October 2018 Book Releases | Part 1

Hey everyone! I'm really excited for October. I'm finally out of the longest reading slump I've ever had. At least I think I am. I'm not reading the crazy amount I usually am but I've taken the time to read which I never did before. I also have prepared blog posts so I'm prepared and ready to get back in the game.

I thought I would start this October (even if it's a week into October) with a list of new releases I'm particularly looking forward to. There are a lot of books on my list so I'm going to split this up into two parts. The second part will be coming later this week. 

Let me know which books you want to read and what books you want to read overall this October.

Some love stories aren't meant to last. 

Stella lives with depression, and her goals for junior year are pretty much limited to surviving her classes, staying out of her parents’ constant fights and staving off unwanted feelings enough to hang out with her friends Lin and Katie.

Until Kevin. A quiet, wry senior who understands Stella and the lows she’s going through like no one else. With him, she feels less lonely, listened to—and hopeful for the first time since ever…

But to keep that feeling, Stella lets her grades go and her friendships slide. And soon she sees just how deep Kevin’s own scars go. Now little arguments are shattering. Major fights are catastrophic. And trying to hold it all together is exhausting Stella past the breaking point. With her life spinning out of control, she’s got to figure out what she truly needs, what’s worth saving—and what to let go.

At first, Imagine Us Happy felt a little too angsty and that it wouldn't have very much depth. However, when I read about how the MC, Stella starts letting her grades slide and her life starts spinning out of control because of this guy who is now the center of her life I was intrigued. This seems a lot more nuanced then I first thought it would be. Imagine Us Happy, if done right, can be a compelling read.

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A magic cupcake. A culinary killer. The perfect recipe for murder.

Wren knew her sweet treats could work wonders, but she never knew they could work magic. She barely has time to wrap her head around the stunning revelation when the head of the prestigious Confectioner’s Guild falls down dead before her. Poisoned by her cupcake.

Now facing murder charges in a magical world she doesn’t understand, Wren must discover the true killer or face the headsman’s axe. With the help of a handsome inspector and several new friends, Wren just might manage to learn the ropes, master her new powers, and find out who framed her. But when their search for clues leads to a deep-rooted conspiracy that goes all the way to the top, she realizes that the guild master isn’t the only one at risk of death by chocolate.

If Wren can’t bring the powerful culprit to justice, she and her friends will meet a bittersweet end. 

Magic, mystery, and more importantly CUPCAKES. I don't really have to think twice about reading The Confectioner's Guild. Interestingly, it looks to be a cozy mystery marketed to teens. I'm perfectly content with that concept. It's about time.

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The biggest lie of all is the story you think you already know.

The del Cisne girls have never just been sisters; they’re also rivals, Blanca as obedient and graceful as Roja is vicious and manipulative. They know that, because of a generations-old spell, their family is bound to a bevy of swans deep in the woods. They know that, one day, the swans will pull them into a dangerous game that will leave one of them a girl, and trap the other in the body of a swan.

But when two local boys become drawn into the game, the swans’ spell intertwines with the strange and unpredictable magic lacing the woods, and all four of their fates depend on facing truths that could either save or destroy them. Blanca & Roja is the captivating story of sisters, friendship, love, hatred, and the price we pay to protect our hearts.

I was initially interested in the title (Blanca & Roja) and strange, up close image of a flower I assume. The Swan's spell seems very interesting and like a fairy tale I would have heard of. I thought it was clever that the author had their last names as del Cisne because when you type it into Google up comes Swan Islands, Honduras. I'm curious to see if the author completely made this story up or if it is based on a fairy tale or other story. The sisters and the two boys added in should be an entertaining dynamic to explore.

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A lady's maid and a valet become entangled in a yuletide counterfeiting scheme in this romantic Christmas YA adventure.

1817. The happy chaos of the Yuletide season has descended upon the country estate of Shackleford Park in full force, but lady's maid Kate Darby barely has the time to notice. Between her household duties, caring for her ailing mother, and saving up money to someday own a dress shop, her hands are quite full. Matt Harlow is also rather busy. He's performing double-duty, acting as valet for both of the Steeple brothers, two of the estate's holiday guests. 

Falling in love would be a disaster for either of them. But staving off their feelings for each other becomes the least of their problems when a devious counterfeiting scheme reaches the gates of Shackleford Park, and Kate and Matt are unwittingly swept up in the intrigue. Full of sweetness, charm, and holiday shenanigans, Carols and Chaos is perfect for fans of Jane Austen and Downton Abbey.

Carols and Chaos is a pretty early Christmas centered book. I mean it is Halloween month where everything revolves around the scary and supernatural, but to each their own. The reason I want to read this book is because of the inconvenience of love part of the story. Love is never convenient, most things in life aren't convenient, so I'm expecting some resistance with this pair and that's when some wonderfully mushy things tend to happen in romance stories.

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Two centuries after the Salem witch trials, there’s still one witch left in Massachusetts. But she doesn’t even know it.

Take this as a warning: if you are not able or willing to control yourself, it will not only be you who suffers the consequences, but those around you, as well.

New Oldbury, 1821

In the wake of a scandal, the Montrose family and their three daughters—Catherine, Lydia and Emeline—flee Boston for their new country home, Willow Hall.

The estate seems sleepy and idyllic. But a subtle menace creeps into the atmosphere, remnants of a dark history that call to Lydia, and to the youngest, Emeline.

All three daughters will be irrevocably changed by what follows, but none more than Lydia, who must draw on a power she never knew she possessed if she wants to protect those she loves. For Willow Hall’s secrets will rise, in the end…

That opening line for The Witch of Willow Hall instantly grabbed me. A new witch discovering her powers with her two sisters tagging along for the ride sounds just perfect for this October. I want to know more. I have high hopes that this will satisfy my want to read more witchy reads.

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Julia used to be the perfect big sister: she played great games and took good care of Cassie. Now life at home revolves around Julia and her daughter, Addie. No one pays much attention to Cassie: not to her competitive swim meets, and not to what's gone wrong with her friends.

When Julia confides in Cassie that she'll be leaving with Addie--without telling their parents--Cassie jumps in the car, too. As the days of lumberjack breakfasts and hotel pools start to add up, Cassie has to wonder: Could the sister who seems to be the source of all her problems also be the friend she's missed the most?

I LOVE complex children's book. It means anyone can enjoy them and learn a different perspective from them at any age. I've never heard of or read any book like Counting to Perfect which gets me excited. It's rare that I haven't seen a particular theme or trope before in my books.

Well that's it for Part 1. Do you recognize any of these books? Do any of them speak to you? Let me know in the comments!