Culture
New Releases and More for October 7, 2025
In this episode of 'All the Books,' hosts Liberty Hardy and Danica Ellis dive into the latest book releases for October 7, 2025, featuring a mix of gothic novels and sci-fi adventures. They ...
New Releases and More for October 7, 2025
Culture •
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Interactive Transcript
Speaker A
Have you ever had the urge to sneak behind the cordoned off areas of a museum or roam the halls after closing time? The Smithsonian's flagship podcast, Side Door, will sneak you behind the scenes of the world's largest museum and research complex. Come learn about the ghosts that supposedly walk the museum halls after dark. How a train robbery gave rise to criminal forensics, why leeches are actually the coolest thing ever, and how to get away with murder in the Arctic.
Speaker B
Why?
Speaker A
Maybe you'll discover stories of history, science, art and culture you won't find in a display case. You can listen to Side Door wherever you get your podcasts or find us online at si Edu Sidedoor.
Speaker C
You're listening to all the Books, a weekly show of recommendations and enthusiasm regarding the week's new book releases. Today we are talking about books being released on October 7, 2025 and more. I'm Liberty Hardy here with Danica Ellis and we're coming to you from bookriot.com Danica, hello. Hello.
Speaker B
How are you?
Speaker C
You know, I'm okay.
Speaker B
I feel like, I feel like it just in very appropriate for this episode. I feel like it just became properly fall today here. It's very cold this morning. It's been nice and warm basically all of September. So, yeah, now we're properly into the season. I have a question for you because I know you read creepy things all year long. Do you have specific things you read in October or is it just like any other month?
Speaker C
It's just like any other month.
Speaker B
Yeah.
Speaker C
Yeah. But there's a lot more to choose from. But I have discovered that since I've started listening to audiobooks all the time, you know, I read horror and I enjoy it and sometimes I know it's good if like, I'm like, oh, I'm not going to read that tonight. I'm going to wait until the day tomorrow, you know, when it's light out. But I have learned that I am not as much of a fan as people reading scary things to me as I am reading them myself. I mean, it's fun. I like it. But I'm like, stop talking.
Speaker B
I know it can get really, really. But it's fine.
Speaker C
Yeah, no, it's like it's the same year round for me.
Speaker B
Yeah.
Speaker C
Just more to choose from.
Speaker B
Yeah. I am not usually. Well, I historically have not been a big horror reader. I feel like that has been changing over the years. I feel like I am like against my will becoming more horror fan. But usually I have only read horror in October. So I'll save all of. Especially the queer horror books. I'll save them up. And then I end up with literally 60 books out from the library. Just frantically generate as many as I can, which is very fun. I love a seasonal reading.
Speaker C
Yeah. Well, good. So I'm trying to think. I don't. I mean, I have a little bit of a scary one that I've read today and then I have three books that I haven't read yet because as I was explaining to you before we started, there were all kinds of mix up date changes and then I started reading another one and it turns out that someone else is going to talk about it and it's. I was just like, okay. So it's all good though, you know, as long as we get the word out about books. That's all I care about.
Speaker B
I have three gothics to talk about. Three gothic novels.
Speaker C
Probably because I stole the other one that I bet you would have talked about.
Speaker B
Yeah.
Speaker C
Maybe I didn't steal it, but I mean, I was like, oh, I'm gonna talk about this. So. Yeah. Well, it's the perfect time of year, you know.
Speaker B
Right.
Speaker C
But unlike you, we had a very cool August and September and right now it's 82 degrees outside.
Speaker B
Oh.
Speaker C
After having been in the 60s for the last several days. It was 80 this weekend. And now today we're recording this on a Monday.
Speaker B
Interesting. Yeah. I don't know what's happened. Yeah, I have noticed, I think there's a lot of gothic novels this year. Have we talked about this?
Speaker C
I don't think so.
Speaker B
There are so many new gothic books out this year. Yeah. And a lot of them are queer, which is awesome for me. But. Yeah, I was gonna say, I don't know why, but probably just the world lends itself.
Speaker C
Well, I think, you know, sometimes like major cultural things drive.
Speaker B
Yeah.
Speaker C
Other media, like. But like, of course now you're like behind. But I mean, the Haunting of Hill House was huge on Netflix. I haven't watched it, but, you know, I know that it was huge. It's a big gothic thing. I'm assuming if they're sticking with the original. So maybe, like it's success. You know, people are like, yeah, okay.
Speaker B
I can't remember when that came out.
Speaker C
But it's been a few years.
Speaker B
But yeah. So that would line up if people were.
Speaker C
Yeah.
Speaker B
Were pitching around then. Interesting. That's. That's a good theory.
Speaker C
Yeah. I think. I don't know. I'm. I'm a human. I could be wrong. Although computers aren't always right either. Speaking of Gothic. The other day I was looking at a list of books set in castles and we have Always lived in the Castle was one of them and I was like.
Speaker B
Dear Close, but not quite.
Speaker C
Anyway, before we complain some more about Gothic things written by computers, let's hear from a sponsor.
