I spent my Wednesday night learning about some fantastic books coming out from September to December from HarperCollins Canada. I'm sure you'll be just as pumped as I was to learn about them!
Plus we heard from Kendare Blake and Tiffany D. Jackson about their new releases which was super fun! You can see my thread on Twitter to learn more about intial reactions and other thoughts.
Fall/Winter 2021 Preview #FrenzyPresents
Spotlight on Kendare Blake and Tiffany D. Jackson
Special thanks to Kendare Blake and Tiffany D. Jackson for joining us at the event! It was so fun to learn about their Fall releases and more about their writing. I tried to write down some of the answers to the questions, including the ones I asked!
My question to Tiffany: What has been your favourite ghost tour?
Answer: The one I took in Savannah, GA, which is the most haunted city in the US. More than New Orleans. Tiffany saw a ghost on the tour and was freaked out. But in Canada, she has been on the haunted walking tour in Toronto which is really cool. She's heard good things about the one in Vancouver but never got a chance to go on it.
My question to Kendare: What was the hardest part of incorporating true crime and real stories into a fictional story?
Answer: It actually wasn't too bad - the most important thing was nailing her narrator's voice as a young person wanting to do a good job. Even though it is set in 1958, Kendare grew up in a small town in Minnesota and not much has changed since then.
What are your favourite recent reads?
Tiffany: THAT WEEKEND by Kara Thomas
Kendare: CURSES by Lish McBride
What three words would you use to describe main characters?
Tiffany: Sarcastic, haunted, loyal
Kendare: Earnest, sweet, learning
What is your drafting process and what challenges or roadblocks did you go through while writing these books?
Tiffany: A whole pandemic. This was the first book that Tiffany had true writer's block and she will always remember that she struggled with this one. She said she would stare at the page and wonder if it made sense but finally came out of the fog in April. Drafting was simple but that was the biggest challenge. It was also fun for her to go back and made sure she added in all the true hauntings into the book that she found online.
Kendare: In terms of the drafting process, Kendare knows the drafting process is bad and makes her want to curl into the ball. She likes to forget about it once it's over and that's what keeps her writing because she doesn't remember how painful the writing process is. It took her three drafts to get Marie down because she didn't want to tell me the truth but that's in her nature so she couldn't blame her for that!
Tiffany was asked what order would you recommend people read your books in?
Answer: You need to split it up because my books can be dark. Once you finish them all, you should hug a kitten.
And Kendare was asked what was hard about changing genres?
Answer: Kendare tries to make sure that she always have the drafting idea down in advance. But said that switching genres is scary!
Fall and Winter Releases
We then got into what the upcoming Fall and Winter 2021 releases are and there are so many fantastic books! I am going to be preordering some below and I can't wait to get my hands on them.
ACT COOL
Author: Tobly McSmith
Series: N/A
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Publication Date: September 7, 2021
Summary:
A trans teen walks the fine line between doing whatever it takes for his acting dream and staying true to himself in this moving, thought-provoking YA novel from the acclaimed author of Stay Gold.
Aspiring actor August Greene just landed a coveted spot at the prestigious School of Performing Arts in New York. There’s only one problem: His conservative parents won’t accept that he’s transgender. And to stay with his aunt in the city, August must promise them he won’t transition.
August is convinced he can play the part his parents want while acting cool and confident in the company of his talented new friends.
But who is August when the lights go down? And where will he turn when the roles start hitting a little too close to home?
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Preorder:
NOT HERE TO BE LIKED
Author: Michelle Quach
Series: N/A
Publisher: Harper Children's
Publication Date: September 14, 2021
Summary:
Emergency Contact meets Moxie in this cheeky and searing novel that unpacks just how complicated new love can get…when you fall for your enemy.
Eliza Quan is the perfect candidate for editor in chief of her school paper. That is, until ex-jock Len DiMartile decides on a whim to run against her. Suddenly her vast qualifications mean squat because inexperienced Len—who is tall, handsome, and male—just seems more like a leader.
