One of the issues with reviewing books for so many outlets is that I often don't get a chance to read the books I buy for myself. I've decided to make a change there—and one way I can force myself to do things I'll enjoy is to set a goal that involves other people. (Don't read too much into that.)

Once a month, or as often as I can, I'll be digging into my very large, very scary TBR pile (and book wishlist) along a theme. This month, it feels appropriate to try some spooky reads: murder mysteries, horror, and the like. These may be books recommended by friends, books written by friends, or things I've just had lying around.

DEATH AT THE DRESS REHEARSAL
by Stuart Douglas

A new book by a lovely friend who also happens to be the head of Obverse Books.

Edward Lowe and John le Breton are actors of an age. The stars of 1970s BBC sitcom Floggit and Leggit, the two are complete opposites both onscreen and in person. But when Lowe discovers the body of a young woman at the reservoir near the show's current filming location, the Northern actor and his posh co-star discover a surprising shared affinity: solving murder mysteries.

The local constabulary are convinced that the death is an unfortunate accident, but Lowe and le Breton are less convinced. In between filming, the two begin chasing down leads in the small town, uncovering a surprising link to a similar death during the War. Even so, everything seems relatively circumstantial—until more young women turn up dead, each with their own familial link to the past death. Now the actors are fighting against the clock, the locals, and occasionally each other to solve this mystery before another life is lost.

Death at the Dress Rehearsal has so many layers, all of them exceptional. The fictional Floggit and Leggit, and the production surrounding it, will be all too familiar to fans of a certain era of Brit-com. The mystery itself is exceptionally handled, with plenty of red herrings but no true dead ends. And if you think you know where the story is going... no you don't. For American readers in particular, this will feel like a dose of nostalgic mid-90s PBS at its best: both the comedy and the mystery. Lowe and le Breton are already shaping up to be the next great detective duo. If they don't get their own TV series, it will be a crime.

DOCTOR WHO: SCRATCHMAN
by Tom Baker and James Goss

I bought this book during my last trip to London five years ago; like many books I bought then, it's been languishing.

The Fourth Doctor has been called before a council of Time Lords to account for his actions—again. And he has a hell of a story to tell them. It starts in a small village on a small island, where the locals have begun turning into animate scarecrows. Accompanied by Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan, the Doctor tries to get to the bottom of this horrifying mystery. But the roots of this transformation extend past our universe and into the domain of the Devil himself.

Following a folk horror flavored first act, the second plunges directly into Hell. To save his companions and protect the universe, the Doctor must go toe to toe with the Scratchman in a series of larger-than-life games. The past and the future collide, and the very nature of fear itself is explored, as the Doctor and his companions navigate a hellscape designed to drive them to despair.

Scratchman is based on a concept conceived of by Tom Baker and Ian Marter during Baker's first season as the Doctor. Adapted and ghostwritten by James Goss (one of the best Doctor Who novelists currently working) with Baker acting as consultant, this is a pitch-perfect book. The Doctor, Sarah Jane, and Harry's voices ring out loud and clear, especially in the Doctor's first-person narration. As the book comes to a close, it becomes a musing on the franchise as a whole, past and future. What is the Doctor afraid of? Why does he keep fighting? And what does it really mean to be the Doctor? This book manages to be both terrifying and playful the whole way through, and it's the exact sort of Doctor Who story I personally love. This may be my new favorite tie-in book for the show.

THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP
by Grady Hendrix

This book came in a care package from friend and coworker Paul Chapman.

In Lynnette Tarkington's world, horror villains—and their final girls—are real. Slasher franchises are fictionalized takes on very real killings, with their plucky survivors becoming celebrities in their own right. But killing a killer takes an emotional toll, which is where the Final Girl Support Group comes in. But this week, one of the survivors has decided she's terminating her membership. And another member has been quite literally terminated.

Now, Lynnette—whose trauma has left her mostly friendless and extremely vigilant—is convinced that someone is out to take out the entirety of their group. But between her status as a "fake" final girl, her paranoia, and some leaked files, no one is willing to trust her. Now, Lynnette must use everything at her disposal to survive, all while protecting new final girl Stephanie from the horrors the rest of them have endured. But the true danger may be closer than anyone thinks.

I wasn't sure what to expect with The Final Girl Support Group, but I can see why it took off. It's always nice to see a female lead allowed to be flawed, much less many, many female leads. Lynnette is an absolute mess; she's also the narrator. But she's one of several examples of what trauma can do to a person both inside and out. It's a skillful pastiche of several slasher genres, but also takes into account that trauma does not necessarily make you noble. It can make you messy, unpleasant, paranoid, and not fun to be around. You'll like it if you're a horror aficionado; you'll love it if you've Been Through Stuff yourself.