Speaker D
Today's episode is brought to you by Hachette Audio, publisher of the audiobook Sharp Force by Patricia Cornwell, read by January Lavoy From a New York Times bestselling author. A serial killer wreaks havoc on Northern Virginia, appearing as a ghostly apparition before striking and K. Scarpetta must avoid becoming their next victim. During the early hours of Christmas morning, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. K. Scarpetta receives a chilling call. The Phantom Slasher has struck again. Now the serial killer has terrorized Northern Virginia for months. His pattern is to stalk with a sophisticated technology that enables him to invade his victims homes and watch their every move. They wake up to a ghost like hologram before being murdered in their beds. Scarpetta is summoned to Mercy island, the site of a notorious psychiatric hospital where two people have been brutalized and one of them from Scarpetta's past. It soon becomes apparent that she could be next. I need to know what happens next. Make sure to listen to Sharp Force by Patricia Cornwell, read by January Lavoy and thanks again to Hushet Audio for sponsoring this episode.
Speaker A
This episode is sponsored by 26th Street Books, publishers of Convergence by Greg Owen and Jonathan Dixon. Stick around after the show to hear an excerpt from the audiobook edition. Chicago, March 1976. A young privileged man kills two of his friends. Four days later he's in custody and just as quickly he walks free. For four years the case nearly vanished until two prosecutors and one lucky break resurrected it. Convergence is the true story of a brutal double homicide, the rise of a rock musician turned star prosecutor, and the dark mix of money, drugs and corruption that almost buried the truth forever. Convergence by Jonathan Dixon and Greg Owen, published by 26th Street Books, is available now wherever books are sold. This is a riveting real account of power, money and a case that nearly slipped away. Again, stick around after the show to hear an excerpt from the audiobook.
Speaker B
Foreign.
Speaker D
Is brought to you by Hachette Audio, publisher of the audiobook Vagabond by Tim Curry, read by Tim Curry Let me just say I'm so excited to be getting another piece of Tim Curry's work after so long and in this memoir it's just celebrating his work, his life and it is a testament to his profound impact on the entertainment industry as we know it today. There are a few people in Hollywood who can boast the same kind of resume as Tony Award nominated actor Tim Curry that he has built over five yes girl, five decades. His breakout role was as Dr. Frank N. Furter in the Rocky Horror Picture show where his legs were iconic. And then he was Pennywise the Clown in Stephen King's It. He also was the original King Arthur in Spamalot and he just redefined what it meant to be a character actor. And we are all the better for for it. Make sure to listen to Vagabond by Tim Curry read by Tim Curry. And thanks again to Hachette Audio for sponsoring this episode.
Speaker C
All right, so we are going to talk about books. Before we do that, we want to remind you that you can sign up for tailored book recommendations and we can help you find your next favorite read, which might be a gothic read if that's something that you're looking for. We give out handpicked suggestions. When you fill out the survey with what you like, what you want to read, more of what you've always wanted to read, you know, your favorite books. It's really fun. People love to fill out the surveys. And then we put that information in our brains and shake it around. And we pick three books just for you. Tailor picked just for you. And you can choose between receiving recommendations via email or you can get new hard covers or paperbacks delivered to you. So you can actually hold the books that we've chosen. It's very exciting and you can treat yourself or any of the book lovers in your life to this service. It's a great gift. Get started today from just $18 head to mytbr co to learn more and subscribe to TBR today. That's mytbr.com co okay, so my first pick for today is one that I have read. It is Hole in the sky by Daniel H. Wilson. This is a first contact sci fi novel. Wilson is the author of Robopocalypse and the sequel, I think there was just one the Clockwork Dynasty, how to Survive a Robot Uprising. He wrote a sequel to the Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton. Basically, Daniel H. Wilson is super into destroying the United States and the world in his books. There's just all kinds of things going on. He also has a PhD in robotics as well as a master's degree in machine learning and robotics. So he knows his stuff when it comes to robots. This one, not as many robots. It's first contact, not a lot to base your Fiction on, because supposedly maybe we've never met them. So this novel is told from the point of view of a few characters. And there is, like, chapters that go from the reports of this incoming thing heading towards the Earth to first contact. And then after, it'll be like, you know, six hours before our first contact, or six, you know, three hours since first contact. There is a native man named Jim in Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, whose teen daughter is coming to stay with him after she has nowhere else to go, that he separated from her mother. Her mother has split. She's been living with her grandmother, and now her grandmother has passed away. So she's coming to stay with him, right as a UFO is basically headed for Oklahoma, you know, and he doesn't know which is more destructive and angry teenager or this UFO that's coming to hit the. Hit the state. There is a neurodiverse scientist who is working for NASA in Texas who wears special glasses that help her interpret people's facial expressions. And she observes something weird on the radars and determines that there's something headed towards Earth. Like, she. She works out some signals, and she's the first person to realize this. And then her glasses start behaving strangely. There is an unnamed man in a government bunker. He has been there for ages. He's kept down there to detect anomalies and signals and images. They call him the threat forecaster. And we get to hear from him, and there's a government agent on the ground. He is among the first who are headed to make first contact. He carries around an enormous backpack that people think is ridiculous, but, you know, it's got all kinds of good stuff in it. And this book just goes like a breakneck speed as the thing gets to Earth. Well, basically, like, from the first page. And I don't want to spoil it because I actually was really surprised by what occurred once the thing arrived. I wasn't expecting that. And, you know, it kind of has this history with Earth, this thing. It's also tied up in native legends and stories that Jim has been told. And it's just really fun to think, like, what would the country look like if a spacecraft was headed toward it? I mean, we see it sometimes, you know, Independence Day and stuff. Like, everybody's like, let's get out of here, but some people are like, yeah, let's go up on the roof and celebrate. You know, would you stay or go? Would you enforce your job or get the heck out of Dodge? You know, it's really fun. And the idea of extraterrestrials in this book is really cool. It's also really touching. You know, Jim and his daughter are having a hard time. Her brother died and they both are are still grieving that and they have to work through that. You know, it's also about, you know, how we're also insignificant or just tiny little specks in the universe and in such a short amount of time. It was really fun. I do want to mention that there are content warnings for racism, classism, death of a child, substance use and abuse, violence, injury and gore. It's Hole in the sky by Daniel H. Wilson.
