Release Week: 1 October 2024
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Release Week: 1 October 2024
Posted on 2024-10-01 at 12:00 by Samuel Montgomery-Blinn
FEATURED:
- The Last Dangerous Visions edited by Harlan Ellison with J. Michael Straczynski, read by a full cast for Blackstone -- "In 1973 celebrated writer and editor Harlan Ellison announced the third and final volume of his unprecedented anthology series, which began with Dangerous Visions and continued with Again, Dangerous Visions. But for reasons undisclosed, The Last Dangerous Visions was never completed. Now, six years after Ellison’s passing, science fiction’s most famous unpublished book is here. And with it, the heartbreaking true story of the troubled genius behind it."
FICTION PICKS:
The Mighty Red: A Novel By: Louise Erdrich, read by Marin Ireland for Harper -- "In this stunning novel, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award–winning author Louise Erdrich tells a story of love, natural forces, spiritual yearnings, and the tragic impact of uncontrollable circumstances on ordinary people’s lives."
Model Home: A Novel By: Rivers Solomon, read by Gabby Beans for Macmillan -- "The three Maxwell siblings keep their distance from the lily-white gated enclave outside Dallas where they grew up. When their family moved there, they were the only Black family in the neighborhood. The neighbors acted nice enough, but right away bad things, scary things—the strange and the unexplainable—began to happen in their house. Maybe it was some cosmic trial, a demonic rite of passage into the upper-middle class. Whatever it was, the Maxwells, steered by their formidable mother, stayed put, unwilling to abandon their home, terrors and trauma be damned. As adults, the siblings could finally get away from the horrors of home, leaving their parents all alone in the house. But when news of their parents' death arrives, Ezri is forced to return to Texas with their sisters, Eve and Emanuelle, to reckon with their family’s past and present, and to find out what happened while they were away. It was not a “natural” death for their parents . . . but was it supernatural?"
The City in Glass By: Nghi Vo, read by Susan Dalian for Macmillan -- "The demon Vitrine—immortal, powerful, and capricious—loves the dazzling city of Azril. She has mothered, married, and maddened the city and its people for generations, and built it into a place of joy and desire, revelry and riot. And then the angels come, and the city falls. Vitrine is left with nothing but memories and a book containing the names of those she has lost—and an angel, now bound by her mad, grief-stricken curse to haunt the city he burned. She mourns her dead and rages against the angel she longs to destroy. Made to be each other’s devastation, angel and demon are destined for eternal battle. Instead, they find themselves locked in a devouring fascination that will change them both forever."
A Song to Drown Rivers: A Novel By: Ann Liang, read by Natalie Naudus for Macmillan -- "Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, an epic novel steeped in myth about womanhood, war, sacrifice, and love against all odds as the fate of two kingdoms hangs in a delicate balance."
The Great When: The Long London Quintet, Book 1 By: Alan Moore, read by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith for Bloomsbury -- "The year is 1949, the city London. Amidst the smog of the capital stumbles Dennis Knuckleyard, a hapless eighteen year-old employed by a second-hand bookshop. One day, on an errand to acquire books for sale, Dennis discovers a novel that simply does not exist. It is a fictitious book, a figment from another novel. Yet it is physically there in his hands. How? Dennis has stumbled on a book from the Great When, a magical version of London beyond time and space, where reality blurs with fiction and concepts such as Crime and Poetry are incarnated as wondrous, terrible beings. But this other, magical London must remain a secret: if Dennis cannot find a way to return this book to where it belongs, he risks repercussions, such as his body being turned inside out (or worse)."
Rapture By: Emily Maguire, read by Rose Akroyd for Sceptre -- "Ninth-century Mainz, in the heart of the Holy Roman Empire. Agnes is the motherless child of an English priest - a wild and brilliant girl with a deep, visceral love of God. But when tragedy strikes, she is suddenly forced to choose between what is expected of her and the life she has always dreamed of. Determined to find her own freedom, she disguises herself as a man, securing a place at the revered Fulda monastery and forever altering the course of her existence."
And He Shall Appear By: Kate Van Der Borgh, read by Elliot Fitzpatrick for Dreamscape -- "An unnamed narrator arrives at Cambridge University in the early aughts determined to reinvent himself. His northern accent marks him as an outsider, but thanks to his musical gifts, he manages to fall in with his wealthy classmate, Bryn Cavendish. A charismatic party host and talented magician, Bryn enthralls the narrator. But something seems to happen to those who challenge or simply irk Bryn—and they aren’t ever the same again."
