New Releases – October 19, 2021

When your birthday falls on a Tuesday (AKA, New Release Day) like mine (Aimee’s) does today, it’s like getting a ton of gifts from the book universe. Take a look at what special surprises came to The Haunted Book Shop this week!

Local Author Release!

We are so excited for local author Gabriella Saab’s debut novel The Last Checkmate! If you binged The Queen’s Gambit earlier this year, you will love this book! Maria, a young Polish resistance worker imprisoned in Auschwitz during World War II, plays chess matches to spare her life. In doing so, she fights to bring the man who destroyed her family to justice. Gabriella was so gracious to provide The Haunted Book Shop with signed copies of The Last Checkmate, so be sure to come by (or order) a copy!

Fiction

When you work in a shop with a name like The Haunted Book Shop, it’s no surprise that people come in wanting spooky, haunting ghost stories. The Wrong Turning: Encounters with Ghosts is sure to fit that bill! Edited by Stephen Johnson, this collection includes stories of ghostly encounters spanning world literature, from Europe to Russia, from the United States to China. Enjoy old favorites and discover new scary stories in this collection!

Fans of C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe will find familiar characters and questions in Patti Callahan’s Once Upon a Wardrobe. Megs Devonshire is driven to solve the great mysteries of physics, with her talents with numbers and equations taking her all the way to Oxford on a scholarship. But with her beloved younger brother George facing a terminal illness, Megs finds herself seeking answers for George that defy logic – namely, where Narnia, the land from George’s favorite book, came from. Follow along as Megs searches for answers and hope in this story about sibling bonds and family love.

Horror

A creepy story of a haunted house and steeped in Japanese folklore, Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw is a spine-tingling adventure that will stay with you long after the book ends. A bride-to-be has always dreamed of getting married in a haunted house and jumps at the chance to spend a weekend with friends in an abandoned Heian mansion rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a woman whose fiancé died before they could marry. The woman buried herself alive and forces a girl to be buried with her every year to keep her company. As the weekend devolves from fun and games into something more sinister, it seems that there might be more to the story than just rumors. Readers are sure to squirm at this lyrical, twisting story of grief, relationships, and the consequences of our actions.

Romance

Jen DeLuca’s Well Matched find soon-to-be empty nester (and single mom) April Parker looking to move on from her little town. She calls on old friend Mitch Malone to help her get the house ready to sell. Mitch agrees – as long as April will go with him to a family dinner and pretend to be his girlfriend. After dinner turns into a weekend, the plan goes off without a hitch and the two return to real life. But when April volunteers at the local Ren Faire (where Mitch is known for his kilt and toned abs) and runs into Mitch’s family, the game is on again. But could there actually be something here? You’ll have to pick up a copy and find out!

Science Fiction

Now available in paperback, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini finds main character Kira on a routine space mission to an uncolonized planet. When she discovers an alien relic she is initially excited, but excitement soon turns to fear as the ancient dust around her begins to move. Soon war breaks out among the stars and Kira must grapple with her own horrors as Earth and its colonies face annihilation.

Manga

It’s near impossible to defeat a mighty hero who won’t stay dead, as Monster Guild: The Dark Lord’s (No-Good) Comeback Vol. 1 shows us. The Dark Lord is stuck in a loop where he battles a good guy who won’t stay dead, and he finally loses the fight and meets his own end…or so it would seem. The Dark Lord actually saved himself by putting his soul into an empty vessel, and now he’s about to stage his own comeback. Weak but determined, he recruits his newfound fellowship of misfits—a slime, an orc, an ifrit, and a dark elf— to help him rebuild his evil empire, one bumbling step at a time.

Young Adult

I think I’ll let The Haunted Book Shop’s Candice introduce Lauren Blackwood’s Within These Wicked Walls: “I had immediate grabby hands for this debut when I learned it combined Jane Eyre gothic chills with Ethiopian Evil Eye folklore.” Andromeda was trained as as a debtera — an exorcist who cleanses houses of evil spirits — though her mentor refuses to license her officially. When the handsome young heir Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, she jumps at the chance. But the house, and Magnus, are hiding secrets far beyond what Andromeda ever imagined. Beginning to fall in love with Magnus, Andromeda knows that staying means risking death. But leaving doesn’t feel like an option either. See what happens in this engrossing fantasy retelling of a classic story!