Speaker B
That looks so good. I can't believe I haven't read any Daniel H. Wilson yet. They're on my tbr. Okay, the first gothic novel I want to tell you about that I read is the Salvage by Anbura Salaam. And before I get into it, I will say my favorite part of this book is how information is slowly revealed. So personally I would recommend going into it without knowing a lot about it. If you are in the mood for a claustrophobic gothic novel set on a small frozen over island in the 1960s in Scotland, pick this one up and just skip over my description. But if you need more information, here it is. So we start with the author's note about the winter of 1962 in the United Kingdom, aka the Big Freeze. This was the coldest winter in a century with the snow beginning on Christmas Eve and then temperatures not rising until March. And then we begin the story in October of 1962. So we get this kind of ticking countdown clock of why is this big freeze going to be a big part of the story? Why did we have to know this first? And also that in the beginning of the book it seems like this story should end before then. So I love that element of it. So we meet Marta Khoury, who is a marine archaeologist, which is already a very impressive job. But it is made even more impressive by the fact that she is a Syrian woman. In the 1960s she's been sent to Cairn Rock, a remote Scottish island, to recover a body and treasures from a Victorian shipwreck that has been recently recovered. The body belongs to an explorer who was and is practically worshipped on this island. Kind of a local celebrity, the biggest name that's come out of this island and they are confident that setting up a museum based around his body and his belongings will save the island by bringing tourism back. Because right now it's, it's pretty hard to make a living on this little island. And this is an Important job for Marta as well, because she needs to prove herself or risk being fired. And as you might expect, marine archaeologist, pretty specific job. Not really a lot of other options for her with this set of skills. Her boss, very inconveniently, is her husband, at least until the divorce is finalized. He and Marta both blame her for what happened to his friend Lewis. And we don't know what happened to him, but we find out. And he is looking for a reason to recommend that she no longer be employed by the museum. So she really has to get this right to keep her job. In the first chapter, she does the initial dive to scope out the shipwreck. She's taking photos as she goes. She finds the explorer's bodies and a surprising amount of his belongings. There's a coin, his, like, partially readable captain's log, which is pretty impressive that it held up so well. His snow glasses. This is a very promising start to museum exhibit. But she also sees something else. A shadowy figure crouching in the corner. And as you'd expect, she then gets out of there very fast. I love a horror novel that gets straight to the premise. I love that this starts with the dive and seeing that figure. I kind of expected this to be an underwater horror story, but it's really a gothic set on this island. When Marta resurfaces, obviously very shaken, she begins to make friends with the bartender, Elsie, and possibly start a little flirtation there. But Elsie is definitely the exception. For the most part. This small island is extremely religious and insular and not welcoming to strangers. And in fact, this is set in the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. And when the siren goes off, Marta is not allowed inside the bomb shelter because one of them decides that she is going to doom them by not being one of the the chosen ones and not being their specific kind of Christianity. And they just close the doors with her on the outside, which is definitely a way to not feel welcome somewhere. Then to make things worse, when she starts the second dive to recover the skeleton, she realizes that the ship has been looted and that the buoy that she'd used to mark the site had also alerted somebody else that there was someone down there. And all of those artifacts that she took pictures of and had promised to her client are now gone. She has to track them down, find who stole them, or lose her job. And then meanwhile, strange things keep happening on the island. She is very uncomfortably sitting in church when there's the scratching sound that encircles the entire outside of the church. She sees a man's handprint on the outside of her window. She. She kind of questions whether she can see that shadowy figure out of the corner of her eye. She thinks it might be Lewis haunting her. Or maybe the captain, who's angry about being moved. Or maybe she's just imagining it. And then, as the freeze sets in, she is trapped on this island. She meant to get out earlier, but with the weather, that's no longer possible. There are no longer fairies coming in and out. And the rundown hotel she's staying at, island old and drafty. There's stuff in newspapers around the windows and closing off rooms to try to stay warm, huddling around this coal fire. And the longer the cold weather continues, the more strange behavior that people show. And Marta isn't the only one who starts talking about staying, seeing strange things. So is this a haunting, a curse? Or is it just the cold getting to them? I loved this gothic novel. It is so atmospheric, and the pacing of the little reveals is perfect. It's not really that there are shocking twists, but we're always getting new pieces of information that change things. And that description of the weather was so convincing that I was grabbing a blanket every time I read this. Even though, like I said earlier, it has not been gold here. But while I was reading it, I could really feel that cold. I highly recommend this for fans of gothic novels, and that is the Salvage by Anbara Salam.
