Notes from the Shelf

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Hello everyone! We’re halfway through September, which means it’s time for my predictions for the Book of the Month October selections!

For those who don’t know, Book of the Month (BOTM) is a monthly subscription service offering brand-new hardback books, often including early releases. You can pick a book each month or skip, with a base price of $15.99 plus taxes. (Mine ends up being $18.39 with Illinois taxes. I pay for my Book of the Month subscription out of pocket and this is not a sponsored post.) You can also add up to two books for $11.99 each. Add-ons can be new releases or past selections, if available.

After a year, you achieve BFF status, which allows up to four add-ons each month, a free tote bag, a free birthday book credit, and the annual Book of the Year for free. Book of the Year is where all users can vote for the top book out of the Book of the Month selections. There are finalists as well as one crowned Book of the Year. If you’ve already received the Book of the Year, you can opt for a finalist instead.

Book of the Month typically offers 5-7 main picks, including thrillers, romance, contemporary fiction and more. Also, they tend to have repeat authors.

This is not a sponsored post; I pay for my own subscription to Book of the Month.

If you’re interested in a BOTM subscription, consider trying it out through my referral link: https://www.mybotm.com/ro55ozuuzw. Your first box should be discounted with the link, but be aware that you can’t cancel until your second book has been billed at the full rate. Pricing is dependent on your state taxes and is subject to change, so be sure to read the fine print of their site for your actual box pricing.

October Predictions

First, I want to focus on thrillers/mysteries, because it is prime scary time with Halloween rapidly approaching, and I’m hoping they will have a few of these to pick from to get in the mood.

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden is a 368-page psychological thriller, releasing on October 1st. I think it’s a good contender for a main pick as it seems perfect to get into the spooky season. I’m looking forward to reading this one! See the publisher’s description below:

She’s looking for the perfect man. He’s looking for the perfect victim.

Sydney Shaw, like every single woman in New York, has terrible luck with dating. She’s seen it all: men who lie in their dating profile, men who stick her with the dinner bill, and worst of all, men who can’t shut up about their mothers. But finally, she hits the jackpot.

Her new boyfriend is utterly perfect. He’s charming, handsome, and works as a doctor at a local hospital. Sydney is swept off her feet.

Then the brutal murder of a young woman–the latest in a string of deaths across the coast–confounds police. The primary suspect? A mystery man who dates his victims before he kills them.

Sydney should feel safe. After all, she is dating the guy of her dreams. But she can’t shake her own suspicions that the perfect man may not be as perfect as he seems. Because someone is watching her every move, and if she doesn’t get to the truth, she’ll be the killer’s next victim…

The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins is a 320-page thriller, releasing October 29th. I’m not sure if that’s too late for BOTM to pick, but Paula Hawkins would be a repeat author. They had Into the Water (2017), but they haven’t had any of her other books since then. It might be time for her to resurface on BOTM, but I could also see it not happen this month, or maybe it’ll be an add-on option instead. I’m not sure I would pick this one for my box, it doesn’t seem like the type of book I typically go for. See the publisher’s description below:

Welcome to Eris: an island with only one house, one inhabitant, one way out. Unreachable from the Scottish mainland for twelve hours each day.

Once home to Vanessa: A famous artist whose notoriously unfaithful husband disappeared twenty years ago.

Now home to Grace: A solitary creature of the tides, content in her own isolation.

But when a shocking discovery is made in an art gallery far away in London, a visitor comes calling.

And the secrets of Eris threaten to emerge….

A masterful novel that is as page-turning as it is unsettling, The Blue Hour recalls the sophisticated suspense of Shirley Jackson and Patricia Highsmith and cements Hawkins’s place among the very best of our most nuanced and stylish storytellers.

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak is a 352-page thriller, releasing October 8th. Jason Rekulak would also be a repeat author since BOTM had The Impossible Fortress (2017), although that was not a thriller. Even though they skipped his thriller Hidden Pictures, I think this would be a prime pick. If they do offer this book, I’m absolutely picking it. See the publisher’s description below:

Frank Szatowski is shocked when his daughter, Maggie, calls him for the first time in three years. He was convinced that their estrangement would become permanent. He’s even more surprised when she invites him to her upcoming wedding in New Hampshire. Frank is ecstatic, and determined to finally make things right.