Good Dogs By: Brian Asman, read by Alex Picard, Erin deWard, and Joe Hempel for Blackstone -- "No one ever said being a werewolf was easy. Take Delia, for instance. She’s spent much of her life fighting against her own nature, plagued by nightmares of childhood trauma, and trying to find her place in the world. Many werewolves are just like her: ostracized by their families, forced to live alone and in secret as they await those nights when the Change overtakes them. Becoming the den mother to an odd bunch of lycanthropes in Southern California isn’t exactly the answer Delia was looking for. But under the strict rules of the house, they are able to manage the Change safely and hunt without endangering their San Diego suburb. And they aren’t lone wolves anymore, they’re a pack—a family. But when one member’s carelessness leads to the discovery of a severed leg in their backyard, Delia and the rest of her family are forced to confront the cold, hard fact they’ve known all along—they don’t belong here. Their only option is to cover up the kill and head into the wilderness, far from people. There, hopefully, they can live out their lives without posing a threat to anyone else."
Wintry Blue By: Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon, read by Cary Hite for Spotify -- "Oliver and his daughter, Katie, are looking forward to visiting with Grandma and Grandpa. Ever since Katie's mother passed away, the holidays haven't been the same, but Oliver is determined to give his daughter a magical Christmas, complete with the woods, roaring fires and jolly snowmen. Little does he know, they aren't alone in this wintry wilderness. While Oliver and Katie make their way along the icy roads, Dan and his girlfriend, Nadia, are experiencing a journey of their own out in the woods. The hike might seem like a romantic adventure to Nadia, but it's something far more important to Dan. He's on a quest to find the evil spirits hiding in this frozen landscape so he can become the hero who slayed the monsters. The voice in his head is insistent on the importance of his mission. But when Dan can't find any monsters to kill, it's everyone else who will need to be afraid of him and the darkness lurking within."
We Need No Wings By: Ann Dávila Cardinal, read by Marisol Ramirez for Recorded Books -- "Tere Sánchez has always known who she was: a professor, a wife, a mother, and a friend. But when her husband dies unexpectedly, she finds herself completely broken. Taking a leave from the university, Tere hopes that she can mourn her husband and get back on her feet, but instead, she spends a year consumed by grief. Until the day she levitates."
NON-FICTION WATCH:
The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates, read by the author for Books on Tape -- "The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Between the World and Me journeys to three resonant sites of conflict to explore how the stories we tell—and the ones we don’t—shape our realities."
Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering by Malcolm Gladwell, read by the author for Hachette -- "A lot has changed in 25 years. A quarter-century after the publication of his groundbreaking first book, Malcolm Gladwell returns with a brand-new volume that reframes the lessons of The Tipping Point in a startling and revealing light — this time in an immersive audio format that transports you, the listener, directly inside of each riveting story."
Henry V: The Astonishing Triumph of England's Greatest Warrior King by Dan Jones, read by the author for Books on Tape -- "The New York Times bestselling author returns with a biography examining the dramatic life and unparalleled leadership of England's greatest medieval king."
MORE FICTION:
Season of the Swamp By: Yuri Herrera (2022), translated by Lisa Dillman, read by Thom Rivera for Recorded Books -- "New Orleans, 1853. A young exile named Benito Juárez disembarks at a fetid port city at the edge of a swamp. Years later, he will become the first indigenous head of state in the postcolonial Americas, but now he is as anonymous and invisible as any other migrant to the roiling and alluring city."
Shred Sisters: A Novel By: Betsy Lerner, read by Rebecca Lowman for Simon and Schuster -- "A wry and riveting debut novel about family, mental illness, and a hard-won path between two sisters."
The Glass Girl by Kathleen Glasgow, read by Gail Shalan for Books on Tape -- "A raw, heart-wrenching novel about a teenager facing down her struggles with alcohol—and the journey she must take to heal."
Short: Indigo by Alice Hoffman, read by Bailey Carr for Scholastic -- "Three friends in search of a place to belong find that home is truly where the heart is in this new tale of enchantment from master storyteller Alice Hoffman."