Speaker C
All right, that is on my list.
Speaker B
Oh, I'd love to hear anything.
Speaker C
Yeah, it's on my short list, actually. Although I admit that I do have several short lists everywhere. Like, where did I write this down? All right, so my next pick for today, which I have not read, but I am excited to read, is Blood and Breath by Kuratien. This is about a young woman named Evan. She belongs to the Magi class. This is a fact that she keeps hidden because the Magi are persecuted in this world. But not too hidden because she needs to eat. And she makes her living by drawing up contracts between humans and devils. If you need something done, she can write a contract. Ask the devil to do your bidding. It might cost you some of your life or some blood or something, you know, it's illegal. But like I said, she needs to eat. And then one day, Evan is attacked in an alley and she's dying. So she decides to call up a devil by writing a contract for herself. She writes this contract and it says that the devil who helps her can have the last of her life because she knows she doesn't have much left. She's dying if they help her get revenge first. So the devil named Jack is like, I'll take it. He takes the contract, and with his help, Evan then poses as a necromance and infiltrates high society. Necros are very fancy people in high society, but they also perform illegal blood sacrifices, which is the very thing that is claiming Evan's life. Somebody did this to her, and she wants to know who. But the more time they spend in high society, she begins to have a grand time in her fake life. She even falls in love. And now she's like, what am I gonna do? And then they learn a lot more about necros and devils, including the fact that the Necros control the devils, like they're what is keeping the devils off the earth. And if she and Jack carry out their revenge plan, it could unleash hell on earth. So she has to make a decision. It sounds like tons of fun. It has an excellent cover. This really cool watercolor picture. It's very cool. It is Blood and Breath by Kuratuin.
Speaker B
That does sound very fun. All right, my next pick. Also a gothic, but this one is a gothic fantasy, and that is savage blooms by S.D. gibson. So since he was a child, Adam's grandfather has been telling him stories of this estate in Scotland. And sometimes they sound like fairy tales, but they're always exciting. And they're about a time in his grandfather's life that he was never able to really let go of. So when his grandfather dies, Adam decides he's going to find this estate to try to learn more about his life. So together with his friend Nicola, they go in search of this legendary manor. That's when they meet Finley, who is kind of the taciturn groundskeeper of the estate, who invites them in. Eileen is the cold and imposing lord of the estate, who offers to help search their records for any mentions of Adam's grandfather. And then a storm rolls in, and they are trapped inside together. And it becomes obvious to the readers that Eileen and Adam are hiding something, a secret that could maybe save Eileen and possibly ruin Adam's life. Nicola is a researcher of folklore, and she begins to suspect that Eileen is hiding something. She sees a strange figure watching in the woods. And then when Eileen leads them to the mouth of a cave carrying milk and bread offerings, Nicola knows what this is. This is the presence of the fae. And fairies are a staple of Romantasy novels right now. But these are the older version of the fae. They are deadly threats. And because this is a Gothic, the tension builds slowly. Most of the time. The Fae are out of sight. They're not in immediate danger. Instead, this is really about the tangled and sometimes toxic relationship between the four of these people. All of them have a unique kind of chemistry with the others. There's this friends to lovers aspect of Adam and Nicola, who have been denying their attraction to each other for years. There's the twisted relationship between Eileen and Finley, who are codependent and have a strange power dynamic. Adam and Finley are competitive, especially when they both show interest. And Nicola and Nicola reveals this new softer side to Eileen. So there's kind of six relationships happening here. There's a lot of steamy scenes, but there's also just as much research scenes. The house seems to inspire dark desires and the longer they stay there together, the more tense and dangerous it feels. And there's only so long that Eileen can keep the secret of of really what she wants from Adam. A deal that will free her and trap him. And then, as always, there's the threat of the Fae creeping in on all sides. I love S.D. gibson's books because she is so good at establishing a mood. The vibes are perfect. This is a dark, sexy, folkloric gothic fantasy that slowly builds up the tension. I can't wait for the sequel. This is going to be a trilogy. I will say this starts with a lengthy list of content warnings too long for me to actually read them all here. I definitely recommend reading those thoroughly. There will be some deal breakers for some readers. The Kirkus review calls this a magical bacchanalian soap opera. A toxic polyamorous romance that revels in dark eroticism, which I think is a good way to describe it. And that is Savage Blooms by S.D. gibson.