Kids

Caela Carter’s Fifty-Four Things Wrong with Gwendolyn Rogers is a young girl named – what else- Gwendolyn Rogers. Gwendolyn has a lot of problems but no one seems to be able to get to the bottom of them. But Gwendolyn knows there is not just one problem, but 54 problems, according to a confidential school report she found while snooping. If she wants to go to horse camp with her half-brother Tyler, Gwendolyn must figure out how get these 54 problems under control. Follow along as Gwendolyn finds her way in this personal story of patience, support, and determination in finding a diagnosis for developmental issues that oftentimes get ignored.

The latest entry in the popular Who Would Win? series, Ultimate Reptile Rumble pits sixteen different reptiles against each other in one epic fight! Readers will learn about each reptile’s anatomy, behavior and more through photos, illustrations, and facts. You’ll be excited to see who comes out on top!

Join Phoebe on her latest adventure in Unicorn Playlist: Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure! Best friends Phoebe and Marigold march to their own beat, but it isn’t all rainbows and unicorns for the pair. With drama at school and the other problems of the world, Phoebe doesn’t understand why unicorns can’t be in charge of the world instead of people. But Marigold brings magic to every day, introducing Phoebe to unicorn magic, crashing a goblin party, and finding long-lost family members like Infernus, the (surprisingly adorable) Unicorn of Death. Come along with this dynamic duo as they play all the hits!

Non-Fiction

In 2013, film and culture critic Zeba Blay was one of the first people to coin the viral term #carefreeblackgirls on Twitter. As she says, it was “a way to carve out a space of celebration and freedom for Black women online.” In Carefree Black Girls: A Celebration of Black Women in Popular Culture, Blay expands on this idea through a series of essays that examine “the work and lasting achievements of influential Black women in American culture–writers, artists, actresses, dancers, hip-hop stars–whose contributions often come in the face of bigotry, misogyny, and stereotypes.”

Humor

I don’t think I could introduce Megan Lynn Kott’s Pawmistry: Unlocking the Secrets of the Universe with Cats better than this: It is a “tongue-in-cheek guide to the feline oracle and the supernatural signs your cat may leave behind…this playful and informative book offers instruction in a number of types of divination to practice with your cat, where messages and portents may be delivered by scattered cat toys, particular tail positions, and sleeping on your face.” Intrigued? Wondering what messages your cat might be trying to tell you? Better pick up a copy today!

Fun & Games

Austen fans will enjoy playing their favorite card games with these Jane Austen Playing Cards! Featuring gorgeous illustrations of all your favorite characters, the traditional four suits are themed on character traits, with hearts for Heroes and Heroines (like Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy) and spades for Fools and Bores. The pack also includes instructions for playing some of the card games featured in Austen’s novels!

Mind & Body

Discover how to use the moon as a cosmic timer with Moonology Manifestations, a magical 48-card oracle from bestselling Moonologer Yasmin Boland. Featuring beautiful cosmic collage imagery, each card explains what you’re bringing into your life, and how and when to supercharge your manifesting powers to achieve what you most desire. 

Visit our website for information on these titles and more! And don’t forget – if we don’t have a book in stock we are more than happy to order it for you, or you can visit our Bookshop page!

We hope to see you soon!

New Releases – September 28, 2021

It’s a Tuesday New Releases Round-Up coming to you on a Wednesday! Check out what we have coming to The Haunted Book Shop this week!

Kids

When Beatryce appears at the Order of the Chronicles of Sorrow monastery barn, Gentle Brother Edik nurses her back to health and uncovers her secret – she is the girl full of stories that the king wishes dead. As Beatryce ventures into the forest in search of the king’s castle, she knows that she has the support of others should something happen to her. The Beatryce Prophecy is a lyrical tale by Kate DiCamillo with gorgeous illustrations by Sophie Blackall that explores themes of love, fate, and the power of words.