GARTH MARENGHI'S TERRORTOME
by Garth Marenghi

While I was already a Darkplace fan, this book was brought to my attention by Mach Dent.

As a book reviewer, I read a lot of good books. I also read a lot of... less good books. And just as Garth Marenghi's Darkplace hit just right with its pastiche of poorly-produced television, Garth Marenghi's TerrorTome is a note-perfect parody of frankly awful books by people who believe they are God's gift to writing. Penned by Matthew Holness as his horror writer, dreamweaver, and visionary, plus actor, it's also a reminder that writing terribly on purpose takes a unique level of talent.

TerrorTome is actually a trilogy of books starring Nick Steen, a thinly-veiled author stand-in for Marenghi himself, as he and his strong but often misguided lady editor Roz Bloom navigate the horrors haunting Stalkford. After a torrid psychosexual relationship with a cursed typewriter, Steen discovers that the inner workings of his mind are coming to life. His heroes, his monsters, and even his darker selves threaten to destroy the world. How will he fix it? And, more importantly, could this have been prevented if Roz had listened to him?

This book is definitely written for those who have seen and enjoyed Garth Marenghi's Darkplace. If you haven't, you can probably still appreciate the inherent satire. But so much about this book is even better when you have a clear picture of the man behind it. If you are a Darkplace fan, and especially if you're an editor or reviewer who's had to slog through difficult reads, you'll love this book. It's both shocking and impressive how perfectly he nails not only the common mistakes, but also the kind of ego that refuses to fix them.

STARVE ACRE
by Andrew Michael Hurley

This book has definitely been making the rounds, but I picked it up specifically on a recommendation from Johnny Chiodini.

Richard and Juliette Willoughby's young son Ewan died suddenly, and both of them are navigating the resulting grief very differently in Richard's family home of Starve Acre. Richard, given paid time off from his teaching job to "do research," has immersed himself in digging up—both literally and metaphorically—legends of an old tree once used for hangings. Juliette has turned to local occultists in hopes of finding some sort of solace. But both of them discover something much darker lingering on their land.

As Richard remembers Ewan's final months—his odd changes, his violent moods, and his claims of being spoken to by a being called Jack Grey—something else begins to take hold. Juliette's friends reveal a truth she is unwilling to divulge, but also sense something sinister at work in the house. And then there's the hare Richard finds at the foot of the tree, whose presence defies all logic but which refuses to be sent away.

Starve Acre is one of those books I've been putting off for no reason other than no time, but I absolutely regret not having read this sooner. It's a very personal story, and not just because its core cast is very small and it takes place largely within one family's house and land. As an allegory for grief, it's a sobering reminder that how we cope (and what we do to ourselves) is not a monolith. As an entry in the genre of folk horror, it's a terrifying story whose influence is large enough to spread to a whole town and small enough to fit in a baby carriage. An absolute must-read, and one that should move quickly to the top of your list.

 

NOTE: I am a Chapters affiliate - however, I pay for all teas I review and give my honest opinions. I do receive compensation if you use my discount code. Thanks for supporting my work and small businesses!

Chapters Tea and Co. may have dropped the coffee from their catalog, but that just means more room for more literary-inspired tea blends! The newest seasonal box is perfect for getting cozy with your favorite books, with sweet and spicy flavors that complement the chill in the air (or serve as an aesthetic stand-in as you wait for the weather to cool off).

This box contains two new seasonal blends and one regular offering. All three of these flavored black teas can be ordered individually, or as part of the Cozy Fall Black Tea Box Set. The box set comes with one 2oz bag of each blend, plus a pack of steeping bags and a very gothy black metal measuring spoon.

Don't forget to use my code KARAD15 at checkout to get 15% off your order!

Chai Café Vanilla

The returning favorite, Chai Cafe Vanilla has been in the Chapters catalogue almost since the beginning. One thing I especially like about chai from Chapters is that it has a legitimate bite to it—like their Dune-inspired The Spice Chai Mélange, this blend includes black pepper and white pepper in addition to other sweet and savory spices.

While I personally usually take all my tea straight-up and steeped very strong, Chai Café Vanilla is absolutely made for milk tea lovers. It's great straight up, but even better with milk (which also brings out the vanilla flavor). But if you're like me and generally add nothing, it's a great late-day warm-up.