Speaker C
Okay, well I don't think my next pick does that, but you know, you never know. Another book that I'm looking forward to reading is It Girl, the Life and Legacy of Jane Birkin by Marissa Meltzer. Jane Birkin was a British born actress and singer. She was a London it girl in the 1960s. Everybody wanted to cut their hair like her and dress like her. She was also famous for her romantic relationships. Tabloids loved her. She has three daughters, all of whom are famous, including the actress, singer, director Charlotte Gainsbor who made a documentary about her mother Jane in 2021. She mostly acted in French films, but I do remember her from Death on the Nile and Evil under the sun, the film adaptations from the late 70s and early 80s of the Agatha Christie books. She was also a legend in fashion, probably now most famous with younger people for her last name. The Birkin bag is named after her, which you can hear Shabuzzi sing about in Tipsy. And this is a book about her impact on the culture of her time and her legacy. It is It Girl. The Life and Legacy of Jane Birkin by Marissa Meltzer. And now we're going to hear from another sponsor.
Speaker D
Today's episode is brought to you by Cider Mill Press, publisher of Taylor Swift Unofficial search and find Biographies by Gus Moraes now this is the era of the Swifty. With the Life of a Showgirl album having just come out, this is a time for Swifties to get their life. And with this one of a kind visual biography, this is something for you to sink your teeth into to test your Swifty knowledge. So let's get into it. It is a visual biography. It's an exploration of Taylor Swift's groundbreaking career, celebrating every album, era, iconic outfit and unforgettable moment from where it all began on the Christmas Tree Farm to the raw emotion and lyrical depth of the tortured poets department. Each page immerses you in a scene inspired by her dramatic evolution as a cultural icon. There is beautifully hand drawn artwork by award winning illustrator Gus Moraes. There's a vault of puzzles where any Swifty can spend hours searching for Taylor Swift themed hidden objects and Easter eggs. This is perfect for road trips, plane flights or family time. Or if you just want to listen to the album and have something to do, something to look at, make sure to pick up Taylor Swift unofficial search and find biographies by Gus Mares. And thanks again to Cider Mill Press for sponsoring this episode. Today's episode is brought to you by Harlequin, a leading publisher of romantic fiction delivering feel good high stakes and heart pounding stories across every kind of love. No matter what kind of romance you love to read, Harlequin has it for for you. And in one of their latest books, Accidentally Wedded to a Werewolf by Isabel Taylor, we've got some snowed in goodness. We've got some small towns and some unusual residents. So when a snowstorm hits during her travels, Luna Stack finds herself stranded in Clawhaven, Alaska, a cozy small town with more than a few unusual residents. Well, things go from bad to complicated when Luna acts accidentally drinks a potion that tethers her to Oliver Musgrove, the local grumpy innkeeper who also happens to be a werewolf. Now these two opposites are stuck spinning the winter together while they wait for the antidote. And although they might not want anything to do with each other, the bond says otherwise. Make sure to pick up Accidentally wedded to a werewolf by Isabel Taylor. And thanks again to Harlequin for sponsoring this episode.
Speaker B
Episode.
Speaker D
Today's episode is brought to you by 26 Street Books, publishers of Convergence. The paperback by Jonathan Dixon and Greg Owen. Chicago, March 1976. A young privileged man kills two of his friends. Four days later he's in custody and just as quickly he walks free. For four years the case nearly vanished until two prosecutors and one lucky break resurrected it. Convergence is the true story of a brutal double homicide, the rise of a rock musician turned star prosecutor, and the dark mix of money, drugs and corruption that almost buried the truth forever. Convergence by Jonathan Dixon and Greg Owen, published by 26th Street Books, is available now wherever books are sold. So yes, this is for lovers of true crime. It allows you to step inside the courtroom and see how evidence is built, how trials unfold, and how justice is fought for. It's a riveting, real account of power, money, and a case that nearly slipped away. Make sure to pick up Convergence by Jonathan Dixon and Greg Owen. And thanks again to 26th Street Books for sponsoring this episode.
Speaker C
Okay, what do you have for us?
