this idea of a safe haven. But something is not right. There are no men allowed in the colony, but babies are being born--and they're all girls. Miranda discovers just how the all-women community is capable of enduring, and it leads her to question how far her mother went to create this perfect, thriving, horrifying society.
Femlandia by Christina Dalcher
Published by Penguin on August 31, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Dystopian, Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense, Fiction / Women
Pages: 336
A peace-loving senator faces a time of war in another thrilling Padmé Amidala adventure from the author of the New York Times best-sellers Queen's Peril and Queen's Shadow! Padmé is adjusting to being a wartime senator during the Clone Wars. Her secret husband, Anakin Skwyalker, is off fighting the war, and excels at being a wartime Jedi. In contrast, when Padmé gets the opportunity to see the casualties on the war-torn front lines, she is horrified. The stakes have never been higher for the galaxy, or for the newly-married couple. Meanwhile, with Padmé on a secret mission, her handmaiden Sabé steps into the role of Senator Amidala, something no handmaiden has done for an extended period of time. While in the Senate, Sabé is equally horrified by the machinations that happen there. She comes face to face with a gut-wrenching decision as she realizes that she cannot fight a war this way, not even for Padmé. And Chancellor Palpatine hovers over it all, manipulating the players to his own ends...
Queen's Hope by E. K. Johnston
Published by Disney Electronic Content on April 5, 2022
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / General, Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction / General, Juvenile Nonfiction / Media Tie-In
Pages: 222
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina meets The L Word in this fresh, sizzling New York Times bestselling rom-com by Lana Harper. Emmy Harlow is a witch but not a very powerful one--in part because she hasn't been home to the magical town of Thistle Grove in years. Her self-imposed exile has a lot to do with a complicated family history and a desire to forge her own way in the world, and only the very tiniest bit to do with Gareth Blackmoore, heir to the most powerful magical family in town and casual breaker of hearts and destroyer of dreams. But when a spellcasting tournament that her family serves as arbiters for approaches, it turns out the pull of tradition (or the truly impressive parental guilt trip that comes with it) is strong enough to bring Emmy back. She's determined to do her familial duty; spend some quality time with her best friend, Linden Thorn; and get back to her real life in Chicago. On her first night home, Emmy runs into Talia Avramov--an all-around badass adept in the darker magical arts--who is fresh off a bad breakup . . . with Gareth Blackmoore. Talia had let herself be charmed, only to discover that Gareth was also seeing Linden--unbeknownst to either of them. And now she and Linden want revenge. Only one question stands: Is Emmy in? But most concerning of all: Why can't she stop thinking about the terrifyingly competent, devastatingly gorgeous, wickedly charming Talia Avramov?
Payback's a Witch by Lana Harper
Published by Penguin on August 31, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Romance / LGBTQ+ / General, Fiction / Romance / Paranormal / Witches, Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy
Pages: 340
Which of these reads have you picked up and what’s on your fall tbr? Feel free to let me know in the comments!
Thanks for stopping by!
Rae
Hope you enjoy your Fall TBR books~ Dowry of Blood was AMAZING!