Poet's Pumpkin Spice

You can't have a fall drink set without pumpkin spice! This is one of the two new seasonal blends introduced in this box, and almost certainly the one most of you will be interested in. This is my personal favorite of the set, which is largely down to my love of teas that are at their best when they're at their strongest.

This blend contains pumpkin pieces in addition to cinnamon, orange, and apple flavors. Nothing in this blend overpower the rest; rather, it all comes together in one unified autumn-y flavor. If you, like me, are a fan of Chapters' darker, stronger teas (like Poet's Study and Second Breakfast), this will become a new go-to. It's become my morning breakfast tea for autumn.

Cozy Apple Spice

Poet's Pumpkin Spice may be my personal favorite, but this one is the MVP of the fall box. When you open the bag, this blend smells exactly like fresh apples. And that stays after you've brewed it up. It's a little bit tart, but not too much; if you've disliked apple teas before because they end up a little too sour, you're safe with this one.

As with the Chai Café Vanilla (and the Poet's Pumpkin Spice, really), this one would make a great milk tea. It doesn't brew up quite as strong as the pumpkin spice or the chai, but still strong enough that it'll make a nice cozy autumn drink.

Chai Café Vanilla is part of the regular Chapters catalogue, but seasonal blends may or may not stay. The Cozy Fall Black Tea Box Set and Poet's Pumpkin Spice look to be in limited supply, so get them while you can! And remember to use the code KARAD15 at checkout for discounts across the site.

 

I'll be honest, September kind of disappeared on me. Between racing to the finish on a book deadline, personal life stuff, and planning for a trip to the UK later this month, I can't believe it's already October. But I'm not at all down about it. I love autumn, I love longer nights, I love cooler weather (eventually), and I love curling up with a book amidst all of those.

This month's selections unearth conspiracies, bend timelines, and unite couples across both real and digital spaces. Thanks as always to the publishers who hook me up with these great reads—I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

SOCIETY OF LIES
by Laura Ling Brown
Available now

Maya's return to Princeton was meant to be a double celebration: her class reunion and the graduation of her little sister Naomi. But upon Maya's arrival, the unthinkable happens: Naomi is found dead, supposedly in an accidental drowning. But Maya refuses to believe this was an accident. And through three perspectives—Maya now, Maya ten years ago, and Naomi in the months leading up to her passing—readers learn the shocking truth.

Both Maya and Naomi were members of Sterling, one of Princeton's prestigious "eating clubs." They were also members of Greystone, a secret society run from deep within Sterling, through which lifelong favors were earned, granted, and paid off. While Maya despises the underhanded dealings of Greystone, she does what she must to give her sister a better life—even if it means accepting bribes and acting dishonestly. Eventually, the club's activities lead to the supposedly accidental death of a girl named Lila. But after Naomi's tragic death, Maya learns that her little sister was digging deep into Sterling's (and her own) history. And that digging could lead to more deaths before this case is solved.

In her first novel, Laura Ling Brown paints an all too believable picture of a secret society on an Ivy League campus. While the tradition of eating clubs is very real, Sterling and Greystone are not real themselves... at least not by name. Their practices and procedures ring distressingly true. However, as dire as Maya and Naomi's story may be, Brown paints a vivid pictures of hope amidst despair. It's a thrilling whodunit with twists right up to the very last page, but also a reminder that justice can prevail even in a world with the odds stacked against you.

SHOESTRING THEORY
by Mariana Costa
Available October 8

Cyril Laverre was once a grand mage. Now, he's watched his world fall apart, and even his loyal cat  familiar Shoestring has passed on. With nothing left to lose, he sacrifices himself to cast one last-ditch spell: one that will take him back in time to the beginning of the end of the kingdom of Farsala. But when he awakens in his twentysomething body again, things are awry. Shoestring is back, but he's acting more like a normal cat than a wise familiar. The wedding ring he wears around his neck has somehow followed him to the past. And Eufrates Margrave—who in Cyril's original timeline became both Farsala's despotic king and Cyril's husband—has been pulled back in time, too.

With his plans to assassinate his former lover now scrapped, Cyril enacts a mad plan to prevent Eufrates from taking the throne once again. His first goal is to prevent the death of Eufrates's sister Tigris, allowing her to marry her fiancé Atticus and take the throne. But as Cyril peers further into the weave of magic around him, he discovers that there's more to the kingdom's downfall than even he knew. More troubling still, it seems he's still madly in love with his wicked husband.