Speaker B
All right, I have one more gothic novel, which is if the Dead Belong Here by Carson Faust. This is a Native American Gothic that begins with six year old Laurel Taylor's disappearance. Her family searches for her fruitlessly, but meanwhile her 14 year old sister Nadine begins to have disturbing dreams. These dreams convince Nadine that the key to finding Laurel lies in her family's past. She is wondering whether it was her father who took Laurel, who has been absent and often violent, or was she taken by the little people who exist between life and death. Nadine will have to face generations of tragedy to try to heal her family and bring her sister back. She'll also learn about her inheritance of healing and visions and how to use them to help repair the damage of intergenerational trauma. This connection with these gifts was lost for several generations as her great grandparents raised their children to assimilate and to follow Christianity. This book draws from the author's family history as well as folklore, and it follows the legacy of colonial violence. The early reviews describe it as atmospheric, haunting and heartbreaking. It includes lush descriptions of scenery and fabulous moments, and it moves between many different points of view and multiple timelines to explore how her family ended up here. I love a gothic novel, but I am especially interested in how this genre is written by marginalized people. I think it is so much more impactful when it's not just the same old crumbling Victorian mansion story. Although I like those, too. There's something about a Gothic that really lends itself to talking about trauma and marginalization, in my opinion. I just wrote a post about compulsory heterosexuality in Gothics, so I think that the Gothic can, yeah, talk about different kinds of marginalization in a really interesting way, and that's if the Dead Belong Here by Carson Faust.
Speaker C
Okay, well, my next pick is a crumbling gothic mansion story that I'm looking forward to reading. I've actually read the first 20 pages of this. I just started it this morning. It is all of us Murderers by K.J. charles. It is a queer gothic murder mystery slash romance about Zeb Wickham. Zeb is called to his cousin Wins remote family manor. It's like in the Family, but Win owns it. He hasn't seen Win in many years. In fact, he's pretty sure he's only met him, like, twice when he was a little kid. And he doesn't really like to leave the house, but he agrees to go, and it's a terrible idea for many, many, many reasons. First, when he gets there and the door opens, he is immediately greeted by a distressed young woman in a flowing white gown who runs off into the moors. And he's like, okay, maybe somebody should do something about that. But the person who greets him next is like, don't worry about it. And now things have gone from weird to bad because the person who greets him is his ex, Gideon, who is now working as the secretary to the owner of the house, his cousin Win. And then things go from bad to worse because he finds out Zeb finds out his awful brother and his wife are there, as well as his other cousin, who is just dastardly and terrible. So it turns out that the Wickham name is famous. Their grandfather was a famous writer, and he wrote all kinds of mystery novels. And there's this very large estate that Wynn has. It's called Lackford House. And at dinner, Wynn announces that he is going to leave the estate to whomever marries his ward, the aforementioned young woman who is now running about on the grounds. And Zeb's brother is furious because he has spent all this time with Win, like, not out of the kindness of his heart, like, but thinking that Win would leave him the house. And Zeb doesn't want to marry this woman. He doesn't really care about money. They can fight it out, you know, amongst themselves. He's more upset that Gideon is there because Gideon hates him. We don't know what happened. We just know that Zeb did something that cost. That cost Gideon his job a year earlier, and he hasn't talked to him since then. So Zeb's like, I'm gonna leave. But unfortunately the weather gets so bad that no one can go anywhere. It's too foggy, and they're all stuck at the house. And while they're there, secrets and a murderer are going to come out of the shadows. So this is all of us Murderers by K.J. charles.
Speaker B
I am looking forward to that one, too. It's on my list.
Speaker C
The K.J. charles book is always a good time.
Speaker B
Yeah, it looks great. Okay, my last book I'm going to talk about is not a gothic novel. It's a bit of a shift. It's the new Cory Doctorow book. And forgive me for not being able to actually say the title of this book. Blame the Apple podcast classifications for my bolterization. But let's call it increpification. That's not what it's called, but let's call it that. Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and what To Do about it by Cory Doctorow. At this point, you've probably heard the actual term before, but Cory Doctorow was the one who coined it. And if you haven't heard of it, here's how Cory Doctorow describes the three step process. First, platforms are good to their users. Then they abuse their users to make things better for their business customers. And finally, they abuse those business customers to claw back all the value for themselves. So, for example, let's say you invent a search engine, and in the first step, you actually create value. This search engine is much better than any other option, so people use it a lot, become reliant on it. There are little to no ads. It's reliable. It's convenient. Then, once you've built up an audience who are reliant on your search engine, you can provide value to advertisers. You sell ads to display during search results. But because we live in capitalism, it isn't enough to create a usable, profitable product. You need to not only keep making money, but keep making exponential profits. And since you've already gotten basically everyone in the world to use this search engine, you can't really get more users, so you need to squeeze more money out of each one. So you start cramming more and more ads into every result. And maybe hypothetically, you find out that actually the quicker that a user finds the answer they're looking for, the less time they spend looking at ads. So maybe hypothetically, you start pushing the useful information Back to page 2, 2 or 3. Because every click means more ads served to them. And once you've made it an unpleasant experience for the customer, you can start squeezing the advertisers too. Maybe you're jacking up their prices and hopefully people are so dependent on your search engine at this point that they won't leave, even though it's become a really unpleasant experience to use. I think this concept is so useful, especially because it can help you see into the future. You can see things that are still in that first phase or just starting to go into phase two. So, for example, say you have, hypothetically an AI chatbot that people become very dependent on. They find it really useful. And maybe that chatbot right now isn't actually making any money because there are no ads and the memberships don't cover the cost of the huge amount of computing power they require. But if you know this process, you know that that makes sense because they're currently just getting as many people to become dependent on this as possible. And then later they will enter stage two where they make it much more profitable for the company and less pleasant for the user. So maybe it'll mean a ton of ads, maybe it'll mean jacking up the membership cost or pushing a ton of purchasing within the chatbot. Maybe it'll be a combination, who knows? But once you know this process, you can kind of see it coming. Cory Doctorow has been writing about tech for many years. He was a co editor of Boing Boing. He's also an award winning sci fi author. He knows what he's talking about. I always find his writing very interesting because he is kind of deeply in that tech space and paying attention to what's happening. I am looking forward to reading this to get a more in depth understanding of this idea. But I recommend that even if you don't read the book, you listen to the podcast of the same name because it is eye opening. And that's what I'm calling Encrapification by Cory Doctorow. But that's not really the name.
