Let Me Influence You . . . To Read These Recent Releases
By: Meredith Eldred
As we reach these late summer, early autumn nights, we approach the coziest time of the year to catch up on new reads. You want a romance? I'll give you a cozy witchy romance with a talking fox. You want horror? I'll give you the lovechild of Jennifer's Body and The Eyes Are The Best Part. You like influencer drama? I'll give you a tarot influencer that goes missing. There's something for everyone.
What Hunger by Catherine Dang
Picture this: Jennifer's Body fell in love with The Eyes are the Best Part and had kids. Kid #1 is the French film Raw, and Kid #2 is this masterpiece, What Hunger: an enthralling coming-of-age story that follows the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, Ronny. In the midst of generational trauma and the sheer violence that is girlhood, grief deals her an unbelievable hand. How does she cope? Fantasizing about her cannibalistic urges. Sinking her teeth into her anger, her sadness, her rage. No, this is not cannibalism as a metaphor for love. This is sheer hunger, hunger, hunger—the kind that reflects a void within.
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Inkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
I devoured this cozy, witchy romance in roughly 48 hours. From the author who gave us the warm hug that is The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches comes a majestic read. There’s an ensemble of quirky, lovable characters, including but not limited to: a knight, a witch trapped in a fox’s body, a mushroom enthusiast, and a zombie rooster named Roo-Roo. Love comes in every shape, size, and form, but best of all, in my humble opinion, is the love our main character Sera finds for herself. This book is for those who might have lost themselves along the way, as Sera did when she lost most of her magic while resurrecting her beloved aunt as a child. By the end of this story, you’ll find that you too, like Sera, can rise from the ashes renewed.
If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant For You by Leigh Stein
Remember when the Hype House was trending? Blueberry Faygo was on blast and TikTok dances were something we learned in our free time. Now, let’s imagine that the Hype House had been an old gothic mansion, and one of the most prominent influencers in the house was the girl that popped up on your FYP and ominously said, “If you’re seeing this, it’s meant for you”. This novel takes place in said house and is about said girl, how she goes missing, and the remaining members of the house who try to search for her, all while trying to uncover the secrets (parentage, exploitation, and maybe even ghosts, to name a few) of the house they’re living in.
The cherry on top—Stein’s social commentary and comedy.
The Hounding by Xenobe Pervis
Now, for the book at the top of my TBR. Marketed as The Crucible meets The Virgin Suicides, The Hounding is about five sisters in eighteenth-century England whose neighbors are convinced they’re turning into dogs. Set in Little Nettlebed, a village bursting with the uncanny, from strange creatures that wash up on the riverbed to ravens gathering on the roofs of people about to die. Suddenly, the odd happenings peak when the villagers begin to hear barking, and one even claims to see one of the sisters transform into a dog right in front of him. These allegations are the impetus for both fascination and fear that spread like wildfire through the village. Sound familiar?
The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas
Cañas is known for her spooky yet romantic historical fiction. The author of hit novels The Hacienda and Vampires of El Norte, she weaves an enthralling blend of gothic horror and forbidden desire, all set against the haunting backdrop of an eighteenth-century Mexican silver mine. Our story focuses on Alba, a woman fleeing the plague in Zacatecas and seeking shelter with her fiancé’s family. Rather than the solace she was looking to find, she experiences strange hallucinations, sleepwalking, and convulsions. The cousin of her fiancé, Elias—a mysterious and brooding man, of course—is drawn to her inexplicably. He knows he should stay away, but as the tension between them grows, they are pulled into a nightmare neither of them were prepared for.
Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle
Our main character, Vera, survived a global catastrophe referred to as the Low Probability Event, where nearly eight million people died in improbable and totally wild ways. We’re talking about chimps that escaped from the zoo only to eat people’s faces. Fish rained down on the streets of Chicago. Every Boeing 777 crashed into each other. Vera was once a passionate professor of statistics, but she no longer can find meaning in anything at all. When a government agent, Layne, comes to her for help to uncover the connection between deadly and absurd happenings and a casino, she finds she might be the only one who can help prevent another major disaster.
If you love any of the Final Destination movies, this one might be for you.
Sufficient to say, no matter what you hunger for (pun fully intended), there is a recent release for everyone. For those feeling grief like an ache in the pit of your stomach; for those in need of a forehead kiss; for those who yearn; for those who just love a good, gory time—whatever you wish for, the book fairy has delivered. Buckle up book nerds, and enjoy the ride!
