If you’re searching for your new favourite book and/or author, look no further! We invited our friends from QBD Books to tell us which titles they are most looking forward to from September.
The Kinder Poison
By Natalie Mae
Out Now
A teenage girl is chosen as the human sacrifice for three heirs who would do anything to get the crown. Zahru has always dreamed of living in the kingdom, but her powers to communicate with animals leave her serving in the royal stables. When the ailing ruler invokes the Crossing, Zahru thinks this is her chance to leave, but the Crossing is a deadly game, and she just became the human sacrifice. Now Zahru must figure out how to survive the most dangerous people in the world.
The Kinder Poison sounds so fascinating. This is clearly going to be high action and intensity. As an adventure with lots of twists and turns, I just know I’ll be on the edge of my seat the whole entire book. It is also said to be for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Holly Black, and that makes me even more excited.
– Angelique, QBD Books Broadmeadows, VIC
The Midnight Library
By Matt Haig
Out Now
Between life and death there is a library.
What if you could live the perfect life? What if every regret you had could be undone? When Nora finds herself in The Midnight Library, that is exactly what she gets to find out.
With the help of the books in the library and an old friend, Nora can rewrite her life. All those choices and regrets can be turned around. But what happens when everything changes? When her new choices put even the library’s own existence in danger, Nora must find the answer to the ultimate question: What is the best way to live?
With alternate realities and uncertain futures at the heart of everything, this story is sure to fill the reader with wonder and make them question their own way of living.
– Emily, QBD Books Knox City, VIC
The Other Side of the Sky
By Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner
Out Now
The opening half of a duology by two amazing authors, The Other Side of the Sky blends two very different worlds, in what comes down to a choice between destiny and duty.
Prince North is in one world. In a Mount Olympus-esque home in the sky, his city is powered by technology and knowledge. Nimh lives on the surface, and is somewhat of a deity – a beacon of hope to her people.
When a terrible prophecy links the two, North and Nimh enter a battle between logic and love, as they try to ignore the ever-growing bond between them. Magic, forbidden love AND the promise of a sequel, what more could you want?
– Megan, QBD Books Traralgon, VIC
The History of Mischief
By Rebecca Higgie
Out Now
Hidden beneath the floorboards of their grandmother’s house, two sisters find a book.
This book chronicles the history of the mischief-makers, from antiquity through to present day. From Poland to Paris, Athens to Ethiopia, the mischief-makers have been working in the background.
Inspired by her family’s past, Jessie embarks on her own journey of mischief, becoming the 202nd unofficial mischief-maker. But the more Jessie learns about the history, the more she questions it. Does her grandmother hold all the information needed to unlock the family secrets? And has mischief-making really been a way to escape this whole time?
Give me a hidden book, mysterious family secrets, and historical events, and I am going to want it 100%.
– Emily, QBD Books Knox City, VIC
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin
By Roseanne A Brown
Out Now
Traditional stories from around the world are some of the most beautiful stories ever told. Growing up listening to tales of Māori folklore ingrained in me a love of such stories. Imagine my excitement then when I heard A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is based on West African folklore!
Malik is traveling to the city of Ziran with his sisters for the Solstasia festival and the chance at a new life. Karina is the crown princess of Ziran in a court full of secrets. When Karina’s mother is murdered and Malik’s sister is kidnapped, they both find themselves on a new path leading towards each other, in the worst way possible. Malik must kill the crown princess to get his sister back, and Karina needs the heart of a king to perform the ritual to bring her mother back.
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is the first book in this all new duology. I have been lucky enough to get an advanced copy of this book, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. This story is set in a rich world, with complex characters, and an ending that will leave you asking, “Where is book 2?!”
– Emily, QBD Books Knox City, VIC
Blood & Honey (Serpent & Dove #2)
By Shelby Mahurin
Out Now
There is no doubt that this is one of my most anticipated reads of the year. After finishing Serpent & Dove, I knew that I needed more.