He arrives to find that the wedding is at a private estate–very secluded, very luxurious, very much out of his league. It seems that Maggie failed to mention that she’s marrying Aidan Gardner, the son of a famous tech billionaire. Feeling desperately out of place, Frank focuses on reconnecting with Maggie and getting to know her new family. But it’s difficult: Aidan is withdrawn and evasive; Maggie doesn’t seem to have time for him; and he finds that the locals are disturbingly hostile to the Gardners. Frank needs to know more about this family his daughter is marrying into, but if he pushes too hard, he could lose Maggie forever.

An edge-of-your-seat thriller that delves deep into the heart of one family, The Last One at the Wedding is a work of brilliant suspense from a true modern master.

A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke is a 336-page mystery, releasing on October 29th, which again I’m not sure if that’s too late in the month for BOTM to pick it. It does seem like a prime pick for October though, with it being a mystery with a ghost character. I think the premise of the story seems really fun, but I’m not sure it pulls me in enough to include it in my BOTM box if it were offered. See the publisher’s description below:

Death is only the beginning in Olivia Blacke’s A New Lease on Death, a darkly funny supernatural mystery that introduces an unlikely crime-solving duo.

Ruby Young’s new Boston apartment comes with all the usual perks. Windows facing the brick wall of the next-door building. Heat that barely works. A malfunctioning buzzer. Noisy neighbors. A dead body on the sidewalk outside. And of course, a ghost.

Since Cordelia Graves died in her apartment a few months ago, she’s kept up her residency, despite being bored out of her (non-tangible) skull and frustrated by her new roommate. When her across-the-hall neighbor, Jake Macintyre, is shot and killed in an apparent mugging gone wrong outside their building, Cordelia is convinced there’s more to it and is determined to bring his killer to justice.

Unfortunately, Cordelia, being dead herself, can’t solve the mystery alone. She has to enlist the help of the obnoxiously perky, living tenant of her apartment. Ruby is twenty, annoying, and has never met a houseplant she couldn’t kill. But she also can do everything Cordelia can’t, from interviewing suspects to researching Jake on the library computers that go up in a puff of smoke if Cordelia gets too close. As the roommates form an unlikely friendship and get closer to the truth about Jake’s death, they also start to uncover other dangerous secrets.

That’s it for the thriller/mystery predictions. I don’t think they will only have just thriller/mystery as the options, even though it is October and ideally, for me, that would be the case.

Below are six other books of various genres coming out in October that I think has some promise of being a main pick or an add-on.

The Puzzle Box by Danielle Trussoni is a 336-page historical fiction, although it is also categorized as an adventure/thriller. This book releases on October 8th. To me, this seems like a good pick as it is still somewhat of a thriller, and they haven’t done many books set in Japan, so I’m looking forward to picking this one if they do have it. See the publisher’s description below:

It is the Year of the Wood Dragon, and the ingenious Mike Brink has been invited to Tokyo, Japan, to open the legendary Dragon Box.

The box was constructed during one of Japan’s most tumultuous periods, when the samurai class was disbanded and the shogun lost power. In this moment of crisis, Emperor Meiji locked a priceless Imperial secret in the Dragon Box. Only two people knew how to open the box—Meiji and the box’s sadistic constructor—and both died without telling a soul what was inside or how to open it.

Every twelve years since then, in the Year of the Dragon, the Imperial family holds a clandestine contest to open the box. It is devilishly difficult, filled with tricks, booby traps, poisons, and mind-bending twists. Every puzzle master who has attempted to open it has died in the process.

But Brink is not just any puzzle master. He may be the only person alive who can crack it. His determination is matched only by that of two sisters, descendants of an illustrious samurai clan, who will stop at nothing to claim the treasure.