Shoestring Theory is billed as a "friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers" romance for people who like fanfiction, but I feel this sells the novel short. For one thing, fanfic is not a monolith; for another, there's so much more to the story than its central turbulent romance. (Although, yes, that's huge and very fun.) As exciting as the broad story is, the underlying tale of Cyril's own character progression is the most rewarding part of the story. He's depressed, imperfect, and full of regrets; but even as an older man literally revisiting his youth, he has room to grow and change. Equal measures light-hearted and thought-provoking, this is a fabulous fantasy-romance with a wonderful message about finding your heart and your self-worth.

BYE FOREVER, I GUESS
by Jodi Meadows
Available October 22

Ingrid Ant is a shy, nerdy 13-year-old with a secret: she runs "Bye Forever, I Guess," a super-popular Scrollr blog dedicated to the funny wrong number texts she constantly receives. Her best friend Rachel is obsessed with this status symbol, but criticizes everything else about Ingrid—her love of the Ancient Tomes Online MMO, her long-distance friendship with fellow gamer Lorren, and her obsession with a line of fantasy novels. When Rachel crosses an uncomfortable line when introducing her to new kids Alyx and Oliver, Ingrid decides she's had enough... and with an attempt to make a clean break comes what seems like a school-wide spurning.

Fortunately she still has Lorren, ATO, and her new friend "Traveler." Initially a wrong number trying to profess his love to a Rachel of his own, this astronomy lover (who only knows Ingrid as "Stitches") joins Ingrid in game and becomes a source of friendship as her few friends at school (including Oliver and Alyx) seem to gravitate toward Rachel. But Traveler has a secret that he's convinced will destroy everything he and Ingrid have. And as Ingrid prepares to finally meet her favorite author face-to-face, all those secrets start to come out.

Bye Forever, I Guess is an adorable story that, beyond just being a fun and sweet read, has a lot to recommend it. Parents will be more than happy to hand this off to teen readers, as it's packed with excellent advice about how to stay safe online while still forming meaningful friendships. The character of Rachel is a very clear depiction of a narcissistic personality, and will help young people navigate people like this in their own life. Best of all, it's great to see niche hobbies—from knitting to MMOs to Tumblr (here rebranded as Scrollr)—presented as aspects of a well-rounded and happy person's life, rather than some sort of silver bullet of weirdness. (Huge respect for Ingrid's grandma the skilled knitting YouTuber, too.) It's refreshing to see a story like this told with earnestness and authenticity, and it will speak to kids and adults alike.

THE CRACK IN THE CRYSTAL

by Barak Engel
Available October 22

For all her life, Sollis has been weird: taller than normal and possessed of strange wild magic. After making use of her abilities as best she can for some time, she is recruited into a mission with four other gifted individuals. Aidan can communicate with wood, coaxing it into new shapes; Nyelle has bardic powers that can shape sound itself; Lormek is a beloved of Thor haunted by strange dreams; and the gnome Garrett uses his roguish talents to help the party out of tight spots. But what starts as a normal heist soon turns into a battle for reality itself.

As the five new companions navigate conspiracy, magical history, and mysterious writings from a far-off world, Sollis and Lormek attempt to make sense of a strange connection between them. A power beneath the city calls to Sollis, and it soon becomes clear that there is more to her even than already meets the eye.

As mentioned in the Author's Note, The Crack in the Crystal was inspired by a pandemic-era D&D campaign. This is evident for better or for worse—for better in that there's clearly a great deal of care put into character voices, worldbuilding, and giving everyone a satisfying ending; for worse in that characters will occasionally underreact to major revelations. The latter can sometimes pull the reader out of what is otherwise an enthralling read. That said, The Crack in the Crystal is still fun fantasy with a spirit of escapism and camaraderie that D&D players will enjoy and an admirable twist in the tale at the end.

STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS - WARP YOUR OWN WAY
by Ryan North
Available October 22

It's a normal morning for Beckett Mariner—until it isn't. Things have gone weird aboard the USS Cerritos. Boimler has adopted a pregnant tribble... or Khan is back... or the Borg are invading. It depends on which path you, the reader, choose. But whichever direction you go, one thing stays the same: everyone seems to think Beckett knows the ship's highly confidential prefix code. Which, as she states time and again, she doesn't.

Wait, "time and again"?... That's right. It doesn't take long to find out that, whatever is happening, it keeps happening. Someone is very intent on getting this code. And to break the cycle, you're going to have to do some seriously out of the box thinking.