Perfect for budding chefs and scientists alike, The Complete Cookbook for Young Scientists from America’s Test Kitchen combines recipes for skillet pizza, galactic mirror cake, and more with scientific inquiry. Like, why do some cheeses melt better than others? Read the book to find out, and make some delicious treats along the way!

Garlic feels like she can’t do anything right. All she wants to do is tend to her own little garden, where everything is nice and safe. But when her little village is faced with a new neighborhood vampire, the citizens deem Garlic the right choice to confront him. In this delightful debut graphic novel from Bree Paulsen, Garlic & the Vampire gives readers a precocious heroine to root for who shows us to believe in ourselves – and that people aren’t always as scary as they seem!

The latest book in John Patrick Green’s InvestiGators series, Ants in Our P.A.N.T.S. finds Mango and Brash trying to solve their latest mystery! With Brash in a mysterious coma, the technicians at S.U.I.T. have developed RoboBrash – he has hall the crime-fighting know-how as the original Brash, but has a few bugs to work out of his system. Can he team up with Mango to fight the giant ants overtaking the city? Readers will enjoy finding out!

The People Remember is the debut picture book from bestselling author Ibi Zoboi! With beautiful illustrations by Loveis Wise, Zoboi uses the seven principles of Kwanzaa to talk about the history of African Americans. Young readers enjoy learning something new on each reading of this “lyrical narrative that tells the story of survival as well as the many moments of joy, celebration, and innovation of Black people in America.”

After his father is taken away in the dead of night by three horsemen, twelve-year-old Silas is left scared and alone. Well, not really alone, as he still has his loyal companion ghost, Mittenwool. When a pony mysteriously shows up at his door, Silas decides to embark on a dangerous journey to find his father, an adventure that will force him to face his past and his fears. Pony by R.J. Palacio is a story of courage wrapped up in daring action!

Sparkleton #5: The Haunted Woods by Calliope Glass finds Sparkleton having to pass a wilderness skills test in order to go on the big class camping trip – but he’s too distracted to study! When he learns he can get wish-granting magic by spending a night in the haunted woods, Sparkleton thinks he has found the perfect solution. But how will he fare among the ghosts, glowing rocks, and the spooky Whirlwind Unicorn?! Young readers will enjoy going with Sparkleton on his latest adventure!

What Does the Constitution Say? A Kid’s Guide to How Our Democracy Works features fun facts, cool illustrations, and even the occasional joke to introduce young readers to the Constitution! Writer Ben Sheehan and illustrator Mary Kate McDevitt introduce the big concepts and “fancy words” in the Constitution through “bite-sized” information, historic quotes, and graphics. Curious kids and even adults will enjoy this look at American history!

Young Adult

Fantasy

The first book in a planned trilogy, Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray introduces readers to Koffi and Ekon, two Black teenagers living in the broken city of Lkossa. Koffi, indentured to the notorious Night Zoo where she cares for mysterious creatures, holds a power that she does not understand, a power that upends her life when unleashed. Ekon is destined to become an elite warrior and uphold his family legacy. But when he faces the Shetani, a monster that stalks the city, he meets Koffi, whose powers seem to keep the beast at bay. Koffi saves his life, but the fact that Ekon let her go means he won’t become a warrior. As the two team up to enter the Greater Jungle, one for revenge, one for answers, they begin to wonder if they are the hunters – or the hunted.

Violeta and her younger brother Arien expect to find a monster when they arrive at the haunted Lakesedge estate, thanks to the terrifying rumors that inhabitant Rowan Sylvanan drowned his entire family as a boy. But Violeta learns not all is as it seems and Rowan is bound to the Lord Under, a death god lurking in the black waters of the lake. As Violeta tries to save Rowan – and herself – she realizes she must decipher the mystery of the Lord Under. The Haunted Book Shop’s Candice described Lakesedge, the debut fantasy from Lyndall Clipstone, as a “lush, atmospheric Gothic novel” with “gorgeous prose.”

