In this post I'm going to show you/talk about 6 upcoming fiction releases (for the months September & October 2017) I can't wait to read and have on my shelves. Autumn happens to be my favourite season, and during these months I love to read creepy/spooky/gothic books set in remote, cold places and a couple, if not all of the books on this list will definitely bring up the halloween-vibes. I hope you discover some new books to read this season and hopefully I'll get to read them sooner rather than later!
'A Skinful of Shadows' by Frances Hardinge
Published by Pan Macmillan on 21 September 2017
This is a story about a girl called Makepeace who lives during the time of the English Civil War. She succeeds in defending herself nightly from the ghosts which try to possess her, but one night something dreadful happens and now Makepeace has a ghost inside her...
This sounds a little different from the genres I usually read from, but I have heard great things about Hardinge's other book, 'The Lie Tree', so I'm going to give this one a go anyway.
It does sound super creepy though, so perfect for October reading!
'Eight Ghosts: The English Heritage Book of New Ghost Stories'
Published by September Publishing on 28 September 2017
I only needed to read this description from the September Publishing website to be convinced to pick this book up as soon as it hits the shelves:
"Eight authors were given after hours freedom at their chosen English heritage site.
Immersed in the history, atmosphere and rumours of hauntings, they
channelled their darker imaginings into a series of extraordinary new ghost stories."
'The Silent Companions' by Laura Purcell
Published by Bloomsbury on 5 October 2017
I'm very, very excited for this one to come out. The story is about Elsie, who is newly married and newly widowed, who leaves to sit out her pregnancy at her late husband's estate.
But the crumbling country estate seems to hold a lot of dark secrets, and she and her
cousin do not seem to be the only ones occupying the house.
This is described to be a mix of Shirley Jackson and Susan Hill and a new
gothic ghost story. What's not to love?
'The Winter's Child' by Cassandra Parkin
Published by Legend Press on 16 October 2017
I have heard great things about Parkin's short story collection, 'New World Fairy Tales',
so I'm very excited to read this one as well.
This is probably not one of the 'happier' books ever, but it has definitely sparked my interest (also because I'm a sucker of books that have 'snow' in their titles or descriptions).
Susannah Harper's son went missing without a trace 5 years ago.
With also losing her husband, she accepts a life without hope.
But one night, a fortune teller makes an eerie prediction that her son will come
back to her on Christmas Eve and the story unfolds from here.
It definitely sounds like an autumn/winter read, so of course
I'm excited for it.
'Devil's Day' by Andrew Michael Hurley
Published by Hodder & Stoughton on 19 October 2017
From the author of 'The Loney' (which I need to read soon) comes another creepy atmospheric read which sounds like something perfect to read in autumn/winter when
all the leaves have gone from the trees and the landscape is stark and cold.
This is the story of a community of farmers in a rural village who try to keep their sheep
save from the devil. I don't want to know any more of
the story, because I know this is going to be a rather dark and creepy one.
Said to be full of folk horror and set against the backdrop of Lancashire's moors, this is probably going to be a very atmospheric read.
'A Pocketful of Crows' by Joanne M. Harris
Published by Orion on 19 October 2017
This is said to be an original and stunning modern fairytale (which is always a plus) about a
nameless wild girl and the real world.
This is a story about the seasons, nature, and mythology.
This was stated on the publisher's website:
"A perfect autumn and Christmas read, this combines the harshness of nature
with the spookiness of a ghost story and the comfort of a great folk tale, in one beautifully told novella."
I hope you got some inspiration on what to read this season, and I'm sure I'll buy these books very soon and tell you all about my thoughts on them!
I too like to pick up darker, creepy reads around this time of year. I loved this list and I hadn't heard of any of these before. A Skinful of Shadows and The Silent Companions sound particularly interesting!
ReplyDeleteI'm very excited about those two as well! I really can't wait to read them.
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