Voting for November reads are now live! As always, I think these are some pretty banger choices… I hope you guys are just as excited as I am! Voting will end on 10/31 and everyone will get two votes, one vote for fantasy and one vote for thriller/horror!

I'm not looking forward to all the ACOTAR fever this week. If you too would rather read a book by a marginalized author than the latest release from an author who has unapologetically used a Black woman's death to promote her work, here are some recommendations!

She Isn't Herself Tonight by Hailey Piper 4.5/5 stars

Put this on your TBR if you enjoy weird girl lit with horror elements. This was my first Hailey Piper, but it definitely won't be the last. I loved the exploration of how we are pushed to become who others want us to be instead of being loved as we are.

Venus Vanishing by Rebecca Birrell 4.5/5 stars

Put this on your TBR if you enjoy sapphic historical fiction. Our main character is an artist who is just trying to live and make art in a society that is increasingly hostile to her (1930s Germany).

Scorpion Deep by CG Drews 4/5 stars

Put this on your TBR if you enjoy gothic coming of age stories and/or stories with asexuality rep. I think this was actually my least favorite CG Drews books, but that's just because so many of their other works were homeruns for me.

First Generation by Meghana Karanjkar 3/5 stars

Put this on your TBR if you enjoy stories about being an outsider. I really enjoyed the first story that featured a character trying to make it home for a family holiday but being forced to keep up with the daily grind as her coworkers don't celebrate that holiday. The other stories weren't as memorable for me.

And a few that I can't wait to get my hands on:

Public Access Afterworld by Jane Schoenbrun

Why this interests me: it seems to be technology horror and also queer.

Savage Lake by Nick Medina

Why this interests me: it features a haunted cabin in the woods.

You're No Better by Andrew Joseph White

Why this interests me: it's an Andrew Joseph White work...that was enough to get me to preorder. This one features the child of a serial killer trying to outlive that legacy.