Sci-Fi

Steelstriker is the exciting conclusion to Marie Lu’s Skyhunter duet! The fall of her homeland has unleashed Talin’s worst nightmares. Faced with ever-daunting challenges, Talin must become a Steelstriker to save everything that matters to her, including Mara, her adopted homeland. Book one just came out a few weeks ago, so it won’t take long to catch up with Talin and her quest before embarking on Steelstriker!

Biography

Anthony Bourdain’s longtime assistant and confidante Laurie Woolever conducted nearly 100 interviews with people in Bourdain’s world for Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography. From his kitchen crews, to his television crews, to his daughter and closest friends, readers will get an in-depth look into the world of Anthony Bourdain, through the words and photos of those who knew him best.

Fiction

Cloud Cukoo Land is the highly-anticipated latest novel from Anthony Doerr, the author of All the Light We Cannot See. Told in three different timelines – 15th century Constantinople, present-day Idaho, and an interstellar ship decades into the future – through the eyes of five different characters, Doerr shows the connections, resilience, and hope that endures between people, places, and time.

Now available in paperback, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke explores a new world by turns enchanting and haunting. Piranesi lives in a house with infinite rooms and endless corridors; he lives to explore the house. There is one other person in the house, The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and helps research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But the more Piranesi explores, the more secrets and terrible truths begin to unravel.

Fantasy

It’s the year 2022 in England and there are 1.2 million human-sized rabbits living in the U.K. in The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde. When a family of rabbits decides to move into the cozy Much Hemlock village, it causes humans and rabbits alike to question everything they previously thought in this blend of satire, fantasy, and thriller.

The Last Graduate is the sequel to Naomi Novik’s A Deadly Education. El, Orion, and their schoolmates are facing their final year at the Scholomance and the deadly graduation ritual that barely half of students survive. El is determined that her group will make it out alive, but a series of obstacles stands in the way. The Haunted Book Shop’s Angela loved seeing how these obstacles forced El to open up more to friendship, love, and embrace her heroism!

Alix E. Harrow weaves together a story of sisterhood, magic, and the suffragette movement in The Once and Future Witches! It’s 1893 and there are no such things as witches; if a woman wants power, she must find it at the ballot box. When the Eastwood sisters – James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna – join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the old tricks that could turn the women’s movement into a witches movement. The sisters will have to rely on one another to survive, drawing new alliances and healing old grievances along the way.

Romance

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling is the perfect rom-com to take you into October! When Vivienne Jones and Rhys Penhallow broke up nine years ago, Vivienne responded as any young witch would: by putting a curse on him. But Vivienne didn’t expect the hex to have the repercussions it did. As Rhys comes back into town for the annual fall festival, he and Vivienne find the town plagued with murderous toys, a talking cat, and an angry ghost. Can Vivienne and Rhys work together to end the curse?

Mystery

From a Halloween rom-com to a Christmas mystery! A Garland of Bones is the latest Sarah Booth mystery from Carolyn Haines. Sarah is ready for Christmas and looking forward to a trip with Tinkie to a B&B in Columbus, Mississippi and take in all the Christmas activities happening around the state. But when one event after another is marred by calamity and injury. Enlisting the help of Tinkie and Sheriff Coleman Peters, Sarah is determined to figure out who is causing all the chaos.

Horror

Legendary horror editor Ellen Datlow brought together some of the leading writers in the genre for When Things Get Dark, an anthology in tribute to a titan of horror, Shirley Jackson. This collection of short stories by writers like Joyce Carol Oates, Paul Trembley, Carmen Maria Machado, and more were inspired by, and in tribute to, Jackson. Fans of Shirley Jackson, not to mention the writers featured here, will surely enjoy this haunting collection!

Manga

Hello World: The Manga introduces Naomi, a shy teenage boy who is visited by a mysterious stranger – himself, ten years into the future. Future Naomi comes with a warning that Ruri, Naomi’s soon-to-be girlfriend, will be in a tragic accident not long after they start dating. As the two try to change the future, Naomi starts to wonder if there is more to this mission than just saving Ruri’s life.

