Top Ten Books on Mary and Ariel's Fall TBR List

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MARY
Secrets in Death – JD Robb
Just out September 5, is Robb’s 45th In Death book… and I have read each and every one of this futuristic police romance series. The series revolves around Eve Dallas, a NYC police lieutenant. In Secrets in Death, Eve is having dinner with a colleague when Larinda Mars, gossip columnist and blackmailer, is murdered in the restaurant. Even though Eve disliked Larinda, she is intent on finding the murderer and seeing justice done. (FYI: JD Robb is a pseudonym for Nora Roberts.) 

Empty Grave – Jonathan Stroud 
On September 12th, the fifth book in the middle-grade Lockwood & Co. series was released. Lockwood and Company, the preteen ghost hunting agency, wants to know if Marissa Fittes’ body is in the family mausoleum or if there is something nefarious going on. So, the group is going to break in and see if the body is still there or whether is it an "Empty Grave." The Lockwood and Co. books are a fun romp following a group of preteen ghost hunters (because only the young can see ghosts) and it is entertaining watching them try to handle the duplicitous world of ghosts and adults. 

Archangel’s Viper – Nalini Singh 
September 26th heralds the release of the 10th book in Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series. These paranormal romances follow the relationships between New York City’s humans, vampires, and the archangel who rules them all. Archangel’s Viper takes a look at Sorrow, a human who was bitten by a deranged angel and who now is developing strange unknown powers, and Venom the vampire charged with watching and protecting her. While these books should probably be read in order, I anticipate the 10th book in the series to be a wonderful, fun, well-written, slide into romance.   

This Darkness Mine – Mindy McGinnis 
Oooooh. I love Mindy McGinnis. She has an amazing way of writing dark fiction and I am breathlessly anticipating her new teen contemporary novel coming out on October 10th.  In This Darkness Mine, Sasha Stone loves her perfectly normal life. The only abnormal thing that has happened to her occurred before she was born, when Sasha absorbed her twin sister in the womb. But, soon Sasha starts having blackouts, losing time, and having memories of things she would never do. What is happening?  How did Sasha’s life become not quite so perfect? 

Language of Thorns – Leigh Bardugo 
Leigh Bardugo is known for writing image rich fiction, which tell fantastic tales that stir the soul. Language of Thorns is Bardugo’s collection of 6 short fairy tale retellings. I am very excited to see what tales she is going to twist up into well-written and engaging pretzels. 

Into the Bright Unknown – Rae Carson 
October 10, the 3rd (and final) book in the Gold Seer Trilogy (Teen) is going to make an appearance. This fantastic historical fiction series is set during the Gold Rush, where Leah Westfall’s ability to sense gold has helped her and her friends find rich land in California Territory. But, people want to use Leah’s ability and keeping the land they have staked will be a dangerous adventure. I really enjoyed the first two books in this series. I don’t normally like historic fiction, but the characters and adventure keep you reading. I am really looking forward to seeing how this series concludes. 

ARIEL

Turtles All the Way Downby John Green

John Green is one of my favorite people in existence, so I’m pretty excited to read his newest novel when it comes out in October. Like his mega-hit The Fault in Our Stars, this books centers around a teenage girl who is struggling with illness. In this case, the protagonist, Aza Holmes, is investigating the disappearance of a billionaire with her best friend Daisy, while also coping with obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety. It should be a fascinating read, as Green revealed in 2015 that he has struggled with these exact illnesses since childhood. I anticipate that Turtles will be his best novel yet.

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

This one has been on my TBR since it came out in May. Touted as Pretty Little Liars meets The Breakfast Club, the book starts with five students entering detention, each representative of a different high school stereotype. However, instead of bonding and giving each other makeovers to the tune of cheesy '80s music, one of the students winds up dead by the time detention is over. Each of the other four students has a plausible motive, so they become the prime suspects. As the title suggests, one of them is not being entirely truthful. Who doesn’t love a good mystery?

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson

When I was in middle school, I went through a phase where I was obsessed with space. This obsession was dashed one day when, looking up at the night sky, I felt an overwhelming claustrophobia and had a mini existential crisis. Then, I took a physics class in high school and discovered it’s not exactly my strong suit. Nowadays I just love learning, and I think I’m ready to tackle the topic of space again. Like Carl Sagan and Bill Nye, Neil deGrasse Tyson is devoted to explaining the wonders of science in layman terms, so I trust him to guide me on this journey!

Stephen Colbert’s Midnight Confessions by Stephen Colbert
This humorous book is based on the popular recurring segment from The Late Show, where host Stephen Colbert pokes a bit of fun at his real-life Catholic faith by “confessing” his “sins” to his audience, under the pretext that his busy celebrity status prevents him from going to real confession on a regular basis. Of course, these confessions are really jokes for a comedic late night television show. For example, one of my favorites is: “If I'm really honest with myself, I'm never quite ready for some football.” It’s one of my favorite segments on any show, so you can imagine how excited I was to learn there will be a book that collects and illustrates some of Colbert’s favorite confessions as well as confessions submitted by his audience members.  

Rhett & Link’s Book ofMythicality by Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal

I am super excited about this one, you guys. Every morning, I am among the hundreds of thousands of people who tune in on YouTube to watch Good Mythical Morning—a daily talk show made by the “Internetainers” Rhett and Link. Now, these award-winning best friends and comedians are putting out their first book! With the subtitle “A Field Guide to Curiosity, Creativity, and Tomfoolery,” you know you’re in for a good time.