Brink’s quest launches him on a breakneck adventure across Japan, from the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to the pristine forests of Hakone to an ancient cave in Kyushu. In the process, he discovers the power of Meiji’s hidden treasure, and—more crucially—the true nature of his extraordinary talent.

It is the Year of the Wood Dragon, and the ingenious Mike Brink has been invited to Tokyo, Japan, to open the legendary Dragon Box.

The box was constructed during one of Japan’s most tumultuous periods, when the samurai class was disbanded and the shogun lost power. In this moment of crisis, Emperor Meiji locked a priceless Imperial secret in the Dragon Box. Only two people knew how to open the box—Meiji and the box’s sadistic constructor—and both died without telling a soul what was inside or how to open it.

Every twelve years since then, in the Year of the Dragon, the Imperial family holds a clandestine contest to open the box. It is devilishly difficult, filled with tricks, booby traps, poisons, and mind-bending twists. Every puzzle master who has attempted to open it has died in the process.

But Brink is not just any puzzle master. He may be the only person alive who can crack it. His determination is matched only by that of two sisters, descendants of an illustrious samurai clan, who will stop at nothing to claim the treasure.

Brink’s quest launches him on a breakneck adventure across Japan, from the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to the pristine forests of Hakone to an ancient cave in Kyushu. In the process, he discovers the power of Meiji’s hidden treasure, and—more crucially—the true nature of his extraordinary talent.

Run by Blake Crouch is a 336-page sci-fi book, releasing on October 22nd. Blake Crouch is a repeat author since BOTM has had Dark Matter (2016), Recursion (2019), and Upgrade (2022). I think it’s a good chance they’ll have this one. I’ve read Dark Matter and Recursion, so I maybe would also get this one if they offer it, but it depends what other selections there are. See the publisher’s description below:

No time to think. No time to ask why. Only time to run.

Five days ago, the epidemic of rage began.

Four days ago, the rash of senseless murders swept the nation.

Three days ago, the president addressed the country and begged for peace—even as the murders increased tenfold.

Two days ago, the killers began to mobilize.

One day ago, the power went out.

And tonight, the killers are reading the names of those to be killed over the Emergency Broadcast System.

Jack Colclough is listening over the battery-powered radio on his kitchen table in Albuquerque, and he just heard his name. People are coming to his house to kill him, his wife, his daughter, and his son.

He has no idea what’s happening, or why, but the time for questions is long past.

His only chance is to run.

Following an ordinary family on a desperate race through an America that’s destroying itself, Run is a terrifying, brutally stripped-down thriller from master storyteller Blake Crouch.

The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana R. Chambers is a 400-page historical fiction, releasing on October 22nd. For some reason, I’m leaning toward BOTM having this as an option. I could see it being fairly popular, and I would definitely give it a read, but I’m not sure I feel the need to own a copy. See the publisher’s description below:

Before she mastered the art of French cooking in midlife, Julia Child found herself working in the secrets trade in Asia during World War II, a journey that will delight both historical fiction fans and lovers of America’s most beloved chef, revealing how the war made her into the icon we know now.

Single, 6 foot 2, and thirty years old, Julia McWilliams took a job working for America’s first espionage agency, years before cooking or Paris entered the picture. The Secret War of Julia Child traces Julia’s transformation from ambitious Pasadena blue blood to Washington, DC file clerk, to head of General “Wild Bill” Donovan’s secret File Registry as part of the Office of Strategic Services.

The wartime journey takes her to the Far East, to Asia’s remote frontlines of then-Ceylon, India, and China, where she finds purpose, adventure, self-knowledge – and love with mapmaker Paul Child. The spotlight has rarely shone on this fascinating period of time in the life of (“I’m not a spy”) Julia Child, and this lyrical story allows us to explore the unlikely world of a woman in World War II spy station who has no idea of the impact she’ll eventually impart.