Speaker C
Cory Doctorow's new book, it's actually called Cuddly Teddy Bear.
Speaker B
It was like, should I talk about this when I can't say the name?
Speaker C
Well, it's very interesting. We've all experienced it.
Speaker B
Yeah.
Speaker C
So those are books that we have read and books that we are excited to read. There are a few hardcovers out in paperback today that I want to tell you about. Starting with the Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Kaw. This is a dark fairy tale novella about a mermaid who comes onto land to marry a prince who turns out to really suck. And they have daughters who are violent and scary with sharp teeth. They destroy the kingdom and burn it down. And so the mermaid goes on the run with a plague doctor like you do. A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone this is a romance about a former adult film actor who sells a script to a Hallmark like channel and then ends up staying at the home of a former bad boy rock star with her demonic cat. I think while they're filming the movie the Paranormal Ranger A Navajo investigator Search for the Unexplained by Stanley Milford Jr. Which I have not read. It sounds very cool. Just says it's about the bizarre cases of the paranormal and unexplained in Navajo land that he has investigated. John Lewis A Life by David Greenberg about the influential civil rights leader and member of Color Congress. You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto because she has a book every other week now. Was it three? Coming out in the next six months. It's amazing. Amazing and always so fun. This is about two friends working to become social media influencers who end up being enemies when one of them becomes more successful than the other. Atomic Family by Sierra Horton McElroy about a day in the life of a family in South Carolina in 1961 where the threat of nuclear war hangs over the country and their town contains a nuclear plant and they are concerned about it. The Elements of Marie Curie how the Glow of Radium Lit A Path for Women in Science by Dava Sobel. A biography of one of the most famous women scientists and the others who joined science fields influenced by Curie. The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister. Set in West Virginia, there are five siblings who grew up on a cranberry bog farm, and every year they are given supernatural help with their yield. But this year, for some reason it doesn't happen and what are they going to do? And the last one, at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak, about a man named Frank who receives a call from his estranged daughter. She tells him that she is getting married to the son of a tech billionaire and wants him to come to the wedding and he's very excited, but once he gets there he thinks that something weird is going on, so those are out in paperback. Danika, what are you going to read next?
Speaker B
I think the next book on my towering pile of October reads is is not, I don't think technically horror, but someone you can build a nest in by John Wiswell which is like A Sapphic monster fantasy romance. I've heard such good things about it and I have been saving it for October. I'm very much looking forward to it. What about you?
Speaker C
I am reading Canon by Paige Lewis, which comes out on May. May 19, and I said this to one of the bibs earlier. I can't even describe it without my brain melting out my ears. It's about a young person who is approached by God and told that they are going to help save people against a bad person. I can't figure out when it's supposed to take place, although I was looking at if it said probably the 1990s or even tell you exactly what is going on. But it's so awesome. Like, I know that sounds weird, but it's so awesome. And so I'm about halfway through that and then I hope to read Apparently Sir Cameron Needs to Die in which Many Dangerous and Homosexual Things Happen by Greer Stuthers. Which I picked it up for the title, of course. Right. Comes out February 3rd and it's about a wizard. I haven't started it yet. Sorcerer. Who has to protect a cowardly knight after their fates become tied together. So yeah, I mean it looks. It's got a great title. The book itself looks amazing. It's got these wild sprayed edges with like skulls on them and it just sounds like a good time. So those are what I'm going to pick up next, I think. So that's it for us, right? Did we make it? I don't know. We had some technical difficulties. We're still working out. You know, they don't know. They haven't heard them. But hopefully you can get started with TBR for from just 18. Head to mytbr.co to learn more and subscribe to TBR today. That's mytbr.co. thank you to our sponsors. Thank you to our awesome audio editor, Caitlin Braim. All the Books is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network. You can drop us a line at allthebooksookriot.com Danica where can people find you online?
Speaker B
You can find me at my book blog, the lesbrary. That's L-E S B R-A-R-Y dot com. What about you?
