Can’t Wait to Read!

Thank you to writing team Katharine and Elizabeth Corr for gathering this week’s Can’t Wait To Read. The Throne of Swans, the first book in the Corrs’ new YA duology, will be released in January in the UK. If you’re a writer interested in curating an upcoming list, email Spine Authors Editor Susanna Baird, susanna@spinemagazine.co.

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So many books, so little time … . Neither of us maintain TBR piles as such. They take up too much space, and inspire far too much guilt. But we both read widely and try to keep an eye out for new books from writers we love or for anything that sounds intriguing. Here are a few of our top picks for Autumn 2019.

Wayward Son (Simon Snow Series) by Rainbow Rowell

Wednesday Books, September 24. We both ADORE Carry On, Rowell’s YA fantasy inspired by Harry Potter and by the fan fiction she describes in another of her books, Fangirl. Wayward Son is the long-anticipated sequel to Carry On, and a must-read for any fellow SnowBaz shippers out there.

Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland 

Basic Books, October 29. A broad-based review of the impact of Christianity on the development of Western thought and culture, that claims (according to the blurb) to offer an insight into our understanding of humanity. We’ve found Holland’s other history books very entertaining (he writes more like a novelist than an academic historian, perhaps), so we’re looking forward to seeing how he handles such a huge and interesting topic.

The Frozen Sea by Piers Torday 

Quercus Children’s Books, September 5. This is a sequel to The Lost Magician, Torday’s tribute to the Narnia books. The Frozen Sea picks up the story 40 years later and follows the daughter of one of the characters in the first book as she is summoned to the enchanted world of Folio. We’ve always loved the Narnia stories, and we love Torday’s writing too, so we’re doubly excited for this.

Chinglish by Sue Cheung

Andersen Press, September 5. We heard Sue Cheng interviewed on the radio recently; this book is based on her own experiences of growing up above a Chinese takeaway in the Midlands. It sounds as if it will be a really entertaining read, and we love the fact that it’s illustrated.

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, November 19. The final installment of the magical Folk of the Air series. After the dramatic events at the end of The Wicked King, we can’t wait to find out what happens to Jude and Cardan. Will Jude escape her exile to the mortal world, and will she and Cardan finally figure out their feelings for each other? We need to know!

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood 

Nan A. Talese, September 10. It’s hard to overstate the importance of The Handmaid’s Tale in the current political and social climate. We’re hoping for both answers and a glimmer of hope from The Testaments. 

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