As the days get shorter and the air gets cooler, fall makes homebodies out of all of us. It’s the perfect time to wrap yourself in a blanket and cozy up with a book. As you retreat from the world and dive into new ones on paper, support these local authors by adding their work to your list.
“It’s Me They Follow” by Jeannine A. Cook
Jeannine A. Cook, owner of Harriett’s Bookshop in Fishtown, is not just selling books -— she’s writing them. Released on Sept. 23, Cook’s debut novel is a combination of romance and magical realism.
Readers follow The Shopkeeper, a bookseller and matchmaker who has an easier time helping others find love than helping herself. But her magical shop may be the key to finding her happy ending. If you like soulmate stories and are a self-proclaimed book lover, this is for you.
“Ravishing” by Eshani Surya
Just how far would you go to be accepted? If you had access to a product that could easily change your appearance, would you use it? Eshani Surya’s debut novel is a coming-of-age story following two Indian American siblings, Kashmir and Nikhil, entangled by the clutches of the beauty tech industry. “Ravishing” explores grief, living with chronic illness, and how we view ourselves. The book releases Nov. 11.
“Hot Wax” by M.L. Rio
From the same author who wrote “If We Were Villains,” Rio’s latest book follows young Suzanne living the rock star life on the road with her father and his band in the 1980s. But after she becomes the only witness to an act of violence, she trades the rambunctious rock ‘n’ roll life for suburban solitude for the next three decades, until her father’s death threatens to uncover secrets long since buried. “Hot Wax” released Sept. 9.
“God of the Woods” by Liz Moore
Originally released last year, the paperback edition of “God of the Woods” releases Oct. 28. Written by the author of “Long Bright River,” Liz Moore (who doubles as a Temple University professor) unravels a new mystery. The thriller ties together the stories of two children who vanished from their summer camp fourteen years apart and digs into the secrets of the community surrounding it.
Don’t forget to check these books’ availability at the Free Library of Philadelphia, and use that library card for other perks.