It's been great to see "interactive novels" making a comeback recently, and this is the first interactive comic I've read personally. Going with Lower Decks was a great choice for a title like this, where the bendiness and genre-savvy actually come in handy. How quickly you find your way out of the cycle will be largely down to chance; for me it took a while, but even then I didn't catch all the potential plot lines. This is one you'll want to cheat your way through when you're finished, just to see what you missed. It's a heck of a lot of fun, and a great way of embracing this classic choose-your-own-adventure style.

 

I am a child of the 80s and I grew up on sci-fi. When that's your background, Amblin and the like are kind of in your DNA. So games like Tales from the Loop absolutely appeal. Set in "the '80s that never was," this nostalgic adventure game casts players as a cast of adventurous kids and teens getting extremely involved in the strange happenings around a particle accelerator simply called The Loop. It's a great setup with a lot of promise and a lot of room for characterization. And then... some issues.

Before we start, a few notes about me and how I interact with tabletop games, since I'm noticing I'm starting to get a few more readers of late. Unless otherwise specified (and probably not for quite a while), I am a player in any games I review, not the GM. But I do always talk with the GM about what their experience was, because that's important to me, too. In terms of play-style, I'm narrative-forward—not because I think that's the "right" or "superior" play style (I think anything that lets you and the rest of the table have a good time is the "right" way to play), but because that's just personally how I vibe. I build a concept within the setting I'm given, then match the numbers to that concept, even if it's not "optimal" and even if it will make it harder for me to succeed. I do always make sure I have at least one way to objectively help the party, though, because this is a team sport.

All that is a very long way of saying I seek out, and enjoy, games that attempt to marry narrative more smoothly to mechanics. And I think because I seek those out so regularly, I get to see a lot of examples of how people try to make that happen, how it succeeds, and how it fails.

There are a lot of things I like about Tales from the Loop. A big one is the choice to really lean into tropes by way of playbooks/classes. This is something I enjoy about both Powered by the Apocalypse games and Free League Games—and honestly any system that cares to try it. When you're setting a game within a genre or a subgenre, one way to really root yourself in what you're doing is to know what the common characters are and how they benefit the party. It also gives you touchstones in that early character creation process, and (if designed well) it doesn't hold you back from putting your own spin on that character trope.

For example, I played the Jock. And while my character was all physical stats and very little in mental, it was because she was very agile (her sport of choice was sailing) and climbed through windows and into buildings with very little thought for what she was doing at any given time. That's the joy of a really good playbook. While more modular character gen (like that in 5e) allows for really nuanced builds, playbooks let you muck around with genre in a meaningful way.

Other things Loop does well—turning character traits into mechanics in a more straightforward way. While I enjoy figuring out how stats turn into story beats (How does rerolling for Luck look in combat? How does Advantage or Disadvantage look? Why is a seasoned adventurer only level 3?), I have a soft spot for any system that draws that straight line for me. Pride is one of those ways: once per session, you can cash in a personal belief of your character to gain a success.

I've explained this before when talking about Armour Astir and Blades in the Dark, but I value anything that rewards you for playing in-character. (I'm also gaining an appreciation for anything that has stakes when your values are challenged, but I'm still in the midst of an experience with a game like that.) I'm not against putting myself at a disadvantage to stay true to my concept, but it makes me happy that doing this functionally helps the group as a whole.

The major downside of Tales from the Loop is more in the pre-fab campaign we played. The feedback I've gotten from multiple GMs is that this is a great setting that requires a bit of additional work. In the longer game I've finished, we worked from the pre-written campaign. However, this required a lot of patching up and changing along the way. It wasn't as egregious as the issues with Lost Mountain Saga, where keeping the plot moving required players to actively shelve their knowledge of the fae and their personal motivations in favor of narrative causality. It was more the amount of legwork required to bring the characters into some of these stories.

I will admit, I generally play characters who are more than ready to throw themselves face-first into anything even remotely interesting. That's just the kinds of characters I gravitate toward, either at a table or when writing a story. But you can't expect everyone to always play that kind of character. I also understand that a pre-fab campaign can't account for every potential stake for characters the writer will never meet. However, the issue with Tales from the Loop seemed to be that many of the narrative hooks weren't really wanderable-innable, even for the most nosy and motivated kid.