When Eliza’s frustration spills out in a viral essay, she finds herself inspiring a feminist movement she never meant to start, caught between those who believe she’s a gender equality champion and others who think she’s simply crying misogyny.
Amid this growing tension, the school asks Eliza and Len to work side by side to demonstrate civility. But as they get to know one another, Eliza feels increasingly trapped by a horrifying realization—she just might be falling for the face of the patriarchy himself.
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Preorder:
WHITE SMOKE
Author: Tiffany D. Jackson
Series: N/A
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: September 14, 2021
Summary:
The Haunting of Hill House meets Get Out in this chilling YA psychological thriller and modern take on the classic haunted house story from New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson!
Marigold is running from ghosts. The phantoms of her old life keep haunting her, but a move with her newly blended family from their small California beach town to the embattled Midwestern city of Cedarville might be the fresh start she needs. Her mom has accepted a new job with the Sterling Foundation that comes with a free house, one that Mari now has to share with her bratty ten-year-old stepsister, Piper.
The renovated picture-perfect home on Maple Street, sitting between dilapidated houses, surrounded by wary neighbors has its . . . secrets. That’s only half the problem: household items vanish, doors open on their own, lights turn off, shadows walk past rooms, voices can be heard in the walls, and there’s a foul smell seeping through the vents only Mari seems to notice. Worse: Piper keeps talking about a friend who wants Mari gone.
But “running from ghosts” is just a metaphor, right?
As the house closes in, Mari learns that the danger isn’t limited to Maple Street. Cedarville has its secrets, too. And secrets always find their way through the cracks.
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Preorder:
MEET ME IN LONDON
Author: Georgia Toffolo
Series: Meet Me #1
Publisher: HQN
Publication Date: September 28, 2021
Summary:
What do you do when your fake engagement starts to feel too real…
Aspiring clothes designer Victoria Scott spends her days working in a bar in Chelsea, and her evenings designing vintage clothes, dreaming of one day opening her own boutique. But these aspirations are under threat from the new department store opening at the end of her road. She needs a Christmas miracle, but one is not forthcoming.
Oliver Russell’s Christmas is not looking very festive right now. His family’s new London department store opening is behind schedule, and on top of that his interfering, if well meaning, mother is pressing him to introduce his girlfriend to her. A girlfriend who does not exist. He needs a diversion. Something to keep his mother from interfering while he focuses on the business.
When Oliver meets Victoria, he offers a proposition: pretend to be his girlfriend at the opening of his store and he will provide an opportunity for Victoria to showcase her designs. But what starts as a business arrangement soon becomes something more tempting, as the fake relationship starts to feel very real. But when secrets in Victoria’s past are exposed will Oliver walk away, or will they both follow their hearts and find what neither knew they were looking for…
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Preorder:
ALL THESE BODIES
Author: Kendare Blake
Series: N/A
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Publication Date: September 21, 2021
Summary:
Sixteen bloodless bodies. Two teenagers. One impossible explanation.
Summer 1958—a string of murders plagues the Midwest. The victims are found in their cars and in their homes—even in their beds—their bodies drained, but with no blood anywhere.
September 19- the Carlson family is slaughtered in their Minnesota farmhouse, and the case gets its first lead: 15-year-old Marie Catherine Hale is found at the scene. She is covered in blood from head to toe, and at first she’s mistaken for a survivor. But not a drop of the blood is hers.
Michael Jensen, son of the local sheriff, yearns to become a journalist and escape his small-town. He never imagined that the biggest story in the country would fall into his lap, or that he would be pulled into the investigation, when Marie decides that he is the only one she will confess to.
As Marie recounts her version of the story, it falls to Michael to find the truth: What really happened the night that the Carlsons were killed? And how did one girl wind up in the middle of all these bodies?
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Preorder:
THE MATZAH BALL
Author: Jean Meltzer
Series: N/A
Publisher: Mira
Publication Date: September 28, 2021
Summary:
Oy! to the world
Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a nice Jewish girl with a shameful secret: she loves Christmas. For a decade she’s hidden her career as a Christmas romance novelist from her family. Her talent has made her a bestseller even as her chronic illness has always kept the kind of love she writes about out of reach.