Speaker C
I mostly hang out on Instagram @FranzenCmes Alive. I think I actually posted for like the first time in, I don't know, two months. The other day I bedazzled a copy of Bunny by Maya Wad and it was really fun so I had to show it off. And if you want to give us a treat. You can go to Apple Podcasts or Spotify or wherever it is that you get your podcast and leave a rating or review. It helps other people to find us, especially if they like books and we appreciate it so much. And as much as we would love to tell you about more books and today we just don't have the time. But you can read about more titles out now in the show notes@bookriot.com allthebooks as well as find a link to our weekly New Books newsletter. And for more recs or general bookishness, check out bookriot.com and don't forget to check out our full stable of podcasts@bookriot.com listen or just search Book Riot on your podcast player of choice. And in the meantime, happy reading.
Speaker A
Thanks so much for listening today. We hope you'll enjoy this audiobook Excerpt from Convergence by Greg Owen and Jonathan Dixon. Available now wherever books are sold. Thanks again to our sponsors at 26th Street Books.
Speaker E
Listen when I tell you this, you don't want immunity, but more important, you don't need it. Bullshit. So burn. His smile was warped and spiteful. He almost whispered, you're trying to trick me. It's not bullshit. You don't understand how little I give a fuck about cocaine. I couldn't possibly give less of a fuck. Cedric drew himself up, trapped and poised to fight his way through it. You're lying to me. I'm not lying. Put it in writing. No. Why? Suborna was incredulous. Owen's mind was moving as fast as he could make it go. I put it in writing. Then you can be damn sure it comes out at the trial. Now not only will the jury know that you did something, they'll know exactly what it was you did. They're going to say, oh yeah, Cedric Siberna cocaine dealers. Cedric started. Owen kept going. And when the Sun Times or the Tribune or WGN or the Reader report on it, and you better believe they will, you're going to be Cedric Saberna, coke dealing drug freak forever. But one more time. You don't need to worry about cocaine. We don't care about cocaine. He enunciated every word. Sabrina put the last gnawed bit of sausage and peppers on his plate and slid it away. I wasn't a drug fiend. I wasn't any fucking dealer either. I didn't even use much. I swear to God. You don't have anything to worry about, Greg. I've got everything to worry about. As if Owen had a notion of what Sabrina was talking about. Sabrina nodded, deliberate, knowing he looked objectively sad. One time, while he was wandering around backstage someplace in Detroit, Owen thought it was he watched the girlfriend of someone or the other take a massive snort of cocaine. She sat up straight and rigid, the same way everyone does when the coke hits their system. But her face didn't dissolve into elation or something close to ecstatic the way it usually does. Her eyes got wider. Her face went ghostly. She gasped. Owen saw it clearly. She was terrified she'd done too much, almost certainly more than she was used to. The onslaught of the drug might overtake her or it might burn itself out. It was touch and go. She wore a singular expression, the flash of understanding that you'd made a grave mistake and couldn't do anything to get out of it. The girl recovered within a few seconds, but Owen remembered that look too, from when he was a kid. He saw another kid on the playground, standing on the very top of the monkey bars, trying to keep his balance but losing it as the kid's arms were pinioning. He had that same expression, and Owen saw that Sabrina had it now. Saburna was clearly terrified. He'd gotten in deep. He knew it. There was no happy ending looming. He could testify or he could choose otherwise. Either way, Cedric obviously understood. It was like being offered a choice of whether you wanted the bamboo splinter hammered under the nail of the left index finger or the finger on the right. Suburna had to figure out his own best steps to self preservation, and it was clear he had no confidence in his ability to do so. Owen watched him. Then he said, we need you, man. I think you'll do great. He spoke as if they'd already agreed. He noticed Sabrina wasn't protesting. It's better this way. Way better doing it without immunity. Or without us forcing you. That might have been a phrase. Too far. Suburb recoiled. Belligerent again. Owen was pissed at himself for the misstep. Suburna was caustic. You can't force me. I know my rights, Greg. He spoke like the name was an accusation. I know you can't force me to talk. We actually can. Owen's voice was weary. We can subpoena you. I'll take the Fifth. Owen heard a slight quaver in Sabrina's voice. Between having an ear for music and observing Breen work a witness, he'd heard what a lot of others might miss. And a killer walks away. I'm giving you my word. Nothing will come of the coke. We're not going to concern ourselves at all in any way about you and Gio selling cocaine. I don't know if I can make it any clearer. Stop saying I was selling cocaine. Saburna considered things for a minute. You're lying. I know you're lying. No, man, I'm doing my job. That's it. That's all. I want to do my job. I've got two murder victims and two families that have been absolutely destroyed. And I've got the son of a bitch who did it. I'm not threatening you. I'm not lying to you. I'm asking you to help us out. Sabrina kept staring at Owen, but his defiance was fading. Owen said, Weinger did it. Right, Cedric? I've got the guy who did it. Weiger was the one. Yeah, it was Weinger. Sabrina's eyes were getting wet. Owen put a hand on Sabrina's shoulder. Okay, go home, man. Just go home and think about what we said. And I'll call you sometime tomorrow. Call me Wednesday or Thursday, okay? Wednesday or Thursday.