MORE SCI-FI and FANTASY:
The Crescent Moon Tearoom: A Novel By: Stacy Sivinski, read by Nikki Massoud for Simon and Schuster -- "Ever since the untimely death of their parents, Anne, Beatrix, and Violet Quigley have made a business of threading together the stories that rest in the swirls of ginger, cloves, and cardamon that lie at the bottom of their customers’ cups. Their days at the teashop are filled with talk of butterflies and good fortune intertwined with the sound of cinnamon shortbread being snapped by laced fingers. That is, until the Council of Witches comes calling with news that the city Diviner has lost her powers, and the sisters suddenly find themselves being pulled in different directions."
A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer By: Maxie Dara, read by Jaime Lamchick for Penguin -- "It’s not like it used to be. Modern-day grim reapers wear business casual, not black cloaks, and they don’t carry scythes, they work for S. C. Y. T. H. E. (Secure Collection, Yielding, and Transportation of Human Essences), where the Department of Natural Causes is the least exciting gig. And that’s how Kathy Valence likes it: boring and predictable. She has enough stress in her personal life; she’s mid-divorce, pregnant, and terrified she doesn’t have what it takes to be a good mom. Then, she goes to pick up a new client and finds his soul is missing. When she finally tracks down Conner Ortiz, he angrily insists he was murdered, and he refuses to move on until Kathy finds out why and by whom."
The House at Watch Hill: A Novel By: Karen Marie Moning, read by Amanda Leigh Cobb, Tim Campbell for Harper -- "Zo Grey is reeling from the sudden death of her mother when she receives a surprising call from an attorney in Divinity, Louisiana, with the news she has been left an inheritance by a distant relative, the terms of which he will only discuss in person. Destitute and alone, with nothing left to lose, Zo heads to Divinity and discovers she is the sole beneficiary of a huge fortune and a monstrosity of a house that sits ominously at the peak of Watch Hill—but she must live in it, alone, for three years before the house, or the money, is hers."
The Last Gifts of the Universe: A Novel By: Riley August, read by Robyn Holdaway, Ayesha Antoine, and Chris Thompson for Harlequin -- "When the Home worlds finally achieved the technology to venture out into the stars, they found a graveyard of dead civilisations. What befell them is unknown. All Home knows is that they are the last ones left–and whatever came for the others will one day come for them. Scout is an Archivist who scours the dead worlds of the cosmos for their last gifts: interesting technology, cultural rituals–anything left behind that might be useful to Home and their survival. During an excavation on a lifeless planet, Scout unearths something unbelievable: a surviving message from an alien who witnessed the world-ending entity thousands of years ago. Now Scout, their brother and their sometimes-fearless, space-faring cat, Pumpkin, must race to save what matters most."
The Hushed By: K. R. Blair, read by Elizabeth Evans for Blackstone -- "Eerie Ashwood may look like a regular college student—she has a job at a local diner and attends classes at the community college—but she’s not. She’s a Hushed, a living secret made of flesh and blood, spawned by the death of a human who had something to hide. While the Hushed blend in among humans, they are haunted by an overwhelming urge to spill their secret to those whom it would hurt the most. But once a Hushed tells their secret, they drop dead. Unlike most Hushed, Eerie and her brother, Fabian, can’t remember their secrets. All they know is they’re connected to the infamous Ironbark Prison fire, but everything else is a blur of smoke and fear. Everything changes when Eerie meets Logan Winspeare, the hell-raising son of one of the victims of the fire, who is searching for answers about the night his mother died."
The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones, read by Moira Quirk for Hachette -- "Every five years, two kingdoms take part in a Wild Hunt. Joining is a bloody risk, and even the most qualified hunters can suffer the deadliest fates. Still, hundreds gamble their lives to participate—all vying for the Hunt's life-changing prize: a magical wish granted by the Otherking."
Impractical Magic By: Emily Grimoire, read by Kate Handford for Avon -- "When Scarlett Melrose receives a call from her estranged sisters, she immediately knows something is wrong. Their mother’s inn has been cursed, and they need her help to save it. As the conflicted middle-child, returning home is giving Scarlett the heebie jeebies. And to make matters worse, she’s just come face-to-face with charming old flame and handyman, Nate. When her spell to break the curse goes horribly wrong, all Scarlett wants to do is flee back to the peace and quiet of her San Francisco flat. But she can’t keep running away forever, and she’ll need all the help she can to solve this magical mess."