After the intense ending of the first book, I know that the stakes are ten times higher. On the run from the coven, kingdom, and the church, Lou, Reid, Coco, and Ansel have nowhere to hide. They need allies quickly. But to find them, they must go on different journeys. And that is going to be just as dangerous as staying together.
I’m so ready for the high thrills that Blood & Honey is going to cause. I’m ready for the romance, the dark magic, and everything in between.
– Angelique, QBD Books Broadmeadows, VIC
The Bone Shard Daughter
By Andrea Stewart
Out Now
The Emperor’s daughter, Lin, spends her days trapped in the palace; surrounded by locked doors and dark secrets. Her father has refused to recognise her as heir, and she vows to prove her worth to him by secretly studying and mastering the art of bone shard magic. But such power comes at a cost. And when revolution arrives on her doorstep, Lin must decide how far she’s willing to go.
This sounds really cool. Dark secrets? Locked doors? Asian mythology? Bone Shard Magic? Sign me up!
– Sarah, QBD Books Support Office, QLD
The Adventure Zone: Petals To The Metal
By Justin, Travis, Griffin, and Clint McElroy & Carey Pietsch
Release Date: Monday, 14 September
Three brothers, one father, and a journey that spans an epic podcast and now, an epic graphic novel. Based on the hit Dungeons & Dragons podcast The Adventure Zone, join Magnus Burnsides (Travis McElroy), Merle Highchurch (Clint McElroy), and Taako (Justin McElroy) as they are led by their dungeon master Griffin McElroy through a magical fantasy adventure, featuring boy detectives, robot ghosts, and high-speed drag racing. Get ready for laughs, action, and some complete and utter nonsense, as three adventurers stumble their way through the trials and tribulations placed before them.
Brought to life by Carey Pietsch’s illustrations, this book is perfect for fans of graphic novels, podcasts, Dungeons & Dragons, or all three mashed together. If that sounds like you, make sure to read this story of camaraderie, hilarity, and absurdity.
– Rory, QBD Books Miranda, NSW
Piranesi
By Susanna Clarke
Release Date: Tuesday, 15 September
It’s been a long time between drinks for author Susanna Clarke, whose debut fantasy novel Jonathan Strange and Mister Norrell was released to critical and commercial acclaim way back in 2004. She finally returns this year with Piranesi.
Piranesi lives in the House. Perhaps he always has? Every day, Piranesi records the wonders of the House in his notebooks; the labyrinthine halls, the tides that rush up the staircases only to recede once more into the depths, the rows upon rows of stone statues, the clouds that float through the upper halls. On Tuesdays and Fridays, he sees his friend, the Other. At all other times, he is alone. But one day, a scratched-out message appears on the floor. There is someone new in the house. And Piranesi must discover who they are, and what they want.
Jonathan Strange and Mister Norrell is now considered a classic, and Clarke’s writing is both lyrical and powerful. I’m really looking forward to this one!
– Sarah, QBD Books Support Office, QLD
Escape Room
By Maren Stoffels
Release Date: Tuesday, 15 September
When four friends sign up to do an escape room on a Friday night, they expect to have one hour to find all the clues, crack the codes, and solve the puzzles to escape. Unfortunately for them, the game master doesn’t want them to get out. In fact, they will do anything in their power to keep them there.
With all the enjoyment I get out of doing escape rooms, I can’t wait for the rush of fear I’m sure to get while reading this. I love a young adult thriller, and I doubt that this will be any exception.
– Rhyannion, QBD Books Highpoint, VIC
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars
By Christopher Paolini
Release Date: Tuesday, 15 September
I absolutely adored the Inheritance series when they first came out, and they are still one of my favourite book series even now. Eragon was such a fantastic, entry level fantasy read, filled with different races, magic and dragons. So when it was announced that Christopher Paolini was going to release another book, I was all for it, before I even knew anything about it.