But when her diversity-conscious publisher insists she write a Hanukkah romance, her well of inspiration suddenly runs dry. Hanukkah’s not magical. It’s not merry. It’s not Christmas. Desperate not to lose her contract, Rachel’s determined to find her muse at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah, even if it means working with her summer camp archenemy—Jacob Greenberg.
Though Rachel and Jacob haven’t seen each other since they were kids, their grudge still glows brighter than a menorah. But as they spend more time together, Rachel finds herself drawn to Hanukkah—and Jacob—in a way she never expected. Maybe this holiday of lights will be the spark she needed to set her heart ablaze.
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Preorder:
DARK RISE
Author: C.S. Pacat
Series: Dark Rise #1
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Publication Date: September 28, 2021
Summary:
The ancient world of magic is no more. Its heroes are dead, its halls are ruins, and its great battles between Light and Dark are forgotten. Only the Stewards remember, and they keep their centuries-long vigil, sworn to protect humanity if the Dark King ever returns.
Sixteen-year-old dock boy Will is on the run, pursued by the men who killed his mother. When an old servant tells him of his destiny to fight beside the Stewards, Will is ushered into a world of magic, where he must train to play a vital role in the oncoming battle against the Dark.
As London is threatened by the Dark King’s return, the reborn heroes and villains of a long-forgotten war begin to draw battle lines. But as the young descendants of Light and Dark step into their destined roles, old allegiances, old enmities and old flames are awakened. Will must stand with the last heroes of the Light to prevent the fate that destroyed their world from returning to destroy his own.
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Preorder:
SQUAD
Author: Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Lisa Sterle
Series: N/A
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: October 5, 2021
Summary:
Pretty Little Liars meets Teen Wolf in this fast-paced, sharply funny, and patriarchy-smashing graphic novel from author Maggie Tokuda-Hall and artist Lisa Sterle. When the new girl is invited to join her high school’s most popular clique, she can’t believe her luck—and she can’t believe their secret, either: they’re werewolves. Fans of Mariko Tamaki and Elana K. Arnold will devour the snappy dialogue, vivid artwork, and timely social commentary.
When Becca transfers to a high school in an elite San Francisco suburb, she’s worried she’s not going to fit in. To her surprise, she’s immediately adopted by the most popular girls in school. At first glance, Marley, Arianna, and Mandy are perfect. But at a party under a full moon, Becca learns that they also have a big secret.
Becca’s new friends are werewolves. Their prey? Slimy boys who take advantage of unsuspecting girls. Eager to be accepted, Becca allows her friends to turn her into a werewolf, and finally, for the first time in her life, she feels like she truly belongs.
But things get complicated when Arianna’s predatory boyfriend is killed, and the cops begin searching for a serial killer. As their pack begins to buckle under the pressure—and their moral high ground gets muddier and muddier—Becca realizes that she might have feelings for one of her new best friends.
Lisa Sterle’s stylish illustrations paired with Maggie Tokuda-Hall’s sharp writing make Squad a fun, haunting, and fast-paced thriller that will resonate with fans of Riverdale, and with readers of This Savage Song, Lumberjanes, and Paper Girls.
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Preorder:
JADE FIRE GOLD
Author: June C.L. Tan
Series: N/A
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: October 12, 2021
Summary:
Girls of Paper and Fire meets The Tiger at Midnight in June CL Tan’s stunning debut, inspired by Chinese mythology, with rich magic and an epic slow-burn romance.
In an empire on the brink of war . . .
Ahn is no one, with no past and no family.
Altan is a lost heir, his future stolen away as a child.
When they meet, Altan sees in Ahn a path to reclaiming the throne. Ahn sees a way to finally unlock her past and understand her arcane magical abilities.
But they may have to pay a far deadlier price than either could have imagined.
Ferocious action, shadowy intrigue, and a captivating romance collide in June CL Tan’s debut, a stunning homage to the Xianxia novel with a tender, beating heart, perfect for fans of The Bone Witch and We Hunt the Flame.