Essays

Allie Brosh is back with Solutions and Other Problems, a follow-up to her hit Hyperbole and a Half. This series of autobiographical and illustrated essays employ Brosh’s trademark humor to tell stories of her childhood, misbehaving animals, and musings on the absurdity of life alongside poignant pieces on grief, loneliness, and powerlessness. Fans new and old alike will enjoy hearing from Brosh again!

Science

Nature

Biologist Thor Hansen describes the amazing ways plants and animals are responding to climate change in Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid: The Fraught and Fascinating Biology of Climate Change. Hanson combines scientific inquiry with clarity to tell the stories of, for instance, Anole lizards growing larger toe pads in order to to grip more tightly in frequent hurricanes, and the changing appearance of Humboldt squids. Readers will enjoy how Hanson’s book demonstrates the hope and resilience of the natural world.

Social Science

In Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know, Malcolm Gladwell explores our interactions with strangers – and why they often go terribly wrong. Using contemporary examples, Gladwell explores history, psychology, and scandal to demonstrate how the strategies we use to make sense of other people actually results in conflict and misunderstanding.

Mind & Body

Rachel Lang’s Modern-Day Magic: 8 Simple Rules to Realize Your Power and Shape Your Life provides exercises, meditations, rituals, and journal prompts to facilitate weaving a magical practice into your busy daily life. The book also acts as a primer to introduce fundamental magic rules and practices to unlock your magical power and reshape your life for the better.

Visit our website for information on these titles and more! And don’t forget – if we don’t have a book in stock we are more than happy to order it for you, or you can visit our Bookshop page!

We hope to see you soon!

New Releases – September 21, 2021

If it’s a Tuesday, it’s New Release Day! Check out what we have coming into The Haunted Book Shop this week!

Young Adult

Contemporary

Lori Palmer is the new kid in school, just trying to survive senior year by blending into the background as best she can in a sea of appearance-obsessed peers. Missing her old school, where her artistic talent was celebrated and valued, she meets Jake, a popular jock helping out at her brother’s school. The meeting propels Lori into this new world, where her relationships with her family evolve and her artwork goes in a challenging new direction. With themes of body positivity, family, acceptance, and self-love, Jo Watson’s Big Boned will get readers thinking as they follow Lori’s adventures.

A novel in verse, When We Make It by Elisabet Velasquez is “a love letter to anyone who was taught to believe that they would not make it.” Sarai is an eighth grader and first-generation Puerto Rican growing up in Brooklyn. Along with her older sister Estrella, she navigates family traumas, toxic masculinity, and housing insecurity in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. While questioning the world around her, Sarai struggles to define and celebrate herself when she has been taught the opposite. Readers will enjoy seeing Sarai’s story unfold.

Fantasy

Now available in paperback, The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix follows Susan Arkshaw, a young girl looking for her missing father in a slightly alternate 1983 London. When Susan meets Merlin, a young left-handed bookseller, she is thrust into a world of magical fighting booksellers who police the mythical Old World as it intrudes upon the modern world.

In She Who Rides the Storm by Caitlin Sangster, four teenagers, each looking for redemption and revenge, attempt to steal a cursed sword rumored to be at the bottom of an ancient shapeshifting king’s tomb. What they find, however, is that some things, including secrets, should stay buried.

Romance

Helena Hunting is back with her latest romance, When Sparks Fly! Avery Spark is living the dream running Spark House, the hotel and event space her family has owned for years. Avery and her sisters have turned it into a premier destination in Colorado Springs; it’s hard work but Avery is happy with work, her friends, and living in her condo with her best friend Declan. But things go awry when Avery is in a car accident that leaves her immobile for weeks. Declan decides he will be her caretaker, and lines long drawn between friendship and romance begin to blur.

Sci-Fi

In the mesmerizing sequel to Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir continues the story of the penumbral Ninth House in Harrow the Ninth. Full of mystery, murder, magic, and mayhem, fans new and old will eagerly turn pages to see how Harrowhark will handle having the universe on her shoulders.