The details that have been revealed since have only made me more excited for it! This will be Paolini’s first sci-fi book, and from what we know, it will be a nearly 900-page space opera. That’s 900 pages full of adventure, drama, and aliens. I honestly cannot wait to get my hands on it!
– Tahlia, QBD Books Albury, NSW
Hollowpox: The Hunt For Morrigan Crow
By Jessica Townsend
Release Date: Tuesday, 29 September
The release for this book has been pushed back so many times, but finally, the time has come!
Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow is the third book in the Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend. In this series we follow Morrigan as she travels to the strange land of Nevermoor, learns about her “knack”, and discovers what it means to be a Wundersmith. With a strong magic system, mysterious secret society, and a full cast of characters, including a giant, talking cat to help her along the way, Morrigan begins to trust in herself, and her abilities.
I bought book one for my daughter when it was a new release. Little did I know this would quickly become a new favourite of mine, and I would be waiting for each new instalment with just as much anticipation as her. The story of Morrigan Crow is sure to appeal to children and adults alike.
– Emily, QBD Books Knox City, VIC
A Deadly Education
By Naomi Novik
Release Date: Tuesday, 29 September
From the author of Uprooted and Spinning Silver, comes A Deadly Education – the first book in the new Scholomance series. A Deadly Education is a twist on the traditional “hero at magic school” story. For Scholomance is not like other magic schools. No teachers. No holidays. And no grades. The only way to leave? Graduate, or die.
El has all the power she needs to survive such a place, but she refuses to use it. She will not become the monster Scholomance wants her to become. The monster everyone else already thinks she is. However, school may not be the biggest issue El has to face. Orion Lake is the one person El is considering killing. He has already saved her life twice, and that is certainly not going to make El one of his adoring fans.
– Emily, QBD Books Knox City, VIC
The Left-Handed Booksellers of London
By Garth Nix
Release Date: Tuesday, 29 September
Now, as a bookseller myself, I may be biased. But a book about heroic booksellers who fight against mythical creatures between stacking the shelves of their incredibly majestic bookshops? That sounds like the plot of my new, favourite book!
Set in an alternate, 1980’s London, the book follows Susan Arkshaw – an art student who has come to London to find the father she never met. But when she meets a mysterious bookseller and learns that there is more to her world than she has ever known, she begins to realise something. The question of “Who is her father?” may be a far greater question than she ever anticipated.
Garth Nix has always been one of my favourite fantasy writers, so I was ecstatic when I received an advanced reading copy of The Left-Handed Booksellers.
Not only is this book my new obsession, it also has my new favourite fantasy character: Merlin. Now I know what you’re thinking, Merlin is hardly a new character. But Merlin, as found in Left-Handed Booksellers, is wonderfully novel and quirky. I literally cannot stop thinking about this charismatic, gun-wielding, gender-fluid bookseller!
If you’re looking for a new fantasy read, this one is bound to appeal to young adults, and adult readers alike.
– Alyssa, QBD Books Penrith, NSW
The Grandest Bookshop in the World
By Amelia Mellor
Release Date: Tuesday, 29 September
Ok, so both of my most anticipated reads this month have to do with magical bookshops… (Guess I am biased after all!) But there’s just something enchanting about books about books!
The Grandest Bookshop in the World is a middle-grade historical fantasy, but is bound to appeal to the child in everyone. It follows the children of Mr Cole, owner of Cole’s Book Arcade in 1893, as they race to save both their father, and the arcade from the evil Obscurosmith.
Based on a real bookshop that was thriving in Nineteenth Century Melbourne, this novel is sure to bring all the magic of this once magnificent bookstore back to life. (With just a dash of fantastical embellishments to round it out!) This was a bookshop that was full of all manner of wonders – from a room of illusions, to toys and lollies, to teas and talking parrots. I, for one, can’t wait to step back through time in this magical recreation of The Grandest Bookshop in the World.
– Alyssa, QBD Books Penrith, NSW