In terms of pre-fab campaigns, I believe that creating motivation is a shared responsibility across three sets of people. First, the player has to create a character who can be engaged in the action. Even if they're reluctant, there has to be something that can be invoked to pull them along. Second, the GM has to hold out a metaphorical hand for the player to take. It's not on them to motivate the characters, but it is on them to meet them halfway; they don't have to drag them up the cliff face, but they should at least scatter some handholds around. Finally, the writer of the pre-fab campaign needs to make a story that can be hooked into by a sufficiently motivated group. Again, they don't have to drag the party up the cliff face, or even put handholds in the cliff face, but there ought to be something at the top that makes the cliff face worth scaling. Often, it didn't feel like there was anything to interest young protagonists, and the only fire burning under a player's ass was the urge to find the next story beat and see if it jogged anything. Our GM did a great job manufacturing these hooks, but there was a lot of progression that amounted to "You ought to just decide that this is a good place to go," which can ruin the pacing of a game.

There's a more minor downside that's a little more system-based, which is that healing from damage takes a weirdly long time and can require a lot of moving parts that don't click well with how the story moves. Don't get me wrong, I love how damage works on a basic level. You have "conditions" (some physical, some emotional) that you take when things go wrong, or to push yourself and reroll. These conditions affect your ability to roll well, and if you take them all... well, kids don't die in this game. Remember, this is 80s sci-fi adventure. But you have to go to specific people and places and spend several hours recuperating. Fine for downtime, difficult for fast-paced action. In our test campaign, we homebrewed around this.

In the end, I love the aesthetic, the concept, and the feel of Tales from the Loop. But I feel it's a system to be altered, homebrewed, and referenced. The character building? Great. The setting? I think it's more meaningful if you move the placement of the local Loop to a place meaningful to the party. (Really tweaks the nostalgia to play in your hometown circa 1987 rather than a place no one has been.) The pre-written campaigns? Some interesting elements (I loved the microchipped birds), but again, better to homebrew.

Tales from the Loop is frankly a game that's better the more personal you make it to your players. To that end, I highly recommend the system in general, and aspects of the setting, but I would also encourage any interested players to do a bit of customizing to bring out its real charm.

 

Back in 2019, bestie Ginger asked if she could tag along with me on my next trip to the UK. Of course I said yes. I went every couple of years just because, and she had never been overseas. As far as she was concerned, it would be her only time getting to. And on the plane back, she was already talking about "next time."

As far as we were concerned, next time would be next year. The Cubs (her favorite baseball team) were scheduled to play an exhibition game in London. Well. Of course I'd be happy to go with her. No need to even ask.

Then 2020 happened, and the only real plus side was that we hadn't bought any tickets in advance.

A lot has happened since then... globally, yes, obviously. But now the man who raised me has passed away, I own the house I grew up in (and its many leaky creaky bits are my responsibility to repair), and my finances are finally such that I can travel again. But it's really, really strange how something that became so second-nature to me half my life ago can become so foreign after five years.

I remember my first trip to the UK: something I assumed would be once-in-a-lifetime. It was Christmastime, I spent most of the trip up in Manchester with friends and made London a relatively brief visit, and even getting stranded in a few spots on the way back due to flights being cancelled didn't ruin it. It was a trial-by-fire solo trip there and back. But after everything that happened, subsequent trips felt easy.

On one trip, I recall leaving a friend's club in London, several white wines and a lot of conversation I've mostly forgotten later, and making it home to my friends' place a few stops outside the city without getting lost or turned around. And picking up sushi to go along the way. For me, someone who's clumsy and forgetful and always has been, it was weirdly empowering to conquer a major city that way. (Never mind that the tube makes it extremely easy to traverse London—I'll take my victories where I can.) Whatever the reason, and despite my general distaste for big cities, London has become a place where I feel surprisingly okay.

And yet 2020 did a number on all of us. Even now, I still get anxiety about going out to run errands. I feel weird about it being the "first time" to do something since then. It's not the first time getting on a plane since 2019, fortunately; that was for Ginger's wedding. And for a bit, as I was weighing up locking down the ticket, I felt serious anxiety. Like I'd never done this before. Like I was in my 20s again and facing down something totally new. And I wonder how long it will be like that for each of us. Four going on five years later, what will be our First Time Since?

For what it's worth, the anxiety is gone, because I remembered how much I love touching down in London and seeing all those familiar people and places. I've got tickets to (what I swear is going to be) a very cool show, I've got my new clothes bought, I have plans and plans-for-plans with friends I've not seen in ages. And yes, there will be photos and blog posts.

