A few weeks ago I was lucky to attend HCC Frenzy's Fall preview event. What a night, I warmed up some fondue from Chocolat Favorit, which I bought when I was in Montreal, cut up some strawberries and bananas and sat down to enjoy all the details on what books Harper Collins is releasing in the coming months. The event also included appearances by Tiffany D Jackson and Kendare Blake, who's novels I mention below.

This list includes a few that piqued my interest from that night as well as a few others that have managed to land on my TBR for Fall.

Under the Whispering Door By: TJ Klune - September 21, 2021

When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead.

Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mountains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop's owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over.

But Wallace isn't ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo's help he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life.

When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days.

Ok, So I've read this one - review here - But I had to add it to the list because I'm 100% going to buy a physical copy of this book.

Once Upon a Broken Heart By: Stephanie Garber - September 28, 2021

Evangeline Fox was raised in her beloved father’s curiosity shop, where she grew up on legends about immortals, like the tragic Prince of Hearts. She knows his powers are mythic, his kiss is worth dying for, and that bargains with him rarely end well.

But when Evangeline learns that the love of her life is about to marry another, she becomes desperate enough to offer the Prince of Hearts whatever he wants in exchange for his help to stop the wedding. The prince only asks for three kisses. But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’s pledged. And he has plans for Evangeline that will either end in the greatest happily ever after, or the most exquisite tragedy…

A spin-off from the Caraval series, I can't wait to get my hands on. As a fan of Caraval, I thoroughly enjoyed this magical world Stephanie Garber created and can't wait to return.

The Colour of Dragons By: R.A. Salvatore & Erika Lewis - October 19, 2021

Magic needs a spark.

And Maggie’s powers are especially fickle. With no one to help her learn to control her magic, the life debt that she owes stretches eternally over her head, with no way to repay it.

Until she meets Griffin, the king’s champion infamous for hunting down the draignochs that plague their kingdom.

Neither has any idea of the destiny that they both carry, or that their meeting will set off a chain of events that will alter every aspect of the life they know—and all of history thereafter.

This is a debut for Erika Lewis and a foray into YA for legendary fantasy author R.A Salvatore. I'm so excited to have received this as an e-arc from Harper Collins and I'll be digging into it very shortly.

The Keeper of the Night By: Kylie Lee Baker - October 12, 2021

Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. Expected to obey the harsh hierarchy of the Reapers who despise her, Ren conceals her emotions and avoids her tormentors as best she can.

When her failure to control her Shinigami abilities drives Ren out of London, she flees to Japan to seek the acceptance she’s never gotten from her fellow Reapers. Accompanied by her younger brother, the only being on earth to care for her, Ren enters the Japanese underworld to serve the Goddess of Death… only to learn that here, too, she must prove herself worthy. Determined to earn respect, Ren accepts an impossible task—find and eliminate three dangerous Yokai demons—and learns how far she’ll go to claim her place at Death’s side.

Goddess of Death, Japanese Underworld, thats all I needed to be sold on this book. I also received this as an e-arc from Harper Collins and am looking forward to reading it soon!

White Smoke By: Tiffany D Jackson - September 14, 2021

Marigold is running from ghosts. The phantoms of her old life keep haunting her, but a move with her newly blended family from their small California beach town to the embattled Midwestern city of Cedarville might be the fresh start she needs. Her mom has accepted a new job with the Sterling Foundation that comes with a free house, one that Mari now has to share with her bratty ten-year-old stepsister, Piper.

The renovated picture-perfect home on Maple Street, sitting between dilapidated houses, surrounded by wary neighbours has its . . . secrets. That’s only half the problem: household items vanish, doors open on their own, lights turn off, shadows walk past rooms, voices can be heard in the walls, and there’s a foul smell seeping through the vents only Mari seems to notice. Worse: Piper keeps talking about a friend who wants Mari gone.

But “running from ghosts” is just a metaphor, right?

As the house closes in, Mari learns that the danger isn’t limited to Maple Street. Cedarville has its secrets, too. And secrets always find their way through the cracks.

Perfectly spooky, this book comes right in time for Halloween.

All These Bodies By: Kendare Blake - September 21, 2021

Summer 1958—a string of murders plagues the Midwest. The victims are found in their cars and in their homes—even in their beds—their bodies drained, but with no blood anywhere.

September 19- the Carlson family is slaughtered in their Minnesota farmhouse, and the case gets its first lead: 15-year-old Marie Catherine Hale is found at the scene. She is covered in blood from head to toe, and at first she’s mistaken for a survivor. But not a drop of the blood is hers.

Michael Jensen, son of the local sheriff, yearns to become a journalist and escape his small-town. He never imagined that the biggest story in the country would fall into his lap, or that he would be pulled into the investigation, when Marie decides that he is the only one she will confess to.

As Marie recounts her version of the story, it falls to Michael to find the truth: What really happened the night that the Carlsons were killed? And how did one girl wind up in the middle of all these bodies?

A thriller that gives me a whole bunch of fall vibes. This isn't a genre I typically gravitate towards but when I heard Kendare speaking about it, and about how we have a girl who's immediately presumed to be lying I was intrigued.

Here's to Us By: Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera - December 28, 2021

Ben has spent his first year of college working on his fantasy manuscript with his writing partner Mario, who is a great Spanish tutor, and an even better kisser. So why can’t he stop thinking about the fact that Arthur’s back in town two years after they called it quits?

Arthur is in New York for a dream internship on Broadway, with a boyfriend back at home that he couldn't be happier with. But when he comes upon Ben cuddled up with a mystery boy, he starts to wonder if his feelings for Ben ever truly went away.

Even as the boys try to focus on their futures, they can't seem to help running into each other in the present. Is the universe forcing them to question if they’re actually meant to be?

Possibly not. After all, things didn’t work the first time around.

Possibly yes. After all, the sparks are still flying.

Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and raise a glass.

Here’s to celebrating old friends!

Here’s to embracing new beginnings!

Here’s to believing in second chances!

Ok, so I read Here's to Us and I'll admit I didn't love it. I think it's because I thought Arthur was SUPER immature. And yes I get it, they were in high school and immaturity is to be expected but I definitely struggled through it at times. So why did I include this? Well at this point I'm invested and I still want to know what happens. Also I really loved Ben and I want Arthur to have grown up since we last hung out.

Did you see any that you're going to pick up? Did I miss a gem? Please share!

I'll be sharing my reviews on here over the next few weeks, until then, happy reading friends!