Fantasy

TJ Klune’s latest novel, Under the Whispering Door, introduces Walter, a ghost who refuses to cross into the afterlife. Walter faces further problems when he realizes he is falling in love with the ferryman sent to escort him to the great beyond.

Memoir

Best-selling author Rick Bragg introduces readers to the poorly behaved, half-blind stray dog who changed his life in The Speckled Beauty: A Dog and His People. Speck has been a destructive force since he first showed up on the ridgeline behind Bragg’s house, starved, half-dead, and “seventy-six pounds of wet hair and poor decisions.” But Speck arrived right when Bragg needed it, helping him through uncertainty and health crises. Readers will enjoy this heartwarming story about the bond between a man and his dog.

Kids

Natalie is back in Absolutely Nat, a companion to Maria Scrivan’s bestselling novel Nat Enough! Nat finds herself at summer camp, where nothing is like it was advertised in the brochure. Instead of spending the summer with her BFFs Zoe and Flo, Nat is stuck at camp with ex-BFF Lily and the horrendous Millie Flatbottom. Constantly pushed out of her comfort zone and facing her fears (and dealing with millions of mosquitos), Nat might find that camp might just be the summer she needs.

With lyrical language accompanied by gorgeous illustrations by Loren Long, Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem by presidential inaugural poet and activist Amanda Gorman will show readers that amazing things can happen when we come together and use our voices and talents.

Ginger the Halloween Witch is back in Merry Witchmas by Petrell Marie Ozbay and Tess La Bella! Ginger may be a witch who crafts spells and flies on her broom, but unlike most witches she loves Christmas! Her biggest wish is that Santa will visit her, but Santa doesn’t believe in witches, even ones like Ginger that delight in good deeds and endless cheer. Will Ginger get her wish? Find out in this fun twist on a holiday story!

In Narwhal on a Sunny Night, book #33 in Mary Pope Osborne’s Magic Tree House series, the treehouse takes Jack and Annie to Greenland, where they are tasked with saving a narwhal. Along the way they meet explorer Leif Erikson, who has other ideas aside from helping Jack and Annie.

We get a lot of people into the bookshop asking about tarot cards – if we stock them, books on how to use them, etc. Tarot for Kids, written by Theresa Reed and illustrated by Kailey Whitman, is a kit geared toward middle grade readers ages 8 to 12. With a guidebook and modified deck (the “death” card is “change” here, and “lovers” is “friends”) the kit provides “a resource for advice, decision-making, understanding how to help someone, avoiding drama, creative thinking, and more.”

In Uni and the Perfect Present, Uni is so excited to give Silkie the perfect present – until it gets lost on the way to the party! Can Uni find the gift or is it lost for good? Can she find a different gift? Featuring basic vocabulary and simple sentences perfect for early readers, fans of Uni’s other easy reader books will enjoy seeing how Uni solves the problem in this Level 2 adventure!

The latest book in the popular Who HQ Now series, What is Black Lives Matter? outlines the history of the political and social justice movement known as Black Lives Matter. Readers will learn about the history of the movement that advocates for non-violent civil disobedience and protests against racially-motivated violence against Black people.

Manga

The latest in the Beastars series, Volume 14 continues the story of Beastar horse Yahya, a student at a high school divided into predators and prey. Yahya still holds a vendetta against Komodo dragon Gosha by tormenting his grandson, gray wolf Legoshi. Dwarf rabbit Haru is in college where she finds another herbivore dating a carnivore. Fans of the series will enjoy seeing how the latest adventures play out in this story by Paru Itagaki!

Hobbies

The highly-anticipated follow-up to The Antiquarian Sticker Book, The Antiquarian Sticker Book: Bibliophilia features thousands of gorgeous stickers for anyone who loves the beauty of nature, books, or both! Decorate your journal, stationary, or collage with quotes from your favorite novels. Have fun getting the creative juices flowing!

Visit our website for information on these titles and more! And don’t forget – if we don’t have a book in stock we are more than happy to order it for you, or you can visit our Bookshop page!

We hope to see you soon!