I started writing this freeform because I wasn't sure what to say this week—I'm between books and tea samples and publications, and other things I'd like to talk about long-form haven't really progressed enough for a deep dive. But I'm trying to be better about always having something lined up, even if that means talking a lot of nonsense. I suppose this is to acknowledge that we've all got things we're coming back to, even now. And I hope whatever it is you're coming back to, it goes well.

And also that I'll be in the UK for a bit next month and I can't wait.

Finally, September is here. It's the beginning of the 'bers, my favorite time of year. This is when tea, a cozy reading chair, and a stack of books all feel the most right.

This month's books run the gamut from modern fantasy to hard sci-fi, from the atrocities of the past to the dangers of the present and the possibilities of the future. Thanks as always to every author and publisher who sends me ARCs. And be sure to support these writers (and anyone whose work you read) by sharing your own reviews on Amazon and GoodReads—it really helps!

OVER THE DRAGON'S WALL
by Alanna Vane
Available Now

Sage is barely a teenager, and her life has taken a terrible downward turn. Her mother, an accomplished violinist, recently passed away. Her father, angry and unable to provide for his children, abandons them. Now Sage has been separated from her siblings Wren and Violet by the foster system. But in her darkest hour, she receives a key that could answer all her questions: one that unlocks the door in the wall separating the world from Nytari, the dragon who rules over fate.

Now in a world of ghosts and talking animals, Sage finds herself in the company of Igor. But this musician-turned-priest doesn't know how to help the dead move on, or how to wake Nytari. In her time at Nytari's mansion, she struggles with what she wants. More than anything, she wants to find her mother and heal her family. But she also feels the pull of music: learning to play the violin in her mother's absence. Overshadowing both, though, is a fear of taking up space: a belief that she is unlovable and selfish. As she navigates riddles and paranormal dangers, she discovers new truths about fate, suffering, and herself.

Over the Dragon's Wall is a weighty, but beautiful, book for young readers. It's a pitch-perfect examination of grief amidst emotional abuse: the desire to ask for what you need, dampened by the belief that having needs makes one unlovable. This is one of those rare books that will find the people it's meant for; some may not fully comprehend Sage's struggle, but those who have struggled similarly will feel seen and benefit from its gentle message. The fact that this appears to be the first in a series is exciting; I can't wait to see what other experiences will be dissected in this close-to-home fantasy world.

DIVIDED
by CC Robinson
Available Now

It's the late 21st century, and the former United States of America has rebuilt after the Great Civil War. Under the thumb of a dictator named Martin who believes that ethnic groups simply cannot mix, the nation's remaining major cities are each walled off into four segments: Ivory, Obsidian, Havana, and Little Asia. Everything from greetings to holidays to food is segregated, and different groups may not mix even in academic or professional situations. At least, that's how things are aboveground.

In the decades since the Great Civil War, a resistance has been pushing forward. And now four young people in one segregated city find themselves in the midst of it. Marcos dreams of leaving Havana to be a truck driver, but finds himself moved to a prison camp. Harriet has been an Obsidian code-runner for much of her life, but her participation is about to ramp up. Rose, a Little Asian, pursues academic success while contending with the new knowledge that her mother has been resistance for a long time. And Jason, the son of a powerful Ivory man, finds himself tasked with overseeing these secret prison camps. As Rose and Harriet train, Jason attempts to use his clout to bring the camps down while Marcos works to strengthen their forces from the inside.

Divided is the first in a planned four-part series, with second book Caged coming next year. While the book is technically well written and the characters are believable and unique, this is a very by-the-numbers YA dystopian fiction. There's nothing especially bad or wrong with being a by-the-numbers example of a genre, but we've come to a point where I read a very similar book practically once a month. It's true that fiction, especially YA fiction, follows trends. Just because it's understandable that we got a bumper crop of zombie and plague fiction in the wake of the pandemic doesn't mean we can't wish for more variation amongst it. The same is true of dystopian near-future American fiction under a divisive dictator: I understand that everyone wants to tell this story, but this is an opportunity for multiple insights rather than the same one on repeat.

There's also a concern that, in many cases, I don't know what's an in-universe issue versus an author oversight. For example, while it's demonstrated in the text that the four racial subdivisions are messy (with some people being "misclassified" and disparate cultures being Occam's Razored), there's no mention of Indigenous people at all. If that's a plot point, it's tense and menacing; if the author simply forgot about Indigenous people, it's concerning. Similarly, are the on-the-nose names of the subdivisions uncomfortably bad because we're meant to cringe away from them as readers? There are so many things in this book that could go either way like this; and while I want to give the benefit of the doubt, I can't know in one book if I should.