The Last Dragon on Mars: The Dragonships Series, Book 1 By: Scott Reintgen, read by Landon Woodson for Simon and Schuster -- "A boy living on Mars unexpectedly becomes a dragon rider in this first book in the sci-fi and fantasy mash-up The Dragonships series, sure to delight fans of Skandar and Eragon."
BACKLIST WATCH:
Starship Troopers By: Robert A. Heinlein (1959, 1987), read by R.C. Bray for Blackstone -- "In Robert A. Heinlein’s controversial Hugo Award-winning bestseller, a recruit of the future goes through the toughest boot camp in the Universe—and into battle against mankind’s most alarming enemy."
A Fine and Private Place By: Peter S. Beagle (1960), read by Matthew Hendrickson for Simon and Schuster -- "This classic ghost story from the author of The Last Unicorn follows Jonathan who’s been living in a cemetery with a raven as his only friend amongst the newly dead until he discovers a pair of ghostly lovers bearing an extraordinary gift—the final chance for his own happiness."
The Essential Lovecraft edited by Leslie S. Klinger, read by a full cast for Audible -- "Forty-eight of H.P. Lovecraft’s most important stories."
Catan: The Novel: The Catan Series, Book 1 By: Klaus Teuber (2022), translated by Lisa Reinhardt (2022), read by Evan Sibley for Blackstone -- "Norway, 860. Half-brothers Thorolf, Yngvi, and Digur have conspired to help Asla—daughter of Halldor, a powerful Viking chieftain—to escape her father’s oppressive rule. However, when they are discovered the chieftain’s revenge is swift and mighty. Pillaging his way through the realms of his daughter’s liberators, Halldor banishes his kin and has the brothers driven from their land. Left with no other choice, the three brothers—together with family and their allies—depart their home, sailing for new shores and, after a treacherous voyage, finally reach their destination: Catan, Land of the Sun."
SERIES WATCH:
The Third Realm: The Morning Star, Book 3 By: Karl Ove Knausgaard, translated by Martin Aitken, read by Edoardo Ballerini, Kelsey Jaffer, Ari Fliakos, Neil Hellegers, Raphael Corkhill, Saskia Maarleveld, Vas Eli, and Nina Yndis for Penguin -- "A kaleidoscopic novel about human nature in the face of enormous change—and the warring impulses between light and dark that live in all of us."
Heir By: Sabaa Tahir, read by Vidish Athavale, Esme Lonsdale, Joe Pitts, Marco Young, and Rachel Petladwala for Listening Library -- "Introduces a new generation of characters set in the same world as the unforgettable An Ember in the Ashes series."
Livesuit: The Captive's War By: James S.A. Corey, read by Jefferson Mays for Recorded Books -- "Humanity's war is eternal, spread across the galaxy and the ages. Humanity's best hope to end the endless slaughter is the Livesuit forces. Soldiers meld their bodies to the bleeding edge technology, becoming something more than human for the duration of a war that might never end."
Candle & Crow: Ink & Sigil, Book 3 By: Kevin Hearne, read by Luke Daniels for Random House -- "An ink-slinging wizard pursues the answer to a very personal mystery: Who cast a pair of curses on his head?"
The Janus File: Gordian Division, Book 3 By: David Weber and Jacob Holo, read by Gabriel Vaughan for Recorded Books -- "It was supposed to be a routine trip for the members of the Gordian Division, both human and AI: fly out to Saturn, inspect the construction of their latest time machines, then fly back."
INDIE WATCH:
- The Ravenswood Witch By: Jenni Keer, read by Lucy Scott for Boldwood Books -- "The year is 1885 and a young woman is on the run, knowing if she’s caught, she’ll be hanged for murder. Moments from a safe haven, she collides with a gruff stranger, falling and breaking her ankle. To her surprise, the man – Marcus Greybourne – convinces the local constable that she is his reclusive wife of ten years, Luna. He carries her back to the neglected and crumbling Ravenswood Hall, promising if she agrees to maintain this charade, he will keep her safe until her injuries have healed."
MOST MISSING:
1635: The Weaver's Code by Eric Flint and Jody Lynn Nye (Baen) -- "A young gentlewoman, Margaret de Beauchamp, finds her fate twisted into the lives of the up-timers when she meets the Americans imprisoned in the Tower of London."
Freelancers of Neptune by Jacob Holo (Baen) -- "All he wanted was a simple job to make ends meet. What he got was a mysterious cat girl, a shot at a hoard of treasure, and a whole lot of trouble."