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Preorder:
THE KEEPER OF NIGHT
Author: Kylie Lee Baker
Series: The Keeper of Night #1
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Publication Date: October 12, 2021
Summary:
Death is her destiny.
Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. Expected to obey the harsh hierarchy of the Reapers who despise her, Ren conceals her emotions and avoids her tormentors as best she can.
When her failure to control her Shinigami abilities drives Ren out of London, she flees to Japan to seek the acceptance she’s never gotten from her fellow Reapers. Accompanied by her younger brother, the only being on earth to care for her, Ren enters the Japanese underworld to serve the Goddess of Death… only to learn that here, too, she must prove herself worthy. Determined to earn respect, Ren accepts an impossible task—find and eliminate three dangerous Yokai demons—and learns how far she’ll go to claim her place at Death’s side.
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Preorder:
THE COLOR OF DRAGONS
Author: R.A. Salvatore and Erika Lewis
Series: N/A
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: October 19, 2021
Summary:
A sweeping, action-packed, romantic pre-Arthurian tale of the origins of magic (and Merlin) by powerhouse adult fantasy author R. A. Salvatore and Erika Lewis, perfect for fans of The Falling Kingdoms and Seraphina
Magic needs a spark.
And Maggie’s powers are especially fickle. With no one to help her learn to control her magic, the life debt that she owes stretches eternally over her head, with no way to repay it.
Until she meets Griffin, the king’s champion infamous for hunting down the draignochs that plague their kingdom.
Neither has any idea of the destiny that they both carry, or that their meeting will set off a chain of events that will alter every aspect of the life they know—and all of history thereafter.
Perfect for fans of Goldenhand and The Girl of Fire and Thorns, this epic, romantic tale from New York Times bestselling author R. A. Salvatore and debut author Erika Lewis will enchant readers and draw them into a thrilling world of star-crossed lovers, magic, destiny, and the paths we choose.
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Preorder:
FAITH: GREATER HEIGHTS
Author: Julie Murphy
Series: Faith Herbert Origin Story #2
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: November 2, 2021
Summary:
From Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’, comes the exciting conclusion in the two-book origin story of fan-favorite comic character Faith—a fierce, plus-size superhero.
Faith Herbert can finally admit that she’s not a regular teen. Thankfully, her two best friends, Matt and Ches, are now in on her superhero secret. But after the chaos of her first semester, Faith just wants to end her senior year on a normal note—enjoying all the hallmarks of graduating high school—like prom! And, possibly, getting to attend college in the fall.
A new teacher has taken over journalism class, and Faith is only occasionally reminded of the empty spot left by Colleen Bristow, the quiet nerd-turned-supervillain. That is, until Faith hears from Peter that other psiots have been going missing, and he suspects that her old classmate is somehow involved. Faith decides the only way to get to the bottom of it is to find Colleen—before enemies can get to her first.
As her search starts to collide with the memorable senior year she’s been hoping for, Faith learns that you gotta have faith…that sometimes fate will point you in the right direction.
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
HERE'S TO US
Author: Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Series: What If It's Us #2
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Publication Date: December 28, 2021
Summary:
Ben has spent his first year of college working on his fantasy manuscript with his writing partner Mario, who is a great Spanish tutor, and an even better kisser. So why can’t he stop thinking about the fact that Arthur’s back in town two years after they called it quits?
Arthur is in New York for a dream internship on Broadway, with a boyfriend back at home that he couldn't be happier with. But when he comes upon Ben cuddled up with a mystery boy, he starts to wonder if his feelings for Ben ever truly went away.
Even as the boys try to focus on their futures, they can't seem to help running into each other in the present. Is the universe forcing them to question if they’re actually meant to be?
Possibly not. After all, things didn’t work the first time around.
Possibly yes. After all, the sparks are still flying.
Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and raise a glass.
Here’s to celebrating old friends!
Here’s to embracing new beginnings!
Here’s to believing in second chances!
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