Perfect Fit by Clare Gilmore is a 352-page romance, releasing on October 29th. Perhaps it’s too late in the month to be included, but I feel like BOTM will have some type of romance so putting this one and the one below as my predictions. This book does sound like a cute story, but I don’t think I would pick it for my box if it is an option. I enjoy reading romance, but I don’t often feel the need to own it. I prefer to borrow romances from the library or friends. See the publisher’s description below:

A hilarious and heartfelt rom-com about having it all, slowing down to see the big picture, and finding out that the person you least expect could be your perfect fit.

Josephine Davis has spent her entire twenties building Revenant: a fashion brand headquartered in downtown Austin. When her biggest investor orders Josie to hire a consultant, the last person she expects to be working with is Will Grant – the twin brother of Josie’s ex best friend.

Sure, Will and Josie may have shared one mistake of a kiss during senior spring break nine years ago, but they’ve never been friends. She remembers him as moody; he always thought of her as shallow. Romance isn’t on the table for either of them until they blink, and realize there’s a reason they can’t stay away from each other.

But there’s Will’s sister to consider – whom Josie hasn’t spoken with since their falling out – not to mention, Will and Josie live seventeen hundred miles apart. And it’s not like she has time for a boyfriend anyway when she’s an overworked CEO. As Josie’s burnout looms while she falls deeper and harder for Will, she contends with the fact that eventually, she’ll have to make a choice: stay alone to be productive, or slow down to be in love.

Because Fat Girl by Lauren Marie Fleming is a 352-page romance, releasing October 22nd. It seems like a fun read, but again not sure I would include it in my box. See the publisher’s description below:

Hollywood isn’t nice to women like Diana Smith, but that hasn’t stopped her from being unabashedly queer, plus-sized, and determined to make award-winning movies that showcase the diversity of her community. She was so close to her goal, appearing at festivals and gaining attention for her short films, when grief came and shattered Diana’s directorial dreams.

Forced to move to the suburbs with her sister, the closest thing Diana gets to the movies these days is dressing the stars of them at her high-end department store job. Until one day, she gets a pity invite to a gala full of Hollywood’s most elite, where she unwittingly attracts the attention of a famous action star.

The unexpected pairing shocks their friends–and the tabloids–forcing Diana to choose between the status quo and the silver screen. For the first time in her life, doors open for Diana and the possibilities seem endless. The chance to create unforgettable films. To shake up the industry. To inspire everyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t belong.

But fame always comes with a cost…and to get her Hollywood ending, Diana’s going to have to go completely off-script.

How Does that Make You Feel, Magda Eklund? By Anna Montague is a 256-page contemporary fiction with LGBTQ+ themes, releasing on October 22nd. This sounds like a book I would enjoy immensely, but I wouldn’t necessarily pick it for my BOTM box if they offer it, depending on the other selections. However, I’m definitely adding it to my TBR. See the publisher’s description below:

For fans of Less and Remarkably Bright Creatures comes a funny and moving novel about love, loss, and new beginnings found on an unlikely road trip.

Most days, Magda is fine. She has her routines. She has her anxious therapy patients, who depend on her to cure their bad habits. She has her longtime colleagues, whose playful bickering she mediates. She’s mourning the recent loss of her best friend, Sara, but has brokered a tentative truce with Sara’s prickly widower as she helps him sort through the last of Sara’s possessions. She’s fine.

But in going through Sara’s old journal, Magda discovers her friend’s last plans for a road trip they would take together in celebration of Magda’s upcoming seventieth birthday. So, with Sara’s urn in tow, Magda decides to hit the road, crossing the country and encountering a cast of memorable characters—including her sister, from whom she’s been keeping secrets. Along the way she stumbles upon a jazz funeral in New Orleans and a hilarious women’s retreat meant to “unleash one’s divine feminine energy” in Texas, and meets a woman who challenges her conceptions of herself—and the hidden truths about her friendship with Sara.

As the trip shakes up her careful routines, Magda finally faces longings she locked away years ago and confronts questions about her sexuality and identity she thought she had long put to rest. And as she soon learns, it’s never too late to start your next journey.

Those are my predictions for October. What books do you think BOTM will have, did you add any of these books mentioned to your TBR, and what books are you excited to read in October?