NO ADDRESS
by Ken Abraham
Available Now

On the day of her high school graduation, after years being bounced around in the foster system, Lauren finds herself homeless. At first, she's convinced it's just a temporary inconvenience. But soon she finds herself folded into a street family of people in her same position. Each has found themselves unhoused for reasons beyond their control—including Jimmy, who has fled an abusive home. Veteran Harris, recovering addict Violet, and former movie star Dora work together to make their situation as livable as possible.

But Robert, a high-earning gambling addict, has other plans. It's his job to ensure that this street family's encampment is cleared away to make room for a new development. But he, too, will soon find himself in unexpected circumstances. As Jimmy struggles to find work, Violet seeks healthcare, and Harris does what he can to keep his found family together, a local charity makes plans to renovate a motel into a haven for the unhoused. And Lauren, who once rejected the kindness of Harris and company, finds herself falling for Jimmy.

No Address is a novelization of the upcoming film of the same name, coming to theaters this fall. As a narrative, it's a strong one, and makes me look forward to what the attached film has to say. The novelization itself isn't bad, although your mileage may vary in terms of the backloaded spiritual message. Even speaking as someone "with religion," I found the talk of God to run hot and cold for a community in dire straits. The story itself is a keen reminder that every person has their own story and circumstances, and we can never truly know why someone has ended up where they are. While five characters could never encompass every circumstance, these five provide an insightful cross-section.

With all that being said, the No Address Movement is a multifaceted organization with many aspects to it: the film, the documentary, an album, a study guide, and this book. 50% of proceeds from these many projects will go to nonprofit organizations addressing homelessness. To me, these actions speak far louder than any slightly imperfect messaging.

OFF MIDWAY STATION
by Marc Alan Edelheit
Available September 13

Jim Garrett's career is not off to an auspicious start. After firing the deciding shot to stop a space mutiny, he is simultaneously commended and punished: lauded for his loyalty, but unlikely to ever lead a ship of his own as he dreamed. Years later, he prides himself on his technical work. But his luck may be about to change.

Once every 50 years, an alien threat known as the Push launches an attack. But this time, they're early. And the only defense is an experimental ship, the Surprise. With lives on the line and time no longer on their side, Garrett and his peers must combat enemies both within and without to save lives. But what they discover as they fight could change the course of this battle forever.

Off Midway Station is an intriguing story hobbled by messy pacing. The first chapter, and many chapters in between, are compelling. The late-stage discovery about the Push is a game-changer. However, the majority of the book is taken up with very long play-by-plays of launching procedures, characterization that is told directly after being shown, and long-form worldbuilding. (Note that I am a huge proponent of worldbuilding; however, much of this book read less like a book and more like the Edelheit's worldbuilding notes.) The moments of intrigue and action were there, and were good, but were hidden amongst long chapters in which the entire action consisted of Garrett buying a drink and getting on a train. I respect the author's dedication to realistic worldbuilding; however, I hope that later entries in the Guardians of the Dark series allow the world and character to speak for themselves and flow from scene to scene more naturally.

RISE OF THE SPIDER
by Michael P. Spradlin
Available September 24

12-year-old Rolf lives with his older brother Romer and their widower Toymaker father in Germany circa 1929. He doesn't know a lot about politics, but he knows that the two new boys in town, Hans and Nils, have some strange ideas. They've joined the youth branch of the growing National Socialist party, which claims it will fix all of Germany's ills by instating strong leadership. And before long, Romer himself has been lured into the Hitler Youth, putting an even larger wedge between the elder brother and the rest of their small family.

Soon, Rolf suspects that Romer may have a hand in the attacks on Jewish shopkeepers in town. But playing sleuth like his favorite storybook hero won't be enough to stop the violence. Before long, he must tell his father. And together, Rolf and his dad witness up close the beginnings of the Nazi Party and its stranglehold on Germany.

Rise of the Spider is the first book in The Web of the Spider, a middle-grade series offering a child's view of the rise of Hitler between the wars. It's a chilling and poignant story: starting with the all-too-common disagreements over the dinner table and "my dad says" commentary and spinning out into violent attacks. Spradlin's prose is perfect for young readers: relatable without being stilted, both insightful and believable for its preteen narrator. This series would make an excellent accompaniment for young students who might find history lessons of a century ago otherwise distant.